For patients and caregivers, understanding clinical progression, diagnostic imaging results, and pharmacological treatment options is vital for managing acute and chronic health conditions.
One billion colds occur every year in the United States, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. The common cold leads to more absences from work and school than any other illness. The common cold is caused by a number of different viruses that inflame the walls of the nose and throat.
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Certain dietary factors are believed to have an impact on the development or exacerbation of obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD. OCD is an anxiety disorder that manifests in obsessions, or repetitive, intrusive thoughts and compulsions, or repetitive, uncontrollable behaviors.
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For someone who needs relief from head and chest congestion and clogged sinuses, the Personal Steam Inhaler by Vicks may be able to help. This system uses the warm, moist heat caused generated by steam in order to soothe clogged and irritated airways in the respiratory system.
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Capillaries are the smallest blood vessels in the body, delivering nutrients and oxygen to body organs and whisking away chemical waste products. Capillaries are very thin and fragile, moving blood along a single blood cell at a time.
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Knee pain is a very common condition. Certain characteristics of knee pain, such as pain after sitting, can help to narrow the possible causes, but are not perfectly specific to any one disease. Multiple diagnostic approaches can help to establish the cause.
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Ringworm is a fungal infection that can affect skin anywhere on your body. Jock itch and athlete's foot are common names for this type of infection. Warm, moist environments like steam rooms, saunas, pools and gyms are a perfect breeding ground for ringworm to thrive.
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Antibodies are critical to your immune system's function. These cells are present in the body to ward off illnesses, including viruses and bacteria, and the more you have, generally, the healthier you will be.
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While many people experience adverse reactions to certain foods or food additives, only a small percentage of these are actual "allergic" reactions. Most adverse food reactions are considered an "intolerance," that, while often unpleasant, is not life-threatening.
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Appearing as the black circle in the center of each eye, your pupils serve as the windows through which light enters your eyes. This function is critical as you are able to see only when light rays reach the retinas deep inside your eyes.
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If your child tells you he feels dizzy, don’t be unduly alarmed, reports the American Academy of Pediatrics, or AAP. Dizziness is common among healthy children and can result from a child spinning around during play, or from getting up too quickly from squatting or sitting down.
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Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, results when the virus that causes chicken pox reawakens within the roots of sensory or cranial nerves. The primary symptoms of shingles, according to the 2008 edition of “Fitzpatrick’s Dermatology in General Medicine," are pain and a unique, one-sided, blistering rash.
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An estimated 5 percent of the population of the United States has a thyroid gland that functions poorly, a condition called hypothyroidism, the National Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Information Services reports.
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Heartburn is the first thing most people think about when acid reflux is mentioned. But the effects of chronic acid reflux, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, can extend beyond the digestive tract.
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Synthroid, or levothyroxine, is a medication commonly prescribed to treat hypothyroidism, or the low production of thyroid hormone, states MayoClinic.com. Synthroid is identical to thyroid hormone produced by the human thyroid gland, thus, mimicking its effects.
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A number of conditions can lead to heart enlargement, also called cardiac hypertrophy, in infants. Around 1 percent of infants have congenital cardiac defects, the most common congenital defect found in newborns, the American Heart Association reports.
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A TIA, or transient ischemic attack, is similar to a stroke, but symptoms resolve in a few minutes to 24 hours. TIAs are often referred to as ministrokes, but may be warning signs of a future stroke. MayoClinic.com states that one in three people who have a TIA will eventually have a stroke.
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Exercise is one of the most effective ways to improve health and reduce stress. However, when anxiety arises during exercise, the effectiveness of your workout can suffer. Runners of all levels experience anxiety at some point, whether during races or regular runs.
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Estrogen is one of the primary female sex hormones. Normally, estrogen is in balance with the other primary sex hormone, progesterone. When the body has too much estrogen, from overproduction of estrogen or lack of progesterone, it enters a state referred to as "estrogen dominance."
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Typhoid fever is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria Salmonella typhi. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, estimates a worldwide incidence of 22 million cases and 200,000 deaths annually. It occurs less commonly in the United States, with a yearly estimate of only 400 cases.
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Cephalexin, also known by its brand name Keflex, is an antibiotic used to treat various types of infections caused by bacteria. It belongs to a group of drugs called cephalosporin antibiotics. The usual adult dose is 250 mg or 500 mg, which is given 2 to 4 times per day. Larger doses are used for severe infections.
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