For patients and caregivers, understanding clinical progression, diagnostic imaging results, and pharmacological treatment options is vital for managing acute and chronic health conditions.
Fatigue is medically defined as a reduced ability to perform work and is a feeling of temporary or chronic tiredness, malaise and low energy. In most cases fatigue is caused by stress, overwork, poor nutrition and a lack of physical fitness and restful sleep.
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Creatine phosphokinase, or CPK, is an enzyme that is present in the heart, brain and skeletal muscles. CPK is more commonly known as creatine kinase, or CK. CK is released from the cells of these tissues when they are injured or do not receive enough oxygen.
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Molluscum contagiosum is a skin infection caused by a virus that affects both adults and children. In children, the viral infection is transmitted through skin-to-skin contact and typically causes wart-like bumps or papules on the hands, neck, arms and face.
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Marijuana, derived from the hemp, Cannabis sativa, is the most frequently used illegal substance in the United States, where it continues to be a controversial topic of legal debate. Marijuana has many slang names, such as pot, weed and grass.
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The majority of iron in the blood is bound to hemoglobin, the oxygen-transporting protein. Blood iron that is not in hemoglobin may be in transit and bound to the protein transferrin. Iron that comes from body stores is in the form of a protein called ferritin.
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Dangerously high blood glucose levels--over 300 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL)--can cause life-threatening complications. Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) occurs mostly in type 1 diabetics, but can occur in type 2 diabetics in some cases. In DKA, insulin stores are exhausted and fats are broken down to use as energy.
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Blisters can appear on the feet as a result of friction that occurs while wearing shoes or sandals. A blister may begin as a fluid-filled sac that is mostly painless. When the blister bursts it can ooze clear liquid and become painful.
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Scarring of the kidneys, or glomerulosclerosis, has many causes, including diabetes -- the most common cause in the United States -- high blood pressure, drugs, infection and autoimmune processes such as lupus.
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Stress can be a positive or negative event. Getting married or buying a new home can be just as stressful as financial or health problems. Stress becomes a problem when it occurs on a regular basis with no break and creates feelings of being out of control or overwhelmed.
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Stress balls are an excellent way to relieve stress anywhere you are, at any time. Their portability allow you to take them with you to work or school or even out while you're running your daily errands.
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Depression is a mood disorder that affects more than 14 million Americans each year, according to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. It is characterized by sadness, loss of interest in regular activities and despair.
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Many teenagers get high from abusing substances which range from diverted prescription drugs to street drugs to inhalants to alcohol. Some of these teens will go on to a life of addiction, abusing increasingly dangerous substances.
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All blood is not created equal. It all serves the body, it delivers oxygen and nutrients. It polices, attacking what it perceives to be invaders. But what it perceives to be invaders changes from person to person.
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Probiotics are living cultures of bacteria that can actually help alleviate constipation, rather than cause it. Learn how probiotics may improve digestion and provide relief from constipation symptoms.
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Ashwagandha has been used for more than 4,000 years in Indian medicine to treat inflammatory disease and tumors and as a general health tonic, or adaptogen, that helps your body resist stress. It’s also traditionally used to treat chronic liver disease.
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While an adult’s immune system can fight off many bacteria with ease, your baby’s developing immune system may not be so adept. When you are pregnant, eating certain foods may be harmful for your baby’s health.
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Golf is a form of physical activity as well as social activity. Many patients who have undergone or are considering undergoing a total knee replacement desire to return to golf.
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A shinbone, or tibia, fracture is the most common type of long bone fracture that can occur, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Tibia fractures are common in children and can be the result of sports injuries, tripping and falling or a motor vehicle accident.
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Pregnancy is an exciting time. Choosing healthy foods is important to your health and the health of your baby. Pomegranate fruit is a nutritious choice that contains several nutrients important to you during your pregnancy.
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Vitamin B-12 can be good for anxiety if you have a B-12 deficiency. If you have a poor diet, are a vegetarian, are older than 50, or if you have celiac disease or Crohn’s disease, you are more likely to have a B-12 deficiency than the rest of the population.
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