Managing infections involves identifying bacterial versus viral strains, implementing probiotic therapy, and following structured wound care protocols.
“Flu” is a generic term for a respiratory infection produced by several distinct influenza viruses, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). More than 200,000 people are hospitalized and about 36,000 people die from the flu in the United States each year.
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What you eat after you’ve had the stomach flu may help improve lingering symptoms faster. MayoClinic.com states that allowing your stomach to settle and easing back into a regular diet are two lifestyle choices that can help your digestive system repair itself.
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Shingles are most commonly diagnosed in people over age 50, according to the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center College of Medicine. This painful virus can cause chills, headache, fatigue and tingling sensations on the skin.
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Lyme disease is a tick-borne disease that can cause symptoms in many body systems, including the eyes, well after the initial tick bite occurs. Ocular problems are uncommon side effects of Lyme disease that can occur in the early or late phase of the disease and can take many different forms.
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More than 1 million people in the United States have HIV and must take common cold risks into consideration to maintain their health. HIV, or the human immunodeficiency virus, attacks the immune system by binding with cells responsible for fighting infections in the body.
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Staphylococcus and streptococcus are spherical bacteria that can cause mild to severe infections, especially in immunocompromised individuals. While staph skin infections are common, this bacterium can also invade the bloodstream, urinary tract, lungs and heart.
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Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, remains a major public health threat in the United States. Under growing pressure, hospitals--the major source of MRSA infections--have introduced stringent hygiene procedures to slow its spread.
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Your ear consists of three parts: an outer, middle and inner ear. The middle eardrum has a tube extending from it called the Eustachian tube that normally has a small amount of mucus inside. However, fluid drainage from other parts of the head, such as the nose, can lead to fluid buildup in this compartment.
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Fungal sinusitis is an inflammatory infection of the sinuses caused by certain types of fungi. There are three major types of fungal sinus infections: fungus balls, allergic fungal sinusitis and invasive fungal sinusitis. The symptoms of these fungal sinus infection vary and range in severity from mild to severe.
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The common cold is the result of a virus that attacks the body. The three most common symptoms of a cold are nasal congestion, runny nose and sneezing, says MedlinePlus. It is usually accompanied by a fever less than 102 degrees F, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
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Acute diseases are those diseases that come on abruptly and run a short, severe course, while chronic diseases last for a prolonged time and may come and go. An acute disease requires immediate medical attention due to life-threatening possibilities.
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According to MedlinePlus, a publication of the National Institutes of Health, sciatica refers to pain, weakness, numbness and tingling that occurs down the back of one or both legs after a spinal nerve is compressed.
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Tuberculosis, sometimes abbreviated as TB, is an infection caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The disease primarily affects the lungs but can spread to many other body parts.
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On January 17, 2008 the FDA issued an official public health advisory recommending that over-the-counter cough and cold medications not be used in children under age 2. Such medications have not been proven safe or effective in children of this age group.
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The flu is a contagious respiratory disease that affects millions of Americans each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Some people-including the elderly, young children, pregnant women and people with certain kinds of medical problems are at high risk for complications of flu.
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Chicken pox is the common name for the disease that results from infection with the varicella-zoster virus. This condition causes a blistering skin rash that can affect the mucous membranes in the mouth.
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Armpit boils arise from an infection of the hair follicle under the arm. The infection creates large lesions that form under the armpit and are usually filled with a clear fluid called pus. The infected area may become red and inflamed; it may also easily become irritated when clothes rub across the surface.
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A stuffy nose is one of the more uncomfortable symptoms of a cold or the flu. Decongestants are over-the-counter medications used to relieve nasal congestion. Some are taken by mouth, while others are sprayed into the nose. Afrin is a brand of oxymetazoline spray, a topical nasal decongestant.
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Disease has always plagued living things. Some diseases are passed from one person to the next through infections such as influenza. Others develop because of environmental problems such as smoking or through cellular mutation. The medical community works to understand and treat all forms of human disease.
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Coughing is a brain-controlled reflex that clears mucus and particulate matter from the airways. Nerves in the airways and chest connect with the cough center in the brain to trigger the reflex.
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