“Moon face” is a term that refers to a round, full, and puffy face. The swelling often occurs when taking high doses of prednisone or other corticosteroids, and can be a medication side effect. Some research also links moon face to diseases and disorders such as Cushing’s syndrome. Moon face symptoms aren’t painful, but they can be stressful and affect your sense of self-esteem. When you stop taking steroids, the swelling should go away....
While birthday cupcakes and Halloween candy have been long-held and popular traditions in many schools, it’s becoming increasingly common for schools to institute a “no food” policy for birthday and other classroom celebrations. Some of the possible reasons for instituting a no food policy include protection for students with food allergies in the classroom and overall healthy eating and exercise programs implemented by school districts. Many parents like no food policies since they help children with food allergies who might otherwise be left out of classroom celebrations and can help to combat the growing problem of childhood obesity....
A pinched nerve is a non-medical term that refers to pressure put on a nerve by soft tissue, bone, or a herniated disc. Long nerves that come off the main spinal cord to travel through the body can be affected. These are known as peripheral nerves. They act as messengers in sending information from your brain and spinal cord to every other part of your body. They can also be part of the central nervous system....
Quadriparesis occurs when there is weakness in all four of your limbs—both arms and both legs. Also referred to as tetraparesis, this condition differs from quadriplegia, which causes paralysis (the loss of ability to move) in each of the body’s limbs. Depending on the cause, quadriparesis can affect both sides of the body equally or can be more impactful on one side than the other. Most often diagnosed by a neurologist, the treatments available and overall prognosis for quadriparesis can vary widely depending on the underlying cause of the condition....
Although most flu symptoms are the same for adults and children, there are a few differences. Children are common carriers of the flu virus and spread it quickly, and because they aren’t the best about hygiene practices (such as washing their hands, or coughing and sneezing on each other), the flu spreads rapidly among kids. Common Flu Symptoms Any child can get the flu, but it is especially common in settings such as daycares and schools....
A common complication after head trauma is hydrocephalus, a condition in which there is a build-up of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the ventricles of the brain. One treatment for hydrocephalus is the placement of a shunt. A shunt is a long, flexible tube with a one-way valve. After it has been determined where there is fluid buildup in the brain, the shunt is placed and then tunneled into an area of the body where it can drain the excess fluid....
The jury is still out on whether a firm or soft mattress is the best option for people whose back pain keeps them up at night. That said, most health experts in the know say the choice is yours—that the mattress that makes you feel most comfortable is likely your best option. And what does research say so far? That medium firmness seems to yield the most painless sleep. A 2015 review gathered information from 24 controlled trials where participants used mattresses that were soft, medium firm, firm, or custom inflated....
Toradol (ketorolac tromethamine) is a powerful prescription non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), often given by injection. It is indicated for short-term management of moderate to severe acute pain. Studies have found that injectable Toradol is equivalently effective, if not superior, when compared to corticosteroids. What It Does Toradol, like other NSAIDs, is helpful in decreasing the substances that cause inflammation.Accordingly, toradol is effective at reducing the signs and symptoms of inflammation, such as swelling, pain, and fevers....
The immune system—or, more specifically, the abnormal response of the immune system—is at the heart of respiratory symptoms associated with asthma. When exposed to certain triggers, the immune system will overact and release chemicals into the bloodstream that cause the lungs to function abnormally. Three features tend to characterize asthma attacks: Tightening of muscles surrounding the air passages, known as bronchoconstriction, by which less air is able to enter the lungs Excessive production of mucus, which clogs the air passages Inflammation of the air passages as a result of the abnormal immune response These physiological actions lead to the wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath experienced during an asthma attack....
In vitro comes from the Latin term “in glass.” The term refers to studies of biological properties that are done in a test tube (i.e. in a glass vessel) rather than in a human or animal. In vitro studies are often contrasted to in vivo (“in life”) studies which are done inside an organism. In vitro studies allow scientists to isolate specific cells, bacteria, and viruses and study them without the distractions of having to look at a whole organism....
Whether as part of the process of in vitro fertilization, because you are an egg donor, or because you are considering freezing your eggs for later use, undergoing an egg retrieval is likely to raise some questions in your mind. Understanding how the process works can help set your mind at ease. To begin, most women who undergo egg retrieval start the process by taking a medication to bring one or more follicles to maturity....
Adjacent segment degeneration or ASD is a condition that often occurs after a spinal fusion or another back surgery is done. ASD affects the intervertebral joint(s) above and below the area addressed by the surgery. ASD can occur anywhere along the spine. Here’s the clinical definition of ASD: A complication of spine surgery that can be seen on an X-ray, CT scan or MRI as changes in the motion segments (i....
A Boutonniere deformity of the finger is the result of an injury to the tendons that work to straighten the finger joints. Often people sustain this type of injury during sports or work and think they simply jammed their finger. However, over time, the Boutonniere deformity can progress, and even become a permanent problem. Fortunately, if diagnosed quickly, there are treatments that can be effective. What Happens A Boutonniere deformity occurs after a very specific injury to the tendons of the finger Your fingers bend back and forth by tendons pulling on the bones....
For those who suffer from dry eye as a result of insufficient tears, the use of Cequa eye drops may provide relief for some. This cyclosporine agent is approved to increase the production of tears when someone does not produce enough of these. As a cyclosporine, Cequa is part of the calcineurin inhibitor immunosuppressant class, which works to suppress the immune system. If your tear production has been reduced as a result of ocular inflammation, Cequa helps to tamp this down by modulating the immune system....
Dermatitis herpetiformis, a.k.a. “the gluten rash,” is an itchy, stinging skin condition associated with celiac disease. It may be the itchiest rash ever, and it’s usually is diagnosed through a skin biopsy. If your dermatologist suspects your itchy rash could be dermatitis herpetiformis, she’ll almost certainly recommend a skin biopsy to confirm her diagnosis. Here’s what to expect from the skin biopsy procedure and what the results might show. Skin Biopsy Looks for Deposits Under the Skin Your dermatologist will tell you that lots of rashes look alike....
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the U.S. It infects almost every sexually active person at some point in their lifetime. Approximately 150 different strains of HPV have been identified. Those associated with cancer are collectively called the “high-risk” strains. Cervical cancer is the cancer type that’s most commonly associated with HPV, but research has suggested as many as 3% and 2% of all cancers in women and men, respectively, are caused by HPV....
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on July 19 approved Opzelura (ruxolitinib), the first and only topical treatment for vitiligo in patients 12 years of age and older. Key Takeaways Opzelura (ruxolitinib), the first topical cream to treat vitiligo, recently gained FDA approval.Based on data from the clinical trials, 30% of the participants regained at least 75% skin repigmentation on their face.People who have the condition can now request Opzelura from a board-certified dermatologist....
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently authorized the extension of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine shelf life by six weeks, preventing millions of doses from going to waste. Key Takeaways FDA approved the shelf life extension of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine from three months to four and a half months.Vaccine doses are still safe and effective, and extending the shelf life reduces further vaccine wastage.There may have been hundreds of thousands of unused vaccines due to decreased demand following the pause of its use....
Vaccine mandates are sweeping across all sectors as employers take a firm stance on protecting their workforces against COVID-19. Empowered by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granting full approval to the Pfizer vaccine, more corporations are expected to announce some form of vaccine mandate. Key Takeaways Many U.S. companies are requiring employees to be vaccinated for COVID-19.A cascade of vaccine “mandates” followed the FDA’s approval of the Pfizer vaccine.Not all vaccination mandates are created equal....
Weakness can be caused by disorders of the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, neuromuscular junction, or the muscle itself. There are many different kinds of muscle diseases. In order to correctly diagnose the problem and thereby offer appropriate treatment, sometimes a piece of muscle has to be obtained in order to look at affected muscle under a microscope. Sometimes, in fact, more than one sample may be needed, as some muscle diseases don’t involve the entire body, but instead have a patchy distribution....
