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If you have food allergies—especially common allergies like peanuts and milk—you probably have noticed that food labels specifically list whether the foods in question contain any allergens. That’s because a law known as the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA) requires manufacturers to clearly list the eight most common food allergens on product labels. Commonly referred to as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) food labeling law, it’s designed to make it easier for people living with food allergies to identify foods they can have, along with those they should avoid....

Chikungunya is picking up a pretty rough reputation for its painful and debilitating effects. It’s also picking up ground. Previously found in Asia and Africa, it spread to the Caribbean in 2013 and is now in North and South America. A mosquito bite in parts of Florida and Texas could spread Chikungunya. What is Chikungunya? Chikungunya (chik-en-gun-ye) is a viral infection causing fever and joint pain that spreads from person to person by mosquito bites....

Ovarian cysts may be diagnosed during your annual pelvic examination or through other diagnostic tests, including an ultrasound, laparoscopy, and blood tests. This article discusses how physical exams, laboratory blood tests, and imaging help diagnose ovarian cysts and other conditions that may cause similar symptoms. Self-Checks/At-Home Testing There are no at-home tests or self-checks that can diagnose ovarian cysts. However, being aware of the symptoms of ovarian cysts can help you communicate concerns to your healthcare provider and lead to an accurate diagnosis....

If you take medication for osteoarthritis, then you know how truly helpful certain ones can be for relieving pain and other symptoms of this debilitating joint disease. But as with most drugs, those used for treating arthritis can have worrisome side effects. Two in particular—corticosteroids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs)—have been associated with abnormal levels of potassium, a mineral that’s vital to health, especially the normal function of the heart. So if you’re on either medication for treating arthritis, here’s what you should know about how it may affect your potassium levels, why it matters, and ways you may be able to manage this side effect of arthritis medication....

Not only are there different types of psoriasis, but there are different degrees of severity—mild, moderate, and severe, with shades of gray in between. It is important that each case is characterized correctly to ensure that it is appropriately treated. Given the unpleasant symptoms of psoriasis, you might be eager to try the most aggressive options. But overtreating a mild case, for example, can actually prove ineffective and cause side effects....

Most people faced with chemotherapy are apprehensive, and why shouldn’t they be? Even if you’ve read up on the subject, it can still be like charting unknown territory without a compass. After all, having chemo isn’t something many of us have personally seen or experienced. For the most part, all we tend to know comes from a movie or TV show, neither of which are reliable sources. When faced with chemotherapy, people will often ask the same question, such as:...

Across the country, healthcare professionals are worried their patients may agree to get COVID-19 vaccine when it’s their turn in line. But few are more worried than the advocates for the approximately 600,000 homeless individuals in the United States. Key Takeaways States differ in how they are prioritizing the COVID-19 vaccine for people experiencing homelessness.Incentives such as transportation, gift cards, and even socks may help convince people experiencing homelessness to get the vaccine....

Even though LASIK is a relatively safe procedure, because eyesight is so important, it is normal to experience some nervousness prior to surgery. Knowing how to prepare yourself in the weeks and days leading up to your surgery can help you feel more at ease and increase your chances of a favorable outcome. Location LASIK surgery is performed under local anesthesia in an outpatient surgery center or in your ophthalmologist’s office....

You would hope that being sick enough to stay in the hospital overnight would be enough to get Medicare to pay their fair share. What’s fair in your eyes and in the eyes of Medicare, however, can be very different. With Medicare expected to be insolvent by 2026, the program aims to cut costs wherever it can. It does this by offsetting certain costs to you. The following rules are important for you to understand, especially as they are based more on when things happen than on your health....

Migraine diagnosis is based on clinical symptoms since, at this point, there are no blood, imaging, or interventional tests that can confirm the disorder. Screening tests and questionnaires can also be helpful, as they can help a healthcare provider understand nuances of a patient’s symptoms that they might not think to offer up on their own. The information gleaned can help a healthcare provider determine the probability of a migraine diagnosis or otherwise align a patient’s experience with that of this or another type of chronic headache....

Pennsaid is a topical NSAID solution that is FDA approved for treatment of pain and symptoms associated with knee osteoarthritis. The generic name for Pennsaid is diclofenac sodium. Diclofenac is also available by other brand names as a pill, a patch, and a cream. How Does Pennsaid Work? All non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) work by a similar mechanism. They inhibit cyclooxygenase, an enzyme responsible for the production of prostaglandins, which are chemical messengers key to the inflammatory cascade....

Sleep apnea is a common disorder that causes pausing during breathing while the afflicted person is asleep. This is often due to the upper airway collapsing, and it can lead to major medical problems. It is most often treated by continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, but this is not always tolerated. In fact, compliance is a major hurdle in treatment that sometimes cannot be overcome. One proposed alternative to CPAP is learning to play an aboriginal instrument called the didgeridoo....

Physicians use many terms to describe the progress of a cancer or its response to treatment, one of which is progressive disease. Progressive disease means what the term implies, that a cancer is getting worse, but these terms are used to explain exactly how much worse a cancer appears to be. There are many reasons, in turn, why a cancer could be labeled as being progressive, and your prognosis may vary significantly depending on which of these underlying processes is at play....

Right now, the only available treatment for celiac disease is a gluten-free diet. But that may soon be changing. A number of drug manufacturers are currently conducting clinical trials to assess the safety and effectiveness of a number of novel drug agents. Each has a different approach and mechanism of action (MOA). It is hoped that by inhibiting a process of this disorder, we may one day entirely erase celiac disease from the lexicon of autoimmune illnesses....

People with chronic acid reflux may find some relief by reducing simple sugars in their diet, according to a new study. Key Takeaways A new study found that reducing simple sugars may improve GERD.The findings were not directly related to weight loss and more research is needed to understand why cutting back on simple sugars can help with GERD symptoms.Experts say people with GERD don’t need to fully give up simple sugars to see these benefits....

A gleaming white smile can boost your self confidence, and today’s tooth-whitening products are easier than ever to use at home. Years ago, most whitening products contained very harsh ingredients that were found to actually damage teeth and cause extreme sensitivity. Products have improved greatly since then and now use high-quality ingredients that are gentler on your teeth. Tooth whitening is a rather simple procedure that can be accomplished either at the dental office or in your own home....

A bunion is a bump that forms on the toe joint, often causing a characteristic red, swollen bump on the top or side of the joint and resulting in a widening of the forefoot (toe area). A bunion on the pinkie toe side is known as a bunionette, or tailor’s bunion. This foot condition came to be known as a tailor’s bunion from the notion that tailors often sat in a cross-legged position while they worked, putting pressure on the outside of the foot....

Metatarsus primus varus is a foot deformity that affects the angle of the bones of the big toe. The deformity usually develops during adulthood as a result of wearing tight shoes that place pressure on the bones of the big toe, and it can cause pain and swelling. It’s also associated with a bunion, which is a bump on the side of the big toe. Bones Affected In Metatarsus Primus Varus This condition involves the metatarsals and phalanx bones of the foot....

The thyrocervical trunk is one of the three major branches of the subclavian artery. This branch arises on the anterior (front side) of the lower neck near the scalenus anterior muscle. Ascending upwards, it breaks off into several important branches that supply oxygen-rich blood to the thyroid gland as well as other regions throughout the neck. In some cases, vascular disorders such as peripheral artery disease can affect this region, leading to serious complications....

Has your healthcare provider recommended that you get a coronary calcium scan? You may wonder if it is necessary if you have other cardiac risk factors but your stress test doesn’t show a cardiac problem. The general rule for taking any medical test is whether the results will be useful in making a decision about your medical care. In your case, your healthcare provider might use the results of the calcium scan to decide whether to prescribe statin therapy....