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The purpose of gastric bypass surgery is to limit the amount of food you can eat and the number of calories your body can absorb. Not only can this help people with obesity lose weight, but it can also improve or cure obesity-related conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and sleep apnea. This article looks closely at the purpose of gastric bypass surgery, the criteria you must meet to be eligible for it, and the tests and labs to expect....

If you have or know someone who has a genetic condition, you may be wondering: Just what is a genetics counselor? As researchers learn more about genetic disorders, people have more access than ever to information about heritable medical issues. For example, today, pregnant women can opt for testing that can indicate whether their child might be born with a condition such as Down syndrome or Tay-Sachs disease. While such information is becoming increasingly available, some people wonder whether they truly want to know about potential risks and what they should do if they do find that they are susceptible to a particular health issue....

Unfortunately, people who have IBS often find themselves being treated poorly when they go to the emergency room for extreme symptoms. The overall problems in the doctor/patient relationship when it comes to IBS, due to the lack of physical findings on diagnostic tests, seem to be highlighted under the high-stress conditions of the average emergency room. Anecdotal reports from people who have IBS regarding their emergency room experiences are frequently filled with frustration that their fears and concerns about their health are minimized by emergency room personnel since IBS is not viewed as a “serious” health problem....

A recent study out of Spain shows that COVID-19 patients admitted to the hospital with high blood glucose (sugar) independent of diabetes have an increased risk of mechanical ventilation use, ICU placement, and death. Key Takeaways Having high blood sugar while in the hospital with COVID-19 can significantly increase a person’s chance of severe illness.Healthcare professionals should screen for, monitor, and treat patients admitted with hyperglycemia. Researchers examined more than 11,000 patient records pulled from the SEMI-COVID-19 Spanish Registry....

Making sure to get enough antioxidants in your diet may be the easiest and most effective tool you have in fighting a stroke. Antioxidant has certainly been a buzzword recently. Find out the truth about how antioxidants fight diseases like stroke, heart disease, and cancer. What Are Antioxidants? Antioxidants are naturally occurring components of fresh fruits and vegetables. When we eat food like berries, red peppers, and nuts, the antioxidants are absorbed into the body....

An arthritis flare is an episode of increased pain, stiffness, and fatigue. These intensified arthritis symptoms can come on suddenly, disrupting your normal routine. Depending on the type of arthritis you have, flares can be brought on by overdoing activities, changing weather patterns, changes to your medications, stress—or sometimes for no apparent reason at all. To minimize the impact of flares and help you recover as quickly as possible, consider the following advice....

Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis, or RRP, is a type of HPV infection. RRP is characterized by the growth of warts within a person’s airway. Although a relatively rare condition, RRP can cause significant health problems for sufferers. It can even be fatal if warts grow large enough to fully block the airway. RRP can also be very dangerous if the benign HPV infection becomes cancerous. RRP is not the same as throat cancer caused by HPV....

While most people who get laser in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK) eye surgery notice an immediate improvement in their vision, or at least do by the next day or so, it takes the eye about three to six months to fully recover and heal. To ensure a safe and full recovery and to prevent complications, like infection, it’s important to follow your eye surgeon’s instructions as carefully as possible. Surgery Follow-Up After LASIK eye surgery, it’s important to follow-up with your eye surgeon as advised....

Los Angeles County will once again require people to wear masks in indoor public spaces, regardless of their vaccination status. The mandate will be reinstated Saturday late night. Key Takeaways All people in Los Angeles County will once again be required to wear masks in indoor public spaces regardless of vaccination status.The mandate will start on July 17 and remain in place until county health officials “begin to see improvements.”With the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant, COVID-19 cases in LA and across the country are on the rise....

A new study is revealing when and how often healthcare providers use negative words in notes about patients. The biggest finding: negative descriptions are much more prevalent in the health records of Black patients. Key Takeaways A study of patient records in the University of Chicago Health System found that negative descriptions were more likely to be found among Black patients records than White ones. Health policy experts are concerned that negative descriptions could bias other physicians who see the records against a patient....

Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) are a type of white blood cell (WBC) that include neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, and mast cells. PMNs are a subtype of leukocytes, which protect the body against infectious organisms. PMNs are also known as granulocytes. They play a central role in the innate immune system. In normal conditions, the most common PMN, by far, is the neutrophil. These make up the most significant amount of blood cells produced by the bone marrow and are the first line of defense in protecting the body from infection....

Hallucinations are a common symptom of dementia. They can be frightening for those who experience them and challenging for caregivers. If you live with or care for someone with dementia who sees or hears things that appear not to be based in reality, you probably know this all too well. There are a number of effective ways for dealing with dementia-related hallucinations. These include knowing how best to respond to someone who is frightened or concerned about what they’re experiencing, practical ways to help prevent hallucinations, and medication....

Staphylococcal food poisoning occurs when you eat something contaminated with toxins produced by the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. This may occur because a preparer did not wash their hands before cooking your meal or you’ve eaten something that is not cooked after being handled. Staph food poisoning causes significant distressing gastrointestinal symptoms, including significant vomiting and nausea. Staphylococcal aureus food poisoning is extremely common and several outbreaks have been reported in the United States....

Corticosteroids (commonly referred to as steroids) are medications used to treat a wide variety of inflammatory conditions including allergies and autoimmune disorders. They are available in topical, oral, inhaled, and injected formulations, both by prescription and over the counter. Corticosteroids are commonly used to treat, among other things: Allergic reactions to foods, drugs, or insect bites. Allergic rhinitis (hay fever) Anaphylaxis (a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction) Asthma Atopic dermatitis (eczema) Contact dermatitis Lupus Multiple sclerosis Rheumatoid arthritis Urticaria (hives) It would seem contradictory, therefore, that the very drugs used to treat these conditions can sometimes cause allergies themselves....

People who have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are often not strangers to abdominal surgery. People with Crohn’s disease have a 75% chance of needing surgery to manage the disease. In ulcerative colitis patients, about 23% to 45% will require some type of surgery (usually a colectomy). After any abdominal surgery, once you have been cleared by the surgeon to participate in regular activities, thoughts might turn to firm up abdominal muscles....

Sympathetic ophthalmia (SO) is a rare eye condition that can develop after an eye injury or within days or weeks after eye surgery. This condition presents itself as a type of uveitis (eye inflammation), and it occurs because the body’s immune system attacks the healthy eye. The healthy eye is called the “sympathizing eye” because it shows sympathy to the injured one and becomes inflamed. Sympathetic ophthalmia is vision-threatening if not treated quickly....

A perilymph fistula occurs inside the ear when there is a tear in the thin membrane called the oval or round window. This window separates the inner ear from the middle ear. The inner ear is filled with a fluid called perilymph, so when the tear occurs it causes fluid to leak into the middle ear space. The middle ear normally is filled with air and doesn’t contain any fluid....

The precise connection between smoking and breast cancer is still unclear, but there does appear to be some sort of link. Let’s examine this interesting relationship more closely and explore what it means for you and your health. Cancer-Containing Chemicals in Cigarette Smoke The link between smoking and cancers, in general, is undeniable. Cigarette smoke contains cancer-causing chemicals that are absorbed into your body and affect your present and future health....

The longevity diet is a set of guidelines for healthy eating developed by biochemist Valter Longo, Ph.D., director of the USC Longevity Institute at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, and is meant to help people live longer, healthier lives. The longevity diet recommends following a plant-based diet that includes little-to-no meat and poultry and periodic fasting. Although the diet was designed for older adults, it has potential health payoffs for people of every age and stage of life....

Fluoroscopy is an imaging technique used by medical professionals to visualize internal organs while they are in motion. If an X-ray is a still picture, fluoroscopy is like a movie. The images are projected onto a monitor very similar to a television screen. This is very helpful for healthcare providers because they can see exactly how an organ is functioning. Uses For example, when fluoroscopy is used during a cardiac catheterization, the healthcare provider can see how blood is moving through the blood vessels and where there are blockages....