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The more times you’re infected with COVID-19, the higher your risk for severe symptoms, hospitalization, and death, according to a new study published in Nature Medicine. Key Takeaways The more times you get COVID-19, the worse health outcomes you may experience, according to a recent study.Experts recommend that everyone get vaccinated and practice health safety measures like masking in vulnerable environments, regardless of if they’ve already had the virus. The researchers used data collected from patients in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) database, including more than 443,000 who had been infected once, almost 41,000 who had had two or more infections, and more than five million who had never had a COVID infection....

Children, teens, and young adults may develop a benign (noncancerous) mole called a Spitz nevus (named for Sophie Spitz, MD, who originally described them in 1948). These nevi (the plural of nevus) generally appear sometime after the age of 24 months and rarely develop on people over 30 years. A Spitz nevus is typically under 1 centimeter in diameter, firm, raised, and pink or reddish-brown. It may be smooth or scaly....

In some cases, the position you sleep in may dramatically impact your ability to breathe and exacerbate snoring and sleep apnea. How do you know if you have positional sleep apnea? What are some of the treatment options that might help you to sleep better? Determine Your Risk In order to assess your potential risk of having snoring or sleep apnea that is dependent on position, it can be helpful to have a formal sleep study that documents your sleep position....

Renal cysts, also known as kidney cysts, occur when fluid-filled sacs form on the kidneys. You might develop one cyst or multiple ones. The diagnosis, treatment, and symptoms of your cyst may depend on the type of renal cyst that you have. Types There are different types of renal cysts. A common type of cyst you may develop is called a simple cyst, which is encased in a thin wall. Usually, simple cysts don’t cause harm and they’re not likely to affect the size or function of the kidney....

While contact lens hygiene is not the most exciting topic to discuss, eye healthcare providers see plenty of patients with significant contact lens complications, mostly related to bad contact lens hygiene. Though less common today due to better contact lens materials, 41 million Americans wear contact lenses and many are at risk of contact lens-related eye injury from lack of good contact lens practices. Contact Lens Risk Survey The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) completed a study, the Contact Lens Risk Survey, that revealed 99% of people are not doing great at following the rules of wearing contact lenses....

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a technique most often used to treat people with depression when previous treatments, such as antidepressant medications, haven’t been successful. TMS is a noninvasive therapy that uses magnetic waves to stimulate specific areas of the brain. This article discusses TMS—the procedure, benefits of treatment, and potential side effects. Procedure for TMS Therapy Transcranial magnetic stimulation is typically performed in a healthcare provider’s office. You’ll be seated in a comfortable position and will remain awake during the procedure....

Meghan Fitzgerald, RN, MPH, DrPH, is an adjunct associate professor with the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and a private equity investor. She has decades of experience working in the healthcare field, ranging from frontline patient care to advising prominent healthcare firms. Here, she shares her view on what it will take to improve the rank of the United States when it comes to offering accessible, quality health care....

While surgery was once the primary treatment for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), it is extremely rare today, as surgery has the potential to damage the ovaries. Before considering surgery, other medical treatments should be attempted. These include weight management, oral contraception, spironolactone, and symptom management. Surgery to treat fertility issues from PCOS is only considered once other treatments are no longer effective or tolerated. This article discusses surgery options for PCOS and their risks....

The vestibulocochlear nerve is located in the internal auditory meatus (internal auditory canal). The nerve is responsible for equilibrium and hearing. Conditions of the vestibulocochlear nerve include vestibular neuritis, labyrinthitis, and acoustic neuroma. Anatomy The vestibulocochlear is made up of two nerves—the cochlear nerve, which is responsible for hearing, and the vestibular nerve, which is responsible for balance. As one of the 12 cranial nerves, it runs between the pons (the middle of the brainstem) and the medulla oblongata (the lower part of the brainstem)....

Waardenburg syndrome is a genetic disorder characterized by issues that can include patchy areas of depigmentation (albinism) of the skin, eyes, and hair, congenital (from birth) deafness, and a specific structure and spacing of the eyes and nose. This syndrome affects both males and females and people of all ethnic backgrounds. This disorder is believed to account for 2-5% of all cases of congenital deafness. It is estimated to occur in 1 of 40,000 individuals....

Deadnaming is when a person intentionally or accidentally calls a transgender or nonbinary person by a name they don’t use anymore, often their birth name. Deadnaming is a form of discrimination and a microaggression against transgender and nonbinary people. This article will define deadnaming, discuss why it’s harmful, and offer information on what to do if you deadname someone or are being deadnamed. What Is Deadnaming? Deadnaming refers to calling a transgender or nonbinary person by their former name after they have chosen a new one....

Physical therapy is a healthcare specialty concerned with treating disorders of the musculoskeletal, nervous, and cardiovascular systems and how those disorders affect your physical movement. Physical therapists are licensed professionals who hold a master’s or doctoral degree (DPT) in physical therapy (though now a doctorate is required to become a physical therapist). They work in a wide variety of settings including hospitals, rehabilitation clinics, out-patient facilities, schools, and nursing homes....

Plant-based meat might not offer as much iron and zinc as the nutrition labels suggest, according to a new study. Researchers in Sweden said that the amount of phytate, a type of “antinutrient,” in meat substitutes might prevent the body from absorbing certain essential minerals. Key Takeaways Iron and zinc from plant-based meat alternatives might not be well absorbed by the body.A new study suggests that the high amount of phytate in these meat alternatives inhibits iron absorption....

Not all meniscus tears are the same. Different types of meniscus tears can affect your knee in various ways, depending on what the tear looks like. The treatment for a tear depends on what part of the meniscus is injured, and also takes into account a variety of factors, including the person’s age, whether there was any response to nonsurgical treatment, and if there is other damage to the knee besides a torn meniscus....

If you have very painful periods with or without heavy menstrual bleeding it is possible that you have a benign gynecologic condition called adenomyosis. What Is Adenomyosis? Adenomyosis occurs in the uterus and is a common cause of painful periods and heavy menstrual bleeding. Your uterus is made of smooth muscle that is lined with a special layer called the endometrium. The endometrium is what builds up and sheds in response to changes in your hormone levels during your menstrual cycle every month....

Benzoyl peroxide, one of the most frequently used over-the-counter acne treatment medications, has been used for decades. It is the active ingredient in products such as Clearasil and Proactiv and is found in many prescription acne medications as well. Benzoyl peroxide is generally an inexpensive treatment and the generic products typically work just like the name brands do. This is often one of the most common treatment options for those suffering from mild to moderate acne....

Currently, there is no cure for peanut allergies, but there are some therapies that can diminish the effects in some people, as well as emergency treatments for severe anaphylaxis. Avoidance is still the most effective way to manage a peanut allergy, but sometimes that isn’t possible, and you can accidentally come into contact with peanuts, even if you try to avoid them. Different forms of processing may alter the body’s reaction to the peanut allergen, and some research has focused on whether allergic reactions could vary depending on the way that peanuts are prepared....

Native to Europe and Asia and now naturalized in North America, burdock (Arctium lappais) is a plant that—along with daisies and sunflowers—belongs to the Asteraceae family. It’s well-named, as the fruit of the plant, a round ball of seed material covered in hooks or teeth, resembles a bur that sticks to anything. Burdock may be considered a weed (due to its ability to spread), but the herb has been employed for centuries as a remedy for a wide range of ailments....

Regular COVID-19 testing is one of the best ways to minimize virus transmission, and rapid at-home tests make it more convenient to do. However, the continued mutation of the virus has brought rapid antigen tests’ diagnostic performance into question. Key Takeaways New research suggests that some rapid antigen tests are not sensitive enough to detect asymptomatic COVID-19 infections.A person’s viral load, respiratory secretions, and the window of infectiousness for the virus may affect the ability of a rapid antigen test to detect Omicron....

After the diagnosis and successful treatment of colon cancer, it is completely normal to be bombarded with thoughts of recurrence. At times, every twinge, irregular bowel movement, or jolt of pain may serve as a reminder of the disease and its possible reemergence. Your risk of recurrence is dependent on many factors, such as the stage and grade of your colon cancer and what treatment you received. Thinking about colon cancer recurrence and worrying about it are two different things....