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In infectious disease terms, the incubation period is the amount of time between being exposed to a contagious disease and developing symptoms. Incubation Period Depending on the disease, the incubation period can be just a few hours or can last for several months. Knowing the incubation period for a disease can help you understand if your child is still at risk of getting sick or if he is in the clear — whether he is exposed to someone with strep throat, measles, or the flu....

Having genetic risk factors for heart disease doesn’t mean you’re destined to develop the condition. New research has found that following heart health guidelines from the American Heart Association (AHA) can help lower your risk. Key Takeaways A new study found that even people with high genetic risk factors for heart disease can lower their risk of actually developing a heart condition by making lifestyle changes.Researchers found that lifestyle changes can go a long way toward lowering risk....

Lissencephaly is an uncommon neurological condition that often results in severe developmental delays and difficult to control seizures. It is a condition that results from the defective migration of nerve cells during fetal development. The word lissencephaly comes from two Greek words: lissos, meaning “smooth,” and enkaphalos, meaning “brain.” If you look at a normal brain, the gray matter (cerebrum) has ridges and valleys in its surface. In lissencephaly, the brain surface is almost completely smooth....

The most common symptom of Merkel cell carcinoma is a single, painless lump on the skin. The lump usually feels firm, and it is red or purple in color. The lump may change its appearance and grow quickly. Merkel cell carcinoma often appears on areas of the body that receive the most sunlight. This includes the face, neck, and hands. This article will describe the common symptoms of Merkel cell carcinoma and what to do if you notice a new skin growth....

Portal hypertensive gastropathy (PHG) refers to changes in the stomach lining caused by elevated blood pressure in the portal vein (the main vein that leads to the liver). This increase in blood pressure in the portal vein is known as portal hypertension. It is commonly caused by cirrhosis (scarring of the liver). PHG can cause changes to the entire gastrointestinal tract and lead to internal bleeding. This article will discuss the symptoms, causes, and treatment for portal hypertensive gastropathy....

Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have started the process of creating a blood test to predict which COVID-19 patients could be at highest risk of severe complications from the virus. Key Takeaways Researchers found that a simple blood test can help predict which patients with COVID-19 are at high risk for complications.Scientists were able to accurately pinpoint patients that had unfavorable outcomes.The test isn’t available yet, but may be available in the future....

Finger injuries are common in rock climbing, which makes sense given the stress this activity places on the digits while maneuvering along uneven surfaces and supporting the weight of your entire body. However, the injuries that occur can be a little unusual, not just sprains of the finger or dislocations of the joints. One of the more unusual injuries that occur, and is seen almost exclusively in rock climbers, is called a rupture of the digital pulley....

The holiday season is here, meaning there are delicious treats around every corner just waiting to be eaten. Chocolate, gingerbread cookies, and candy canes don’t have to come with painful cavities if you arm yourself with a quality electric toothbrush, which is all the more reason to stock up on oral health products to keep your pearly whites clean and strong. With features like timer settings, pressure sensors, and adjustable smart modes, electric toothbrushes are superior to manual toothbrushes in preventing cavities and serious gum diseases like gingivitis....

In 2005, microdermabrasion was one of the top five aesthetic procedures performed in the United States. There were almost 150,000 microdermabrasion procedures performed, which is an increase of 26 percent from 2003. It was developed in Italy in 1985 and introduced to American markets in the mid-1990s. Precursors to Microdermabrasion The concept of abrading the skin, or removing the upper layers, for skin rejuvenation dates back as far as 1500 BC when Egyptian physicians used a type of sandpaper to smooth scars....

Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat found in high concentrations in certain fish, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. These include eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), each of which is known to offer a variety of health benefits. Omega-3 fatty acids seem particularly useful in preventing atherosclerosis and heart disease. Studies have shown that consuming between 2 grams and 4 grams of omega-3 fatty acids per day can lower your triglyceride levels by anywhere between 20% and 45%....

If you have premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), you may want to consider looking into hormonal birth control to help combat the side effects. Although selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are considered the first line of treatment for PMDD, many women don’t want to take them and would prefer to combine their need for contraception with their need for relief from PMDD. Understanding PMDD While mild premenstrual syndrome (PMS), affects around 75% of women, PMDD is a severe and comparatively rare form of PMS....

Swine flu, which is an infection caused by influenza type A virus, became widespread during a global pandemic from 2009 to 2010—the first flu pandemic in more than 40 years. It was caused by a new flu virus known as H1N1, an influenza virus that’s a combination of swine, avian (bird), and human genes that mixed together in pigs and spread to humans. H1N1 is now considered a normal type of seasonal flu and is included in the flu vaccine....

Vaginoplasty—also called transfeminine bottom surgery—is a type of gender affirmation surgery in which a new vagina is created. This surgery can take up to several hours, is performed in a hospital operating room under general anesthesia, and requires that the patient stays for around five to seven days to recover in the hospital. While there are different types of vaginoplasty techniques, in transgender women, the vagina (sometimes referred to as a “neovagina”) is usually made from the inverted skin of the penis....

Vitamin deficiencies can cause many different neurological problems. One of the most striking is a myeloneuropathy, meaning problems with the spinal cord and the peripheral nervous system. Neurological problems associated with vitamin deficiencies were first noticed in about 2004. People begin to develop an ataxia with clumsiness due to a lack of ability to tell where their body parts were in space (proprioception). Numbness and weakness also developed. On a neurological examination, reflexes were found to be abnormally brisk....

If you have gone gluten-free to better manage your IBS and miss eating bread, you may want to try sourdough. This bread stands out from others because it’s missing a key ingredient that tends to aggravate IBS. With this review of the pros and cons of sourdough bread for people with IBS, find out what makes this bread so special and why it might actually be an option for you....

Verywell Health: Why is it important to know your HIV status? This article is part of Health Divide: HIV, a destination in our Health Divide series. Dr. Shepherd: The importance of knowing one’s HIV status is not just for the individual and their health, but also for the community, which includes a person’s current and future partners. HIV is a public health issue. We are all responsible for our community, and the way that we best protect our individual health and the community’s health is by knowing our status and being able to transparently discuss our status with others....

Honey and cinnamon are typically known as sweet additions to recipes and warm beverages, but they may offer more than just great taste. Because honey and cinnamon have antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, they may also be able to help people with arthritis. Benefits for Arthritis Patients Throughout history and still today, cinnamon has been considered a remedy for many ailments. It is used to relieve high blood pressure, toothache, arthritis, and more....

Bilirubin is a brown and yellow fluid that’s a byproduct of the essential process of the breakdown of red blood cells (RBCs). This substance is a major component of bile, an important digestive fluid that’s cleaned from the blood by the liver. If the liver is damaged, bilirubin may leak into the bloodstream, which can lead to jaundice, characterized by a yellowing of the skin and eyes, among other symptoms. As such, the bilirubin test, which measures these levels, helps healthcare providers screen for diseases affecting the liver....

Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) is a blood test performed as a marker of kidney function. It is part of the basic or comprehensive metabolic panel done for health screening. It is also used to monitor the progression of kidney failure. BUN is produced by the breakdown of protein and usually cleared from the blood by the kidneys. A higher than normal value may show impaired kidney function. What Is Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN)?...

“What causes frequent bloody noses?” Healthcare providers hear this question a lot, especially from parents. They may report that their children sometimes bump their noses or fall down and get nosebleeds. While this can be distressing, at least these parents know the cause. More concerning are nosebleeds that seem to happen without a cause. Sometimes children will wake up in the morning with blood on their pillows or dried blood around their nose or face....