LifeStyles SKYN condoms are the original brand of non-latex condoms. These condoms are made of polyisoprene, a synthetic form of natural rubber latex. Polyisoprene is safe for those with a latex allergy and offers a natural feel during sex. SKYN condoms are designed to cover the penis or a sex toy during sexual intercourse and are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for birth control and STD protection....
Breathing during sleep may change during pregnancy: as a pregnancy unfolds, there may be a clear progression from soft to loud snoring, and even pauses or disruptions of breathing that characterize a condition called sleep apnea. Sleep apnea as it occurs in pregnancy has clearly-recognized risk factors, symptoms, and treatments. Discover how obstructive sleep apnea may affect pregnancy and what can be done to effectively treat the condition to ensure the health of both mother and child....
Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection (STI). It typically infects the penis, vagina, urethra, or anus, but it can also infect the mouth and throat (pharynx). Gonorrhea is common. Most cases occur in individuals between the ages of 15 and 24. It’s possible for gonorrhea to cause no symptoms. However, untreated gonorrhea can lead to serious complications, including pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, sepsis (blood infection), and joint arthritis. This article discusses the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of throat gonorrhea....
U.S. tennis player Coco Gauff announced on Sunday that she would withdraw from the Tokyo Olympics after testing positive for COVID-19. Key Takeaways Tennis player Coco Gauff will not be competing in the Tokyo Olympics after testing positive for COVID-19.Experts fear that the Olympics will turn into a superspreader event.Isolation and rigorous contract tracing will be essential to curb the spread of the virus. So far, three athletes in the Olympics Village have tested positive for the coronavirus....
Watchful waiting is a term used to describe a period during which a person is closely monitored by his healthcare provider, but no specific medical treatment is given unless symptoms arise or change. It may also be referred to as “active surveillance” or “expectant management.” The term watchful waiting is used in medicine for both cancerous, precancerous, and noncancerous decisions. Examples Watchful waiting may be considered, for example, if an individual is found to have a solitary pulmonary nodule on a CT scan of the chest that is unlikely to be cancerous....
TNF (tumor necrosis factor) blockers are a type of biologic approved by the FDA for treating inflammatory types of arthritis. Most people experience significant improvement with these drugs, and serious side effects are not common. However, there is a small risk of serious side effects associated with TNF blockers, such as severe infections. Traditional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) include Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine), Azulfidine (sulfasalazine), or Rheumatrex (methotrexate). Many people with inflammatory arthritis experience improvement with these medications and may never need to take a TNF blocker....
While BA.5 continues to dominate the U.S. COVID-19 cases, health officials are keeping an eye on another Omicron subvariant, called BA.2.75. Key Takeaways An Omicron subvariant, called BA.2.75, has been detected at low levels in various countries.Experts still don’t know a lot about how the variant will affect people in the U.S.Vaccination and mask-wearing are still the best protective measures against BA.2.75. Some Twitter users and media reports have unofficially called BA....
When New Yorker Brian Kahn woke up on Tuesday morning, he found a nearby chair to be illuminated in what he described as a “bizarre sort of millennial pink hue.” Key Takeaways Wildfire air pollution from the West Coast traveled across the continent, muddling skies in New York and across the East Coast this week.Experts recommend checking the air quality near you by using sites that show an air quality index (AQI)....
Health systems across the United States have been increasingly overwhelmed by the surmounting COVID-19 cases after the holidays. As hospitals become backlogged, receiving any medical care becomes more challenging, much like it was at the start of the pandemic. Key Takeaways A new study shows one in five adults in the U.S. reported experiencing delayed care during the COVID-19 pandemic.Delayed care leads to negative health consequences.While financial barriers were reported in the study, a majority of participants reported experiencing nonfinancial barriers such as difficulty getting an appointment, finding a physician, or accessing the clinic or hospital where care would be provided....
A recent study shows the pandemic can worsen obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) episodes in children and young people. Key Takeaways According to a recent study, many children and young people with OCD are experiencing worsening OCD, anxiety, and depressive symptoms during the pandemic.Children with a longstanding diagnosis of OCD appear to be more at risk.Caregivers should be aware of the risk, take actions to help, and talk to a healthcare professional if symptoms worsen....
Chemotherapy medications have the potential of causing many side effects, one of them being dry skin. Dry skin occurs when the layers of the skin lose essential oils and moisture. Chemotherapy drugs like fluorouracil (5-FU) can cause the skin to become dry and cracked. If the skin is significantly dry, there may even be bleeding between the lines of skin covering joints such as the knuckles or elbows. This article will review ways to prevent or manage dry skin from chemotherapy, and instances of when to notify the healthcare provider....
Interstitial nephritis is a disease entity characterized by an inflammatory process involving the kidneys’ tissue, which can lead to a decline in kidney function and even complete kidney failure. A simple way of looking at interstitial nephritis is to think of it as an allergic reaction localized to the kidney (although that is an over-simplification). Signs and Symptoms Interstitial nephritis is typically divided into two categories depending on the rate of onset, and the rapidity of decline of kidney function....
Angioedema is the swelling of the lower layer of tissue just under the skin or mucous membranes, where fluid builds and vessels dilate. The swelling mostly affects the face, tongue, lips, throat, arms, and legs but may become serious and even life-threatening if it occurs in the throat, lungs, or gastrointestinal tract. Angioedema is often caused by an allergy but can also be triggered by a non-allergic drug reaction, an infection, cancer, genetics, and even stress....
Pecans are not just for pies. In fact, studies are showing that there is more to this nut than its delicious taste. Pecans are healthy nuts that come from the pecan tree (Carya illinoinensis), which is a tree primarily grown in North America. In fact, the name “pecan” was bestowed on this nut by North American Indians to describe the need to use a stone to crack its shell. Although they are used extensively in many recipes, pecans have also been garnering new appeal as a food that may help to keep your cholesterol levels — and heart — healthy....
Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer worldwide, followed by lung cancer and colon cancer. With such a high prevalence, is it possible for an individual to lower their odds of developing it? This article is part of Breast Cancer and Black Women, a destination in our Health Divide series. Doru Paul, M.D., Ph.D., an oncologist who focuses on individualizing care and improving the prognosis of cancer treatments, tells Verywell Health that people can reduce their risk of developing breast cancer by making certain lifestyle changes....
None of the over-the-counter products on the market right now have been proven to protect you from a nasty glutening if you accidentally or purposely ingest gluten, regardless of whether you have celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity. However, various researchers are investigating different forms of digestive enzymes as potential drug treatments for celiac disease, so it’s possible we might eventually see a prescription product or even an over-the-counter product that uses these enzymes to break down gluten enough so that it doesn’t affect you (or at least not as badly)....
Canavan disease is one of a group of genetic disorders called leukodystrophies that result in defects in the myelin sheath that covers nerve cells in the brain. In Canavan disease, a genetic mutation on chromosome 17 causes a deficiency of an enzyme called aspartoacylase. Without this enzyme, a chemical imbalance occurs that causes the destruction of myelin in the brain. This causes healthy brain tissue to degenerate into spongy tissue full of microscopic fluid-filled spaces....
A hot flash is a sudden feeling of intense heat that comes from inside the body, rather than from external sources. Hot flashes are a common symptom of menopause and can be experienced in multiple ways. Some people feel a tingling in their fingers. Others notice that their heartbeat has sped up. Others feel their skin becoming warmer, and their face becoming flushed. Others sweat profusely. And of course, you may feel a combination of some or all of these....
Puzzles are frequently touted as being good for our brains. They keep us mentally active and challenge us. But, is it true that puzzles prevent dementia or even improve our memory? What Research Says Research conducted in nursing homes in 2011 found that puzzles, combined with physical activity, practicing activities of daily living and a spiritual element (such as the singing of a hymn or discussion about happiness) prevented a decline in the residents’ cognitive abilities for twelve months....
In the past, a tonsillectomy, the surgery that is performed to remove swollen and/or infected tonsils, was performed routinely, sometimes in a doctor’s office. This resulted in a concern within the medical community that too many tonsillectomies were being performed unnecessarily. Today, there are guidelines for performing a tonsillectomy that should be met before surgery is performed. If these guidelines are not met, the patient may find that insurance will not pay for the procedure, as it is not considered necessary....
