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If you have multiple sclerosis (MS), you might be wondering if the condition places you at increased risk for COVID-19 and whether you will be eligible to receive a vaccine soon. While the answer is technically no, some of the indirect effects of the condition and several of its treatments can increase your susceptibility, so you will need to discuss the vaccine with your doctor. Key Takeaways Some people with multiple sclerosis (MS) are at higher risk for severe COVID-19 and are therefore eligible for early vaccination....

Osgood-Schlatter disease is a common condition in children and adolescents. Often referred to as growing pains, it results from tendons pulling on the knee’s growth plate during rapid growth of the knee. The Apophysis of the Knee An apophysis is a growth plate—an area where bone is rapidly growing in children and adolescents. In Osgood-Schlatter disease, the apophysis is located at the front of the knee joint, right where the patellar tendon attaches to the tibia....

An osteophyte is a smooth bony growth or deposit, also referred to as a bone spur. They grow slowly over time and often have no symptoms. Osteophytes can cause pain if they impinge on other structures or grow so large as to restrict movement in a joint. Osteophytes are also sometimes called osteochondral nodules, osteochondrophytes, and chondro-osteophytes. Osteophytes in Arthritis Osteophytes often develop in joints that show signs of degeneration. They are associated with the most common type of arthritis, osteoarthritis....

Many parents or guardians feel strongly that their autistic child should be included in the general education classroom. While some children really can and will thrive in an inclusive setting, inclusion is not always the best choice. Inclusion may also work well for a period of time (particularly when a child is very young), and then become more difficult as the child grows older. The opposite may also be true: a child who needs a specialized autism support classroom at a younger age may mature to the point where inclusion is a great option....

The Glutathione Protocol is a method of treating chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS or ME/CFS) that was developed by Richard Van Konynenburg, PhD. It focuses on restoring a process in your body that he said is blocked in people with this disease. At its root are findings that, according to Van Konynenburg, the majority of people with ME/CFS are deficient in glutathione. This treatment protocol is experimental, and there’s little or no scientific evidence to support it....

Something ordinary has stolen the show at the Tokyo Olympics: the beds. Key Takeaways The Tokyo Olympics cardboard beds, designed by Japanese brand Airweave, are much sturdier than they look, supporting up to 440 pounds. Airweave cardboard beds and mattresses were designed to be sustainable and sterile.Cardboard beds have been used in evacuation centers, homeless shelters, and COVID-19 field hospitals long before the Olympics. Multiple social media posts claimed that organizers installed flimsy cardboard bed frames in the Olympic Village to discourage athletes from having sex....

You’ve probably heard of a condition called rosacea, but did you know that it can affect the eyes? Rosacea is a condition that commonly affects the nose, face, and chest. Rosacea can be chronic and have periods of remissions and flare-ups. It can be very disruptive at times, causing the cheeks, nose, chin, and forehead to develop redness and swelling. Over time, the skin develops a thickening often referred to as a “ruddy skin complex....

If you find yourself sneezing excessively but aren’t experiencing shortness of breath or fever, don’t be too quick to write off COVID-19. Key Takeaways The number of COVID-19 vaccine shots an individual has received could change which symptoms they experience.People who have been vaccinated and previously infected commonly reported sneezing as a symptom, while unvaccinated people were most likely to experience fever.The data comes from nearly 5 million voluntary patient reports....

By design, N-95 respirators are meant to be single-use face masks. But with shortages due to the COVID-19 pandemic, reusing this valuable resource has been on the minds of both medical professionals and everyday people. One team of researchers has a solution: Put them in an electric multicooker. Key Takeaways Researchers discovered that an electric cooker can decontaminate N95 masks.A 50-minute cooking cycle cleaned the masks and didn’t degrade the material....

Acute stress disorder (ASD) is ongoing distress that occurs within a month of experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event such as a death, serious injury, or assault. Symptoms may include negative mood, intrusive thoughts and flashbacks, avoidance of situations associated with the event, and feeling on high alert. This article will discuss the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of ASD. Symptoms According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), the handbook used by mental health professionals to diagnose mental disorders, the symptoms of acute stress disorder fall into categories of intrusion, negative mood, dissociation, avoidance, and arousal....

Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) are viral illnesses that can be largely prevented through the MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine. Measles causes a cough and rash that lasts for about 14 days. Mumps causes painful swelling of the salivary glands as well as fever and headache. Rubella, also known as German measles, is usually characterized by a mild rash and flu-like symptoms. In rare cases, measles, mumps, and rubella can all be fatal, and rubella is also linked to pregnancy complications, including stillbirth....

In simplest terms, ANA-negative lupus is a condition in which a person’s ANA (antinuclear antibody) immunofluorescence (IF) test comes back negative, but the person exhibits traits consistent with someone diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE; also called lupus). The ANA IF test is an important tool in diagnosing lupus. Overview Typically, if a person tests positive for the antinuclear antibody, it means only that the person could have lupus. Further tests are needed to determine if a person actually has lupus....

You know that a healthy breakfast gives you the energy to start your day. But by adding anti-aging foods to your breakfast, it might also help lengthen your lifespan. Try these healthy breakfast ideas to keep you young one morning at a time. The Importance of Breakfast Though breakfast has been called the most important meal of the day, there’s nothing magical or mysterious about its role in a healthy diet....

Chronic pain in multiple joints affects 1 in 4 adults over the age of 18. By the time we get to age 65, about 2 in 5 adults are affected. Yet a recent survey shows that 48% of patients in need of joint replacement surgery are postponing their procedures because of pandemic-related concerns. Key Takeaways If people who have chronic joint pain delay necessary surgery, they can experience accelerated mobility loss....

Bone marrow is a spongy organ that fills the center of various bones of your body. It is where stem cells produce red and white blood cells and platelets. Without bone marrow, you couldn’t move oxygen through your body or fight infections, and blood wouldn’t clot. Anatomy Bones provide the primary support and structure for the body, but they also do much more. They have a vital role in maintaining the body’s mineral composition and protect vital organs from harm....

If you have recently had surgery and are recovering in the hospital, you may be receiving breathing treatments from respiratory therapists or nurses. Breathing treatments are done for a variety of reasons, as they can be used to treat a disease that is present, calm inflamed airways or to prevent breathing issues. For patients who remain on a ventilator after surgery, breathing treatments will be part of routine care and are often given multiple times a day....

While we’ve all become familiar with the traditional nose and throat swabs associated with COVID-19 testing, some scientists are looking at a testing option with potentially increased accuracy. Reports have surfaced of a new—although controversial—diagnostic test administered in China: anal swabs. Key Takeaways Anal swabbing is a new form of diagnostic testing for COVID-19 being introduced in China. There’s limited scientific evidence proving this technique can detect viral infection more accurately than throat and nasal samples, and its invasiveness could discourage people from getting tested....

Some medical conditions can’t simply be diagnosed with a blood test, biopsy, culture, or other forms of diagnostic testing. In these cases, healthcare providers need to methodically exclude all other causes before a diagnosis can be made. This process is called differential diagnosis. It is only by narrowing the list of possibilities that healthcare providers can come to a definitive conclusion and start treatment. Because the symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can mimic those of other conditions, and because no one test can confirm it, diagnosing PCOS requires a differential diagnosis....

Diffusing capacity is a measure of how well oxygen and carbon dioxide are transferred (diffused) between the lungs and the blood, and can be a useful test in the diagnosis and to monitor treatment of lung diseases. Diffusing capacity can also be important prior to lung surgery as a predictor of how well the surgery will be tolerated. Diffusing capacity may be reduced in a few ways, and healthcare providers usually use the measure along with other pulmonary function tests to diagnose and determine the severity of either restrictive or obstructive lung diseases....

A motility disorder, or dysmotility, is a condition in which muscles and/or nerves of the digestive system do not work as they should. This dysfunction can alter the speed, strength, or coordination of the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and/or the large intestine. If the muscles aren’t working properly, it’s known as myopathy. When the nerves affecting the digestive tract are involved, the conditions are related to neuropathy. This article presents several types of motility disorders and their symptoms....