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What kind of sign language is it when you do not sign pure American Sign Language (ASL) with its own grammar or use signed exact English? It is called pidgin signed English or PSE. A more recent term is “contact signing,” which conveys that it is a language that develops between people who have contact with English and signing. One variety is Conceptually Accurate Signed English (CASE) which chooses the sign based on its meaning in ASL rather than its sound or spelling in English but uses English grammatical order in constructing the signing....

The first line of treatment for the common cold and influenza is self-care (and patience) as you allow these viral illnesses to simply run their course. But there are cases in which you may need a medical evaluation and prescription medication to tame severe symptoms, prevent a worsening of your condition, or avoid related complications. Cough suppressants, antihistamines, decongestants, and nasal steroids are prescription cold and/or flu medications that can help provide you some symptom relief, while the main job of antivirals and antibiotics is to stop what’s causing your illness in its tracks....

Anesthesia drugs may be used to put you to sleep and/or prevent pain during your surgery, both welcome benefits. However, those same drugs may cause you to feel nauseous and to retch or vomit. The good news is that you can request pretreatment with anti-nausea (antiemetic) drugs. Risk Factors for Nausea It’s true that not everybody gets sick after surgery. If you’re an adult and have the following risk factors, you may have a greater chance of having postoperative nausea and vomiting:...

Memory cells from the common cold may provide some people with the immune response necessary to fight COVID-19, even if they’ve never been exposed to it. Key Takeaways Memory T cells have been identified in some individuals who have not been exposed to SARS-CoV-2.T cells may recognize SARS-CoV-2 because of its molecular resemblance to other coronaviruses, like the common cold.Past exposure to other, more harmless coronaviruses may provide people with trained immunity against COVID-19....

Implants can be used for a variety of surgical procedures. An orthopedic surgeon may use implants to reconstruct a damaged joint, repair a bone fracture, or change your body’s skeletal alignment. Intramedullary rods, pins, and other implants do not help bones to heal faster. They do help to hold things in place while the body heals, and they are typically meant to stay in the body forever. There are cases, though, when removing metal plates and screws, or other implants, may be necessary....

Simponi (golimumab) is a tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) inhibitor approved to treat ulcerative colitis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. The side effects of this medication vary and can include serious infections, bruising, a rash, and more. The drug is given through a skin injection that you can administer yourself after being properly trained by your healthcare professional. It can also be given by a healthcare professional intravenously (IV, in a vein) at a reduced frequency compared to the injections....

Smoking cigarettes is a known risk factor for severe disease and death from many lung conditions. It is also a significant risk factor for both viral and bacterial infections of the respiratory system, with smokers being five times as likely to develop influenza and twice as likely to have pneumonia. Not surprisingly, smoking has also been linked to increased severity of coronavirus (COVID-19), ICU admission, and death in those who are hospitalized for the disease....

A new study from the Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) has revealed that a drug combination that was previously shown to stop tumor growth in pancreatic cancer has also shown promise at targeting uveal melanoma, the most common type of eye cancer. Key Takeaways A combination of two drugs, trametinib and hydroxychloroquine, has demonstrated the ability to inhibit tumor growth in mice. The researchers hope that the findings will be repeated in human clinical trials....

Noticing a painful, red bump suddenly appear on your eyelid can be a little disconcerting. Is it a common stye, or is it something else? The good news is that styes, while sometimes unsightly, tend not to be serious and may even spontaneously go away almost as quickly as they appeared. A tender bump on either the upper or lower eyelid may well be a stye. There are actually two common types of styes that may occur, usually near the eyelashes....

When the weather gets warmer, the invitations to barbecues and picnics for graduation parties, birthdays, and family reunions start coming in. For most people, this is a time to look forward to during the cold winter months, and the idea of being outside in the sun with family and friends is most welcome. For people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), however, weekend outdoor parties can be a source of stress and worry....

Eye alignment problems are common, especially in children. If you’ve ever tried to have a conversation with someone with an eye turn or eye alignment problem, you may remember wondering which one of their eyes you should fix your gaze upon. Eye alignment problems, such as diplopia and double vision, are usually caused by an inability of the eyes to work together. Eye motility problems can be caused by phorias and tropias....

False positive refers to a test result that tells you a disease or condition is present, when in reality, there is no disease. A false positive result is an error, which means the result is not giving you the correct information. As an example of a false positive, suppose a blood test is designed to detect colon cancer. The test results come back saying a person has colon cancer when he actually does not have this disease....

Getting better sleep is a challenge for many people, and researchers are exploring whether cannabidiol (CBD) can help. Over 80 different chemicals, called cannabinoids, can be found in the Cannabis sativa plant. The most abundant cannabinoid found is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), while the second most abundant is CBD. Unlike THC, CBD is non-psychoactive, so it does not give you the high or buzz you feel when using cannabis products that contain THC....

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) occurs when the median nerve, one of the large nerves in the wrist, is pinched as it passes through the tight carpal tunnel. The resulting pressure can develop due to many reasons. The chief factors are the structure of your wrist, injury, and conditions that lead to inflammation and swelling. Stress due to repetitive motion or using vibrating tools is a minor risk factor, while computer use is an unproven risk....

Chronic pain, long term pain, persistent pain or constant pain – what’s in a name? While you might use any one of these terms to describe the nagging companion of unpleasant sensations you may experience on a regular basis, persistent pain may give you a more upbeat way to understand and address your condition. Persistent Pain Definition Many patients and practitioners have begun to replace phrases such as chronic pain, chronic back pain, chronic neck pain, etc....

COVID-19 booster shots are here! The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends everyone 6 months and older get a bivalent booster if it has been at least two months since their last COVID-19 vaccine dose. The exception is children ages 6 months to 4 years who have received all three doses of the Pfizer primary series—they are not advised to get a booster. Instead, the bivalent vaccine is advised as the third dose in the primary series....

Does asthma go away? Children with poor asthma control or frustrated adolescents want to know if they will continually have to deal with wheezing, chest tightness, cough, and shortness of breath. Other times parents or patients have noticed a significant decline in symptoms and wonder if they need to continue medication. Do Kids Outgrow Asthma? While scientists are not exactly sure why, as many as half of all kids with asthma see a significant improvement, or total elimination, of their asthma symptoms with increasing age....

Fear of fire, also called pyrophobia, is a phobia of fire or flames. A phobia is a fear of a situation, object, or activity that is irrational, outsized, uncontrollable, and persistent. It’s normal to be cautious around fire and concerned about fire safety, but for people with pyrophobia, even something like a lit birthday candle can cause overwhelming symptoms of anxiety. Phobias affect about 19 million Americans and usually first emerge in childhood, although they can start at any age....

There are distinctive behaviors that characterize autism. Autistic children have difficulties with social interaction and communication, problems with nonverbal communication, and repetitive behaviors or narrow, obsessive interests. These behaviors can range in impact from mild to severely disabling. Impaired Social Interactions The hallmark feature of autism is impaired social interaction. Parents are usually the first to notice symptoms of autism in their child. As early as infancy, a baby with autism may be unresponsive to people or focus intently on one item to the exclusion of others for long periods of time....

Though the exact cause of hidradentis suppurativa isn’t clear, it’s thought to be the result of a blockage of the pilosebaceous unit (the hair follicle) in areas of skin containing apocrine sweat glands. Other factors that play a role include a family history of the condition, smoking, and obesity. There are several conditions that are associated with hidradenitis suppurativa development, including inflammatory bowel disease, metabolic syndrome, spondyloarthritis, and acne conglobata....