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Thyroid eye disease is a condition that develops if you have an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), caused by Graves’ disease. Other names for this condition are Graves’ eye disease, Graves’ orbitopathy, and Graves’ ophthalmopathy. Thyroid eye disease happens because the immune system attacks tissues and muscles around your eyes. The symptoms of thyroid eye disease can vary from person to person, and they can also range from mild to severe. Some people experience worsening symptoms over time while others do not have this type of disease progression....

Barrett’s esophagus can be treated with lifestyle modifications, medications, and surgery. While prevention is undoubtedly important, there are valuable ways to avoid harmful health effects of Barrett’s esophagus even if you have already been diagnosed with the condition. Because Barrett’s esophagus is a potentially pre-cancerous condition, aggressive treatment and ongoing monitoring of the condition by a gastroenterologist are extremely important. There is no definitive cure that can reverse the disease, so you may need to have long term monitoring with a diagnostic test such as endoscopy throughout the course of your treatment....

Whether you’re eating Mexican, Indian, or Cajun meals, or just enjoying some zesty Buffalo wings during the big game, spicy food is a popular treat for lots of people. But it’s no fun when these spicy foods cause some of us to run to the bathroom with diarrhea a few hours later. But why does that happen? This article will discuss why you sometimes get diarrhea after eating spicy food and what you can do to prevent it....

Not only is a sedentary lifestyle associated with a greater risk for obesity, cancer, and cardiovascular disease, but recent research has shown that sitting still for as little as 30 minutes can have detrimental effects on the body. What Is the “Sitting Disease”? This is a label that has been given in the popular press to describe the harmful effects caused by sitting for too long. Research has shown that sitting for as little as 30 minutes at a time without standing up or otherwise engaging in physical activity may cause the beginning of a cascade of events throughout the body, a chain reaction that includes poor circulation, inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction (dysfunction of the lining of the blood vessels)....

Antibiotics are incredible, effective drugs. You may start to feel better soon after you begin taking one for a bacterial infection. Having experienced those results, you may think of seeing your healthcare provider to request an antibiotic whenever you feel sick. Going to see your healthcare provider when you don’t feel well is always a good idea, but the chances are that you don’t need an antibiotic. In fact, taking antibiotics when they are not indicated can do more harm than good....

Advair (fluticasone + salmeterol) is an inhaled medication used to treat asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD), including emphysema and/or chronic bronchitis. Advair was given a black box warning in 2003 from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advising that salmeterol could potentially increase the risk of life-threatening asthma attacks. The black box warning was removed in December 2017. Find out why. Understanding Black Box Warnings A black box warning is a precautionary statement issued by the FDA to inform the public that a medication can cause serious or life-threatening harm....

Good news: Having a couple of beers with your buddies probably won’t hurt your health. What it comes down to is how much and how often you drink. It’s clear that drinking lots of alcohol can be very harmful. But there’s also some evidence that drinking small amounts can be good for you. Having a couple of drinks may improve heart health. This article goes over how much alcohol men can safely drink....

An international study conducted out of the U.K. by Cardiff University shows that many people with genetic conditions and autism symptoms cannot easily get a formal autism diagnosis. Specifically, people with copy number variant (CNV) genetic conditions often don’t meet the criteria necessary to access many autism services and resources. Key Takeaways Certain genetic conditions are associated with autism symptoms but may not meet the criteria for an autism spectrum disorder diagnosisAutism is evaluated based on behavioral traits, so the road to diagnosis can be long and challengingEarly intervention for children is key to better outcomes later in life The study, which looked at 547 people previously diagnosed with one of four genetic conditions that are associated with a high incidence of autism, found that 23% to 58% of participants also presented with autism symptoms (social and communication difficulties and/or repetitive behaviors)....

If your healthcare provider suspects you have a bacterial infection, often the first step in treatment is getting a gram stain with culture and sensitivity test. The aim of this to determine whether bacteria are present, what kind they are, and the best way to kill them. Each of the three parts of the test contribute to that process: Gram stain: A sample is looked at under a microscope after having a stain applied....

Women who have celiac disease suffer from pregnancy problems and complications at two to four times the rate of women who don’t have the condition. It’s possible, however, that following a careful gluten-free diet during pregnancy might help avert some of these problems. Research shows that women with celiac disease have higher rates of infertility and miscarriage if they haven’t been diagnosed. But it appears that celiac disease-related pregnancy problems don’t end there....

A chest infection is an infection that affects the lower respiratory tract, including bronchitis, pneumonia, and tuberculosis. Often, chest infections are self-limiting and don’t require medical treatment. However, it’s possible for an infection to become severe. Types of Chest Infections The most common types of chest infections include pneumonia and bronchitis. While tuberculosis is common worldwide, it’s not as common in the United States. Bronchitis Bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchi, the tubular structures that bring air in and out of the lungs....

Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is a noncontagious skin condition that can cause dry, cracked, itchy rashes on the hands and feet, the face, inside the elbows, and behind the knees. Scratching the affected areas can lead to more swelling, itching, and redness. Although the cause of eczema is unknown, you are at a higher risk of developing eczema if you have asthma or allergies. Eczema is a treatable condition, but there is no cure....

The terms stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA) are often confused with one another. If you want to understand the differences between a stroke and a TIA, you need to learn the characteristics of each. A stroke is an interruption of blood flow to an area of the brain that lasts long enough to cause permanent damage to the brain. It can be caused by either a blockage or rupture of arteries supplying the brain with oxygen and nutrients....

Vascular dementia (also referred to as vascular cognitive impairment) is the term used for cognitive decline caused by reduced blood flow in the brain. This change can result from a sudden event, such as a stroke. It can also be related to a more gradual blocking or slowing of blood flow triggered by a series of smaller strokes or to another cause such as cholesterol that accumulates on the walls of blood vessels....

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 40 million adults within the United States smoke cigarettes, and results in nearly 480,000 deaths a year. That means that one in five deaths is a result of cigarette smoking. There are an additional 16 million people that suffer from smoking-related chronic illnesses. As a result, the annual healthcare-related costs for adults approximate $170 billion in the United States alone....

Fluorescein angiography (FA) is a medical procedure in which fluorescent dye is injected into the bloodstream to highlight blood vessels in the back of the eye so they can be viewed and imaged. The FA test is helpful for making a diagnosis, determining a treatment plan, or for monitoring affected blood vessels. This is a safe procedure, but there are some risks, including an allergic reaction. Purpose of Test Your healthcare provider will recommend FA if there is a concern about blood flow in the blood vessels in the back of your eye....

Healthcare providers use multiple strategies to diagnose Neuroblastoma. Healthcare providers may implement physical, hands-on testing, or medical imaging/lab tests to confirm a diagnosis. Specifically, they may advise an at-home test (feeling your child for lumps), a physical examination by the provider in an office setting, testing blood (blood work), or utilizing medical imaging technology (e.g., computed tomography [CT] scan). This article will discuss these methods of diagnosis and more in detail....

Experts often recommend using ice to soothe the pain, inflammation, and swelling caused by an injury. However, if you leave an ice pack on your injury for too long, or if you place it directly on your skin, this can lead to an ice burn or frostbite. Here’s what to know about how ice packs can cause burns and how to use ice on injuries safely. How Ice Packs Cause Burns Water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit, but the ice that comes out of the freezer is likely to be much colder than that....

Too often, CPR instructors leave their students with the impression that an automated external defibrillator (AED)—a device that shocks the heart during cardiac arrest—is smarter than the rescuer. Think about your last CPR class. The instructor probably just held up the AED and said, “Just put the paddles on and follow the directions. It will tell you what to do.” In reality, the AED is a tool that requires you to take steps to use it correctly....

Ingrown hair cysts are small fluid-filled sacs of tissue that develop on the skin and around a hair that is growing into the skin instead of out of it. A bump on the skin that looks like a pimple could actually be an ingrown hair cyst. In some cases, you may be able to see the hair at the surface. Ingrown hair cysts commonly occur in areas of the body that people shave, such as the armpits....