Posts

Subclavian steal syndrome, a form of peripheral artery disease (PAD), is a set of symptoms caused by a blockage in one of the subclavian arteries, the large arteries that supply the arms. Because of the location of the blockage, blood is shunted (“stolen”) away from the brain to the affected arm. Consequently, the symptoms of subclavian steal syndrome include not only arm symptoms but also neurological symptoms. Overview To understand subclavian steal syndrome, it is helpful to know something about the anatomy of the blood vessels in the head and neck....

Researchers based at Monash University in Australia have come up with a novel dietary approach for managing the symptoms of IBS. This approach involves the restriction of foods that contain certain carbohydrates, known as FODMAPS, that are found in common foods. The theory behind the low-FODMAP diet does not take on the question of what causes IBS, rather it looks at the role that FODMAP-containing foods play in triggering digestive symptoms in people who suffer from visceral hypersensitivity and motility dysfunction....

Electric and magnetic fields (EMFs)—also referred to as “radiation”—are invisible areas of energy that are produced by electricity. Common sources include power lines, cell phones, and microwaves. In the 1990s, there was concern about a potential link between EMFs and childhood cancers, there hasn’t been strong research evidence to back that up. What Is EMF? Many of the most common electronic devices today produce EMFs, meaning that we’re surrounded by this type of radiation all day, every day....

If you learn that you are allergic to your pet you’re likely feeling anxious and disappointed. Will you have to get rid of your pet? Sometimes people do have to give up their pets due to allergies, but you may be relieved to hear that there are many effective methods of controlling allergy symptoms without having to part ways with your best friend. Many people are able to keep pets in their homes that they are allergic to, though it can take some effort to make things work....

At the start of the summer, fully vaccinated people were able to drop some of the precautions that were put in place during the early days of the pandemic, such as wearing a mask and social distancing. However, as cases and deaths rise nationwide, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now urging vaccinated people living in areas with high rates of transmission to mask up again. Key Takaways...

Angelica (Angelica archangelica) is an herb. It’s used in alternative medicine to treat a wide range of conditions from heartburn to sleeping problems. Angelica contains chemicals that may help kill fungus, reduce anxiety, settle the stomach, and aid in the treatment of cancer. But scientific evidence to support the herb’s use for health purposes is lacking. According to folklore, angelica is named after an angel that appeared in plague-ridden Europe and showed a monk the angelica plant as a cure....

Magnesium is a naturally occurring mineral and is essential for proper functioning of the human body. In fact, more than 300 biochemical processes directly depend on magnesium. While magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the human body, very little actually circulates in the blood or other tissues. Instead, most of the body’s store of magnesium is locked up in the hard outer layer of our bones. We obtain magnesium through the foods we eat, it is absorbed in the small intestine and excess amounts are excreted by the kidneys....

Some people with hypertension may react with alarm when they check their blood pressure at home or at the drugstore and the reading is elevated. It’s not unusual for people with an isolated finding of elevated blood pressure to show up at the local Emergency Department with sudden concern, but in many cases, the real concern is not a single high reading, but the cumulative effect of persistent uncontrolled hypertension....

An ulcer is a sore or lesion that develops in the lining of the digestive tract. Ulcers in the Peptic ulcers are those that develop in the stomach or duodenum. If ulcers aren’t treated or treatment isn’t effective, serious complications may occur. The most common complications include bleeding, perforation of the stomach or duodenal walls, and obstruction of the digestive tract. Bleeding As an ulcer erodes the muscles of the stomach or duodenal wall, blood vessels may also be damaged, which causes the bleeding....

Disease, disorder, syndrome, and condition seem like interchangeable terms, but they all refer to specific health states. For example, when you have a disease, you typically have a specific issue that your healthcare provider can diagnose. A disorder is a disruption in the normal functions of your body, the cause of which can be unknown and subjective. This article delves into exactly what makes a health concern a disease vs. a disorder, or a syndrome vs....

The Omicron BA.5 variant—the strain of COVID-19 that’s currently dominating in the United States—is good at evading immunity from both vaccines and previous COVID infection. There’s also concern that rapid at-home antigen tests are less effective at detecting the variant, too. Key Takeaways At-home rapid antigen tests can be used to detect the BA.5 variant of COVID-19, according to experts. To get the most accurate COVID test results, you need to follow the instructions exactly and test multiple times over a few days....

Ginseng—in particular American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius)—is among the most well-known and widely used herbal medicines in the world. The root of the ginseng plant has been used for thousands of years in traditional Eastern medicine to boost energy, relieve stress, and bring about total body balance. Ginseng has been studied as a therapy to help control blood sugar, improve circulation, bolster immunity, improve stamina, and increase resistance to stress. Ginseng also is known to contain several antioxidant compounds called ginsenosides, which have been shown to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation....

If you have a headache with a rash, it could be a very serious infection called meningococcal meningitis. Most people recover from this infection, but without proper treatment, it can lead to permanent disability and even death in just a few hours. Different types of meningitis are caused by different infectious agents (i.e., virus or bacteria). Meningococcal meningitis is a rare type of bacterial meningitis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported only 350 cases in the United States in all of 2017, which is about one case in every million people....

Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection (STI), also called a sexually transmitted disease (STD), caused by the Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacterium. It is one of the most common STIs in the United States, causing 1.6 million new cases in 2018. Gonorrhea is spread through sexual contact with an infected person. Symptoms include painful urination, urethral discharge, rectal bleeding, rectal soreness, vaginal discharge, pelvic pain, and rectal discharge. However, many people have gonorrhea and do not have symptoms....

How long does it take for HIV to progress to AIDS? In all but a few rare cases, if left untreated, HIV will progress to a stage of infection called AIDS. This is when the immune defenses have been compromised, and the body is less able to defend itself against potentially life-threatening infections. Generally speaking, the time it takes to go from HIV infection to AIDS is around five to 10 years if no medical intervention is made....

New and more infectious variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, that were first detected in South Africa and the U.K. have made their way to the U.S. Key Takeaways Two new variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 have been detected, and they appear to increase the risk of transmission.Preventive measures such as mask-wearing, distancing and handwashing are effective even on the new variants, so it’s important to keep practicing safety precautions....

Our bodies need vitamins and minerals to function properly, and digestive diseases can hinder their absorption. While it’s not common for people to be deficient in zinc in Western countries, it can happen to people that aren’t taking up enough of this mineral in their intestine. Not having enough zinc is more common in the developing world. Zinc is a mineral that has several important functions in the body. Some of the things zinc does include transporting vitamin A, healing wounds, supporting the senses of smell and taste, and participating in more than 80 enzyme actions....

An inverted nipple that points inward or lies flat instead of pointing outward can be a sign of breast cancer. However, inverted nipples can be completely harmless, or other conditions can cause them. Typically, an inverted nipple associated with breast cancer happens when a tumor attacks a milk duct behind the nipple, causing the skin to pull inward, or when cancer cells affect the nipple itself. This symptom usually comes on suddenly and may accompany other breast changes....

Joint protection can reduce stress on arthritic joints and decrease pain. There are several joint protection principles, which can help to conserve energy and preserve joint function. The advice is quite simple, but you must be mindful of proper movements and recognize body signals. Respect Pain First and foremost, you need to recognize body signals. If you are experiencing pain after an activity, you must consider that you have been too active or done too much....

When he was just two years old, Joseph Merrick’s mother noticed that some areas of his skin began to change. Some darkened, discolored skin growths were appearing, and they began to look bumpy and rough. Lumps began to grow under the boy’s skin—on his neck, his chest, and the back of his head. Mary Jane Merrick began to worry about her son, Joseph, and the other boys were starting to make fun of him....