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Tibial muscular dystrophy is a form of muscular dystrophy, a group of chronic, progressive conditions that cause weakness and muscle mass. It is a rare disorder that affects adults. Symptoms usually begin around age 35 and progress slowly. Tibial muscular dystrophy causes gradual and progressive weakness of the anterior tibialis muscle in the front of your lower leg. This leads to difficulty walking. This article provides an overview of tibial muscular dystrophy, including how it is diagnosed and what treatment options are available....

Witnessing someone have a stroke can be a frightening experience. Because they can cause so much damage and lead to long-term disability or death, it’s important that everyone know the symptoms and what to do in the case of a stroke. This article discusses what you should know about strokes, including warning signs, what to do, and what not to do if someone has a stroke. Stroke Symptoms Sudden changes or symptoms that might indicate a stroke include:...

If you recently had a contact lens examination, you may have been surprised at your final bill. Patients often wonder why the cost of a contact lens examination is greater than that of a regular eye exam. It’s because fitting patients with contact lenses involves several steps and additional time. Specifically, here are a few things that may increase the bottom line: If You Are New to Contacts If you are requesting contact lenses for the first time, you must have a thorough evaluation to make certain you are a good candidate for wearing contacts....

When you have knee osteoarthritis, it’s accepted practice that non-surgical, conservative treatments are tried first when attempting to manage it. When non-surgical treatments fail, it may be time to look into joint surgery. Arthroscopic debridement is one surgical option, but experts have suggested it only be performed on certain patients and for the right reasons. Understanding Arthroscopic Debridement You have likely heard arthroscopic debridement referred to in more general terms, such as arthroscopy, arthroscopic surgery, or scoping the knee....

Officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are warning people about the high risk of spread if a member of their household contracts COVID-19. The warning is part of a new study of infections within households that found people with COVID-19 typically infect around half of their household. Key Takeaways A new study from the CDC finds that household transmission of COVID-19 is common.The rate of spread is higher when adults are the original patient compared to children....

Clean and Clear Essentials Deep Cleaning Toner for Sensitive Skin is an over-the-counter toner designed for sensitive, acne-prone skin. The active ingredient is 0.5 percent salicylic acid. This toner is part of the Clean and Clear Essentials line, which includes a facial cleanser and moisturizer. but you can use this toner on its own. This product may be useful if you have oily skin, mild acne,​ and blackheads. Pros It’s inexpensive....

Do your fibromyalgia symptoms just seem to be getting worse every year? Are you worried that things will continue to go downhill? You may be wondering if fibromyalgia is a progressive disease or if there’s hope for improvement. Fibromyalgia is not generally considered a progressive disorder, but in some cases, it does get worse over time. It’s not, however, a condition with a predictable course. In most people, fibromyalgia symptoms go through flares (when symptoms are severe) and remissions (when symptoms are minimal or absent)....

If you have eczema, one of the first things you learn is that your symptoms are not contagious. That is, you can’t spread it if someone touches your skin. You also can’t spread it by breathing or sneezing near someone—it isn’t that kind of disease. However, if someone sees that you have an area of inflamed skin, they might worry that you have a medical condition that might spread. That’s somewhat understandable, since eczema might look like an infectious kind of condition to someone who isn’t a medical professional and doesn’t know your health details....

For the first time ever, female breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world. A new global report found that female breast cancer recently surpassed lung cancer in worldwide diagnoses. Key Takeaways Female breast cancer has surpassed lung cancer as the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world.Female breast cancer is the fifth leading cause of global cancer death.Experts say several factors are driving the increase in cases, including longer lifespans and lifestyle changes....

While a previous COVID-19 infection may help ward off an infection in the future, a new study finds that it doesn’t offer full protection for everyone. Key Takeaways Having a past COVID-19 infection may not fully protect you from future infections.Even young, healthy people can get reinfected with COVID-19.Getting vaccinated against the virus should offer a more robust level of protection. The April study, which was published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, analyzed data from more than 3,000 healthy members of the U....

Decades ago creating clones existed only in the pages of science fiction. Today, cloning is a booming area of scientific research with the potential to better treat human disease. An animal that is a clone is an exact copy of the animal that donated its genetic information (DNA) for its creation. In oncology, the term is also used to describe a single-family or type of cancer cells. Scientists can also clone human genes....

Proper drug disposal is an environmental issue. If not done correctly, you might contribute to water contamination or create a health hazard for children or pets. If you have any expired or unused medications such as antidepressants, opioids, or other drugs, it’s important that you dispose of these unwanted medications properly. Unused drugs are considered a toxic form of household hazardous waste by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). What Not to Do with Unused Medications There are some things you should never do with unused pills and other medications, including the following....

A long-acting beta-agonist (LABA) is a type of bronchodilator that has effects lasting for 12 hours or longer. Two examples are Serevent and Foradil. In general, LABAs are used as adjunctive treatments for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Symptoms that can often be prevented with LABAs include: Wheezing Chest tightness Shortness of breath Cough This treatment can have benefits when added to the treatment regimen for people whose symptoms are not adequately controlled with an inhaled corticosteroid....

Common symptoms of mesothelioma include lung symptoms such as a dry cough and breathing difficulties, as well as digestive symptoms or chest pain. The site of the mesothelioma will influence what symptoms you experience. This rare form of cancer can affect mesothelium membranes, which are tissues that line certain organs, including the lungs, heart, chest cavity, and abdominal cavity. Discover the potential signs that may occur early or late in the disease, and how different organ systems are affected....

Thoracic spine pain, or pain in the upper and mid-back that corresponds to the area of your rib cage, is not nearly as common as low back pain or neck pain. Just the same, it occurs fairly frequently, particularly in younger people, older people, and females. Thoracic spine pain affects up to 35.5% of the population per year, according to a 2009 systematic review published ​in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. Thoracic Spine Pain Definition Let’s start with a reliable definition of thoracic spine pain which necessarily includes a reliable definition of the thoracic region....

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a decline in cognition, including concentration, communication, memory, and orientation. These declines may also impact a person’s ability to conduct activities of daily living (ADLs) in such areas as dressing, bathing and eating meals. Overview It’s estimated that about 20 percent of people over the age of 70 have MCI. Generally, as people age, they are more likely to develop MCI as well as Alzheimer’s disease....

It is very common for women to develop acne during pregnancy. In fact, acne is thought to affect over 40% of pregnant women. While pregnancy acne is treatable, certain acne medications can be very dangerous to take if you are pregnant, as they can increase the likelihood of miscarriage and severe birth defects. Here’s what to know about what causes pregnancy breakouts and what you can (and can’t) do about them....

Microfracture surgery is a treatment option for people who have cartilage damage within a joint. Cartilage injuries are difficult for the body to heal. The type of cartilage that provides smooth motion at a joint surface is called articular cartilage. Articular cartilage gets its nutrition from the surrounding fluid of the joint. It does not have a blood supply that brings nutrients to the cartilage cells. For that reason, when there is a cartilage injury, there is little the body can do to heal that injury....

Most parents have very specific goals for their children—and even more specific goals for their children with autism. Often, those goals start with “I want my child to be happy.” But a typical adult’s version of happiness may not have much to do with an autistic child’s interests, abilities, or desires. Why Parents Set Unrealistic Goals for Their Autistic Children Many parents of autistic children set short and long-term goals for their child without spending much time discussing the subject with their child....

Research has repeatedly shown that Black women have lower breast cancer survival rates than white women. Now, a new study has found that a particularly aggressive form, triple-negative breast cancer, can be especially deadly for Black women. Key Takeaways A new study has shown that an aggressive form of breast cancer is more deadly in Black women.The researchers found that Black women have a 28% increased risk of death from triple-negative breast cancer compared to white women....