While a baby is growing during the first trimester of pregnancy, the organs that are needed for the baby to urinate (pee) aren’t fully formed yet. Instead, there is a channel that goes between the bladder and the belly button (navel or umbilicus). This is called the urachus. This channel normally closes up as the fetus grows. However, when it doesn’t close fully, and the baby is born with part or all of it open, it’s called a urachal remnant....
It takes time after the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) enters your body before a test can detect it, and this period of time is known as the HIV window period. If you take a test during your window period, the HIV test may show up as negative even if you have been infected with HIV. You can still pass the virus on to someone else during this time. It’s important to consider this window so you can get accurate test results and take precautions to protect yourself and others....
Chipotle Mexican Grill, which is known for its fresh ingredients and made-to-order food items, can work very well as a fast food option for people with food allergies or intolerances. A glance at a list of allergens in Chipotle menu items easily shows you what options contain some common food allergens—and there aren’t many. The restaurant chain does, however, use milk, soy, and wheat/gluten, the remaining three major food allergens. Some Chipotle menu items also include corn, a less common food allergy....
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declared mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) a public health emergency last week. Amid a vaccine supply shortage, health authorities are exploring new strategies to get as many at-risk communities vaccinated as possible. The HHS has allocated 1.1 million doses to states and jurisdictions and has promised to accelerate the delivery of the doses. Read on to learn if you’re eligible for the mpox vaccines and how you can schedule an appointment....
No matter what you’ve heard, you don’t love anything with all of your heart. You love from the depths of your ventral tegmental area, your hypothalamus, your nucleus accumbens, and other vital areas of the brain. In the last two decades, scientists have joined the throngs of poets, philosophers, artists, and others striving to comprehend the ways of love. Scientific techniques for exploring how the brain experiences love ranges from animal experiments to traditional surveys to advanced radiological techniques, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and positron emissive tomography (PET)....
Your gynecologist wants to use their best diagnostic tool, their ears, at your annual gynecological exam. It’s essential that you provide thorough information about yourself to your healthcare provider on each visit. Unfortunately, many women leave out important facts that may help their healthcare provider make the best healthcare recommendations. If you have had the same healthcare provider for years, make sure you update your healthcare provider on any changes that have occurred over the last year....
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is known to be spread through oral sex, so it may seem reasonable to assume that kissing—particularly deep kissing or “French kissing”—is a risk factor for infection. While theoretically possible, there have yet to be any studies that have definitively made this connection. This article walks you through what the current research says about HPV and kissing. It also describes the most common modes of HPV transmission and the best ways to protect yourself from infection....
While nasal allergy (allergic rhinitis) is common in adults and adolescents, the same isn’t true for very young children. This essentially comes down to two things: development and exposure. An allergy, by definition, is related to a previous immune response—one in which an immune cell (antibody) is produced to defend against a perceived threat. The antibody remains in the body thereafter, ready to respond if the threat returns. When it does, the immune system can sometimes overreact, triggering a cascade of symptoms commonly associated with an allergy....
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is the name of a specific medical condition characterized by extreme and persistent fatigue. For the diagnosis of CFS to be made, certain specific criteria must be met. People with CFS and the general public often refer to the condition as “chronic fatigue.” But that can be confusing. Chronic fatigue is also a symptom of many chronic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and lupus. What is the difference between chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome?...
In the majority of children and a small number of adults with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) , the problem will resove on its own. However, some will go one to have a chronic course. The idea of having chronic ITP may be alarming, so let’s review what that means here. First, ITP can be categorized as: Primary: Primary ITP is due to autoimmune platelet destruction. In children, the majority of cases are primary ITP....
Diet and the foods you eat are important components of managing ulcerative colitis (UC). On the one hand, certain foods can make UC symptoms worse, including sugary, fried, greasy, and high-fiber foods. On the other hand, a low-residue diet comprised of lean proteins, refined grains, and starchy vegetables may help ease or alleviate UC-related abdominal pain, cramping, and diarrhea. This article provides you with a general framework for managing ulcerative colitis with diet, including the list of foods you can eat and those you should avoid....
If you have low back pain, you may benefit from the skilled services of a physical therapist (PT) to help you decrease your pain, improve your spinal range of motion, and increase your abdominal and core strength. Your PT can assess your specific condition and teach you an exercise progression for your back to help you return to your previous level of function and mobility. One very important exercise that your PT may teach you is the posterior pelvic tilt exercise....
Editor’s note: Below you’ll find release of the COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Tracker originally published May 19, 2021. Visit the COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Tracker homepage for the latest data. Adolescents ages 12-15 have entered the pool of people eligible for COVID-19 vaccination in the United States. Following federal authorization of the Pfizer vaccine for people under the age of 16, states began vaccinating this younger age group on Thursday, May 13. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has not yet started reporting vaccination data specifically for this age group, we can already tell it’s making a difference....
A fistula seton is a special type of flexible material that’s surgically placed into a fistula. A fistula is an abnormal connection, much like a tunnel, that runs between two internal organs or between an organ and the skin. An example is a rectovaginal fistula that can form between the rectum and the vagina. The seton allows the fistula to drain any fluid that develops and may aid in healing. This article will discuss why a seton will be placed in a fistula, preparation for the procedure, and what can be expected during recovery....
Every year, getting your annual flu shot is crucial. But as COVID-19 continues to circulate it may be more important than ever. New research reports that the seasonal flu shot may have protected some people from developing severe cases of COVID-19. Key Takeaways Research has found people who got the flu shot were 20% less likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit with COVID-19.People who received their annual flu shot also had a lower risk of serious complications from COVID-19 like sepsis and stroke....
Though most genital herpes sores do not cause scarring, it can still happen to some individuals if their herpes sores break open. There are options for reducing the appearance of these scars. This article will discuss treatment options for genital herpes scars, including dermatology treatments, home remedies, and preventing outbreaks that can result in scars. Dermatological Procedures If scars form, dermatological procedures can help diminish the appearance of genital herpes scarring....
After you have glaucoma surgery, you probably look forward to a healthy recovery and the ability to lower your eye pressure. A lowering of eye pressure helps to preserve your vision and prevent future vision loss. Here is more information on what to expect during your recovery from glaucoma surgery. Surgery Follow-Up For the first few weeks after surgery, vision in the eye where you had glaucoma surgery will probably remain blurry....
If you’ve just had surgery, you may think nothing sounds better than a nice, relaxing bath. However, your surgical team likely told you not to take a bath or go swimming right after your procedure. You’ll probably have to wait at least 12 to 48 hours after your procedure before taking a shower, and you may not be able to get back into the bathtub for two weeks or longer....
Some people have the misfortune of having to deal with IBS and diabetes at the same time. Little information is available as to how many people struggle with the two health problems together. What seems to be the case, however, is that IBS and diabetes are two distinct disorders, with no physiological overlap. Therefore, it appears to be just plain bad luck to be stuck with the two. IBS and diabetes do share one thing in common—a complicated relationship with food....
Breakthrough pain (BTP) is the pain that occurs between regularly scheduled doses of pain medication. It is a distressing symptom requiring prompt treatment. Most patients with chronic pain, including palliative care and hospice patients, are given medication to use as needed to treat breakthrough pain. Medication for BTP is typically fast-acting with a relatively short duration of action (usually providing relief for two to four hours). Unfortunately, studies have shown that although breakthrough pain is common in patients with advanced disease at home, medications to relieve it are not always prescribed, and patients in pain don’t always use as much medication to treat their pain as is allowed....
