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There are various causes of snoring, and one of the most common is nasal congestion, especially in the setting of colds or allergies. Whether it is called hay fever or allergic rhinitis, environmental allergens can make it hard to breathe, especially in sleep. In this situation, the use of decongestants and nasal steroids may be helpful in treating congestion and alleviating snoring. Learn how using these medications may provide relief and what alternative treatments exist....

The Oswestry Disability Index, also called the Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire, is used to assess how a patient’s low back pain impacts their ability to do everyday tasks and activities. The Oswestry Disability Index includes questions regarding symptoms and severity of low back pain and the extent that these symptoms interfere with regular activities. Read on to learn about the Oswestry Disability Index, what it’s used for, and how it works....

Viral suppression is defined as, literally, suppressing or reducing the function and replication of a virus. When discussing antiretroviral therapy for HIV, a regimen is considered to be highly successful if it reduces a person’s viral load to undetectable levels*. The term “viral load” refers to the number of copies of HIV per mL of blood. In other words, it’s the amount of virus in the blood. Viral Suppression and HIV In general, people with HIV need to use a combined antiretroviral therapy (cART - also known as highly active antiretroviral therapy or HAART) to achieve long-term viral suppression....

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its guidelines on when it’s considered safe for someone who has COVID-19 to end isolation, suggesting the virus is no longer contagious 10 days after symptom onset. Key Takeaways The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is de-emphasizing re-testing a patient for COVID-19.The CDC now recommends that patients be fever-free for 24 hours before leaving COVID-19 isolation.The recommendations also encourage COVID-19 patients to isolate for 10 days and until their symptoms improve....

Grief is a journey you must endure after the loss of a loved one. It’s easy to become overwhelmed as you work through the phases and tasks of grief so it’s important to remember to care for yourself. Tips for Caring for Yourself in Times of Grief Here are 10 tips, collected from people who have traveled this road before you, to help you along this journey. Seek and Accept Support: You cannot travel this path alone....

In acute bronchitis, the bronchi are inflamed because of an infection or environmental irritants, causing them to swell and make mucus. This leads to a cough and other symptoms like fever and fatigue. This article covers the typical symptoms of acute bronchitis as well as less common ones and when you should see a healthcare provider. Frequent Symptoms A cough with or without mucus is the most common symptom of acute bronchitis....

Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that can result in scaly patches, dry skin, blisters, irritation, and rashes. Eczema is most common in children before age 5, but it can appear, or even reappear, in adulthood as well. This article will discuss eczema in adults, including causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, potential complications, and more. Causes of Eczema in Adults There’s no one known cause of eczema....

Bile acid sequestrants, also known as bile acid resins or BARs, are a class of medications used to help lower your cholesterol levels. If your cholesterol is high, your healthcare provider may decide to add a bile acid sequestrant to your cholesterol-lowering regimen. Currently, three bile acid sequestrant drugs are available in the United States: Colestid (colestipol) Welchol (colesevelam) Prevalite (cholestyramine) Welchol (colesevelam) and Colestid (colestipol) are available as tablets or resin powder....

Though cannabidiol (CBD) may help manage arthritis-related joint pain, more research is needed to confirm this. Made from the cannabis plant, CBD has proved to have some anti-inflammatory effects in animal studies, which is why some people may find it helpful for inflammatory arthritis pain. If you are taking CBD for arthritis, you can take it orally, in capsule form, add it to food in liquid forms such as in sprays or tinctures, or apply it topically to the skin in oils, creams, or lotions....

Based on reports of close to 2 million vaccinations administered to prevent COVID-19 in the U.S., fewer than two dozen people experienced anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction that is a rare risk factor with the vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported the news in the January 6 edition of its weekly journal Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Key Takeaways Severe allergic reactions to the currently-authorized COVID-19 vaccines are rare....

If you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), you’re likely all too familiar with two bothersome (and sometimes distressing) symptoms: shortness of breath (dyspnea) and chronic coughing due to the build-up of mucus in your airways. Medication can help, of course, but there also are breathing exercises and techniques for dealing with these symptoms. In fact, certain breathing exercises—particularly those that help strengthen the diaphragm—may offer benefits beyond bringing in-the-moment relief....

Seeing the world in all its beautiful glory is made possible by a type of nerve cells on the retina known as cones. There are about 6 million of these cones here that allow us to see the world in all its colorful hues. These work together with 120 million rods, which provide black and white vision. Structure of Eye Cones These light-sensitive cones are mostly concentrated into a portion of the eye’s retina known as the fovea, which enables small details to come into sharp focus in bright light....

An alternative blood testing site is a body location other than your fingertip where you can reliably test your blood glucose. Common alternative blood testing sites include the palm, forearm, upper arm, thigh, and calf. Using alternative body sites for blood sugar testing has been a relief to many with type 1 diabetes who have suffered from chronically sore fingers from multiple tests each day. Research suggests under normal circumstances, alternative test sites are as accurate as finger pricks....

Children everywhere can rejoice: Halloween festivities are officially back. Key Takeaways This Halloween, health experts are saying that children can go trick-or-treating in small groups—with a few caveats.Kids should wear masks and stay out of large groups.Being outdoors is a safer way to spend the holiday than attending crowded indoor parties. Traditionally, the holiday allows for kids of all ages to dress up in their favorite spooky costume and shout “trick-or-treat” before they snag some candy....

On June 29, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced its approval of Phesgo, an under-the-skin injection that can be used at home for early or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer. Key Takeaways Phesgo has been approved as a treatment for early and metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer.It’s administered in the form of an injection that can be given at home within minutes. Phesgo must always be given by a healthcare professional, whether at home or in a clinic....

Hepatic hemangiomas (HH) are the most common type of benign (noncancerous) tumors in or on the liver. The tumor is comprised of a network of blood vessels, the cells that line those blood vessels (endothelial cells), and the hepatic artery, which acts as a primary fuel supply for the mass. Other names for this tumor include cavernous or capillary hepatic hemangioma. Often, people who have this type of tumor live symptom-free, and it’s only discovered incidentally when the patient is undergoing treatment, testing, or a procedure for a different medical condition....

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is often misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or not addressed at all, especially in people with darker skin tones. Without a timely and accurate diagnosis, people with HS may not be properly treated, impacting treatment effectiveness and quality of life. Read on to learn more about hidradenitis suppurativa, the chronic skin condition, and how it affects darker skin. Symptoms and Presentation HS is characterized by chronic, recurrent skin lesions on the armpits, under the breasts, around the groin, and between the buttocks....

NyQuil is a very popular medication used to treat cold and flu symptoms. Find out if it is right for you and your symptoms. Active Ingredients (in each 15ml tablespoon) Acetaminophen 500mg (pain reliever) Dextromethorphan HBr 15mg (cough suppressant) Doxylamine succinate 6.25mg (antihistamine) Dosage Adults - Two tablespoons every six hours as needed for cold and flu symptoms. Do not take more than four doses in 24 hours.Children - Ask a healthcare provider....

People who have become disabled and can no longer walk, or cannot walk without difficulty, may benefit from a mobility scooter or powerchair. Although TV commercials suggest that the process is fast and painless, your healthcare provider will fill out paperwork that will help you to receive a scooter or power chair at little or no cost, many disabled individuals and their caregivers find out that the process can be much more difficult....

Multiple myeloma and leukemia are cancers that both start in blood cells, but they are two very different forms of cancer. Myeloma is a cancer of the bone marrow, specifically the plasma cells. Leukemia also is a cancer of bone marrow and stems from one of the two main groups of young white blood cell types, lymphocytes or myelocytes precursors. There are different types of leukemia, depending on which cells are affected....