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Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)—a psychiatric disorder characterized by obsessive, distressful thoughts and compulsive, ritualistic behaviors—can be diagnosed by either a primary care provider or mental health professional. Like most mental health conditions, there is no blood test or imaging study to confirm a diagnosis. However, after decades of research into many mental health illnesses, mental health professionals have acquired a lot of information to accurately diagnose and treat conditions. At-Home Testing In general, it’s not possible—or reasonable—to self-diagnose....

Pericardial effusion is when the sac around the heart, called the pericardium, fills with extra fluid. It is normal for a thin layer of fluid to be inside the pericardium. However, too much fluid can put pressure on the heart and impact its function. In this article, you will learn about the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatments, and prognosis for pericardial effusion. Pericardial Effusion Symptoms Most people with pericardial effusion will have no symptoms directly caused by the effusion itself....

Orthopedic surgeons often use injections to treat a variety of conditions. Commonly injected medications include cortisone, local anesthetics, and joint lubricants such as hyaluronic acid. In some cases, delivering an injection is not as easy as it sounds. Some require you to hit the target just right, often with the slimmest margin of error. Joint injections, for example, need to be administered within the joint space and not the surrounding soft tissue....

There is a type of polyp that may be found in the colon of a person who has inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), either Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, that is actually not really a true polyp. These growths are called pseudopolyps because they are not polyps at all; rather, they are “false” polyps. Pseudo means “fake” or “phony,” and while the structures themselves are very real, they are not the same type of polyp that is removed because it might cause colon cancer....

If your feet are a pain in your life—take a look at the shoes that you are wearing. Do you spend your days wearing high heels? Do your shoes really fit? When was the last time you had your feet measured before you bought a new pair of shoes? Paying Big Bucks for Shoes that Hurt A published survey found that most women are tired of wearing shoes that hurt their feet....

Implantable defibrillators, also known as implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs), are highly effective at preventing sudden cardiac death from heart arrhythmias (irregular heart rhythm). But, unfortunately, at least 25% of the more than 350,000 Americans who die suddenly each year never learn that their risk is high. Therefore, they never have the opportunity to consider an ICD. This article explains the risk factors for sudden death and when an ICD may be indicated as a preventive measure....

Running low on thiamine (a type of B vitamin) could put you at risk for a serious condition called beriberi. Since so many foods are rich in thiamine, beriberi is very rare in the United States. However, alcohol abuse and certain medical issues can increase your risk for thiamine deficiency. Also known as vitamin B1, thiamine plays a key role in converting carbohydrates into energy. It’s also involved in the process of muscle contraction, as well as the transmission of nerve signals and the production of acids essential for proper digestion....

The exact cause of migraine isn’t certain, but hormonal changes, stress, and other factors are often discussed when trying to get to the root of the problem. Another that is less commonly considered: obesity. While you likely often hear about the link between obesity and heart disease or diabetes, there’s also lesser-known evidence linking obesity to various pain disorders such as migraines. Whether you’ve used an online tool or you’ve seen your primary care physician, you’ve likely had your body mass index (BMI) checked in the last year or two....

Tirosint is the brand name for a form of levothyroxine designed for people with allergies to fillers and dyes found in standard formulations. It is available in soft gel capsules, as well as a liquid formulation, that do not contain dyes, gluten, alcohol, lactose, or sugar. Besides T4, Tirosint contains only three inactive ingredients: gelatin, glycerin, and water. Who It May Benefit In addition to those with allergies, Tirosint has been found effective in treating people with hypothyroidism who have certain digestive conditions, such as celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, or atrophic gastritis....

Tree man syndrome or epidermodysplasia verruciformis (EV) is a rare inherited health condition. It causes wart-like skin growths resembling tree bark and is linked to a high risk of skin cancer. Only about 200 cases have been identified since it was first discovered. The bark-like growths are extremely painful and disfiguring. They can become quite large, which leads to substantial disability. Surgery can help, but the growths may come back....

No matter what age you are, there are some ways you can prevent atherosclerosis. Addressing your high cholesterol and triglyceride levels can help you to prevent the development of atherosclerosis and the damage it can cause to your cardiovascular system. Atherosclerosis, also known as “hardening of the arteries,” occurs when cholesterol and other lipids begin to accumulate on the inner walls of damaged blood vessels. This buildup leads to the formation of a waxy thickening in the vessel, known as a plaque....

A patient advocate can provide many types of services. Besides the advocates that work for larger organizations, you may want to use private or personal services. See what patient advocacy services a patient may need and the kinds of professionals who provide them. Medical Assistance Medical/navigational/care coordination advocacy requires a medical background and knowledge of the healthcare system. Advocates who provide medical assistance can help review your diagnoses, treatment options, medical records, and test reports....

Red yeast rice (RYR) is a dietary supplement that has been marketed as a nonprescription product for lowering cholesterol. RYR has been used in China for centuries both in cooking and to treat circulatory and digestive disorders. However, since it’s been used in the United States for a much shorter period of time, it has generated significant controversy. What Is Red Yeast Rice? RYR is a rice product made by fermenting rice with the mold Monascus purpureus....

Devlin Donaldson, 64, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2015. His employer’s insurance company contacted him in early 2020 about a new, personalized system that could help manage his condition, but he didn’t believe anything could help him get his diabetes under control. Key Takeaways An AI-driven system that collects sensor data, lab data, and patient feedback may be able to greatly improve the health of people with type 2 diabetes....

The Lung Flute, developed by Medical Acoustics LLC, is a hand-held medical device that is FDA-approved to supplement a patient’s natural mucus-clearing ability. It may be especially useful for those who have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The Lung Flute currently has clearance for both diagnostic use (because it aids in the collection of sputum samples) and therapeutic use (because it facilitates effective airway clearance). How It Works According to the manufacturer, when you blow vigorously through the mouthpiece of the Lung Flute, your breath moves the reed inside, which causes airway vibrations deep within the lungs....

In a healthy person, anemia is kind of like the ‘check engine’ light on your car’s dashboard. It might be something, it might be nothing, but it shouldn’t be ignored. Anemia refers to a deficiency in red blood cells or of hemoglobin in the blood. Anemia can also refer to an insufficient number of healthy red blood cells in circulation. The most common form of anemia is usually relatively benign. Sometimes, however, anemia can be the first indicator of cancer, or some other serious illness....

An uncommon complication of brain cancer is bleeding within the brain (called an intracranial hemorrhage) which can lead to a hemorrhagic stroke. This is a relatively rare situation but one that is more likely to occur in people over 60 who have certain types of brain cancer or who have undergone radiation treatments to the head or neck. Symptoms The symptoms of a stroke caused by an intracerebral hemorrhage are different from a typical stroke....

Both chickenpox and shingles are caused by the same virus—the varicella-zoster virus (VZV). Most people who get chickenpox get it during childhood. Shingles is a painful disease that can develop later in life. However, you can only get it if you’ve already had chickenpox. How You Get Shingles To develop shingles, a person needs to have been infected with the varicella-zoster virus. That means you need to have had chickenpox to get shingles later in life....

Costello syndrome is a very rare disorder that affects multiple systems of the body, causing short stature, characteristic facial features, growths around the nose and mouth, and heart problems. Costello syndrome is caused by a mutation (abnormality) of the HRAS gene. Only about 350 reports of Costello syndrome have been published in worldwide medical literature, so it is not clear how often the syndrome actually occurs or who is more likely to be affected by it....

Vaccines and drugs to treat COVID-19 are being developed in labs all over the world. A new app allows you to participate in the search from the comfort of your home. You don’t need a medical degree—or even a background in chemistry—to get involved. All you need is a smartphone. Key Takeaways ViDok is an app created to gather crowdsourced information that may help researchers identify drugs to effectively treat COVID-19....