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Whether you have had acne since you were a kid, or you’ve developed pimples later in life, adult acne is a frustrating problem. But the acne treatment you used as a teen may not work for your adult breakouts. Fortunately, with proper care and a little time, adult acne can be successfully treated. Over-the-Counter Acne Treatments When pimples appear, most people set out for the skincare aisle first. And if your acne is mild, these may do just the trick, provided you choose the right products for your skin....

There have long been suggestions that the practice of douching, both vaginal and rectal, may increase the risk of HIV by removing so-called “good” bacteria from the vaginal/rectal flora while causing stresses to fragile mucosal tissues that line these organs. Could this be true? Might practices thought to improve personal health and hygiene unwittingly increase the risk of HIV without us even knowing it? Early Studies Spur Debate and Confusion As far back as the late 1990s, a number of studies had indirectly linked douching to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs)....

Carnitine, also called L-carnitine, helps your cells produce energy by breaking down fat. It also may help your brain utilize neurotransmitters, serotonin, and glutamate, which can be out of balance in people with fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS or ME/CFS). Carnitine is also an antioxidant. Studies show that carnitine supplementation may help lower pain levels and boost the mental health of people with FMS, and may lessen fatigue in those with ME/CFS....

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released alternative recommendations for the length of time a person should quarantine following exposure to a person who has been diagnosed with COVID-19. Key Takeaways The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reduced the length of time a person should quarantine following exposure to a person who has been diagnosed with coronavirus from 14 days to seven to 10 days....

It’s normal to feel chilly as temperatures drop during the winter. But if you constantly feel cold—regardless of the season—you might have a cold intolerance. This is a sensitivity to cold, which is especially common in women with low body fat. This article explores the causes, risk factors, and treatment of cold intolerance. What Is Cold Intolerance? Cold intolerance is a sensitivity or hypersensitivity to cold. It’s completely normal to feel cold if you’re spending time outdoors in the winter....

One prevailing perception of spine surgeons (in general)—whether neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons, or other—is that if you’ve been referred for an appointment with one, it automatically means you’ll be having back surgery. While certainly, this is not always true (and please keep in mind that you have a right to seek opinions from more than one doctor), it may be useful to you in your research to note that several studies looking at the rate of utilization of spinal fusion surgery, a procedure performed by both orthopedic surgeons and by neurosurgeons, do point in this direction....

Knee pain is among the most commonly encountered orthopedic problems. While there are many causes of knee pain, most can be helped with some specific stretching and strengthening exercises. Even if surgery is necessary on the knee, rehabilitation exercises will certainly be a part of your recovery process. Why Knee Exercises Are a Must The goal of knee rehab is to prevent weakening of the muscles that surround the knee, to diminish the burden on the knee joint, and to maintain range of motion....

People with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may be at an increased risk for complications from the flu (influenza). That’s because IBD affects the immune system, and medications used to treat IBD—like Humira—weaken the immune system. For many people, the flu is a manageable illness, but for people who are immunocompromised, it can be serious. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), deaths from the flu vary widely every year because of the variation in flu seasons....

For most healthy people, blood type is just an interesting piece of information to have. But recent research exploring the link between blood type and COVID-19 risk may make it more top-of-mind than before. If you’ve ever donated blood or needed a blood transfusion, you may already know what your blood type is. But if not, there are a couple of ways to find out. Key Takeaways Blood types are determined by unique proteins found on the surface of the red blood cells known as antigens....

Plan B One-Step is an emergency contraceptive. It is also called “the morning after pill.” Plan B contains a synthetic hormone called levonorgestrel, which can prevent ovulation, or the release of an egg. This is how Plan B works to prevent pregnancy. Emergency contraceptives like Plan B are used to prevent pregnancy after birth control failure or unprotected sex. Generic forms of Plan B include My Way, Take Action, and Next Choice One Dose....

Retinopathy is a condition of the retina, the layer of the eye that senses light. When the retina is damaged by disease, like diabetes or hypertension (high blood pressure), retinopathy occurs. This can cause changes to vision and sometimes loss of sight that can’t be corrected. Retinopathy can also occur in premature or low birth weight newborns. Treatment for retinopathy depends on the underlying cause. For diabetic, hypertensive, and age-related retinopathy, treatment often begins with lifestyle modifications and medications, but may progress to surgery....

Tinnitus can have many different effects on a person’s life. Although no two people may complain of exactly the same problem, the main categories of impact are difficulty concentrating, emotional reactions, and disrupted sleep. Usually, effects of tinnitus include emotional reactions. For example, difficulty concentrating can lead to frustration and anger. Concentration Imagine you are sitting in a quiet office writing a report. Off in the distance, a car alarm goes off....

Toothaches and headaches can be related, but not always for the same reasons. Tooth pain can cause head pain due to irritation of a shared nerve. Muscle stress from grinding your teeth can cause both symptoms. And an underlying condition, like a sinus infection or temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ), can too. This article describes some possible toothache/headache connections, as well as what you should know if you experience both symptoms together....

Why should you know about low dopamine symptoms – that is, the effects of low dopamine – in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome? First, because dopamine is a neurotransmitter, a chemical released by nerve cells (neurons), it has a number of important functions in your brain. Second, people with fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS or ME/CFS) generally have low dopamine levels, which makes them prone to a variety of symptoms and conditions....

Lumbar lordosis refers to the natural inward curve of your lower back. It’s a key element of posture, whether good or bad. When the angle of this curve is too extreme, often called a sway back, it can cause a lot of problems—including misalignment and pain. The same goes for too shallow an angle. However, determining a “normal” angle is more difficult than you might expect. That technical name for that inward curve is the lordotic curve....

M-protein is an antibody—or part of an antibody—that can show up in tests of your blood and/or urine, and its presence can mean different things. In blood cancers such as myeloma, the ‘M’ in ‘M protein’ stands for monoclonal. A monoclonal protein is produced by the abnormal, cancerous or precancerous cells. It’s called a monoclonal protein because there is a single clone, a mono-clone of “identical-twin cancer cells,” all making this protein....

Last month, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) began its first round of Child Tax Credit (CTC) payments to roughly 35 million eligible families with children. These monthly checks will run through December are meant to alleviate economic hardship exacerbated by the pandemic. Key Takeaways According to a survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, financial hardship declined from 31.5 to 29% among families with children who received Child Tax Credit (CTC)....

A revision joint replacement means that surgery must be done to replace a worn-out joint replacement. Also called revision arthroplasty, revision joint replacement is often more complicated than the initial joint replacement and the revision surgery may have less predictable results. People may refer to a revision joint replacement as a repeat joint replacement, or a replacement of a joint replacement. There is no limit to the number of revision replacements that can be performed, although they generally become more difficult each time....

Could drugs meant for hyperactive children be an effective treatment for adults with chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) adults? As illogical as it sounds, they might be. This article looks at how and why stimulants for ADHD work for people with ME/CFS and what other treatments may help with this hard-to-treat disease. What Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome? Chronic fatigue syndrome is a medical condition that causes severe fatigue, sleep problems, and difficulty concentrating....

Upon noticing new signs or symptoms in the digestive system, such as constipation, diarrhea, heartburn or abdominal pain, there might be a question as to what doctor to see: a family doctor, an internist, or a digestive specialist (a gastroenterologist). Which doctor to see at the start of any new symptoms, as well as after getting a diagnosis, is going to vary based on a number of different factors. In some cases, it might be clear when to see a gastroenterologist, but in others, there may be some wiggle room....