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Asthma classification is an important part of your asthma care plan. By categorizing your asthma, you can get an idea of your asthma control. You can also take specific steps to improve your asthma. Your asthma classification will change over time. There are a number of different ways you can think about your asthma classification. Asthma Severity Asthma severity describes the intrinsic intensity of your asthma. The table below outlines several different ways to look at asthma severity....

Walking pneumonia is a less severe form of pneumonia that gets its name from the fact that people with the condition can carry on with some of their usual day-to-day activities while sick. Like all forms of pneumonia, walking pneumonia is characterized by an inflammation of the airways and the air sacs in your lungs, known as alveoli. However, if you have walking pneumonia, you’ll still feel sick, with symptoms including chills, cough, fever, and shortness of breath....

Wearable devices have increasingly been used over the last few years to signal to people when they might have a health issue. Some smartwatches, for example, can detect when the wearer has a heart rate that’s too high or too low, or when their sleep patterns are off. Key Takeaways Wearable health devices can detect illness before you develop symptoms, a new study finds.A smart wristband was able to pick up illness with up to 92% accuracy....

Each week, Verywell explains a term from health, medicine, science, or technology. Word of the Week: Embolus How to say it: Embolus (em-bow-luss) What it means: Something abnormal in the blood like an air bubble or a blood clot. Where it comes from: From Greek, embolos, “wedge-shaped object” Where you might see or hear it: If you are preparing to have surgery, your doctor might go over the risks with you....

Your overall health depends in part on your body’s ability to keep blood within a neutral pH range, meaning it is not too acidic or basic. A blood test called a serum anion gap test is used by healthcare providers to diagnose conditions caused by an imbalance between the acids and bases in the blood. The anion gap blood test, along with other diagnostic tests, can help healthcare professionals provide specific treatments, especially when individuals experience a sudden illness such as altered mental status or acute kidney failure....

An avulsion fracture is a bone injury that occurs when a piece of bone that attaches to a tendon or ligament is pulled off the rest of the bone. Avulsion fractures can occur anywhere in the body, but they are most common in the elbow, ankle, and hip. Recovery from an avulsion fracture can take six weeks to six months, and surgery is not always needed. However, in children who have an avulsion fracture involving the growth plate, or the area of the bone that is actively growing, surgery may need to be done....

Bacteremia is an infection, caused by bacteria, that enters the bloodstream. It may also be referred to as septicemia, sepsis, septic shock, blood poisoning, or bacteria in the blood. Causes Bacteremia typically starts with a small, localized infection, such as an infected incision, a urinary tract infection or another type of infection. Sometimes the individual doesn’t even know where the infection was in the early stages, as they didn’t notice any signs or symptoms of infection while the infection was in one location....

The exact cause of Bowen’s disease remains unknown, but several risk factors can make a person more susceptible to the disease. These include age, exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation through sunbathing or tanning beds, fair skin, or a weakened immune system. In this article, you’ll learn more about common causes and risk factors of Bowen’s disease. Sun Exposure Those who have had unprotected exposure to UV radiation are at an increased risk of developing Bowen’s disease....

A broken bone or bone fracture is a crack or a break in a bone. A fracture can be complete or partial. If the broken bone punctures the skin, it is called an open or compound fracture. Causes Fractures commonly occur from a high impact or trauma to the bone, although some diseases can weaken bones and cause them to break. Very small cracks in the bone called stress fractures can be caused by overuse....

In a rare move, the director of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday overruled an advisory panel’s recommendation by including frontline workers in the Pfizer booster vaccine rollout. Key Takeaways The CDC has recommended Pfizer booster shots for people 65 and older, residents in long-term care facilities, all adults who have underlying medical conditions or work in high-risk settings.CDC director went against her advisory panel’s vote by including frontline workers in the booster rollout....

Many famous figures have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, and their diagnoses can help to build awareness for the disease. Here is a list of famous men diagnosed with prostate cancer, followed by information to help determine if you’re at risk. Famous Men Diagnosed with Prostate Cancer The following is a list of only some of the celebrities who have coped with prostate cancer: Arnold Palmer: Golfer; Arnold Palmer became a champion for prostate cancer following his own diagnosis....

The difference between clinical and non-clinical jobs is fairly simple. Just because you work in ​a clinic or a hospital doesn’t mean your role is clinical. The term has to do with whether or not you treat patients or provide direct patient care of any type, in which case your job is clinical. Non-clinical work may support patient care, but the work does not provide direct diagnosis, treatment, or care for the patient....

Dihydroergotamine (DHE) is a prescription medication available in injectable and nasal forms that is used to relieve acute migraine attacks. It is among the most effective migraine treatments and considered safe for most, though not all, people. If your healthcare provider has given you a prescription for DHE, it’s worth learning more about it, including how it works and how to recognize its side effects. Indications DHE is used for the treatment of moderate and severe migraine attacks....

Migraines often run in families, and it has long been believed that there may be a genetic component to migraine predisposition. Research into the association between genes and migraines has yielded some links, but there is still a long way to go in terms of understanding the significance and the exact role heredity plays when it comes to these painful and often debilitating headaches. Migraine Heredity While it is possible to develop migraines without a family history of the condition, if one of your parents has migraines, you have about a 50 percent chance of developing them yourself....

The gluteus maximus muscle is the largest gluteal muscle located in the buttocks. Not only does it help move the thigh, it gives shape to the buttocks itself. The other two muscles that make up what’s most commonly referred to as the glutes are the gluteus medius and the gluteus minimus. The gluteus medius runs underneath the gluteus maximus and the gluteus minimus is located in front (or underneath) the gluteus medius....

Patchy hair loss is a clue that you could potentially have an increased risk of stroke. A research study done in Taiwan showed a potential association between a condition called alopecia areata and stroke. In this study, individuals with alopecia areata had almost twice the risk of stroke when compared to people who did not have the condition. Alopecia areata is very different from the usual hair loss patterns and is also much less common than the more prevalent types of hair loss....

If you have fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, or any other debilitating chronic illness, those handicapped parking spots are there FOR YOU. Yes, the signs have a picture of a wheelchair, but that doesn’t mean only people in chairs can park there. In fact, in many U.S. states the criteria for handicapped parking tags include: Inability to walk 200 feet without stopping to rest.Inability to walk without the use of or assistance from a brace, cane, or crutch, etc....

Herbal remedies are among the most common complementary and alternative treatments for asthma today and the relationship between ginger and asthma is no exception. I am sometimes faced with patients asking if they can use ginger as an asthma treatment. With as many as 40% of asthmatics using something other than what their healthcare provider prescribes for their asthma, it is important for you to get as much information as possible....

Drowning patients are probably the most dangerous patients to try to rescue. In a panic, drowning patients are likely to claw at rescuers and climb to the surface at all costs. NEVER attempt a direct rescue of a conscious drowning patient without proper training. There are many reports of drowning patients and their would-be rescuers being lost together, especially in icy waters. Remember always: REACH or THROW, but only GO with training and equipment....

A facelift, also known as a rhytidectomy, can improve the most visible signs of aging caused by the effects of gravity, stress, and sun exposure. The procedure consists of removing excess skin and fat, tightening underlying muscles, and re-draping the skin of your face and neck. You should discuss your expectations with your facial plastic surgeon, but keep in mind that plastic surgeons are doctors, not magicians. After Your Procedure Here’s what to expect after a facelift....