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A pyogenic granuloma is a rapidly growing lesion that bleeds easily. Pyogenic granulomas are common in children and young adults, although they can develop in people of all ages. They are also fairly common in pregnant women. The hormone changes that occur during pregnancy can cause these growths to develop. Pyogenic granulomas tend to bleed because they contain a very large number of blood vessels. They’re also known as lobular capillary hemangioma or granuloma telangiectaticum....

Social phobia, also referred to as social anxiety disorder, is a common mental health condition. It is a type of anxiety disorder. Those affected by it experience fear and anxiety in specific or all social situations, due to a fear of being judged or humiliated. Learn more about social phobia in this overview. Definition Social phobia is a mental health condition that causes someone to experience intense and persistent fear and anxiety in specific or all social situations, as well as sometimes everyday tasks like eating or drinking in front of others....

Allergy shots, or immunotherapy, are a series of injections that are given over many months to years. What’s often referred to as a three-month allergy shot, on the other hand, is a single, long-acting corticosteroid injection, such as Kenalog (triamcinolone). Many people swear by these long-acting steroid shots as a great way to get through their allergy season symptom-free. However, frequent use of such medications, even once a year, can cause serious complications in the long run....

While certain vitamins tend to get the spotlight, particularly vitamins C and D, lesser-known ones like vitamin K are equally important for our health. Now, new research finds that vitamin K may be key in keeping your heart healthy. Key Takeaways A new study finds that a diet rich in vitamin K may help reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.Vitamin K can be found in foods like green leafy vegetables, certain fermented foods, and organ meats....

If you are a runner who enjoys running long distances—like marathons or half-marathons—then you understand the importance of doing everything you can to maximize your running performance and to protect yourself from injury. You stretch, keep your hips strong, and eat right for the amount of exercise you are doing. But how do you keep your nipples from chafing while running long distances? The answer: kinesiology tape. Some runners use kinesiology tape to help them run better and to treat various running injuries....

Each week, Verywell explains a term from health, medicine, science, or technology. Contagious How to say it: Contagious (con-TAY-juss) What it means: A disease that can spread between people. Where it comes from: Latin, contāgiō, “contact” Where you might see or hear it: If you have been exposed to someone with an infectious disease like COVID-19, your provider will want you to get tested. If you test positive, you could spread the infection to others—that is, you’re contagious....

Since time immemorial, human beings have buried their dead in the ground. Archeological evidence also indicates that people have cremated their loved ones since at least 11,500 years ago—and probably well before that. Alkaline hydrolysis, a relatively new form of body disposition, offers some distinct “green” advantages over both of these methods in today’s eco-conscious environment and could potentially become a significant body-disposition option in the future—provided it overcomes two obstacles: public squeamishness and a multitude of regulatory hurdles....

It is well established that long-time alcohol consumption can cause brain damage that results in cognitive deficits, but research has found that cumulative, life-long alcohol consumption can cause damage to the brain’s central auditory pathways, which results in hearing loss. One study found that damage to the central auditory pathways can occur in even low-risk “social” drinkers—as well as moderate and heavy drinkers—as their cumulative, life-long alcohol consumption increases. In fact, social drinkers appear to be significantly more sensitive to an increase in cumulative alcohol consumption compared to moderate or heavy drinkers....

The term “frottage” is the technical name for what two people are doing when they rub their bodies against each other for sexual pleasure. It’s also known by such colorful terms as “pants burning” and “dry humping.” When you engage in frottage while wearing clothing, it is very safe sex. If you take off your clothing, dry humping is still relatively safe, but it is possible to pass on certain diseases that are transmitted through skin-to-skin contact....

The flu vaccine was not very effective at reducing influenza infections this season, according to recently released preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Key Takeaways The CDC reports that the flu vaccine was not very effective at preventing mild or moderate infections this season.Experts still recommend getting the flu shot to prevent hospitalizations or death, especially in young children and immunocompromised people.Masking, social distancing, hand washing, and staying home when sick are other ways to protect yourself against the flu....

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday said people living in areas where COVID-19 hospitalizations are low can go indoors without masks. Key Takeaways The CDC removed its mask recommendations for people in low-or-medium risk U.S. counties based on COVID-19 hospitalizations in the area area.Masks are still recommended in schools and indoor settings in high-risk counties, which account for about 40% of the country.The CDC has shifted its focus from new cases to hospitalizations to determine when masks are recommended....

A polyp is a term used to describe a growth on the lining of a mucous membrane. The growth may develop on the lining of the digestive tract, mouth, uterus, bladder, nasal passages, or genital area. When a polyp develops in the colon, it is usually benign (noncancerous). However, in some cases, it can develop into a malignancy (cancer). Identifying Colon Polyps There are different types of colon polyps, each of which has its own characteristics and structure....

Whether you’ve been battling chronic pain for more than a decade or you’re just starting to deal with consistent aches and soreness, a pain journal can help you document what you are feeling from day to day. Your pain journal is where you write down everything relating to your chronic pain — what kind of pain you have, what level of pain you are experiencing, what you were doing when you were in pain, and so on....

What does it mean when you look at a label stating a food is gluten-free? Unfortunately, it doesn’t mean the food has absolutely no gluten in it. In fact, many foods sporting a “gluten-free” label contain some gluten, and there’s currently no U.S. government regulation or enforcement of gluten-free labeling. So What Is Gluten-Free, Anyway? In August 2013, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finalized regulations that would define the term “gluten-free” so that food product manufacturers could use the term when their products contained less than 20 parts per million of gluten, or ppm....

Is gluten bad for people with fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)? Would you feel better eating a gluten-free diet? You can certainly find a lot of people online who say cutting out gluten has really improved their symptoms. With the media attention, gluten-free diets have received over the past several years, it stands to reason that a lot of people with these illnesses have given them a shot....

Brain death is a clinical and legal definition of death. Sometimes, when a person is declared brain dead, their heart may still be still beating and their chest may rise and fall with every breath from the ventilator. The skin might be warm and a person who is brain dead may appear to be resting. These physical functions may be present in a person who is brain dead because the physical damage is actually hidden in the brain, rather than visible on the body....

Menthol creams and lotions can provide temporary relief from minor arthritis pain and pain from strains, bruises, and sprains. Generally considered safe, these pain-relieving products still need to be applied according to the packaging instructions or the advice of your healthcare provider. How Menthol Works Menthol comes from peppermint oil extracted from plants. It can be both naturally extracted from plants and produced from chemicals. Menthol creates a pleasant diversion with its cooling sensation from pain and other irritations....

The possibility and safety of breastfeeding when you have breast cancer depends on where you are in your journey and what treatments you are receiving. While your oncologist telling you that you need stop breastfeeding may not be what you want to hear, there may be times when doing so is what’s best for both your health and that of your baby. Breastfeeding at Diagnosis Because cancer is difficult to detect in a lactating breast, it is unusual—though not impossible—for women to be diagnosed during the time they are breastfeeding....

Keratosis pilaris (or chicken skin) is a common condition that causes tiny, painless bumps on the skin. These bumps are usually found on the upper arms, thighs, cheeks, and buttocks. The exact cause of keratosis pilaris is usually unknown. The tiny skin bumps are hair follicles plugged by dead skin cells. Hormonal changes during pregnancy may increase the risk of keratosis pilaris. This article discusses keratosis pilaris during pregnancy and how to treat it....

Pharmaceutical company Merck announced on March 6, 2021, that its phase 2 clinical trial for an oral medication to fight COVID-19 has promising early findings. Researchers found that the medication, called molnupiravir, helped reduce the viral load in COVID-19 patients. Key Takeaways An experimental medication may help speed up COVID-19 in patients with more mild cases of the virus.The medication, called molnupiravir, would be the first oral drug specifically designed to fight COVID-19....