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Trouble sleeping may come and go throughout your life. A temporary disruption in your ability to sleep may be quickly forgotten once it has passed. In the midst of it, however, acute insomnia or short-term insomnia may have various causes, and one of the most important is stress. The causes of short-term insomnia are important to recognize because, in many cases, they can be addressed. By alleviating the underlying stress or trigger, the sleep issues may also resolve....

When is a headache more than a headache? For patients diagnosed with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), what starts as a debilitating headache can lead to other symptoms, like vision loss. Key Takeaways Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is considered a rare disorder; however, a new study shows that cases are rising.IIH cases are increasing alongside rising obesity rates.Women are most often affected by IIH, which can cause headaches and vision problems. According to a new study published on January 20 in the journal Neurology, IIH cases are on the rise....

Swimming-related headaches have a few different causes with similar symptoms. One common cause is swimmer’s ear, which can lead to headaches due to a bacterial infection that follows from water entering the ear canal. Other causes include pressure from wearing goggles, irritation to chemicals, changes in pressure from diving, dehydration, or simply exercise itself. Here’s a closer look at different types of headaches related to swimming, how they differ from each other, and what can take away the pain....

Meloxicam has an estimated shelf life of longer than 24 months. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends caution when using drugs like Meloxicam past their expiration date. An expiration date is put on a product to make us aware that the quality of the product is diminishing. The date represents the length of time the manufacturer can guarantee safety and full potency. This article looks at drug expiration dates, what they mean, and what research says about whether it is safe to take expired Meloxicam or other drugs that have passed their expiration dates....

If ABVD chemotherapy is recommended for your cancer, you probably have a thousand questions. How is this given? How often? What are the side effects? Are there any long term consequences? Let’s look at some of those questions. What Is ABVD? ABVD is the name of a chemotherapy regimen used in the treatment of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. It is perhaps the most common chemotherapy regimen used worldwide for newly diagnosed patients. It is a very effective combination of drugs for all stages of Hodgkin’s disease....

Bile acid is a component of bile. Bile is a fluid that aids in digestion. Bile acid diarrhea (BAD) is a condition in which bile acids aren’t properly processed by the digestive system. This can cause chronic diarrhea. BAD is also known as bile acid malabsorption (BAM). Malabsorption is an inability of the body to properly absorb certain substances. Some research suggests BAD may not always be due to malabsorption, though....

The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, also known as COBRA, requires employers to continue to offer health or medical insurance coverage to employees or their families after certain qualifying events. This limited extension of coverage can give you time to transfer to a new healthcare plan. What Is COBRA? If you leave your job voluntarily or are terminated for reasons other than gross misconduct, you can extend your coverage for up to 18 months, and for an additional 11 months if you are disabled....

Before you take isotretinoin medication like Claravis, Sotret, or Amnesteem, you will learn about the iPledge program. iPledge is a computer-based system for patients and healthcare providers whose primary goal is to ensure you do not get pregnant before starting therapy or while using isotretinoin. Why Pregnancy Must Be Avoided While Taking Isotretinoin Isotretinoin can cause severe, life-threatening birth defects in babies whose mothers take isotretinoin while pregnant. Even a single dose can be enough to harm an unborn child....

When you’re considering foods to eat on a cholesterol-lowering diet, it’s likely that you focus mainly on consuming less animal meat and more fruits and vegetables. Eating grains is probably an afterthought since they don’t contain much if any fat. But you may be surprised to learn that, when you’re trying to lower your cholesterol, the types of grains you eat can make a difference in your results. Carbohydrates and Your Heart Health You need carbohydrates to provide your body with the energy it needs....

Drug-drug interactions are common concerns for both people with HIV and their treating healthcare providers, particularly if a person is seeing multiple specialists for other, non-HIV-related issues. While pharmacies can often spot these interactions when prescriptions are filled, there are a number of common products that can easily fly under the pharmacist’s radar and, if taken, significantly undermine the efficacy of your antiretroviral drugs (ARVs). They can do so either by interfering with the absorption of certain ARVs, inhibiting enzymes needed to metabolize the drug, or causing an unwanted increase or decrease of ARV drug concentration levels....

If you’ve been scrolling on social media, especially Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter, chances are you’ve seen posts tagged with #ActuallyAutistic. The hashtag is home to posts created by a vibrant and diverse group of autistic people, sharing their experiences online. The autism community is much larger than you might think. Chances are, you don’t just know one or two people on the autism spectrum—you probably know many, even if you don’t realize it....

Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of inflammatory arthritis in which the body attacks its joints, most often affecting the spine. Symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis include joint pain, stiffness, fatigue, and inflammation of other body systems. Following a well-balanced, anti-inflammatory diet can help reduce inflammation throughout the body. This, in turn, can help manage symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis and reduce the likelihood of flare-ups, times when symptoms worsen. This article will describe the benefits of an anti-inflammatory diet for ankylosing spondylitis, foods to eat, and foods to avoid....

Bacopa (Bacopa monniera) is an herb used in Ayurveda, the traditional medicine of India. It is also called: AndriBacopa monnieriHerb of graceHerpestis herbHerpestis monnieraIndian pennywortWater hyssop Bacopa is widely promoted as a treatment for a number of medical problems, including: Memory disorders Anxiety Thyroid health Not all these benefits are supported by scientific evidence. This article looks at the purported uses of bacopa and its known side effects. What Is Bacopa Used For?...

There’s no question that the leading cause of preventable death and disease is smoking tobacco products, such as cigarettes and cigars. And while the federal government and its agencies haven’t taken steps to outlaw combustible tobacco products up to this point, they are working to lessen the damaging effects with limitations. Key Takeaways A new rule announced by the Biden administration and the FDA could lower nicotine levels to non-addictive levels....

It is important to understand that you don’t just wake up one day and find yourself in menopause. It is a process that typically occurs over many years. In fact, once you actually reach menopause (defined as one year of no periods) many of the unpleasant symptoms you may be feeling will likely go away. The menopause transition can be a really confusing time for many women. Likely hormonal imbalances have left you feeling out of sorts....

Back stiffness is usually caused by a strained muscle or arthritis in the lumbar spine. The lumbar spine is the area that consists of the five vertebrae in the lower back. People with stiffness caused by lumbar spine arthritis usually have steadily increasing symptoms over years. A strain, on the other hand, is usually related to acute trauma (such as lifting a heavy weight incorrectly). This causes the back muscles to seize up and stiffen....

A Certified Hand Therapist (CHT) is an occupational therapist (OT) or physical therapist (PT) who specializes in the treatment of upper extremity conditions. While OTs and PTs have distinctly different training and roles in rehabilitation, therapists with a CHT credential provide the same type of treatment, regardless of their background. CHTs work in hospitals, outpatient clinics, and inpatient rehabilitation centers. This article discusses the conditions that are treated by CHTs, the training required, and the certification process....

The choroid plexus is a complex tissue configuration made up of epithelial cells, capillaries (tiny blood vessels), and connective tissue that lines the ventricles of the brain. Its function first and foremost is to secrete cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), a clear fluid that protects the brain and spinal cord. It has other important functions as well. Anatomy The meninges are membranes that surround the brain. They consist of three layers: the dura mater, arachnoid mater, and the pia mater....

Could virtual reality treat your back pain? On November 16, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a device called EaseVRx by AppliedVR to treat chronic lower back pain. The treatment is a virtual reality (VR) system. It includes a VR headset and controller, plus a “breathing amplifier” to facilitate deep breathing exercises. Key Takeaways The FDA has approved EaseVRx by AppliedVR to manage chronic lower back pain.EaseVRx is a prescription-use virtual reality (VR) system that uses cognitive behavioral therapy and other behavioral methods over 56 VR sessions that are 2 to 1 6 minutes in length....

One of the primary barriers to treating or developing effective vaccine for HIV is the high genetic diversity of the virus itself. While viruses that use double-strand DNA to replicate are relatively stable, retroviruses like HIV go backward in their replication cycle (using single-strain RNA) and are far less stable. As a result, HIV is highly prone to mutation—mutating, in fact, about a million times more frequently than cells using DNA....