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Fifth disease is a common illness that is typically mild and resolves on its own. It is most common in children, who often develop a bright red rash on their cheeks when infected. Fifth disease is so common that most people will be infected by the time they are 15 years old. Though fifth disease is usually mild and does not require treatment, complications can be very serious in pregnant or immunocompromised people due to conditions like cancer, HIV infection, or organ transplant....

There are two relatively common medical conditions that are treated by the same therapist and afflict the same type of patient — usually stroke patients — which sound virtually identical but are very different issues: dysphagia and dysphasia (pronounce them out loud and you’ll see how similar they are). Both of these conditions are caused by neurological damage to the brain that comes from an injury or a stroke. Both dysphagia and dysphasia are treated by speech therapists and both have to do with a person’s ability to control muscles in the mouth and throat....

Macular degeneration, often referred to as age-related macular degeneration (ARMD or AMD), is one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States. The condition primarily affects people age 65 and older. There are two basic types of macular degeneration, dry and wet, medically referred to as non-exudative and exudative. About 85 to 90% of cases are the “dry” type, while 10 to 15 percent are the “wet” type, which is more severe....

Is it possible to strengthen a muscle without even moving? An isometric muscle contraction, or static exercise, does just that. Overview In an isometric muscle contraction, the muscle fires (or activates with a force and tension) but there is no movement at a joint. In other words, the joint is static; there is no lengthening or shortening of the muscle fibers and the limbs don’t move. In this type of muscle contraction, there is no change in the length of the muscle fibers themselves, and there is also no movement at the joints, but the muscle fibers still fire....

Whether it’s working in a hospital setting, as a night manager at a hotel, in a 24-hour convenience store, a late-night diner, or other shift work, countless jobs that may force you to work at night. These late hours can be hard on the body, and if you don’t adequately adjust your sleep schedule, you may quickly find yourself suffering from insomnia and sleep deprivation. Adjusting Your Sleep Schedule It’s difficult to maintain a non-traditional sleep schedule, but many people are able to do it successfully....

Many people undergoing cancer treatment, particularly chemotherapy, do not realize that they may be eligible to receive a temporary handicapped parking permit for their vehicles during the course of their treatment. The side effects of chemotherapy are plenty and can make even a small trek across a parking lot to the hospital or pharmacy feels like mountain climbing. A handicapped parking permit allows for safer, easier mobility and can maintain independence in your everyday life....

A rash is not necessarily the first symptom of mpox (formerly known as monkeypox), but it is one of the most common. On November 28, 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended using the term “mpox” instead of “monkeypox” in order to avoid racist and stigmatizing language when discussing the disease. Both terms will be used for the next year as WHO phases out usage of “monkeypox.” Key Takeaways Rashes, lesions, blisters, and pimples are common symptoms of mpox....

The macula is part of the eye’s retina. Located in the center of the retina, the macula is responsible for giving us clear vision and the ability to see fine detail. Although it is small, it enables us to see “20/20” and to see our world in color. Learn more about the important role the macula plays inside the eye. Anatomy Structure The macula is an oval-shaped area near the center of the retina....

We tend to think of stretch marks, also known as striae distensae (SD), as something that affects women much more than men, but that is actually not true. Men can—and do—get stretch marks and for many of the same reasons as women. Although the skin is incredibly flexible, it does reach a point where it can no longer stretch (or stretch fast enough) without causing the tears and scarring we recognize as stretch marks....

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of bone marrow diseases. They have a higher risk of becoming acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). These diseases all have different symptoms and treatments. These diseases affect how the bone marrow creates healthy blood cells. About 10,000 people develop MDS in the United States each year.​ MDS is also called preleukemia, hematopoietic dysplasia, subacute myeloid leukemia, oligoblastic leukemia, or smoldering leukemia. This article explains how someone gets MDS, what puts someone at a higher risk, and the symptoms of these diseases....

Ovarian cysts, which are fluid-filled growths that commonly form on the ovaries, don’t always come with symptoms. But when symptoms are present, they often include sharp pain, a dull ache, bloating, or pressure in the lower abdomen. Other symptoms like pain during sexual intercourse and irregular menstrual periods can also occur. Sudden, severe pain might signify that the ovarian cyst has broken open (ruptured) or is twisted. This article discusses ovarian cyst symptoms, complications, and when to see a healthcare provider....

While kidney transplantation is clearly the most preferred treatment for kidney failure (and beats being on dialysis any day), it does not come without its risks. These range from issues like increased risk of infections and post-transplantation diabetes to an increased risk of certain kinds of cancers. Most people considering kidney transplantation as a treatment option take a pause when they learn this fact for the first time. However, a good transplant program will usually cover the possibility of cancer as part of pre-transplant counseling....

A man dreams of fighting off a wild animal and wakes to find himself punching his wife in the arm. Another dreams of jumping over a hazard and wakes tumbling out bed and onto the floor. After throwing a punch out of sleep, a man reluctantly goes to his healthcare provider to get further evaluation. If you or a loved one have ever acted out dreams while remaining asleep, it could be a condition known as REM behavior disorder....

If you are a parent, chances are you’ve been rousted out of bed at least once by the barking cough of croup. Croup is a catch-all term for childhood inflammation and swelling of the area of the throat that includes the vocal cords. This swelling blocks airflow through the windpipe (trachea) and triggers coughing that sounds a lot like a seal. Sometimes it might make sense to take your child to the doctor, but probably not....

Top surgery, or gender affirming chest reconstruction, is a procedure used to create a masculine chest contour for transmasculine individuals (those assigned female at birth with a more masculine gender identity.) There are several steps to this procedure: Mastectomy, or removal of the breastsRemoving and resizing the nipples and areolae, as male nipples are usually smallerReplacing the nipples in a more masculine location, towards the outer edges of the chestContouring of the chest wall Not all top surgery patients will need all procedure elements described above....

There are many factors that are used to determine cancer prognosis and treatment planning, and cancer stage is among the most important. Part of defining the stage is knowing what the tumor grade is. Tumor grade is one aspect of a pathology report. The grade is a description of how abnormal the cancer cells look when they are examined with a microscope. This information can be used by an oncologist to estimate how likely it is for the tumor to grow and spread....

Valley fever—also known as coccidioidomycosis—is an infection caused by exposure to the coccidioides fungus or mold, which is commonly found in the desert of the southwestern United States. Though not contagious, valley fever can cause symptoms like cough, fever, rashes, and tiredness just a few weeks after inhaling the fungus spores. Cases of valley fever usually resolve on their own, but in more severe cases, healthcare providers will treat the infection with antifungal medications....

While most drugs used to treat hypertension can be taken safely in women who are pregnant, two closely related categories of blood pressure medication should be avoided. These are angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) drugs. Both types of drugs pose serious risks to the developing baby, and should not be used at any time during pregnancy.​ Understanding ACE Inhibitors and ARBs ACE inhibitors and ARB drugs both work by blocking components of the renin-angiotensin pathway, one of the body’s major systems for modulating blood pressure....

Surgery is among the treatment options for a superior labrum from anterior to posterior (SLAP) tear, a type of shoulder joint injury. While outcomes are generally good after SLAP tear surgery, most people improve with non-surgical treatments. If you’ve had a SLAP tear, you will be advised to rest after your injury to allow the inflammation to subside. This may help to alleviate your symptoms. Common treatments for a SLAP tear include:...

People with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia tend to be at a high risk of falling. They are more than three times more likely to fracture their hip when they fall, which leads to surgery and immobility. The rate of death following a hip fracture for those with Alzheimer’s is also increased. Thus, fall prevention for people with dementia is critical. One way to reduce falls in people with dementia is to understand why they fall....