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Malignant otitis externa (MEO) is a rare complication of swimmer’s ear (otitis externa). It occurs when an outer ear infection spreads to nearby tissue and bone. Despite the name, the term “malignant” does not mean you have cancer. The term “malignant” was originally used by the healthcare provider who discovered MEO due to the serious nature of the disease and its rapid progression. With the advent of antibiotics, outcomes for malignant otitis externa are much better than they used to be and the name is a bit misleading as to the severity of the disease....

The digestive system does important work for the body. Food isn’t in a form the body can readily use, so it’s the digestive system that has to break it down into parts. Through digestion, the body gets the nutrients it needs from foods and eliminates anything it doesn’t need. This is a really basic overview of the digestive system, but obviously, there’s a whole lot more that goes into it that makes it all work....

Big-ticket items make great gifts, but everyone loves a good stocking stuffer. Skip the candy if you’re shopping for a health and wellness lover. Instead, try an item that makes their daily routine easier, whether turning up the heat on a workout or winding down at the end of a tough day. We rounded up some of our favorite healthy stocking stuffers you can still get in time for the holidays—and they’re good enough to gift yourself....

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) is advising people who are pregnant and postpartum to opt for the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines while health organizations investigate reports of serious blood clots linked to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Key Takeaways As the FDA and CDC call for a pause on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, ACOG specifies that pregnant and postpartum women should opt for Moderna or Pfizer vaccines if they want to get vaccinated....

If you work on a farm or in a veterinary clinic, you may wonder if it’s safe to take medication made for animals. This might be tempting if you are sick and you have easy access to animal medication. There are a lot of problems with this. The first is that it is illegal. Veterinarians can’t dispense animal medication for human use. This includes drugs like antibiotics. This should be clear on the package....

Do you wonder if egg substitutes are safe if you have an egg allergy? Don’t assume that it’s safe unless you carefully read the label. Egg substitutes may contain eggs, while egg replacer products may be egg-free. If you have an egg allergy, you will need to take care and look for egg alternatives labeled as vegan or egg-free to ensure they don’t contain eggs. Egg Substitutes May Contain Eggs Low-cholesterol liquid egg substitutes sold in grocery store dairy coolers are made from eggs....

When you’re facing a breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, it’s hard to know how to approach things at work. Knowing what to say, what kind of accommodations to ask for, and how to take medical leave can all be important for your treatment and recovery. You may not want to think about your job instead of your health right now, but income is important, and so is the health insurance you get through your job....

Is your heart age the same as your chronological age? Unfortunately, for many Americans, the answer is no—because, due to cardiac risk factors and unhealthy lifestyle habits, their hearts are actually many years older than they should be. Calculating Your Heart Age The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a very handy heart age calculator. This predictor uses traditional cardiac risk factors of body mass index (BMI), gender, blood pressure, smoking history, and diabetes to calculate your heart age....

Cats are good at demanding attention. Their mouthing and pawing can often be a mix of both adorable and annoying. But in rare instances, they can also be dangerous to your health. Even indoor cats that are well cared for can bring bacteria and viruses into your home. A bite or a scratch may mean that those germs are passed on to you, causing illness. In this article, you’ll learn about a few infections that cats may cause....

If you have celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, you can get “glutened” by kissing someone who has been eating, drinking, applying, or chewing something that contains gluten. The severity of your reaction to gluten—a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye—will determine how diligent you need to be when interacting with others. This doesn’t just apply to romantic partners, either. A quick peck on the cheek may expose you gluten....

CD20 is a CD marker—a molecule on the cell surface that can be used to identify and type a particular cell in the body. CD20 is found on the surface of B cells, but let’s back up and make this easier to understand. What Are CD Markers? CD markers are molecules that are found on the surface of cells in our bodies. You may hear them called antigens—and an antigen is basically anything on the surface of a cell that can be recognized by our immune system....

In the first weeks and months you spend on the gluten-free diet, you can experience a jumble of many different emotions. You may feel relieved or even happy for your diagnosis of celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity since it explains what may have been perplexing symptoms. You may feel angry if it took a long time for you finally to be diagnosed. And you may feel sad as the realities of day-to-day gluten-free living sink in, and you realize you no longer can eat the gluten versions of many of your favorite foods....

Do you sometimes wonder whether it’s safe for you to drive? Many of us with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome do. In fact, some people with these conditions decide to stop driving because of their symptoms. Does that mean all of us should stay out from behind the wheel? Not at all. It depends on your specific symptoms and their severity. When considering this important question, some basic questions to ask yourself include:...

One of the major sources of oxygen-rich blood to the head, the external carotid artery is the smaller of the two arteries that arise at the terminal end of the common carotid artery, near the upper border of the larynx at each side of the neck. On both sides, these arteries run upwards and slightly to the front, before curving backward to reach the space behind the upper portion of the mandible, or jawbone....

A prostate ultrasound is often used early as a way of diagnosing prostate cancer. Prostate cancer develops in the prostate, a small gland that makes seminal fluid and is one of the most common types of cancer in men. Prostate cancer usually grows over time, staying within the prostate gland at first, where it may not cause serious harm. While some types of prostate cancer grow slowly and may need minimal or no treatment, other types are aggressive and can spread quickly....

Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) results when the pituitary gland produces an insufficient amount of growth hormone. Although most common in children born with the disorder, known as congenital GHD, growth hormone deficiency can develop later in life (acquired GHD). Congenital GHD causes delays in growth, short stature, and other signs of slowed physical maturation. Although GHD does not directly affect intellectual ability, some children also may experience learning and other delays....

Hyperglycemic hyperosmolar nonketotic syndrome (HHNS) is a potentially deadly condition that can develop as a result of infection or illness in people with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes or when diabetes medications aren’t taken as directed. Some also refer to this as a “diabetic coma.” HHNS is a relatively rare complication of diabetes, accounting for just 1% of hospital admissions among people with diabetes. Symptoms The symptoms of HHNS may appear slowly, taking days or even weeks to fully develop....

Parents often wonder how their kids can gain so much weight so quickly, especially when their diets aren’t that terrible. After all, your kids don’t need to be eating a big bag of chips, a double serving at each meal, a mega-sized soda, or a bedtime snack every night to become overweight. Although that would usually do it, more often it is smaller things that creep up on you and it’s a few extra calories that add up day after day that causes kids to become more and more overweight....

Kinesiology tape—a therapeutic tape that provides support, while allowing for movement—may help treat sacroiliac joint (SIJ) pain by decreasing muscle spasm, facilitating muscular function, increasing blood flow to the area, and decreasing muscle trigger points. This lower back ailment, which is particularly common during pregnancy, is located on one or both sides of your back just above your buttocks, seems to come and go, and can limit your ability to bend, sit, and perform many recreational activities....

Even up to several weeks after the rain stops and the winds die down, hurricanes and tropical storms lead to many deaths in the United States. As climate change increases the strength and frequency of these severe storms, experts are stressing that the need to be prepared is only growing. Key Takeaways The increased mortality caused by weather events such as tropical storms and cyclones appears to be larger than previously believed....