Posts

Three vaccines, including those for yellow fever, influenza, and rabies, contain small amounts of egg protein because they’re cultured either in eggs or in chick embryos. This raises a potential concern for people who are allergic to egg protein. However, even in the three vaccines considered to be potentially problematic for egg-allergic people, each vaccine contains different levels of egg protein. Therefore, some are considered safer for people with egg allergies than others....

Pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections (PANDAS) syndrome is a childhood disorder in which the immune system overreacts after an illness, causing an inflammatory response in the brain. In PANDAS syndrome, antibodies produced to fight the infection then misguidedly attack healthy brain tissue. The onset of PANDAS syndrome symptoms comes on quickly, and can include motor and vocal tics, compulsion, obsessions, or a combination. This article provides an overview of PANDAS syndrome, including its symptoms, causes, treatments, and prognosis....

Barotrauma of the sinuses goes by several different names. Scuba divers sometimes refer to it as “sinus squeeze,” while medical professionals might call it aerosinusitis or barosinusitis. It is most common in divers but can occur under any conditions in which you descend or ascend too quickly for your body to adjust (like in an airplane). You can also get “sinus squeeze” while undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy for another medical condition....

Your son will only eat crunchy foods. Your daughter loves vegetables but refuses to eat fruit. Your toddler gags on anything that is not pureed. Your tween will only eat pizza and chicken nuggets. Grandma says he’s spoiled and you just need to be firm with him. Grandpa suggests paying her a dollar if she cleans her plate. Friends tell you the secret to getting kids to eat anything, anything, is ketchup....

A new study from researchers in South Korea details how one COVID-19 outbreak at a restaurant managed to impact people who didn’t have close contact with an infected person. Key Takeaways A study from South Korea linked three new COVID-19 infections to a single person at a restaurant.Researchers discovered that an air conditioner blew SARS-CoV-2 droplets around the restaurant.The study’s authors are urging restaurants to be more mindful of their indoor airflow....

If you suffer from a circadian rhythm disorder, including a night owl tendency or depression caused by a seasonal affective disorder (SAD), you may wonder: What is light box therapy? This treatment, also called phototherapy, may be just what you need to sleep better and feel more alert during the day. Phototherapy may be delivered via a light box, but also via special light therapy glasses. How does using this therapy help to improve sleep and mood?...

California officials announced a plan late last week to mandate the COVID-19 vaccine for children in public schools, pending full approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This makes California the first state to mandate the COVID-19 vaccine in all schools. Key Takeaways Children in public and private schools in California will be required to have the COVID-19 vaccine to attend in-person classes.The mandate will go into effect when certain age groups receive full FDA approval for the COVID-19 vaccine....

Eczema is an umbrella term that describes a group of skin conditions that cause itchy rashes. Though eczema can occur anywhere on the body, it often develops on the neck because of a type of yeast known as Malassezia spp. Eczema on the neck is often referred to as head and neck dermatitis. This article discusses the causes, symptoms, and treatment options for neck eczema. Causes The cause of eczema isn’t well known....

Automatonophobia is the fear of lifelike robots, or animatronics. Sometimes this fear can extend to things like wax figures or any other figures meant to portray people. This can affect a person’s ability to be in and enjoy museums, amusement parks, theme parks, carnivals, haunted houses, and much more. Many people may feel uncomfortable around humanlike robots or objects—this is a phenomenon called the “uncanny valley.” But if the fear causes enough distress to disrupt your life, it is a phobia....

Question: I’ve missed a lot of work due to fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Can I be fired for missing too many days even though my employer knows I’m chronically ill? Answer: In the U.S., you have several laws protecting your ability to keep working in spite of chronic illness. The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) are federal laws, so they apply across the country....

At least once a year, a person should have a clinical skin exam, either by their primary healthcare provider or by a dermatologist. A clinical skin exam is a visual exam of the skin done by a trained healthcare provider, and is the best way to prevent skin cancer. Where to Get a Free Screening Through the American Academy of Dermatology’s National Skin Cancer Screening program, volunteer dermatologists perform skin cancer screenings at no cost....

Glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) is an enzyme that starts the formation of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA is a chemical in the brain and other areas of the body that limits the body’s ability to send and receive messages. This article will cover what GAD is and how it relates to diabetes and other conditions. It will also discuss the importance of GAD autoantibody testing. What Is Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase? GAD is an enzyme....

Herniated disc surgery is typically performed to decompress a nerve that is being pinched by a spinal disc that has degenerated or been pushed out of place. Adequate preparation for herniated disc surgery can help you be more relaxed about the procedure and help maximize your chances for a successful outcome. Herniated disc surgery is often referred to as a discectomy. Some people with a herniated disc benefit from surgery that includes both a discectomy and a spinal fusion, where your spinal bones are fused together to limit motion (and pain) from that particular spinal segment....

Do you wonder how often you should change your pads or tampons during your menstrual period? The type of product you use and how heavy your flow is will make the difference in how long it is wise or safe to wear it before changing it. Concerns about toxic shock syndrome determine how often to change tampons. Change Tampons Every 3 to 5 Hours If you use tampons during your periods, aim for wearing a tampon that is saturated and needs changing every three to five hours....

Treatment for blood and marrow cancers can cause a number of changes to the tissues in your body, including those in your mouth. Whether you are receiving chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or a stem cell transplant, oral complications can cause big problems if not treated properly. In fact, these types of side effects can actually limit the doses of medications or the timing of your treatments. Therefore, taking care of your mouth and teeth is an important part of your cancer care....

Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM) is an acquired progressive muscular disorder and one of several types of inflammatory myopathies. It causes inflammation that damages muscles, especially in the limbs. IBM develops over time and is most commonly diagnosed in men over the age of 50. In patients with IBM, inflammatory cells infiltrate the muscles of the body, especially in the hands, arms, legs, and feet. Once they accumulate, protein “bodies” discarded by the cells build up and cause the muscle to degrade, leading to progressive symptoms of weakness and wasting (atrophy)....

Many of us are aware of the hallmark signs of COVID-19: fever, fatigue, and loss of sense of smell and taste. With the appearance of the Omicron variant, those symptoms shifted slightly to include a runny nose and even a sore throat. But people are reporting the rise of another sign: back pain. Key Takeaways People are reporting back pain as a symptom of the Omicron variant.Back pain is caused by a combination of bad posture/unusual positioning due to fatigue or coughing and viral inflammation....

Ketones in urine test measures ketone levels in your urine.Your body uses glucose (sugar) from your blood for energy. If cells can’t get enough glucose, it will start breaking down fat for energy instead. This breakdown of fat for energy produces an acid called ketones, which can build up in your urine and blood. Having some ketones in your urine is normal. However, high ketone levels in urine may be a sign of too much acid in your body (ketoacidosis)....

Knee replacement surgery (knee arthroplasty) is an elective surgery done to reduce pain, stiffness, and disability caused by damage to the knee joint when conservative treatments have failed to provide symptom relief. Most commonly done to treat knee osteoarthritis, knee replacement surgery involves removing the compromised parts of the knee joint and implanting a prosthesis made of metal and plastic. Diagnoses Related to Knee Replacement Surgery Knee replacement surgery isn’t appropriate for all instances of knee arthritis, but it may be helpful in severe cases....

Many stroke survivors and families of stroke survivors worry about the safety of flying as a passenger in an airplane after a stroke. Is the concern warranted? It certainly is a common question, so common in fact, that a number of medical research studies have looked at this very question. Can Flying Cause a Stroke? Data shows that urgent medical ailments of all forms are relatively uncommon on airline flights, and the incidence of a stroke during a commercial flight is especially low....