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Too little sodium in the body—an electrolyte disorder called hyponatremia—usually occurs when the body fails to remove water normally. In other words, the body either loses or retains too much water, which ultimately affects the body’s sodium content. Symptoms of hyponatremia, or low sodium in the body, may include nausea and vomiting, confusion, weakness, and in severe cases, seizures, coma, and even death. In order to diagnose hyponatremia, a healthcare provider will perform a medical history, physical examination, and order laboratory tests....

A morning shower seems like a basic, harmless thing to most people. But taking a shower can pose major problems for people with fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). If you have one of these conditions, you may have thought it was just you who had this issue, but rest assured that it isn’t. Several of the symptoms of these conditions can combine to make you go straight from the shower and back to bed for the rest of the day....

In 1988, the movie “Rain Man,” starring Dustin Hoffman, introduced many to a disorder known as savant syndrome. In the film, Hoffman’s character, Raymond Babbitt, has an amazing memory for baseball statistics and phone book listings. He can also count cards in blackjack. This is a real-life condition that is officially called savant syndrome. This article explains how people with savant syndrome function. It also talks about famous people who had this syndrome and what researchers think causes it....

Finding foods that don’t trigger irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms is difficult, but turning them into healthy brown bag lunch ideas is even more challenging. Children and adults in school face the challenge of packing lunches that taste good and don’t cause IBS symptoms such as pain, bloating, and diarrhea. Challenges With School Lunches Even with a renewed focus on nutrition in the United States, school lunch menus haven’t changed much over the years....

If you’re taking prescription or over-the-counter Allegra for allergies, you should be aware that these medications can interact with fruit juices such as: Apple juiceGrapefruit juiceOrange juice In fact, if you drink fruit juice or even fruit punch within an hour or two of taking your medicine, you may lose the effectiveness of the drug entirely. What Is Allegra? Allegra (fexofenadine), is a non-sedating antihistamine that’s available over-the-counter (OTC). Since becoming available without a prescription, as well as being approved for young children (as young as six months), Allegra will likely become even more popular for people with allergy symptoms....

There are five phases of sleep: stages 1, 2, 3, 4, and REM (rapid eye movement). Usually when you are sleeping, you begin at stage 1 and go through each stage until reaching REM sleep, and then you begin the cycle again. Each complete sleep cycle takes from 90 to 110 minutes. Your brain acts differently in each stage of sleep. In some of the stages, your body may make movements, but in others your arms and legs will stay immobile....

Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) is a condition that causes upper extremity symptoms of pain, numbness, and tingling (not always together, and not the same symptoms in every person). TOS can be difficult to diagnose, is relatively uncommon, and therefore may take a long time to discover it is the cause of your symptoms. Many patients with TOS visit a number of doctors of different specialties and have many tests before being definitively diagnosed with TOS....

If you have an upper extremity injury, your physical therapist may have you use an upper body ergometer during your rehab. An upper body ergometer, commonly referred to as a UBE in physical therapy clinics, is a piece of exercise equipment which is like a bicycle that you pedal with your arms. It can be used to improve upper extremity strength and endurance, and it may be used to simply improve the overall work-generating capacity of your arm muscles....

A vaginoplasty, also called transfeminine bottom surgery, is a major operation that requires careful preparation. A few months prior to surgery, you will be instructed on various pre-operative lifestyle changes, like undergoing permanent hair removal and smoking cessation. As your surgery date gets closer, you will be given additional instructions on various logistics—including what medications to continue or stop, and what to bring with you to the hospital. Location A vaginoplasty is performed under general anesthesia in the surgical unit of a hospital....

Kinesiology tape is a relatively new tool used in physical therapy that is not appropriate for everyone. This stretchy cotton tape is thought to ease pain and disability from sports injuries and a variety of other physical disorders but can make certain conditions worse. Even the adhesive backing on kinesiology tape (also known as K-tape or the brand name Kinesio tape) can cause allergies in people who are hypersensitive to acrylic....

Baking your own foods is one way to help keep your cholesterol and triglyceride levels in check since you know exactly what you are adding to your foods. If you haven’t already noticed, some of your favorite recipes call for fattening ingredients that could potentially cause your lipid levels to increase — as well as your waistline. Just because you are following a cholesterol-lowering diet, it doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy preparing — and consuming — your favorite, baked dishes....

The 7-minute screen (7MS) is a test designed to identify mild cognitive impairment and the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Prior to the development of this screen, clinicians were finding that other types of common cognitive tests were not sensitive enough to detect milder cognitive declines. It’s also been agreed that early detection is generally beneficial for treatment and decision-making. Thus, PR Solomon, along with others, developed the 7MS and then tested it to determine if it was able to increase the accuracy in identifying early dementia....

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) can significantly impact a person’s sexuality and sexual activity. Because there is no cure for AS, it is important to address the symptoms, including back pain and stiffness, to improve the quality of life. This article explores ankylosing spondylitis and how it affects sex. What Is the Connection Between Sexual Problems and AS? Ankylosing spondylitis can significantly affect an individual’s sexual function and desire. This condition causes spinal inflammation, leading to pain and stiffness in the back, shoulders, ribs, hips, knees, ankles, and feet....

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its guidance for people who are fully vaccinated, saying that most don’t need to be tested for COVID-19, even after having a known exposure to the virus. Key Takeaways Most people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 don’t need to be tested after being exposed to the virus.There are exceptions to this testing recommendation.Fully vaccinated people should still monitor their symptoms after being exposed....

A recent study found a link between receiving certain childhood vaccines and being at a lower risk of developing severe complications from COVID-19. Key Takeaways Certain childhood vaccines may help prevent severe COVID-19, new research finds.The Tdap and MMR vaccines were associated with a lower risk of severe COVID-19.More research is needed to look into why this may be the case. The August pre-print study, which was published in the journal Med, found that the body’s immune response generated by memory T cells and B cells from the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine and tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis (Tdap) vaccine, may also cross over to help fight COVID-19....

Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, is a therapeutic approach used to treat mental illness. CBT can be an effective treatment for many concerns, from anxiety to trauma to eating disorders. Some experts call CBT the “gold standard” of treatment for its high levels of research and effectiveness. With CBT, a trained mental health professional provides specific guidance and steps to follow during a limited number of sessions. It usually includes homework....

In June, the Delta variant accounted for a mere 10% of infections in the United States. Now, only a month later, it is responsible for 51.7 % of infections. Key Takeaways The Delta variant, which originated in India, now accounts for the most U.S. COVID-19 cases.Studies estimate Delta is 30-60% more transmissible than Alpha, the previously dominant variant.Vaccination remains the best tool to combat the spread and evolution of viral variants....

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), formerly known as Wegener’s granulomatosis, is a rare autoimmune disorder that causes the inflammation of blood vessels in different parts of the body. Causes As with all autoimmune disorders, GPA is characterized by an immune system gone awry. For reasons unknown, the body will mistakenly identify normal tissue in blood vessels as foreign. In order to contain the perceived threat, immune cells will surround the cells and form a hardened nodule known as a granuloma....

Cephalosporins are one of the most widely prescribed classes of medications in the world. Chances are you have encountered these antibiotics even if you are unfamiliar with the name. For example, among other things, Keflex (cephalexin) is used to treat skin infections and infections of the bone, respiratory tract, urinary tract, and middle ear. Additionally, Rocephin (ceftriaxone) is used to treat pneumonia. What Are Cephalosporins? Cephalosporins were first discovered in sewer water off the coast of Sardinia in 1945....

Uterine fibroids are the most common cause of non-cancerous pelvic tumors among people with uteruses in their reproductive years. Although most people with uteruses will develop a uterine fibroid during their lifetime, experts still aren’t exactly sure what causes them. This article will cover important facts and statistics about uterine fibroids. Uterine Fibroids Overview Uterine fibroids are growths in the muscle wall of the uterus. They are also known as leiomyomas or myomas....