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Food allergies do not cause hair loss per se, but in some people with food allergies (particularly those with multiple food allergies), they can cause nutritional deficiencies that may contribute to thinning hair. People who have food allergies also have an increased predisposition to alopecia areata, an autoimmune condition characterized by patchy bald spots. How Food Allergies and Hair Loss Are Connected Food allergies may be linked with hair loss in cases where people develop a nutritional deficiency or in cases where they develop an associated autoimmune condition....

In order to perform hemodialysis on a patient, one prerequisite is a means to get blood from the patient to the dialysis machine. This is called an “access.” You might have heard of terms like grafts, fistulas, and catheters. All these are different kinds of dialysis accesses that might be used to dialyze a patient. This article will exclusively talk about complications that might be related to the access’s function in a dialysis patient....

Around half of people who have Parkinson’s disease experience freezing—a temporary inability to move that occurs suddenly and without warning. Such episodes are short-lived, lasting from a few seconds to up to several minutes. Parkinson’s freezing can affect nearly any part of the body and disrupt nearly any activity—chewing for example, or writing. However, it most often occurs when someone is walking, causing them to feel as if their feet are glued to the ground even though the upper part of their body is still mobile....

Disease-free survival (DFS) is a number that tells the chances of staying free of a disease or cancer after a particular treatment. It is the percentage of individuals in the treatment group who are likely to be free of the signs and symptoms of a disease after a specified duration of time. Disease-free survival rates are an indication of how effective a particular treatment is. When you see the term disease-free survival used, you will see the disease in question, the treatment being tested, the period of time, and the percentage of study participants who were disease-free at the end of that time period....

In 1986, the U.S. federal government passed the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). This act requires any hospital that accepts payments from Medicare to provide care to any patient who arrives in its emergency department for treatment, regardless of the patient’s citizenship, legal status in the United States or ability to pay for the services. EMTALA applies to ambulance and hospital care. EMTALA was developed to combat “patient dumping,” the practice of refusing to treat people who did not have the ability to pay for healthcare services....

The exact cause of fibrosarcoma is a mystery, but certain risk factors put you at a higher risk. In this article, we will discuss important risk factors that you should consider and how your genetics may play a role. Common Causes There is no known cause of fibrosarcoma. Like most cancers, the exact reason this type of cancer develops is a mystery, but certain genetic mutations can increase your risk....

Folate is a water-soluble, B-complex vitamin that is important to the body for several functions including creating new cells and making red blood cells. It is called folate when it is found in foods, such as legumes, fruits, and green leafy vegetables. Folic acid is the synthetic version of folate that is found in many fortified foods (such as breads and cereals) and as a supplement. People with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at risk for folate deficiency, especially those who are taking methotrexate or sulfasalazine....

Hashitoxicosis (Htx) is the initial hyperthyroid stage in Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune disease that causes thyroid swelling. In the early stages of Hashimoto’s disease, the thyroid may make too much thyroid hormone (hyperthyroidism) before not making enough of it (hypothyroidism). The thyroid gland is a small, butterfly-shaped organ that sits at the base of your neck. A part of your endocrine system, the thyroid’s primary function is to produce hormones that govern your metabolism and help convert food into energy....

Although Burkitt lymphoma is aggressive, treatment options exist, and in many cases, it’s curable. When caught early in children, the prognosis is usually good. Because it advances so rapidly, doctors typically use intensive therapies to treat Burkitt lymphoma. Read on to learn about treatments for Burkitt lymphoma. Surgeries and Specialist-Driven Procedures Doctors typically use intensive chemotherapy to treat Burkitt lymphoma. Chemotherapy Chemotherapy drugs are usually administered intravenously. However, some drugs are taken orally....

If your healthcare provider suspects you have polycystic kidney disease (PKD), they will likely use imaging tests to diagnose the condition. Imaging tests such as ultrasounds, CT scans, and MRI tests can detect how many cysts you have on your kidneys and what size they are. This article will explain how a person can be diagnosed with PKD through testing and imaging. At-Home Testing PKD is an inherited disease. The most common genetic mutations responsible for PKD are the PKD1 gene and PKD2 gene....

Tendinosis is a condition that is characterized by swelling and pain of a tendon. Tendinosis is often confused with tendinitis, a condition that shares many of the same symptoms but differs greatly in its cause and appearance. Difference Between Tendinosis and Tendinitis The main difference between tendinosis and tendinitis is time. Tendinosis is a chronic (persistent or recurring) condition caused by repetitive trauma or an injury that hasn’t healed. By contrast, tendinitis is an acute (sudden, short-term) condition in which inflammation is caused by a direct injury to a tendon....

Syphilis and HIV are very different sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Syphilis is a bacterial infection that is treatable with antibiotics. It can have serious, even fatal consequences if not treated, but syphilis is easy to treat and cure once an infection has been identified. HIV, in contrast, is caused by a virus. It can be treated, quite effectively, with highly active anti-retroviral therapy (called HAART or cART), but it currently can not be fully cured....

The lymphoid cell line consists of those blood cells that begin in the bone marrow in a process called hematopoiesis, and descend from a common lymphoid stem cell. Hematopoiesis The production of all “blood cells” begins in the bone marrow in a process known as hematopoiesis. In this process, all types of blood cells originate from a hematopoietic stem cell. This original cell, also called a multipotent stem cell, can be likened to Adam in the bible, as the “father cell” from which all other blood cells are spawned....

Often a symptom of coronary heart disease or another heart condition, angina occurs when the heart muscle doesn’t get enough blood. Although angina is typically marked by discomfort in the chest, pain can also affect the shoulders, upper abdomen, arms, neck, jaw, or back. Symptoms Angina often feels like indigestion (especially in the case of stable angina) and may include the following symptoms: Pain or discomfort in the chest (typically with a sensation of squeezing, tightness, or pressure), possibly accompanied by pain the arms, neck, jaw, upper abdomen, shoulders, or backNauseaFatigue or weaknessShortness of breathAnxietySweatingDizziness Treatment Since an increase in the severity of angina symptoms can indicate worsening heart health or the threat of a heart attack, it’s important to closely monitor your condition and notify your healthcare provider of any changes....

The sacroiliac joint (abbreviated ‘SI joint’) is a firm, thin joint that is at the junction of the spine and the pelvis. Most often when we think of joints, we think of knees, hips, and shoulders—joints that are made to undergo motion. The sacroiliac joint does not move much, but it is critical to transferring the load of your upper body to your lower body. What Causes SI Joint Pain? SI joint pain is most often joint inflammation as a result of repetitive activity or overuse....

A cup of cranberries a day may support memory and brain health while also lowering “bad” cholesterol, according to a new study published in Frontiers in Nutrition. Key Takeaways A new study found that having one cup of cranberries may help with memory retention and promote cognitive health.There is currently no known cure for Alzheimer’s disease so studies looking at ways to prevent cognitive decline are encouraging.This study was funded in part by The Cranberry Institute, which represents the interest of cranberry growers and industry....

Fibromyalgia is a challenging disease to cope with. It often takes years for a diagnosis and once you are told that you have fibromyalgia, you might be faced with skepticism from people at work, from your family or from your social community. Adding to the challenges of living with fibromyalgia, it is a disease that has no definitive cure. Fibromyalgia can produce a variety of symptoms that affect multiple systems of the body....

If a family member or friend is in the late stages of Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia, it helps to be prepared for what to expect as a loved one. Interacting with someone with late-stage dementia can be challenging, but there are several ways to make visits more meaningful and helpful. Use Touch In the later stages of Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia, your loved one may need a lot of physical care....

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) permits us to make inferences on brain activity in living people based off visually compelling images. For one, it has allowed us to make some important comments on naturally occurring brain networks, including the default mode network. In order to understand such networks, however, some background in functional connectivity is needed first. What Is Functional Connectivity MRI? Many fMRI studies are done while the patient is actively doing some activity....

Being on a restricted diet doesn’t mean that you automatically lose weight (despite what your friends might say). In fact, the problem could be just the opposite: you actually gain weight on your allergy-friendly diet. This could happen because you’re relying a bit too much on prepackaged snacks like potato chips that are allergen-free, but not so great for the waistline. Or you may decide to reward yourself with treats more often than you should simply because you feel deprived otherwise....