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Braces are probably one of the most dreaded words for a parent to hear when taking their child for a dental check-up. Orthodontics relate to many issues for young developing children including their self-image. For a parent, the concern for their child to develop a healthy smile is also confounded by the sometimes prohibitive cost of braces. However, crooked teeth can indicate developmental problems for a child that influence their breathing, posture, and sleep habits....

Yet another disease has made its way into health news headlines: tomato flu. According to correspondence published in the journal The Lancet Respiratory Medicine last month, the condition is characterized by red, painful blisters that can become the size of a tomato and as of late July had affected at least 82 children under the age of 5 in India since May. Key Takeaways A non-life-threatening illness referred to as “tomato flu” has emerged among young children in India....

People are increasingly looking to social media to understand their mental health and muddle through feelings of sadness and loneliness. Now, TikTok users are turning to the “Multidimensional Anger Test” as a new way to understand a different emotion: anger. Key Takeaways A new “anger test” is spreading across TikTok.The test is based on research, and can offer an opportunity to reflect on our experiences with anger.Anger is often associated with aggression....

If you or your child have ever gone to the doctor with a cough, you may have been asked if you have noticed any wheezing. Wheezing is a shrill whistle or course grumble that occurs when there is swelling in the airways, making it more difficult to breathe. Wheezing is a sign that someone is not breathing as well as they should. It could mean the person is not getting as much oxygen as they need....

Sometimes the frustration of a misdiagnosis or being undiagnosed stems from the fact that a patient is seeing the wrong kind of specialist, one who doesn’t understand the body system the patient’s real medical problem stems from. Consider Lydia, who complained of stomach pains for several weeks. She visited her primary care doctor who referred her to a gastroenterologist. A gastroenterologist is a specialist who takes care of our digestive systems—everything from the stomach through the intestines through the colon....

Some people worry about getting a flu shot because they fear they will get sick from the vaccine. Rest assured, it is not possible to get influenza (the flu) from the flu shot. It does not contain intact viruses that can cause infection. It is possible that you might not feel well after you get a flu shot, but that may be for any of several other reasons. What the Flu Vaccine Does The goal of an influenza vaccine is to expose your immune system to viral proteins....

A new study shows that measuring long-term cortisol levels from earwax may be a more accurate and easier diagnostic tool than using a hair sample. The latter is the current gold-standard biomarker used to measure cortisol levels in the body. Key Takeaways Earwax can be a biomarker for measuring cortisol, glucose, and possibly other lab values.A novel self-sampled earwax device is being produced to safely and effectively extract an earwax sample....

Fluorosis, also called dental fluorosis, is a condition that changes the appearance of tooth enamel in young children as a result of being exposed to too much fluoride. Children are only at risk for fluorosis while their permanent teeth are still forming. Adults and children older than 8 do not get fluorosis. A child can develop fluorosis any time during the years when teeth are beginning to form (birth to 8 years) if they are exposed to high levels of fluoride....

A goiter is an abnormally enlarged thyroid gland. A normal thyroid gland is not visible from the outside. With goiter, the thyroid enlarges enough that you may have a visible lump or bulge in your neck. Conditions related to hyperthyroidism (excess thyroid function) or hypothyroidism (low thyroid function) are the most common causes, though goiters sometimes occur for reasons unrelated to an underlying thyroid disorder. Symptoms In some cases, a goiter may not be visible and may cause no symptoms at all....

Elbow bursitis is a common condition that causes pain and swelling in the back of the elbow. Also called olecranon bursitis, elbow bursitis typically responds to simple treatment steps, although infected bursae or chronic bursitis may require more invasive treatments. Home Treatments Rest: Patients with elbow bursitis should rest and protect their elbow until the elbow bursitis has completely resolved. Usually, no special protection or bracing is needed, and simply avoiding strenuous activity and pressure on the elbow will allow the inflammation to subside....

Celiac sprue, or gluten-sensitive enteropathy, is an autoimmune disease of the intestines, which is caused by gluten, a protein found in various cereal grains. Therefore, a person with celiac disease should follow a gluten-free diet. Where Gluten’s Found The principal sources of gluten in the diet include wheat, rye, and barley. Oats may be tolerated in small amounts by some patients with celiac sprue, although those with severe disease typically do not....

The goal of a good night’s sleep is to wake up in the morning feeling refreshed and ready to start your day. Unfortunately, due to a variety of factors, many people struggle with sleep inertia, which makes you want to go back to sleep. Here are seven things you can do to wake up easier and feel refreshed. Put Your Alarm Clock Out of Reach Even from the deepest stages of sleep, an alarm clock will pull you back to consciousness....

There are a number of questionnaires that healthcare providers use to assess the severity and impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). One of them is called the COPD assessment test, also known as the CAT. It is comprised of eight questions in which patients rate both their symptoms and the relative level of impairment. Use and Benefits The CAT is heralded as a quick, easy, and painless way to get an objective look at how COPD impacts your life....

It is possible to reset the body’s internal clock by exposure to certain time signals from the environment. What are these zeitgeber time signals and how do these influences reset the internal clock that controls sleep, hormone release, and other processes? Discover how light, temperature, meals, and exercise may play a role and what happens if these signals for the circadian rhythm are lost. Defining Zeitgeber From the German for “time giver,” zeitgeber refers to any external cue that can reset the time-keeping system of organisms....

A knee sprain means that you have injured one of the ligaments around the knee joint. There are four major ligaments that contribute to the stability of the knee. In addition, there are many smaller ligaments that can cause pain after an injury. Sprains and strains are often confused. A sprain is an injury to a ligament, and a strain is an injury to a muscle. Ligaments are structures that connect two bones....

Women with persistent low-grade or high-grade cervical dysplasia may be recommended to have a procedure called a LEEP. A LEEP is commonly recommended for women whose cervical biopsy results show abnormal cells on the cervix that may progress into cervical cancer if left untreated. What is a LEEP? LEEP is an acronym for loop electrosurgical excision procedure. A LEEP uses an electrically charged wire loop to remove abnormal cervical tissue. It is done under local anesthesia and normally on an outpatient basis in hospitals or in a doctor’s office....

If you or a loved one has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a lung infection may occur at some point. The inflamed, narrowed airways and damaged air sacs characteristic of the condition makes one more prone to developing lung infections, particularly pneumonia. While it’s important to focus on preventing infection, you will also want to be on top of identifying symptoms, should they arise. To complicate things, it can be tricky to distinguish between a lung infection and a COPD flare-up....

Dyspnea is the medical term used to describe shortness of breath, a symptom considered central to all forms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) including emphysema and chronic bronchitis. As COPD is both a progressive and non-reversible, the severity of dyspnea plays a key role in determining both the stage of the disease and the appropriate medical treatment. Challenges in Diagnosis From a clinical standpoint, the challenge of diagnosing dyspnea is that it is very subjective....

Pharmaceutical company Moderna shared last week that it is working on a vaccine that will combine a COVID-19 booster dose with a seasonal flu shot. Key Takeaways Two major pharmaceutical companies are working on combination COVID-19 booster and flu vaccines.Both Novavax and Moderna announced the news last week.Doctors say these types of shots make getting vaccinated more convenient. The announcement was made during the company’s annual research and development day....

In the United States, colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and in women. Deaths from colorectal cancer in people younger than 55 have increased by 1% per year from 2008 to 2017. Key Takeaways Research shows that adequate vitamin D levels appear to be protective against colorectal cancer.According to new data, getting at least 300 IU of vitamin D from food may contribute to a reduced risk of colorectal cancer among women aged 50 years old or younger....