Cortisone shots offer fast and lasting relief for many people with joint pain, but not everyone has a good experience. Some people have a reaction to a cortisone shot called a flare. Usually, the cortisone flare occurs within 24 to 48 hours of the shot and causes pain or inflammation around the injection site. This article looks at why these flares happen and how you can deal with the discomfort....
If you’re starting to hear hissing, roaring, or chirping sounds as you age, it may not be your imagination. Tinnitus, commonly known as a ringing in your ears, can actually involve a wide variety of noises and is more prevalent in older people — sometimes as the first sign of age-related hearing loss, or presbycusis. How Common Is Tinnitus Among Older Adults? While there is no simple and uniform definition of tinnitus for research purposes, the US National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) reports that about 10% of the adult population has some form of the condition....
Jet lag is a circadian disorder that transiently occurs after rapid travel across multiple time zones. It may be associated with other physical symptoms, including disturbed sleep. Learn about this common condition, its symptoms, and potential treatments. Biology of Jet Lag If you have ever flown across a few time zones, you are undoubtedly familiar with the struggles of adjusting your sleep to the new hours. Why is jet lag, as it is called, so hard to tolerate and is there anything to be done?...
Myophosphorylase deficiency, also known as McArdle disease or glycogen storage disease type V (GSDV), is a condition that occurs when muscle cells can’t break down glycogen or stored sugars for fuel. This rare genetic condition causes fatigue, stiffness, and weakness during exercise and affects around 1 in every 100,000 people. This article discusses myophosphorylase deficiency, including what it is, the causes of the condition, how it is diagnosed, and its treatments....
There are 170 million cases of hepatitis C worldwide, and nearly 4 million in the United States. Prevention is important, but hepatitis C can’t be spread by sharing utensils and cups, or by casual contact. This means that if you are diagnosed with hepatitis C and don’t know how you got it—you can’t blame your infection on sharing a fork with someone. Read on about other ways that you can’t catch or transmit hepatitis C....
As schools across the country gear up for in-person learning this fall, the Biden administration announced a new push to get students vaccinated against COVID-19. The initiative launched on August 5 and includes targeted methods to promote vaccination in school-aged children. Key Takeaways The Biden administration launched a new initiative to try to increase vaccination rates in students across the country.The initiative recruits pediatricians, school officials, and influencers for help.Infectious disease experts say it’s unclear how much this will move the needle, but are hopeful it will help....
Last week, Twitter rolled out a redesign that the site claimed would make the website and app more accessible and user-focused. However, many disabled users and accessibility experts disagree and have pointed out flaws in the new design that make it less accessible. Key Takeaways Twitter has launched a new design for its app and website, including its own font, higher contrast, and less gray space.The update was intended to increase accessibility, but many disabled users and accessibility experts disagree, pointing out that some of the changes have made the site less accessible....
Achalasia is a motility disorder of the esophagus that causes difficulty swallowing and other problems. Achalasia is a rare disorder which occurs when the nerve cells in the esophagus deteriorate. It is not known why the nerve cells begin to degenerate but the loss of these cells leads to dysfunction of the muscles in the esophagus and the inability of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) to close properly. The LES normally contracts to open, allowing food to enter the stomach from the esophagus and then relaxes closed to keep food contents from coming back up the esophagus....
ADHD is a common disorder, often treated either with stimulants, like Ritalin (methylphenidate) and Adderall, or Strattera. Although helpful for many children, actually getting them to take their medicine each day can often be a struggle, especially since ADHD medications have mainly been available in pill and capsule form. Coffee for ADHD Drinking coffee isn’t the alternative to pills we are talking about, although it does highlight some of the alternative ADHD treatments that some parents try....
The Auspitz sign (a.k.a. Auspitz’s sign) refers to pinpoint bleeding that can occur when the surface of a scaling rash has been removed and capillaries just beneath the skin’s surface rupture. Although the Auspitz sign is commonly associated with psoriasis, it can appear with other skin diseases including actinic keratosis and Darier’s disease. Its presence can often help doctors make a diagnosis. The Auspitz sign was named after Heinrich Auspitz (1835-1886), the Austrian dermatologist who first identified the clinical symptom....
Tylenol Cold Multi-Symptom Nighttime is available to treat multiple symptoms of the cold and flu. It does contain a decongestant, unlike its competitor, NyQuil. It may be the right medication to treat the symptoms you are suffering from and help you get a good night’s sleep. Active Ingredients (in each 15 ml tablespoon) Acetaminophen 325 mg (pain reliever/fever reducer)Dextromethorphan HBr 10 mg (cough suppressant)Doxylamine succinate 6.25 mg (antihistamine)Phenylephrine HCl 5 mg (decongestant)...
Corneal cross linking (CXL) is a treatment for people who suffer from a cornea that becomes unstable and weak. The cornea begins to steepen or protrude, causing blurred and distorted vision, sometimes greatly impacting quality of life. Corneal cross linking is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to slow the progression of corneal changes. Corneal cross linking uses UV light to strengthen chemical bonds inside the cornea. Causes of Unstable Cornea The two most common causes of corneal instability are cornea ectasia and keratoconus, and its subset ....
Everyone’s body naturally changes over time. Your nose does grow with age, but only up to a certain point. After that, it may change size and shape—not because it’s actually growing, but because of changes to the bone, skin, and cartilage that shape your nose. Cartilage is the strong, flexible tissue that supports the end of your nose. This article explains how and why your nose changes as you get older....
The meniscus is a c-shaped piece of cartilage that’s attached to the knee joint from the shinbone. It functions to cushion the joint. Meniscus tears are a common knee condition, especially as you age. Often people hear that the only cure is surgery. However, there are several treatments for a torn meniscus, and not all meniscus tears require surgery. That said, very few meniscus tears will heal completely without surgery....
Results from a study presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2022 in San Diego highlighted a possible link between living with a dog as a child and protection against developing Crohn’s disease later in life. Key Takeaways Preliminary research findings presented at Digestive Disease Week 2022 showed that growing up with a dog might be linked to a lower risk of Crohn’s disease later in life.The study showed that early life dog exposure is associated with lower levels of fecal calprotectin, improved barrier function, and an altered microbiome....
The hindfoot, sometimes also referred to as the rearfoot, is the posterior region of the human foot as differentiated from the midfoot and the forefoot. The hindfoot area includes the talus and calcaneus bones; the subtalar and talocrural (ankle) joints; and the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the heel area. Differences in the way the hindfoot strikes the ground, such as overpronation and supination, can contribute to pain in the feet, knees, legs, hips, or back....
Osteoporosis is a disease of the bones that affects both men and women. Postmenopausal people have lower levels of the hormone estrogen, which helps protect from bone loss. In osteoporosis, the bones become brittle and weak and have a greater risk of fracture. Exercise Helps Prevent Osteoporosis Weight-bearing or load-bearing exercise helps keep bones strong by causing the muscles and tendons to pull on the bones, which in turn stimulates bone cells to produce more bone....
A cryptogenic stroke is a stroke of unknown cause. This means that the stroke cannot be attributed to any specific cause or risk factor, even after thorough testing. Before labeling any stroke a cryptogenic stroke, your stroke team will search for the common and uncommon causes of stroke. The most common causes of stroke include smoking, heart disease, high blood pressure, vascular disease, and high cholesterol. What Is a Stroke? A stroke is brain damage due to the interruption of blood flow to a region of the brain....
Hemolysis is the breakdown of red blood cells. Red blood cells normally live for about 120 days. After that, they die and break down. Red blood cells carry oxygen to all of the body. If red blood cells are breaking down abnormally, there will be fewer of them to carry oxygen. Some diseases and conditions cause red blood cells to break down too soon, causing fatigue and other more serious symptoms....
Good dental hygiene relies on regular cleanings with a professional. But for 30% of adults, dental anxiety stands in the way. Key Takeaways Dental anxiety tends to start in childhood.To better assess childhood dental anxiety, researchers have created an animated emoji scale to assess a patient’s feelings about their appointment.The scale could help young children with limited language skills express themselves to dentists. As we enter National Dental Hygiene Month, one dentist is sharing an approach that could help nip dental anxiety in the bud during childhood....
