Symptoms of a thyroid disorder

Symptoms of a thyroid disorder

Two common thyroid conditions include hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. Hypothyroidism is when a person has an underactive thyroid. This occurs when the thyroid gland does not produce enough of certain hormones. Hyperthyroidism is when a person has an overactive thyroid. This is a condition that occurs when the thyroid gland produces too much of the hormone thyroxine. There are a number of signs and symptoms that may be associated with either of these conditions.

Read More

Local anesthetic toxicity

Local anesthetic toxicity

Local anesthetic toxicity is also known as local anesthetic systemic toxicity. This condition can occur when the levels of a local anesthesia in your blood are too high. Local anesthesia is often used during medical and dental procedures to help numb the area of the body that is being operated on. Local anesthesia is usually very safe. However, if you are given too much local anesthesia or it gets injected into your body too quickly into the veins, it can cause symptoms that are harmful. As a result, a person can develop local anesthetic toxicity. Local anesthetic toxicity can cause lightheadedness, confusion, dizziness, abnormal taste, loss of consciousness, or seizures. In cases that are severe, it can even cause death. It is estimated that about one in every 1,000 people who are operated on using local anesthesia may have some degree of local anesthetic toxicity.

Read More

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement is a type of procedure to treat aortic valve stenosis. Aortic valve stenosis occurs when there is a narrowing of the aortic valve in the heart. When the aortic valve becomes narrow, the valve is no longer able to fully open. This leads to an obstruction of blood from the heart to the aorta and throughout the rest of the body.

Read More

Treating Lactose Intolerance

Treating Lactose Intolerance

Lactose intolerance is a condition in which people are unable to completely digest lactose. Lactose is the sugar that is found in milk. Being lactose intolerant causes a number of embarrassing and uncomfortable symptoms such as gas, bloating, and diarrhea after eating or drinking dairy products. Lactose intolerance may also be known as lactose malabsorption. There are no serious complications associated with the condition and the symptoms can be managed. There are millions of people in the United States who have some degree of lactose intolerance.

Read More

Crohn's Disease and the Right Diet

Crohn's Disease and the Right Diet

Patients with Crohn's disease have found that specific foods can trigger intestinal symptoms when the disease flares. Patients who learn to avoid these foods can better manage the disease and live their daily lives. It also can help reduce gastointestinal symptoms and promote healing. Crohn's disease involves an immune reaction against the intestinal tract. With this condition, the small intestine is usually inflamed which leads to difficult digesting and absorbing key nutrients. A poor appetite can lead to malnutrition for people. It can result in taste bud alterations and reduced food and nutrient intake. 

Read More

Understanding What It's Like to Live With Ulcerative Colitis

Understanding What It's Like to Live With Ulcerative Colitis

The two most common types of inflammatory bowel disease are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Crohn’s disease causes inflammation in the lining of the digestive tract which can affect one or more areas of including the small intestine and large intestine. Ulcerative colitis is a condition that causes inflammation that is long-lasting and ulcers in the colon and rectum. 

Read More

What is interstitial cystitis?

What is interstitial cystitis?

Interstitial cystitis is a chronic bladder condition that causes pain and pressure in the bladder as well as pelvic pain. The condition is also known as painful bladder syndrome. Women are most often affected by this condition, however, men can develop it too. Having interstitial cystitis is usually long-term and can negatively affect your quality of life. Unfortunately, there is no cure for the condition. But there are a number of treatment options to manage the condition and help relieve some of the symptoms.

Read More

Learning About Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Learning About Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome, also known as IBS, is a common disorder that affects the colon, (aka large intestine). The condition causes a number of embarrassing and uncomfortable symptoms such as gas, constipation, cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, and diarrhea. Most people who are at risk for Irritable bowel syndrome usually begin to experience signs and symptoms before age 35. Women are more likely to suffer from irritable bowel syndrome than men are. Some people may only experience irritable bowel syndrome a few times in their life. However, some people may suffer from it for many years. It is estimated that about one in every five people in the United States suffers from has symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.

Read More

Are you lactose intolerant?

Are you lactose intolerant?

Lactose intolerance is a condition in which people are unable to completely digest lactose. Lactose is the sugar that is found in milk. Being lactose intolerant causes a number of embarrassing and uncomfortable symptoms such as gas, bloating, and diarrhea after eating or drinking dairy products. Lactose intolerance may also be known as lactose malabsorption. There are no serious complications associated with the condition and the symptoms can be managed. There are millions of people in the United States who have some degree of lactose intolerance.

Read More

Common Signs of STDs

Common Signs of STDs

An STD is a sexually transmitted disease, also known as an STI or sexually transmitted infection.  These diseases or infections are spread via sexual contact from one partner to the next.  This sexual contact can occur in many ways such as orally, vaginally, anally, or from hand to genital interaction. Our first line of defense against these STDs is to practice safe sex, using abstinence, condoms, and getting checked regularly. Unfortunately this is not always enough, so recognizing the symptoms of the most common STDs can get you treatment fast and stop further spreading to others. 

Read More

Health Tips For Those Living With Chronic Disease

Health Tips For Those Living With Chronic Disease

Chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and fibromyalgia or autoimmune diseases can affect every aspect of your life, if you let it. Oftentimes, people diagnosed with a lifelong disease can become quite depressed and psychologically speaking, not well. The important thing is to stay positive and continue living your life. Now, obviously this is easier said than done, but it can really help you feel like you're living in your normal day-to-day. Here are some tips to improve your lifestyle in spite of this diagnosis. 

Read More

Do you have an anal abscess?

Do you have an anal abscess?

An anal abscess is a condition that occurs when there is a buildup of pus near the anus. They can be quite painful. The most common cause of anal abscesses is an infection that develops in the anal glands. The most common type of anal abscess is a perianal abscess, which looks like a swollen boil near the anus. These types of abscesses usually require treatment involving drainage and surgery. Treating the abscess this way often results in successful results. However, complications may arise. After draining an abscess, about fifty percent of patients develop a fistula.

Read More

Understanding Celiac Disease

Understanding Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is a condition of the digestive system. It is a digestive disorder that occurs as a result of eating gluten. Gluten is a protein that is found in foods such as wheat, rye, and barley. People with celiac disease have a negative reaction to eating gluten in which case their immune system becomes inflamed and damaged. Eating gluten causes an immune response in your small intestine. The small intestine becomes inflamed and is unable to process certain nutrients. Over time, this can cause problems such as bloating, diarrhea, weight loss, and even more severe issues involving the liver, nervous system and bones.

Read More

Why Do You Have Knee Pain?

Why Do You Have Knee Pain?

More than 700,000 total knee replacement surgeries every year in the U.S. It's important everyone is educated on how to keep their bodies healthy. It is never going to be a good thing that we're getting used to real wear and tear for our bodies. Besides a traumatic incident to the knee, you shouldn't have knee pain. How? By correcting the Q angle. In the physical therapy world, the Q angle is often overlooked and underestimated

Read More

Causes for Hematuria

Causes for Hematuria

Hematuria refers to the presence of blood in the urine.   Two types of blood can exist in the urine, visible or invisible blood.  Blood which can be seen in the urine is referred to as gross hematuria, while blood which can only be seen with a microscope is called microscopic hematuria. In hematuria, one or various parts of your urinary tract, which includes the kidneys, urethra and bladder, allow blood cells to leak into urine. While this symptom is not necessarily something to worry about, in some cases it does point to more serious conditions. Hematuria can have symptoms like pain, blood clots, red tinged urine, or you could be asymptomatic. Because the causes of hematuria vary so greatly, paying close attention to symptoms if they arise is key. 

Read More

Learning About Telogen Effluvium

Learning About Telogen Effluvium

Telogen effluvium is a scalp disorder which presents by thinning and shedding hair.  This illness is considered the second most common cause of hair loss.  This is a reversible hair loss condition, usually prompted by stress, or a stressful experience.  This stress can alter the regular hair cycle causing this condition. The condition is named after the mechanism in which the hair loss occurs. That is, hair loss happens from the early entry of the hair into the telogen, or resting, phase of the hair follicle.  

Read More

What are Ewing tumors?

What are Ewing tumors?

Ewing tumors are a family of tumors which are a group of cancers that start in the bones or nearby soft tissues. Each type of Ewing tumor shares some similarities in either look or behavior. These tumors can develop at any age, but they are most common in the early teen years. Key statistics for Ewing tumors:

Read More

What is tinnitus?

What is tinnitus?

Tinnitus is a condition that is characterized by a ringing in the ear. It is a common problem as it affects about one in five people between the ages of 50 and 65. People often develop tinnitus as a result of an underlying condition such as hearing loss associated with age, an ear injury, or a circulatory system disorder. There are two kinds of tinnitus: subjective tinnitus and objective tinnitus. Subjective tinnitus is the most common type of tinnitus. It is a type of tinnitus that only you can hear. It can be caused by ear problems in your outer, middle or inner ear. It also can be caused by problems with the auditory nerves or the auditory pathways which is the part of the brain that interprets nerve signals as sound.

Read More

7 Symptoms of Nicotine Withdrawal

7 Symptoms of Nicotine Withdrawal

When people start the process to quit smoking, nicotine withdrawal can quickly begin. This side effect can quickly trigger a host of physical and mental symptoms that leave ex-smokers on the brink of going back to smoking to avoid them. Ex-smokers can feel both physically ill and mentally stressed as well as anxious. Most people will experience some discomfort commonly associated with nicotine withdrawal. Here are 7 common signs of nicotine withdrawal.

Read More

Learning About Median Nerve Injury

Learning About Median Nerve Injury

The median nerve, is one of the major nerves in our body which runs down the length of the arms and through the carpal tunnel in the wrist.   The nerve connects the thumb and all fingers of the hand, except the little finger.  Because the median nerve starts out in the cervical spine by the neck, in runs through the arm and forearm as branches, until it gets to the wrists, where the nerve comes together and compresses to go through the carpal tunnel and reach the fingers. The median nerve controls sensations in the hand and fingers, nerve function in the inner side of the thumb, and general nerve function of the upper portion of the arm.

Read More