What is a hiatal hernia?

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What is a hiatal hernia?

A hiatal hernia is when part of the stomach pushes upward through your diaphragm. About 15 percent of people in the United States have a hiatal hernia. Most people only experience mild or occasional symptoms. People who develop a small hiatal hernia do not often have any problems associated with the condition. Sometimes, people with small hiatal hernias don’t even know they have one until it is found incidentally by a doctor. However, when people have a large hiatal hernia, food and acid can get backed up into the esophagus, which can cause heartburn.

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What is hyperthyroidism?

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What is hyperthyroidism?

Hyperthyroidism is a condition that occurs when a person’s thyroid is overactive. In other words, the thyroid gland produces too much thyroxine. Thyroxine is the main hormone that is secreted into the bloodstream by the thyroid gland. Hyperthyroidism is also known as thyroiditis, Grave’s disease, or thyrotoxicosis.

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What you should know about high blood pressure

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What you should know about high blood pressure

High blood pressure is a very common condition and affects millions of people within the United States. High blood pressure is also known as hypertension and is a condition in which a person’s blood pressure is greater than a healthy level and puts too much force on the artery walls. About one-third of adults in the United States have high blood pressure.

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High-Risk Areas for Lyme Disease

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High-Risk Areas for Lyme Disease

Lyme disease diagnoses are on the rise according to a new study published by the government this week. The geographic areas where Lyme disease appears to be the biggest danger has dramatically increased with U.S. cases remaining concentrated in the Northeast and upper Midwest. The study revealed that more areas in those regions are considered high-risk. With a total of 260 counties where the number of Lyme disease cases doubled is expected given the growing number of America's population. That increase is up from 130 just 10 years ago.

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Do you have gas pains?

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Do you have gas pains?

Gas pains, otherwise known as gas, flatulence, bloating, or intestinal gas. We all get it. While gas pains are by no means a serious condition, it can be annoying, uncomfortable, sometimes painful, and definitely embarrassing. There are a number of things that can cause gas pains, but it is most often a result of being constipated or diarrhea. When gas builds up in the intestines it can become painful if you are unable to get rid of it with ease.

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Learning About Emphysema

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Learning About Emphysema

Emphysema is a chronic lung condition where the alveoli in your lungs are slowly damaged and destroyed.  The alveoli are small air sacs in your lungs that make breathing possible.  These tiny sacs allow oxygen and carbon dioxide to be exchanged between the lungs and the bloodstream.  When these air sacs become compromised, it makes it difficult for your body to get the oxygen it needs, and makes breathing difficult.  Emphysema is part of a group of lung diseases known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD.   The most common cause of this pulmonary obstructive disease is smoking.  Although it may take years to develop, emphysema is characterized by symptoms like shortness of breath, chronic cough, wheezing, fatigue, and chest tightness.

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What is frostbite?

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What is frostbite?

Frostbite is a painful skin injury as a result of the skin and tissue beneath freezing. It most commonly affects the nose, cheeks, fingers, toes, ears and chin. When the skin is open to air in very cold and windy weather, it is most susceptible to getting frostbite. In extremely cold temperatures, frostbite can even occur despite wearing gloves, scarves, and other cold-weather gear. With frostbite, the skin first becomes very cold and red, then you lose feeling in that part of the skin, and finally the skin becomes pale and hard. 

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Hemorrhoids: What You Need to Know

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Hemorrhoids: What You Need to Know

Hemorrhoids are swollen and inflamed veins that appear on the anus and lower rectum. They are also known as piles. Hemorrhoids often occur when a person strains during bowel movements or is constipated, or when women experiences increased pressure on the veins during pregnancy. Hemorrhoids can be internal or external. They may appear inside the rectum (internal) or under the skin around the anus (external). Both types of hemorrhoids can cause anal pain, bleeding, itching, or a hard lump near the anus.

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What is hydronephrosis?

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What is hydronephrosis?

Hydronephrosis is the swelling of a kidney which is caused by the accumulation of urine. This happens when the kidney cannot empty urine out through the bladder as a result of a blockage or obstruction such as a kidney stone, blood clot, tumor, enlarged prostate, or enlarged uterus during pregnancy. Hydronephrosis can occur in either one or both kidneys. If the condition appears suddenly, it can be extremely painful. Early diagnosis is crucial in order to prevent permanent kidney damage.

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How Gallstones Are Detected

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How Gallstones Are Detected

Gallstones, known by its medical term cholelithiasis, is a condition of the gallbladder where hardened deposits (stones) develop within the digestive fluid of the gallbladder.  The gallbladder is a small organ found under the liver on the right side of the body, which stores bile produced by the liver.  After meals, the gallbladder transports bile, a yellowish-brown fluid, to the small intestine and helps the body break up and digest fatty foods.

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What is hepatitis C?

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What is hepatitis C?

Hepatitis C is a liver infection caused by a virus that causes inflammation. It is contagious and people get it when it is passed on when an infected person’s blood enters their body. This usually happens when people share needles when using illegal drugs like heroin. Most people don’t have any signs or symptoms, and therefore are unaware they even have it until it causes liver damage. The infection can progress for many years and cause life-threatening complications like cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver failure. There are about 2.7 million people in the United States that are infected with hepatitis C.

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Stomach Flu Signs

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Stomach Flu Signs

Also called Viral Gastroenteritis, many argue the stomach flu is one of the worst minor illnesses one can get. This gastric flu or stomach virus has many symptoms including, abdominal pain, nausea, cramping, diarrhea, chills, low-grade fever, headache, muscle aches and weakness.  How does this begin? Well, gastroenteritis is inflammation of the stomach and intestines, caused by viruses.

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What is gout?

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What is gout?

Gout is a type of arthritis that is caused by too much uric acid in the body. Too much uric in the body occurs for two reasons: when the body produces an excess amount of uric acid or when the kidneys fail to get rid of the proper amount of it. When uric acid builds up in the body, it builds up within the fluid that surrounds the joints. This eventually causes severe joint pain and inflammation and most often affects the big toe, heels, ankles, knees, fingers, wrists, and elbows. This can later lead to kidney stones and lumps of uric acid crystals under the skin.  About five out of 1,000 people in the U.S. have gout.

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Autoimmune diseases are one of the leading causes of suffering in the world

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Autoimmune diseases are one of the leading causes of suffering in the world

There are now two times more Americans living with autoimmune diseases than heart disease, according to The American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association. Despite billions of dollars spent on care every year, people are struggling with autoimmune problems more than ever before.

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What is heat stroke?

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What is heat stroke?

Heat stroke is also known as hyperthermia. It is a condition that occurs when the body becomes overheated as a result of being exposed to high temperatures for a long period of time. More specifically, heat stroke occurs when your internal body temperature is greater than 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Simply being in the sun/hot weather for a long time can cause heat stroke. Some people may think heat stroke can be taken lightly, but it is actually a medical emergency and requires immediate treatment. About 334 people in the United States die each year from heatstroke.

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What is Deep Vein Thrombosis?

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What is Deep Vein Thrombosis?

Blood clotting is necessary to help stop bleeding after an injury. However, sometimes blood clots form where they shouldn’t and can spell trouble for your health.  When blood clots form abnormally, they can be dangerous and block a vein or artery.  Blood clots in the veins and arteries increase the risk for heart attacks, strokes, pulmonary embolisms and miscarriages.  Obviously this all depends on where the clot forms. 

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Living with Coronary Artery Disease?

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Living with Coronary Artery Disease?

Coronary artery disease (CAD) occurs when the coronary arteries of the heart become damaged or diseased. The coronary arteries are the main blood vessels of the heart that provide it with oxygen, blood and essential nutrients. When cholesterol, calcium, or other substances from the blood build up over a period of time, plaque can develop on the walls of the coronary arteries. This causes the arteries to stiffen and become narrow, which limits the blood flow to the heart. 

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Learn About Cystitis

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Learn About Cystitis

Cystitis is inflammation of the bladder. The inflammation of the bladder is caused by a urinary tract infection or UTI, which is a bacterial infection. Cystitis more commonly affects women, however men can get it too. In either case, cystitis can affect a person’s quality of life and therefore requires treatment. Men who suffer from an enlarged prostate or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), kidney stones, or a urethral stricture have an increased risk for cystitis. 

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Brain Aneurysm: 3 million cases per year

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Brain Aneurysm: 3 million cases per year

Brain aneurysms, also known as an intracranial aneurysms, develop from the thinning of artery walls. Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood away from the heart and off to the rest of the body.  When these weaknesses appear in the blood vessels that supply blood the brain, they can balloon, fill with blood, and in rare cases rupture and cause a stroke.  Brain aneurysms are considered common in the United States, as this country sees 200,000 to 3 million cases per year.

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What is congestive heart failure?

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What is congestive heart failure?

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is also known as heart failure and is a chronic condition that occurs as a result of the heart muscle not pumping blood as effectively as it should. It affects the chambers of the heart which we as humans have four of: two atria and two ventricles. The ventricles send blood to the rest of your body while the atria receive blood from the rest of the body. With congestive heart failure, the ventricles are unable to pump blood in ample volume. As a result, blood and other fluids get backed up inside the lungs, abdomen, liver, and lower body which can be life-threatening. About five million people in the U.S. have congestive heart failure.

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