What is chickenpox? Share Your Story Chickenpox is a disease is caused by a virus (varicella zoster virus, varicella, or VZV) that results in a blister-like rash with intense itching, tiredness, and fever. In normal individuals without immune system problems, chickenpox usually will last about five to 10 days and then resolve. Before vaccination was...
Atopic and contact dermatitis are two of the commonest types of dermatitis. It generally begins as itching or irritation and redness of the skin. The word dermatitis refers to inflammation (redness and swelling) of the skin. Dermatitis includes various skin conditions that cause irritation or rashes on the skin. It generally causes no serious harm to the body and does...
Addison’s disease facts* *Addison’s Disease Facts by John P. Cunha, DO, FACOE Addison’s disease, also called adrenal insufficiency, or hypocortisolism, occurs when the adrenal glands do not produce enough of the hormone cortisol and, in some cases, the hormone aldosterone. Addison’s disease is an endocrine or hormonal disorder characterized by weight loss, muscle weakness, fatigue,...
What should I know about medical abbreviations? What do they mean? Have you ever wondered why you can't read the doctor's note or the letters and numbers on a prescription? Health care professionals often quickly scribble notes with important medical information that they would like a patient to reference in regard to the type of...
Source: iStock Facts you should know about corticosteroid (cortisone) injection of joints and soft tissues Corticosteroids are powerful anti-inflammatory medications. Cortisone shots (steroid shot) can offer fast-acting relief of inflamed muscles, joints, tendons, and bursa. Complications are rare but may include infection and bleeding. When administered by an expert, cortisone injections offer significant pain relief...
Coxsackievirus facts Picture of the coxsackievirus; SOURCE: CDC Coxsackieviruses are RNA viruses that may cause hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD), as well as disease of muscles, lungs, and heart. HFMD usually occurs in children but can occur in adults. The majority of HFMD infections are self-limited, so no treatment is required. HFMD, caused by...
What is a sleep-disordered breathing condition? A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine treats the following sleep-disordered breathing conditions: obstructive sleep apnea and snoring Sleep disorders that cause difficulty in breathing during sleep are known as sleep-disordered breathing conditions. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type of sleep-disordered breathing condition. Other disorders of this...
Alopecia areata facts Picture of Alopecia Areata Alopecia areata is peculiar form of hair loss that usually affects the scalp but can occur on any hair-bearing skin. Alopecia areata produces one or more patches of balding without any obvious change in the texture of the affected skin, a non-scarring alopecia. Alopecia areata affects males and...
Stages of thyroid cancer The staging system most often used for thyroid cancer is the TNM system of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC). Like other cancer, thyroid cancer has stages. Stages used to describe thyroid cancer are based on the type of thyroid cancer and the patient’s age. The different types of thyroid...
Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) facts Combined 2015 to 2016 data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) show that 10% of pregnant women 15 to 44 years of age drank alcohol in the past month. About 3% admitted to binge drinking during pregnancy. ("Binge drinking" in women is defined as four or...