Hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic (long-term) inflammatory disease. “It can be extremely painful,” says Anthony Fernandez, MD, PhD, a dermatologist at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. HS has been linked to other chronic conditions also, including: ObesitySevere acneInflammatory bowel diseaseArthritisDiabetesCardiovascular diseaseInflammatory arthritisMetabolic syndrome It’s important to talk to your doctor if you think you have HS. They may prescribe medications, such as corticosteroids or biologics, to help reduce inflammation and prevent breakouts....

For the week ending May 21, BA.2.12.1 accounted for almost 58 percent of new cases. BA.2 has dropped in prevalence to 39 percent. The original omicron variant, B1.1.529 — and its subvariant BA.1.1 that soon followed and dominated the United States in late January — now make up about 3 percent of cases. The BA.2.12.1 subvariant was first noticed in central New York and surrounding areas in mid-April, when the State Department of Health announced that BA....

Endocarditis is an infection of the inner lining of the heart or heart valves. Bacteria or other germs can cause endocarditis. Endocarditis can cause a range of symptoms from mild to severe. Signs and symptoms may vary depending on the type of bacteria or germ causing the infection and whether you have had previous heart problems. If you experience symptoms of endocarditis, contact your doctor immediately. Endocarditis can be life threatening if left untreated....

“People [who aren’t] as knowledgeable about the disease still associate it with IV drug use or assume their partner got it through sexual transmission,” explains Sonal Kumar, MD, MPH, director of clinical hepatology at NewYork-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center. “I have had to talk to multiple [patients’] partners on the phone — and then again sometimes in person, because they don’t believe me — about how hepatitis C is transmitted and how low the risks are for transmission to family members after cure....

“Telemedicine can make it easier, faster, and safer to get the healthcare you and your family need,” says Rachel Bishop, MD, medical director of telemedicine at Houston Methodist Primary Care Group in Texas. “Wait times are shorter than most in-person medical visits. You don’t have to take time off from work or find childcare. And virtual visits can reduce your exposure to viruses and other infections.” Precisely because of the coronavirus pandemic, the federal government, some local governments, health insurance companies, health systems, and private telemedicine companies are all taking steps to make virtual medical visits and online health assessments available to more people....

Tenesmus is difficult to ignore, and running to the bathroom repeatedly “affects quality of life significantly,” says Adam Ehrlich, MD, MPH, an assistant professor of medicine at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University in Philadelphia and a co–medical director of the inflammatory bowel disease program at Temple University Hospital. Read on to learn about the symptoms of this disturbing condition and how you can treat it. RELATED: What Is Abdominal Pain?...

Among people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), there is a popular notion that RA can be managed with diet, thereby skipping the undesirable side effects associated with certain medication. There is even an autoimmune protocol (AIP) diet which, by its name alone, makes you think you should be on board. RELATED: Can the Paleo Diet Help Fight Autoimmune Diseases? A Look at Its Possible Effects on 5 Conditions What Is the AIP Diet?...

Severe asthma can be difficult to control, even with maintenance medications and rescue inhalers. “Severe asthma is based on the national asthma guidelines, and is also based on symptoms,” says Juanita Mora, MD, an allergist/immunologist in Chicago who runs the Chicago Allergy Center and is a volunteer national spokesperson for the American Lung Association. Severe asthma is classified as needing to use a rescue inhaler more than three times per week, waking up at night more than two times per week due to shortness of breath or wheezing, and using more than one oral steroid burst per year because your asthma is not under control....

Shingles are caused by the reactivation of the virus that causes chickenpox, the varicella zoster virus. After you recover from chickenpox, the virus can travel down into the nerve tissues of the body and lay there dormant for decades. Shingles occurs when the virus reawakens and travels back up the nerve pathways and out to the skin. Anyone who has had chickenpox is at risk for contracting shingles later in life....

What causes HAE? HAE is caused by a mutation in the gene that makes a protein called C1 inhibitor. This protein normally helps control inflammation in your body. In the majority of HAE cases, you either don’t have enough C1 inhibitor, or it doesn’t work properly. You can inherit the gene defect from one of your parents or develop it at conception. How common is HAE? HAE is rare, impacting between 1 in 10,000 to 1 in 50,000 people worldwide....

As more states open up COVID-19 vaccination to anyone age 16 and older, the federal government has pulled out all the stops. Unleashing a full-force media blitz that includes a multimillion dollar ad buy in both English and Spanish, it has enlisted groups including NASCAR and the NFL, the Catholic Health Association, American Farm Bureau, and American Medical Association to help deliver the message that vaccines are safe and effective....

There are many different strains of the virus, each identified with a number. HPV 16 and 18 are high-risk types known to significantly increase the risk of cervical, vaginal, and vulvar cancer in women, as well as penile cancer in men. The strains can also cause anal cancer and throat cancers in men and women. More than 40 of the 150 or so types of HPV can infect the genital regions and other mucous membranes (such as the mouth and throat), but only some of these HPV types are known to cause cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)....

When inflammation isn’t controlled, mild sepsis can become severe and lead to septic shock. This is when blood pressure drops to a dangerous low, raising the risk for multiple organ failure and even death. (1) This condition can happen to anyone, but certain people are at greater risk. For this reason, getting ahead of sepsis and protecting yourself involves an understanding of its causes and risk factors. Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi....

They are also more likely to be diagnosed at a younger age, and have more aggressive forms of breast cancer — including metastatic cancer, meaning the disease has spread to other organs and the lymph nodes — than white women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As a result, Black women are also up to 40 percent more likely to die from the disease than women from other racial and ethnic backgrounds and to develop breast cancer before turning 50, the CDC says....

Knowing the truth about anorexia can save lives. When people with anorexia and related eating disorders don’t grasp the severity of their illness, they may not seek help, says Philip Mehler, MD, who is the founder of the ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders and Severe Malnutrition in Denver. “It is critical to pursue early intervention strategies, such as education and screening, to prevent chronic malnutrition, long-term health complications, and death,” Dr....

Most of the time a virus is the culprit, in which case the illness is known as viral gastroenteritis. Occasionally, bacteria, parasites, or other causes may trigger gastroenteritis. (1) Avoiding contaminated food and water and making sure to wash your hands frequently may help protect you from this unwelcome condition. Norovirus This is the most common cause of foodborne illness in the world and affects both children and adults. (2) Most of the time norovirus is passed on through contaminated water or food....

Beyond that, the program — and all the options — can get a little complicated. Understanding the basics can help you get started making the choices that are best for you. Keep reading to find out what you need to know, especially if you’re enrolling for the first time or are considering changing plans. The 4 Parts of Medicare There are four parts to the Medicare program: Part A covers hospital services, Part B covers physician services, Part C covers managed care programs (called Medicare Advantage), and Part D covers pharmaceuticals....

The monkeypox virus is closely related to the smallpox virus, but is far less dangerous. Still, infection can be painful and leave scars. In rare cases, monkeypox can be fatal. As with other pox diseases, the hallmark symptom of monkeypox is a rash that develops into pus-filled lesions. On July 23, 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the rapidly spreading monkeypox outbreak to be a public health emergency of international concern....

“It’s the positive, wistful, or longing sentiment that one experiences when they are reminded of something from the past,” says Deanna Woodhouse, a licensed marriage and family therapist and director of clinical operations at Los Angeles–based Lightfully Behavioral Health. Nostalgia could come about by looking at an old photograph, talking with a friend, or smelling a familiar scent. Is feeling nostalgic good for your health? It’s a question psychologists are particularly interested in....

Cerebral embolism (blood clot that travels to the brain)Vertebral artery dissection (which may be due to neck manipulation or injury)Marfan syndromeEhlers-Danlos syndromeFibromuscular dysplasia (abnormal cell development in the artery wall) Risk Factors Risk factors for Wallenberg syndrome include: Hypertension (high blood pressure)SmokingDiabetes MRI with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) to confirm the location of the strokeA CT or MR angiogram (X-ray of blood vessels) to identify the location of the blocked blood vessel and to rule out uncommon causes of strokeAn ECG to rule out any underlying atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat) or acute coronary syndrome (blocked blood supply to the heart)Blood tests...