Dry mouth (xerostomia) is a common side effect of radiation therapy for people undergoing treatment for head and neck cancer. It is caused by damage to the salivary glands when they are exposed to the direct effects of radiation. > When a person has a treatment-related dry mouth, eating can be a real challenge. With ..
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The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland in the front of your throat that produces hormones affecting a number of bodily processes, from metabolism to heart rate. Thyroid disease is relatively common, and having a thyroid adenoma—a benign cyst—is one presentation of thyroid disease. A thyroid adenoma is a noncancerous lesion on the thyroid. Although ..
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most frequently taken over-the-counter medications. Due to their systemic or whole body effects, it’s natural to wonder whether NSAIDs target your thyroid gland in addition to the other tissues and organs in your body. It is possible that these drugs may affect your thyroid, but the scientific evidence backing ..
The thyroid disease community has continually mentioned the lack of support they experience and the difficulty they have navigating the unhelpful information that exists both on and offline for their condition. With that, we surveyed 840 people with various forms of thyroid disease to help shed light on this often overlooked and misunderstood condition. Summary ..
If your family’s health insurance is a high-deductible health plan, your family deductible may work differently than it did when you had other health insurance. If you don’t understand exactly how the family deductible works in a high deductible health plan (HDHP), you could be surprised. Your health insurance might not start paying benefits when ..
“The purpose of this tool is to help you sort out the results of blood tests and urine tests your doctor may have ordered to assess your kidney function. Each of these tests has a specific purpose, and this tool should help you understand what the various results may mean. With this information, you should ..
Our Conversation Coach Can Help If you have a loved one who refuses to see a medical professional, be it skipping an annual check-up or resisting a visit when they’re hurt or sick, you might be worried about the effect their avoidance will have on their health. You may need to address the importance of ..
Our Conversation Coach Can Help Spotting cancer early through recommended cancer screenings can make a huge difference in treatment options and outcomes—but not everyone is eager to get screened. Some might not want to spend the time or money, while others might be afraid of the experience or what it could reveal. If you have ..
Our Conversation Coach Can Help When it comes to health insurance, a lot has changed over the last decade. And the sheer volume of information—and in some cases misinformation—about healthcare reform can quickly become overwhelming. If someone you know is uninsured, considering going without coverage, or anxious about the idea of switching from an employer-sponsored ..
Our Conversation Coach Can Help The COVID-19 pandemic has brought uncertainty and a whirlwind of challenges. After months of coping with numerous stressors—social isolation, remote work and learning, and fears of contracting the virus—we are now faced with the opportunity to get vaccinated and turn the tide against this disease. While getting one of the ..
Autologous serum eye drops are a popular treatment for severe dry eye syndrome. Dry eye syndrome is a chronic lack of moisture in the eye. If left untreated, dry eye syndrome may weaken vision and lead to eye infections. Most people don’t realize that dry eye syndrome can sometimes be so severe that conventional treatments do ..
Allergy shots, or subcutaneous immunotherapy, have been given for over a century for the treatment of allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, allergic asthma, and atopic dermatitis. Allergy shots are also used for venom allergy, but they are not used for treating food allergies. > Allergy shots involve the administration of an allergen (such as pollens, pet dander, molds, and dust mites). This would ..
Eczema is a broad term to describe patches of skin that are typically dry, scaly, and red; itch is often the most bothersome symptom. Various prescription treatments are available, including topical corticosteroids and injectable medications. Immunotherapy (aka allergy shots) is considered in rare cases (e.g., dust mite allergy), although severe eczema will not likely improve substantially. ..
While many people are afraid of allergy shots due to their association with routine vaccinations (such as with tetanus or diphtheria shots), the comparison is largely unfair. With many routine vaccinations, the injection is delivered intramuscularly (into the muscle), which is associated with greater pain than shots that are injected subcutaneously (just under the surface ..
Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is a form of immunotherapy that is used for treating certain allergies. It is a method of preventing an immune reaction to an allergen by placing the allergen extract, in the form of liquid drops or a dissolvable tablet, under the tongue. SLIT is an alternative to allergy shots and it has ..
Many parents are concerned that allergy shots could be unsafe for their children. In fact, many children could likely not only safely receive shots, but could significantly benefit from this form of treatment for allergies. Allergy shots, or immunotherapy, can treat much more than hayfever (allergic rhinitis.) They may also be used to treat allergic ..
Blepharitis is a common condition that causes inflammation and irritation of the eyelids. Blepharitis often produces flaky debris at the bases of the eyelashes, causing the eyelids to become inflamed and itchy. Some people complain of feeling like something is in their eyes that won’t come out or a burning sensation on the insides of ..
Key Takeaways New research has concluded that there is no link between caffeine consumption and breast cancer in postmenopausal women. However, research has shown that caffeine may worsen breast pain in some premenopausal women who have fibrocystic breasts. Screenings should be followed for any person who is at risk for breast cancer. A recent study ..
Key Takeaways To be protected against both the flu and COVID-19, you must get both shots. Some research indicates that the flu shot may offer a small amount of protection against some severe COVID-19 outcomes, though there is no evidence that it can create the anitbodies needed to mount a full immune response. It is ..
Key Takeaways CDC recommended the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to all children aged 5 to 11, following an authorization by the FDA last week. Experts determined the benefits of vaccinating children aged 5 to 11 to outweigh the risk of severe adverse outcomes like myocarditis. Pediatric shots could be distributed as soon as Wednesday. The Centers ..
As of 2021, this article is no longer being updated. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit our coronavirus news page. The new coronavirus disease, called COVID-19, has appeared and spread extremely quickly, making its way to over 200 countries since its December 2019 discovery in China. This particular type of respiratory disease is caused ..
Due to the recent coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, many questions have arisen regarding the use of masks in preventing the spread of viral infections. When may a mask be effective for this purpose? What types of masks can be used? You may be surprised that the CDC does not recommend routine use of any type of ..
Key Takeaways Hand eczema cases have increased since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. New guidelines suggest hand cream or ointment should be applied after washing your hands or using hand sanitizer. Healthcare workers are at an increased risk for hand eczema because of how frequently they sanitize their hands, drying them out in the ..
Do you smoke cigarettes or chew tobacco? When you have fibromyalgia, tobacco use may have even greater health risks than you thought. Multiple studies have shown that tobacco use is associated with worse fibromyalgia symptoms. Smoking may also be a risk factor for developing this condition. At the same time, people with fibromyalgia often claim ..
Part of what makes COVID-19 so concerning is how innocuous initial symptoms can be. Just like the flu, COVID-19 most commonly begins with fever, tiredness, and coughing. However, many factors—ranging from cause to complications—set the two respiratory illnesses apart. > Causes Different viruses cause influenza and COVID-19. Flu Causes All types of flu—the most common ..
“Your doctor will order a lipid panel as a routine screening test when evaluating your overall health, and particularly when assessing your risk of cardiovascular disease. Based on that risk assessment, your doctor may recommend specific measures you should take to reduce your risk.” – Richard N. Fogoros, MD, Senior Medical Advisor, Get Meds Info ..
As of June 1, 2021, 41% of Americans are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including over half of all adults. Biden’s July 4 Goal 70% of U.S. adults will have at least one shot 160 million U.S. adults will be fully vaccinated As of June 1 62.8% of U.S. adults have at least one shot 134 ..
Key Takeaways According to Pfizer, their COVID-19 antiviral pill called Paxlovid significantly reduces the risk of hospitalization and death. Paxlovid is a protease inhibitor drug, which is different from Merck’s antiviral pill. Pfizer’s clinical trials were stopped early because of the overwhelming efficacy of the drug. Last week, Pfizer reported that their oral antiviral pill ..
Key Takeaways A new study compares the decline in effectiveness against infection of the three COVID-19 vaccine brands available in the U.S.. The vaccines declined in effectiveness significantly after six months. If you’re eligible to get your booster shot, you should schedule an appointment as soon as possible. Numerous studies have already demonstrated that COVID-19 ..
Key Takeaways New data has revealed that cervical cancer rates in the United Kingdom plummeted after the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine was introduced in 2008. The rates of cervical cancer were lowest in people who were vaccinated at ages 12 and 13. Anyone can get HPV. In addition to cervical cancer, HPV infection is also ..