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Showing posts from October, 2021

Occupational Asthma: Causes, Prevention & More - Healthline

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Asthma is a respiratory condition that causes a narrowing of the airways in your lungs and trouble breathing. Occupational asthma happens when you inhale asthma triggers in your workplace — it's also referred to as work-related asthma. Breathing in fumes, gases, dust, or other harmful substances can all contribute to the development of occupational asthma. Symptoms are similar to other forms of asthma and include wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness. In these cases, symptoms usually improve once you move away from the irritant at your workplace. Keep reading to learn why occupational asthma develops, who's at risk, and what can be done to prevent it. Asthma is a chronic condition that causes inflammation in your airways. Asthma can have many underlying causes. For example, seasonal allergic asthma is caused by allergens like pollen or mold spores. Occupational asthma is the most common work-related lung disease. It's a specific type of asthma caused by breathi

How to correctly diagnose and treat community-acquired pneumonia - Contemporary Pediatrics

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While health care professionals remain on high alert for COVID-19 and all its variants, many pediatricians also witnessed a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) surge this past summer, typically a winter illness. 1 Now that winter is almost here, this is what you should know about pneumonia. Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) can appear year-round but late fall and winter tend to be prominent months as viral respiratory illnesses are more common during this time. A majority of CAP is viral, including influenza, RSV, enterovirus, and others, but we have to remember the bacterial causes that include Streptococcus pneumonia, Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus group A. CAP is one of the most common serious infections in children and is responsible for a significant number of outpatient visits and hospitalizations. 2 Many patients present with fever and cough, so how do you decide who has pneumonia and who should be treated with antibiotics? This is where the art of medicine plays a

RSV Is a Common, Dangerous Infection: What Parents Need to Know - MedicineNet

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Latest Infectious Disease News MONDAY, Oct. 18, 2021 Watch closely if your kids appear to have a common cold this fall or winter. It could instead be respiratory syncytial virus, known as RSV, and that makes it more likely to progress to a serious lower lung infection. RSV is back in force this year after a reprieve while many stayed home last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to experts at Penn State Health. "The symptoms are virtually synonymous with the common cold – runny nose, congestion, maybe a little cough – but RSV is associated with a much higher risk of progression from an upper respiratory cold to a lower lung infection," said Dr. Patrick Gavigan. He is a pediatric infectious disease physician at Penn State Health Children's Hospital, in Hershey, Penn. "This includes viral pneumonia or bronchiolitis, which involves inflammation of the

9 best supplements for arthritis 2021 - Medical News Today

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Arthritis affects the joints of millions of adults in the United States. Supplements may help relieve pain and stiffness in the areas of the body in which arthritis has developed. This article looks at which supplements may be beneficial for people with arthritis. It also explores some of the best supplements and alternative treatments available. Quick links Please note that the writer of this article has not tried these products. All information presented is purely research-based. Arthritis is a general term for conditions that affect joints or areas surrounding the joint. Arthritis can result in pain and stiffness in the affected area of the body. There are approximately 58.5 million adults in the United States with arthritis. Learn more about arthritis here. The Arthritis Foundation (AF) states that some supplements may relieve pain, stiffness, and other symptoms of arthritis. It also suggests using supplements alongside arthritis drugs, not as a substitute. Medications are the onl

7 of the best steam inhalers 2021 - Medical News Today

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Steam inhalers are devices that reportedly provide relief from respiratory conditions such as the common cold. However, there is currently no evidence to suggest they are effective in reducing nasal congestion. Quick links Please note that the writer of this article has not tried these products. All information presented is purely research-based. Steam inhalers use water vapor, which people inhale to help loosen the mucus in the nasal passages, lungs, and throat. Many companies claim their steam inhalers can help reduce symptoms of respiratory conditions, including: However, there is currently no scientific evidence suggesting steam inhalation is effective in reducing nasal congestion symptoms. Therefore, people should not use steam inhalers instead of medication or treatments that a doctor recommends or prescribes. Anecdotally, steam inhalers may help reduce symptoms of the following: However, scientific evidence states that steam inhalation may not help with these symptoms. A 2016 st

Host genetic factors determining COVID-19 susceptibility and severity - The Lancet

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Asthma: Can it cause fatigue? - Medical News Today

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Although fatigue is not usually a symptom of asthma, having asthma can cause fatigue. Symptoms of asthma, such as wheezing and coughing, may make people feel more tired, or they may affect a person's quality of sleep. Severe asthma or asthma attacks can also be very tiring for the body. Fatigue is a feeling of tiredness or exhaustion. Many people with asthma report feeling fatigue, which includes sleepiness during waking hours and a lack of energy. Experiencing breathing difficulties, a chronic cough, or asthma symptoms while trying to sleep may all contribute to fatigue. In this article, we look at the link between fatigue and asthma, causes, treatment, and prevention, as well as when to contact a doctor. A 2018 study found that people with asthma frequently reported fatigue. Alongside common asthma symptoms, such as wheezing, coughing, and feeling short of breath, the study participants reported tiredness, lack of energy, and daytime sleepiness. Authors of the study conclude tha

Hurt by hospitals: Medicare punishes W. Pa. hospitals for medical complications - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

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How to Manage Psoriatic Arthritis on Feet, Toes, and Ankles - Self

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Enthesitis can be asymptomatic or it can cause swelling and pain around the affected area. 8 Your doctor may want to do an MRI to look for tendon or ligament enlargement and thickening (which are signs of enthesitis) when assessing whether you might have psoriatic arthritis. Plantar fasciitis When psoriatic arthritis involves the feet, the pain can seem like plantar fasciitis, which feels like a stabbing pain 10 along the bottom of your foot near the heel. It can be easy to assume something like this is the cause of your foot pain, but if you have ongoing symptoms, exhibit other signs of psoriatic arthritis, and have a family history of psoriatic arthritis, then you may want to talk to your doctor about psoriatic arthritis screening. Psoriatic arthritis ankle Anyone with psoriatic arthritis can experience pain, tenderness, stiffness, and swelling in their ankles. Ankle pain is often related to inflammation of the enthesis 11 (that area we mentioned above where the tendons and ligame

Rheumatoid Arthritis Nail Changes: Early Signs and Treatment - Greatist

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Fingernails looking a little funky these days? It could be a sign something's up with your health. Changes in your fingernails and toenails can actually be a sign of a serious illness like rheumatoid arthritis (RA). RA is an autoimmune condition that attacks joints — usually in your hands, wrists, and knees. This causes inflammation of the joint lining and tissue damage that leads to chronic pain and joint damage. This tissue damage can also target your organs. Nail changes may signal a problem before other RA symptoms show up. If you have RA, the color, shape, or surface of your nails — and even the way your nails attach to your skin — can change. People who live with RA experience periods of flare-up and remission of symptoms. If left untreated, RA can permanently damage your bones and joints. Yellow nail syndrome According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, RA may cause nails to turn yellow. A type of medications called thiol drugs, which are used to treat RA, m

Pattern and outcome of Acute Appendicitis - OAEM | OAEM - Dove Medical Press

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Introduction Acute appendicitis is the most common cause of acute abdomen surgery with an incidence of 86.2–106 per 100,000 population. 1 Once thought to be a disease of Western countries, its incidence is on the rise in the developing world. 2 For instance, a recent global review showed that in the 21st century the incidence of acute appendicitis has increased in some of the newly industrialized countries in Asia, SouthAmerica, and the Middle East. 3 Although population-based data are lacking in Ethiopia, appendectomy was reported as the most common emergency surgical procedure in several facility-based reports. 4–8 Figure 1 Age distribution of the study population. The diagnosis of acute appendicitis remains challengingand it was shown that on a population level, diagnosis of appendicitis has not improved with the availability of advanced diagnostic testing. 9,10 Hence, some authors still follow the classic teaching that recommends the diagnosis of acute appendicitis to