Posts

Showing posts from February, 2022

Is Strep Throat Contagious? - Verywell Health

Image
Strep throat is an infection in the throat and tonsils caused by bacteria called group A Streptococcus , also known as Streptococcus pyogenes . This group of bacteria can also cause other infections, including scarlet fever, pneumonia, sepsis, toxic shock syndrome, and necrotizing fasciitis, which can be life-threatening. While strep throat only accounts for a small number of sore throats, it is generally more common in children (ages 5 to 15) than adults. This article will explore how strep throat is contagious, its causes, risk factors, treatment, and prevention. Jim Craigmyle / Getty Images Is Strep Throat Contagious? Strep throat is highly contagious and can spread quickly from person to person through close contact. Individuals with strep throat can be contagious for a few days before they start showing symptoms. This means that someone who has not gotten sick yet can spread the disease. How Do I Know If I Have Strep Throat? Common s...

Should people treat sinus infection with antibiotics? - Medical News Today

Image
Depending on the cause, doctors may prescribe antibiotics for sinus infection, also called sinusitis. When an individual has a sinus infection, fluids accumulate in the air-filled cavities in the face. Typically, these sinuses have a thin lining of mucus that collects dust, germs, and other particles from the air. Tiny hair-like projections, called cilia, sweep the mucus and any particles trapped down the back of the throat into the stomach. However, in sinusitis, the mucus does not flow freely, and germs can multiply. Sinusitis, also called rhinosinusitis, is one of the most common reasons people visit doctors in the United States. Almost 15% of the population experiences sinus infections each year, and it is one of the top conditions that doctors prescribe antibiotics for. This article looks at antibiotics for a sinus infection, their benefits, and alternative treatment methods, including some natural remedies. An individual does not always need antibiotics for a sinus infection. M...

A Guide to MSW Degrees and Becoming a Social Worker - U.S. News & World Report

[unable to retrieve full-text content] A Guide to MSW Degrees and Becoming a Social Worker    U.S. News & World Report

Treatments for Hairy Cell Leukemia - Healthline

Image
Hairy cell leukemia is a rare type of leukemia. There is currently no cure for hairy cell leukemia, but treatment options include watchful waiting, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and more. Just like other types of leukemia, hairy cell leukemia is a blood cancer. It occurs more often in men than in women. Only around 600 to 800 people in the United States are diagnosed with hairy cell leukemia each year. Most of them will go into remission after treatment. Hairy cell leukemia is a rare form of leukemia. It happens when your bone marrow makes too many of a type of immature white blood cell called a lymphocyte. The cells multiply quickly and crowd out healthy white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. The lymphocytes gather in your bone marrow, liver, and spleen. Hairy cell leukemia gets its name because the cancerous lymphocytes appear "hairy" when viewed under a microscope. Hairy cell leukemia can cause symptoms a lot like other types of leukemia, such as: It might al...

Q&A: Music may be 'useful, effective and harmless' pain management strategy - Healio

Image
February 23, 2022 3 min read Source/Disclosures Source: Healio Interview Disclosures: Soinila reports no relevant financial disclosures. ADD TOPIC TO EMAIL ALERTS Receive an email when new articles are posted on Please provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on . " data-action="subscribe"> Subscribe ADDED TO EMAIL ALERTS We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If you continue to have this issue please contact customerservice@slackinc.com. Back to Healio Growing evidence suggests that music therapy can be an effective method for relieving pain, according to researchers. Amid the opioid epidemic, the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine, NIH and other medical organizations encourage nonpharmacological approaches to pain management. "General...

How Stress Contributes to Heart Disease Risk - Healthline

Image
We're probably all pretty familiar with stress. In the short term, stress can actually be helpful and may even help you survive in the face of danger. For instance, if you see a large dog running toward you, your body's stress response can help you get out of the way to avoid getting hurt. However, when stress is ongoing, it can have damaging effects on your physical and mental health. In fact, research has shown that chronic stress may be one of the leading risk factors for heart disease. In this article, we'll dive into the basics of stress and how chronic stress can raise your risk of heart disease. If you want to know what you can do to manage stress in a healthy way, we have that covered, too. Stress is your body's response to a physical or psychological trigger that you perceive as challenging or threatening. In broad terms, stress is any change you have to adapt to. While we often view stress in a negative light, not all stress is bad. In fact, good stress does e...

Headache on Top of Head: Right Side, Left Side, Meaning - Verywell Health

Image
Headaches are one of the most common health complaints around the world. In the past year, an estimated 50 to 75% of adults have experienced a headache, and of those people, at least 30% have experienced a migraine. Headaches can affect different areas of the head and sometimes may occur on just one side. This article will explore the types of headaches that cause this kind of one-sided pain, as well as triggers, treatment options, and when to see a healthcare provider. Left Side vs. Right Side Headaches Headaches can sometimes only appear on one side of the head. This may happen on the left side or the right side of the head. It's poorly understood why the pain is sometimes isolated to one side of the head, but it's thought this may have something to do with vasculitis , which is inflammation of the blood vessels. This one-side head pain may result from different types of headaches, including migraines, cluster headaches, and cervicogenic h...

Anxiety and Itching: Why It Happens and What to Do - PsychCentral.com

Image
You're anxious, and your skin keeps itching. Are these symptoms related? Though you might not think it, your skin can reveal some of your deepest emotions. Just think about the last time you blushed from embarrassment or felt goosebumps while listening to inspiring music. Anxiety, in particular, has several ways of showing itself in the physical body: It can cause shaking hands, sweating, butterflies in your stomach, or a lump in your throat. And for some people, anxiety can cause itchy skin. Feeling itchy from anxiety is called "psychogenic itching." While this isn't extremely common, it's also not rare. Unlike many other organs in the body, your skin has an immediate reaction to mental stress. Some researchers call it the "brain-skin connection." Psychogenic itching, or psychogenic pruritus, occurs when psychological factors trigger or worsen itchy skin. So, how does this happen? Research into anxiety and itching says that the brain plays a critical r...

Is staph infection contagious? Duration, signs, transmission - Medical News Today

Image
A staph infection occurs due to a bacterium called staphylococcus. This bacterium lives on the skin naturally, but if it enters the bloodstream through a wound, it can cause sepsis. It can also cause skin infections and boil-like sores that may be swollen, flushed, and painful. Staph infections are contagious through person-to-person contact. Staphylococcus is an umbrella term for more than 30 types of bacterium. This bacterium can also cause: In this article, we discuss how contagious staph infections are, their signs and symptoms, how to avoid them, and treatments. Staph infections are contagious through person-to-person contact. If an individual with staph has a wound that oozes, someone who comes into contact with this liquid can contract the infection. This includes the following transmission methods: close skin contact sharing objects such as towels or toothbrushes droplets in coughs and sneezes, though this is less common People with staph infections who prepare food for others ...

Is staph infection contagious? Duration, signs, transmission - Medical News Today

Image
A staph infection occurs due to a bacterium called staphylococcus. This bacterium lives on the skin naturally, but if it enters the bloodstream through a wound, it can cause sepsis. It can also cause skin infections and boil-like sores that may be swollen, flushed, and painful. Staph infections are contagious through person-to-person contact. Staphylococcus is an umbrella term for more than 30 types of bacterium. This bacterium can also cause: In this article, we discuss how contagious staph infections are, their signs and symptoms, how to avoid them, and treatments. Staph infections are contagious through person-to-person contact. If an individual with staph has a wound that oozes, someone who comes into contact with this liquid can contract the infection. This includes the following transmission methods: close skin contact sharing objects such as towels or toothbrushes droplets in coughs and sneezes, though this is less common People with staph infections who prepare food for others ...