That distinction was important to her because she knew that gold-plated jewelry (which has only a thin layer of gold on the exterior that can flake off easily, exposing the base metal underneath) might irritate her skin. When Porter’s earlobes became red, swollen, itchy, and hot to the touch, she decided that the earrings were probably gold-plated after all and that she was having an allergic reaction to the metal inside, possibly nickel or cobalt....

Like its brand-name cousin, insulin lispro is taken at mealtimes to cover the glucose (sugar) that comes from food. It uses the same molecule as Humalog. The company says insulin lispro will roll out to pharmacies “as quickly as possible” and be sold as an authorized generic through a subsidiary, ImClone Systems. Eli Lilly is among the major insulin manufacturers — along with Sanofi and Novo Nordisk — that have faced criticism over the rapid rise of insulin prices in recent years....

One study, published in 2014 in the journal Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, found that between 2001 and 2010, roughly 9 million Americans ended up in the emergency room as the result of a bug bite or sting. (1) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that rates of bite-related diseases and illnesses have ballooned in recent years. (2) Between 2004 and 2016, rates of Zika, West Nile, Lyme, and other bite-transmitted conditions roughly tripled....

It’s important to note, though, that players with a history of depression, moodiness, or substance abuse were probably more likely to donate their brains, leading to selection bias. The 2017 study also showed that 48 out of 53 people who had played football in college and 3 of 14 who had played football in high school had CTE. But the relationship between concussions and CTE is complex. It is widely believed that it’s the repeated minor blows to the head that occur regularly in football that pose the greatest risk to players, as opposed to just the violent collisions that can lead to concussions....

When bacteria are resistant to antibiotics, there are fewer drugs available to kill them, and there’s a higher risk of developing a serious infection. (1) You can carry MRSA and not show any signs of infection. But in some cases, MRSA can cause a life-threatening infection, especially if you have a weakened immune system or are in a healthcare setting. In otherwise healthy people, MRSA can cause skin infections. In hospitals and other healthcare settings, it can lead to more severe infections, including bloodstream infections and pneumonia....

“For some people, the heat and sweat that’s generated with exercise can aggravate the skin,” says the dermatologist Debra Wattenberg, MD, a cofounder of NY Skin RX in New York City. But fear of eczema flare-ups shouldn’t discourage you from exercise. “Even those with atopic dermatitis should be able to enjoy this healthy habit,” says Dr. Wattenberg. Here’s more on the issues you face and how to reduce flare-ups....

The launch of the device from Teva Pharmaceuticals USA is still months away, but it is expected to ease concerns about potential supply shortages and offer a less expensive alternative for users. A two-pack of the Mylan brand EpiPen retails for $600. In May, the FDA had put Mylan’s EpiPens on a list of drug shortages. “Any measures that can improve the availability and costs of these medications is a real benefit for our patients,” says Robert Wood, MD, president of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology and a professor of pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore....

Lifestyle changes — including quitting smoking and losing weight, as well as changes in certain food-related habits — can be effective treatments for GERD. Most people with GERD start with an over-the-counter (OTC) drug. If your symptoms don’t improve within a few weeks, your doctor may prescribe a prescription drug to take instead. Wear loose-fitting clothing. This can reduce pressure on your abdomen. Avoid certain foods. Foods and ingredients that may cause heartburn include alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, fatty foods, fried foods, garlic, mint, citrus fruits, onions, tomatoes, and tomato-based sauces....

A Look at How You Get Gout Uric acid is a normal waste product in the blood that comes from the breakdown of certain foods. It’s processed in the kidneys before being eliminated from the body in urine. Excess Body Weight and Gout Being overweight is associated with higher-than-normal uric acid levels. Since this is a major risk factor for gout, losing weight is often the goal of a gout diet....

According to Jeffrey M. Weinberg, MD, an associate clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, “there are multiple comorbidities” linked to psoriasis, including psoriatic arthritis (PsA), depression, inflammatory bowel disease, and diabetes. Systemic inflammation (inflammation throughout the body that isn’t limited to the skin) is one cause for many of these potential complications of psoriasis, according to Valori Treloar, MD, a dermatologist with Integrative Dermatology in Newton, Massachusetts....

The phase 3 trial, the results of which were published on October 23 in The Lancet Neurology, found that 12 percent of people who received the high-dose form of the vitamin, called MD1003 and manufactured by MedDay Pharmaceuticals, at a dose of 100 milligrams (mg) three times per day, showed improvement on the expanded disability status scale (EDSS) and the timed 25-foot walk (T25-FW) test. EDSS and T25-FW are both commonly used assessments of disability in MS....

For these asymptomatic people, hepatitis C is generally detected when blood screenings (such as for blood donations) show they are HCV-positive, or routine examinations show they have elevated levels of liver enzymes, an indication of liver cell damage. (2) You should get tested for hepatitis C if you: (3,4) Are age 18 or olderCurrently use intravenous drugs or have in the pastReceived a blood transfusion or organ transplant before July 1992, when routine blood screenings became availableReceived a clotting factor concentrate made before 1987Are a hemodialysis patient or ever spent many years on dialysis for kidney failureWere born to an HCV-positive motherHad tattoos or piercings done at an unlicensed or unregulated establishmentAre a healthcare worker who has ever been injured by a needle at workHave HIVHave had unprotected sex with multiple partners or someone known to have HCV...

It’s likely that your doctor will perform a number of tests before making a diagnosis. And it may be necessary for you to visit an allergist, pulmonologist, or other specialist to determine whether asthma is the cause of your symptoms. (1) “Asthma exists in many forms, including allergic asthma, exercise-induced asthma, and work-related asthma,” says Chitra Dinakar, MD, chief of allergy, asthma, and immunodeficiency at Stanford Health Care in California, and a spokesperson for the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology....

Also, a study published in Clinical Research in Cardiology revealed a holiday season peak in cardiac-related hospital admissions, with overeating cited as a key trigger. “Binge eating puts stress on the body,” explains Amnon Beniaminovitz, MD, a cardiologist with Manhattan Cardiology in New York City. Much like emotional outbursts, running fast, or shoveling snow, overeating makes extra work for the heart, Dr. Beniaminovitz says. The Long-Term Consequences of Overeating Sonia Tolani, MD, an assistant professor of medicine at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City and part of Columbia’s Women’s Heart Center, adds that when overeating results in being overweight, that in turn can lead to the onset of type 2 diabetes....

Telephone Psychic Mediums These employees, hired by psychic service companies who know they have no paranormal skills, usually fumble through a telephone session by asking the client numerous questions and providing generic answers to the client’s questions. Some callers get disgusted and hang up after several minutes, after paying a tidy per-minute sum to enrich the company. In-Person Psychic Medium Readings This would lead to significant income for an accurate psychic medium, so that she would be able to afford a comfortable home or office in a pretty good neighborhood....

“I don’t drink that much.” “I could stop drinking if I really wanted to, so I can’t have a problem. Right?” As a psychiatrist, I hear all of these things from both clients and friends when they’re thinking out loud about their drinking habits. The reality is that many people I know personally or treat professionally are confused about how much drinking is too much. Sure, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has guidelines, which recommend less than two drinks a day for men and less than one a day for women....

For women living with migraine, the decision can be even more complex. Concerns about the pregnancy, the health of the baby, and the additional daily stressors of living with a debilitating disease can lead many women to question if having a baby is the right choice — now or ever. Study Shows Fears About Pregnancy With Migraine Are Common According to a September 2020 study published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings, nearly one in five women with migraine avoids pregnancy because of her disease....

Crohn’s disease (CD) is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that affects an estimated three million Americans, according to the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation. People with Crohn’s disease have bouts of inflammation in their digestive tract, which can lead to diarrhea, cramping, pain, and significant weight loss. All these symptoms, combined with the inability to know when a flare will strike, can be stressful. According to Melissa Hunt, PhD, the associate director of clinical training at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, stress, anxiety, and depression can make it harder to live with Crohn’s....

The key to learning about the progression of diabetes is understanding the role of your pancreas, which produces insulin: a hormone needed to move glucose (blood sugar) into cells, where it’s used for energy. If your body doesn’t produce enough insulin or your cells don’t respond to insulin as well as they should, glucose can build up in your bloodstream. With type 1 diabetes, the pancreas does not make any insulin, so it must be given via injection....

‘I Have Something Called Ankylosing Spondylitis' “I’ve never said this publicly ever, but I’m just going to say it because it’s part of my life now,” Reynolds told the audience. “Does anyone out there suffer from any kind of disease? No one ever wants to raise their hands. I have something called ankylosing spondylitis. It’s an autoimmune disease, and I’ve never spoken about it because, frankly, I’ve been embarrassed. And tonight I’m going to share it, because there are probably other people out there who suffer from it too....