Some experts think that IBS is caused when there’s a glitch in that communication. “We all respond to stress physically, and some of us physically react with our gut, as with diarrhea or constipation, while others get headaches or back pain,” Dr. Scheman says. The problem is that the stress response in the gut can create a vicious cycle, in which the stress causes symptoms and vice versa, also known as a feedback loop....

But for the purposes of this guide, we’ll focus on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) definition of obesity: abnormal or excessive fat accumulation in the body that may pose a risk to your health. Below, discover how doctors determine whether someone is obese, as well as causes and risk factors of obesity, treatment options for obesity, and much more. As a medical term, obesity is defined by body mass index, or BMI, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)....

Red light therapy (RLT) is a type of photomedicine, which is “the use of light to treat skin and other health conditions,” says Jared Jagdeo, MD, the founding director of the Center for Photomedicine at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn, New York. Here, learn about the history of the therapy, how it works, its potential benefits, what to expect from treatment, and more. Light therapy has been around for more than 50 years....

Cancer is a disease characterized by the abnormal, out-of-control growth of cells. Testicular cancer, as its name suggests, occurs when malignant or cancerous cells form in the tissues of one or both of a man’s testicles. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), more than 90 percent of testicular cancers form in germ cells, which are the cells that produce sperm. There are two main types of testicular germ cell tumors: seminomas and non-seminomas....

Thyroid cancer is a type of cancer — an abnormal, out-of-control growth of cells — that affects the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland sits at the base of the throat, in the front part of the neck below the voice box. It’s a butterfly-shaped gland, consisting of two lobes connected by a strip of tissue. The thyroid gland helps regulate metabolism, growth, and maturation by releasing hormones into the bloodstream, specifically triiodothyronine (T3), tetraiodothyronine (thyroxine, or T4), and calcitonin....

Here are some key facts about ankylosing spondylitis and women. 1. Ankylosing spondylitis isn’t just a “man’s disease.” Contrary to historic misconceptions about ankylosing spondylitis, the condition doesn’t predominantly affect men. While the earliest studies of the disease put the incidence rate in men compared with women at about 10 to 1, more recent research shows that the rates are closer to equal for men and women, according to the Spondylitis Association of America (SAA)....

You may hear genetic testing referred to by other terms, such as biomarker testing, mutation testing, genomic testing, or molecular testing. But what does this all mean? And why should you talk to your doctor about it? Each cell in your body contains chromosomes, which are made up of thousands of genes that control how the cell functions. Mutations in the DNA of these genes can affect how cells grow and divide....

“We want to recommend that people keep their ideal body weight, and if they tend to lose weight, they should try to keep their body weight from fluctuating,” says one of the study’s authors, Tae Jung Oh, MD, an assistant professor in the division of endocrinology and metabolism in the department of internal medicine at Seoul National University’s Bundang Hospital in South Korea. Dr. Oh and his team analyzed the health information of 3,678 men and women ages 40 to 96, from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study....

In fact, Black patients in the 18–30 age bracket are twice as likely to die in the first year after their transplant, and 1.5 times as likely to die five years post-transplant, according to the paper, which was published February 2021 in the journal Circulation: Heart Failure. “We wanted to get a clearer picture on exactly where the health disparities are that account for worse outcomes in heart transplants and cardiovascular health,” says Hasina Maredia, MD, an internist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and the lead author of the study....

With remission, you may feel as if your RA has gone away, at least for a while. “That is actually our goal: to be in remission,” says Orrin Troum, MD, a rheumatologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. Achieving this goal can be more challenging for some people who have RA than others. In studies, the incidence of people whose RA was in remission ranged from 5 to 45 percent at any one time....

A CNN article on RAKs affirms some of the potential health benefits we receive from our altruistic activities: a sense of community, lower blood pressure, pain reduction, and happiness. It’s a win-win to practice kindness and volunteer to help others. Still, as much as I value RAKs, when other people offer me kindness or help, I’ve always been reluctant to accept. I was raised believing it’s better not to owe others, that generosity always comes with strings attached....

You can still travel, even with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Travel is an excellent form of exercise and activity for the body, mind, and soul, and most doctors encourage patients with PsA to take trips. Here are 10 easy tips to manage pain and stiffness as you travel easily and safely. Plan Ahead Select a destination that fits your specific psoriatic arthritis and capabilities. Harris H. McIlwain, MD, a Tampa, Florida–based board-certified rheumatologist and author, recommends avoiding climbing pyramid steps, hiking on rocky terrain, or walking on cobblestone streets, especially if you have hip, back, or feet involvement with PsA....

Top Remedies for Skin Problems Learn which skin home remedies work best to help you care for and protect your child’s skin. Colloidal oatmeal. Colloidal oatmeal is ground up into a fine powder that “soothes inflamed skin,” says Andrea Cambio, MD, of Advanced Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery in Cape Coral, Fla. “It can be used for some itchy conditions, like poison ivy and eczema.“Hydrocortisone cream. Over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream can be used for inflammatory skin conditions, Dr....

At the beginning of September, the U.S. Forest Service posted a notice in the Lake Tahoe area of California warning the public that chipmunks, ground squirrels, and other wild rodents in the area had been found to be infected with plague. In August, a local Tahoe resident had fallen ill with the disease after walking his dog along the Truckee River. In the spring of this year, a 20-year-old man in Arriba County, New Mexico, died from the flea-borne illness....

Here are the 12 natural supplements I take every day for depression: 1. Omega-3 Fatty Acids If I had to choose two supplements that make the most difference, I would vote my omega-3 capsules and the probiotic that I take. Don’t skimp on those. I spend the big bucks on a quality brand of fish oil, OmegaBrite, because their capsules contain 70 percent EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) in a 7:1 ratio of EPA to DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)....

With multiple sclerosis (MS), physical symptoms can range from numbness and tingling to vision problems, bladder dysfunction, balance problems, dizziness, and more. But there’s no pattern of symptoms that applies to everyone; MS affects each person differently. One thing everyone with MS can relate to, though, is the unpredictability of a condition that can have you feeling fine one day and lying flat on your back the next. Figuring out how best to live with this incurable disease and the challenges it throws in your path can be overwhelming if you try to do it alone....

In other cases, a person may start to feel better on an antidepressant, but the side effects are too bothersome for them to keep taking it. A review published in February 2018 in the Lancet assessed previous studies of 21 antidepressant medications and concluded that although these drugs are an effective treatment for depression, some work better than others, and some are better tolerated by the body than others. One way to improve your chances of finding the depression medication that works best for you is to look for the following signs that your antidepressant isn’t working well enough or is no longer working the way it should....

No matter how you spend the holidays, healthy eating is critical to your overall health, especially if you’re undergoing cancer treatment. Eating healthy meals chock full of nutrients can help strengthen your immune system, as well as help with fatigue from treatment. “We want all the same components that you’d want anybody to have [in] a balanced diet, modifying as needed to manage any signs, symptoms, [or intolerance] that they’re having,” says Jeanette Lamb, a certified specialist in oncology nutrition at Nuvance Health in Poughkeepsie, New York....

Don’t Worry Too Much About the Sugar Many people think that they should avoid fruits because of the sugar in them. “But there’s a huge difference between a piece of chocolate and a fruit. Yes, every carbohydrate breaks down into sugar. However, fruits have different qualities, such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytonutrients, that can reduce your risk of inflammation, whereas a piece of chocolate is just added sugar with a lot of calories but fewer nutrients,” says registered dietitian nutritionist Ruth Frechman, author of The Easy Arthritis Diet Cookbook: 75 Anti-Inflammatory Recipes to Manage Symptoms....

However, being comfortable preparing meals for yourself at home is important for several reasons. When you see what goes into your food, you control the ingredients and ultimately, how healthy they are. You’re also able to manage calories you take in, which helps keep your weight under control, says rheumatologist Stacy Ardoin, MD, an associate professor in the division of rheumatology and immunology at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus....