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Depending on the cause and person, symptoms of neuropathy can include temporary or permanent numbness; tingling, pricking, or burning sensations; increased sensitivity to touch and pain; muscle weakness or wasting; paralysis or dysfunction in organs or glands; and impairment to urination and sexual function. (2,3) In addition, neuropathy can cause difficulty swallowing and gastrointestinal problems like constipation, nausea, and vomiting, according to Stanford Medicine. In the case of diabetic peripheral neuropathy, the most prevalent form, symptoms involve a progressive change in sensation, as well as pain and weakness that start in the feet (or, less commonly, the hands), and then move their way up the extremities over time....

“People who’ve lived with Crohn’s all their lives get to know their symptoms and flares very well, but even the most experienced can get confused," says Cyrus Tamboli, MD, a gastroenterologist and director of the inflammatory bowel diseases service at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock. A Crohn’s disease flare implies a worsening of the inflammation, but symptoms can occur for other reasons, namely complications of the disease....

Balanced Living: Making the Commitment Balanced living means considering all aspects of your life: relationships, work, fitness and health, and emotional well-being. We all get bogged down with work and family responsibilities from time to time, but making time for yourself is necessary so that you can keep up with all your responsibilities. All batteries get run down, even yours. So recharge your body physically and mentally and make the commitment to enjoy some “you time” every day....

“They would say, ‘I’ve gone to my oncologist, they’ve given me all the [legal] drugs, but I’m still having pain, nausea, and vomiting. My friend got me some stuff from the local drug dealer, and it made me feel better,’” says Dr. Maida, who is an associate professor of palliative medicine at the University of Toronto. “I’ve heard that story hundreds of times.” Although there may be a number of medical uses for cannabis, Maida says it’s especially beneficial for cancer patients and that it should be incorporated into their treatment regimen....

In fact, many women with Crohn’s disease find that their symptoms are worse during their menstrual cycle. Evidence suggests that hormones that fluctuate during your menstrual cycle — estrogen and progesterone — and hormonelike substances called prostaglandins can affect digestive disorders such as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including Crohn’s. Researchers who studied 121 women with IBD found 25 percent of them experienced a change in their menstrual cycle one year before their IBD diagnosis....

HPV can also cause genital warts, which are caused by different types of the virus than those that can lead to cancer. Still other types of HPV can cause common skin warts or plantar warts, which grow on the bottoms of your feet. HPV is actually a group of more than 150 related viruses. Each virus in the group has an assigned number, which is known as its HPV type (or serotype)....

Essential hypertension. This type of hypertension is diagnosed after a doctor notices that your blood pressure is high on three or more visits and eliminates all other causes of hypertension. Usually people with essential hypertension have no symptoms, but you may experience frequent headaches, tiredness, dizziness, or nose bleeds. Although the cause is unknown, researchers do know that obesity, smoking, alcohol, diet, and heredity all play a role in essential hypertension....

— Faye, California Even though your father is nearly 100 years old, there is no specific reason why he shouldn’t be able to get a pacemaker if he is otherwise healthy. A pacemaker can be a life-saving device in the event of heart failure, which is a risk for patients with slow heart rhythms (bradyarrythmias). Since your father has been diagnosed with bradycardia (a resting heart rate of fewer than 60 beats per minute), he could certainly be a candidate for a pacemaker, though it is not clear from your description whether his heart rate has been at that level for some time or if this is a more recent issue....

That’s why, if you aren’t satisfied with how your eczema symptoms are being controlled with your current medication regimen, it’s important to reach out to your doctor, according to Melissa Piliang, MD, a dermatologist at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio. “Because our bodies are unique, we all respond to different medications in different ways. On top of that, we have different personal preferences,” she says. It may take some trial and error, but there are several options for people to manage their atopic dermatitis, Dr....

Almost everyone has experienced heartburn at one time or another. In fact, almost 40 percent of Americans have heartburn symptoms at least once a month. Heartburn and acid reflux occur when acid or other stomach contents back up into your esophagus, the long tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach. Sometimes, acid reflux causes a sour taste in your mouth or a burning sensation that may begin under your breastbone before traveling up to your throat....

But is robotic surgery — in which the surgeon sits at a console controlling robotic “arms” that do the actual surgery — the right choice? Questions of a surgeon’s expertise, the type of hernia, your age and health, and cost all come into play. Here’s what you need to know. First Things First: What Is a Hernia? Hernias are weaknesses or defects in the peritoneum, the band of muscular tissue that keeps your abdominal organs in place....

As you learn about diabetes management, being well versed in low blood sugar symptoms will enable you to detect the signs of impending hypoglycemia and act quickly to head it off or minimize its impact. Diabetes Type and Hypoglycemia Risk Hypoglycemia risk varies across the three different types of diabetes: Type 1 Diabetes People with type 1 diabetes experience hypoglycemia most often, as their diabetes management often requires a lot of attention and careful planning....

Which Cancers Will Dominate or Cause the Most Deaths in 20 Years? What’s new The leading cancer types and their outcomes are predicted to greatly shift by 2040, according to a study published April 7 in JAMA Network Open. Research details Researchers combined current cancer incidence, U.S. Census population projections, and death rates to determine how the cancer landscape might change over the next two decades. Findings showed that by 2040, breast cancer would remain the most common cancer type, followed by melanoma, lung cancer, and colon cancer....

And when attacks do occur, they may make participating in work, school, or social events difficult. While the average untreated attack lasts between 24 and 72 hours, some episodes may persist for more than a week. (1) Common Hereditary Angioedema (HAE) Challenges Some common challenges people with HAE face include: Getting an accurate diagnosisHaving a rare illness that few people have heard ofFeeling isolated, lonely, or depressedFinding a doctor who understands and treats HAEExperiencing unpredictable, debilitating attacksParticipating in everyday activities (2)...

“Immediately upon diagnosis, folks often feel a great deal of embarrassment and anger. They may also feel sadness and fear that no one will want them in the future,” says Lindsay Henderson, PsyD, a psychologist based in Pittsford, New York, and the director of psychological services for LiveHealth Online. “There is a stigma around any sexually transmitted disease, including herpes.” Research shows that the biggest fears for most people who have genital herpes include the fear of giving the disease to partners and discussing their herpes as they form new relationships, according to H....

That’s the conclusion of a new study published today, June 18, 2018, in the journal Arthritis Care & Research, by researchers at Wake Forest University. “For overweight and obese adults with knee osteoarthritis (KOA), substantially greater weight loss, achieved safely, brings with it additional benefits,” says study coauthor Stephen Messier, PhD, professor of health and exercise science at Wake Forest University, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Extra Weight Loss Equals Fewer Osteoarthritis Disease Markers While everyone who lost weight got some benefits, people dropping 20 percent or more of their body weight saw an extra 25 percent reduction in some osteoarthritis disease markers compared with people losing from 10 to 20 percent, he says....

Vision loss can also take its toll on your emotional health: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cautions that people who can’t see well may choose to stop driving, reading, or traveling, and may also be more likely to develop depression later on. The good news: If you have DME, working with an occupational therapist or low vision specialist who can help you use low vision aids — i....

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to help power through the bad days. Start with these nine coping skills from real people managing RA for help getting through even the worst days. Say “Om.” Meredith Hutter, 51, practices what she preaches. A yoga instructor in the Poconos in Pennsylvania, Hutter was diagnosed with RA six years ago — but has since had her diagnosis reversed. “Yoga, movement, self-massage with therapy balls, and meditation are what I turn to, especially when times are tough,” she says....

Here’s what parents and others should know about managing hives in children. Fortunately, they’re not contagious, and they can disappear as quickly as they appear, usually within 24 hours for a single hive, says Adam Friedman, MD, a professor and chair of dermatology at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, DC. As with adults, hives in kids occur in response to some trigger or allergen, often appearing within two hours of exposure....

Melanoma begins in skin cells called melanocytes. Melanocytes make a pigment called melanin, which protects skin from the sun. They also produce moles, which are usually harmless but occasionally can become cancerous. A melanoma can look like a mole. It is usually brown or black but can also be skin-colored, purple, blue, red, pink, or white. Knowing the difference between a normal mole and a cancerous one, doing regular skin self-exams, and visiting a dermatologist for skin checks on a regular schedule can all be lifesaving....