Health Articles

RSS

Emotional Overeating

Emotional overeating is when a person eats more than they need due to negative feelings that they are experiencing. If this type of eating becomes a regular pattern, it may result in other negative consequences in the patient.

25 May 2016

Is Smoking Shisha Harmful?

Smoking shisha is a form of smoking tobacco that was established in Persia and India centuries ago. It is also called hookah, narghile, argileh, waterpipe, goza or hubble bubble smoking.

25 May 2016

Pemphigoid Gestationis / Gestational Pemphigoid

Pemphigoid gestationis (PG) is a very rare pregnancy-associated autoimmune skin disease that is characterized by an itchy rash that progresses to form blisters. Initially, the rash appears around the navel before spreading to other parts of the body including the back, trunk, arms, and buttocks. Areas such as the face, scalp, palms, soles and mucous membranes are very rarely affected.

22 May 2016

Bullous Pemphigoid

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is a condition that affects the skin with an autoimmune etiology. It is often seen in those over the age of 80 and the prevalence is even higher in elderly people with neurological comorbidities such as stroke, Parkinson disease and dementia.

22 May 2016

Mucous Membrane Pemphigoid / Cicatricial Pemphigoid

Mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP) encompasses a heterogeneous group of diseases, which predominantly affects the elderly. The peak incidence is at roughly 70 years. However, rare childhood cases have also been reported. There is no racial or ethnic predilection associated with MMP, but the condition does appear to be twice as common in women than it is in men. For completeness, MMP is also termed cicatricial pemphigoid, oral pemphigoid and ocular pemphigoid.

22 May 2016

Why Does Coumadin Necrosis Occur?

Coumadin-induced skin necrosis (CISN) is also known as warfarin-induced skin necrosis (WISN). It is a rare, unpredictable complication in response to oral anticoagulant therapy (warfarin), which is associated with both a high morbidity and mortality. It typically occurs between days 3-8 following the initiation of warfarin therapy.

22 May 2016

Livedoid Vasculopathy / Livedoid Vasculitis

Livedoid vasculopathy (LV) is a painful, recurrent and chronic disorder of the microcirculation in the skin. LV is also known as livedoid vasculitis and it is a relatively rare dermatosis that occurs most commonly in women from their youth to middle ages. The lesions are often located in the distal parts of the lower extremities and feet.

22 May 2016

Using a Peak Flow Meter

A peak flow meter is a user-friendly, portable device that helps measure the ability of the lungs to expel air. It estimates peak expiratory flow rate which is a measure of how rapidly air can be exhaled from your lungs, after taking a deep breath. This gives an idea about how well air is moving through the airways. In cases like asthma-related bronchoconstriction, peak flow levels will be low. Peak flow measurements at regular intervals help keep track of the level of control of asthma by detecting the narrowing of airways before symptoms occur.

22 May 2016

Diabulimia Eating Disorder

Diabulimia is an eating disorder that can affect people who suffer from type 1 diabetes. In this condition, the patient may also reduce the levels of insulin injections they require in an attempt to lose weight. This, however, puts them at danger of other complications because it results in a rise of glucose in the blood.

22 May 2016

What is Pica Eating Disorder?

Pica is an eating disorder where an individual has a preference for eating items that have no perceived nutritional value to the human body.

22 May 2016

Blisters, Corns and Calluses

Blisters, corns and calluses are all fairly common conditions that affect the skin anywhere on the body. Blister and corns develop most commonly over the skin of the hands and feet, while calluses occur mostly on the feet.

19 May 2016

Causes and Treatment of Keratosis Pilaris

Keratosis pilaris is caused by abnormally high buildup of keratin. The reason for this buildup is still not clear. However, studies indicate that it can be associated with some skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis (eczema) or genetic disorders.

19 May 2016

What is Keratosis Pilaris?

Keratosis pilaris is a very common skin condition in which keratin forms hard plugs in the hair follicles.

19 May 2016

Health Risks of Binge Eating Disorder

Binge eating disorder (BED), a condition where a person repeatedly eats significantly more food over a certain period of time without purging, can cause major health risks for the individual. The risks of BED can be both physical and psychological for the patient.

19 May 2016

What Causes Binge Eating Disorder?

Binge eating disorder is a condition that involves a person rapidly and excessively eating over a period of time and then feeling embarrassed about their over-consumption. In comparison to other disorders, the person does not purge the food afterwards.

19 May 2016

What is Erythema Multiforme?

Erythema multiforme is a hypersensitivity disorder that mostly affects children and young adults, though it can affect people of any age. Erythema multiforme is part of a group of 3 related skin disorders and it is the mildest of the three. The other two more severe disorders are Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis. Erythema multiforme is a very rare condition affecting males more than females.

19 May 2016

Microcephaly Epidemiology

Microcephaly is a condition that causes smaller than average head in an affected baby or infant. The disease is either congenital or acquired but it cannot be cured. Patients tend to have an underdeveloped brain which leads to neurological issues or other complications. If the disease is diagnosed early, medical staff can put in place actions to limit any further damage to the developing infant’s brain and abilities.

19 May 2016

Microcephaly Diagnosis: During Pregnancy and After Birth

Microcephaly is a condition in which a newborn baby has a much smaller head circumference than expected for the average infant at the same stage of development. Sometimes a child is born with no sign of microcephaly but develops symptoms later on due to other external factors. In order to take necessary steps to find out what is causing the condition and perhaps prevent it from getting any worse, timely diagnosis is very crucial.

19 May 2016

Microcephaly Complications

Microcephaly, a medical condition characterized by an abnormally small head in affected individuals, often has other complications. This is not always the case as the only sign some children have is a reduced head circumference. However, depending on the severity and reasons behind microcephaly, the new born baby or child may have other medical challenges to deal with. Babies with the condition often make high pitched crying sounds and may not be able to feed properly. Some children also experience difficulty in swallowing food.

19 May 2016