Psoriatic arthritis is not life-threatening, but it can reduce a patient’s life expectancy by three years. Here is how to properly manage the disease. Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic (long-standing), inflammatory disease, affecting up to one percent of the adult population. About 40 percent of patients with psoriasis are also affected by this type …

Ulcerative colitis is a condition that causes blood stool, diarrhea, rectal pain and other symptoms. Ulcerative colitis is diagnosed with blood tests, stool tests and imaging tests. It is OK to experience a bout of occasional abdominal cramps and diarrhea. However, if you have been experiencing these symptoms frequently, consult your doctor. It may be a sign of inflammatory bowel …

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) symptoms often resemble a cold. Learn how to recognize signs of RSV in your baby Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), also called human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) and human orthopneumovirus, causes infections of the respiratory tract.  Almost all babies get RSV at some point before they reach 2 years old. For most healthy babies, symptoms are similar …

Depending on the severity of your asthma, treatment may include quick-relief or controller medicines, a combination of both or the use of biologics. Though there is no cure for asthma, the good news is that symptoms get less severe with age. Additionally, symptoms can also be controlled with effective treatment and management. Medication is always the first choice and most …

Eosinophilic asthma is a type of asthma that is hard to manage and quite severe. Here are the symptoms of this respiratory condition. Patients with eosinophilic asthma may exhibit poor asthma control, experiencing more frequent and life-threatening asthma attacks. Unlike other forms of asthma, this form may affect the entire respiratory system, not just the lungs. The symptoms of eosinophilic …

Pain management for ankylosing spondylitis requires identifying the triggers that aggravate your symptoms. Here are those possible causes of AS. Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) occurs when the body’s immune system attacks its own joints for reasons that are not yet well understood. Joints between the bones in the spine and/or between the spine and pelvis are usually the first targets of …

Understand the five symptoms of an asthma attack to better get the treatment you need during an episode. Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by episodic swelling and narrowing of the airways. While it often starts in childhood, adult-onset asthma is also possible. Asthma attack symptoms arise due to inflammation in the airways, stress or seasonal changes. These symptoms …

Facts you should know about suicide Suicide is the act of purposely ending one's own life. How societies view suicide varies by culture, religion, ethnic norms, and the circumstances under which it occurs. More than 800,000 people worldwide commit suicide each year — nearly 45,000 as recently as in 2016 in the United States. Self-mutilation is the act of deliberately …

A woman seeks treatment for ringworm from a doctor.Source: MedicineNet Facts you should know about ringworm Ringworm is a common fungal skin infection and is not due to a worm. The medical term for ringworm is tinea. The skin disease is further named for the site of the body where the infection occurs. Some types of ringworm infection include tinea …

Facts you should know about pityriasis rosea Picture of pityriasis rosea on the torso; photo courtesy of Gary W. Cole, MD, FAAD Pityriasis rosea is a skin condition that begins as a single, large pink oval-shaped patch found on the trunk of the body called the "herald patch." The herald patch is followed one to two weeks later with a …