breast cancer

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) definition and facts Readers Comments 1 Share Your Story Picture of SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) SIBO stands for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. SIBO can be considered to be of two types. One is associated with identifiable diseases or conditions of the intestines. The other is not. SIBO of either …

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) facts* Readers Comments 5 Share Your Story Picture of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) *Pelvic inflammatory facts medical author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an infection and inflammation of a woman's pelvic organs including the uterus (womb), Fallopian tubes (tubes), ovaries, and cervix. PID is very common and is estimated to affect around …

What are angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs? How do they work (mechanism of action)? Angiotensin II is a very potent chemical formed in the blood that causes muscles surrounding blood vessels to contract, thereby narrowing the vessels. This narrowing increases the pressure within the vessels and can cause high blood pressure (hypertension). Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) are medications that block …

Urinary incontinence (UI) in women facts Weakness of the pelvic floor muscles and tissues that support the bladder and urethra causes stress incontinence. *Urinary incontinence (UI) in women facts medical author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD The definition of urinary incontinence in women is the unintentional loss of urine. Urinary incontinence occurs more often in women than in men. Pregnancy, childbirth, …

Tramadol vs. codeine comparison Tramadol (Ultram) and codeine are both opiates and narcotics prescribed for moderate pain. Codeine is also a cough suppressant. Codeine is derived from the poppy plant like other narcotics, including morphine, heroin, and opium. Tramadol, on the other hand, is synthetic, though it is similar to codeine. Both these drugs are less potent than other opiates, …

What are ticks? What are bedbugs? Share Your Story Tick bites can transmit disease. Ticks are arthropods (tick members are mainly hard [Ixodidae] or soft [Argasidae] ticks) that are obligate blood suckers that can, through bites, transmit diseases to humans and many animals. Bedbugs (Cimex genus only) are insects that are blood-sucking parasites of some animals and birds that can …

What is amoxicillin? How does it work (mechanism of action)? Amoxicillin belongs to a class of antibiotics called penicillins. Other members of this class include ampicillin (Unasyn), piperacillin (Pipracil), ticarcillin (Ticar), and several others. These antibiotics all have a similar mechanism of action. They do not directly kill bacteria, but they stop bacteria from multiplying by preventing bacteria from forming …

Whooping cough (pertussis) facts Is Whooping Cough Highly Contagious? Whooping cough (pertussis) is an acute, highly contagious bacterial infection. The bacterium Bordetella pertussis causes this respiratory infection. Whooping cough commonly affects infants and young children, but immunization with the pertussis vaccine can prevent the infection. Young infants are at greatest risk for complications and even death from this respiratory disease. …

What are steroids? Readers Comments 5 Share Your Story A syringe and an assortment of steroid pills; photo by iStock Steroids (short for corticosteroids) are synthetic drugs that closely resemble cortisol, a hormone that your body produces naturally. Steroids work by decreasing inflammation and reducing the activity of the immune system. They are used to treat a variety of inflammatory …

Heat-related illness (hyperthermia) definition and facts What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Dehydration? Hyperthermia is overheating of the body. Heat-related illness occurs as a result of heat exposure. Heat-related illnesses include heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps, heat syncope (fainting), and heat rash. Heat stroke is the most severe form of heat-related illness, and requires immediate medical attention. Certain …