Toenail fungus, or onychomycosis, is a nail infection that can make your toenails thicker, change color, or break apart. It affects about one in 10 people and is common in adults over 60. While fungi are the most common cause, yeasts and molds can also play a part. There are four types of toenail fungus you can have,…
Sunburned lips can happen because the skin on the lips is thin and delicate, leaving it vulnerable to damage from ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight or tanning beds. Both types of UV light (UVA and UVB) can damage the cells of the outer layer of your skin, causing your body to respond with the redness…
Atrophic gastritis (AG), also called metaplastic atrophic gastritis (MAG), is a chronic (long-lasting) inflammation of the stomach lining, which leads to the thinning and loss of protective cells that help with digestion in the stomach. AG is a precancerous condition that increases your risk of gastric (stomach) cancer. This condition is often caused by a…
Sarcopenic obesity is a condition that occurs when you have both obesity (excess body weight) and sarcopenia (low muscle mass). Up to 23% of people may have sarcopenic obesity. Sarcopenic obesity has features of both obesity and sarcopenia. These include a lower-than-average muscle mass and a higher percentage of body weight from fat versus muscle…
Eczema is a long-term condition where an overactive immune response causes skin inflammation (swelling) and irritation. Eczema leads to dry, itchy patches of skin that may ooze and become thicker over time. The patches usually look red or discolored. They may flare up and get better in cycles. There’s no cure for eczema yet, but…
Pyuria is a term that describes the presence of pus, which is mostly made up of white blood cells, in urine. Urine typically contains very few or no white blood cells. The most common cause of pyuria is a urinary tract infection (UTI), but other conditions can also cause it. Pyuria may also occur as…
Skin tags, medically known as acrochordons, are growths that develop on the skin’s surface. Certain health conditions, such as obesity, pregnancy, diabetes, or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), can increase your risk of anal skin tags, which form on the skin surrounding your anus. An anal skin tag is usually harmless and doesn’t require treatment unless…
Muscle aches and pain, known also as myalgia, are a common symptom of COVID-19. This achiness can happen when the virus triggers body-wide inflammation. The pain typically resolves within about two weeks. Some people who develop long COVID may have muscle pain for weeks or months after. According to some estimates, about 86% of people…
Vasovagal syncope is the most common type of fainting, a temporary loss of consciousness. It’s a condition that happens when your blood pressure and heart rate suddenly drop, delivering less oxygen to your brain. This response usually occurs when your nervous system gets overstimulated by something physically or emotionally stressful, for example, seeing blood or…
Toxic megacolon is a serious condition of the large intestine, or colon, that affects how well food moves through the digestive system. Digestive symptoms like bloating and nausea are common. Almost half of all toxic megacolon cases are triggered by inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), like ulcerative colitis. Prompt medical treatment is vital to minimize the…
