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If you have ankylosing spondylitis (AS), your physical condition can be another layer of uncertainty in this task. You may wonder whether pain, stiffness, or other AS symptoms will allow you to use a particular bike as much as you’d like, or you may even worry that using a bike the wrong way could make your symptoms worse. It’s valid to have concerns about bicycling with AS, and normal to be baffled about how to choose a bike and get started....

Recognize the Symptoms A lack of remorse can be characterized by those who show indifference after having hurt someone physically, mentally or emotionally. Many of the symptoms can become dangerous not only for the person afflicted with the personality disorder, but also for those close to the individual. When an individual begins showing reckless disregard for their own safety and for the safety of those around them, it can become very worrisome and dangerous, especially when coupled with impulsivity....

You decided to stop smoking? Great — it’s one of the best things you can do for your health. But quitting isn’t easy. Nicotine — the addictive ingredient in tobacco — is as addictive as heroin or cocaine, according to the American Cancer Society. In fact, the average person attempts to quit six times before succeeding. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to set yourself up for success and kick the habit for good....

I tell people I’m a night owl, but in actuality, I feel frustrated when I’m lying awake in bed gripped by insomnia. Many of those times, it’s my unrelenting skin irritation and itchiness that keep me from getting a good night’s sleep. Skin flakes scattered on my pillow and bedsheet confirm I’ve been scratching at night. Waking up in the morning for work feels that much harder when my skin is itchy and I don’t feel rested....

While the therapy holds potential, researchers are still learning about how it affects ovarian cancer. Most people with ovarian cancer will discover they have the disease when it’s already spread, or metastasized, to other parts of their body. Standard treatments, which usually include surgery and chemotherapy, are effective, but the cancer frequently returns. (1) Though only limited research currently supports the effectiveness of immunotherapy for ovarian cancer, it could one day be a standard of care for some patients....

Similarly, if atopic dermatitis has dealt a blow to your self-esteem, you may struggle to appreciate your body and all the good things about it. These negative thoughts and feelings frequently lead to negative thinking about other things, so it can be helpful from time to time to assess whether your skin condition is having an adverse effect on your mental health and emotional well-being. “Any skin disease that can cover a significant amount of someone’s body — and the parts of their body that the world sees — can make people very self conscious and affect their self-esteem,” says Amy Wechsler, MD, a New York City–based skin health expert who is board certified in both dermatology and psychiatry....

Yogurt is a cultured or fermented milk product that is soured and thickened by adding specific lactic acid-producing cultures to milk. The basic cultures or probiotics used to make yogurt are Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. Additional probiotics are often added. Common ones are Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, and Bifidus, all of which may help to maintain the balance of bacteria needed to boost the immune system and promote a healthy digestive tract....

Research suggests that people who are lactose intolerant can still consume a 12-gram dose of lactose — about equal to the amount that’s in a cup of milk — and experience few or no symptoms. The best way to manage your lactose intolerance is to maintain a lactose-free diet or keep your periodic consumption of lactose below the 12-gram limit. Lactose-Containing Foods Aside from milk (including evaporated and condensed), there are many other foods that commonly contain lactose, such as:...

But eventually Rimes grew tired of hiding. So in October 2020, to mark the occasion of World Psoriasis Day, she went on social media to share head-to-toe photos of herself during a full-on flare — and was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support she received. A year later, Rimes is speaking up about her psoriasis again on the podcast series PsO in the Know, hosted by another music powerhouse with psoriasis, Cyndi Lauper....

Some leukemias respond well to treatment, while others are more stubborn. Very slow growing cancers may not require any medical intervention for several years. You and your doctor will likely discuss the benefits and risks of each potential therapy before deciding on a treatment. (1) Therapies Used to Treat Leukemia Chemotherapy Chemotherapy uses medication to kill leukemia cells in your body. It can be given as a pill, an under-the-skin injection, or an injection into the bloodstream....

My subconscious reviews the previous day’s and night’s endeavors and hands things over to the day shift. It lets “awake me” know how “asleep me” (often “not-asleep me”) handled the overnight work of living with multiple sclerosis (MS). As my eyes adjust to the light or dark of a North Atlantic morning, I review the schedule of the day and assess whether and where the disease is fanning old embers or lighting new fires with which I’ll need to contend....

IBS causes belly pain along with changes in bowel habits, either diarrhea or constipation. GERD causes acid reflux, commonly referred to as heartburn. Having one of these conditions can be bad enough, but many people have to deal with both. Several studies have found a strong link between GERD and IBS. A study published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology looked at data on more than 6,000 people and found that about 63 percent of those diagnosed with IBS had GERD symptoms, too....

Since the beginning of November, 64 measles cases have been confirmed in children and teens in and around Columbus, Ohio, according to an update from state health officials on December 9. So far, 25 kids have been hospitalized with severe infections. The majority of cases — more than 90 percent — struck children age 5 years or younger. More than half the patients were infants or toddlers. Three of the infected children had received the first, but not the second, dose of the recommended measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine....

In most cases, medications lead to temporary hair loss, and your hair will grow back once you adjust the dose or stop taking the medication. In other cases, however, medications can cause you to develop male or female pattern baldness, leading to permanent hair loss. If you are concerned that a medication you are taking may be contributing to your balding, ask your pharmacist for a complete list of the manufacturer’s warnings for the medication....

In the letter, the Centner Academy advised parents to consider vaccinating their children in the summer “when there will be time for the potential transmission or shedding onto others to decrease.” David Centner, one of the school’s founders, told the Washington Post that the decision was a “precautionary measure” based on “numerous anecdotal cases that have been in circulation.” He recognized that the policy might not be based on fact, but says it was introduced out of concern for the health of the school community and as an effort to “err on the side of caution....

Results of the study, which researchers say is currently the largest to examine the effects of alcohol in people with existing cardiovascular symptoms, indicate that light or even moderate drinking reduces the risk of heart attack, stroke, and death for those with heart disease. Specifically, averaging between three-and-a-half and seven drinks per week (of any kind of alcohol) was associated with a decreased risk of cardiac event recurrence and mortality from any cause compared with both heavy drinkers and nondrinkers....

These findings further strengthen existing literature, including a study published in October 2018 in JAMA, which found that bariatric surgery was associated with a 40 percent reduced risk of heart attack and stroke in people with type 2 diabetes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adults with type 2 diabetes are 2 times as likely to die of heart disease compared with those without type 2 diabetes....

I’m now adjusting back to my home time zone and getting back to my old routines. Getting Back on Track Takes Longer Than Getting Off Most of us, likely, have experienced the slow reentry into normalcy after holidays or a bit of time away from our routines. Mealtimes, food choices, exercise regimes, sleep patterns, alcohol consumption, and so many more things fall in or out of place, and it can be tough to steady ourselves and move forward again....

For me, Lhermitte’s Sign was one of the early symptoms of multiple sclerosis which I ignored and/or explained away for years before my diagnosis. It is medically (and rather vaguely) described as: “A brief, stabbing, electric-shock-like sensation that runs from the back of the head down the spine, brought on by bending the neck forward” As this sensation can be very brief, you can see why it can be easily ignored....

The following tips, tools, and resources can help you to live well with multiple sclerosis. Diet for MS How food can improve or worsen various chronic illnesses is a growing area of research. Although some people with MS may experience symptom relief when they eliminate or add certain foods to their diet, there’s no evidence yet that any particular diet can affect disease progression in MS. It’s a good idea to discuss any specific dietary changes you’d like to make with your doctor; some popular diets could have a negative impact on MS....