Diseases & Conditions Archive

Some people are much more prone than others to headaches related to dehydration. People who are more susceptible can avoid the headaches by making sure they drink enough fluids daily.

Allergies that cause nasal congestion, sneezing, and a runny nose (what doctors call allergic rhinitis) can cause more frequent and louder snoring. Treating allergic rhinitis can reduce snoring and other symptoms related to poor-quality sleep.

Tinnitus is an internal high-pitched ringing, whooshing, or hissing noise. The condition can make it hard to concentrate, reduce sleep quality, and cause irritability, nervousness, anxiety, depression, or feelings of hopelessness. Methods for easing tinnitus symptoms include treatment of underlying conditions, trigger avoidance, hearing aids, sound masking devices, exercise, stress reduction, and social connection. Certain programs can also help reduce tinnitus symptoms, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, group support, and tinnitus retraining therapy.

Constipation can describe many types of problems with moving your bowels. It becomes chronic when it lasts for weeks or months. Many people are interested in natural remedies for constipation, and one of the most common is adding fiber to your diet. A new study compared three natural sources of fiber, with encouraging results.

If you need surgery, does the sex of the surgeon matter? A study reviewed procedures done in Canada over a 12-year period involving more than a million adults, and found that in general, people operated on by female surgeons were less likely to experience complications. But why?

Most skin spots are harmless, but it's important to be able to distinguish them from skin cancers and precancers.

Though decades of research have suggested risk factors for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a specific cause remains unknown. New research studied professional football players and found that they had a much higher risk of developing ALS than men in the general population, though the study was only observational.

A recent analysis found evidence mixed on whether zinc can help prevent or treat a cold. However, there appears to be no significant harm from taking over-the-counter zinc products in safe amounts per the label's instructions.

A study published online Aug. 26, 2021, by The Lancet found that blood pressure treatment protects against heart attacks, strokes, and other major cardiovascular disease problems in people up to age 85 and possibly older. For people younger than 75, the study confirmed that people taking blood pressure medicines had 10% to 20% fewer cardiovascular disease problems. For people 75 to 84, there still was a 10% reduction. For people older than 85, the results were mixed, but there still appeared to be a benefit from blood pressure treatment.