I have always thought that measles were almost “extinct” in most parts of the U.S. today. When I was a kid, it was a different story. Measles and chicken pox were quite common and every baby that was born had to have shots (at least for measles) in order to avoid contracting the disease. I thought for sure that the problem had been eradicated. That is, until I read on MSN that we are having measles cases all over the country again. In fact, the report ...

The Health Department has recently issued a warning about the West Nile Virus. According to health officials, the virus is at its worst during the fall – which we are about to enter here soon – and that people should be even more careful. As recent as the 15th of August, there have been cases of West Nile Virus infection. The Center for Disease Control has provided detailed information on how to protect yourself from possible infection: When dealing with West Nile virus, prevention is your best ...

Traveling would perhaps be one of the biggest concerns of a person with IBS. If one were to merely stay at home, he would be able to do his business anytime without any inconvenience. Going out is another story altogether. So how can a person with IBS enjoy traveling? Here are some tips to make that vacation better, courtesy of the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD). Allow enough time in the morning to get to the airport on time without worry. When ...

If you think that you have IBS, the first thing that you should do is consult your doctor. It might be embarrassing, true, but that is really the best course of action to take. However, if you are like some people who would avoid going to the doctor at all costs, there are some things that you could do to alleviate your IBS symptoms. (Still, I am strongly suggesting that you seek professional help.) For your sake, though, here are some ways you can ...

In the previous post, we took a look at the condition called Irritable Bowl Syndrome, or IBS. This time, let us take a look at the symptoms of IBS. Doctors generally use a list of symptoms to diagnose a patient. This is called the Rome III Diagnostic Criteria and it is used to differentiate IBS from other gastrointestinal problems. Here is the Criteria, as presented in the About IBS web site: Recurrent abdominal pain or discomfort** at least 3 days per month in the last 3 months ...

I bet that you have heard of IBS, or irritable bowel syndrome, before. It is one of the most uncomfortable and embarrassing conditions known to man. Perhaps that is why despite the fact that it is a recognized condition, not many people are open to discussing it. So what is IBS exactly? According to Barbara Bradley Bolen: Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a digestive disorder that many people have, but few people talk about. It is estimated that IBS affects up to 15% of the population with its ...

The S-word creates quite a big stir each time it is mentioned in the news. It used to be chicken that was in the forefront when the issue of salmonella came up. Now it’s in tomatoes! So what happened? News-Medical.net reports: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says a cluster of nine cases of salmonella poisoning in a single geographic location, may lead to the source of an outbreak - it appears that all of the sickened individuals ate similar tomatoes. The cluster is possibly nine cases reported by the Chicago Department of Health where ...

As mentioned in the previous post, back pain is not a disease in itself, it is usually indicative of some other underlying problem. The truth is that many episodes of back pain disappear within a few weeks – that is the good news. The bad news is that back pain can – and has – baffled doctors for a long time. The key, however, to managing back pain is to identify what is causing it. Here are some of the most common causes of back pain. Muscle strain Have you ever ...

Up to 90% of all Americans experience back pain at some point in their lives. If you have ever experienced back pain, you know how inconvenient it can be. Pain in the lower back is even more painful. The thing about low back pain is that it is normally a disease in itself. Instead, it is usually indicative of another condition. This is the start of a short series on back pain. The reason behind this is that I have had lower back pains for a week. ...

If you find out that you have tachycardia, what are you supposed to do? The obvious answer would be to consult with your doctor and figure out things that you can do in order to treat your condition. One thing is for sure – the treatment options will depend on the cause of tachycardia. One common option would be to prescribe medication. These drugs are meant to slow down the heart rate and some of them may have to be taken for life. This, of course, depends on the nature ...