Diseases & secondary effects
Learn about the causes and treatment of diseases such as diabetes, anemia or cancer, as well as the secondary effects of the intake of certain drugs, treatments and vitamin supplements.
87 articles
Swelling in the lower limbs is common, but it can be a sign of various conditions ranging from harmless to serious. Sometimes, it’s due to standing too long or warm weather; other times, it could indicate underlying health issues like poor circulation, heart disease, or kidney problems.
In this oneHOWTO article,...
Many of us have accidentally swallowed a piece of gum and lived to tell the tale. Whether or not it is bad to swallow gum is a common question for this reason. Unlike other types of food, chewing gum is not meant to be ingested. This does not mean you will die if you swallow chewing gum. Some of us may...
Ever feel stuffy or struggle with allergies at home? High humidity could be the culprit. But don't worry! Dehumidifiers can be your secret weapon for creating a comfortable and healthy living space. A dehumidifier is an appliance designed to remove excess moisture from the air in your home. We'll explore...
Whether you can kneel after having a knee replaced will depend on the individual and their circumstances. Generally speaking, it is possible to kneel after an artificial knee is implanted, but it often requires time. In rare occasions, someone may never be able to fully kneel again. However, most patients...
Lipedema is a pathology related to the production of excess adipose tissue which occurs almost exclusively in women. It is a little-known disease, but it can seriously affect the quality of life of those affected. Although it may be associated with obesity, it is a different condition and it can also affect...
The body has a series of joints that work to facilitate the performance of movements of all kinds. The hip is one of the most important for locomotion, but it is also one which is most prone to injury. This is partly because it is responsible for carrying much of the body's weight and issues such as...
Whitish spots on the nails, in various forms and extensions, are a fairly common problem that in most cases is not serious. However, it is always a good idea to consult a dermatologist, because although it is not common, it could be an indication of a health problem. These spots can have different causes...
Knowing a person's blood type is important for both giving and receiving blood. Although in emergency situations, most patients will be given O-negative blood as this works on all blood types. When we have non-emergency medical procedures which require blood transfusions, we will need to know our blood...
The astringent diet is a special diet designed to help with various gastrointestinal problems, such as gastroenteritis or diarrhea. After these diseases, the body has to deal with a great loss of nutrients. You can help your body by eating soft foods that do not require much work from the digestive system....
Astigmatism is a vision problem that affects many people. It is an ocular anomaly which derives from an irregular curvature of the cornea. The result is a distortion in vision. When someone has acute vision, they can distinguish objects in their environment easily. Astigmatism causes objects to be so distorted,...
A burning sensation on the anus can occur during a bowel movement, but often does so seemingly out of the blue. Although everyone poops, discussing issues which affect the anus is still stigmatized. It can be difficult for us to know what problems may cause a burning rectum, let alone how we may treat them....
Cryotherapy or cold therapy consists of the local or general use of very low temperatures to treat injuries, regenerate tissues and relieve muscular pain. In principle it can be applied to any part of the body, adapting the intensity to the area, the type of injury and the type of skin.
During cryotherapy,...
Donating blood is not an entirely selfless act. If we ourselves don't require a blood transfusion at some point in our lives, someone close to us surely will. Without any risk to our own health, blood donors help save the lives of thousands of people per day. Since blood scarcity is a problem, volunteers...
For anyone who has to wear glasses when walking outside, a mask can be practically difficult to wear. To do its job, the mask has to stop certain particles passing through the material, but air will also be difficult to pass. For this reason, the air rises above the top of the mask and fogs up our glasses....
Diarrhea is a fairly common digestive problem which can be incredibly uncomfortable and annoying. Whether due to indigestion or other digestive problems, the fact is that diarrhea is not fun and can really interfere with your daily routine. But, how can you treat diarrhea naturally? Well, keep reading to...
Heat wave, heating in the house or a heating pad, it doesn’t matter, have you ever noticed heat causing cramps and diarrhea? It’s important to remember some symptoms of heat stroke include palpitations, dehydration and diarrhea. But, why does heat sometimes cause diarrhea and cramps?
If you’re wondering...
Having pain in your lower left hand side back can be frightening and uncomfortable. Pain in this area can be a sign of an organ issue in your abdominal region. Except for kidneys, most internal organs are located in the front part of your body, but that doesn’t mean it cannot cause pain in your lower...
Do you suffer from pain behind the kneecap? It is common to suffer from bad knees, especially if you are an athlete, elderly or do a lot of sport. The area behind the knee, if not treated correctly, can injure easily. There are several types of injuries and conditions which can affect the general knee...
Vasculitis is a general term given to any disease that leads to inflammation of the blood vessels. When your blood vessels are inflamed, the affected body part becomes weak and can either increase or decrease in size. Sometimes, it narrows to the point it entirely closes off and blocks. Symptoms may...
Tonsillitis is a condition in which tonsils become red and swollen due to viral or bacterial infection. It is a common condition suffered by children from 5 to 15 years of age, but adults can also have it from time to time. If your tonsils become infected too often, and if you are not able to breathe...
There are different areas of the body that, due to their disposition and shape, have a tendency to smell bad. Discharge, the armpits or the navel are clear examples of those areas that, if they are not washed regularly and in a correct way, can end up causing bad smell.
But not only hygiene, or lack...
Cold sores, also known as fever blisters, herpes labialis or oral herpes, are a kind of infection which affect lips or the area around the mouth. They are caused by HSV-1 (herpes simplex virus 1). Cold sores may take as long as 2-3 weeks to heal completely, but the virus causing them will still be laying...
Eosinophilic folliculitis is a recurrent skin disease most commonly occurring in HIV positive individuals for unknown causes. It may also affect HIV negative individuals with the name of Ofuji disease, which is why the cause for Eosinophillic Folliculitis will determine how long it lasts, although it can...
Many people feel itching in the anus at night, which regularly does not allow them to sleep peacefully. In addition, the continuous scratching can lead to the appearance of wounds, inflammation in the rectum, slight bleeding, etc. This is why it's important to know the causes of itching in the anus so...
Balanitis is a disease which works similarly to yeast infections, except it solely affects the glans penis of a male penis. The glans penis is the bulbous head of a penis which is covered in foreskin if uncircumcised. As balanitis is often caused by fungal infection, cleanliness is an issue. Uncircumcised...
low difficulty
Blood blisters are red fluid-filled bumps under the skin. When a mild injury is sustained, such as a pinch, blood is released from the blood vessels and forms a fluid filled sac. The best way to prevent blood blisters is to lower the risk of knocking parts of your body against objects.
For instance,...
Anemia is a condition that occurs when the amount of red blood cells decreases considerably or these cells don't contain enough hemoglobin. This can happen due to several factors, including following a diet low in iron and blood loss from bleeding or certain diseases. To increase iron levels and combat...
Body temperature allows us to evaluate the efficiency of the thermal regulation which occurs in the human body in relation to environmental temperatures and the intensity of the activities we do. The peripheral temperature (skin, mucous membranes, muscles, limbs, etc.) varies a lot. Normal body temperature...
Some of the people who suffer from restless leg syndrome might already know that there are essential oils that are beneficial for such condition. Restless leg syndrome is a condition an incredible amount of people suffer from. It leads to itchiness, insomnia and general nervousness. Moreover, traditional...
low difficulty
To keep your stomach healthy and free from digestive trouble or any other problems you need to eat a balanced diet. But we often feel bloated and extremely heavy when we eat too much, which is when it is recommended to help our body detox. Natural ingredients can be great allies to feel much better on...
medium difficulty
Pin prick heart pain, pricking pain in the chest, or the feeling of pins and needles down the thorax. These are some of the descriptions offered up by people who have suffered or who suffer sometimes from this painful sensation in the chest area. The causes can be many, so we should not be alarmed, and use...
Diverticulitis is a serious medical condition that occurs when bulging pouches called diverticula in your digestive system become infected due to weak spots in your intestinal wall. Mild cases of the condition can be treated with the help of antibiotics, but you will need to follow a diverticulitis diet...
low difficulty
Lymphocytes are small leucocytes or white blood cells occurring in the lymphatic system that the body produces to help fight back disease. When you have high lymphocytes it means that the body has taken out its defense mechanism and is letting you know that you may be battling an infection, autoimmune disease...
Sprains, known colloquially as twisted ankles, are injuries to the ligaments or joints. When you sprain your ankle the bones are unaffected and the joints and ligaments do not break. Therefore, a sprain is not considered to be a serious injury, although it requires treatment; this is because the affected...
Sadly, every year, many incidents are being reported of victims ingesting alcohol or other drugs against their consent. The crimes cannot always be apprehended, as they are usually perpetrated in seemingly non-threatening settings, such as summer parties, nightclubs, festivals, 'date nights', fraternity...
Pink eye is another term used for the medical condition known as conjunctivitis that results in an inflamed and swollen eye. Conjunctivitis mustn’t be confused with the pink eye that often results from an environmental allergy. Both of these conditions share similar symptoms but often the causes and...
The spleen is the organ responsible for filtering blood, remove germs and cope with numerous diseases making it very important for the lymphatic system, although we will inevitably get sick sometimes. In fact, its swelling is one of the most common disorders it can suffer and we must be careful with this...
low difficulty
A stye is a bacterial infection which causes the appearance of a painful lump on a lower or upper eyelid. It's not a serious condition, but is actually very common, especially in children although anyone can get one
Because it's a bacterial infection, certain measures can be taken into consideration...
low difficulty
Hematocrit is the percentage of blood volume that is composed of red blood cells. This level differs in men and women: it should be at around 45% of blood for men and 40% women. Increased blood hematocrit levels involve the risk of thrombosis due to the accumulation of red blood cells, so you run the...
low difficulty
If exercise is part of your daily routine, surely at some point you had to deal with Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, also known as DOMS. This muscle pain occurs because of the micro-breaks of muscle fibres and can become very annoying during the day and hinder your training. Although DOMS can be a bit...
low difficulty
Phlebitis or thrombophlebitis is an acute inflammation of a vein due to the formation of a blood clot, which can happen at surface level or in deeper tissues. It can occur in different areas of the body, but usually the legs are most affected. It can cause symptoms such as pain, numbness, tenderness,...
The condition of difficulty swallowing is medically known as Dysphagia. This bothering condition feels like you constantly have something stuck in your throat, making it difficult to breathe. This feeling usually occurs at the back of the throat, just behind the tongue. This pain can be mild but it can...
Achondroplasia, popularly known as dwarfism, is a condition that affects 1 in 20,000 people. Sufferers have an average size head while the body is smaller than usual, with less than 1.30 in women and 1.40 in men. Many people say that this condition is inherited, but is it true? If you're wondering if dwarfism...
low difficulty
Have you ever looked in the mirror and noticed you have a small red spot on your eyeball? Although at first glance this might seem somewhat disturbing, it is in fact a very common condition that usually goes away without treatment. There can be many reasons why these spots appear, the most common of...
Trapezius muscle strain is an extremely uncomfortable condition in which you just cannot move your shoulders in any direction, nor can you perform any head activity without discomfort or pain in the area. You can't even move your neck around easily. The trapezius muscle is one of the biggest muscles in your...
low difficulty
Eye Pressure is caused by a build-up of eye fluid. This can be the trigger for a disease known as glaucoma. This condition causes a deterioration in nerve fibres of the eye, a situation that if not addressed early can lead to blindness. To avoid this it is recommendable to lower the eye pressure. This can...
low difficulty
A hypertensive crisis is an acute rise of blood pressure that requires urgent medical assessment. The parameters indicating a hypertensive crisis are values above 110 mmHg in diastolic pressure or above 180 mmHg in systolic pressure. Blood pressure figures lower than those stated should still be considered...
low difficulty
Bruised nails usually occur after a major trauma to the fingers or toes but these can also be a found on the toes of middle and long distance runners who, due to constant micro trauma, eventually suffer from bleeding under the nails. This is both an unsightly and annoying condition, if not attended to...
The Uvula is located at the back of the throat right behind the tongue. If you open your mouth wide, you can see it as a grape-like or bell like flesh hanging from the roof of the throat. The Uvula serves the purpose of filtering out bacteria that may enter the body through the mouth. It plays a role...
Body temperature allows the evaluation of the efficiency of heat regulation which occurs in the human body in accordance with changes in ambient temperature and intensity of the activity. The peripheral temperature (skin, mucous membranes, muscles, limbs, etc.) is variable.
Normal body temperature of a...