What is a concussion? A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) that is caused by the brain moving rapidly back and forth within the skull. Falls are the most common cause of a concussion. They are more common in contact sports such as football, soccer, or lacrosse where there are more incidents…
What is Gallstone? Gallstones (cholelithiasis) are hardened deposits that develop in the gallbladder when there is an imbalance of bilecomposition. They are usually made of cholesterol, bilirubin, or both. The gallbladder stores and releases digestiveenzymes that make up bile. How do I know if I have a gallstone? Gallstones often do not cause any symptoms,…
What is hiccup? Hiccups are repeated spasms from the diaphragm that cause the vocal cords to close and make a ‘hic’ sound. The diaphragm is a muscle under the ribcage that separates your chest from your abdomen. It is an important muscle for breathing. During a hiccup, your diaphragm moves downward as you breathe in….
What is tetanus? Tetanus, also known as “lockjaw,” is a serious infection caused by the bacteria Clostridium tetani. The bacteria lives in soil, dirt and feces. It enters the body through broken skin such as stepping on sharp objects, wounds, or burns. However, it is not contagious and cannot be spread from person to person….
What is dehydration? On average, about 60% of a human’s body weight is made of water. Water is essential for the body, in order to function and carry out its daily processes. The National Academy of Medicine recommends a water intake of about 13 to 9 cups daily. Water intake can also come from certain…
What is a calorie? Food and drinks contain calories. A calorie is a unit of energy. The human body needs calories for energy and to carry out its daily processes like your heart beating, lungs breathing and body moving. To maintain the same weight, the calories consumed have to equal the amount burned. Eating too…
What is freshman 15? College is an exciting time and a huge lifestyle change. There is so much freedom now that no parents are around and class schedules are much more flexible. This also means learning to take care of yourself. “Freshman 15” is a common term to describe the weight gain students experience in…
After having a stroke, diet is an important part of recovering and preventing another one. Eating healthy foods can help manage risk factors for stroke such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, and diabetes. Along with knowing the proper foods to eat and avoid, it can be helpful to learn how to read food…
What is a Heart Attack? A heart attack, or myocardial infarction (MI), occurs when coronary arteries are completely blocked, leading to insufficient blood flow to the heart muscle. When tissues do not get enough blood flow and oxygen for an extended period of time, they necrose (die) and cannot perform their function. There are many…
Anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric disorders for both children and adults in the United States. There are multiple anxiety disorders, but they all share a primary feature: excessive fear and anxiety along with related behavioral changes. That is, a person changes their normal behavior to avoid whatever triggers their anxiety. How Do I…
Overview Hashimoto’s disease is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid. It causes hypothyroidism which means the thyroid gland functions less than it normally should. The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland below Adam’s apple in the neck. A picture of normal thyroid vs Hashimoto’s disease is shown below. It is part of the endocrine…
What is Asthma and Its Triggers? Asthma is a chronic condition that affects the lungs. Certain triggers can cause an asthma attack where the airways become tight, inflamed, and produce mucus. Each person may have different asthma triggers. Common ones include tobacco smoke, air pollution, stress, upper respiratory infections, mold, dust mites, pets, strong chemicals,…
What is the Norovirus? Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that causes gastroenteritis which is inflammation of the stomach and intestines. Although norovirus is commonly referred to as the “stomach flu,” it is not related to the influenza virus which causes respiratory symptoms. Norovirus is spread from contaminated food or water, contaminated surfaces and close…
Virus Mutation? Viral mutations occur when viruses, which cannot reproduce on their own, infect a host and use the host’s cellular machinery to reproduce themselves. During this process, the genome, which is made of either DNA or RNA, depending on the type of virus, is replicated (copied). When the genome of any species is copied,…
