How much do you know about epilepsy? Get the facts! Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes repeated seizures. There are many different types of epilepsy and many different kinds of seizures. Epilepsy can get in the way of life, especially when seizures keep happening. To control their seizures, people with epilepsy may take medicine, […]
Overview Amnesia refers to the loss of memories, including facts, information and experiences. Movies and television tend to depict amnesia as forgetting your identity, but that’s not generally the case in real life. Instead, people with amnesia — also called amnestic syndrome — usually know who they are. But they may have trouble learning new […]
People who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) are members of every community. They are diverse, come from all walks of life, and include people of all races and ethnicities, all ages, all socioeconomic statuses, and from all parts of the United States. The perspectives and needs of LGBT people should be routinely considered […]
What is a standard drink? In the United States, a standard drink contains 0.6 ounces (14.0 grams or 1.2 tablespoons) of pure alcohol. Generally, this amount of pure alcohol is found in 12-ounces of beer (5% alcohol content). 8-ounces of malt liquor (7% alcohol content). 5-ounces of wine (12% alcohol content). 1.5-ounces of 80-proof (40% […]
A chest cold, often called acute bronchitis, occurs when the airways of the lungs swell and produce mucus in the lungs. That’s what makes you cough. Acute bronchitis can last less than 3 weeks. Causes A virus usually causes acute bronchitis. Bacteria can sometimes cause acute bronchitis. But, even in these cases, taking antibiotics is […]
Sore throat and runny nose are usually the first signs of a cold, followed by coughing and sneezing. Most people recover in about 7-10 days. You can help reduce your risk of getting a cold: wash your hands often, avoid close contact with sick people, and don’t touch your face with unwashed hands. Common colds […]
Asthma is a lung disease that is caused by chronic inflammation (swelling) of the airways. It is one of the most common long-term diseases among children, but adults can have asthma, too. Asthma attacks occur when the lung airways become swollen and tighten due to airway inflammation. Asthma attacks can be caused by “triggers” such as […]
Cough keeping you up at night? Soreness in your chest and feeling tired? You could have a chest cold. Antibiotics will not help you get better if you have a chest cold (acute bronchitis). If you’re healthy without heart or lung problems or a weakened immune system, this information is for you. What is a […]
Risk factors that can increase your risk of high blood pressure include health conditions, your lifestyle, and your family history. Some of the risk factors for high blood pressure cannot be controlled, such as your age or family history. But you can take steps to lower your risk by changing the factors you can control. Some medical […]
Take time to get a flu vaccine. CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against flu viruses. Flu vaccines help to reduce the burden of flu illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths on the health care system each year. (Read more about flu vaccine benefits.) This season, all flu vaccines […]