Lyme disease is a bacterial infection primarily transmitted by Ixodes ticks, also known as deer ticks, and on the West Coast, black-legged ticks. These tiny arachnids are typically found in wooded and grassy areas. Although people may think of Lyme as an East Coast disease, it is found throughout the United States, as well as in more than sixty other countries. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 300,000 people are diagnosed with Lyme disease in the US every year. That’s 1.5 times the number of women diagnosed with breast cancer, and six times the number of people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS each year in the US. However, because diagnosing Lyme can be difficult, many people who actually have Lyme may be misdiagnosed with other conditions. Many experts believe the true number of cases is much higher. Lyme disease affects people of all ages. The CDC notes that it is most common in children, older adults, and others such as firefighters and park rangers who spend time in outdoor activities and have higher exposure to ticks. LymeDisease.org has developed a Lyme disease symptom checklist to help you document your exposure to Lyme disease and common symptoms for your healthcare provider. You will receive a report that you can print out and take with you to your next doctor’s appointment.

It flattens the natural curve of the spine, which can lead to lower back pain. Sleeping all night with the head turned to one side also strains the neck. If this is the preferred position, try using pillows to gradually train the body to sleep on one side

To help you feel better, you may want to try the following self-care measures: Avoid lung irritants. Don't smoke. Wear a mask when the air is polluted or if you're exposed to irritants, such as paint or household cleaners with strong fumes. Use a humidifier. Warm, moist air helps relieve coughs and loosens mucus in your airways. But be sure to clean the humidifier according to the manufacturer's recommendations to avoid the growth of bacteria and fungi in the water container. Consider a face mask outside. If cold air aggravates your cough and causes shortness of breath, put on a cold-air face mask before you go outside.

Can the flu be treated? Yes. There are prescription medications called “antiviral drugs” that can be used to treat flu illness. What are antiviral drugs? Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid, an inhaled powder, or an intravenous solution) that fight against the flu in your body. Antiviral drugs are not sold over-the-counter. You can only get them if you have a prescription from your doctor or health care provider. Antiviral drugs are different from antibiotics, which fight against bacterial infections. What should I do if I think I have the flu? If you get the flu, antiviral drugs are a treatment option. Check with your doctor promptly if you are at high risk of serious flu complications (see box below for the full list of high risk factors). Flu symptoms can include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Your doctor may prescribe antiviral drugs to treat your flu illness. Should I still get a flu vaccine? Yes. Antiviral drugs are not a substitute for getting a flu vaccine. While flu vaccine can vary in how well it works, a flu vaccine is the first and best way to prevent seasonal influenza. Antiviral drugs are a second line of defense to treat the flu (including seasonal flu and variant flu viruses) if you get sick.

The immune system is the body's defense against infectious organisms and other invaders. Through a series of steps called the immune response, the immune system attacks organisms and substances that invade body systems and cause disease.

There are two main types of influenza (flu) virus: Types A and B. The influenza A and B viruses that routinely spread in people (human influenza viruses) are responsible for seasonal flu epidemics each year. Influenza A viruses can be broken down into sub-types depending on the genes that make up the surface proteins. Over the course of a flu season, different types (A & B) and subtypes (influenza A) of influenza circulate and cause illness.

Obstructive lung disease is a category of respiratory disease characterized by airway obstruction. Many obstructive diseases of the lung result from narrowing of the smaller bronchi and larger bronchioles, often because of excessive contraction of the smooth muscle itself. It is generally characterized by inflamed and easily collapsible airways, obstruction to airflow, problems exhaling and frequent medical clinic visits and hospitalizations. Types of obstructive lung disease include; asthma, bronchiectasis, bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Although COPD shares similar characteristics with all other obstructive lung diseases, such as the signs of coughing and wheezing, they are distinct conditions in terms of disease onset, frequency of symptoms and reversibility of airway obstruction.[1] Cystic fibrosis is also sometimes included in obstructive pulmonary disease

Multiple myeloma is a cancer that affects plasma cells, a kind of white blood cell found in the soft insides of your bones, called marrow. Plasma cells are part of your body's immune system. They make antibodies to help fight off infections.

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Iron deficiency anemia is a common type of anemia — a condition in which blood lacks adequate healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen to the body's tissues. As the name implies, iron deficiency anemia is due to insufficient iron. Without enough iron, your body can't produce enough of a substance in red blood cells that enables them to carry oxygen (hemoglobin). As a result, iron deficiency anemia may leave you tired and short of breath. You can usually correct iron deficiency anemia with iron supplementation. Sometimes additional tests or treatments for iron deficiency anemia are necessary, especially if your doctor suspects that you're bleeding internally.

Traumatic penile injury can be due to multiple factors. Penile fracture, penile amputation, penetrating penile injuries, and penile soft tissue injuries are considered urologic emergencies and typically require surgical intervention. The goals of treatment for penile trauma are universal: preservation of penile length, erectile function, and maintenance of the ability to void while standing. Traumatic injury to the penis may concomitantly involve the urethra.[1, 2] Urethral injury and repair is beyond the scope of this article but details can be found in Urethral Trauma. Penile fracture Penile fracture is the traumatic rupture of the corpus cavernosum. Traumatic rupture of the penis is relatively uncommon and is considered a urologic emergency.[3] Sudden blunt trauma or abrupt lateral bending of the penis in an erect state can break the markedly thinned and stiff tunica albuginea, resulting in a fractured penis. One or both corpora may be involved, and concomitant injury to the penile urethra may occur. Urethral trauma is more common when both corpora cavernosa are injured.[4] Penile rupture can usually be diagnosed based solely on history and physical examination findings; however, in equivocal cases, diagnostic cavernosography or MRI should be performed. Concomitant urethral injury must be considered; therefore, preoperative retrograde urethrographic studies should generally be performed. See the images below.

According to a recent study, most people's sexual romps last about 1.5–7 minutes. But, as Dr. Harry Fisch writes in his new book The New Naked: The Ultimate Sex Education for Grownups, 45 percent of men come in two minutes or less, leaving their female partners orgasmless. Here are some ways to extend your man's sexual stamina, and more likely have an orgasm yourself in the process.

Tips for Doing Fat-Burning Exercises To accomplish your weight loss goals, you must combine some basic principles with the exercises that burn the most fat. These include the following: Do not exercise when you are hungry. ... Always begin with a warm up. ... Begin your workout early. ... Increase intensity gradually.

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Nail biting is a bad habit that can not only make your hands look unsightly, but if you bite your nails badly enough, you may permanently damage your nails, your teeth, or even your gums. Many people deal with this problem, so you're not alone. If you are tired of stubby and bleeding nails try these simple remedies to promote normal and beautiful nail growth.

The most common symptoms noticed by people with haemochromatosis (inherited iron overload disorder) are • Fatigue, weakness and lethargy • Joint pains leading to osteoarthritis * Other symptoms include: • Abdominal pain • Diabetes • Liver disorders; enlarged liver, cirrhosis • Sexual disorders; loss of sex drive in both male and female, impotence in men, absent or scanty menstrual periods and early menopause in women • Decrease in body hair • Discolouration or bronzing of the skin • Cardiomyopathy; disease of the heart muscle • Neurological/psychiatric disorders; impaired memory, mood swings, severe irritability, depression. These symptoms, if present, take time to develop. No two people are alike and symptoms will vary from person to person. Some people never develop any symptoms at all. All of the symptoms of haemochromatosis can also be caused by other medical conditions or even just the stresses of modern life. They develop slowly and people often do not notice what is happening for a long time. This can make haemochromatosis difficult to diagnose. Symptoms are caused by high levels of iron stored in the body. One indicator of the level of iron stored is serum ferritin. If iron stores are high the serum ferritin level will be high, but serum ferritin levels can also be raised by other factors. The normal range is 20 – 300 micrograms per litre (µg/L) for men and 10 – 200 µg/L for women. There is strong medical evidence of a potential for significant organ damage when iron stores cause serum ferritin levels above 1,000 µg/L. However some people seem to experience symptoms with levels between 300 and 1,000 µg/L. Higher levels are more likely to be associated with more severe symptoms. If haemochromatosis is diagnosed and treated before serious iron overload and significant damage occurs, most symptoms will decrease or disappear. However there is evidence that treatment may not alleviate arthritis symptoms.

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Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common virus that can infect almost anyone. Most people don't know they have CMV because it rarely causes symptoms. However, if you're pregnant or have a weakened immune system, CMV is cause for concern. Once infected with CMV, your body retains the virus for life. However, CMV usually remains dormant if you're healthy. CMV spreads from person to person through body fluids, such as blood, saliva, urine, semen and breast milk. CMV spread through breast milk usually doesn't make the baby sick. However, if you are pregnant and develop an active infection, you can pass the virus to your baby.