Diseases & Conditions Archive

The disease strikes more women, but men are also at risk.

Osteoporosis is often considered a woman's disease, but men also need to be concerned about this bone-weakening condition. About 2 million men have osteoporosis and another 12 million are at high risk, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation.

In fact, older men have a greater risk for an osteoporosis-related fracture than for getting prostate cancer, and about one in four men older than 50 will break a bone because of osteoporosis during his lifetime.

Salicylic acid, a prescription-strength medicine, and cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen are common treatments for plantar warts. However, if these do not work, consult with a dermatologist or podiatrist about other options like other injected and topical drugs or laser therapy.

It appears that electroacupuncture may be a treatment option for people with chronic severe functional constipation.

Lacunar strokes, which account for about one-fifth of all strokes, occur in small arteries deep within the brain. Although these strokes may not cause symptoms, those that do may cause weakness in the face, arm, or leg on one side of the body. 

Most often, bulges in the aorta near the heart are found by accident. Should you be screened for this rare yet dangerous condition?

 Image: Nerthuz /Thinkstock

The aorta, the body's largest blood vessel, arises from the heart's left pumping chamber, then curves up and over the heart in a gentle arc. In some people, a weak spot in the aorta's wall causes the vessel to bulge outward like a worn-out bicycle tire. Called a thoracic aneurysm, this stealthy condition develops slowly and silently, rarely causing symptoms. And while some thoracic aneurysms are relatively harmless, others cause catastrophic problems. An estimated one in 10,000 people has a thoracic aneurysm, although the exact prevalence is unknown.

"Most thoracic aneurysms are discovered on an imaging test done for some other reason," explains Dr. Eric Isselbacher, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and co-director of the Thoracic Aortic Center at Massachusetts General Hospital. For example, an aneurysm might be visible on an echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) done during testing for an irregular heartbeat. Because the condition is so uncommon, testing everyone for a thoracic aneurysm doesn't make sense. But certain people face a higher risk than others (see "Who needs to be checked?").

A persistent cough that remains after an infection has been treated can last for a month or two. There are several treatments that may offer relief, such as antihistamines or a bronchodilator inhaler. 

 Scientific evidence doesn’t support taking cranberry extract to prevent urinary tract infections.

Participating in a medical study may benefit your health and perhaps that of millions of others.

 Image: grandaded/Thinkstock

If you've ever considered donating your body to science—or granting science a temporary loan—now's the time to do it. Researchers are always recruiting patients for studies of new treatments and preventive strategies for diseases ranging from Alzheimer's to zoster (shingles). In the simplest terms, these studies compare existing approaches to newer ones in similar groups of people and determine which is more effective.

"Clinical trials are the vehicle by which we transfer things that we think into things that we know or don't know," says Dr. Jeffrey Drazen, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and editor in chief of The New England Journal of Medicine.

The odds of beating the bug are increasing as another new vaccine for seniors debuts.

 Image: Bigstock

The flu season is upon us. Like that other season—winter—it can be unpredictable. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is doing its best to see that we're informed and as prepared as possible for whatever is in store. For updates throughout the flu season, check the CDC website, www.cdc.gov/flu.

How well does the flu shot work?

Vaccines for seniors