Diseases & Conditions Archive

Cracks in the heels occur when the skin on the bottom of the heel becomes hard and parched. Applying thick moisturizers often helps. If it doesn't, other causes may include athlete's foot, hypothyroidism, Sjogren's syndrome, or bone spurs in the heels.

Cellulitis, a skin infection that often occurs on the lower leg, develops when bacteria enter the body through a cut, bite, or other wound. A new study shows key aspects of healing typically occur within 10 days of treatment, but symptoms can linger for some time after that.

Hyperthyroidism means that there is abnormally high amounts of thyroid in the blood stream. Hyperthyroidism can happen when the thyroid gland either makes or secretes excess thyroid hormone or when people take a higher dose of thyroid pills than they need. Although some observational studies suggest hyperthyroidism may increase the risk of infection, hyperthyroidism should not make a person immunocompromised.

Virtually everyone carries the bacteria Clostridioides difficile, or C. diff. But half a million Americans a year develop a serious C. diff infection due to a gut microbiome imbalance. It disproportionately strikes people in hospitals and nursing homes, and can recur repeatedly.

According to a 2023 study, people who consumed 25% or more of their daily calories from added sugars had an 88% higher risk of developing kidney stones compared with those who kept their added sugar intake to less than 5% of their daily calories.

Some doctors feel it's unlikely that editing people's genes will help prevent them from getting Alzheimer's disease. It's not just because attempts to edit genes inside the cells of living animals are in their infancy. It's also because most cases of Alzheimer's disease occur in older adults, and those cases do not appear to be caused just by a few defective genes. Lifestyle—particularly exercise, diet, and the amount of high-quality sleep—affects the risk of developing Alzheimer's at least as much as genes.

White spots on fingernails are common and have many possible causes. These include minor trauma to the fingers, wearing nail polish for prolonged periods, fungal infections, low iron levels, kidney disease, or liver cirrhosis.