Hepatitis C: Signs and Symptoms

When the liver becomes inflamed due to infection, disease, drugs, poisons, or excessive alcohol, it is referred to as hepatitis. Infectious hepatitis commonly includes hepatitis A, B, or C. All of these forms are caused by viral infections.

The liver is a two-lobed organ found in the upper-right part of the torso. It is responsible for many functions and substances within the body,

Read more: Hepatitis C: Signs and Symptoms

Hepatitis occurs when the liver becomes inflamed due to infection, disease, drugs, poisons, or
excessive alcohol. HCV can spread through needle sharing. Testing for HCV is important if a
patient is experiencing any of the symptoms.

Source: medicalnewstoday

Blood Tests You Need After Age 50

 

Five Blood Tests You Need After Age 50

1. HCV for hepatitis C virus: The virus that kills more Americans than any other disease will probably surprise you: It's hepatitis C.
2. Blood glucose test for diabetes: If you're overweight and have high blood pressure and a history of diabetes in your family, you're a prime candidate for a screening test of the sugar in your blood.
3. Lipid panel for high cholesterol: If your cholesterol numbers are borderline or if you have another health condition like diabetes that would increase your risk of heart problems, you'll want to be tested.
4. Bloodwork for sexually transmitted infections: If you have a new sexual partner, multiple sexual partners, or don't typically use condoms, mention it to your doc.
5. TSH test for hypothyroidism: If your thyroid-stimulating hormone blood test reveals that you have high TSH, you have an underactive thyroid, or hypothyroidism.

Read more: Blood Tests You Need After Age 50

Source: prevention

Antibiotic Resistance Raising the Specter of 'Untreatable Gonorrhea'

A new federal health surveillance study says gonorrhea is becoming resistant to azithromycin - one of the duo of antibiotics recommended for treating the sexually transmitted disease in the United States.

The study, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is published in the agency's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).

Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by a bacterium called Neisseria gonorrhoeae that infects the genitals, rectum, and throat.

Gonorrhea occurs in both men and women, and is one of the most common STDs in the U.S. It is especially common among young people of 15-24 years of age.

Read more: Antibiotic Resistance Raising the Specter of 'Untreatable Gonorrhea'

The CDC say the growing threat of untreatable gonorrhea, together with rising rates of disease,
means preventing new infections is more important than ever.

Source: medicalnewstoday

Birth Control Without a Doctor's Visit? There's an App for That

Access to birth control is improving, but there are a few things to be aware of before proceeding.

While the issue of whether to allow hormonal contraceptives to be sold over the counter continues to be a political lightning rod, an access-improving development has quietly taken root without attracting controversy: An array of new apps and websites now make it possible for women to obtain prescription contraceptives in many states without having to schedule a doctor’s appointment. 

Thanks to game-changing program offerings from Nurx, Maven, Lemonaid, Virtuwell and Prjkt Ruby, women can answer questions about their health online or by video; the information is then reviewed by a doctor or nurse practitioner who will write a three-month prescription for oral contraceptives that patients can pick up at a nearby pharmacy or in some cases have delivered right to their homes.

Read more: Birth Control Without a Doctor's Visit? There's an App for That

Source: HealthUSNews