Conditions + Treatments

Tuberculosis is caused by bacteria. When you inhale droplets exhaled by infected individuals, you can become infected. While TB primarily affects your lungs, the disease can spread to other parts of the body. Without proper treatments the disease can be fatal. TB can easily be cured with antibiotic treatments, but it is necessary to complete your entire antibiotic regimen to prevent reinfection from occurring. Preventative measures can also be taken in order to minimize your risks of developing the disease.

According to Psychology Associates of Westfield and Cranford, low self-esteem puts a person at risk for depression. Ironically, the depression itself can lower your self image even further until you are trapped in a negative cycle. A poor self image can make you feel guilty and unworthy of happiness, which reinforces the depression. Fortunately, you can break out of this cycle with strategies to improve your self esteem and depressive symptoms.

Feelings of depression, anxiety and low self-esteem can overlap, and sometimes it’s hard to tell if it’s a serious disorder or if someone has just had a bad day. A person may have low-self esteem, along with conditions of depression and anxiety disorder. To better understand these disorders, and how serious they are, you can learn more about each and then compare them to your feelings and symptoms.

Radio frequency ablation is a commonly preformed nonsurgical procedure for the treatment of electrical irregularities of the heart and cancerous tumors. The procedure is characterized by the use of high frequency alternating current, which is applied to the dysfunctional tissue to destroy or ablate it.

A viral email that contained pictures of children with burned skin was circulated in 2006 that claimed the burns were made with a Magic Eraser. This is untrue. While there were injuries associated with Magic Erasers, they were not actually chemical burns.

If you eat food, you are likely to consume a few parasites at some time or another. Before you go on a hunger strike in an effort to avoid these “creepy-crawlies,” take a deep breath and relax. Most parasites will simply pass through your body, and they will not affect your health. However, should any take hold, you can develop a serious problem. One simple solution is to periodically cleanse and detox your system to eliminate possible parasitic infections.

Age spots or liver spots are a type of skin discoloration affecting millions. There are many causes of age spots; the most common is natural aging and overexposure to sun. These spots can appear anywhere on the body but are more common in sun exposed areas such as the face, backs of the hands, forehead, shoulders and forearms. Age spots are relatively harmless and do not require medical treatment. However, since they are permanent skin marks that affect the appearance of your skin, you may want to take measures to remove them.

Asthma is a chronic lung disease that inflames and constricts the tubes that carry air to and from your lungs. It is not uncommon for a woman to develop asthma in the course of her pregnancy, even if she’s never had it before. Women who have or believe they have developed asthma during their pregnancy should consult a doctor about the appropriate treatment as soon as possible. While asthma does not automatically make a pregnancy “high risk,” it can be dangerous for both mother and baby if left uncontrolled.

Hoarseness is a condition characterized by difficulty producing normal levels of sound when speaking. It is typically a result of problems with the larynx or the vocal cords. The causes of hoarseness range from minor to medically serious, and treatments for the condition vary according to the severity of the underlying source of symptoms.

Armpits can get infected for several reasons. The folds of skin combined with body heat and sweat create a welcome environment for bacteria: You could also have problems with pimples or ingrown hairs. Regardless, pus is a clear sign of infection, and it should be treated immediately, before the infection worsens.