“Somewhere around 5 to 10 percent of individuals with AS also have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), either Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis,” says Joel Taurog, MD, a professor of internal medicine and immunology in the division of rheumatic diseases at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Here’s what you should know about the connection between AS and IBD — including when it’s important to get gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms checked out and how the two conditions can be treated together....

Still, there are good reasons to pay attention to what you eat when you have ankylosing spondylitis. Following a healthy diet can have numerous benefits, including: Helping you maintain a healthy weightPromoting strong bonesGiving you the energy you need to stay activeHelping to prevent some forms of anemia Before you make any major changes to your diet, however, and especially before you start taking any new supplement or probiotic, speak to your doctor about the dietary change or product you would like to try....

Imagine a future, they’ve said, in which wearable devices track a variety of biomarkers, then automatically use this data to detect and help manage medical conditions based not just on your personal health history, but also on data from millions of other device users. While certain wearable fitness devices have been mainstream for several years now, any ability to predict serious health conditions in a scientifically verified way has remained mostly elusive — until now....

Some of the newer offerings are prebiotic sodas, so-called “functional” beverages that combine carbonation with plant-based carbohydrates that have been linked to gut health and increased immunity, among other benefits. A report published in July 2021 in Food & Beverage Insider stated that “widespread growth is anticipated” in the prebiotic beverage market, and the variety of fun, colorfully packaged brands like Poppi, Olipop, and Health-Ade seem to prove the prediction right....

“We’re seeing a lot of anxiety around COVID-19, and also feelings of being trapped, not being able to connect or engage in pleasurable activities, or not having the typical outlets that help with mood,” says Kristen C. Wynns, PhD, psychologist and founder of Wynns Family Psychology in Cary and Raleigh, North Carolina. “People are struggling, and even the highest functioning person is impacted,” she says. There are many reasons why you might feel down these days — but could a vitamin D deficiency be contributing?...

Before you go shopping, ask yourself, What kinds of activities do I need help with? Make a list of tasks you find difficult, and ask your doctor or occupational therapist for personalized assistive device recommendations. Depending on the pattern of your joint involvement, you may have different needs than someone else living with the condition. Start with these suggestions for tools that can help you do everything from getting dressed in the morning to taking a shower at night....

But some types of fat may be more dangerous than other types. Harvard Medical School estimates that most fat — about 90 percent — is subcutaneous. This is the visible jiggly fat, sometimes called “love handles,” that lies just beneath the skin. It’s the other 10 percent, though, called visceral fat, that may lead to the most trouble. A new large study, published September 9 in the journal Nature Medicine, suggests that this “hidden” fat, which accumulates around the abdominal organs, can play a major role in the development of metabolic and cardiovascular disease, and it poses much more of a health risk to women than men....

You don’t have to have back problems in order to reap the benefits of ergonomic chairs. Anyone who spends a good portion of their day sitting at a desk will likely benefit from investing in one. “A chair that is well-designed and appropriately adjusted is an essential element of a safe and productive computer workstation,” says the United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration. And who are we to argue with that?...

In addition to the fact that exercise is good for your overall health and well-being, it may also play a significant role in reducing the frequency and intensity of migraine attacks, according to the American Migraine Foundation (AMF). A review of 44 studies on migraine and exercise published in September 2018 in The Journal of Headache and Pain found that regular exercise may have a preventive effect in reducing the number of migraines and the frequency and intensity of headaches....

BetterHelp online therapy is a great option for people seeking affordable therapy, especially if they don’t have insurance. It’s also helpful for people with mobility issues, busy schedules, and people located in areas where there aren’t enough therapists to meet local demand. But is BetterHelp worth it compared with other online therapy companies? We decided to put BetterHelp to the test. Our online therapy reviews team evaluated the platform by signing up, trying to find a therapist that fit their preferences, investigating its billing practices, comparing it with other teletherapy services, and reading customer reviews to see what people did and didn’t like about it....

“The numbers on some of these diseases have gone to astronomical levels,” says Lyle Petersen, MD, director of the division of vector-borne diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Tick-borne Lyme disease is a prime example: About 35,000 cases are reported each year, but the CDC estimates that the actual number could be more than 13 times greater. (2) Lyme disease and anaplasmosis are the most common diseases spread by ticks, while West Nile, dengue, and Zika are most frequently spread by mosquitoes....

You may be so burned out that you have an increased risk for atrial fibrillation, a potentially fatal heart rhythm disorder, according to a study published in January 2020, in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. The study followed 11,455 people starting when they were 57 years old on average and had no history of atrial fibrillation. After a median follow-up period of about 23 years, 2,220 people, or about 19 percent of the participants, developed atrial fibrillation....

Some people complement their treatment plan with natural approaches, such as aloe vera capsules. “I’m a diabetic myself, and if I can take one fewer pill, I’m all for it,” says Shirley Winslett, a registered dietitian nutritionist at the Owatanna Hospital in Owatanna, Minnesota, who specializes in diabetes. Research on the potential benefits of aloe vera for treating type 2 diabetes is limited, but if you’re looking for a more natural treatment, this option may be worth bringing up with your healthcare team....

Psoriatic arthritis is common among people with psoriasis, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF), affecting about one in three, and often developing about 10 years after psoriasis does. And while the exact cause of psoriatic arthritis is still unknown, genetics play a key role. “There is a strong hereditary component, especially in first degree relatives. Certain genes are higher risk for creating the specific inflammation marker we see in psoriasis,” says Masoom Modi, MD, a rheumatologist and assistant clinical professor of medicine at the University of California in Los Angeles....

The study, published simultaneously in the journal Cancer Discovery, was among a number of AACR presentations highlighting the toll the pandemic is taking on patients with cancer worldwide. “Our results demonstrate that COVID-19 patients with cancer had higher risks in several outcomes,” says the study’s lead author, Hongbing Cai, MD, of Zhongnan Hospital at Wuhan University. “Strong protections should be made for patients with cancer, especially in outbreak areas.” The study is the first to report on a large group of cancer patients in a hot spot of this pandemic....

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There is currently no cure for chikungunya, nor is there a vaccine. Treatment of chikungunya is aimed at managing symptoms. If you have the disease, antipyretics (drugs that reduce fever), analgesics (pain relievers), fluids, and rest can help make you more comfortable. Over-the-counter (OTC) medications you can use to treat chikungunya pain and fever include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), and aspirin. Chikungunya or Dengue Fever?...

Life can be messy. And sometimes we find ourselves doing things or thinking things that are completely contradictory to our values — or what we thought we always believed. Recognizing the contradiction can be uncomfortable, and sometimes even anxiety-inducing, depending on how severe the contradiction is or how significant those contradicted thoughts or values are to you. The discomfort or tension you experience as a result of that contradiction is called cognitive dissonance....

“When people are diagnosed with MS, doctors may focus on the physical symptoms and how to treat them, but what is often ignored are the cognitive problems people with MS experience: memory issues, thinking more slowly, and mental fatigue,” says Helen Genova, PhD, assistant director of the Kessler Foundation’s Center for Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Research in New Jersey. “All of these symptoms can have a negative impact on the person, and can affect their daily lives in a significant way,” Dr....

A sign is something that others can see, such as a fever, vomiting, or fast breathing. Symptoms are perceived only by the person who has the condition. For example, weakness, tiredness, and pain are symptoms. (1) You may experience both signs and symptoms of cancer, which can signal that something is wrong in your body. Recognizing these indicators can lead to an earlier diagnosis and possibly a better outlook. RELATED: How Lung Cancer Is Treated...