June, 2024

What to know about GERD

Y ou may be familiar with terms like heartburn or acid reflux. They can be unpleasant to experience, but they are often misunderstood. Contrary to popular belief, they aren't medical conditions—but they can be symptoms of one. Both are often symptoms of a condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD. GERD is a chronic disease, meaning that it can last a long time and become worse if it isn't treated correctly. It develops when food, acid and bile in your stomach move up into y...

What to know about osteoporosis

Healthy bones are strong and dense with minerals such as calcium. But when bones lose mass and mineral density due to age or other reasons , a disease called osteoporosis can result. Eventually, osteoporosis can cause your bones to become thinner, weaker and more prone to fractures breaking . Osteoporosis is called a silent disease because it usually has no symptoms. You may not even know you have it until you break a bone. Osteoporosis-related fractures occur most frequently in the wrist, spine...

Is it strep throat?

If you have a sore throat, you may decide to see your health care provider to determine whether you have strep throat, a condition that can be very uncomfortable. Strep throat is caused by the bacteria group A streptococcus. It's a generally mild disease that infects the throat and tonsils. When an infected person talks, coughs or sneezes, they spread strep-containing droplets into the air. You may breathe them in or touch your mouth or nose after touching an infected surface or object. If you'r...