Diseases & Conditions Archive

People with peripheral neuropathy may experience pain, numbness, tingling, and other unpleasant sensations. Often the cause cannot be determined, so the condition must be managed by attempting to treat the symptoms.

Guidelines advise unvaccinated people at high risk for severe COVID to take Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir with ritonavir) soon after symptoms begin. However, a 2024 study suggests that people who are vaccinated and high-risk or unvaccinated and low-risk don't need to do so.

A 2023 study suggests habitually adding salt to food may raise the odds of developing chronic kidney disease, which increases the risks of heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure.

Vertigo is a symptom, not a condition. It can make people feel lightheaded, faint, unsteady, or like the room is spinning. Common conditions causing vertigo include benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, vestibular migraines, vestibular neuritis, and M'nière's disease. People should see a doctor after a single vertigo episode to determine the cause. Depending on the cause, treatments might include medications, a canalith repositioning procedure, vestibular therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy. Staying active, not sedentary, between episodes can help people with vertigo feel better.

Leaky gut syndrome isn't a clinical diagnosis. It refers to a breakdown in the barrier between the gut and bloodstream caused by inflammation in the small intestine. The bacteria and toxins that seep through the gut lining can trigger an array of intestinal symptoms.

Many people believe they have allergies to certain medications, even though they really don't. It could be that they experienced only a drug side effect after taking a particular drug, not a true allergic reaction (which is an immune system response). Unfortunately, inaccurate information can limit treatment options. So it's best to confirm a suspected drug allergy with an allergist. That typically involves getting a simple skin test or taking a very small dose of the medication in question in the presence of a medical team.

Brain iron deficiency should be one of the first considerations when treating restless legs syndrome (RLS). But many doctors don't know that iron deficiency is one cause of RLS and don't test for it, particularly in men, in whom iron deficiency is uncommon.