Judy P. Atkins, 2402 Ashford Drive, Reston, VA (2025)

08/30/2024

Menopause is a normal part of aging that occurs when you stop having menstrual periods for at least one year. Generally, menopause starts in your 40s and 50s and marks the end of your reproductive years—or, the ability to conceive a child.

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Menopause occurs when you stop having periods, which can cause symptoms such as hot flashes, fatigue, and mood swings. Here's a full list of symptoms.

08/29/2024

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system mistakenly perceives its own myelin (the protective sheath around the nerves) as an intruder and attacks it, as it would a virus or other foreign infectious agent. To understand how this harms the body, it helps to understand how nerves work.

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MS is an autoimmune disease that attacks the nerves of the central nervous system. Learn about multiple sclerosis (MS) causes, symptoms, and treatment.

08/28/2024

Blood cancer, or hematologic cancer, is a big tent encompassing a variety of cancers that affect blood cells, bone marrow, and the lymph system. Leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma are common blood cancers, and blood cancer accounts for about 10% of all cancers diagnosed.

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There are a number of different blood cancers, including leukemia and lymphoma. Find out more about blood cancer symptoms, types, prevention, and treatment.

08/27/2024

What causes bad breath? There are many causes, but if you snore you may get bad breath from the throat. That's because snoring makes your mouth and throat dry out. A lack of saliva production that occurs when you snore allows bacteria to grow, which gives you bad breath. Back sleepers are more likely to snore.

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Bad breath causes include snoring, gum disease, acid reflux, respiratory infections, tonsil stones, diabetes, liver failure, kidney failure, H. pylori, dehydration, infections, and use of certain medications. Bad breath cures or remedies depend on the underlying cause. Some people use bad breath too...

08/26/2024

Would you play football without a helmet? Box someone without gloves? Then why play a high-impact sport without a mouth guard? According to the American Dental Association, mouth guards prevent 200,000 sports-related mouth injuries every year.

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Is chewing ice bad for your teeth? How do you avoid rotten teeth? Learn how chewing ice, eating snacks, teeth grinding and other habits can prevent you from attaining perfect teeth.

08/23/2024

Not all birth control methods are associated with a device, medication, or procedure. Natural family planning, or fertility awareness, involves timing your sexual activity to avoid a woman's most fertile time. By understanding when a woman is most fertile, a couple can avoid pregnancy.

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Which birth control option is right for you? Discover birth control methods such as birth control pills, birth control shot, implant, patch and more. Learn about birth control side effects and effectiveness.

08/22/2024

Your skin—the body's biggest organ—shields you from the elements. However, you can sometimes still develop skin conditions, or various problems with your skin. Some common skin conditions include eczema, psoriasis, hives, and vitiligo.

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Learn about 15 common skin conditions—from acne and warts to skin cancer and lupus—including their symptoms, diagnosis, and treatments.

08/21/2024

A boil—medically known as a furuncle—is a common skin infection that occurs when a hair follicle or oil gland becomes infected. A boil usually appears as a red, painful lump that fills up with pus and causes pain and discomfort.

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Boils are common skin infections that cause painful and swollen bumps. Fortunately, there are a variety of treatments you can use to get rid of them.

08/20/2024

If insulin is not present or does not work properly, you'll end up with too much glucose in your body, which could potentially lead to health issues in the future. Here's what you should know about how diabetes affects the body.

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Type 1 and type 2 diabetes affect the body by altering the body's processes and, if left untreated, can cause serious health issues. Learn more about how diabetes affects your body here.

08/19/2024

Prostate cancer develops in the prostate gland when healthy cells change, grow, and divide uncontrollably to form a tumor. Researchers don't know the exact cause of prostate cancer, but certain factors can increase your risk.

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Prostate cancer causes cells in the prostate gland to grow out of control. Some people with prostate cancer have a rash, bloody urine, and painful ej*******on.

08/16/2024

Humidity is the amount of water v***r in the air that can make an already hot day feel unbearably sweaty and sticky. When it's hot, your body sweats and air ev***rates moisture off your skin to help you cool down.

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Humidity makes it difficult for your body to remove sweat, making hot temperatures more dangerous and increasing your risk of heat-related illnesses.

08/15/2024

You probably know a persnickety person who color coordinates their clothes closet or a germaphobe who keeps a vat of hand sanitizer handy.

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The facts about OCD and what it's really like to have obsessive-compulsive disorder. Also, learn what you can do to help a loved one deal with their OCD symptoms.

08/14/2024

The thyroid, a small butterfly-shaped gland at the front of your neck, is pivotal in regulating various essential bodily functions.

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At-home thyroid tests offer a convenient way to check your thyroid health. Learn more about these tests, including how to choose and use one from your home.

08/13/2024

Von Willebrand disease (VWD) is the most common inherited bleeding disorder. The condition gets its name after Erik von Willebrand—a doctor who identified the disease in the 1920s. Your blood contains many proteins that help it clot properly and prevent excess blood loss.

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Von Willebrand disease is an inherited blood disorder that causes frequent or prolonged bleeding. Learn about the symptoms, causes, and treatment.

08/12/2024

A miscarriage is a loss of pregnancy that occurs under 20 weeks of pregnancy. Though rare, people can be diagnosed with a false miscarriage. A false miscarriage is when a suspected pregnancy loss has happened—but a person is still pregnant.

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While false miscarriages are not common, it is possible to be misdiagnosed. Find out more about how often it happens and why.

08/09/2024

An H. pylori infection is caused by the Helicobacter pylori bacteria, a common bacteria that frequently infects the stomach during childhood. On its own, an H. pylori infection doesn’t usually cause symptoms; many children and adults have no idea they have it, and the infections are fairly common, affecting about 30-40% of the United States population.

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An infection with the H. pylori bacteria is asymptomatic, but over time, the inflammation it causes can also lead to peptic ulcers and other conditions.

08/08/2024

Atopic dermatitis—aka eczema—can make your skin feel dry, red, and itchy. Unfortunately, your scalp isn't immune to the effects of this condition, even though it's covered in hair. But atopic dermatitis isn't the only skin condition that can affect your scalp. Other conditions include psoriasis and dandruff.

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Here's what makes atopic dermatitis on the scalp different from conditions like psoriasis and dandruff and how to identify symptoms and treat them.

08/07/2024

B-cell therapy (also called B-cell depletion therapy) is a treatment for people with multiple sclerosis (MS). It targets cells called B cells that damage nerves in your brain and spinal cord.

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B-cell therapy (also called B-cell depletion therapy) is a treatment for people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Learn what you need to know about this option.

08/06/2024

Vitiligo is an autoimmune condition that causes patches of your skin to lose their tone and lighten into a milky white color. This condition occurs when your immune system attacks melanocytes, which are the skin cells that make pigment.

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Vitiligo is a skin disorder that causes your skin to lose pigment and turn into a milky white color. The condition can’t be prevented.

08/05/2024

Hemorrhage is the medical term for any type of bleeding. A hemorrhage can be internal, such as in the stomach, or external, like a cut on the skin. Injuries, certain medical conditions, and medications can cause hemorrhages that range from minor to life-threatening.

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Hemorrhage is a term that describes any type of bleeding from a damaged blood vessel. Learn more about the types, causes, and treatments here.

08/02/2024

The ancient practice of meditation–used for centuries in India and China–could help treat depression.

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There are many different types of meditation that may help with depression. Find out about transcendental meditation, mindfulness meditation, and more.

08/01/2024

May-Thurner Syndrome (MTS)—also known as iliac vein compression syndrome—is a vascular (blood vessel) condition that causes problems with blood flow in the legs. The condition occurs when the right iliac artery in your pelvic area presses the left iliac vein against the vertebrae in your lower back.

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May-Thurner syndrome (MTS) affects blood flow in the legs, increasing the risk of blood clots. Learn about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of MTS.

07/31/2024

When people think of infections, they often think about those caused by bacteria or viruses, but there is another microorganism that can cause infection: yeast. The yeast Candida albicans is found naturally on your skin and on mucous membranes like your mouth, gut, and va**na.

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Yeast infections, which are sometimes called candidiasis, candidosis, or thrush, occur when the yeast Candida albicans overgrows and spreads in the body.

07/30/2024

You and your relatives have a lot in common. Things like blue eyes, tall height, and diseases like asthma or heart disease are all things that may all run in your family. If you have type 1 diabetes, you might wonder if that has also passed down your family tree to you. And you may worry that your children could get it too.

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How does family history affect your risk of type 1 diabetes? Understand the role of genes and the environment and when you should consider screening.

07/29/2024

There are a few ways to deal with this painful problem. The first is to adjust the way you sit when driving. Pitch your seat forward so that your head actually rests in the headrest, and your neck is centered above your hips.

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What’s causing your pain? Learn the common causes of lower back pain, as well as pain in the knee, stomach, kidney, shoulder, chest, gallbladder, heel, sciatic nerve, neck, hip, foot and other parts of the body. Find pain management tips that work to help lower pain triggers, as well as other pain...

07/26/2024

Most migraine medicines come as a pill. A few come as an infusion. An infusion delivers the medicine directly into your bloodstream. Because an infusion gets into your body more quickly than a pill, it works faster.

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Know what to expect at a migraine infusion therapy appointment, including how to get ready and how long treatment will take.

07/25/2024

This illness means you have a lower than normal red blood cell (RBC) count. Normal values vary; blood tests like the complete blood count (CBC) can be explained by your doctor. Anemia may also result from low levels of hemoglobin, the protein that transports oxygen to the body. No matter what the cause, less oxygen is available and this produces weakness, dizziness, and shortness of breath.

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Anemia is a disease marked by low numbers of red blood cells. Low iron deficiency or underlying disease, like cancer, may be to blame. Treatment can resolve anemia.

07/24/2024

You have survived pregnancy and childbirth and are now officially parents! Congratulations and welcome to the most challenging and rewarding years of your life! Enjoy the highlights of your baby's first year with our guide to your child's milestones.

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What developmental milestones can you expect to see during baby's first year? Find out when babies learn to smile, laugh, crawl, and talk.

07/23/2024

A large donut-shaped X-ray machine or scanner takes X-ray images at many different angles around the body. These images are processed by a computer to produce cross-sectional pictures of the body.

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Computerized tomography (CT scan) is a procedure that assists in diagnosing tumors, fractures, bony structures, and infections in the organs and tissues of the body. The procedure is also known as computed axial tomography (CAT scan).

07/22/2024

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are shown in this scanning electron microscope picture. Strains of these bacteria (commonly termed "staph") may cause infection in almost any part or organ system in humans. MRSA strains are further characterized as superbugs because MRSA strains are resistant to many different antibiotics.

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MRSA and staph infections are caused by a 'super bug' resistant to antibiotics. Learn causes, symptoms, and treatment options of the highly contagious infection, MSRA.