According to the MayoClinic.com, cold hives are essentially an allergy to cold temperatures. Dr.Greene.com states that cold hives are triggered by exposure to extremely cold temperatures, such as jumping in a cold pool or going outside during the...
Hives are weal-like, patchy formations that commonly erupt on the upper chest though they can affect the entire body. Also called urticaria, hives develop when blood vessels in the body leak fluid into the skin. This is a histamine-type reaction...
Tricyclic antidepressants, or TCAs, were among the first drugs marketed in the U.S. to treat depression. Their use continues despite the introduction of several other groups of antidepressant medications. TCAs, like all prescription...
The number of people afflicted with Alzheimer's disease in the United States is expected to swell to 13.2 million. There is no cure for Alzheimer's disease according to the the Alzheimer's Society. Present medications can only reduce or delay the...
Depression is a disorder in which an individual has major depressive episodes that include symptoms such as loss of interest and pleasure in hobbies or work, sadness, weight changes, and trouble sleeping. Several medications are available for...
Although tricyclic antidepressants were commonly prescribed because of their effectiveness, many doctors now tend to prescribe selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRI) antidepressants first, according to the Mayo Clinic. However, tricyclic...
Cancer pain is generally classified in distinctive categories: mild to moderate, severe and nerve-related. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center defines the causes as pain from the tumor, treatment-specific and post-operative....
Chronic muscle pain, also known as myofascial pain syndrome, causes pain that is centered around sensitive areas of the muscle called "trigger points." This results in the spread of pain throughout the muscle. Common treatment for lasting muscle...
If springtime gardening is always followed with a runny nose or if you constantly sneeze while visiting that friend with the cute pet, you are not alone. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI), 54.6 percent of...
If you have a problem such as a herniated disc in your spinal column, it may put pressure on your sciatic nerve. This nerve connects your spine down through your body from the lower back to your feet at the rear of your legs. Sciatica is the...
Hair loss, also known as alopecia, can occur from taking certain over-the-counter or prescription medications. Hair loss can be temporary or may become permanent. Reading the warnings concerning a newly prescribed medication and talking to the...
According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, AAAAI, 40 to 50 million individuals in the U.S. population suffer from at least one allergen. In order to diagnose and treat allergy symptoms, a physician that specializes in...
Several classes of drugs are used as medicine for depression. These drugs are often referred to as antidepressants. Depression is the most common mood disorder that is treated with antidepressants, although they may also be used to treat anxiety,...
Itching is one of the most frustrating of all symptoms. Sure, it comes in handy when you are in a mosquito-infested swamp and need to know if you are under assault from bugs; but an itch can also needlessly keep you up all night scratching for...
The psychological response and individualized perception of pain differs in each individual, according to "Core Concepts in Pharmacology" by Norman Holland and Michael Adams. The chronic pain syndrome (CPS) diagnosis is a challenge to treat...
Depression is feeling sad or down for a long period of time, usually 3 months or more. Antidepressants are medications used for the treatment of depression. They correct the imbalance of certain chemicals in the brain to improve symptoms of...
Minor depression is a lesser form of depression, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). People with minor depression have two to four depression symptoms, compared to five or more symptoms in major depression, which last for at...
Antidepressants are a type of drug that helps relieve the symptoms of depression by slowing the release of certain chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters. A variety of neurotransmitters may be responsible for these symptoms; serotonin and...
Peripheral neuropathies are a large, diverse group of conditions that have one common tie--an abnormality of the peripheral nerves. The peripheral nerves are those outside the spinal cord that supply the muscles, organs and tissues of the body....
Tension headaches cause mild to moderate pain, often described as a tight band or vise around the head that lasts between 30 minutes and 1 week, according to the National Headache Foundation. Episodic tension headaches occur randomly and are...
According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, depression is one of the most treatable psychological disorders, with 80 to 90 percent of those treated showing some relief from their symptoms. Pharmacological treatment is one...
Depression is a mental disorder characterized by feelings of inadequacy, sadness and a dejected mood. Most doctors choose psychotherapy as the main mode of treatment for depression. Medications are used as an optional treatment to control some of...
Medications are usually taken to correct a physical or psychiatric condition. Often, they correct an abnormality or imbalance in the body. Three common types of drugs include blood pressure medications, depression medications and diabetes...
Irritable bladder or overactive bladder produces a sudden, uncomfortable urge to urinate that is sometimes associated with urine leakage, notes the Mayo Clinic. The pathology of overactive bladder is unknown but the condition may be linked to...
The senses of taste and smell are closely related in terms of the proximity of the receptors in the nose and mouth and the anatomical sites in the brain where these sensations are perceived and interpreted. The co-existing loss of taste and smell...
Toe numbness refers to an uncomfortable loss of sensation that can occur as a result of trauma or an underlying medical problem. Toe numbness can affect walking and may affect the circulation throughout the feet. Fortunately, the causes of toe...
Millions use sleeping pills to get to sleep every night. In fact, over 20% of older Americans use some kind of sleeping pill, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center (they do not define a range for "older"). Knowing the benefits and...
Major depressive disorder is a mood disorder characterized by depressed mood or loss of interest in activities accompanied by insomnia or sleeping too much, fatigue, changes in appetite or weight, feeling hopeless or worthless, difficulties with...
In the urinary system, urine is produced in the kidneys and flows through the ureters to the bladder, where it is held until you urinate. The normal functions of the bladder are controlled by muscle activity and nerve signals. An overactive...