Piercing the higher portion of the ear, known as the cartilage, is a fashion statement that can be dangerous. Before deciding to pierce the upper portion of your ear, familiarize yourself with the health risks associated with cartilage ear...
Red bumps constitute a primary symptom of folliculitis. Superficial folliculitis is often accompanied by blisters that ooze pus and crust over. Tinea barbae and pseudofolliculitis barbae, fungal and bacterial folliculitis respectively, cause...
Prostatitis refers to inflammation of the prostate. According to the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Disease, there are four types of prostatitis: acute bacterial prostatitis, chronic bacterial prostatitis, chronic...
An infection acquired while a patient is in a hospital is called a nosocomial infection, as opposed to one contracted outside a hospital, which is called a community-acquired infection. Nosocomial infections are not necessarily different from...
Good hygiene can prevent folliculitis. Wash our hands regularly, scrubbing for about 15 seconds (the time it should take to sing "Happy Birthday"). Clean under your fingernails and past your wrists. This tactic can actually treat low-level...
Discoloration of skin, nails and teeth may be the result of lifestyle factors such as exposure to the sun, tobacco use or consumption of foods and drinks that stain teeth. More often, though, discoloration is a symptom of an underlying medical...
Many folliculitis infections are considered superficial, which means they affect the upper part of the hair follicle. If you have this type of infection, you will find small, red bumps around your hair follicles and have crusty, oozing blisters....
The health of your fingernails and toenails indicates your overall health. Nails, which are made up of layers of a hardened protein called keratin, function to protect and support the tissue of the fingers and toes. Many diseases, including lung,...
Winter weather signals the beginning of winter sports, including ice-skating, skiing, snow shoeing and hiking. Without proper preparation for exposure to cold weather, frostbite can occur. Smokers, those who have been drinking, the elderly and...
According to the National Institutes of Health, antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is responsible for a large number of hospital-acquired infections in the U.S. Even if you haven't been a hospital patient or have low immunity, you may be...
Infections found in the hip joints are often painful. They can be caused by a fungus, bacteria or a virus that has spread from another area of the body. In some cases these infections occur after a hip replacement, one of the most devastating...
Ear infections are very common, especially in children. They generally come in one of two forms. The first is an outer canal skin infection, called otitis externa. That infection is typically caused by common bacteria that live on the skin,...
Cystic fibrosis, or CF, is a disease that affects your secretory glands, the effect being seen mainly in the lungs, pancreas, liver, intestines, sinuses and sex organs. Mucus is produced by the body to keep the tissues of organs moist and...
Infant lung diseases may cause a number of respiratory problems in newborns and infants, which may cause additional problems during childhood or adulthood. Infants born prematurely are particularly susceptible to developing lung disease. Depending...
Ear infections are very common, especially in children. They generally come in one of two forms. The first is an outer canal skin infection, called otitis externa. This infection is typically caused by common bacteria that live on the skin,...
So, you’ve got a couple of cuts and scrapes and are thinking that a dip in the local watering hole might sooth your owies. Not so fast there, Michael Phelps. You could be diving headlong into a teeming puddle of nasty health complications....
Hot tubs are enjoyable after a difficult workout or a hard day's work. Most people who have them enjoy their warmth and the resulting feelings of relaxation. Hot tubs have been around for centuries and have soothed many tight muscles....
If you've accumulated makeup over the years, and never seem to throw any away, it may be time for an out with the old, in with the new moment. One of the reasons is that old makeup--especially previously used makeup--is associated as a breeding...
Loofah gourd is an annual tropical vine popular in Africa and Asia. The large, cylindrical fruits of the young plant are edible. The mature fruits become hard and dry, and are filled with seeds. Loofah gourds and leaves have been used...
If you suffer from a chronic skin, joint or muscle condition, you may want to try a spa mud treatment to help you better manage your day-to-day symptoms. However, although mud treatments are popular spa indulgences that are touted to heal bodily...
Ear infections result from infection and fluid retention the ear. When ear infections occur in the middle ear, the region of the ear just behind the ear drum, they are known as acute otitis media. Ear infections can also occur in the external ear,...
Rosemary, scientifically known as Rosmarinus officinalis, is an herb native to Mediterranean regions, now cultivated worldwide. The leaves and some parts of the flower contain volatile oil that is used in aromatherapy, mostly to improve memory,...
Any red bumps that appear on your upper torso also can appear on your breasts. Many times these bumps are a common occurrence and some bumps don't even need treatment. A few types of red bumps on the breasts, however, can indicate a serious...
A puncture wound occurs when a sharp object penetrates the skin barrier. Nails are the culprit in 90 percent of puncture wounds, most often on the bottom of the foot, according to FamilyPracticeNotebook.com. Although deeper structures such as...
Ear infections are a common ailment, especially in infants and young children. Otitis externa is an infection of the ear canal, and otitis media is an infection of the middle ear (behind the eardrum). The National Institute on Deafness and Other...
Bacteria want to use your body for nourishment. To help them attain this goal, they have several weapons at their disposal. Among these weapons are toxins, which are poisons designed to harm your cells and tissues. Some can activate enzymes that...
Ear piercings are so popular that it is easy to forget that any cosmetic piercing carries inherent dangers and health risks. Earlobe piercings have been common for women, men and children for decades. More recently, piercings of the ear cartilage...
There are four kinds of kidney stones. Most kidney stones are made of calcium oxalate or calcium phosphate, but some people develop struvite staghorn kidney stones. Unlike calcium oxalate stones, which can be caused by a high amount of ascorbic...
Several microorganisms grow in the human body. Infections occur when a colonizing microorganism harms the host and causes disease. Most people develop a wide range of infections during their lifetimes, but the immune system effectively fights them...