Lactobacillus acidophilus is a probiotic--a live beneficial bacteria--that can help fight the Candida albicans overgrowth that causes oral thrush. Thrush is a type of yeast infection caused by candida, the same bacteria that causes vaginal yeast...
Lactobacillus acidophilus is one of more than 500 different types of bacteria that live in your gastrointestinal tract. Acidophilus is a beneficial, or "probiotic" bacteria that helps keep less-beneficial bacteria, such as Candida albicans -- the...
The word "diet" has more than one meaning. It can represent the foods you eat daily, or be the means by which you lose weight. For some people, a diet helps manage or control a specific health condition. The yeast-free diet does just this. It...
Clindamycin is a prescription antibiotic indicated for the treatment of bacterial infections of the skin, blood, lungs, internal organs and female reproductive organs. This antibacterial medication works by preventing bacterial growth within the...
Vaginal dryness refers to a medical condition that typically affects women during or after menopause. The Mayo Clinic says that some symptoms of vaginal dryness include vaginal burning, itching, urinary frequency and pain or bleeding with sexual...
Oxybutynin is an example of a class of medications known as anticholinergics. These medications work by blocking the signaling of a chemical known as acetylcholine, which is produced by the nervous system. Acetylcholine allows the body to send...
Trich, also known as trichomoniasis, is a vaginal infection that is caused by small parasites called trichomonas vaginalis. This sexually transmitted disease is most commonly identified during a pelvic exam. As Women'sHealth.gov explains,...
The cough is a reflex reaction that takes place when mucus or a foreign irritant gets into your airways. The following upper and lower respiratory conditions are associated with a cough: pneumonia, lung cancer, tuberculosis, asthma and...
According to the National Criminal Justice Reference Service, sexual abuse in children is rarely a one-time event--it may last anywhere from one day to many years. While the average age of a sexually abused child is seven or eight, child abuse...
Atropic vaginitis is a condition of inflammation that occurs along the skin and mucosal layer of the vagina and vulva. The inflammation develops most commonly in women going through menopause. The diminishing estrogen levels of the menopausal...
Yeast infections, also called candidiasis, develop when a yeast-like fungus called candida grows excessively in your body. This infection can affect your mouth, skin, genitals, stomach and urinary tract, causing itching, creamy patches or...
Oxyfast is a brand name for the generic drug, oxycodone, which is used to relieve moderate to severe pain. Oxycodone is in a class of medications called opioid, or narcotic, analgesics. Narcotics can be habit forming and should only be used by the...
Malignant melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer in humans. While the symptoms of melanoma are straightforward, diagnosis usually requires a biopsy. This cancer can strike anyone, and regular skin checks of all body surfaces, including...
Cone-bearing trees, known as conifers, yield essential oils through their needles, bark, cones, berries, branches or leaves. Conifers used in essential oil production include firs, spruces, cedars and junipers. Conifer essential oils may contain...
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) occur when bacteria invade the bladder or surrounding urinary areas. Symptoms of a UTI include itching, pain and urgency---the need to urinate often and immediately. Although UTIs are relatively common, repeated...
Lipitor is a medicine used to reduce triglyceride and cholesterol levels in the blood stream. It is part of a group of medications that inhibit the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase. The use of Lipitor may help to prevent such...
An ayurvedic remedy for a urinary tract infection is a natural, time-tested way to treat the illness, based on traditional Indian medicine. Urinary tract infections are caused when bacteria gets pushed into the urethra and multiplies there....
Estradiol is a form of estrogen necessary for the normal sexual development of the female and for normal regulation of the menstrual cycle, according to the Mayo Clinic. Estradiol creams are applied to the vagina and are absorbed through the...
Obstructive jaundice is a condition in which the bile produced by the liver has insufficient drainage into the digestive system. As a result, the bile backs up in the liver and the bloodstream. There are several possible causes of obstructive...
Poppy seeds can be found in baked goods and cooking oils, as well as in extracts for use in alternative medicine. Poppy seed oil is also used as a carrier for iodine in pediatric medicine and as a contrast medium for hysterosalpingography (HSG),...
Originally thought to be a type of fungus, Mycoplasma has been reclassified as a genus of bacteria that lack a cell wall. Over 100 species have been categorized, many of which are parasitic, feeding and proliferating off vertebrate hosts. Others...
Acetyl-L-carnitine, or carnitine, helps your body transform fat into energy. The body's ability to manufacture this nutrient on its own means that you typically do not need carnitine supplements to ensure adequate levels. Carnitine's role in...
Probiotics are being promoted by food manufacturers as if they're a newly discovered health panacea developed in a laboratory and recently added to food products through the wonders of modern science. In truth, probiotics have been present in...
Atrophic vaginitis is the medical name for thinning and dryness of the vaginal epithelium, the cells that make up the outer layer of skin on the vagina. Most women just identify it as vaginal dryness. Decreasing estrogen levels that occur after...
Itching can be a minor annoyance, or, when severe and constant, it can disrupt your life. In most cases, if you look closely at your skin, you will see what the problem is -- a bug bite, hives, poison ivy or sunburn. At other times, the cause of...
Urinary catheters are used in many different medical situations. They are an extremely common medical intervention. Catheters can be used to temporarily ease the distention of the bladder, or can be indwelling for hours to days and months. While...
While any part of a person's urinary system can become infected when a urinary tract infection occurs, these infections typically occur in the bladder and urethra, both of which are part of the lower urinary tract. Although men are not exempt from...
Progesterone vaginal suppositories are prescribed to women trying to get pregnant. Suppositories are used when women have low progesterone levels after ovulation, or because they've undergone artificial reproductive technologies such as in vitro...
Any kind of pain, pressure, discomfort or burning sensation that occurs during urination should always be evaluated by a physician. The cause of painful urination or dysuria can be diagnosed through a physical exam that includes reviewing the...