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Gout: Symptoms, Causes, Food Triggers and Treatment

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Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis that causes sudden, severe pain, swelling, redness and heat in a joint, most often the big toe. It happens when too much uric acid builds up in your blood and forms sharp crystals in and around the joint. Flares can be treated quickly with anti-inflammatory medicine, and long-term uric acid lowering treatment, along with changes to food and drink, can stop attacks from coming back. This article is for general information and is not medical advice. Key takeaways Gout is caused by excess uric acid in the blood, which can form needle-shaped crystals in joints and trigger intense pain and swelling. Attacks often start suddenly at night, usually in one joint, and the pain tends to peak within the first 8 to 12 hours. Common triggers include alcohol (especially beer), sugary drinks, red and organ meats, certain seafood, dehydration and very large meals. Flares are treated with NSAIDs, colchicine or corticosteroids; long-term medicines such as...
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OCD: Symptoms, Causes and Treatments That Work

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Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition in which unwanted, repeated thoughts (obsessions) drive you to perform repeated behaviors or mental acts (compulsions) to ease the distress. It is not a quirk or a love of tidiness: the thoughts and rituals take up a lot of time, cause real suffering and get in the way of daily life. The good news is that two treatments, a type of therapy called exposure and response prevention and a group of medicines called SSRIs, help most people manage it well. This article is for general information and is not medical advice. Key takeaways OCD involves obsessions (intrusive thoughts, images or urges) and compulsions (rituals done to reduce the anxiety those thoughts cause). You can have one or both. According to the American Psychiatric Association , OCD affects about 1 to 2% of people in the United States, and symptoms become a clinical problem when they take more than an hour a day or cause major distress. Exposure and respo...
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Psoriasis: Types, Triggers and Treatment Options

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Psoriasis is a long-term skin disease that causes itchy, scaly patches, most often on the elbows, knees, scalp and lower back. It happens when your skin produces more new cells than usual, so they pile up into thick plaques. There is no cure, but creams, light therapy and medicines that work throughout the body can clear or calm it for most people. This article is for general information and is not medical advice. Key takeaways Psoriasis makes your skin produce more cells than usual, which leads to raised, scaly patches called plaques. There are five main types: plaque, guttate, inverse, pustular and erythrodermic. Plaque psoriasis is by far the most common. Common triggers include infections such as strep throat, skin injury, stress, smoking, heavy drinking, cold dry weather and some medicines. Mild psoriasis is usually treated with creams and ointments. Moderate to severe psoriasis may need light therapy, pills or injected biologic medicines. Psoriasis is not contagious, but...
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Sarcopenia: Age-Related Muscle Loss and How to Prevent It

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Sarcopenia is the gradual loss of muscle mass, strength and function that comes with age. It usually starts quietly in your 30s or 40s, speeds up after 65, and raises your risk of falls, fractures and losing independence. The good news: regular resistance training and enough protein can slow it down and often rebuild lost strength. This article is for general information and is not medical advice. Key takeaways Sarcopenia is a muscle disorder in which strength, muscle size and physical performance decline with age. Low strength is now the main sign doctors look for. According to Cleveland Clinic, you may lose as much as 8% of your muscle mass each decade, with the pace picking up between ages 65 and 80. Simple tests, such as grip strength, a chair stand and walking speed, can flag the problem early. Resistance training at least twice a week, plus about 20 to 35 grams of protein per meal, is the best-supported way to prevent and treat it. Weak muscles are closely tied to falls...
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Calcium-Rich Foods: How Much Calcium You Need Each Day

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Most adults need 1,000 mg of calcium a day, rising to 1,200 mg for women over 50 and everyone over 70, according to the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements . Teens aged 9 to 18 need the most, at 1,300 mg. The easiest way to get there is food: yogurt, milk, cheese, canned fish with bones, calcium-set tofu and fortified plant drinks each supply a large share in one serving. This article is for general information and is not medical advice. Key takeaways Adults 19 to 50 need 1,000 mg a day; women 51 and older and all adults over 70 need 1,200 mg. Plain low-fat yogurt (415 mg per 8 oz), sardines with bones, milk and calcium-set tofu are among the richest sources. Vitamin D helps you absorb calcium, while oxalates in spinach block most of its calcium. Your body absorbs calcium best in amounts of 500 mg or less at a time, so split larger doses. The upper limit from food plus supplements is 2,500 mg for adults 19 to 50 and 2,000 mg from age 51. How much calcium do you need each day...
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Skin Cancer Signs: How to Check Moles With the ABCDE Rule

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The main warning signs of skin cancer are a new spot, a spot that looks different from your other moles, or a mole that changes in size, shape, or color. The ABCDE rule (Asymmetry, Border, Color, Diameter, Evolving) and the "ugly duckling" sign give you a simple way to check your moles at home. If any spot changes, itches, bleeds, or does not heal, have a dermatologist look at it. This article is for general information and is not medical advice. Key takeaways About 1 in 5 Americans is estimated to develop skin cancer in their lifetime, and about half of melanomas are found by people checking their own skin. The ABCDE rule flags moles that are lopsided, ragged at the edge, multicolored, larger than a pencil eraser, or changing. The ugly duckling sign means a spot that looks unlike all the other spots on your body. It deserves a closer look even if it passes the ABCDE check. A monthly head to toe self-exam with a full-length mirror and a hand mirror takes about 10 minu...
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