Gastrointestinal Problems

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Many Older Americans Getting Cancer Screens They Don’t Need: Study

Contrary to recommendations set by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, many Americans are getting screened...
Colon Cancer Tests by Mail Might Boost Screening

Want to boost colon cancer screening rates? Mail testing kits to patients’ homes, a new study...
Does Medical Marijuana Help or Harm Kids With Cancer?

Parents are increasingly interested in whether medical marijuana can help their children with problems like cancer-related...

More Gastrointestinal Problems News

Vaccine Might Guard Against Bacteria That Cause Diarrhea in Kids
An experimental vaccine helps protect monkeys against bacteria that cause diarrhea in millions of...
- Posted June 24, 2020
- 3
Could Crohn’s, Colitis Raise Dementia Risk?
People with inflammatory bowel disease might be vulnerable to developing dementia, a new study...
- Posted June 24, 2020
- 15
Are Your Symptoms From COVID-19 or Seasonal Allergies?
In the thick of the coronavirus pandemic, it might be hard to tell if...
- Posted June 4, 2020
- 11
Studies Show COVID-19 Can Infect and Harm Digestive Organs
The new coronavirus isn’t just attacking the lungs: New research shows it’s causing harm...
- Posted May 14, 2020
- 0
Stomach Ills May Signal COVID-19 in Kids, Study Says
A cough or other respiratory symptoms aren’t the only early signs of COVID-19 in...
- Posted May 12, 2020
- 11
5 Ways to Fight America’s No. 3 Cancer Killer
With screening, colon cancers can effectively be detected and prevented. Though colon cancer is...
- Posted March 15, 2020
- 1
For Patients on Blood Thinners, GI Bleeding May Signal Colon Cancer: Study
Gastrointestinal bleeding in patients taking blood thinners for an irregular heartbeat should prompt doctors...
- Posted February 7, 2020
- 0
New Study Supports Lowering Age of First Colonoscopy
The rate of colon cancer among Americans spikes sharply between the ages of 49...
- Posted January 31, 2020
- 2
Health Tip: Home Care for Stomach Cramps
Stomach cramps typically refer to abdominal pain or discomfort between your chest and groin....
- Posted December 26, 2019
- 9
Could Your Indigestion Be GERD?
Heartburn. Millions of people suffer from it. But what exactly is it and, most...
- Posted December 24, 2019
- 10
Health Tip: Remedies for Constipation
More than half of older adults regularly deal with constipation, says Harvard Medical School....
- Posted December 13, 2019
- 2

Are You Living with Psoriasis?

A growing knowledge of the skin disease called psoriasis is leading to greater treatment choices, including personalized therapies, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reports.

Psoriasis is an immune system disorder that causes overproduction of skin cells, resulting in scaling, pain, swelling, redness and heat. The condition affects about 7.5 million Americans.

“As we better understand the disease, researchers know more about what specific factors to target in order to develop effective treatments,” FDA dermatologist Dr. Melinda McCord said in an agency news release.

There is no cure for psoriasis, so the main goals of treatments are to stop skin cell overproduction and reduce inflammation. Current therapies include medicines applied to the skin (topical), light treatment (phototherapy), or drugs taken by mouth or given by injection.

Doctors used to take a step-by-step approach, starting patients with mild to moderate psoriasis on topical therapy. If that was ineffective, doctors moved on to phototherapy or drug treatment.