Stop Cold Sores from Spreading

Cold sores are very contagious. Also called fever blisters, cold sores are the result of the herpes simplex 1 virus (HSV-1). HSV-1 is related to the virus that causes genital herpes, herpes simplex 2. About half of all Americans over 20 have been infected with HSV-1, and 10 percent of infections result in a cold …

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Opioid Withdrawal: What You Need to Know

What are opioids? Opioids are a powerful class of drugs used for pain management. Prescription Oxycontin, Vicodin, Dilaudid and morphine are all opioids; so is the illicit substance heroin. These drugs affect the nervous system in three areas: The brainstem, where opioids slow breathing and reduce coughing The limbic system, where opioids induce feelings of pleasure …

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Could All Mental Illnesses Have a Common Link Inside the Brain?

Researchers have discovered a similar pattern of grey-matter loss in the brain across a broad range of psychiatric disorders, suggesting that mental illnesses with differing symptoms could arise from the same neurological basis. Their findings challenge the assumption of differentiating mental disorders by symptoms rather than by brain pathology. Dr. Amit Etkin of Stanford University, …

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What Causes Schizophrenia?

  Scientists do not know the precise causes of schizophrenia. However, they do believe that certain genetic and medical factors interact with a person’s environment to bring about a schizophrenia diagnosis. Here are some of those key factors: Genetic Factors: Schizophrenia clearly has a genetic component. For years scientists have observed that it runs in …

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CDC: High Opioid Prescription Rate for Women May Cause Birth Defects

  In a troubling new report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) claimed that almost a third of all women of reproductive age had filled an opioid painkiller prescription every year between 2008 and 2012. Health officials warned that such a high prevalence of opioid usage raised the likelihood of birth defects. Researchers …

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Foods to Avoid if You Get Cold Sores

Cold sores are painful and annoying bumps that pop up around the mouth. The herpes simplex viruses causes them, and some antiviral medications provide effective treatment. However, certain foods can aggravate cold sores and interfere with the healing process. Here are some of the foods to avoid: Wheat bread: Wheat bread contains lots of arginine, …

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How Changing Your Lifestyle Could Help PTSD

If you have PTSD, making changes to your lifestyle could help reduce your symptoms. Here are some positives steps you can take to deal with PTSD: Reach out to other survivors: PTSD survivors’ organizations, including Veterans organizations, can be a source of support from people who understand what you’re going through. Knowing that someone else …

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Common Schizophrenia Myths Busted

There are a lot of common misconceptions about schizophrenia. Here are some of the most widespread schizophrenia myths: Myth: People with schizophrenia have multiple personalities 64 percent of American believe that schizophrenia involves split personalities. But this belief is completely untrue. Multiple personality disorder, which is unrelated to schizophrenia, is the actual cause of split …

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