When you have a teenage child that is an avid sports enthusiast and athlete, you may wonder whether or not all of the intense training and physical activity they engage in on a regular basis is the healthiest choice for them. After all, their bodies are still growing and developing and the physical pressure they put on their joints can be immense. And, if your child develops a swelling in the cartilage below the knee and is subsequently diagnosed with Osgood-Schlatter disease, you may think your worst fears have become a reality.

Vitiligo is a condition that causes an absence of melanin (the pigment that gives skin color) in patches of the skin. Along with the skin, vitiligo may also affect the eyes and mucous membranes. Vitiligo can affect anyone, however, it typically occurs in children and young adults, and those with darker skin (because they possess more melanin). This condition itself does not pose any immediate health problems, but skin that is affected with vitiligo is more prone to sunburn, which may lead to skin cancer in some people.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a form of inflammatory arthritis that affects synovial joints. Although there is no cure, there are surgical options available to help reduce the impact on specific joints or reduce pain and increase function. Synovectomy There are several medications used for the management of RA. However, finding the right combination of medications can take a significant amount of time. Without an adequate treatment response, you will continue to experience joint destruction and the damage is irreversible.

Hearing loss is something that affects many families; half of Americans 75 years of age and older have serious hearing difficulties. If you have an elderly family member who's exhibiting signs of hearing loss, such as repeatedly asking people to repeat themselves or giving answers that aren't in alignment with the conversation, you can play a helpful role in getting the person to a hearing specialist for a test. The hearing specialist can then provide one or two hearing aids for the person, which can dramatically restore his or her quality of life.

In order to function properly, your body needs numerous vitamins and nutrients. Without these, which means your body is suffering a nutritional deficiency, you could be unknowingly putting your overall health at significant risk. Here are three nutritional deficiencies that could be hurting you:    1. Vitamin D Vitamin D is one of the nutrients that you can get naturally from stepping outside (the sun). It is essential for proper bone growth and can help prevent osteoporosis in older adults, especially when combined with calcium.

Birds make excellent companions, but it can be difficult to tell if they are sick. If you have never owned a pet bird before, you may not know what symptoms to watch for. Here are some signs that might indicate the need for a trip to a veterinarian. Changes in the Bird's Feathers Changes in your bird's feathers are sometimes indicative of an illness or disease. Look for excessive molting or feather loss.

If you own a medical facility, you know the value in keeping old and obtaining new patients to keep your practice in business. There are several services and features you can incorporate into your daily functions to help customers remain pleased with their experience within your facility. Here are a few ideas you can use within your medical facility to grab additional patients by having your existing customers spread positive reviews to others. Provide Round-The-Clock Service

Food allergies can be devastating; one minute your child is eating and the next he or she seems to be fighting for his or her life. This is why many parents (and prospective parents) are wondering whether there are any measures that can prevent children from becoming allergic to food. Here are four such measures that may help: Practice Exclusive Breastfeeding It seems that exclusive breastfeeding for the first few months of life may help to prevent allergy.

From the hair growing on your legs, to unwanted patches of follicles on your face, shaving, waxing, and other forms of hair removal can get to be a time-consuming part of your beauty regimen This is why so many people choose laser hair removal, which can eliminate the hair at the root to prevent it from growing back for a long time. If you have scheduled an appointment for laser hair removal, it is likely that you will have several questions if this is your first experience.

Suffering from acne as an adult can at times feel more frustrating than being a teenager with acne. If you had acne as a teenager, then you likely heard that you would "grow out of it" and that may have made you feel a bit better knowing it would eventually go away. If your acne never went away and now you are an adult with acne, you may feel like you have lost hope of ever getting rid of it.