Life After an Ischemic Stroke An ischemic stroke happens when blood flow to part of the brain is blocked. Even after the immediate medical emergency is treated, many people continue to live with lasting effects. These may include weakness, changes in movement, trouble with coordination, speech challenges, reduced independence, and lower quality of life. Recovery…
A Challenge After Stem Cell Transplant Stem cell transplants are used to treat certain blood cancers, including acute leukemia. During this type of treatment, healthy blood-forming stem cells from a donor are given to a patient to help rebuild the blood and immune system. When a perfectly matched donor is not available, doctors may use…
Understanding the Condition Duchenne muscular dystrophy, often called DMD, is a genetic muscle disorder that mostly affects boys. It is caused by changes in the gene responsible for producing dystrophin, a protein that helps keep muscles strong and stable. When the body doesn’t make enough functional dystrophin, muscles become more fragile over time. This can…
Type 1 Diabetes and the Immune System Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition, meaning the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own healthy cells. In this case, the immune system targets the beta cells in the pancreas. These beta cells are responsible for making insulin, the hormone that helps move sugar from the bloodstream…
Dry Eye Is More Than Just Irritation Dry eye disease is a common condition that can cause burning, stinging, redness, blurry vision, light sensitivity, and the feeling that something is constantly in the eye. For some people, dry eye is mild and manageable. For others, it becomes chronic and difficult to treat. Dry eye can…
Skin Inflammation and Cellular Stress The skin is the body’s largest protective barrier, constantly exposed to irritants, pollutants, UV exposure, allergens, and other environmental stressors. When skin becomes inflamed, cells may experience oxidative stress, irritation, and changes in normal repair activity. Over time, this can affect skin comfort, appearance, barrier function, and recovery. Because of…
Heart Failure and the Search for Better Support Heart failure is a condition where the heart cannot pump blood as effectively as the body needs. One major type is called heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, or HFrEF. This means the heart’s main pumping chamber does not squeeze strongly enough with each beat. For many…
When Knee Osteoarthritis Involves Inflammation Knee osteoarthritis is a common joint condition that can cause pain, stiffness, swelling, and reduced mobility. While it is often thought of as cartilage “wear and tear,” osteoarthritis is more complex than that. Inflammation inside the joint can also play an important role. One form of joint inflammation seen in…
Understanding Immune Thrombocytopenia Immune thrombocytopenia, often called ITP, is an autoimmune blood disorder that affects platelet levels. Platelets are small blood cells that help the body form clots and control bleeding. In ITP, the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own platelets. When platelet levels become too low, a person may bruise more easily, bleed…
Chronic Pain and Everyday Life Chronic noncancer pain is pain that lasts for an extended period of time and is not related to cancer. It can affect many areas of the body, including the joints, tendons, muscles, spine, and soft tissues. For many people, chronic pain can interfere with daily activities, work, exercise, sleep, and…
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