Posts

People often usedoseanddosageinterchangeably, but these terms have different meanings. Adding the suffix-ageto the base word “dose"implies an overall amount. It can be compared to the difference between the words mile and mileage. Illustration by Zoe Hansen for Verywell Health This article describes the difference between the two terms and provides examples of each. Illustration by Zoe Hansen for Verywell Health What Is a Dose? The term “dose” refers to a specified amount of medication taken at one specific time....

Staphylococcus aureus(staph) is one of the most common bacterial organisms that reside on theskin. Because the only difference is the antibiotic sensitivity, a typical staph infection is referred to as methicillin-sensitiveStaphylococcus aureus. What Is MRSA? Illustration by Mira Norian for Verywell Health MRSA is a strain ofStaphylococcus aureusthat is resistant to certain antibiotics, specifically methicillin, which is similar topenicillin. Skin infections cause: Deeper skin infections can formabscessesthat drain pus. Severe skin infections can also be associated withfever....

It can be difficult to tell the difference betweenseborrheic dermatitisvs.psoriasiswhen symptoms appear only on the scalp. Both conditions can cause scaly, red patches, but the specific appearance of these patches is different. The conditions also have other symptoms that can be used to differentiate them. anand purohit / Getty Images It is important to get the right diagnosis for your scalp condition so you will receive the appropriate treatment. Home remedies can help, but see your healthcare provider if your condition doesn’t improve....

Sepsis and septicemia are medical terms that refer to infections and your body’s response to those infections. Sepsis and Inflammation Sepsis is defined as an extreme inflammatory response to infection. These chemical messengers produce inflammation throughout your body. Caia Images / Sam Edwards The inflammation in sepsis can produce blood clots and leaking blood vessels. Without proper treatment, this can damage your organs and potentially kill you. Sepsis can progress to septic shock with your blood pressure dropping and your bodily systems starting to shut down....

Strokesaffect different parts of the brain depending on where the blood flow disruption occurs. This article reviews the main differences between strokes in people that are right-handed vs. people that are left-handed. Most people also have a hand preference in sports such as tennis, baseball, and football. dorling kindersley/Getty Images About 10% of the population is born left-handed. Believe it or not this revelation is less than 70 years old....

Does it matter if I have flu A or flu B? The most commoninfluenzaviruses in humans are flu A and flu B. It will also cover causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Roos Koole / Getty Images Flu symptoms generallylast from a few days to about a week or two. But in some people in high-risk groups, the flu can be serious enough to require hospitalization. In some cases, it can befatal....

It can sometimes be difficult to differentiate the signs of a stroke versus those of a seizure. Both can cause sudden confusion accompanied by the loss of muscle control and speech. What Are Strokes and Seizures? Hero Images / Getty Images Both can cause the brain to stop functioning properlyoften in strikingly similar ways but for entirely different reasons. Severe cases can lead to death. Symptoms of stroke vary based on where the blockage or bleeding occurred....

Wakes and visitations are different types of gatherings that occur before afuneral. Awakeis a tradition where close family and friends gather in the presence of the deceased who lies in state. What Is a Funeral? Rich Legg / E+ / Getty Images There are also funerals where a person may be buried at sea. Many involve pallbearers who carry the casket to the site of the grave in a funeral procession....

Despite similarities, outcomes and treatment can vary When cancer cells develop in thecolon, it is calledcolon cancer. Likewise,rectal canceris when cancer cells develop in therectum. Sometimes believed to be the same disease, there are distinct differences between the two diagnoses. Verywell / Jessica Olah Colorectal cancerrefers to cancers of the large intestine, including colon cancer and rectal cancer. This article will review the differences and similarities between rectal and colon cancer....

Deliriumanddementiaare conditions that can be confusing, both to experience and to distinguish. Both can cause memory loss,poor judgment, a decreased ability tocommunicate, and impaired functioning. Delirium:Delirium is usually a sudden change in a condition. Westend61 / Getty Images Delirium is also known asacute confusional state, with the key being that it is acute, or sudden. Duration Dementia:Dementia is generally a chronic, progressive disease that is incurable. Delirium:Delirium can last for a couple of days to even a couple of months....

Though respiratory arrest and cardiac arrest mean specific things, the terms can be confusing for patients or laypeople. The difference between them is the presence of a pulse. During respiratory (also known as pulmonary) arrest, breathing stops. Science Photo Library / Getty Images During cardiac arrest, blood flow stops. However, respiratory arrest patients still have a beating heart that is pushing blood around the body. Cardiac arrest patients do not....

Sleepiness Some people lose touch with what it feels like to besleepy. Sleepiness or drowsiness is the extreme desire to fall asleep. Imagine that you’re sitting afterlunchin your most comfortable chair. You’re cozy and relaxed. Your eyelids become heavy, and each time they close, they stay that way a moment longer. You are ready to doze off. Generally, feelings of sleepiness build the longer a person stays awake. (It’s no wonder that people fall asleep watching TV or reading right before their regular bedtime....

More than two-thirds of the global population has universal health coverage. The United States is the only developed country that does not. Most healthcare providers in the United States may refuse to treat people who can’t pay for their services. PhotoAlto / Frederic Cirou / Getty Images They do not extend to any other medical services. In addition, emergency departments can and do bill patients who are treated under EMTALA....