Addison’s disease is a rare condition that results in insufficient production of hormones by the adrenal glands. It is primarily treated with the use of glucocorticoids like hydrocortisone, which helps restore normal production of cortisol. If the disease goes undetected for a long time, it may take an accident or illness to become aware of the disease. When this happens it is referred to as an Addisonian crisis and is…

Update (2/17/21) - Nature Throid is currently out of stock. Nature Throid is a brand-name version of desiccated thyroid that is currently unavailable in most dosages due to a shortage. The manufacturer has only been able to provide limited strengths while patients search for alternative sources for their thyroid medication. It is likely that the shortage of Nature Throid will continue for at least a few more months and maybe…

Miracle mouthwash, also sometimes referred to as magic mouthwash, is a broad term used to describe a variety of oral rinses for treating stomatitis and oral thrush. These mouthwashes are frequently prescribed for patients undergoing radiation or chemotherapy.  A miracle mouthwash most often contains a combination of ingredients that can include an antihistamine, corticosteroid, antibiotic, antifungal, and anesthetic. Since there are no commercially available mouthwashes with each of these ingredients,…

Oral thrush, which is due to an accumulation of the fungus Candida albicans, is the most common type of oral fungal infection. Oral thrush occurs when the fungus Candida albicans over-accumulates in the mouth and causes a white coating on the tongue. This fungus is often present in a healthy mouth but can cause oral thrush if it is not managed by the body’s normal immune response.  It is especially…

When the Zika virus spread into the United States last year, the main concern was the potential damage it could cause to the fetus in pregnant women. While the virus results in mild symptoms for adults like headache and skin rashes, in pregnant women it can result in a child being born with microcephaly and other abnormalities. There is no known drug that can completely eliminate the virus, so treatment…

Hydroquinone is an effective lightening agent used by dermatologists and aestheticians. A hydroquinone cream is sometimes referred to as a “bleaching cream” because of its ability to lighten skin tone but there is no bleach in any of these products. While there are lower-strength versions of these creams available over-the-counter, the higher strengths are only available with a prescription. Additionally, the highest strength that is commercially available with a prescription…

The drugs quinacrine, chloroquine, and hydroxychloroquine were all developed as antimalarials but found new applications in treating chronic conditions. The conditions that benefit most from these drugs are those that involve inflammatory processes such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. While the exact mechanism of action is not known, many rheumatologists prescribe these medications because of their proven success in relieving symptoms like pain and swelling and preventing the recurrence of…

Currently there is no cure for psoriasis and treatment involves preventing and reducing the extent of flare-ups. Low dose naltrexone is a promising new treatment option for psoriasis. This non-toxic drug has been prescribed for many years to treat a variety of chronic conditions. Medications Available for Treating Psoriasis Commercially available medications for treating psoriasis include biologics, systemic medications like methotrexate, and topical creams. Topical creams are one of the…

Low dose naltrexone (LDN) is a treatment that is being studied for a variety of chronic conditions that affect inflammatory processes in the body. One chronic condition that LDN is being used to treat is rheumatoid arthritis, which affects more than 1.3 million Americans. While the clinical research for this particular application is preliminary, patients are already finding that regular treatment with LDN improves their rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. Patient reports…

One aesthetic technique that is becoming increasingly popular is microblading – which involves making realistic-looking eyebrows with carefully placed pigment. Microblading produces excellent results that are semi-permanent, which means they have to be touched up occasionally but in general will stay for at least two years. The procedure makes it so that eyebrows always look perfect and never need to be filled in. Since it involves the use of small…