Monica Theobald LPL

PrednisonePrednisone is a corticosteroid, which prevents the release of substances in the body that lead to inflammation. It can also suppress the immune system. Prednisone can be used as an immunosuppressant or an anti-inflammatory drug. A number of conditions can be treated with prednisone. They...

What is infant botulism?Infant botulism is a serious illness in babies when they ingest Clostridium botulinum, a type of bacteria that produce harmful toxins in the body. The illness causes breathing problems and muscle weakness. However, this condition is quite rare. Each year, less than 100 infant...

For many chronic pain sufferers the only thing that brings relief are prescription opioids. The trouble with opioids is that they are inherently addictive, and it can be difficult to wean long term patients. A 2014 NIH journal article estimated that the number of people addicted to opioids worldwide...

What is Bronchiolitis?Bronchiolitis is a viral infection of the respiratory system, usually affecting the smallest air passages known as the bronchioles. Bronchioles are part of the lungs that control the airflow in and out of the lungs. When these bronchioles become infected, they tend to swell and...

A Pap smears is a test used to detect unwanted or abnormal cells in a woman's cervix. This test helps to identity if a woman has cervical cancer. Abnormal Pap smears do not positively indicate cervical cancer, however, they can detect any changes in the cervix that can be a sign of cervical cancer....

Herpes is a viral infection caused by the herpes simplex virus, which is of two types – herpes simplex type 1 (HSV-1) and herpes simplex type 2 (HSV-2). HSV-1 causes blisters and sores in and around mouth, referred to as cold sores, oral herpes, or fever blisters. In HSV-2 infection, sores are...