granuloma

Your skin is your body's largest organ. It covers the entire outside of your body. There are many ways that your skin protects your body and helps keep you healthy. For example, it:

• Holds body fluids in, which helps prevent you from getting dehydrated
• Keeps out harmful germs, which helps prevent infections
• Helps you feel things like heat, cold, and pain
• Helps control your body temperature
• Makes vitamin D when the sun shines on it
• Shields your body against heat and light

There are many different problems and conditions which can affect your skin. Some of them can cause uncomfortable symptoms, such as itching, burning, redness, and rashes. They might also affect your appearance. Some of the more common skin conditions include:

• Acne, which causes pimples when hair follicles under your skin get clogged up
• Burns
• Cuts and scrapes
• Dandruff, flaking of the skin on your scalp (the top of your head)
• Eczema (atopic dermatitis), which causes inflammation, redness, and irritation of the skin
• Hives, which are red and sometimes itchy bumps on your skin
• Insect bites
• Psoriasis, which causes itchy, scaly red patches
• Skin cancer
• Skin infections

Since your skin protects your body in many ways, it's important to try to keep your skin healthy. For example, you can:

• Wear the right protective equipment, like gloves, long sleeves, knee and elbow pads, or helmets to protect against cuts, bumps and scrapes.
• If you do get a cut or scrape, clean it right away with soap and warm water. Put on a bandage to protect it while it heals.
• When you are spending time outdoors, wear long sleeves and pants and use insect repellant to prevent insect bites.
• Prevent sunburn by covering up and using sunscreen when outdoors.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water.
• When you take a shower or bath, use warm (not hot) water. Use mild cleansers and wash gently (don't scrub).
• Use moisturizers, like lotions, creams, or ointments, to prevent dry skin.

NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Tumors are abnormal growths in your body. They can be either benign or malignant. Benign tumors aren't cancer. Malignant ones are. Benign tumors grow only in one place. They cannot spread or invade other parts of your body. Even so, they can be dangerous if they press on vital organs, such as your brain.

Tumors are made up of extra cells. Normally, cells grow and divide to form new cells as your body needs them. When cells grow old, they die, and new cells take their place. Sometimes, this process goes wrong. New cells form when your body does not need them, and old cells do not die when they should. These extra cells can divide without stopping and may form tumor.

Treatment often involves surgery. Benign tumors usually don't grow back.

NIH: National Cancer Institute

Sarcoidosis is a condition in which groups of cells in your immune system form small, red, and swollen (inflamed) lumps. These lumps are called granulomas. They can form in any organ in the body. But they most commonly affect the lungs and lymph nodes in the chest. Over time, sarcoidosis can cause permanent scarring of organs.

Your immune system creates inflammation to help defend you against germs and sickness. But in sarcoidosis, inflammation goes off track. It causes the cells in your immune system to form granulomas. Studies suggest that this inflammation might be triggered by infections and certain substances in the environment such as insecticides and mold. And your genes may affect how your immune system reacts to a trigger.

Anyone can develop sarcoidosis, but you are more likely to have it if you:

• Are older, especially if you are over age 55
• Live or work near insecticides, mold, or other substances that may cause inflammation
• Have a close relative who has sarcoidosis
• Take certain medicines, such as some types of HIV medicines and monoclonal antibodies
• Are of African or Scandinavian descent
• Are female

Many people who have sarcoidosis have no symptoms, or they may feel unwell but without any obvious symptoms. If you have symptoms, you may have some general symptoms. And you may have other symptoms, which will depend upon which part of the body is affected.

The general symptoms can include:

• Fatigue
• Weight loss
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Depression
• Fever
• Night sweats (heavy sweating during sleep)

The symptoms of sarcoidosis in the lungs can include:

• Wheezing
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain

The symptoms of sarcoidosis in other parts of the body can include:

• Larger than normal liver or spleen
• Jaundice, which can make your eyes or skin yellow
• Nervous system problems, such as:
  • Headache
  • Dizziness
  • Vision problems
  • Seizures
  • Numbness or tingling
• Heart palpitations or an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)
• Pain and swelling in the joints
• Skin problems such as rashes and growths under the skin

There is also a set of symptoms that are called Lofgren's syndrome. Some people have Lofgren's syndrome when they first develop sarcoidosis. It usually goes away completely within 2 years. The symptoms of Lofgren's syndrome may include:

• Swollen lymph nodes in your chest, neck, chin, armpits, or groin.
• A rash of small, itchy, or painful bumps called erythema nodosum. The rash is most often on your head, neck, or legs.
• Blurred vision, eye pain or redness, light sensitivity, or watery eyes.
• Joint pain, stiffness, or swelling.
• Fever.

If untreated, or if the treatment does not work, sarcoidosis can cause serious health problems called complications. Possible complications include:

• Lung problems
• Heart problems
• Hormone problems
• Brain, nerve, or muscle problems
• Kidney problems
• Severe organ damage

There is no single test that can diagnose sarcoidosis, and its symptoms can be similar to the symptoms of many other conditions. That makes it hard to diagnose. To find out if you have sarcoidosis, your health care provider:

• Will ask about your medical history, including your symptoms, lifestyle, and any other health conditions you may have.
• Will do a physical exam, which may include:
  • Checking your temperature
  • Checking to see if your lymph nodes, spleen, or liver are swollen
  • Listening to your chest with a stethoscope as you breathe in and out
  • Looking for rashes or sores on your body, such as scalp and lower legs
• Will likely order various tests, such as:
  • Chest x-rays
  • A biopsy of the skin, lymph nodes, lungs, or other affected organs
  • Blood tests to check your blood counts, hormone levels, and how well your kidneys are working
  • Other imaging tests

If you are diagnosed with sarcoidosis, your provider may order other tests to look at how sarcoidosis is affecting the body.

There is no cure for sarcoidosis. The goal of treatment for sarcoidosis is remission, which means you still have the condition, but it does not cause you problems.

You may not need treatment, and sometimes the condition goes away on its own. If you do need treatment, which treatment(s) you get will depend on your symptoms, which organs are affected, and whether those organs are working well. You may be given medicines to:

• Lower inflammation
• Treat an overactive immune response
• Treat joint pain
• Treat skin problems

If you have complications from sarcoidosis, you may need other treatments, such as other medicines, surgery, oxygen therapy, pulmonary rehabilitation, or an implanted cardiac pacemaker or defibrillator.

Whether or not you have symptoms from sarcoidosis, it's important to get regular follow-up care from your provider, make healthy lifestyle changes, and contact your provider if you have any new symptoms.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Your skin is your body's largest organ. It has many different functions, including covering and protecting your body. It helps keep germs out. But sometimes the germs can cause a skin infection. It often happens when the germs enter your body through a break, cut, or wound on your skin. Other skin infections can happen in places where the skin rubs together, especially if the area is moist. Infections can also happen when you have a poor blood supply to an area of your body or if your immune system is weakened because of another disease or a medical treatment.

Some skin infections cover a small area on the top of your skin. Other infections can go deep into your skin or spread to a larger area.

Skin infections are caused by different kinds of germs. For example,:

• Bacteria cause cellulitis, impetigo, and staphylococcal (staph) infections
• Viruses cause shingles, warts, and herpes simplex
• Fungi cause athlete's foot and yeast infections
• Parasites cause body lice, head lice, and scabies

You are more likely to get a skin infection if you:

• Have poor circulation
• Have diabetes
• Are older
• Have an immune system disease, such as HIV
• Have a weakened immune system because of chemotherapy or other medicines that suppress your immune system
• Have to stay in one position for a long time, such as if you are sick and have to stay in bed for a long time or you are paralyzed
• Are malnourished
• Have excessive skinfolds, which can happen if you have obesity

The symptoms depend on the type of infection. Some symptoms that are common to many skin infections include rashes, swelling, redness, pain, pus, and itching.

To diagnose a skin infection, your health care provider will do a physical exam and ask about your symptoms. You may have lab tests, such as a skin culture. This is a test to identify what type of infection you have, using a sample from your skin. Your provider may take the sample by swabbing or scraping your skin or removing a small piece of skin (biopsy). Sometimes providers use other tests, such as blood tests.

The treatment depends on the type of infection and how serious it is. Some infections will go away on their own. When you do need treatment, it may include a cream or lotion to put on the skin. Other possible treatments include medicines and a procedure to drain pus.

Bacteria are living things that have only one cell. Under a microscope, they look like balls, rods, or spirals. They are so small that a line of 1,000 could fit across a pencil eraser. Most types of don't make you sick. Many types are helpful. Some of them help to digest food, destroy disease-causing cells, and give the body needed vitamins. Bacteria are also used in making healthy foods like yogurt and cheese.

But infectious bacteria can make you ill. They reproduce quickly in your body. Many give off chemicals called toxins, which can damage tissue and make you sick. Examples of bacteria that cause infections include Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, and E. coli.

Antibiotics are the usual treatment. When you take antibiotics, follow the directions carefully. Each time you take antibiotics, you increase the chances that bacteria in your body will learn to resist them causing antibiotic resistance. Later, you could get or spread an infection that those antibiotics cannot cure.

NIH: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), or sexually transmitted infections (STIs), are infections that are passed from one person to another through sexual contact. They are usually spread during vaginal, oral, or anal sex. But sometimes they can spread through other sexual contact involving the penis, vagina, mouth, or anus. This is because some STDs, like herpes and HPV, are spread by skin-to-skin contact.

Some STDs can be passed from a pregnant person to the baby, either during pregnancy or when giving birth. Other ways that STDs may be spread include during breastfeeding, through blood transfusions, or by sharing needles.

There are more than 20 types of STDs, including:

• Chlamydia
• Genital herpes
• Gonorrhea
• HIV
• HPV
• Pubic lice
• Syphilis
• Trichomoniasis

STDs can be caused by bacteria, viruses, and parasites.

Most STDs affect both men and women, but in many cases the health problems they cause can be more severe for women.If an STD is passed to a baby, it can cause serious health problems.

STDs don't always cause symptoms or may only cause mild symptoms. So it is possible to have an infection and not know it. And even without symptoms, STDs can still be harmful and may be passed on during sex.

If there are symptoms, they could include:

• Unusual discharge from the penis or vagina
• Sores or warts on the genital area
• Painful or frequent urination (peeing)
• Itching and redness in the genital area
• Blisters or sores in or around the mouth
• Abnormal vaginal odor
• Anal itching, soreness, or bleeding
• Abdominal painn
• Fever

If you are sexually active, you should talk to your health care provider about your risk for STDs and whether you need to be tested. This is especially important since many STDs do not usually cause symptoms.

Some STDs may be diagnosed during a physical exam or through microscopic examination of a sore or fluid swabbed from the vagina, penis, or anus. Blood tests can diagnose other types of STDs.

Antibiotics can treat STDs caused by bacteria or parasites. There is no cure for STDs caused by viruses, but medicines can often help with the symptoms and lower your risk of spreading the infection.

Correct usage of latex condoms greatly reduces, but does not completely eliminate, the risk of catching or spreading STDs. The most reliable way to avoid infection is to not have anal, vaginal, or oral sex.

There are vaccines to prevent HPV and hepatitis B.

Correct usage of latex condoms greatly reduces, but does not completely eliminate, the risk of catching or spreading STDs. If your or your partner is allergic to latex, you can use polyurethane condoms. The most reliable way to avoid infection is to not have anal, vaginal, or oral sex.

There are vaccines to prevent HPV and hepatitis B.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Playing in the water - whether swimming, boating or diving - can be fun. It can also be dangerous, especially for children. Being safe can help prevent injuries and drowning. To stay safe in the water:

• Avoid alcohol when swimming or boating
• Wear a life jacket whenever you're in a boat
• Don't swim alone, or in bad weather
• Learn CPR
• Learn to swim and teach your children to swim
• Supervise your children when they are in the water
• Prevent sunburns - use plenty of sunscreen