- Health A to Z
Healthline Premium Tools
Advertisement
Marketplace
Symptoms could include:
-
Depersonalization
-
Night Sweats
-
Emotionally Detached
-
Body Ache
-
Anxiety Attack
-
Increase In Blood Pressure
|
Acute stress disorder is caused by exposure to trauma, which is defined as a stressor that causes intense fear and, usually, involves threats to life or serious injury to oneself or others. Examples are rape, mugging, combat, natural disasters, et...
|
 |
Acute stress disorder may be diagnosed in patients who(A) lived through or witnessed a traumatic event to which they(B) responded with intense fear, horror, or helplessness, and are(C) currently experiencing three or more of the following dissocia...
|
 |
The source of this uneasiness is not always known or recognized, which can add to the distress you feel.Anxiety; Feeling uptight; Stress; Tension; Jitters; Apprehension.Stress is a normal part of life. In small quantities, stress is good-- it can ...
|
|
Systematic desensitization is a technique used to treat phobias and other extreme or erroneous fears based on principles of behavior modification.Systematic desensitization is used to help the client cope with phobias and other fears, and to induc...
|
|
Anxiety is a bodily response to a perceived threat or danger. It is triggered by a combination of biochemical changes in the body, the patient''s personal history and memory, and the social situation.It is important to distinguish between anxiety a...
|
|
Anxiety is familiar to everyone due to the many stresses and complexities of modern life.
|
|
This report features up-to-date information on the signs, causes, and treatments of many common phobias and anxiety disorders.
|
|
Anxiety is a multisystem response to a perceived threat or danger. It reflects a combination of biochemical changes in the body, the patient''s personal history and memory, and the social situation.
|
|
Unlike the relatively mild, brief anxiety caused by a stressful event such as a business presentation or a first date, anxiety disorders are chronic, relentless, and can grow progressively worse if not treated.
|
|
Everybody experiences fear at some time or another. Fear is a powerful emotion that arises in situations that are interpreted as dangerous. The purpose of fear is to alert you to take protective action—usually to fight, flee, or seek assistance. For example, if you were hiking in the woods and encountered a snake, you would naturally interpret this situation as dangerous which would produce the emotion of fear, which, in turn, would motivate some self-preserving behavior—probably an attempt to escape. If, however, you recognize that the snake is harmless, your interpretation of the situation as dangerous and the ensuing emotion of fear would have been erroneous. Notice how important the cognitive act of interpretation is in experiencing fear.
|
|
Anxiety is a multisystem response to a perceived threat or danger. It reflects a combination of biochemical changes in the body, the patient''s personal history and memory, and the social situation at hand.
|
|
Anxiety disorders are a group of disorders that can affect adults, adolescents and children. They overwhelm people with chronic feelings of anxiety and fear.
|
|
This guide is designed to help you learn about anxiety disorders. Knowing more, you may feel more comfortable talking with a health professional about your experience and your symptoms.
|
|
Anxiety is a condition of persistent and uncontrollable nervousness, stress, and worry that is triggered by anticipation of future events, memories of past events, or ruminations over day-to-day events, both trivial and major, with disproportionat...
|
|
Some researchers believe anxiety is synonymous with fear, occurring in varying degrees and in situations in which people feel threatened by some danger. Others describe anxiety as an unpleasant emotion caused by unidentifiable dangers or dangers t...
|
|
You may suffer from generalized anxiety disorder if you go through the day worried, tense or anxious about your family, health or work, even when you know there are no signs of trouble.
|
|
Anxiety—feeling frightened, tense, uneasy—is a normal response to a threat. Anxiety can disrupt your life, but it's nothing to be ashamed of. Don't suffer in silence. Anxiety disorders are covered by most health plans. Check what's covered under your plan. Then ask your doctor or another mental health professional for help.
|
|
Discussion of the effect of anxiety disorders on children and how they can be treated.
|
|
Despite their age, benzodiazepines still provide unique benefits and are unlikely to be entirely superseded by newer medications. Includes a comparison chart of newer and older drugs for insomnia, anxiety, and depression.
|
|
You have to give a presentation next week. Just thinking about it makes your heart race. Your throat gets tight, and you can hardly breathe. Sometimes, you even feel faint. Speaking in front of a group makes most people nervous, but your fear is beyond reason. This is nothing to be ashamed of. You may have an anxiety disorder known as social phobia. Talk to your doctor or mental health professional. They can offer treatment and support.
|
|
It is common to feel stress or anxiety when you have cancer. Anxiety can be a vague or uneasy feeling of distress. There are many things that can bring on these feelings, such as trips to your doctor's office, treatments for your cancer, or fears about your cancer.
|
|
Separation anxiety is common in children, but most grow out of it. However, in a small percentage of children (and more rarely, in adults) it becomes a disorder. Typical treatment methods include cognitive and behavioral therapy.
|
|
Research suggests that for patients who are starting treatment for depression, their type of attachment anxiety should be taken into consideration as a factor in determining the best course of treatment.
|
|
There is evidence that certain herbs and supplements may be effective in treating certain types of anxiety disorders.
|
|
When I get nervous, I get a tic that affects the left side of my face, including my eye. What can I do about this? Is there anything I can take for it?
|
 |
Depression may be described as feeling sad, blue, unhappy, miserable, or down in the dumps. Most of us feel this way at one time or another for short periods.True clinical depression is a mood disorder in which feelings of sadness, loss, anger, or...
|
 |
Depression, also known as depressive disorders or unipolar depression, is a mental illness characterized by a profound and persistent feeling of sadness or despair and/or a loss of interest in things that once were pleasurable. Disturbance in slee...
|
|
This report offers in-depth information on the causes of depression and the treatments and medications that can lift your mood.
|
|
It's important not to underestimate the dangers associated with depression, especially if you've had multiple episodes or lingering symptoms. For example, people who don't get treated for their depression have a higher risk for suicide.
|
|
People who are depressed have a cluster of symptoms characterized by sadness and a profound lack of energy and well-being.
|
|
Depression is a complicated and common mental health condition that affects about 10 to 15 percent of Americans. The following questions and answers can help you recognize and get effective treatment for depression.
|
|
The analysis of more than 15,000 young people in the United States found about a third of the cases of depression and obesity among those teens could be attributed to being from families with low incomes.
|
|
Men suffer from depression in smaller numbers than women do, but their treatment needs differ due to responses to medication, especially in older men. Additional medication may be necessary to treat the sexual side effects.
|
|
In general, only about three percent of the elderly living independently in the community will experience depression. That figure increases to around 20 to 30 percent of persons in nursing homes or with chronic illnesses like emphysema, heart disease or diabetes.
|
|
Learning more about this illness will allow you to understand what your symptoms may mean and make it easier for you to seek help.
|
|
Too often, parents miss the signs of depression. Or, they believe their teen will "snap out of it” eventually.
|
|
A woman's unique biological, social, and cultural factors may increase her risk for depression.
|
|
Many people with depression do not receive adequate medical treatment, and even if they are treated, doctors may not be paying enough attention to their patients' needs.
|
|
In elderly patients, symptoms of depression can be mistaken for symptoms of another medical problem, so it is important for clinicians to consider all physical problems and medications of elderly patients before making a diagnosis.
|
|
Depression is not "all in your head." It is a real illness that saps your energy. It can leave you feeling sad, hopeless, lonely and guilty. It is related to a chemical imbalance in the brain and to certain traits such as low self-esteem and pessimism. Some kinds of depression may be inherited.
|
|
Everyone feels down at times, but diabetics are especially prone to depression. An unhappy period that's intense or lasts for more than a couple of weeks can be a sign of depression. Depression is a serious illness.
|
|
The mind and the body are intimately connected, and our overall health depends on both working well. This is most evident in depression: Research shows that people who suffer from clinical depression face a higher risk of contracting one of the stress-linked illnesses than the rest of the population.
|
|
Depression can often develop as a result of a heart attack or cardiac surgery, and has more serious effects on heart health and overall health than depression that was present before a heart attack.
|
|
Seasonal affective disorder is thought to be caused by decreased exposure to sunlight during the winter months. Light therapy helps some people, and the FDA has approved the antidepressant bupropion for treatment as well.
|
|
Studies of a link between depression and osteoporosis suggest the bone deterioration could be a result of the depression, or may be caused by taking antidepressant medications for a long period of time.
|
|
Studies suggest mental health care following a heart attack can improve patient health and mortality.
|
|
Depressed patients are more likely to respond to medical treatment if their doctors practice empathy and effective communication skills.
|
|
Discussing the definition and treatment of a contested psychological diagnosis???atypical depression.
|
|
Two studies examine the correlation between depression in adults and its prevalence in their children, and the effect of adults' treatment on the children's mental health.
|
|
Exposure to the right kind of light may go a long way toward reducing seasonal affective disorder symptoms.
|
|
A roundup of studies exploring the beneficial effects of exercise on depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Is it a case of the chicken and the egg?
|
|
Teen depression is a serious illness. The benefits of getting help, including taking medications if needed, far outweigh the potential risks.
|
|
During the dark days of winter, many people develop signs of depression that are tied to the changing amount of daylight.
|
|
A study claims that obese people are more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression, but the findings do not prove that the conditions are causally related to each other.
|
|
Behavioral activation therapy is a variation of cognitive therapy that encourages patients to fight depression by examining their feelings and experiences and focusing on their positive accomplishments.
|
|
Folate, a B vitamin, breaks down homocysteine, which may be associated with depression. Because of this it has been tested as a possible treatment, but the results have been mixed and more research is needed.
|
|
Researchers in China found that Chinese citizens were more likely to express symptoms of depression as having a physical component as well as an emotional one, due to the way their culture interprets such feelings.
|
|
Concern about antidepressants increasing the risk of suicide in children could have the unintended effect that children suffering from depression may not receive needed treatment.
|
|
Hypotheses explaining how depression manifests itself. The American Psychiatric Association requires any five of nine symptoms for a diagnosis of major depression. As the definition implies, these symptoms do not all appear in everyone who is depressed. Two studies explore the consequences for the understanding of depression and come to contrasting conclusions. One study suggests that an individual patient's symptoms are not consistent, but change more or less unpredictably from one episode of depression to the next. The other study suggests that there are several sets of depressive symptoms that are distinguishable genetically and therefore likely to persist in a given individual.
|
|
An explanation of the two-way relationship between depression and stroke. Depressed people are at higher risk for a stroke, but depression often precedes as well as follows a stroke.
|
|
A Harvard Medical School physician answers your question about whether Accutane, a powerful acne medication, has been linked to depression or suicide.
|
|
People who suffer from depression are more likely to have a sleep-related breathing problem such as apnea. Treating the sleep problem may help alleviate the depression in some people.
|
|
Discusses options for treatment of seasonal affective disorder.The treatment of seasonal affective disorder throws light on dark moods.
|
|
Are children with ADD more likely to be depressed?
Claire McCarthy, M.D., is a senior medical editor for Harvard Health Publications. She is an instructor in pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, an attending physician at Children's Hospital of Boston, and co-director of the pediatrics department at Martha Eliot Health Center, a neighborhood health service of Children's Hospital. The author of two books, "Learning How the Heart Beats" and "Everyone's Children", Dr. McCarthy was a regular columnist for "Sesame Street Parents Magazine" from 1995 to 1998 and is currently a contributing editor for "Parenting Magazine".
|
|
My mother has advanced lung cancer and is receiving chemo. I live with her and am also her caregiver. We have been very close all of our lives, and I am having a hard time adjusting well. Sometimes I even get angry with her and then I feel guilty. The next step is I get depressed and have thought about a way out, but have not attempted anything. Can you suggest anything to help me cope?
|
|
A combination of factors causes depression. Some cases are triggered by a stressful experience, such as the death of a spouse or loss of a job. Some illnesses, such as cancer, also can cause depression, as can alcohol and drug abuse.
|
|
Chances are you know the difference between occasional sadness and depression. But here's a fact you may not know: Hypothyroidism, a common thyroid disorder, can cause depression.
|
|
When recommending treatment for clinical depression, physicians typically prescribe a tried-and-true regimen: anti-depressant medication and "talk" therapy. In the future, however, health professionals may be advocating a healthy dose of exercise.
|
|
Take action if you suspect a friend and/or family member suffers from depression. It's a condition that can cloud thinking and make people believe they aren't worth helping, so they often can't help themselves.
|
|
The unrealistic expectations of the season, time and financial pressures, missing loved ones and reflecting on past events as the year comes to an end all contribute to the blues.
|
|
The medical community once thought depression affected only adults. The risk for the condition begins in the early teens, however, and increases steadily through the mid-20s.
|
|
Although anyone can suffer from depression, it is particularly common among older adults. Depression affects 15 out of every 100 adults older than 65.
|
|
Because depression isn't a normal part of growing older, it's important to learn the signs of this condition and seek help if you or a loved one could be suffering from it.
|
|
Everyone gets down in the dumps from time to time. But you may have clinical depression if a feeling of sadness or loss of interest in life and friends lingers for two weeks or more.
|
|
Instead of asking for help, men who are depressed are likely to drink alcohol to excess, take drugs, or become frustrated, discouraged, and irritable.
|
|
Although sadness touches all our lives, true depression is different in its intensity and persistence.
|
|
What's the difference between a bad case of the blues and the painful mental disorder known as depression? According to the experts, impaired functioning is usually a clear-cut indication of clinical depression.
|
|
Primary care physicians should be asking their patients questions about five "warning flag" symptoms to determine whether they should be screened for depression or other mood disorders, researchers say.
|
|
Having a chronic condition such as COPD can lead to depression. You can get help. Talk with your doctor about your symptoms.
|
|
Living with diabetes may increase the likelihood of depression. The connection may be go both ways: information from a diabetes trial suggests the possibility of a link between antidepressant use and diabetes.
|
|
A recent study offers evidence that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors may help those who develop depression after a heart attack.
|
|
Most people, most of the time, overestimate themselves. It is pervasive and powerful, but is not the same in all people or in all circumstances.
|
|
A discussion of the social impact of depression in the elderly and the benefits of treatment.
|
|
According to two studies, women going through menopause are much more likely to develop symptoms of depression, due in part to changes in hormone production. Hormone replacement may provide temporary relief from severe depression.
|
|
Reports of risky side effects may have dampened enthusiasm for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which are among the world's most widely prescribed medications. A review of concerns and benefits associated with SSRIs.
|
|
Mental health among Americans may have declined during the 1990s.
Revealing information on the mental health of Americans appears in data from three random telephone surveys of the adult population by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.
|
|
While there is a very small risk of suicide in adolescents who take antidepressants, they are also beneficial to many teenagers with depression. All factors should be weighed in treatment decisions, and patients should be monitored carefully.
|
|
Discussion of whether the new antidepressant Cymbalta (duloxetine) has any advantage over other antidepressants on the market.
|
|
DHEA may not be an anti-aging panacea, as some suggest, but a new study suggests that it may be able to temporarily lift mood.
|
|
Older people with macular degeneration are more likely to experience depression, but those who received problem-solving therapy to help them adapt to and cope with their condition were less likely to develop depression.
|
|
A study shows that interaction with animals can be a path to recovery from depression.
|
|
Age-related macular degeneration is the most common cause of severe vision loss in people over 55. A recent trial shows that education may help relieve disability and depression in those with the condition.
|
|
Is there a link between depression and migraines?
Michael Craig Miller, M.D., is editor-in-chief of the Harvard Mental Health Letter and an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Miller has an active clinical practice and has been on staff at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center for more than 25 years.
|
 |
Insomnia is difficulty falling or staying asleep. In many cases, it can be relieved with a few simple behavioral changes or medication.
|
|
Insomnia is the inability to obtain an adequate amount or quality of sleep. The difficulty can be in falling asleep, remaining asleep, or both.
|
|
Some nights, sleep comes easily, and you sail through the night in a satisfying slumber. Waking up after a night of good sleep feels wonderful — you're refreshed, energized, and ready to take on the world. Other nights, sleep comes slowly or not until the wee hours. Or you may fall asleep, only to awaken throughout the night.
|
|
Detailed information on insomnia, its causes, and ways to help reduce sleep problems
|
 |
Insomnia is a condition that occurs when a person in unable to get long enough or refreshing enough sleep at night. Insomnia can result from an inability to fall asleep, an inability to stay asleep, or waking too early before having gotten enough ...
|
|
Insomnia is the inability to obtain an adequate amount or quality of sleep. The difficulty can be in falling asleep, remaining asleep, or both.
|
|
Good sleeping habits are a key part of treatment. If needed, some medications may help you sleep better at first. Making healthy lifestyle changes and learning to relax can improve your sleep. Treating insomnia takes commitment, but trust that your efforts will pay off. Talk to your health care provider before taking any medication.
|
|
Seven to eight hours of sleep a night is important for your functioning and well-being. Cancer and cancer treatment can lead to a lack of sleep.
|
|
Detailed information on insomnia, its causes, and ways to help reduce sleep problems
|
|
Anxiety and stress are the most common causes of insomnia. But sleeplessness can also be caused by a variety of medical conditions, medications and environmental factors.
|
|
If you have occasional or chronic insomnia, you may be able to get to sleep by making lifestyle changes.
|
|
Research tests the effect of providing objective sleep information directly to the insomniacs themselves.
|
|
A Harvard Medical School physician answers your question about whether Lunesta, a new sleeping pill, is safe for long-term use.
|
|
Persistent insomnia can arise from a variety of causes, including some serious medical conditions. If you have insomnia that persists for longer than a few weeks, insomnia that is accompanied by physical symptoms during the night, or insomnia that interferes with your daytime wakefulness and function, you should be evaluated by a doctor.
|
|
More than half of adults over 65 have some sort of sleep problem. Medications are of questionable benefit and can be addictive. Behavior modification is often a more efffective treatment, especially in older patients.
|
|
Depersonalization is a mental state in which a person feels detached or disconnected from his or her personal identity or self. This may include the sense that one is"outside" oneself, or is observing one''s own actions, thoughts or body.A person e...
|
 |
A headache is pain or discomfort in the head, scalp, or neck. Serious causes of headaches are extremely rare.
|
 |
A headache is a pain in the head and neck region that may be either a disorder in its own right or a symptom.
|
|
Detailed information on headaches, including the different types of headaches and statistics relating to headaches
|
|
This report helps you identify the cause of your headache and learn what to do about it. Includes the latest treatments, such as new medications and mind/body techniques.
|
|
A headache involves pain in the head which can arise from many disorders or may be a disorder in and of itself.There are three types of primary headaches: tension-type(muscular contraction headache), migraine(vascular headaches), and cluster. Virt...
|
|
About 90 percent of all headaches are harmless episodes that can be treated with over-the-counter painkillers, either alone or together with rest, ice packs or relaxation techniques.
|
|
A headache involves pain in the head that can arise from many disorders or may be a disorder in and of itself.Headaches can be categorized as primary or secondary. Primary headaches occur independently and are not the result of another medical pro...
|
|
Most headaches in kids are caused by tension, not disease. Your pediatrician can determine what kind of headache your child has.
|
 |
Headache is a pain in the head and neck region that may be either a disorder in its own right or a symptom of an underlying medical condition or disease. The medical term for headache is cephalalgia.
|
|
When seeking treatment for headaches, start with your primary care provider. Most people who suffer from headaches tell their doctors about their pain only as an afterthought. And 31 percent have never seen a health care provider for their condition, according to the National Headache Foundation (NHF). The result is a lot of needless suffering.
|
|
Youngsters' most common head pain is a tension headache—a dull ache that feels like pressure around the head.
|
|
Detailed information on headaches, including types, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
|
|
Can dehydration cause headaches?
Howard LeWine, M.D., is chief editor of Internet Publishing at Harvard Health Publications. He is recognized as an outstanding clinician and teacher and is a recipient of the Internal Medicine Teacher of the Year award at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Dr. LeWine continues to practice Internal Medicine; most recently he became a hospitalist after practicing primary care for over 20 years.
|
|
An old theory about the connection between headache and high blood pressure makes a comeback.
|
|
Detailed information on headaches, including the different types of headaches and statistics relating to headaches
|
 |
The term"irritability" is used for infants and young children who, when ill, are especially fussy, whiny, and fretful, despite attempts at comforting and soothing them.Parents are usually very aware of their child''s normal behavior and may pick up...
|
|
Children can become cranky, fussy or irritable for many reasons. Often it's because they're hungry or just tired. But sometimes irritability can be a sign of illness in children.
|
|
One of the best ways to respond to other people's emotions is to "reflect" their mood back to them.
|
 |
Age and weight lossQuestion:Why does it get harder to lose weight with age?Answer:One must burn more calories than one takes in to lose weight at any age. This can be done either with caloric restriction or with exercise.
|
|
Weight loss is a reduction in body mass characterized by a loss of adipose tissue(body fat) and skeletal muscle.Unintentional weight loss is the most common symptom of cancer and often a side effect of cancer treatments. A poor response to cancer ...
|
|
Weigh Less, Live Longer helps you determine the cause of your excess weight and tailor a plan to your particular needs. Even a modest reduction of 7%-10% of your starting weight can lead to significant improvements in health.
|
|
The not-so-secret secret to weight loss is to burn more calories than you eat. This can be done safely and effectively by eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly.
|
|
Out of the millions Americans who are overweight and go on a diet each year, many regain all or a part of the weight they lose within five years.
|
|
The latest studies conclude that a successful weight-loss plan is a mind/body undertaking that not only involves monitoring calorie intake and expenditure, but dealing with the psychological side of weight loss and habit change.
|
|
The balance of diet studies shows it's not carbohydrates specifically that count, but the total calories and fat consumed.
|
|
Moderately intense activities, such as walking briskly from your parked car to the mall entrance and taking your dog for a quick jog after dinner, won't help you train for a sport. But they can help you achieve and maintain a healthful weight and improve your overall fitness level.
|
|
Most people want to lose weight in a hurry, so they go on a fad diet, lose some weight, go off the diet and go back to eating as they always have.
|
|
Some diet advice is just plain wrong—and some can be dangerous to your health.You don't have to look far to find diet advice. It's as close as your Web browser, your local bookstore, or that pop culture magazine you leafed through. But how accurate is the information? Some diet advice is just plain wrong—and some can be dangerous to your health.
|
|
If you're starving most of the time or can't imagine staying on a particular diet past a perceived deadline, you're on the wrong track.
|
|
Walking is a great form of exercise that can be done just about anywhere. If you're trying to lose weight, though, you'll need to do more than a leisurely stroll.
|
|
Experts say the long-term success at weight loss requires a balance between diet and physical activity.
|
|
Here are strategies that can help you troubleshoot and personalize your weight-loss plan to manage common workplace weight-loss roadblocks.
|
|
Experts say the long-term success at weight loss requires a balance between diet and physical activity.
|
|
New types of weight-loss medications may help those who struggle with obesity, but there are some potentially serious side effects. Also, use of such a drug requires a significant adjustment in one's diet and level of physical activity.
|
|
The majority of dieters regain the weight they lose within five years. But they could avoid doing so by gradually changing their eating and exercise habits. Your approach to weight loss should be to make changes you can keep up for the rest of your life.
|
|
Out of the 90 million Americans who are overweight, 50 million go on a diet each year, according to the National Women's Health Resource Center.
|
|
Doctors become most concerned about unintentional weight loss if it reaches more than five percent of the usual body weight (about ten pounds), especially if your weight has not stabilized and continues to go down.
|
|
Being tired is the familiar aftermath of physical exertion, prolonged labor or lack of sleep. When does being tired become a symptom of a condition? Fatigue, malaise, lassitude, exhaustion are all subtle variations of the same subjective feelings of not having enough energy to meet the demands of one's life.
|
|
Boosting Your Energy provides information on the causes and treatments of persistent fatigue. Includes information on aging and energy, eating for energy, and boosting your energy.
|
 |
Loss of hair; Alopecia; Baldness; Telogen effluvium.Hair loss usually develops gradually and may be patchy or all over(diffuse). You lose roughly 100 hairs from your head every day.
|
|
Alopecia, also called hair loss, baldness, and epilation, is a common side effect of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Most patients undergoing chemotherapy, especially those who are being treated with more than one drug, will suffer from hair l...
|
|
Detailed information on baldness (alopecia), including causes, different types of hair loss, treatment of baldness, and hair replacement surgery
|
|
Alopecia is partial or total loss of hair as a result of any number of causes, including the normal aging process. In children, alopecia may be a reaction to a drug or therapy(such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy), or may result from a skin d...
|
|
Detailed information on baldness (alopecia), including causes, different types of hair loss, treatment of baldness, and hair replacement surgery
|
|
Some hair on your head falls out every day, no matter what your age. And that's perfectly normal.
|
|
Detailed information on managing alopecia in children Alopecia, or hair loss, is a very common side effect of most forms of chemotherapy. Hair loss occurs as a result of the chemotherapy agents penetrating the hair follicle, causing the hair shaft to break at the root. Hair is lost not only from the head, but eyebrows, eyelashes, facial, and pubic hair is also lost. Depending on the age and sex of the child, this can be a very distressing side effect of chemotherapy. Younger children may not be bothered by hair loss, but the school-age child and teenager may be devastated.
|
|
Debbie Dorsey sat with her family on Christmas morning in 1997 opening presents. She was watching her children and mindlessly touching her hair when seven dark strands clung to her fingers. She continued pulling at her hair so that by the time all the gifts were unwrapped, Dorsey had constructed a hill of hair on the coffee table. She might have felt shocked, except this was the exact day her doctor predicted her hair would start to fall out.
|
|
Losing your hair can be a frustrating process, especially because you often have little control over it.
|
|
Have there been any studies on the effectiveness of saw palmetto for stopping hair loss?
|
|
Half of Americans experience some degree of hair loss. Hair loss affects both men and women, but with different results.
|
|
My 7-year-old son has two bald spots on his scalp. His pediatrician said he has alopecia. Will he have this for the rest of his life? Will it continue to get worse? Did stress and anxiety cause this?
|
|
Can severe anemia cause hair loss and hair thinning?
Mary Pickett, M.D., is a lecturer for Harvard Medical School and an assistant professor of medicine at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, OR. At OHSU, she practices general internal medicine and teaches medical residents and students.
|
 |
Alopecia is the partial or complete loss of hair—especially on the scalp—either in patches(alopecia areata), on the entire head(alopecia totalis), or over the entire body(alopecia universalis).A basic understanding of hair biology and ...
|
|
Hair loss syndromes are a varied group of disorders and conditions characterized by the gradual or sudden loss of large amounts of hair—most often from the scalp, but sometimes from other areas of the body. Hair loss(or baldness) is sometime...
|
 |
Hair loss syndromes are a varied group of disorders and conditions characterized by the gradual or sudden loss of large amounts of hair—most often from the scalp, but sometimes from other areas of the body. Hair loss(or baldness) is sometime...
|
 |
Hair loss, or alopecia, is total or partial baldness caused by hormonal changes or physical or mental stress.Hair loss occurs for many reasons. Some causes, such as hormonal changes, are considered natural, while others signal serious health probl...
|
 |
Hair loss occurs for a great many reasons—from pulling it out to having it killed off by cancer chemotherapy. Some causes are considered natural, while others signal serious health problems.
|
|
Hair loss is a common side effect of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. It occurs because these treatments affect normal cells as well as cancer cells. Not all types of chemotherapy and radiation therapy cause hair loss, but if it does happen, these tips can help.
|
|
Are there any vitamins that can be taken to help prevent hair loss?
|
|
Is hair loss a common symptom of diabetes, and is it reversible? I have noticed that my hair has gotten very thin and I have recently been diagnosed with diabetes?
|
|
Is hair loss common with HIV?
Rebecca Campen, M.D., J.D. is an Assistant Professor of Dermatology at Harvard Medical School and former Deputy Director of the Harvard/Massachusetts General Hospital Cutaneous Biology Research Center (CBRC). She currently serves as Senior Advisor to the CBRC and divides her time between clinical practice of dermatology at the Massachusetts General Hospital and private practice in Savannah, Georgia. Dr. Campen is the author of two books for medical students and residents, Going Into Medical Practice and Blueprints in Dermatology.
|
|
Detailed information on depression and depression in women, including types, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
|
|
Depression is sometimes referred to as the common cold of mental illness. It is a debilitating disease with significant societal costs.
|
|
Everybody feels sad sometimes, but to be clinically depressed is not just a matter of feeling sad. A patient with cancer is diagnosed as having major depression only if certain symptoms, such as loss of pleasure or thoughts of death, are present f...
|
|
An emotional state or mood characterized by one or more of these symptoms: sad mood, low energy, poor concentration,.sleep or appetite changes, feelings of worthlessness or hopelessness, and thoughts of suicide.Until recently, it was thought that ...
|
 |
Depression is the general name for a family of illnesses known as depressive disorders. Depression is an illness that affects not only the mood and thoughts, but also the physical functions of affected individuals.
|
 |
Depression and depressive disorders(unipolar depression) are mental illnesses characterized by a profound and persistent feeling of sadness or despair and/or a loss of interest in things that once were pleasurable. Disturbance in sleep, appetite, ...
|
 |
Depression is the general name for a family of illnesses known as depressive disorders. Depression is an illness that affects not only the mood and thoughts, but also the physical functions of affected individuals.
|
 |
Depression or depressive disorders(unipolar depression) are mental illnesses characterized by a profound and persistent feeling of sadness or despair and/or a loss of interest in things that were once pleasurable. Disturbance in sleep, appetite, a...
|
 |
Depression or depressive disorders(unipolar depression) are mental illnesses characterized by a profound and persistent feeling of sadness or despair and/or a loss of interest in things that were once pleasurable. Disturbance in sleep, appetite, a...
|
 |
A depressive disorder is defined by the National Institute of Mental Health(NIMH) as an illness that involves the body, mood and thoughts. It encompasses feelings of overwhelming sadness and despair that persist or intensify over time.Occasional f...
|
 |
Sleeping difficulty, called insomnia, can involve difficulty falling asleep when you first go to bed at night, waking up too early in the morning, and waking up often during the night.Insomnia; Inability to sleep; Dyssomnia; Sleeplessness; Wakeful...
|
|
Are you getting enough sleep? Do you have sleep debt? Lack of sleep, or "sleep debt," can leave you feeling tired, listless and sleepy on a daily basis.
|
|
Dry mouth, known medically as xerostomia, is the abnormal reduction of saliva due to medication, disease, or medical therapy.Dry mouth due to the lack of saliva can be a serious medical problem. Decreased salivation can make swallowing difficult, ...
|
|
A dry mouth may not sound like a health threat. But that parched feeling can cause tooth decay and gum trouble, as well as discomfort when eating or speaking.
|
|
Xerostomia, also known as dry mouth, is marked by a significant reduction in the secretion of saliva. Signs and symptoms of xerostomia include:.cracked lips, cuts, or cracks at the corners of the mouth.difficulty wearing dental appliances(like den...
|
|
Your health care team will explain your options and can answer your questions. They'll work with you during all stages of your treatment. Members of your health care team may include:
|
|
Dry mouth, known medically as xerostomia, is the abnormal reduction of saliva due to medication, disease, or medical therapy.Dry mouth due to the lack of saliva can be a serious medical problem. Decreased salivation can make swallowing difficult, ...
|
|
At 42 years old, Nancy Howe was an enthusiastic body builder. She regularly leg-pressed 500 pounds while grunting loudly. She eventually noticed a persistent, mild sore throat. "I just assumed I'd been grunting too much,” she says. One morning she examined her throat and her knees buckled. "A golfball-sized tumor was bulging from my right tonsil. I was shocked I'd never noticed it before.”
|
|
Tips to fight a dry mouth.Water's good. Sugar-free gum helps. But Listerine may dry out your mouth.
|
|
This guide will cover the most common reason for dry eyes and dry mouth. While these symptoms are more common among persons who are older, they are not inevitable; while tear production may decline with advancing age, symptoms are often not solely related to aging.
|
|
What is the treatment for dry mouth?
Robert Shmerling, M.D., is associate physician and clinical chief of rheumatology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and an associate professor in medicine at Harvard Medical School. He is an active teacher in the Internal Medicine Residency Program, serving as the Robinson Firm Chief. He is also a teacher in the Rheumatology Fellowship Program and has been a practicing rheumatologist for over 25 years.
|
|
What could cause a person to constantly have a dry, raw mouth that feels like the roof of the mouth has been burned?
|
|
Anorexia is characterized by a loss of appetite or lack of desire to eat.Anorexia is common in cancer patients with reported incidence between 15% and 40%. Primary anorexia is especially prevalent in patients with advanced malignancy, and is frequ...
|
|
Detailed information on anorexia, including causes, characteristics, types, diagnosis, treatment, complications, and prevention
|
|
Loss of appetite is a loss of the desire to eat. Not eating can lead to weight loss. Weight loss can cause weakness and fatigue, which affect your ability to perform normal activities. Proper nutrition also helps your body prevent and fight infection. Weight loss or lack of appetite may be due to the cancer or sometimes to treatments for the cancer.
|
|
Your loss of appetite may be because of anxiety or depression, aging, medications or a health concern.
|
|
A harvard Medical school physician answers your question about the prevalence of anorexia in men, and discusses the biological and environmental factors that influence the disorder in both sexes.
|
|
Women suffering from anorexia nervosa may benefit more from general support than in-depth therapy, according to a recent study.
|
|
I sweat profusely at night when I am in bed. I wake up several times soaked then feel chilled and cold. This has been going on for a very long time and seems to be getting worse. What causes this? What can I do about it?
|
|
What causes night sweats?
Diana Post, M.D., is an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and a member of the Department of Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital.
|
|
Night sweats can be a side effect of cancer treatment or a symptom of certain cancers. Night sweats are part of a variety of symptoms referred to as vasomotor.
|
|
The ability to concentrate is a function of mental status and cognition. Impairment of the ability to concentrate can be a problem of neurologic or psychiatric origin or a combination of behavior and mentation.
|
|
With today's world filled with flashing images of MTV, quick news reports, and fast-food restaurants on every corner, are we capable of concentrating as well as we used to?
|
|
In older people, it's easy to mistake memory problems for the everyday forgetfulness that some people experience as they grow older.
|
|
Studies indicate that almost all children report having fears. Some of the most common fears are of bugs or ghosts, and studies have shown that kids are afraid of pretty much the same things no matter where they live in the world.
|
|
An aversion to a person, place, activity, event, or object that causes emotional distress and often avoidance behavior.Fear is defined as emotional reaction related to a person, place, activity, event, or object. Symptoms of fear may include stiff...
|
|
Fear is an intense aversion to or apprehension of a person, place, activity, event, or object that causes emotional distress and often avoidance behavior. Fears are common in childhood.More than 50 percent of children experience normal phobias, wh...
|
|
Researchers have found that the hormone cortisol, produced by the body in response to stress, may in fact have a calming effect on people with certain phobias or performance anxiety.
|
|
Researchers have found a chemical in the brain thay may affect how the mind retains or discards memories of a traumatic event.
|
|
Panic attacks, the hallmark of panic disorder, are discrete episodes of intense anxiety. Panic attacks can also be experienced by people with specific phobia, social phobia, or by people who have used or consumed certain substances, such as cocain...
|
|
A sudden surge of terror hits out of nowhere. Your heart pounds. You feel like you're going crazy. What you're feeling is a panic attack. It could happen anywhere—the grocery store, the mall, your car. During a panic attack, the body misinterprets an ordinary situation as an awful, terrifying event. Caused by a misfiring of chemicals in the brain, panic attacks are common. Fortunately, they are also treatable.
|
|
If you're having panic attacks, don't be afraid to get help. The attacks are real, and the feelings you're having are not your fault. Treatment for panic attacks is covered by most health insurance plans. Check what's covered under your plan. Then see your doctor or other mental health professional for evaluation and treatment.
|
|
To aid in the treatment of hypochondria and panic disorder, researchers are focusing in on the study of anxiety sensitivity, or a tendency to exaggerate reactions to anxiety itself.
|
 |
Erection difficulties - age relatedQuestion:Do most men have difficulty achieving or maintaining an erection (impotence) as they grow older?Answer:Getting older does not mean you will experience impotence, although in some men, sexual responses ma...
|
|
Impotence, often called erectile dysfunction, refers to the male''s inability to achieve or maintain an erection long enough to engage in sexual intercourse.Under normal circumstances, when a man is sexually stimulated, his brain sends a message do...
|
|
Nearly all American men experience occasional impotence, and an estimated 30 million suffer from chronic impotence. But despite its prevalence, the condition is treatable in most cases.
|
|
Detailed information on prostate health, including prostate conditions, prostate cancer, anatomy of the prostate, prostatism, prostatitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia, impotence, and urinary incontinence
|
|
Detailed information on sexual dysfunction, including risk factors, types, diagnosis, treatment, and coping
|
|
Detailed information on sexual dysfunction, including risk factors, types, diagnosis, treatment, and coping
|
|
Recent studies are changing our notion about why men develop impotence. While it was once believed that psychological problems were the main cause, we now understand that medical factors -- such as poor blood flow, nerve damage, and medication side effects -- play an important role in most cases of impotence.
|
|
Discusses the biological mechanisms involved in a normal erection, the causes of impotence, diagnosis of erectile dysfunction, and the efficacy and safety of different drugs used to treat it.
|
|
Recent studies show that impotence is a much more common problem than once believed. Many younger men may experience difficulty with erections, and as many as two-thirds of men will develop impotence at some point in their life.
|
|
Impotence, also known as erectile dysfunction, is the inability to achieve or maintain an erection long enough to engage in sexual intercourse.Under normal circumstances, when a man is sexually stimulated, his brain sends a message down the spinal...
|
|
For those who cannot take or do not respond to Viagra, Levitra, or Cialis, a number of other, often effective treatment options are available.
|
 |
Hives are raised, often itchy, red welts on the surface of the skin. They are usually an allergic reaction to food or medicine.When you have an allergic reaction to a substance, your body releases histamine and other chemicals into your bloodstream.
|
|
Detailed information on urticaria, also called hives, including what food and medicines commonly cause hives
|
|
Detailed information on urticaria, also called hives, including what food and medicines commonly cause hives
|
|
Hives occur when something prompts cells to release histamine, a chemical found in the skin.
|
|
What is the best way to treat exercise-induced hives? Also, is this a condition that will eventually just go away? I've been living with it for about four years now -- I get hives everyday when I work out if I don't take an over-the-counter antihistamine.
|
|
Hives is an allergic skin reaction causing localized redness, swelling, and itching.Hives is a reaction of the body''s immune system that causes areas of the skin to swell, itch, and become reddened(wheals). When the reaction is limited to small ar...
|
|
Hives is an allergic skin reaction causing localized redness, swelling, and itching.Hives is a reaction of the body''s immune system that causes areas on the surface of the skin to swell, itch, and become reddened(wheals). These lesions are elevate...
|
|
Hives is an allergic skin reaction causing localized redness, swelling, and itching.Hives is a reaction of the body''s immune system that causes areas of the skin to swell, itch, and become reddened(wheals). When the reaction is limited to small ar...
|
 |
Hives are an allergic skin reaction causing localized redness, swelling, and itching.Hives are a reaction of the body''s immune system that causes areas of the skin to swell, itch, and become reddened.(The affected areas are called wheals.)
|
|
Can hormonal changes after giving birth cause hives?
Rebecca Campen, M.D., J.D. is an Assistant Professor of Dermatology at Harvard Medical School and former Deputy Director of the Harvard/Massachusetts General Hospital Cutaneous Biology Research Center (CBRC). She currently serves as Senior Advisor to the CBRC and divides her time between clinical practice of dermatology at the Massachusetts General Hospital and private practice in Savannah, Georgia. Dr. Campen is the author of two books for medical students and residents, Going Into Medical Practice and Blueprints in Dermatology.
|
|
If your blood pressure has been very good for most of your life and then suddenly rises to a dangerous level, could there be an infection or some other medical condition that caused the sudden jump?
|
 |
Absent menstruation means no menstrual flow, or period. Absent menstruation may be:.Primary-- no menstruation before age 16 Secondary-- menstruation begins at the appropriate age, but later stops for more than 3 cycles or 6 months.Missed periods; ...
|
|
Many women experience absent, short, skipped or irregular menstrual periods at some point in their lives.
The most common reason for missed, skipped or irregular periods is pregnancy, often an unexpected or unplanned pregnancy.
|
Home | About | Health Experts | Careers | Site Map | Feedback | Help | Health Tools | Tell a Friend
Advertise | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy
Advertise | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2005 - 2009 Healthline Networks, Inc. All rights reserved.