Tuesday, February 14, 2012
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Alcoholic Liver Disease Learning Center

Symptoms vary based on the severity of the disease. They are usually worse after a recent period of heavy drinking. Disease changes start in the liver as inflammation (hepatitis) and lead to fatty liver and cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is the final phase ...
Source:ADAM
Date:October 18, 2009
Ascites is excess fluid in the space between the tissues lining the abdomen and abdominal organs (the peritoneal cavity.
Source:ADAM
Date:October 13, 2009
Ascites is an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the abdomen.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Ascites is defined as an excessive amount of fluid built up within the peritoneal cavity. Both the abdominal organs and the abdomen itself are lined with membranes called the peritoneum. Between these two linings is a space referred to as the peri...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer
Jaundice is a yellow color in the skin, the mucous membranes, or the eyes. The yellow pigment is from bilirubin, a byproduct of old red blood cells.
Source:ADAM
Date:May 8, 2008
Jaundice is a condition in which the patient has a yellow hue because of high blood levels of bilirubin, a breakdown product of hemoglobin that is potentially toxic. The yellow discoloration is most noticeable in the skin, the sclera (whites of th...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Jaundice is a condition in which a person's skin and the whites of the eyes are discolored yellow due to an increased level of bile pigments in the blood resulting from liver disease. Jaundice is sometimes called icterus , from a Greek word for "t...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Refers to the yellowing of skin, sclera (white of eyes), mucous membranes, and of body fluids such as urine and blood plasma. Jaundice is caused by excess bilirubin in the blood stream. The skin, sclera (whites of the eyes), mucous membranes, urin...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence
Fatigue is a feeling of weariness, tiredness, or lack of energy.
Source:ADAM
Date:August 3, 2009
Fatigue is physical and/or mental exhaustion that can be triggered by stress , medication, overwork, or mental and physical illness or disease.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Fatigue may be defined as a subjective state in which one feels tired or exhausted, and in which the capacity for normal work or activity is reduced. There is, however, no commonly accepted definition of fatigue when it is considered in the contex...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders
Fatigue may be defined as a subjective state in which one feels tired or exhausted, and in which the capacity for normal work or activity is reduced. There is, however, no commonly accepted definition of fatigue when it is considered in the contex...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders
Fatigue is physical and/or mental exhaustion that can be triggered by stress , medication, overwork, or mental and physical illness or disease.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Fatigue is a feeling of exhaustion or loss of strength. The duration of fatigue for a patient with cancer has been found to last from one to two times the length of time between diagnosis and completion of treatment, so it is common for fatigue to...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer
Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding refers to any bleeding that starts in the gastrointestinal tract, which extends from the mouth to the anus. The amount of bleeding can range from nearly undetectable to acute, massive, and life threatening. Bleeding ...
Source:ADAM
Date:January 28, 2009
GI bleeding studies uses radioactive materials in the investigation of bleeding from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. These studies go under various names such as "GI bleeding scans" or "Tagged red blood cell scans." They are performed and interpr...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Weakness is a reduction in the strength of one or more muscles.
Source:ADAM
Date:August 8, 2009
Urine is produced in the kidneys, which are important organs for the health of our body. When we take fluid in, it passes from our digestive system into our circulatory system and is filtered through the kidneys.
Source:Healthline
Date:September 30, 2007
Urine of an abnormal color appears different from the usual straw-yellow color. Abnormally-colored urine may be cloudy, dark, or blood-tinged. See also: Urine, bloody or dark
Source:ADAM
Date:September 30, 2009
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.
Source:Healthline
Date:September 30, 2007
Feeling lightheaded is a sensation that may precede syncope or fainting. It is usually experienced when in an upright position (standing or sitting). If
Source:Healthline
Date:September 30, 2007
Vomiting blood is a backward flowing (regurgitation) of blood through the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The upper GI tract includes the stomach, mouth, throat, esophagus (the swallowing tube), and the first part of the small intestine.
Source:ADAM
Date:January 16, 2009
A swollen abdomen is when your belly area is bigger than usual. See also: Abdominal girth
Source:ADAM
Date:November 16, 2008
Yellow eyes is a manifestation of jaundice which is caused by excess bilirubin in the blood stream. Bilirubin is a byproduct of red blood cells, normally broken down in the liver when they become a waste products.
Source:Healthline
Date:October 31, 2007
Stools that are pale, or clay- or putty-colored may result from problems in the biliary system (the drainage system of the gallbladder, liver, and pancreas.
Source:ADAM
Date:August 8, 2008
Gynecomastia is the development of abnormally large breasts in males. It is related to the excess growth of breast tissue, rather than excess fat tissue.
Source:ADAM
Date:July 25, 2009
Gyne refers to female, and mastia refers to the breast. Gynecomastia is strictly a male disease and is any growth of the adipose (fatty) and glandular tissue in a male breast. Not all breast growth in men is considered abnormal, just excess growth.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Male breast enlargement (gynecomastia) is a normal condition that occurs during puberty in more than 60% of boys.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence
The color of vomited blood varies depending on the amount of time the blood has been in the gastrointestinal system. If there is a delay in vomiting, blood will appear dark red, brown or black and precipitated blood clots produce the appearance of coffee ground like material.
Source:Healthline
Date:November 30, 2007
Pain is a universal human experience. The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) defines pain as "an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders
Pain, medically termed "nociception," is a response to noxious stimuli that is conveyed to the brain by sensory neurons . The discomfort signals actual or impending injury to the body. However, pain is more than a sensation, or the physical awaren...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Pain is an unpleasant feeling that is conveyed to the brain by sensory neurons. The discomfort signals actual or potential injury to the body. However, pain is more than a sensation, or the physical awareness of pain; it also includes perception, ...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Pain is an unpleasant feeling that is conveyed to the brain by nerves in the body.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
Pain is an unpleasant feeling that is conveyed to the brain by sensory neurons. The discomfort signals actual or potential injury to the body. However, pain is more than a sensation, or the physical awareness of pain; it also includes perception, ...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Fever is the temporary increase in the body's temperature, in response to some disease or illness. A child has a fever when their temperature is at or above one of these levels: 100.4 F (38 C) measured in the bottom (rectally; 99.5 F(37.5 C) measu...
Source:ADAM
Date:December 1, 2009
A fever is any body temperature elevation over 100.4°F (38°C).
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
A fever is any body temperature elevation over 100°F (37.8°C).
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Fever is defined as an abnormally high body temperature or a regulated rise to a new set point of body temperature. While a body temperature above 100°F(37.8°C) is considered to be a fever by some clinicians, a significant fever is usually defined...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Normal body temperature varies somewhat from one individual to another but displays a general range and pattern around the "normal" temperature of 98.6°F. Early morning body temperature may be as low as 97°F, and as high as 99.3°F in the afternoon...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer
An elevated body temperature. While the standard for normal body temperature is 98.6°F (37°C), normal body temperatures actually fluctuate within a range of one to two degrees, making it impossible to formulate a precise definition of fever based ...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence
Hyperthermia is the use of therapeutic heat to treat various cancers on and inside the body.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer
Hyperthermia involves raising the body's core temperature as a means of eradicating tumors. The treatment simulates fever . Some therapies actually bring on fever through the introduction of fever-causing organisms, while others raise body tempera...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Nausea is the sensation of having an urge to vomit. Vomiting is forcing the contents of the stomach up through the esophagus and out of the mouth.
Source:ADAM
Date:October 20, 2009
Nausea is the sensation of having a queasy stomach or being about to vomit. Vomiting , or emesis, is the expelling of undigested food through the mouth.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Vomiting is the forceful discharge of stomach contents through the mouth.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Abdominal pain is pain that you feel anywhere between your chest and groin. This is often referred to as the stomach region or belly.
Source:ADAM
Date:October 7, 2009
Confusion is the inability to think with your usual speed or clarity, including feeling disoriented and having difficulty paying attention, remembering, and making decisions.
Source:ADAM
Date:February 13, 2008
Unintentional weight gain is an increase in body weight that occurs when a person takes in more calories than the body needs or uses.
Source:ADAM
Date:October 18, 2009
The term overweight is used to describe an excess amount of total body weight including all tissues (fat, bone, muscle, etc.) and water. Obesity , in contrast, is an excess amount of body fat. An adult woman or man who has a body-fat percentage ex...
Source:Gale Nutrition and Well-Being A to Z
Itching is a tingling or irritation of the skin that makes you want to scratch the affected area.
Source:ADAM
Date:August 22, 2008
Itching is an intense, distracting irritation or tickling sensation that may be felt all over the skin's surface or confined to just one area. The medical term for itching is pruritus.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Itching is an intense, distracting irritation or tickling sensation that may be felt all over the skin's surface or confined to just one area. The medical term for itching is pruritus.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
Itching, also called pruritus, is an unpleasant sensation of the skin that causes a person to scratch or rub the area to find relief. Itching can be confined to one spot (localized) or over the whole body (generalized). Severe scratching can injur...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer
Itching is an intense, distracting irritation or tickling sensation that may be felt all over the skin's surface, or confined to just one area. The medical term for itching is "pruritus."
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Anorexia is characterized by a loss of appetite or lack of desire to eat.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer
Dry mouth, known medically as xerostomia, is the abnormal reduction of saliva due to medication, disease, or medical therapy.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Xerostomia, also known as dry mouth, is marked by a significant reduction in the secretion of saliva. Signs and symptoms of xerostomia include: dryness of the mouth cracked lips, cuts, or cracks at the corners of the mouth taste changes a burning ...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer
Dry mouth, known medically as xerostomia, is the abnormal reduction of saliva due to medication, disease, or medical therapy.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
It is normal to have periods of low energy when one needs to rest and recuperate. However, if low energy persists and a person continually feels sluggish, disinterested in life, and has low energy, the situation should be investigated by a physician.
Source:Healthline
Date:September 30, 2007
Fainting is a temporary loss of consciousness due to a drop in blood flow to the brain. The episode is brief (lasting less than a couple of minutes) and is followed by rapid and complete recovery. You may feel light-headed or dizzy before fainting...
Source:ADAM
Date:May 3, 2009
Fainting is a temporary loss of consciousness, weakness of muscles, and inability to stand up, all caused by sudden loss of blood flow to the brain. Fainting is a relatively common symptom caused by a variety of problems relating to changes in blo...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders
Fainting is loss of consciousness caused by a temporary lack of oxygen to the brain. Known by the medical term "syncope," fainting may be preceded by dizziness , nausea, or a feeling of extreme weakness.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Syncope, or fainting, is a temporary loss of consciousness, usually caused by decreased blood flow to the brain . Syncope is a symptom, rather than a disease itself, and has many causes. The vasovagal faint, which usually occurs in young, otherwis...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Agitation is an unpleasant state of extreme arousal, increased tension, and irritability.
Source:ADAM
Date:May 26, 2008
Abdominal point tenderness refers to the pain you feel when pressure is applied to a specific part of the belly area (abdomen.
Source:ADAM
Date:November 16, 2008
Mood disorders are mental disorders characterized by periods of depression, sometimes alternating with periods of elevated mood.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
Research on the connection between a person's mood and the food he or she eats has reveled what many people have long believed, that eating a certain food can influence a person's mood—at least temporarily. Research by Judith Wurtman, a professor ...
Source:Gale Nutrition and Well-Being A to Z
An arrhythmia is a disorder of the heart rate (pulse) or heart rhythm, such as beating too fast (tachycardia), too slow (bradycardia), or irregularly.
Source:ADAM
Date:May 15, 2008
An arrhythmia is an abnormality in the heart's rhythm, or heartbeat pattern. The heartbeat can be too slow, too fast, have extra beats, skip a beat, or otherwise beat irregularly.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Excessive thirst is an abnormal feeling of always needing to drink fluids.
Source:ADAM
Date:February 22, 2009
Paleness is an abnormal loss of color from normal skin or mucous membranes.
Source:ADAM
Date:April 13, 2009
The heart rate, usually measured by checking the arterial pulse or sounds counting the times of the heart beat, is considered one of the vital signs. Vital signs – body temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure provide information about the state of health of a person and, if abnormal, offer clues to problems.
Source:Healthline
Date:September 30, 2007
Cyanosis is a bluish color to the skin or mucus membranes due to a lack of oxygen in the blood.
Source:ADAM
Date:June 12, 2009
Hyperpigmentation is the increase in the natural color of the skin.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
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.
Source:Healthline
Date:October 31, 2007
Stools are produced in the intestines and are the end product of the digestive system. When we consume food, it passes from our stomach into our intestines.
Source:Healthline
Date:November 30, 2007
Aversion to food and drink can be a temporary response to a benign illness, as with the common cold, or a response to a complex interaction of physical, mental and behavioral issues. While it is normal to experience a loss of appetite with certain conditions, when aversion to food and drink results in significant weight loss and nutritional deficits, it is important to seek medical advice.
Source:Healthline
Date:October 31, 2007
Sometimes a person feels hot to touch due to illness or environmental situation that causes elevated core temperature. A compounding factor can be dehydration (lack of fluids.
Source:Healthline
The heart rate, usually measured by checking the arterial pulse or sounds counting the times of the heart beat, is considered one of the vital signs. Vital signs – body temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure provide information about the state of health of a person and, if abnormal,offer clues to problems.
Source:Healthline
Date:September 30, 2007
Bloody stools often indicate an injury or disorder in the digestive tract. Your doctor may use the term "melena" to describe black, tarry, and foul-smelling stools or "hematochezia" to describe red- or maroon-colored stools.
Source:ADAM
Date:January 11, 2009
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