- Health A to Z
Healthline Premium Tools
Advertisement
Marketplace
Symptoms could include:
-
Cold Extremities
-
Increase In Blood Pressure
-
Cold Feet
-
Calf Pain
-
Cold Fingers
 |
Symptoms usually do not occur until blood flow becomes restricted or blocked. See the specific condition for more details on symptoms:Abdominal aortic aneurysmCoronary artery diseaseKidney diseaseMesenteric artery ischemiaPeripheral artery disease...
|
|
Detailed information on claudication, including causes, risk factors, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and a labeled, full-color anatomical illustration
|
|
How do you know the difference between ordinary cramps and a real medical problem? Take this quiz and learn some distinctions.
|
|
A Harvard Medical School doctor answers your question about the cause of sudden leg weakness and fatigue.
|
|
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."
|
|
Expert-reviewed information summary about pain as a complication of cancer or its treatment. Approaches to the management and treatment of cancer-associated pain are discussed.
|
|
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.
|
|
American Pain Foundation 888-615-7246 www.painfoundation.org American Chronic Pain Association
|
|
Pain is an unpleasant feeling that is conveyed to the brain by sensory neurons. The discomfort signals actual or potential injury to the body.
|
|
A pain scale helps you rate pain intensity. In the scale, 0 means no pain, and 10 is the worst pain possible. (Scales may go up to 5 or up to 10.) Rate the pain every few hours. You may feel some pain even with medications. But tell your healthcare provider if medications don't reduce the pain. Be sure to mention if the pain suddenly increases or changes.
|
|
Pain is an unpleasant feeling that is conveyed to the brain by nerves in the body.Pain arises from any number of situations. Injury is a major cause, but pain may also arise from an illness.
|
|
Pain is an unpleasant feeling that is conveyed to the brain by sensory neurons. The discomfort signals actual or potential injury to the body.
|
|
This comprehensive report describes the many causes of pain, the latest treatments, and the best preventive strategies.
|
|
I have recurring sores in my mouth, most generally on the sides of my tongue, and the tip of my tongue gets very tender and sore. Do I have a vitamin deficiency? What else could be the cause of this?
|
|
Children who experience verbal abuse are at as much risk for developing anxiety or depression as those who are abused physically or sexually. This may be due to the fact that verbal abuse is likely to persist over a lengthy period of time.
|
|
Examines the role of forgiveness in personal health and happiness, ranging from reduced stress to improved relationships.
|
 |
Hypertension is the term used to describe high blood pressure.Blood pressure readings are measured in millimeters of mercury(mmHg) and usually given as two numbers. For example, 120 over 80(written as 120/80 mmHg).The top number is your systolic p...
|
 |
The lower number is the diastolic pressure, which is the pressure when the heart is filling or relaxing before the next beat. Normal blood pressure for an adult is 120/70(on average), but normal for an individual varies with the height, weight, fi...
|
|
Detailed information on high blood pressure, also called hypertension, including symptoms, diagnostic, and treatment information
|
 |
Primary, or essential, hypertension is caused by external factors; secondary hypertension is related to an underlying disorder, such as a congenital heart defect or kidney disease. Factors that increase the risk of high blood pressure include age(...
|
|
Detailed information on high blood pressure, also called hypertension, including symptoms, diagnostic, and treatment information
|
|
Each day that your blood pressure is too high, your chances of having a stroke are increased.
|
|
Detailed information on high blood pressure, also called hypertension, including symptoms, diagnostic, and treatment information
|
|
This report explains what your blood pressure numbers mean and how hypertension can be prevented and treated by making diet and lifestyle changes. Also includes information on medications.
|
|
High blood pressure is a sneaky ailment. The condition has no symptoms that you can see or feel. Having your blood pressure checked is the only way to know if it is high.
|
|
Knowing the definitions of terms your doctor may use when talking with you about your blood pressure is important.
|
 |
Hypertension is the medical term for high blood pressure. Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of arteries as it flows through them.
|
|
When I get up in the morning, my systolic blood pressure is 30 to 50 points higher than it is later in the day (about 110). I am taking three different blood pressure medications. Is this unusual?
|
|
High blood pressure is more common among African Americans than other ethnic groups. Nearly 40 percent of non-Hispanic blacks have hypertension.
|
|
Prehypertension is a new term that alerts people to the risk of developing chronic high blood pressure if they don't take timely steps to improve their lifestyle habits.
|
|
High blood pressure has joined type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol on a list of ailments that once struck only adults but now afflict children.
|
|
The National High Blood Pressure Education Program(NHBPEP) was established in 1972 by the National Institute of Health to translate research results on the health hazards of high blood pressure into clinical and public health practice. Before 1900...
|
|
Did you know you can purchase your own blood pressure monitor and check the reading yourself at home?
|
|
Detailed information on high blood pressure, also called hypertension, including symptoms, diagnostic, and treatment information
|
|
A Harvard Medical School doctor discusses possible causes of low blood pressure.
|
|
Is it absolutely necessary for a diabetic who does not have high blood pressure to take a blood pressure pill anyway?
|
|
While people with high blood pressure are typically told to abstain from alcohol, a study suggests that moderate alcohol consumption may help prevent them from having a heart attack.
|
|
The FDA has approved a new blood pressure drug that works by inhibiting hte production of renin, a substance made by the kidneys that is the first step in the body's system of regulating blood pressure.
|
|
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is the most common chronic adult illness in the United States. There is no cure for high blood pressure, but it can be controlled.
|
|
High blood pressure (hypertension) is called the silent killer. This is because many people who have it don't know it. You can take an easy test to see if your blood pressure is too high. If it is high, you can take steps to lower it. Doing so could save your life.
|
|
Risk factors are things that make you more likely to have a disease or condition. Do you know your risk factors for high blood pressure?
|
|
What causes high blood pressure in a 4-year-old?
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".
|
|
A healthy blood pressure level can reduce your risk for many serious diseases and increase your longevity.
|
|
For those living with high blood pressure, lifestyle changes such as eating a healthier diet, exercising regularly, and losing weight will likely have a positive effect not just on blood pressure, but on overall health.
|
|
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, isn't limited to those 18 and older.Hypertension, or high blood pressure, affects almost one in three adults in the United States. But this serious health condition isn't limited to those ages 18 and older, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI).
|
|
Prehypertension is a new term that alerts people to the very real risk of developing chronic high blood pressure if they don't take timely steps to improve their lifestyle habits.
|
|
Even if your blood pressure is normal or high-normal, you're still at increased risk for hypertension (high blood pressure), the condition in which your heart works too hard and the resulting forceful blood flow harms arteries.
|
|
In most cases, high blood pressure responds to treatment, but the success of the treatment is up to you.
|
|
The number of Americans with high blood pressure has risen steadily since the 1960s, and now tops 65 million.
|
|
High blood pressure can contribute to sexual problems, as can some treatments for it.
|
|
If you have high blood pressure, you need to know, so you can control it. If you don't, you increase your risk for serious illness.
|
|
Is it possible for a blockage in the kidneys to cause high blood pressure? What type of blockage would there be in a kidney?
|
|
Hypertension is high blood pressure. Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of arteries.
|
|
Isolated systolic hypertension, when the systolic blood pressure is above 140 while the diastolic pressure is below 90, is caused by stiffening of large arteries. Medication may be prescribed, but lifestyle changes will have more impact on overall health.
|
|
A study reports that if the vertebra that supports the skull is misaligned, careful manipulation of it may result in a significant drop in blood pressure.
|
 |
Hypertension is high blood pressure. Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of arteries as it flows through them.
|
|
An old theory about the connection between headache and high blood pressure makes a comeback.
|
|
The category of prehypertension was established to serve as a warning. Those whose blood pressure reading falls in it should work to lower their pressure through diet, exercise, and weight control, though in some cases medication may be prescribed.
|
 |
Hypertension is high blood pressure. Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of arteries as it flows through them.As blood flows through arteries it pushes against the inside of the artery walls.
|
|
Fatigue is a feeling of weariness, tiredness, or lack of energy.Fatigue is different from drowsiness. In general, drowsiness is feeling the need to sleep, while fatigue is a lack of energy and motivation.
|
|
Fatigue is physical and/or mental exhaustion that can be triggered by stress, medication, overwork, or mental and physical illness or disease.Everyone experiences fatigue occasionally. It is the body''s way of signaling its need for rest and sleep.
|
|
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.
|
|
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...
|
|
If you regularly feel weary after waking from a good night's sleep or for no apparent reason, it's time to find out why.
|
|
If the fatigue is related to a decrease in hemoglobin, or oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood, then replacing the red blood cells by transfusion or taking erythropoietin can help reduce fatigue. If the fatigue is not related to this, then it is important that the person with cancer learn ways to conserve energy. Energy is like money, and people only have a limited amount of it. Think carefully about how to spend it. What activities are most important? What activities help restore energy? These are the activities that people with cancer should spend their energy on. They need to ask for help to do the rest of the activities.
|
|
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...
|
|
Fatigue is physical and/or mental exhaustion that can be triggered by stress, medication, overwork, or mental and physical illness or disease.Everyone experiences fatigue occasionally. It is the body''s way of signaling its need for rest and sleep.
|
|
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...
|
|
If the person on chemotherapy has decreased hemoglobin, or oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood, and it seems like the low hemoglobin level will last for a while, then a medicine called PROCRIT® (Epoetin alfa) may be prescribed. This medicine is given as an injection to keep the hemoglobin at a higher level. This can sometimes manage fatigue. PROCRIT is for anemic chemotherapy patients with most types of cancer.
|
|
We currently understand some of the causes of fatigue but not all of them. Fatigue may be related to physical changes caused by cancer or its treatment (chemotherapy, biotherapy, radiotherapy, or surgery). It is reported that the fatigue people get when receiving cancer treatment is more severe than the fatigue healthy people get. In addition, this fatigue lasts longer and is not relieved by sleep. Studies have shown that low hemoglobin is also related to fatigue. Hemoglobin carries oxygen in the blood, so if it is low, the body cells do not get as much oxygen as they need. Also, people who are not well nourished, who don't drink enough fluid and are dehydrated, or who are not able to move around much tend to have fatigue more easily. Finally, the way a person handles stress, thinks, or behaves can influence fatigue.
|
|
Fatigue is a vague feeling of being tired, weak, or exhausted. It is often a symptom of cancer, when cancer is first diagnosed, or when cancer progresses (Ferrell et al, 1996). It is also the most common side effect of cancer treatment. Some people with cancer have described fatigue as being "tired to the bones” or "hitting a wall.” Others say it is the most distressing side effect of cancer treatment. Fatigue is different for everyone, so it is important that the person who is experiencing it describe how he or she feels. Fatigue may cause decreased ability to work or do physical activity. If the person with cancer is easily distracted and unable to concentrate on mental work or activity, then he or she may have attentional fatigue (Winningham and Barton-Burke, 2000). Depending upon its cause, fatigue can come and go or stay constant for a while. Fatigue from chemotherapy tends to occur a few days after the treatment, peaks, and then gets better before the next treatment. Fatigue from radiation doesn't happen right away. It develops over the first two to three weeks of treatment and then increases as the treatment continues. It may last three months or more after the treatment is finished. Attentional fatigue can last up until two or three years after treatment is completed.
|
|
Many people experience late-in-the-day energy lags, but you can take steps to prevent them.
|
|
Fatigue is a common side effect of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. It can be caused by worry, lack of sleep, and poor appetite. Fatigue can also be a sign of anemia (a shortage of red blood cells). This could require medical treatment. The tips below can help you feel better.
|
|
|
Dizziness is light-headedness, feeling like you might faint, being unsteady, loss of balance, or vertigo(a feeling that you or the room is spinning or moving).Most causes of dizziness are not serious and either quickly get better on their own or a...
|
|
Dizziness is classified into three categories—vertigo, syncope, and nonsyncope nonvertigo. Each category has a characteristic set of symptoms, all related to the sense of balance.
|
|
Dizziness is a general term that describes sensations of imbalance and unsteadiness, such as vertigo, mild turning, imbalance, and near fainting or fainting. Feelings of dizziness stem from the vestibular system, which includes the brain and the p...
|
|
As a disorder, dizziness is classified into three categories—vertigo, syncope, and nonsyncope nonvertigo. Each category has a characteristic set of symptoms, all related to the sense of balance.
|
|
As a disorder, dizziness is classified into three categories: vertigo, syncope, and nonsyncope nonvertigo. Each category has its own set of symptoms, all related to the sense of balance.
|
|
When the brain receives conflicting signals, or when there is a problem with blood flow, dizziness or fainting can occur.
|
|
Falls or accidents can lead to pain, broken bones, and fear of future falls. Protect yourself and others by preparing for episodes. Simple steps can help increase your safety at home and wherever you go.
|
|
Can arthritis in neck and shoulders be the cause of "positional vertigo?" In the past, when I've experienced vertigo symptoms I've visited my chiropractor for an adjustment that would successfully relieve my misalignment, which was pinching a nerve in my neck and causing the dizziness. My last episode was not as successful, though.
|
 |
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.
|
|
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.
|
|
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.
|
|
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.
|
|
Chest pain is discomfort or pain that you feel anywhere along the front of your body between your neck and upper abdomen.Many people with chest pain fear a heart attack. However, there are many possible causes of chest pain.
|
|
New onset chest pain always requires evaluation by your doctor. If the pain is severe, you should seek immediate medical care.
|
|
If hospitals become accredited as "chest pain centers," it could make deciding where to go for treatment easier, and also increase recovery rates.
|
|
Doctor-patient communication can improve the treatment outlook for those with chronic chest pain.
|
|
Every now and then I get a sudden, sharp pain on the left side of my chest, like a knife. I get a little dizzy, and then it disappears as quickly as it came on. Even though the test results were fine, it still scares me. Should I be concerned about this?
|
|
A new drug has been approved to treat angina, though it is intended for those who have not had success with other angina medications, and is meant to be used in combination with another such drug.
|
|
Women who suffer from chest pain but show clear arteries on an angiogram may have a different type of blocked artery, where plaque builds up evenly on the inner surface or bulges outward.
|
|
The benefits of chest pain regarding acute coronary events.When it comes to exercise, that old chestnut "No pain, no gain” is passé. But it may still apply to heart attacks. People who have chest pain (angina) with activity in the months or weeks before a heart attack tend to have smaller heart attacks, better survival, fewer heart rhythm problems, and better recovery of heart function than those without chest pain. In May, a team that included cardiologists from Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital reported in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology that angina protects against the muscular remodeling of the left ventricle that can follow a heart attack and lead to heart failure. It didn't seem to help people with diabetes, though.
|
|
A Harvard Medical School physician answers your question about when chest pain may be heartburn, and when it may be a sign of something more serious.
|
|
What would cause me to have chest pains when I eat a full meal?
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.
|
|
Weakness is a reduction in the strength of one or more muscles.Weakness may be generalized(total body weakness) or localized to only one area, side of the body, limb, or muscle. Weakness is more notable when it is localized.
|
 |
Numbness and tingling are abnormal sensations that can occur anywhere in your body, but are often felt in your fingers, hands, feet, arms, or legs.Sensory loss; Paresthesias; Tingling and numbness; Loss of sensation.Remaining in the same seated or...
|
|
Numbness and tingling are decreased or abnormal sensations caused by altered sensory nerve function.The feeling of having a foot"fall asleep" is a familiar one. This same combination of numbness and tingling can occur in any region of the body and...
|
|
The most common reason for numbness or tingling is a problem with nerve function, either because the nerve itself is injured, something is pressing on the nerve, or an imbalance in the body's chemistry interferes with nerve function.
|
|
What would cause sudden ear numbness and partial facial numbness (but without drooping or muscle weakness)?
|
 |
Leg pain can be due to a muscle cramp(also called a charley horse). Common causes of cramps include:.Dehydration or low amounts of potassium, sodium, calcium, or magnesium in the blood Medications such as: Diuretics, which can cause you to lose to...
|
|
The symptoms in your back or leg may be due to pressure on a nerve. This pressure may be caused by a damaged disk or by abnormal bone growth. Either way, you may feel pain, burning, tingling, or numbness. If you have pressure on a nerve that connects to the sciatic nerve, pain may shoot down your leg.
|
|
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?
|
|
Cyanosis refers to a bluish cast to the skin and mucous membranes caused by a lower level of circulating oxygen carried by the red blood cells. It may also represent a high level of an abnormal form of hemoglobin in the circulation.
|
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.