Cirrhosis : Symptoms

Bleeding hemorrhoids; Confusion; Impotence and loss of interest in sex; Jaundice; Nausea and vomiting; Small, red spider-like blood vessels on the skin; Swelling of the legs; Vomiting blood; Weakness; Weight loss. Other symptoms that may occur wit...

Long-term alcoholism is the primary cause of cirrhosis in the United States. Men and women respond differently to alcohol. Although most men can safely consume two to five drinks a day, one or two drinks a day can cause liver damage in women. Indi...

Symptoms of cirrhosis are usually caused by the loss of functioning liver cells or organ swelling due to scarring. The liver enlarges during the early stages of illness. Patients may experience: anemia bleeding gums constipation decreased interest...

Abdominal pain is pain that you feel anywhere between your chest and groin. This is often referred to as the stomach region or belly.

Abdominal pain is very common in children, and in many cases there’s no serious cause. But stomach pain can sometimes point to a serious problem, such as appendicitis, so it is important to know when to seek help.

A swollen abdomen is marked by increased abdominal girth .

Ascites is an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the abdomen. Rapidly developing (acute) ascites can occur as a complication of trauma, perforated ulcer, appendicitis , or inflammation of the colon or other tube-shaped organ (diverticulitis).

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.

Discharge Instructions: Ascites ShuntYou had surgery to place an ascites shunt, a tube that drains excess fluid from your abdominal space into another place in your body. The fluid buildup is called ascites. 

Bleeding from the gums is mainly due to inadequate plaque removal from the teeth at the gum line. This will lead to a condition called gingivitis , or inflamed gums. If plaque is not removed through regular brushing and dental appointments, it will harden into what is known as tartar. Ultimately, this will lead to increased bleeding and a more advanced form of gum and jawbone disease known as periodontitis .

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.

Vomiting blood is a regurgitation of blood from the upper gastrointestinal tract, which includes the mouth, pharynx, esophagus (the feeding tube that transmits food and secretions from mouth to stomach), stomach, and small intestine.

Gynecomastia is the development of prominent breast tissue in the male.

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.

Male breast enlargement (gynecomastia) is a normal condition that occurs during puberty in more than 60% of boys. Prevalence Aproximately 20% of 10bdTAG-year-old boys and more than 60% of 14-year-old boys experience gynecomastia (breast enlargement).

Confusion is the inability to think with your usual speed or clarity. When confused, you have difficulty focusing your attention and may feel disoriented. Confusion interferes with your ability to make decisions.

Urine of an abnormal color appears different from the usual straw-yellow color. Abnormally-colored urine may also be cloudy, dark, or blood-tinged. See also - urine, bloody or dark .

Inhibited sexual desire (ISD) refers to a low level of sexual interest. The person with ISD fails to initiate or respond to their partner's desire for sexual activity. ISD may be primary (where the person has never felt much sexual desire or interest), or secondary (where the person used to possess sexual desire, but no longer does). ISD may also be either situational to the partner (the person with ISD is interested in other people, but not his or her partner), or it may be general (where the person with ISD has a lack of sexual interest in anyone). In the extreme form of sexual aversion, the person not only lacks sexual desire, but may find sex repulsive, revolting, and distasteful. Sometimes, rather than being inhibited, there may simply be a discrepancy in sexual interest levels between two partners, both of whom have interest levels within the normal range. Occasionally, someone may claim that his or her partner has ISD, when in fact they, themself, have hyperactive sexual desire and are very demanding sexually.

Female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD) occurs when a woman is continually unable to attain or maintain arousal and lubrication during intercourse, is unable to reach orgasm, or has no desire for sexual intercourse. The disorder typically affects up to 25 percent of all American women, or an estimated 47 million women.

Decreased urine output is defined as producing less than 500 ml of urine in 24 hours.

Edema is a condition of abnormally large fluid volume in the circulatory system or in tissues between the body ' s cells (interstitial spaces). Normally the body maintains a balance of fluid in tissues by ensuring that the same amount of water entering the body also leaves it.

Edema is the medical term for swelling. It is an abnormal retention of fluid in body tissue.

Fatigue is a feeling of weariness, tiredness, or lack of energy.

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.

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 context of health and illness.

Introduction 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 context of health and illness.

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.

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 persist beyond a patient ' s treatment regimen.

Oncology: Managing FatigueFatigue is a common side effect of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. It can be caused by worry, lack of sleep, and poor appetite.

Gastrointestinal bleeding refers to any bleeding that starts in the gastrointestinal tract, which extends from the mouth to the large bowel. The degree of bleeding can range from nearly undetectable to acute, massive, and life-threatening. Bleeding may come from any site along the gastrointestinal tract, but is often divided into: Upper GI bleeding: The upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract is located between the mouth and outflow tract of the stomach. Lower GI bleeding: The lower GI tract is located from the outflow tract of the stomach to the anus (small and large bowel included).

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.

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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 down the spinal cord and into the nerves of the penis.

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 cord and into the nerves of the penis.

Indigestion is a vague feeling of abdominal discomfort -- possibly including a feeling of fullness, belching , bloating , and nausea .

Dyspepsia can be defined as painful, difficult, or disturbed digestion, which may be accompanied by symptoms such as nausea and vomiting , heartburn , bloating, and stomach discomfort. Causes and symptoms The digestive problems may have an identifiable cause, such as bacterial or viral infection, peptic ulcer, gallbladder, or liver disease.

Stomachache is pain or discomfort in the stomach that is a symptom of many different gastrointestinal diseases or conditions. Stomachache, also called dyspepsia, is a symptom of an underlying disease or condition of the gastrointestinal system.

Indigestion, which is sometimes called dyspepsia, is a general term covering a group of nonspecific symptoms in the digestive tract. It is often described as a feeling of fullness, bloating, nausea, heartburn , or gassy discomfort in the chest or abdomen.

Indigestion, which is sometimes called dyspepsia ,is a general term covering a group of nonspecific symptoms in the digestive tract. It is often described as a feeling of fullness, bloating, nausea, heartburn , or gassy discomfort in the chest or abdomen.

Itching is a peculiar tingling or uneasy irritation of the skin that causes a desire to scratch the affected area.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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 the eyes), and the inner surface of the eyelids.

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 " the condition.

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.

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%.

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.

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.

The nose contains many tiny blood vessels that bleed easily...This is a disorder involving a blood vessel growth similar to a birthmark in the back of the nose...Almost all nose bleeds can be controlled in this way if sufficient time is allowed for the bleeding to stop...

A nosebleed, also called epistaxis, is a loss of blood from any blood vessel in the nose. It usually appears in only one nostril.

A nosebleed is bleeding from the nose called epistaxis. Unexpected bleeding from anywhere is cause for alarm.

A nosebleed is characterized by bleeding from the interior of the nasal cavity. It can be caused by heat, dry air, trauma to the nose, certain medications, or a medical condition.

Definition and classification 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.

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.

Communicating About PainResourcesAmerican Pain Foundation888-615-7246www.painfoundation.orgAmerican Chronic Pain Associationwww.theacpa.orgThe National Pain Foundation www.painconnection.orgYou have a right to have pain treated. Untreated pain can...

Pain is an unpleasant feeling that is conveyed to the brain by sensory neurons. The discomfort signals actual or potential injury to the body.

Measuring Your PainA pain scale helps you rate pain intensity. In the scale, 0 means no pain, and 10 is the worst pain possible.

Pain is an unpleasant feeling that is conveyed to the brain by sensory neurons. The discomfort signals actual or potential injury to the body.

Pain is an unpleasant feeling that is conveyed to the brain by nerves in the body. Pain arises from any number of situations.

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).

An erection problem is the inability to get or maintain an erection that is firm enough for a man to have intercourse. You may be unable to get an erection at all, or you may lose the erection during intercourse before you are ready. If the condition persists, the medical term is erectile dysfunction.

Understanding Rectal BleedingRectal bleedingis when blood passes through your rectum and anus. It can occur with or without a bowel movement.

Evaluating and Treating Rectal BleedingYour doctor will do a medical evaluation to find the site and cause of your bleeding. He or she will ask about your health and examine you.

Spider angioma is an abnormal collection of blood vessels near the surface of the skin. The appearance is often similar to that of a small spider web.

Swelling involves the enlargement of organs, skin, or other body structures. It is caused by excessive buildup of fluid in the tissues. This buildup can lead to a rapid increase in weight over a short period of time (days to weeks). Swelling can occur throughout the body (generalized) or it may be limited to a specific part of the body (localized). See also: Ankle, feet, and leg swelling Angioedema Swollen gums Swollen glands Facial swelling Swelling in the abdomen Breast enlargement Scrotal swelling Joint swelling

Abnormal buildup of fluid in the ankles, feet, and legs is called peripheral edema.

Edema is a condition of abnormally large fluid volume in the circulatory system or in tissues between the body ' s cells (interstitial spaces). Normally the body maintains a balance of fluid in tissues by ensuring that the same of amount of water entering the body also leaves it.

Unintentional weight loss is a decrease in body weight that is not voluntary. Weight loss will occur with decreased food intake, increased metabolism , or both. See also intentional weight loss .

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.

Vomiting is the forceful discharge of stomach contents through the mouth. Vomiting, also called emesis, is a symptomatic response to any number of harmful triggers.

Weakness is a reduction in the strength of one or more muscles.

See physical activity and intentional weight loss ...

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.