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Symptoms could include:
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Increase In Blood Pressure
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Upper Abdominal Pain
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Epigastric Pain
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Personality Change
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Decrease In Height
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Often, there are no obvious symptoms or suspicion of hyperparathyroidism, and it is first diagnosed when a patient is discovered to be hypercalcemic during a routine blood chemistry profile. Patients may believe they have felt fine, but realize im...
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Bone pain represents one of the most debilitating side effects of the metastases of high-incidence cancers such as breast, prostate, lung, and multiple myeloma(myelomatosis). Severe bone pain is frequent, reported by greater than 65% of patients s...
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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...
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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...
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Detailed information on high blood pressure, also called hypertension, including symptoms, diagnostic, and treatment information
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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(...
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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.
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Knowing the definitions of terms your doctor may use when talking with you about your blood pressure is important.
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Each day that your blood pressure is too high, your chances of having a stroke are increased.
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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.
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Detailed information on high blood pressure, also called hypertension, including symptoms, diagnostic, and treatment information
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Detailed information on high blood pressure, also called hypertension, including symptoms, diagnostic, and treatment information
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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.
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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.
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High blood pressure is more common among African Americans than other ethnic groups. Nearly 40 percent of non-Hispanic blacks have hypertension.
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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.
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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?
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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...
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Did you know you can purchase your own blood pressure monitor and check the reading yourself at home?
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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.
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A Harvard Medical School doctor discusses possible causes of low blood pressure.
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Is it absolutely necessary for a diabetic who does not have high blood pressure to take a blood pressure pill anyway?
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Detailed information on high blood pressure, also called hypertension, including symptoms, diagnostic, and treatment information
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A healthy blood pressure level can reduce your risk for many serious diseases and increase your longevity.
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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.
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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.
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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?
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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.
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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".
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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.
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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.
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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).
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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.
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In most cases, high blood pressure responds to treatment, but the success of the treatment is up to you.
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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.
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The number of Americans with high blood pressure has risen steadily since the 1960s, and now tops 65 million.
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Is it possible for a blockage in the kidneys to cause high blood pressure? What type of blockage would there be in a kidney?
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High blood pressure can contribute to sexual problems, as can some treatments for it.
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Hypertension is high blood pressure. Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of arteries.
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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.
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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.
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Hypertension is high blood pressure. Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of arteries as it flows through them.
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An old theory about the connection between headache and high blood pressure makes a comeback.
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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.
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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.
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Muscle aches and pains are common and can involve more than one muscle. Muscle pain also can involve ligaments, tendons, and fascia, the soft tissues that connect muscles, bones, and organs.
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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?
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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."
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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.
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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.
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American Pain Foundation 888-615-7246 www.painfoundation.org American Chronic Pain Association
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Pain is an unpleasant feeling that is conveyed to the brain by sensory neurons. The discomfort signals actual or potential injury to the body.
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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.
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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.
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Pain is an unpleasant feeling that is conveyed to the brain by sensory neurons. The discomfort signals actual or potential injury to the body.
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This comprehensive report describes the many causes of pain, the latest treatments, and the best preventive strategies.
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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.
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Examines the role of forgiveness in personal health and happiness, ranging from reduced stress to improved relationships.
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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?
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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...
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This report offers in-depth information on the causes of depression and the treatments and medications that can lift your mood.
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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.
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People who are depressed have a cluster of symptoms characterized by sadness and a profound lack of energy and well-being.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Learning more about this illness will allow you to understand what your symptoms may mean and make it easier for you to seek help.
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Too often, parents miss the signs of depression. Or, they believe their teen will "snap out of it” eventually.
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A woman's unique biological, social, and cultural factors may increase her risk for depression.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Studies suggest mental health care following a heart attack can improve patient health and mortality.
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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.
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Depressed patients are more likely to respond to medical treatment if their doctors practice empathy and effective communication skills.
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Discussing the definition and treatment of a contested psychological diagnosis???atypical depression.
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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.
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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?
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Exposure to the right kind of light may go a long way toward reducing seasonal affective disorder symptoms.
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Teen depression is a serious illness. The benefits of getting help, including taking medications if needed, far outweigh the potential risks.
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During the dark days of winter, many people develop signs of depression that are tied to the changing amount of daylight.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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A Harvard Medical School physician answers your question about whether Accutane, a powerful acne medication, has been linked to depression or suicide.
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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.
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Discusses options for treatment of seasonal affective disorder.The treatment of seasonal affective disorder throws light on dark moods.
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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".
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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?
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Although anyone can suffer from depression, it is particularly common among older adults. Depression affects 15 out of every 100 adults older than 65.
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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.
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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.
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Instead of asking for help, men who are depressed are likely to drink alcohol to excess, take drugs, or become frustrated, discouraged, and irritable.
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Although sadness touches all our lives, true depression is different in its intensity and persistence.
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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.
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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.
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Having a chronic condition such as COPD can lead to depression. You can get help. Talk with your doctor about your symptoms.
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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.
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A recent study offers evidence that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors may help those who develop depression after a heart attack.
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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.
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A discussion of the social impact of depression in the elderly and the benefits of treatment.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Discussion of whether the new antidepressant Cymbalta (duloxetine) has any advantage over other antidepressants on the market.
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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.
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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.
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A study shows that interaction with animals can be a path to recovery from depression.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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...
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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.
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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.
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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...
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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.
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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...
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Many people experience late-in-the-day energy lags, but you can take steps to prevent them.
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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.
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Nonspecific back pain refers to pain in the back due to an unknown cause.
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Back pain may occur in the upper, middle, or lower back; it is most often experienced in the lower back. It may originate from the bones and ligaments forming the spine, the muscles and tendons supporting the back, the nerves that exit the spinal ...
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Instead of looking for a quick fix, try to develop a longer view. Healing takes time and is a gradual process. By doing daily stretching and stress-management exercises, the time it takes to heal your back will be shortened.
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As your body changes during pregnancy, your back must work in new ways. This can be painful if your back isn't prepared.
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Four out of five adults suffer back pain sometime in their lives, experts say. And most of that back pain is in the lower back. That's because the low back bears most of the weight and is the most common site of poor posture.
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Back pain has many sources. It can originate in the joints, muscles, or ligaments of the back itself or be caused by problems in other parts of the body.
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These exercises will strengthen your back and buttocks muscles.Before trying these exercises, talk to your healthcare provider to make sure they are safe for you. Ask your healthcare provider how many times to do each exercise.
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The Consumer Product Safety Commission found that in one year, more than 10,000 children ages 5 to 14 see doctors with backpack-related complaints.
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Up to eight in 10 Americans suffer from back pain at some point in their lives. For most people, back pain resolves, but for 5 to 10 percent, low back pain becomes a chronic condition.
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More than half of American adults seek medical treatment for back pain at some point in their lives.
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Ice reduces muscle pain and swelling. It helps most during the first 24 to 48 hours after an injury.
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Smoking damages your arteries, and it's thought that the damaged arteries in the discs and joints in your back may lead to pain and injury.
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Back pain is something you don't want to repeat. Recovering properly from a back injury and taking preventive measures can help you reduce your risk of going through it again.
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To heal your back and make your spine healthy, it's essential to build up and nurture the back muscles. This is accomplished by systematic stretching of not only the muscles in the back, but the other muscles in the body as well, since virtually all muscles in the body affect the back in one way or another.
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Back pain is a common complaint: Nearly everyone will have low back pain that interferes with work or daily activities at some point in his or her life.
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People who work in certain occupations, such as nursing, are likely to have back pain. But so can folks who work in an office every day if they don't take proactive steps to protect their backs.
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Think through each move before you make it, so you'll use the right muscles for the job. If you practice these safe moves now, they may come naturally to you by the time your baby's born.
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Four out of five people will experience back pain at some point in their lives.If you've never hurt your back, you're one of the lucky few. Four out of five people will experience back pain at some point in their lives. Why? Sometimes the spine just isn't getting the support it needs from your back, stomach, and leg muscles.
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Back pain can be caused by many illnesses and conditions, including stress or injury, being overweight, improper lifting, pregnancy, and diseases such as fibromyalgia and arthritis.
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Learning the proper ways to bend, lift, and carry objects may help relieve back strain. It will also help you protect your back after your baby is born. Remember, if you're having trouble protecting your back, it's okay to ask the people around you for help!
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Your back is important to almost every move you make, but you probably won't realize that until you hurt it.
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If the pain occurs because of an accident or injury, or fever is present, you should see your health care provider immediately. Pain not accompanied by fever or not associated with an accident or injury may not need immediate treatment.
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Before trying these exercises, talk to your healthcare provider to make sure they are safe for you. Ask your healthcare provider how many times to do each exercise.
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Did you know that standing, sitting, or lying in certain ways can lead to back pain? To ease pain, use positions that support your body comfortably.
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If you have loss of bowel or bladder control, seek emergency help at once. Paralysis of the bowel and bladder could result if not attended to promptly.
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Before trying these exercises, talk to your healthcare provider to make sure they are safe for you. Ask your healthcare provider how many times to do each exercise.
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Is back pain in children common? What should you do if your child has back/low back pain?
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You likely position yourself differently now than you did before you were pregnant. Did you know that standing, sitting, or lying in certain ways can lead to back pain? To ease pain, use positions that support your body comfortably.
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The cause of most back pain cannot be identified specifically, and is likely due to a conbination of factors. Imaging tests are not very useful and do not improve the outcome of treatment.
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Abdominal pain is pain that you feel anywhere between your chest and groin. This is often referred to as the stomach region or belly.Stomach pain; Pain- abdomen; Belly ache; Abdominal cramps.There are many organs in the abdomen.
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New and severe abdominal pain always needs to be closely evaluated by a doctor. It is frequently a sign of serious illness.
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Repeated episodes of abdominal pain can arise from a variety of medical causes, including some serious conditions. Everyone who has unexplained abdominal pain requires a medical evaluation by a doctor.
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Most of the time, children with mild abdominal pain are not seriously ill; the symptoms go away in a day or two and can be managed at home. However, if your child has severe abdominal pain or has a bellyache along with frequent vomiting, you should contact your child's pediatrician.
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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.
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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. Vomiting is a forceful expulsion, and is different from regurgitation—the eff...
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Although nausea and vomiting can make you feel miserable, it's important to remember that these are not diseases, but rather symptoms of many illnesses.
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Vomiting can deplete you of fluids and electrolytes, so repeated vomiting requires medical treatment if it results in a lasting lightheaded feeling or weakness.
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Nausea with or without vomiting is common in children. Most of the time, the cause is not serious. The symptoms usually go away in a day or two and can be managed at home. However, there are times when you should alert your child's doctor immediately.
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Vomiting is very common in babies. Sometimes it can be entirely normal, like when babies spit up mouthfuls of breastmilk or formula after eating. Sometimes it can be a sign of illness or a blockage somewhere in the intestines. Less commonly, it can even be a sign of accidental poisoning or be caused by a bad bump to the head.
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When should parents be concerned about their child vomiting? If the child, age 5 and a bit overweight, has what the parents think is a stomach bug that causes vomiting, and this happens for a couple days at least every two months or sometimes shorter periods in between, should they have tests done or should they just assume its a virus?
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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.Your body has a few main ways to respond to an ever-changing, wide variety of invaders and irritants.
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"Gingerbread. Ginger cookies. Ginger ale. Who knew they could lessen nausea so much? My mom makes me ginger cookies every time I have chemo. My neighbor brings over gingerbread. I haven't eaten these foods since I was growing up, but they sure hit the spot now." - Anne R.
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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.Nausea is a reaction to a number of causes that include overeating, infection, or irritation of ...
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Will excess fluid in the ear cause dizziness and nausea?
David Vernick, M.D. is assistant clinical professor of otology and laryngology at Harvard Medical School and interim chief of the Division of Otology and Laryngology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
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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.
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True muscle weakness means that full effort does not produce a normal muscle contraction or movement. A voluntary muscle contraction is generated when the brain sends a signal through the spinal cord and nerves to a muscle.
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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.
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Itching is a tingling or irritation of the skin that makes you want to scratch the affected area.Itching may occur all over the whole body(generalized) or only in one location(localized).Aging skin Atopic dermatitis Contact dermatitis( poison ivy ...
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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 leads most people instinctively to scratch the affected...
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Expert-reviewed information summary about pruritus (itching of the skin) as a complication of cancer or its treatment. Approaches to the management and treatment of pruritus are discussed.
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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 instinctively leads most people to scratch the affected...
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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).
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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 instinctively leads most people to scratch the affec...
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Detailed information on pain management and itching and burn care Most children with burns have pain. The amount of pain depends on the severity and location of the burn. Severe pain can make your child's stay in the hospital very scary. Your child will be given pain medication through an intravenous (IV) line or by mouth before wound care and as needed. Many parents worry that their child may become addicted to pain medication. This is very rare, because children are given such small amounts of pain medication for short time periods. If you have more questions about pain medication, please ask your child's nurse or physician.
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Joint pain can be caused by many types of injuries or conditions. No matter what causes it, joint pain can be very bothersome.Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder that causes stiffness and pain in the joints.
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Sprained ankles and wrists, arthritic knees and hips and torn rotator cuffs all have one thing in common: They result in joint pain.
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The hip is prone to developing pain in part because its anatomy is complex and because it has a large range of motion. Some of these structures, including the bursae, muscles, tendons, or ligaments are common causes of hip pain, even when the joint itself is fine.
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The diagnoses provided are among the most common that could explain your symptoms, but the list is not exhaustive and there are many other possibilities. In addition, more than one condition may be present at the same time. For example, a person with rheumatoid arthritis could also have ulnar neuropathy because swelling in the elbow compresses the nearby nerve.
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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...
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Detailed information on anorexia, including causes, characteristics, types, diagnosis, treatment, complications, and prevention
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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.
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Your loss of appetite may be because of anxiety or depression, aging, medications or a health concern.
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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.
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Women suffering from anorexia nervosa may benefit more from general support than in-depth therapy, according to a recent study.
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Stupor is a state of impaired consciousness in which it is difficult to arouse a person even with vigorous, noxious stimulation. The state of obtundation resembles a deep sleep from which the person can only be awakened for brief periods by shaking, shouting or pinching.
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Visual disturbances are abnormalities of sight. Visual disturbances associated with neurological disorders often include double vision(diplopia), moving or blurred vision due to nystagmus(involuntary rapid movements of the eyes), reduced visual ac...
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Frequent urination means needing to urinate more often than usual. Urgent urination is a sudden, compelling urge to urinate, along with discomfort in your bladder.A frequent need to urinate at night is called nocturia.
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Urinary tract infections, kidney stones and prostate problems can all produce these symptoms. Frequent urination without pain also can be a side effect of certain medications, or a symptom of diabetes.
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Is frequent urination a sign of kidney dysfunction?
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.
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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...
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Detailed information on depression and depression in women, including types, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
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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...
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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...
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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 ...
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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.
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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, ...
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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.
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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...
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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...
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Depression is sometimes referred to as the common cold of mental illness. It is a debilitating disease with significant societal costs.
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Excessive thirst is an abnormal feeling of always needing to drink fluids.Drinking lots of water is usually healthy. However, the urge to drink too much may be the result of a physical or emotional disease.
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Personality changes are alterations in the behavior, thinking and interactions of a person from their established character. These changes may be indicative of chemical dependencies, psychiatric illness, dementia, trauma, illness, altered body chemistry or temperature, or poisoning.
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Excessive volume of urination means that you release abnormally large amounts of urine each day. The medical term for this condition is polyuria. .An excessive volume of urination for an adult would be at least 2.5 liters of urine p...
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Visual impairment or low vision is a severe reduction in vision that can''t be corrected with standard glasses or contact lenses and reduces a person''s ability to function at certain or all tasks. Legal blindness(which is actually a severe visual i...
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When you have low vision, you need more than glasses or contact lenses to see well enough to get around and do day-to-day tasks. Your central or side vision, or both, may be reduced.
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If you have low-vision symptoms, talk to your eye-care professional, who can help you find resources and visual devices to make the most of your remaining vision.
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Detailed information on problems with vision in children There are many problems that can affect your child's vision that require clinical care by a physician or other healthcare professional. Listed in the directory below are some, for which we have provided a brief overview.
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Detailed information on problems with vision in children Eye disorders that affect vision can be divided into two groups, including the following:
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Using vision aids can help you do the things you need and want to do. There are many kinds of vision aids. Low-vision centers and some doctors sell these aids. They also train you to use your aids. And they will talk with you about proper lighting.
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The number of people losing their vision is growing, yet experts say much of this vision loss could be prevented.
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Detailed information on correcting or improving vision problems With today's advanced technology, there are many different approaches now available to help correct or improve a variety of vision problems. Listed below are some, for which we have provided a brief overview.
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Have you noticed the sudden onset of any of these symptoms: vision loss, seeing double, the feeling of a shade over the eye, lights are surrounded by halos, or light sensitivity?
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Reports of a rare eye condition developing in men after use of Viagra are a reminder that erectile dysfunction medications should be used with the same caution given to other prescription drugs.
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Hazy vision, cloudy vision, blurred vision are all problems with seeing clearly. Any change in your normal vision is cause for concern and is a good reason to call a doctor for an examination.
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