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Fever, chills, fatigue, or weight loss may be the only symptoms at first. However, symptoms may be in almost any part of the body.
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Fever is the temporary increase in the body''s temperature, in response to some disease or illness.A child has a fever when their temperature is at or above one of these levels:.100.4°F(38°C) measured in the bottom(rectally) 99.5°F(3...
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The nervous system constantly relays information about the body''s temperature to the thermostat, which in turn activates different physical responses designed to cool or warm the body, depending on the circumstances. These responses include: decre...
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Detailed information on fevers in children A fever is a temperature of 100.4º F and higher.
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A fever is a special cause for concern in infants younger than 3 months of age. Parents and caregivers should be most concerned with changes in eating or sleeping habits, coughing, pain or other marked changes.
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Fever is defined as an abnormally high body temperature or a regulated rise to a new set point of body temperature. While a body temperature above 100°F(37.8°C) is considered to be a fever by some clinicians, a significant fever is usual...
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A fever is any body temperature elevation over 100°F(37.8°C).A healthy person''s body temperature fluctuates between 97°F(36.1°C) and 100°F(37.8°C), with the average being 98.6°F(37°C). The body maintains sta...
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While the standard for normal body temperature is 98.6°F(37°C), normal body temperatures actually fluctuate within a range of one to two degrees, making it impossible to formulate a precise definition of fever based on a specific tempera...
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Early morning body temperature may be as low as 97°F, and as high as 99.3°F in the afternoon hours yet still be considered normal. Higher temperatures may be observed in healthy people, but an abnormal elevation(pyrexia) is classified as...
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One minute you're hot; the next, you're chilled and your teeth chatter. You've got a fever. But look on the bright side: Fever seems to serve a helpful function in the body.
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Buying a thermometer isn't as easy as it used to be. You face an array of choices. But the decision doesn't have to be hard. Like temperature, it's a matter of degrees.
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Most medical professionals agree a fever by itself is not an illness; it is a symptom of an underlying problem. Fevers actually can be a positive sign the body is fighting an infection. However, a fever can cause discomfort for a child.
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A fever is a way for the body to fight infection. But it may also be a sign of a serious illness, especially in children younger than 3 months and children who haven't been immunized. Know when to seek medical care for your child.
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Detailed information on fever, including when to call your physician Fever (also called pyrexia) is defined as body temperature that is higher than normal for each individual. It generally indicates that there is an abnormal process occurring in the body. Exercise, hot weather, and common childhood immunizations can also make body temperature rise.
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Detailed information on children and fever, including symptoms and treatment A fever is a temperature of 100.4º F and higher.
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The best way to take an infant's temperature is rectally with a digital thermometer (never use a glass mercury thermometer). Taking the temperature under the arm, or using an ear thermometer, is less exact.
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Use a digital thermometer to take your child's temperature; never use a glass mercury thermometer. Most children aged three years and older can hold a thermometer under their tongue. If your child is younger than that, or you're having difficulty with the oral method, talk to your doctor about the best way to take his temperature.
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Hyperthermia involves raising the body''s core temperature as a means of eradicating tumors. The treatment simulates fever.
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Hyperthermia is the use of therapeutic heat to treat various cancers on and inside the body.The purpose of hyperthermia is to shrink and hopefully destroy cancer without harming noncancerous cells. It can be used to treat cancer in many areas of t...
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Children can become cranky, fussy or irritable for many reasons. Often it's because they're hungry or just tired. But sometimes irritability can be a sign of illness in children.
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A skin lesion is a superficial growth or patch of the skin that does not resemble the area surrounding it.Skin lesions can be grouped into two categories: primary and secondary. Primary skin lesions are variations in color or texture that may be p...
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Skin problems such as pimples, blackheads, rashes, and oily skin are common in both teens and adults. But you don't necessarily need a dermatologist to treat them.
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Good hygiene matters when you have herpes. Take care of your sores to speed healing. Neglected sores can lead to other infections.
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Pressure sores can develop quickly, even in healthy skin. That's why taking steps to prevent them is so important. Taking pressure off the skin is the first step. That means changing positions often, supporting the body, and avoiding rubbing and sliding. Keeping the skin clean, eating well, and stretching the joints and muscles can also help prevent pressure sores.
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Pressure sores—also called pressure ulcers or bed sores—happen when pressure on the skin cuts off the blood supply. This causes the skin and the tissue below the skin to break down. Pressure sores usually occur when a person lies or sits one way for too long. They can be painful and slow to heal. But you can do many things to help prevent pressure sores.
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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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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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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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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...
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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...
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Having a limb fall asleep and then feeling pins and needles is more common if you have poor circulation.
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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.
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Spasticity is stiff or rigid muscles with exaggerated, deep tendon reflexes(for example, a knee-jerk reflex). The condition can interfere with walking, movement, or speech.
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Spasticity is a form of muscle overactivity. A spastic muscle is one in which a muscle resists being stretched out, and the resistance to stretch is greater the faster the muscle is moved.
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Spasticity is an abnormal increase in muscle tone. It may be associated with involuntary muscle spasms, sustained muscle contractions(dystonia), and exaggerated deep tendon reflexes that make movement difficult or uncontrollable.
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Anisocoria is unequal pupil size. The pupil is the black part in the center of the eye through which light passes.Enlargement of one pupil; Pupils of different size; Eyes/pupils different size.Occasionally, a baby is born with different sized pupi...
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Why might one pupil be larger than the other?
Don Bienfang, M.D, is an assistant professor of ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School and the Senior Surgeon in the Department of Surgery and Chief of Neuro-Ophthalmology in the Department of Neurology at Brigham and Women's Hospital.
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Sometimes a person feels hot to touch due to illness or environmental situation that causes elevated core temperature. A compounding factor can be dehydration (lack of fluids.
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Sensations are carried from the extremities of the body to the brain via neurons in the spinal cord. If the blood supply to the nerves is decreased temporarily, it can produce the feeling that “my leg fell asleep”.
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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 sensory neurons. The discomfort signals actual or potential injury to the body.
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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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This comprehensive report describes the many causes of pain, the latest treatments, and the best preventive strategies.
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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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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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A papule is solid, raised spot on the skin that is less than 1 centimeter wide.
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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...
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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.
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What would cause sudden ear numbness and partial facial numbness (but without drooping or muscle weakness)?
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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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A charley horse is the common name for a muscle spasm, especially in the leg. Muscle spasms can occur in any muscle in the body.
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Muscle spasms and cramps are spontaneous, often painful muscle contractions.Most people are familiar with the sudden pain of a muscle cramp. The rapid, uncontrolled contraction, or spasm, happens unexpectedly.
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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...
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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.
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Hoarseness is having difficulty producing sound when trying to speak, or a change in the pitch or quality of the voice. The voice may sound weak, very breathy, scratchy, or husky.Hoarseness is usually caused by a problem in the vocal cords.
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A voice disorder is an abnormality of one or more of the three characteristics of voice: pitch, intensity(loudness), and quality(resonance).The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders estimates that approximately7.5 millio...
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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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Muscle atrophy is the wasting or loss of muscle tissue.
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Speech and language impairment may be any of several problems that make it difficult to communicate.Language impairment; Impairment of speech; Inability to speak; Aphasia; Dysarthria; Slurred speech; Dysphonia voice disorders.
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Speech disorders treated by speech-language pathologists include voice disorders(abnormalities in pitch, volume, vocal quality, or resonance or duration of sounds), articulation disorders(problems producing speech sounds), and fluency disorders(im...
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Detailed information on speech and voice disorders, including spasmodic dysphonia and stuttering
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Speech disorders are characterized by a difficulty in producing normal speech patterns.Children go through many stages of speech production while they are learning to communicate. What is normal in the speech of a child of one age may be a sign of...
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Speech-language pathology is the treatment for the improvement or cure of communication disorders, including speech, language, and swallowing disorders. The term used to describe professionals in this discipline is speech and language pathologist(...
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A speech disorder is a communication disorder characterized by an impaired ability to produce speech sounds or normal voice, or to speak fluently.Speech disorders belong to a broad category of disorders called communication disorders that also inc...
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The field of speech pathology, formerly known as speech therapy, is concerned with disorders of speech and language. A speech-language pathologist is a professional trained to diagnose and treat language and speech disorders.Speech pathology addre...
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According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association(ASHA), a language disorder is an impairment in comprehension use of the spoken, written, or other symbol system.Speech disorders affect the language and mechanics, the content of speech...
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Pain is an unpleasant sensation triggered in the nervous system that can range from mild discomfort to unbearable agony. Pain receptors located throughout the body send electrical impulses via the spinal cord to the brain.
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Painful menstrual periods are periods in which a woman experiences crampy lower abdominal pain, sharp pain that comes and goes, aching pain, or possibly back pain.Menstruation- painful; Dysmenorrhea; Periods- painful; Cramps- menstrual; Menstrual ...
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One thing they can do, however, is stop using an IUD, which can often cause heavier bleeding.Women should seek care from a gynecologist, family practitioner or internist for menstrual irregularities. Depending on the problem, various tests and pro...
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Detailed information on dysmenorrhea, including causes, symptoms, diagnosis, risk factors, and treatment
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Dysmenorrhea refers to the pain or discomfort associated with menstruation. Although not a serious medical problem, the term describes a woman adolescent girl with menstrual symptoms severe enough to keep her from functioning for a day or two each...
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Detailed information on dysmenorrhea, including causes, symptoms, diagnosis, risk factors, and treatment
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Detailed information on dysmenorrhea, including causes, symptoms, diagnosis, risk factors, and treatment
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Dysmenorrhea is the occurrance of painful cramps during menstruation.More than half of all girls and women suffer from dysmenorrhea(cramps), a dull or throbbing pain that usually centers in the lower mid-abdomen, radiating toward the lower back or...
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Detailed information on dysmenorrhea, including causes, symptoms, diagnosis, risk factors, and treatment
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Dysmenorrhea is the occurrence of painful cramps during menstruation.More than half of all girls and women suffer from dysmenorrhea(cramps), a dull or throbbing pain that usually centers in the lower mid-abdomen, radiating toward the lower back or...
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Menstrual cramps can be mild to moderately severe, usually lasting one to three days. About ten percent of women with painful periods have such severe pain that they cannot work, exercise or play for several hours to several days each month.
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Sensations are carried from the extremities of the body to the brain via neurons in the spinal cord. If the blood supply to the nerves is decreased, it can produce the feeling that “my hand fell asleep”.
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Muscle rigidity is an alteration of muscle tone in which the muscles are in an involuntary state of continual tension. Muscle rigidity can be a manifestation of neurological damage (basal ganglia diseases) or a side effect of certain medications.
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Ptosis is also called"drooping eyelid." It is caused by weakness of the muscle responsible for raising the eyelid, damage to the nerves that control those muscles, or looseness of the skin of the upper eyelids.Drooping eyelid can be caused by the ...
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Ptosis is the term used for a drooping upper eyelid. Ptosis, also called blepharoptosis, can affect one or both eyes.The eyelids serve to protect and lubricate the outer eye.
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Sensations are carried from the extremities of the body to the brain via neurons in the spinal cord. If the blood supply to the nerves is or if the nerve is otherwise damaged or its function affected, it can produce the feeling that “my finger fell asleep”.
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Sensations are carried from the extremities of the body to the brain via neurons in the spinal cord. If the blood supply to the nerves is decreased, it can produce the feeling that “my toe fell asleep”.
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Sensations are carried from the extremities of the body to the brain via neurons in the spinal cord. If the blood supply to the nerves is decreased, it can produce the feeling that “my foot fell asleep”.
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Dysarthria is a speech diagnostic term that can be used to classify various types of neuromuscular speech disturbances. Dysarthria results from notable degrees of one or more abnormalities involving speech musculature, including weakness, paralysi...
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Dysarthria occurs when the part of the brain that controls speech production is damaged. When this happens, the muscles needed to make certain sounds can't be used fully. A speech therapist (an expert trained in speech rehabilitation) will find out how dysarthria is affecting the patient's speech. Then rehabilitation (rehab) can focus on improving those speech problems.
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Dysarthria is a speech problem caused by a lack of control over muscles in the face and mouth. This problem may occur if the brain is damaged. A person who has dysarthria knows which words to use, but may not be able to make the right sounds.
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Dysarthria is a group of speech impairments due to weakness, incoordination, spasticity, rigidity, or irregular movements caused by damage to the nervous system.Speech abilities depend on the coordinated function of muscles of respiration, phonati...
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Dysphagia is a disruption in the ability to move food or liquid from the mouth through the pharynx and esophagus into the stomach safely and efficiently. Swallowing disorders can occur at any point in the life span from infancy through old age.
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Detailed information on dysphagia, including causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
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