Pericarditis : Symptoms

Healthline's Premium Tools

Pill Finder
Search by color, shape and markings. click here
Drug Interaction Checker
Check any 2 drugs for interactions. click here
Drug Compare
Compare any two drugs side by side. click here
Healthline Part D Plan Selector Medicare Part D
Medicare's drug plans are subsidized by the US federal government and offered through insurers.
Advertisement
Marketplace
Symptoms could include:
Breathing difficulty when lying down; Need to bend over or hold the chest while breathing; Dry cough; Ankle, feet and leg swelling (occasionally; Anxiety; Fatigue; Fever.
Source:ADAM
Date:November 6, 2006
The viruses that cause pericarditis include those that cause influenza, polio, and rubella (German measles). In children, the most common viruses that cause pericarditis are the adenovirus and the cocksackievirus (which is most likely to affect ch...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Stress can come from any situation or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, or anxious. What is stressful to one person is not necessarily stressful to another. Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension or fear. The source of this uneasiness is not always known or recognized, which can add to the distress you feel.
Source:ADAM
Date:July 27, 2007
Anxiety is a bodily response to a perceived threat or danger. It is triggered by a combination of biochemical changes in the body, the patient ' s personal history and memory, and the social situation.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Anxiety is familiar to everyone due to the many stresses and complexities of modern life.
Source:StayWell
This report features up-to-date information on the signs, causes, and treatments of many common phobias and anxiety disorders.
Source:StayWell
Anxiety is a multisystem response to a perceived threat or danger. It reflects a combination of biochemical changes in the body, the patient ' s personal history and memory, and the social situation.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Unlike the relatively mild, brief anxiety caused by a stressful event such as a business presentation or a first date, anxiety disorders are chronic, relentless, and can grow progressively worse if not treated.
Source:StayWell
Fears, Phobias, and AnxietyEverybody experiences fear at some time or another. Fear is a powerful emotion that arises in situations that are interpreted as dangerous.
Source:StayWell
Anxiety is a multisystem response to a perceived threat or danger. It reflects a combination of biochemical changes in the body, the patient's personal history and memory , and the social situation at hand.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Anxiety disorders are a group of disorders that can affect adults, adolescents and children. They overwhelm people with chronic feelings of anxiety and fear.
Source:StayWell
This guide is designed to help you learn about anxiety disorders. Knowing more, you may feel more comfortable talking with a health professional about your experience and your symptoms.
Source:StayWell
Anxiety is a condition of persistent and uncontrollable nervousness, stress, and worry that is triggered by anticipation of future events, memories of past events, or ruminations over day-to-day events, both trivial and major, with disproportionate fears of catastrophic consequences. Stimulated by real or imagined dangers, anxiety affects people of all ages and social backgrounds.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
A condition of persistent nervousness, stress, and worry that is triggered by anticipation of future events, memories of past events, or ruminations about the self Stimulated by real or imagined dangers, anxiety affects people of all ages and social backgrounds. When it occurs in unrealistic situations or with unusual intensity, it can disrupt everyday life.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence
You may suffer from generalized anxiety disorder if you go through the day worried, tense or anxious about your family, health or work, even when you know there are no signs of trouble.
Source:StayWell
Treating AnxietyAnxiety—feeling frightened, tense, uneasy—is a normal response to a threat. Anxiety can disrupt your life, but it’s nothing to be ashamed of.
Source:StayWell
Discussion of the effect of anxiety disorders on children and how they can be treated.
Source:StayWell
Despite their age, benzodiazepines still provide unique benefits and are unlikely to be entirely superseded by newer medications. Includes a comparison chart of newer and older drugs for insomnia, anxiety, and depression.
Source:StayWell
Separation anxiety is common in children, but most grow out of it. However, in a small percentage of children (and more rarely, in adults) it becomes a disorder. Typical treatment methods include cognitive and behavioral therapy.
Source:StayWell
There is evidence that certain herbs and supplements may be effective in treating certain types of anxiety disorders.
Source:StayWell
When I get nervous, I get a tic that affects the left side of my face, including my eye. What can I do about this? Is there anything I can take for it?
Source:StayWell
Research suggests that for patients who are starting treatment for depression, their type of attachment anxiety should be taken into consideration as a factor in determining the best course of treatment.
Source:StayWell
Anxiety:  Progressive Muscle Relaxation and Guided ImagerySymptom and DescriptionIt is common to feel stress or anxiety when you have cancer. Anxiety can be a vague or uneasy feeling of distress.
Source:StayWell
Understanding Social Phobia (Social Anxiety Disorder)You have to give a presentation next week. Just thinking about it makes your heart race.
Source:StayWell
Ascites is an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the abdomen. Rapidly developing (acute) ascites can occur as a complication of trauma, perforated ulcer, appendicitis , or inflammation of the colon or other tube-shaped organ (diverticulitis).
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Ascites is defined as an excessive amount of fluid built up within the peritoneal cavity. Both the abdominal organs and the abdomen itself are lined with membranes called the peritoneum.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer
Detailed information on liver diseases, including the most common characteristics of liver disease such as jaundice, cholestasis, liver enlargement, portal hypertension, esophageal varices, ascites, liver encephalopathy, and liver failure
Source:StayWell
Detailed information on common characteristics of liver disease
Source:StayWell
Discharge Instructions: Ascites ShuntYou had surgery to place an ascites shunt, a tube that drains excess fluid from your abdominal space into another place in your body. The fluid buildup is called ascites. 
Source:StayWell
Chest pain is discomfort or pain that you feel anywhere along the front of your body between your neck and upper abdomen.
Source:ADAM
Date:April 29, 2008
New onset chest pain always requires evaluation by your doctor. If the pain is severe, you should seek immediate medical care.
Source:StayWell
If hospitals become accredited as "chest pain centers," it could make deciding where to go for treatment easier, and also increase recovery rates.
Source:StayWell
Doctor-patient communication can improve the treatment outlook for those with chronic chest pain.
Source:StayWell
A new drug has been approved to treat angina, though it is intended for those who have not had success with other angina medications, and is meant to be used in combination with another such drug.
Source:StayWell
A Harvard Medical School physician answers your question about when chest pain may be heartburn, and when it may be a sign of something more serious.
Source:StayWell
What would cause me to have chest pains when I eat a full meal? Howard LeWine, M.D., is chief editor of Internet Publishing at Harvard Health Publications. He is recognized as an outstanding clinician and teacher and is a recipient of the Internal Medicine Teacher of the Year award at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Dr. LeWine continues to practice Internal Medicine; most recently he became a hospitalist after practicing primary care for over 20 years.
Source:StayWell
The benefits of chest pain regarding acute coronary events.When it comes to exercise, that old chestnut “No pain, no gain” is passé. But it may still apply to heart attacks. People who have chest pain (angina) with activity in the months or weeks before a heart attack tend to have smaller heart attacks, better survival, fewer heart rhythm problems, and better recovery of heart function than those without chest pain. In May, a team that included cardiologists from Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital reported in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology that angina protects against the muscular remodeling of the left ventricle that can follow a heart attack and lead to heart failure. It didn’t seem to help people with diabetes, though.
Source:StayWell
Women who suffer from chest pain but show clear arteries on an angiogram may have a different type of blocked artery, where plaque builds up evenly on the inner surface or bulges outward.
Source:StayWell
Every now and then I get a sudden, sharp pain on the left side of my chest, like a knife. I get a little dizzy, and then it disappears as quickly as it came on. Even though the test results were fine, it still scares me. Should I be concerned about this?
Source:StayWell
Are sharp pains in the ribs a typical symptom of an asthma attack? The throat also felt tight.
Source:StayWell
Coughing is an important way to keep your throat and airways clear. However, excessive coughing may mean you have an underlying disease or disorder. Some coughs are dry, while others are considered productive. A productive cough is one that brings up mucus. Mucus is also called phlegm or sputum. Coughs can be either acute or chronic: Acute coughs usually begin suddenly. They are often due to a cold , flu , or sinus infection. They usually go away after 2 to 3 weeks. Chronic coughs last longer than 2 to 3 weeks.
Source:ADAM
Date:January 18, 2008
A cough is a forceful release of air from the lungs that can be heard. Coughing protects the respiratory system by clearing it of irritants and secretions.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Coughs, those mini-explosions in your throat, are valuable weapons in your body's self-defense arsenal. Their assignment: keep airways clear by quickly expelling intruders from the lower respiratory system -- principally your throat and upper lungs. If dust, fluid, viruses, bacteria or even tumors block any part of this region, your cough reflex takes explosive action.
Source:StayWell
Cough suppressants are medicines that prevent or stop a person from coughing. Cough suppressants act on the center in the brain that controls the cough reflex.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
Fatigue is a feeling of weariness, tiredness, or lack of energy.
Source:ADAM
Date:July 17, 2007
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.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
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.
Source:StayWell
Fatigue may be defined as a subjective state in which one feels tired or exhausted, and in which the capacity for normal work or activity is reduced. There is, however, no commonly accepted definition of fatigue when it is considered in the context of health and illness.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders
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.
Source:StayWell
Fatigue: TreatmentIf 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...
Source:StayWell
Introduction Fatigue may be defined as a subjective state in which one feels tired or exhausted, and in which the capacity for normal work or activity is reduced. There is, however, no commonly accepted definition of fatigue when it is considered in the context of health and illness.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders
Fatigue is physical and/or mental exhaustion that can be triggered by stress , medication, overwork, or mental and physical illness or disease. Everyone experiences fatigue occasionally.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Fatigue is a feeling of exhaustion or loss of strength. The duration of fatigue for a patient with cancer has been found to last from one to two times the length of time between diagnosis and completion of treatment, so it is common for fatigue to persist beyond a patient ' s treatment regimen.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer
Fatigue: ManagementIf 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...
Source:StayWell
Fatigue: CausesWe 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).
Source:StayWell
Fatigue: DefinitionFatigue 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).
Source:StayWell
Oncology: Managing FatigueFatigue is a common side effect of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. It can be caused by worry, lack of sleep, and poor appetite.
Source:StayWell
Many people experience late-in-the-day energy lags, but you can take steps to prevent them.
Source:StayWell
Sometimes a person feels hot to touch due to illness or environmental situation that causes elevated core temperature. A compounding factor can be dehydration (lack of fluids.
Source:HealthLine
Normal body temperature varies by person, age, activity, and time of day. The average normal body temperature is 98.6?F (37?C).
Source:ADAM
Date:February 27, 2008
A fever is any body temperature elevation over100.4 ? F (38 ? C).
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
Detailed information on fevers in children
Source:StayWell
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.
Source:StayWell
Normal body temperature varies somewhat from one individual to another but displays a general range and pattern around the " normal " temperature of 98.6 ? F.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer
An elevated body temperature. While the standard for normal body temperature is 98.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence
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.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
A fever is any body temperature elevation over 100 ? F (37.8 ? C).
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
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.
Source:StayWell
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.
Source:StayWell
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.
Source:StayWell
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.
Source:StayWell
Detailed information on fever, including when to call your physician
Source:StayWell
Detailed information on children and fever, including symptoms and treatment
Source:StayWell
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.
Source:StayWell
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.
Source:StayWell
Hyperthermia involves raising the body ' s core temperature as a means of eradicating tumors. The treatment simulates fever .
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Hyperthermia is the use of therapeutic heat to treat various cancers on and inside the body. Purpose The purpose of hyperthermia is to shrink and hopefully destroy cancer without harming noncancerous cells.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer
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.
Source:StayWell
Fidgeting is usually used to describe someone who is seen as not being able to sit still. Fidgety people move in their seats constantly, move their hands and feet and appear to be in perpetual motion.
Source:HealthLine
Date:September 30, 2007
Definition and classification Pain is a universal human experience. The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) defines pain as " an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders
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.
Source:StayWell
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.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Communicating About PainResourcesAmerican Pain Foundation888-615-7246www.painfoundation.orgAmerican Chronic Pain Associationwww.theacpa.orgThe National Pain Foundation www.painconnection.orgYou have a right to have pain treated. Untreated pain can...
Source:StayWell
Pain is an unpleasant feeling that is conveyed to the brain by sensory neurons. The discomfort signals actual or potential injury to the body.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Measuring Your PainA pain scale helps you rate pain intensity. In the scale, 0 means no pain, and 10 is the worst pain possible.
Source:StayWell
Pain is an unpleasant feeling that is conveyed to the brain by sensory neurons. The discomfort signals actual or potential injury to the body.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Pain is an unpleasant feeling that is conveyed to the brain by nerves in the body. Pain arises from any number of situations.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
This comprehensive report describes the many causes of pain, the latest treatments, and the best preventive strategies.
Source:StayWell
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?
Source:StayWell
Examines the role of forgiveness in personal health and happiness, ranging from reduced stress to improved relationships.
Source:StayWell
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.
Source:StayWell
Painful respirations may be an indicator of a serious underlying medical problem requiring prompt medical intervention. For any unexplained chest pain or if there is difficulty breathing immediate medial attention is generally required.
Source:HealthLine
Date:November 30, 2007
Breathing difficulties involve a sensation of difficult or uncomfortable breathing or a feeling of not getting enough air. See also difficulty breathing - first aid.
Source:ADAM
Date:April 12, 2007
Shortness of breath, or dyspnea, is a feeling of difficult or labored breathing that is out of proportion to the patient ' s level of physical activity. It is a symptom of a variety of different diseases or disorders and may be either acute or chronic.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Struggling to Breathe: A Nurse’s Tips for Managing DyspneaDyspnea is the technical word for difficulty breathing. It's a common symptom in people who have lung cancer or have cancer that has spread to the lungs.
Source:StayWell
Detailed information on the most common breathing problems in a newborn
Source:StayWell
Severe shortness of breath and shortness of breath accompanied by certain symptoms requires immediate medical attention.
Source:StayWell
If your child cannot seem to get enough breath in his lungs (shortness of breath) or is having a hard time breathing, he probably has a medical condition that needs treatment. If your child is old enough to talk, he can tell you that he is having difficulty breathing. If your child is younger, you may notice that he is breathing harder or faster than usual, isn't feeding well, or is cranky.
Source:StayWell
For the past two months I have experienced increased shortness of breath. I have chronic asthma, but there's concern the shortness of breath could be caused by a blockage in heart. I have experienced difficulties in the past when anesthetized. Is there an effective alternative to heart catheterization? I've read about a new CT scan ? is it recommended?
Source:StayWell
I had a quadruple bypass seven years ago. A few months back I found myself taking frequent short breaths when I climbed the stairs. Once I stopped exerting myself, my breathing soon returned to normal. Is this due to a problem with my heart or lungs?
Source:StayWell
Shortness of breath may be a warning sign of heart disease. Chest pain is a near-universal signal of heart disease. Shortness of breath may be an equally valuable tip-off.
Source:StayWell
Abnormal buildup of fluid in the ankles, feet, and legs is called peripheral edema.
Source:ADAM
Date:May 17, 2007
Edema is a condition of abnormally large fluid volume in the circulatory system or in tissues between the body ' s cells (interstitial spaces). Normally the body maintains a balance of fluid in tissues by ensuring that the same of amount of water entering the body also leaves it.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Edema is a condition of abnormally large fluid volume in the circulatory system or in tissues between the body ' s cells (interstitial spaces). Normally the body maintains a balance of fluid in tissues by ensuring that the same amount of water entering the body also leaves it.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Being tired is the familiar aftermath of physical exertion, prolonged labor or lack of sleep. When does being tired become a symptom of a condition? Fatigue, malaise, lassitude, exhaustion are all subtle variations of the same subjective feelings of not having enough energy to meet the demands of one's life.
Source:HealthLine
Date:September 30, 2007