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Too little vitamin B12 gradually causes nervous system (neurological) problems. The neurological effects may be seen before anemia is diagnosed.
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Eventually, the parietal cells stop functioning altogether. Other important products of parietal cells are also lessened, including stomach acid, and an enzyme involved in the digestion of proteins.People with pernicious anemia seem to have a grea...
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Anemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells provide oxygen to body tissues.Hemoglobin is the oxygen-carrying protein inside red blood cells.
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Anemia is a condition characterized by abnormally low levels of healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin.The tissues of the human body need a regular supply of oxygen to stay healthy. Red blood cells, which contain hemoglobin that allows them to deli...
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Detailed information on anemia, including symptoms, causes, types, diagnosis, and treatment
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Anemia is a blood disorder characterized by abnormally low levels of healthy red blood cells(RBCs) or reduced hemoglobin(Hgb), the iron-bearing protein in red blood cells that delivers oxygen to tissues throughout the body. Reduced blood cell volu...
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Anemia is characterized by an abnormally low number of red blood cells in the circulating blood. It frequently affects patients with cancer.
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1. Anemia is the most common blood disorder. What happens? a. body produces too much iron
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I have been under the care of my doctor for the past five years for chronic anemia. Every so often, I receive iron infusions because my blood count is low. Can my condition make it hard for me to conceive?
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Chemotherapy can reduce the number of red blood cells in your body. When you have too few of these cells, anemia can result. Anemia has many symptoms. Talk to your health care provider if you have any of the signs listed here. You may need treatment.
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Anemia is a condition characterized by abnormally low levels of healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin(the component of red blood cells that delivers oxygen to tissues throughout the body).The tissues of the human body need a regular supply of oxyg...
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Anemia is a condition characterized by abnormally low levels of healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin(the component of red blood cells that delivers oxygen to tissues throughout the body).The tissues of the human body need a regular supply of oxyg...
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Deficiency of red cells, or hemoglobin, in the blood.Anemia is a medical condition in which the quantity of red blood cells falls below an acceptable level. Red blood cells, produced in the bone marrow, contain hemoglobin, the component of blood t...
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Normally, the body makes enough red blood cells with hemoglobin to replace the ones that the body has used up. A hormone called erythropoietin, which is made in the kidneys, tells the body when more red blood cells are needed. Red blood cells are produced in the bone marrow (inside the bones). Normal red blood cells live about 120 days, or 3 months.
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Anemia is a condition where the number of red blood cells in the body falls below normal. This may happen if the body slows down its production of these cells. Losing large amounts of blood is another cause of anemia.
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Anemia affects more than 30 percent of the world''s population, and it is one of the most important worldwide health problems. It has a significant prevalence in both developing and industrialized nations.
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Anemia means that the number or quality of the red blood cells is lower than normal. It can be caused by lots of things that prevent the body from being able to make enough red blood cells, such as
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Iron supplements and erythropoietin are being studied in people receiving radiation and chemotherapy to prevent anemia and improve response. People at risk for nutritional problems can decrease the risk of anemia by eating foods high in iron, and folate.
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The treatment of anemia depends upon the cause. If the anemia is due to a lack of red blood cells, then red blood cells can be given through transfusions or treatment.
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Detailed information on the different types of anemia, including aplastic anemia, anemia of folate deficiency, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, hemolytic anemia, iron deficiency anemia, megaloblastic anemia, and sickle cell disease
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Detailed information on anemia, including symptoms, diagnosis, causes, types, and treatment
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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 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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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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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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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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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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Paleness is an abnormal loss of color from normal skin or mucous membranes.Unless pale skin is accompanied by pale lips, tongue, palms of the hands, inside of the mouth, and lining of the eyes, it is probably not a serious condition, and does not ...
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Swallowing pain refers to a strong feeling of uncomfortable squeezing and burning while swallowing, which may be felt high in the neck or lower down behind the breastbone. Such pain may be a symptom of a serious disorder.Swallowing- pain or burnin...
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The heart rate, usually measured by checking the arterial pulse or sounds counting the times of the heart beat, is considered one of the vital signs. Vital signs – body temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure provide information about the state of health of a person and, if abnormal, offer clues to problems.
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A Harvard Medical School physician answers your question about rapid heart beat.
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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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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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Diarrhea is loose, watery, and frequent stool. Diarrhea is considered chronic(long-term) when you have had loose or frequent stools for more than 4 weeks.Stools- watery; Frequent bowel movements; Loose bowel movements.Diarrhea in adults is usually...
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Detailed information on diarrhea, including causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
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Detailed information on diarrhea, including causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
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Diarrhea (loose stools) is a common side effect of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Diarrhea results when treatment affects the normal cells lining the intestine. To help limit this problem, try the tips on this handout.
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Detailed information on diarrhea, including causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
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Diarrhea can occur in cancer patients for a number of reasons. The tumor itself can bring on this side effect, as can changes in diet or an infection in the intestine. The most common cause of diarrhea in cancer patients, however, is cancer treatment. Chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery can all cause diarrhea, and it may arise at any time during treatment.
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We all dread diarrhea. But when the patient is your infant or toddler, diarrhea can range from a minor annoyance to a medical emergency.
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If your diarrhea is substantial, if you have other unexplained symptoms such as fatigue, abdominal pain, weight loss, or blood in your bowel movements, or if your diarrhea has persisted for more than five days, you should visit with your doctor to discuss your symptoms.
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Detailed information on traveler's diarrhea, including causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
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Detailed information on diarrhea, including causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
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Detailed information on diarrhea, including causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
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Common causes of diarrhea in babies include infections of the stomach and intestines (gastrointestinal tract) or changes in diet. Most cases of diarrhea are not serious, go away in a day or two and can be managed at home.
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Answering the questions in this tool will help you understand more about the possible causes of diarrhea in children, and will help you decide when to call your doctor.
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To most persons, diarrhea means an increased frequency or softer consistency of bowel movements; however, the medical definition is more exact than this. Diarrhea best correlates with an increase in stool weight; stool weights above 300 g per day ...
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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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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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Breathing difficulties involve a sensation of difficult or uncomfortable breathing or a feeling of not getting enough air. See also difficulty breathing- first aid.Shortness of breath; Breathlessness; Difficulty breathing; Dyspnea.No standard defi...
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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 chron...
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Dyspnea 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. People who experience dyspnea describe it as difficulty in breathing or shortness of breath. They often compare it to feeling like they are suffocating or being smothered. In many cases, patients may develop anxiety or panic if they feel they cannot breathe. Often their anxiety and fears can make the dyspnea worse. By panicking, patients can become more breathless and begin a cycle that is hard to stop.
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Detailed information on the most common breathing problems in a newborn Babies breathe much faster than older children and adults. A newborn's normal breathing rate is about 40 times each minute. This may slow to 20 to 40 times per minute when the baby is sleeping. The pattern of breathing in a baby may also be different. A baby may breathe fast several times, then have a brief rest for less than 10 seconds, than breathe again. This is often called periodic breathing and is a normal occurrence. Babies normally use their diaphragm (the large muscle below the lungs) for breathing.
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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?
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An abnormal sensation is often a signal that there something affecting a nerve or the nervous system. These sensations are often difficult to describe and are subjective, that is, experienced by the patient but may be difficult for the provider to diagnose and treat.
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I'm a lung cancer survivor. My feet and hands are always hot, like they're on fire. Why could this be?
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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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Bleeding gums can be a sign that you are at risk for, or already have, gum disease. However, persistent gum bleeding may be due to serious medical conditions such as leukemia and bleeding and platelet disorders.It is important to follow the instru...
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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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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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Unsteady gait is a symptom of instability while walking. Problems with walking can be due to disease or injury to the legs, feet, spine, or brain.
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Gait and balance problems exist when a disease process, trauma, or aging result in the inability to control one''s center of gravity(COG) over the base of support(BOS) in static or dynamic tasks and environments.Any number of factors may contribute...
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Gait or walking is a coordinated action of the neuromuscular and musculoskeletal systems. The coordination of muscle contraction, joint movement, and sensory perception allows the human body to move in the environment.
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Gait training refers to helping a patient relearn to walk safely and efficiently. Gait training is usually done by rehabilitation specialists who evaluate the abnormalities in the person''s gait and employ such treatments as strengthening and balan...
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What would swelling of the tongue and right side of the throat indicate?
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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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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Tongue problems include pain, swelling, or a change in how the tongue looks.The tongue is mainly composed of muscles. It is covered with a mucous membrane.
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An arrhythmia is a disorder of the heart rate(pulse) or heart rhythm, such as beating too fast(tachycardia), too slow(bradycardia), or irregularly.Dysrhythmias; Abnormal heart rhythms; Bradycardia; Tachycardia.Normally, the four chambers of the he...
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An arrhythmia is an abnormality in the heart''s rhythm, or heartbeat pattern. The heartbeat can be too slow, too fast, have extra beats, skip a beat, or otherwise beat irregularly.Arrhythmias are deviations from the normal cadence of the heartbeat,...
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Detailed information on arrhythmias, including symptoms, diagnostic, and treatment information
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Detailed information on arrhythmias, including symptoms, types, diagnosis, and treatment
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Detailed information on problems involving heart rhythm There are many problems that affect the heart's rhythm that require care by a physician or other healthcare professional. Listed in the directory below you will find some additional information regarding problems involving heart rhythm, for which we have provided a brief overview.
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The guidelines for how long to wait before driving after having an ICD implanted have been revised, to reflect the growing number of people who receive the device preventively.
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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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Many people experience feel short of breath during strenuous activity if they are not accustomed to exercise. If you have a sudden onset of difficulty breathing doing a normal routine, it may be a medical emergency.
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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?
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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.
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Severe shortness of breath and shortness of breath accompanied by certain symptoms requires immediate medical attention.
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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.
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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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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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Walking abnormalities are unusual and uncontrollable walk patterns, usually caused by diseases or injuries to the legs, feet, brain, spine, or inner ear.The pattern of how a person walks is called their gait. Many different types of walking a...
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Impaired smell is the partial or total loss of the sense of smell.The loss of smell is usually the result of nasal congestion or blockage and isn''t serious, but it can sometimes be a sign of a nervous system(neurological) disorder. Loss of the sen...
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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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The heart rate, usually measured by checking the arterial pulse or sounds counting the times of the heart beat, is considered one of the vital signs. Vital signs – body temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure provide information about the state of health of a person and, if abnormal,offer clues to problems.
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