Monday, February 13, 2012
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Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) Learning Center

A wide range of physical or emotional symptoms have been associated with PMS. By definition, symptoms are considered to be PMS-related if they occur during the second half of the menstrual cycle (14 days or more after the first day of the menstrua...
Source:ADAM
Date:May 26, 2008
Because PMS is restricted to the second half of a woman's menstrual cycle, after ovulation, it is thought that hormones play a role. During a woman's monthly menstrual cycle, which lasts 24 to 35 days, hormone levels change. The hormone estrogen g...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
A woman is diagnosed with premenstrual syndrome if she has at least one emotional and one physical symptom during the five days before the onset of her period for three consecutive menstrual cycles . The specific symptom is not as important for di...
Source:Gale Nutrition and Well-Being A to Z
Because PMS is restricted to the second half of a woman's menstrual cycle, after ovulation, it is thought that hormones play a role. During a woman's monthly menstrual cycle, which lasts 24–35 days, hormone levels change. The hormone estrogen grad...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
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...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Depression is sometimes referred to as the common cold of mental illness. It is a debilitating disease with significant societal costs. It is, however, one of the most clearly defined and treatable of mental illnesses. Technically, the term "depre...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Public Health
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 i...
Source:ADAM
Date:December 15, 2008
Systematic desensitization is a technique used to treat phobias and other extreme or erroneous fears based on principles of behavior modification .
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders
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. It is important to distinguish between anxiety ...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
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. As far as we know, anxiety is a uniquely human ex...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
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. Human anxiety involves an ability to use...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
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 disproportionat...
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 soci...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence
Constipation refers to infrequent or hard stools, or difficulty passing stools. Constipation may involve pain during the passage of a bowel movement, inability to pass a bowel movement after straining or pushing for more than 10 minutes, or no bow...
Source:ADAM
Date:August 22, 2008
Constipation is an acute or chronic condition in which bowel movements occur less often than usual or consist of hard, dry stools that are painful or difficult to pass. Bowel habits vary, but an adult who has not had a bowel movement in three days...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Difficulty with producing a bowel movement, or infrequent bowel movements. Constipation, a condition that can affect the human digestive system at any stage of life, is rarely serious or chronic. Because bowel functions vary from individual to ind...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence
Constipation is an acute or chronic condition in which bowel movements occur less often than usual or consist of hard, dry stools that are painful or difficult to pass. Although constipation is a relative term, with normal patterns of bowel moveme...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
Constipation is an acute or chronic condition in which bowel movements occur less often than usual or consist of hard, dry stools that are painful or difficult to pass. Bowel habits vary, but an adult who has not had a bowel movement in three days...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
The term overweight is used to describe an excess amount of total body weight including all tissues (fat, bone, muscle, etc.) and water. Obesity , in contrast, is an excess amount of body fat. An adult woman or man who has a body-fat percentage ex...
Source:Gale Nutrition and Well-Being A to Z
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 ...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders
Irritability is an excessive response to stimuli.
Source:ADAM
Date:November 7, 2009
Breast pain is any discomfort or pain in the breast.
Source:ADAM
Date:December 31, 2008
It is normal to have periods of low energy when one needs to rest and recuperate. However, if low energy persists and a person continually feels sluggish, disinterested in life, and has low energy, the situation should be investigated by a physician.
Source:Healthline
Date:September 30, 2007
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, o...
Source:ADAM
Date:January 20, 2009
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...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer
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...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence
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. Depressive disorders usually res...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders Part I
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...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
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. Depressive disorders usually res...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders Part II
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, ...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
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, ...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders
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.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Abdominal bloating is a condition in which the abdomen (belly) feels full and tight.
Source:ADAM
Date:March 8, 2008
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.
Source:ADAM
Date:September 2, 2009
Anything that interferes with the normal menstrual cycle, causing pain , unusually heavy or light bleeding, or missed periods.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
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 eac...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
Dysmenorrhea is the occurrance of painful cramps during menstruation.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Dysmenorrhea is the occurrence of painful cramps during menstruation .
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
The ability to concentrate is a function of mental status and cognition. Impairment of the ability to concentrate can be a problem of neurologic or psychiatric origin or a combination of behavior and mentation.
Source:Healthline
Date:October 31, 2007
Abdominal pain is pain that you feel anywhere between your chest and groin. This is often referred to as the stomach region or belly.
Source:ADAM
Date:October 7, 2009
Antispasmodic drugs relieve cramps or spasms of the stomach, intestines, and bladder.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Unintentional weight gain is an increase in body weight that occurs when a person takes in more calories than the body needs or uses.
Source:ADAM
Date:October 18, 2009
A swollen abdomen is when your belly area is bigger than usual. See also: Abdominal girth
Source:ADAM
Date:November 16, 2008
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
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. However, pain is more than a sensation, or the physical awaren...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Pain is an unpleasant feeling that is conveyed to the brain by sensory neurons. The discomfort signals actual or potential injury to the body. However, pain is more than a sensation, or the physical awareness of pain; it also includes perception, ...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Pain is an unpleasant feeling that is conveyed to the brain by sensory neurons. The discomfort signals actual or potential injury to the body. However, pain is more than a sensation, or the physical awareness of pain; it also includes perception, ...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Pain is an unpleasant feeling that is conveyed to the brain by nerves in the body.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
Acne is a skin condition that causes whiteheads, blackheads, and inflamed red lesions (papules, pustules, and cysts) to form. These growths are commonly called pimples or "zits."
Source:ADAM
Date:December 11, 2009
A chronic inflammation of the sebaceous glands embedded in the skin. Acne is the chronic inflammation of the sebaceous glands, normally acquired in adolescence between the ages of 14 and 18, that usually resolves itself by the time the individual ...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence
Acne is a common skin disease characterized by pimples on the face, chest, and back. It occurs when the pores of the skin become clogged with oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Fatigue is a feeling of weariness, tiredness, or lack of energy.
Source:ADAM
Date:August 3, 2009
Fatigue is physical and/or mental exhaustion that can be triggered by stress , medication, overwork, or mental and physical illness or disease.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
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...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders
Fatigue is physical and/or mental exhaustion that can be triggered by stress , medication, overwork, or mental and physical illness or disease.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
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...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders
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...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer
A headache is pain or discomfort in the head, scalp, or neck. Serious causes of headaches are extremely rare. Most people with headaches can feel much better by making lifestyle changes, learning ways to relax, and occasionally by taking medicatio...
Source:ADAM
Date:October 27, 2009
A headache is a pain in the head and neck region that may be either a disorder in its own right or a symptom HEADACHE THERAPIES Description Type Acupressure Press pointer fingers beneath cheekbones and parallel to pupils (Stomach 3) for one minute...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
A headache involves pain in the head which can arise from many disorders or may be a disorder in and of itself.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
A headache involves pain in the head that can arise from many disorders or may be a disorder in and of itself.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
Headache is a pain in the head and neck region that may be either a disorder in its own right or a symptom of an underlying medical condition or disease. The medical term for headache is cephalalgia. Headaches are one of the most common and univer...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders
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.
Source:ADAM
Date:October 20, 2009
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.
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
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.
Source:ADAM
Date:February 19, 2009
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 ...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Vomiting is the forceful discharge of stomach contents through the mouth.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Mood disorders are mental disorders characterized by periods of depression, sometimes alternating with periods of elevated mood.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
Research on the connection between a person's mood and the food he or she eats has reveled what many people have long believed, that eating a certain food can influence a person's mood—at least temporarily. Research by Judith Wurtman, a professor ...
Source:Gale Nutrition and Well-Being A to Z
Weakness is a reduction in the strength of one or more muscles.
Source:ADAM
Date:August 8, 2009
Herpes labialis is an infection caused by the herpes simplex virus. It leads to the development of small and usually painful blisters on the skin of the lips, mouth, gums, or lip area. These blisters are commonly called cold sores or fever blisters.
Source:ADAM
Date:May 21, 2008
A cold sore is a clear, fluid-filled blister, which often appears on the lips or nose. Cold sores, also referred to as fever blisters, are caused by a viral infection , herpes simplex virus Type 1 (HSV-1).
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Question: Are fever blisters and canker sores the same thing? Answer: No. Canker sores occur only inside the mouth and are not contagious. They sometimes occur as a result of trauma (biting the inside of the lip, burning the mouth with hot food), ...
Source:ADAM
Date:February 1, 2009
A cold sore is a fluid-filled blister which usually appears at the edge of the lips. Cold sores are caused by a herpes simplex virus infection.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Popular name for mouth sores caused by a type of herpes simplex virus (HSV). Cold sores, also sometimes referred to as fever blisters or oral herpes, form around the mouth. Caused by a virus known as herpes simplex type 1, cold sores are contagiou...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence
Cold sores are small red blisters, filled with clear fluid, that form on the lip and around the mouth. Rarely, they form on the roof of the mouth. Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), which lives inside nerve tissue. D...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
Inhibited sexual desire (ISD) refers to a low level of sexual interest. A person with ISD will not start, or respond to their partner's desire for, sexual activity. ISD can be primary (in which the person has never felt much sexual desire or inter...
Source:ADAM
Date:August 1, 2008
Female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD) occurs when a woman is continually unable to attain or maintain arousal and lubrication during intercourse, is unable to reach orgasm, or has no desire for sexual intercourse.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Painless swelling of the feet and ankles is a common problem, particularly among older people. Abnormal buildup of fluid in the ankles, feet, and legs is called peripheral edema.
Source:ADAM
Date:December 1, 2009
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
Uncoordinated movement is muscle control problem or an inability to finely coordinate movements, which results in a jerky, unsteady, to-and-fro motion of the middle of the body (trunk) and unsteady gait (walking style. The condition is called ataxia.
Source:ADAM
Date:March 26, 2009
Considered an important component of emotional health, self-esteem encompasses both self-confidence and self-acceptance. Experiences at home, at school, and with peers can all build or diminish a child's self-esteem. Psychologists and child-care a...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence
Considered an important component of emotional health, self-esteem encompasses both self-confidence and self-acceptance. It is the way individuals perceive themselves and their self-value.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
Acne is a common inflammatory skin disease characterized by pimples on the face, chest, and back. It occurs when the pores of the skin become clogged with oil, dead skin cells, and/or bacteria.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Acne is a skin disorder that leads to an outbreak of lesions called pimples or "zits." The most common form of the disease is called acne vulgaris—the rash that affects many adolescents. Acne vulgaris is triggered by the hormonal changes that occu...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
Bowel movements normally occur at approximately the same time each day. The feces (stool) itself should be soft enough that it can be passed without straining.
Source:Healthline
Date:September 30, 2007
Ataxia, a medical term originated from the Greek language meaning "without order," refers to disturbances in the control of body posture, motor coordination, speech control, and eye movements. Several brain areas, including the cerebellum and the ...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders
Developmental coordination disorder is diagnosed when children do not develop normal motor coordination (coordination of movements involving the voluntary muscles).
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders
Lack of coordination in the muscles. Ataxia, an extreme lack of coordination of the muscles, is a symptom of damage to the central nervous system. People with ataxia typically stand with feet planted far apart, and sway while standing, struggling ...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence
Emotional content floods the brain in response to our experiences, physiological and psychological states. Most of us learn how to prevent emotions from interfering with functioning as we mature.
Source:Healthline
Date:December 31, 2007
Photophobia is eye discomfort in bright light.
Source:ADAM
Date:April 13, 2009
Pain felt in your lower back may come from the spine, muscles, nerves, or other nearby structures. It may also be due to problems in your mid or upper back, the testicles or ovaries, or a hernia in the groin.
Source:ADAM
Date:July 10, 2009
Low back pain (LBP) is a common complaint—second only to cold and flu as a reason why patients seek care from their family doctor. It may be a limited musculoskeletal symptom or caused by a variety of diseases and disorders that affect or extend f...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Back pain is one of the most common health complaints. Almost everyone will have back pain at some time in their life. Most of the time, the exact cause of the pain cannot be found. This article discusses long-term (chronic) low back pain. For inf...
Source:ADAM
Date:July 10, 2009
Low back pain is a common musculoskeletal symptom that may be either acute or chronic. It may be caused by a variety of diseases and disorders that affect the lumbar spine. Low back pain is often accompanied by sciatica , which is pain that involv...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Anorexia is characterized by a loss of appetite or lack of desire to eat.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer
Gas, also called flatus or flatulence, is air in the intestine that is passed through the rectum. Air that is passed from the digestive tract through the mouth is called belching.
Source:ADAM
Date:February 20, 2008
Gas, or flatus, is produced when naturally occurring bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract begin to break down, or digest, food. When an excess of air builds up in the tract from swallowing air or a disorder that prevents digestion, it is release...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
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