- Health A to Z
Healthline Premium Tools
Advertisement
Marketplace
-
Age over 50
-
Second-hand smoke exposure
 |
Smoking is the inhalation of the smoke of burning tobacco encased in cigarettes, pipes, and cigars. Casual smoking is the act of smoking only occasionally, usually in a social situation or to relieve stress.
|
 |
Question: What are the negative effects of smoking?Answer: Smokers have an increased risk of the following:Lung cancerLung diseaseHeart attackHeart diseaseHypertensionStrokeOral cancerBladder cancerPancreatic cancerCervical cancerPregnancy complic...
|
|
When you smoke, toxins are carried by your blood to every organ in your body. At the same time, the carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke keeps red blood cells from carrying as much oxygen as normal.
|
|
Adolescent smoking has risen steadily throughout the 1990s, following a sharp decline in the 1970s that leveled off in the 1980s. A 1994 report by the office of the U.S.
|
|
Right away, you may cough, wheeze, and have a sore throat—that's the tar clogging up your lungs. You may also have a headache, feel dizzy, and be nauseated—that's the nicotine in your brain. Over time, you risk lung and throat cancer, and lung diseases like emphysema and bronchitis.
|
 |
Smoking is the inhalation of the smoke of burning tobacco encased in cigarettes, pipes, and cigars. Casual smoking is the act of smoking only occasionally, usually in a social situation or to relieve stress.
|
|
Smoking during pregnancy reduces oxygen and blood flow to your baby. This may cause bleeding problems that can put your pregnancy at risk.
|
|
Ex-smokers' risk of heart disease may eventually approach that of a lifetime nonsmoker, but their risk of lung cancer is less likely to fade, even after long periods of time.
|
|
Hear the facts about smoking from those who have been doing it for a few years. Find a smoker or two. Ask a few questions. See if their answers sound something like these.
|
|
Smoking is the inhalation of the smoke of burning tobacco that is used mostly in three forms: cigarettes, pipes, and cigars.Casual smoking is the act of smoking only occasionally, usually in a social situation or to relieve stress. A smoking habit...
|
|
Life may seem out of control, but you're really making progress. You're going through withdrawal, which is how your body recovers from smoking.
|
|
When you are trying to quit, the support of friends, coworkers and family members can make a big difference.
|
|
Detailed information on respiratory diseases and smoking, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, lung cancer
|
|
One of the major triggers for asthma attacks is cigarette smoke. Cigarette, pipe, or cigar smoke is especially harmful to people with asthma because it damages the cells in the lungs that make the protective coating lining the bronchial tubes.
|
|
Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do to keep your heart disease from getting worse. Smoking reduces oxygen flow to your heart, speeds plaque buildup, and increases your risk for heart attack.
|
|
Everybody knows smoking is bad for your health. Now here's something you may not know: Smoking is bad for your looks. It's true.
|
|
The most common reasons include: "Smoking gives me more energy. I smoke to keep from slowing down. I reach for a cigarette when I need a lift. When I'm tired, smoking perks me up."
|
|
Do you have healthy gums? You may kiss them goodbye if you're a smoker.
Do you have healthy gums? You may kiss them goodbye if you're a smoker, the American Dental Association (ADA) says.
|
|
Detailed information on teens and smoking Diseases caused by smoking kill more than 437,900 people in the United States each year; around 35 percent of these deaths were cardiovascular related. Even with anti-smoking campaigns and medical disclaimers in place, many people continue to smoke or start smoking every year. According to the American Cancer Society, 90 percent of new smokers are children and teenagers, in many cases, replacing the smokers who quit or died prematurely from a smoking-related disease.
|
|
Smoking damages your arteries, and it's thought that the damaged arteries in the discs and joints in your back may lead to pain and injury.
|
|
Teens who smoke are more likely to quit if they can be convinced to participate in a cessation program that emphasizes the health risks of smoking, provides motivational encouragement and coping skills, and encourages a healthy overall lifestyle.
|
|
For most people, the best way to quit smoking is some combination of medicine, a method to change personal habits and emotional support.
|
 |
Smoking is an important and preventable cause of death and illness. However, as more money has been spent on smoking cessation programs, the incidence of cigarette smoking has risen.
|
|
I know that smoking is very bad for me. I've cut down to one cigarette after lunch and another after dinner each day, with two or three more on most weekend nights when I socialize. I really enjoy smoking, but I want to know if I'm harming myself.
|
|
The personal motivation list will help you identify the benefits of quitting, for you, for your family, and for your friends.
|
|
A smoker's recovery plan includes listing those activities that you have chosen to help reduce the pressures of nicotine withdrawal and staying smoke-free.
|
|
Among other things, keep a personal benefits log. Write down the benefits you experience from being smoke-free (for example, I can smell flowers again!) Write the specific occurrence, the date it first happened, and your reaction.
|
|
When people consider the cost of smoking, they usually focus on the cost of the cigarettes alone. But that's only the first step.
|
|
Every day, nearly 6,000 teens and pre-teens try cigarettes for the first time, according to the American Lung Association. A third of these first-timers will end up becoming smokers.
|
|
Sarcoidosis is a disease which can affect many organs within the body. It causes the development of granulomas.
|
 |
Sarcoidosis is a disease of unknown cause in which inflammation occurs in the lymph nodes, lungs, liver, eyes, skin, or other tissues.The cause of the disease is unknown. Sarcoidosis is marked by abnormal inflammatory masses (granulomas)...
|
|
Is there a link between sarcoidosis and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura? I was diagnosed two years ago with sarcoidosis and am now battling idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.
|
|
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease of unknown etiology that primarily targets synovial tissues. It is relatively common with a prevalence of approximately 1% in adults all over the world.
|
|
Rheumatoid arthritis(RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and deformity of the joints. Other problems throughout the body(systemic problems) may also develop, including inflammation of blood vessels( vasculitis), the develo...
|
 |
Rheumatoid arthritis(RA) is a long-term disease that leads to inflammation of the joints and surrounding tissues. It can also affect other organs.The cause of RA is unknown.
|
|
Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that affects the lining of the joints, causing pain, swelling, and stiffness. Left untreated, rheumatoid arthritis may damage joints so badly that they no longer function. This disease appears most often in young-adult to middle-age women. To diagnose rheumatoid arthritis, your doctor will ask about your health history and perform an exam. X-rays and blood tests may also be needed.
|
|
The following Clinical Topic Tour provides an overview of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and was adapted from materials published by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
|
|
Many people with rheumatoid arthritis believe there's nothing they can do to ease their pain and stiffness, but they're wrong.
|
|
Detailed information on rheumatoid arthritis, including causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
|
|
Detailed information on rheumatoid arthritis, including causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
|
|
Detailed information on rheumatoid arthritis, including causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
|
|
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by symmetric inflammatory polyarthritis and varying degrees of extraarticular involvement. A chronic fluctuating course of the disease is experienced by most patients that may result in joint destruction, deformity, disability and premature death. 1?4 Major economic and emotional disabilities can result from RA and can have a significant impact on patients? families and loved ones.
|
|
Researchers believe that enough evidence exists now to list rheumatoid arthritis as a marker of increased heart attack risk. The next step is to examine how people with RA might alter their drug treatment plan or make lifestyle changes to reduce their risk for heart attack.
|
|
Over the past twenty years the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has undergone dramatic changes, particularly in the past five years. Traditionally, RA was diagnosed late in the disease course, the symptoms were treated without addressing the underlying damaging nature of RA, referral to specialist teams was delayed, and drugs that might slow the disease process down (disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs)) were introduced after joints had eroded.
|
|
Arthritis cannot be cured, but treatment can help manage the pain and prevent serious disability.
|
|
Can rheumatoid arthritis cause degenerative bone cysts?
Diana Post, M.D., is an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and a member of the Department of Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital.
|
|
The treatment goals include reducing joint swelling, relieving stiffness, preventing joint damage and maintaining joint function.
|
|
Treating rheumatoid arthritis early and aggressively can help reduce joint damage and disability.
|
|
Is there any connection between rheumatoid arthritis and alcohol consumption? Does a prior history of waterborne hepatitis predispose a person to RA?
|
|
The RF is an antibody detectable in the blood in about 70 percent of persons with rheumatoid arthritis but can often be found in other people as well. In fact, healthy people with no arthritis and no medical problems at all make tiny amounts of this antibody.
|
 |
Rheumatoid arthritis(RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the joints, most often in the hands and feet. It results in swelling, stiffness, pain, and sometimes joint, bone, and cartilage destruction.Although the exact cause of RA is unkn...
|
 |
Rheumatoid arthritis(RA) is a chronic disease causing inflammation and deformity of the joints. Other systemic problems throughout the body may also develop, including inflammation of blood vessels(vasculitis), the development of bumps(rheumatoid ...
|
|
Rheumatoid arthritis(RA) is an inflammatory disease of the joints, the cause of which is still unknown. Infectious factors are being studied, including bacterial and viral organisms, but no definite involvement of any agent has been proven.
|
 |
Scleroderma is a progressive disease that affects the skin and connective tissue(including cartilage, bone, fat, and the tissue that supports the nerves and blood vessels throughout the body). There are two major forms of the disorder.
|
 |
Scleroderma is a widespread connective tissue disease that involves changes in the skin, blood vessels, muscles, and internal organs.CREST syndrome; Progressive systemic sclerosis; Systemic sclerosis; Localized scleroderma.The cause of scleroderma...
|
|
Detailed information on scleroderma, including symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
|
 |
Scleroderma is a progressive disease that affects the skin and connective tissue(including cartilage, bone, fat, and the tissue that supports the nerves and blood vessels throughout the body). There are two major forms of the disorder.
|
 |
Scleroderma is a progressive disease that affects the skin and connective tissue(including cartilage, bone, fat, and the tissue that supports the nerves and blood vessels throughout the body). There are two major forms of the disorder.
|
|
Detailed information on scleroderma, including symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
|
|
Systemic lupus erythematosus is a multisystem, autoimmune, connective-tissue disorder with a broad range of clinical presentations. There is a peak age of onset in young women between their late teens and early 40s and women to men ratio of 9:1.
|
 |
Systemic lupus erythematosus(also called lupus or SLE) is a disease where a person''s immune system attacks and injures the body''s own organs and tissues. Almost every system of the body can be affected by SLE.The body''s immune system is a network ...
|
 |
Systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE) is a chronic, inflammatory autoimmune disorder. It may affect the skin, joints, kidneys, and other organs.Disseminated lupus erythematosus; SLE; Lupus; Lupus erythematosus.SLE(lupus) is an autoimmune disease.
|
|
Detailed information on systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus), including causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
|
|
Detailed information on systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus), including causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
|
|
Detailed information on systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus), including causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
|
|
The following Clinical Topic Tour provides an overview of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and was adapted from materials published by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.
|
|
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem autoimmune disease with protean clinical manifestations that may affect any organs or system. shows the 1997 revised American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for the classification of SLE. The disease is characterized by flares, remissions and autoantibodies directed against several intracellular and cell-surface antigens.
|
|
Because most therapeutic interventions in patients with SLE are associated with significant undesirable side effects, the physician must first decide whether a patient needs treatment and, if so, whether conservative management is sufficient or aggressive immunosuppression is necessary. Figure 76-1 presents an algorithm for this decision making.
|
|
My mother was diagnosed a few years ago with lupus (non-systemic). Can this turn into systemic lupus?
|
|
Nearly all people with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have a positive (abnormal) ANA -- that is, the sensitivity of the ANA for SLE is quite high. That also means that it is very rare to have lupus with a negative (normal) ANA.
|
 |
Systemic lupus erythematosus(also called lupus or SLE) is a disease in which a person''s immune system attacks and injures the body''s own organs and tissues. Almost every system of the body can be affected.The body''s immune system is a network of c...
|
|
Radiation therapy, sometimes called radiotherapy, x-ray therapy radiation treatment, cobalt therapy, electron beam therapy, or irradiation uses high energy, penetrating waves or particles such as x rays, gamma rays, proton rays, or neutron rays to...
|
 |
Radiation therapy uses high powered x-rays or radioactive seeds to kill cancer cells.Cancer cells usually multiply faster than other cells in the body. Because radiation is most harmful to rapidly growing cells, radiation therapy damages cancer ce...
|
|
Detailed information on radiation therapy for prostate cancer treatment Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays to kill or shrink cancer cells, and to decrease their ability to divide. Radiation is often used to treat prostate cancer that is still confined to the prostate gland, or has spread only to nearby tissue. If the disease is advanced, radiation may be used to reduce the size of the tumor and to provide relief from symptoms.
|
|
Doctors first began using X-rays to treat cancer in the early 1900s. Since then, the field of radiation therapy has grown tremendously in its use to treat cancer patients. Today, radiation therapy is considered a standard treatment for cancer and its symptoms.
|
 |
Radiotherapy is the use of high-energy penetrating radiation(x rays, gamma rays, proton rays, and neutron rays) to kill cancer cells.The primary purpose of radiotherapy is to eliminate or shrink localized cancers. It is also sometimes used to trea...
|
|
Radiation therapy can help you in your fight against cancer. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells.
|
|
Detailed information on radiation therapy, one type of cancer therapy Radiation therapy for cancer treatment:
|
 |
Radiation therapy, sometimes called radiotherapy, x-ray therapy radiation treatment, cobalt therapy, electron beam therapy, or irradiation uses high energy, penetrating waves or particles such as x rays, gamma rays, proton rays, or neutron rays to...
|
|
Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells.
Radiation therapy can help you in your fight against cancer. It begins with a planning visit to map out your treatment. During the treatment course, you'll meet with your doctor on a routine basis. After your therapy is done, you will have one or more follow-up visits to check your progress. Keep all your appointments.
|
|
Because radiation affects normal cells as well as cancer cells, you may have some side effects from this treatment. Usually, the risk of side effects is far less than the benefit of killing cancer cells. Many people have no side effects at all. If you do have them, they relate to the dose of radiation you get and the area of your cancer, and they are generally limited to the area that's been treated.
|
|
This is one section from the guide "Radiation Therapy: A Guide to Self-Help During Cancer Treatment” from the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
|
|
This is one section from the guide "Radiation Therapy: A Guide to Self-Help During Cancer Treatment” from the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
|
|
This is one section from the guide "Radiation Therapy: A Guide to Self-Help During Cancer Treatment” from the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
|
|
Radiation therapy can help you in your fight against cancer. Your radiation therapy team will work with you. Together you will set treatment goals, make a plan, and carry out the treatment. To be an active member of this team, ask questions when you don't understand what is happening. And let your team know how you're doing.
|
|
This is one section from the guide "Radiation Therapy: A Guide to Self-Help During Cancer Treatment” from the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
|
|
The side effects of radiation treatment vary from patient to patient. You may have no side effects or only a few mild ones through your course of treatment. Some people do experience serious side effects, however. The side effects that you have depend mostly on the radiation dose and the part of your body that is treated. Your general health also can affect how your body reacts to radiation therapy and whether you have side effects. Before beginning your treatment, your doctor and nurse will discuss the side effects you might experience, how long they might last, and how serious they might be.
|
|
This is one section from the guide "Radiation Therapy: A Guide to Self-Help During Cancer Treatment” from the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
|
|
This is one section from the guide "Radiation Therapy: A Guide to Self-Help During Cancer Treatment” from the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
|
|
Radiation treatment to the chest may cause several changes. For example, you may find that it is hard to swallow or that swallowing hurts. You may develop a cough or a fever. You may notice that when you cough the amount and color of the mucus is different. Shortness of breath is also common. Be sure to let your treatment team know right away if you have any of these symptoms. Remember that your doctor and nurse have seen these changes in many radiation patients and they know how to help you deal with them.
|
|
What is the goal of this treatment? How will the radiation be given? How many treatments will I get? Over what period of time?
|
|
Is it safe for a child to be around a person undergoing radiation therapy? Claire McCarthy, M.D., is a senior medical editor for Harvard Health Publications. She is an instructor in pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, an attending physician at Children's Hospital of Boston, and co-director of the pediatrics department at Martha Eliot Health Center, a neighborhood health service of Children's Hospital. The author of two books, "Learning How the Heart Beats" and "Everyone's Children", Dr. McCarthy was a regular columnist for "Sesame Street Parents Magazine" from 1995 to 1998 and is currently a contributing editor for "Parenting Magazine".
|
|
Radiation therapy can help you in your fight against cancer. To feel better, get plenty of rest, exercise, and eat well. This will give your body the extra strength it needs right now. Also, look to family and friends for support and comfort.
|
|
Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to treat your cancer. From the moment you found out you had cancer, you most likely have had questions about treatment. You are not facing cancer treatment alone. Loved ones, support groups, and counseling can help you. Keep a list of any questions you have for your radiation therapy team. Ask these questions during your visits, or call if you need to. And use the resources below for information.
|
|
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) refers to air polluntants that can cause serious health and environmental hazards as"hazardous air pollutants"(HAPS) or"air toxics."
|
|
Sulfur oxides are an important class of air pollutants. They include sulfur dioxide, sulfuric acid, and various forms of sulfate.
|
|
Loneliness is one of the most formidable obstacles to health and quality of life for the nearly 35 million Americans 65 or older. Unfortunately, recognizing this enemy isn't as easy as we might think.
|
|
Key Points Secondhand smoke (also called environmental tobacco smoke) is the combination of smoke given off by the burning end of a tobacco product and the smoke exhaled by the smoker (see Question 1).
|
|
Breathing even a little smoke can be harmful, because there is no risk-free level of secondhand smoke. The only way to protect yourself and the people you love is to provide a 100 percent smoke-free setting.
|
 |
Drug interactions are changes in the effect of one drug due to the effect of either another drug taken at the same time(drug-drug interactions) or food consumed while the drug is being taken(drug-food interactions).Some drugs are deliberately comb...
|
 |
Drug allergies are a group of symptoms caused by allergic reaction to a drug(medication).Adverse reactions to drugs are common, and almost any drug can cause an adverse reaction. Reactions range from irritating or mild side effects such as nausea ...
|
|
Detailed information on different types of drug rashes, including acne, exfoliative dermatitis, fixed drug eruption, hives, morbiliform/maculopapular rash, purpuric eruptions, Stevens-Johnson syndrome
|
|
A drug allergy is an adverse reaction to a medication, often an antibiotic, that is mediated by the body''s immune system. A drug sensitivity is an unusual reaction to a drug that does not involve the immune system.Adverse reactions to medication m...
|
|
If you want to be fully informed, you should read the fine print connected with any drug that you intend to use.
|
|
Drug metabolism is the process by which the body breaks down and converts medication into active chemical substances.Drugs can interact with other drugs, foods, and beverages. Interactions can lessen or magnify the desired therapeutic effect of a ...
|
|
Detailed information on food-drug interactions A food-drug interaction can occur when the food you eat affects the ingredients in a medication you are taking, preventing the medicine from working the way it should.
|
|
Can the high blood pressure drugs Vasotec and Toprol affect the libido?
|
|
Exploring the causes and treatment for loss of taste, which may result from years of taking high blood pressure medications.
|
|
A guide to information available online and in print about the side effects of prescription drugs.
|
|
Chemotherapy and radiation treatments save lives. They also can bring a variety of temporary but unpleasant side effects.
|
|
Most people know air pollution can hurt your lungs and make it tough to breathe. But a growing body of research shows air pollution can be as bad or worse for your heart.
|
Home | About | Health Experts | Careers | Site Map | Feedback | Help | Health Tools | Tell a Friend
Advertise | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy
Advertise | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2005 - 2009 Healthline Networks, Inc. All rights reserved.