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The disease usually begins gradually with: Fatigue; Morning stiffness (lasting more than 1 hour; Widespread muscle aches; Loss of appetite; Weakness. Eventually, joint pain appears. When the joint is not used for a while, it can become warm, tende...
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The underlying event that promotes RA in a person is unknown. Given the known genetic factors involved in RA, some researchers have suggested that an outside event occurs that triggers the disease cycle in a person with a particular genetic makeup...
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The course of RA varies with each individual. Some people may have mild symptoms, occasional flare-ups, and long periods without disease (remission), or disease that progresses steadily, either slowly or rapidly. The disease may begin suddenly, wi...
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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.
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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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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...
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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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Measuring Your PainA pain scale helps you rate pain intensity. In the scale, 0 means no pain, and 10 is the worst pain possible.
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Pain is an unpleasant feeling that is conveyed to the brain by sensory neurons. The discomfort signals actual or potential injury to the body.
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Pain is an unpleasant feeling that is conveyed to the brain by nerves in the body. Pain arises from any number of situations.
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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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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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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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Pain - knee Knee pain usually results from overuse, poor form during physical activity, not warming up or cooling down, or inadequate stretching. Simple causes of knee pain often clear up on their own with self care. Being overweight can put you a...
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Knee pain refers to any aching or burning pain in the knee joint. Knee pain can be a symptom of numerous conditions and diseases, including knee stress, osteoarthritis , injury, gout , infection, and bursitis .
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Detailed information on knee pain and the most common types of knee problems
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Reducing Knee Pain and SwellingMany treatments can help reduce pain and swelling in your knee. Your doctor or physical therapist may suggest one or more of the following treatments.Icing your kneehelps reduce swelling.
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The knee's complicated anatomy allows the strength, stability and flexibility of this important joint.
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Walk, jump, climb, or sit, your knees and hips take a lot of use and abuse. This report describes the most common knee and hip conditions along with treatments and preventive tips.
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I was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, but have continued to run. Now I have developed outside knee pain. Does running with plantar fasciitis cause other injuries?
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Therapeutic taping can reduce pain from osteoarthritis of the knee, but several medications are also worth considering.
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Knee swelling may develop for a number of reasons. If you have new, unexplained knee swelling that followed a significant injury or you have fever, this guide is not the best place to start! See your doctor first.
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Sprained ankles and wrists, arthritic knees and hips and torn rotator cuffs all have one thing in common: They result in joint pain.
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Weakness is a reduction in the strength of one or more muscles.
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Pain - neck; Neck stiffness Neck pain may begin in any of the structures in the neck. These include muscles and nerves as well as spinal vertebrae and the cushioning disks in between. Neck pain may also come from regions near the neck, like the sh...
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Neck pain is a nonspecific symptom of discomfort that has a number of possible causes. Depending on the cause, neck pain may be experienced as limited to the neck itself (localized), or as radiating to the shoulders and upper arm.
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Detailed information on neck pain and the most common types of neck problems
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Physical therapy for back and neck pain is the treatment of this pain using professionally accepted techniques and procedures carried out by a physical therapist. Purpose The ultimate purpose of physical therapy is to restore normal function to the patient.
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Do your neck and shoulders feel stiff when you awake in the morning? Or do they seize painfully with no warning? If so, you have plenty of company. Doctors estimate that 7 out of 10 people will be troubled by neck pain at some point in their lives, often causing daily aching in the neck and shoulder area. One in 10 adults is hurting right now, and for 1 in 20, the pain is longstanding and intense enough to severely limit the ability to work and play.
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Detailed information on neck pain and the most common types of neck problems
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Learn the most effective exercises, therapies, and ergonomic strategies for this debilitating condition.
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Even if your neck pain is caused by an injury or a worsening condition, self-care can often provide relief. In some cases, however, you should seek medical attention right away.
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Most neck pain is caused by sleeping on a bed that’s too soft, poor posture, stress, neck strains or degenerative joint disease that occurs when the joints of the neck become inflamed or a disc pushes outward from its normal position.
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Neck pain may be a symptom of a serious or even dangerous condition that requires prompt evaluation.
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The neck is the most flexible part of your spine. However, because it is not well protected by muscles, it's also easy to injure.
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Your neck spends a lot of time supporting your head - - here's how to manage the neck pain that may result.
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Detailed information on back and neck pain, including causes, prevention, and rehabilitation
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Muscle aches and pains are common and can involve more than one muscle. Muscle pain also can involve ligaments, tendons, and fascia, the soft tissues that connect muscles, bones, and organs. See also: Muscle cramps; Joint pain.
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Joint swelling is the build up of fluid in the soft tissue surrounding the joint.
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Hip pain involves any pain in or around the hip joint.
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The hip is prone to developing pain in part because its anatomy is complex and because it has a large range of motion. Some of these structures, including the bursae, muscles, tendons, or ligaments are common causes of hip pain, even when the joint itself is fine.
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Ankle pain involves any discomfort in one or both ankles.
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Certain symptoms suggest a serious cause of ankle pain that requires prompt attention. It's important to ask questions about these symptoms first.
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Wrist pain is any pain or discomfort in the wrist.
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The wrist is prone to pain because it is frequently overused and has a complicated anatomy, with many structures packed into a small space.
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This article describes aching or other discomfort in the elbow that is not related to direct injury.
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The diagnoses provided are among the most common that could explain your symptoms, but the list is not exhaustive and there are many other possibilities. In addition, more than one condition may be present at the same time. For example, a person with rheumatoid arthritis could also have ulnar neuropathy because swelling in the elbow compresses the nearby nerve.
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Detailed information on elbow pain and problems
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Limited range of motion is a reduction in the normal distance and direction through which a joint can move.
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Warm joints is a feeling of warmth or heat in a joint..
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Hip stiffness is a feeling that it is difficult to move the hip although the person may have
no structural limitation to full range of motion in the joint..
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Normal body temperature varies by person, age, activity, and time of day. The average normal body temperature is 98.6?F (37?C.
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A fever is any body temperature elevation over100.4 ? F (38 ? C).
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Detailed information on fevers in children
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A fever is a special cause for concern in infants younger than 3 months of age. Parents and caregivers should be most concerned with changes in eating or sleeping habits, coughing, pain or other marked changes.
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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.
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An elevated body temperature. While the standard for normal body temperature is 98.
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Fever is defined as an abnormally high body temperature or a regulated rise to a new set point of body temperature. While a body temperature above 100 ? F(37.
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A fever is any body temperature elevation over 100 ? F (37.8 ? C).
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One minute you're hot; the next, you're chilled and your teeth chatter. You've got a fever. But look on the bright side: Fever seems to serve a helpful function in the body.
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Buying a thermometer isn't as easy as it used to be. You face an array of choices. But the decision doesn't have to be hard. Like temperature, it's a matter of degrees.
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Most medical professionals agree a fever by itself is not an illness; it is a symptom of an underlying problem. Fevers actually can be a positive sign the body is fighting an infection. However, a fever can cause discomfort for a child.
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A fever is a way for the body to fight infection. But it may also be a sign of a serious illness, especially in children younger than 3 months and children who haven't been immunized. Know when to seek medical care for your child.
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Detailed information on fever, including when to call your physician
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Use a digital thermometer to take your child's temperature; never use a glass mercury thermometer. Most children aged three years and older can hold a thermometer under their tongue. If your child is younger than that, or you're having difficulty with the oral method, talk to your doctor about the best way to take his temperature.
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The best way to take an infant's temperature is rectally with a digital thermometer (never use a glass mercury thermometer). Taking the temperature under the arm, or using an ear thermometer, is less exact.
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Detailed information on children and fever, including symptoms and treatment
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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.
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Hyperthermia involves raising the body ' s core temperature as a means of eradicating tumors. The treatment simulates fever .
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Children can become cranky, fussy or irritable for many reasons. Often it's because they're hungry or just tired. But sometimes irritability can be a sign of illness in children.
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Fatigue is a feeling of weariness, tiredness, or lack of energy.
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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.
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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 context of health and illness.
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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: 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...
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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.
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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.
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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 persist beyond a patient ' s treatment regimen.
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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...
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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).
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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).
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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.
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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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Anemia is a condition where there is a lower than normal number of red blood cells in the blood, usually measured by a decrease in the amount of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the oxygen-carrying part of red blood cells. It gives these blood cells their red color. There are many types and potential causes of anemia. For information about a specific type of anemia, see one of the following articles: Anemia due to B12 deficiency; Anemia due to folate deficiency; Anemia due to iron deficiency; Hemolytic anemia; Hemolytic anemia due to G-6-PD deficiency; Idiopathic aplastic anemia; Idiopathic autoimmune hemolytic anemia; Immune hemolytic anemia; Megaloblastic anemia; Pernicious anemia; Secondary aplastic anemia; Sickle cell anemia.
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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.
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Detailed information on anemia, including symptoms, causes, types, diagnosis, and treatment
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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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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 volume (hematocrit) is also considered anemia.
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What Do You Know About Anemia?1.
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Understanding AnemiaChemotherapy can reduce the number of red blood cells in your body. When you have too few of these cells, anemia can result.
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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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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.
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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 oxygen to stay healthy.
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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 oxygen to stay healthy.
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Cancer-related Anemia: CausesNormally, 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...
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Anemia: What My Red Blood Cell Count Tells MeAnemia 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.
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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: What to Do When You Have ItAnemia 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 asanti-cancer tre...
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Cancer-related Anemia: PreventionIron 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 b...
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Cancer-related Anemia: TreatmentThe 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.Red blood cell transfusions are used a lot of th...
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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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Detailed information on chronic pain, including causes, types, symptoms, and treatment
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After upper respiratory infections, pain is the next most common problem seen by primary care providers, one expert says.
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Chronic pain, whether it comes and goes or is constant, makes it impossible to do your normal activities without discomfort.
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Detailed information on chronic pain, including causes, types, symptoms, treatment, and pain management rehabilitation
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Between regular appointments, what should you do if symptoms flare up, or new ones appear?
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Understanding the Pain ResponseYour pain is important. It can slow healing and keep you from being active.
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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 abnormal sensations that can occur anywhere in your body, but are often felt in your hands, feet, arms, or legs.
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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.
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The most common reason for numbness or tingling is a problem with nerve function, either because the nerve itself is injured, something is pressing on the nerve, or an imbalance in the body's chemistry interferes with nerve function.
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What would cause sudden ear numbness and partial facial numbness (but without drooping or muscle weakness)?
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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.
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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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Dry mouth, known medically as xerostomia, is the abnormal reduction of saliva due to medication, disease, or medical therapy. Dry mouth due to the lack of saliva can be a serious medical problem.
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A dry mouth may not sound like a health threat. But that parched feeling can cause tooth decay and gum trouble, as well as discomfort when eating or speaking.
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Xerostomia, also known as dry mouth, is marked by a significant reduction in the secretion of saliva. Signs and symptoms of xerostomia include: dryness of the mouth cracked lips, cuts, or cracks at the corners of the mouth taste changes a burning sensation of the tongue changes in the surface of the tongue difficulty wearing dental appliances (like dentures) difficulty swallowing fluids accompanied by an increase in thirst Xerostomia makes the mouth less able to neutralize acid, clean the teeth and gums, and protect itself from infection.
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Mouth and Throat Tumors: Your Health Care TeamYour health care team will explain your options and can answer your questions. They’ll work with you during all stages of your treatment.
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Dry mouth, known medically as xerostomia, is the abnormal reduction of saliva due to medication, disease, or medical therapy. Dry mouth due to the lack of saliva can be a serious medical problem.
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Dry Mouth--One Woman's StoryAt 42 years old, Nancy Howe was an enthusiastic body builder. She regularly leg-pressed 500 pounds while grunting loudly.
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This guide will cover the most common reason for dry eyes and dry mouth. While these symptoms are more common among persons who are older, they are not inevitable; while tear production may decline with advancing age, symptoms are often not solely related to aging.
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Tips to fight a dry mouth.Water’s good. Sugar-free gum helps. But Listerine may dry out your mouth.
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What is the treatment for dry mouth?
Robert Shmerling, M.D., is associate physician and clinical chief of rheumatology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and an associate professor in medicine at Harvard Medical School. He is an active teacher in the Internal Medicine Residency Program, serving as the Robinson Firm Chief. He is also a teacher in the Rheumatology Fellowship Program and has been a practicing rheumatologist for over 25 years.
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What could cause a person to constantly have a dry, raw mouth that feels like the roof of the mouth has been burned?
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Shoulder pain involves any pain in or around the shoulder joint.
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The shoulder is prone to developing pain in part because its anatomy is complex and because it has the largest range of motion of any joint in the body. Some of these muscles, tendons,and bursae are common causes of shoulder pain, even when the joint itself is fine.
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Detailed information on shoulder pain and the most common types of shoulder problems
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Shoulder ProblemsArthritis, injury, bone disease, and torn muscles and tendons can cause pain, stiffness, and sometimes swelling in your shoulder. Then even simple movements become painful and difficult.OsteoarthritisOsteoarthritis is a wearing aw...
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The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body, but because of this flexibility, it is not very stable and is easily injured.
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Pain or discomfort can be felt anywhere in the foot, including the heel, toes, arch, instep, sole, or ankles. See also: Ankle pain; Heel pain.
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Detailed information on foot pain and the most common types of foot problems, including heel spurs, corns, bunions, Morton's neuroma, hammertoes, ankle sprain, and foot fractures
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Foot pain may develop for a number of reasons--fracture and infection are among the most serious while sprains and arthritis are among the most common.
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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%.
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Detailed information on anorexia, including causes, characteristics, types, diagnosis, treatment, complications, and prevention
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Appetite StimulationSymptom and Description Loss of appetite is a loss of the desire to eat. Not eating can lead to weight loss.
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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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Pain in the eye (that is not due to injury) may be described as a burning, throbbing, aching, or stabbing sensation in or around the eye. It may also feel as if there is a foreign body in the eye.
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Eye pain with new blurry or diminished vision should be evaluated promptly, even if the eye appears normal and is not red.
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Pain is an unpleasant sensation triggered in the nervous system that can range from mild
discomfort to unbearable agony. Pain receptors located throughout the body send
electrical impulses via the spinal cord to the brain.
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The term "swollen glands" refers to enlargement of one or more lymph nodes. In a child, a node is considered enlarged if it is more than 1 centimeter (0.4 inch) in diameter. See also: Lymphadenitis and lymphangitis
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The term "swollen glands" is often equated with enlarged lymph nodes. However, lymph nodes are not actually glands. They are small bundles of white blood cells. One of the ways the body's immune system responds to infections and inflammation is to greatly increase the number of white cells in the lymph nodes causing them to swell.
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Joint pain can affect one or more joints. See also: Arthritis (inflammation of joints; Bursitis; Muscle pain.
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Abnormal buildup of fluid in the ankles, feet, and legs is called peripheral edema.
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Detailed information on hand pain and the most common types of hand problems
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If your hands ache, tingle, or throb, this report can help you find relief. Covers many common and uncommon hand conditions and provides solutions including exercise, medications, surgeries, and more.
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Hand pain may develop for a number of reasons -- fracture and infection are among the most serious while sprains and strains are among the most common.
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Charcot foot is a pattern of bone and joint damage that can lead to foot deformity. Charcot foot begins with peripheral neuropathy, a disease of the nerves in the feet.
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Treating Charcot FootThe only way to stop the progress of Charcot foot is to stay off the foot long enough for it to heal. Your doctor will prescribe treatment to help healing.Staying Non-Weight-BearingWhile fractures are healing, it is crucial th...
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Paleness is an abnormal loss of color from normal skin or mucous membranes.
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Finger pain is defined as pain in one or more fingers.
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Treating Dupuytren’s ContractureThe only way to treat Dupuytren’s contracture is surgery. It’s not a cure.
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Detailed information on the most common hand conditions, including carpal tunnel syndrome, congenital hand deformity, dupuytrens contracture, and rheumatoid arthritis
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Eye burning with discharge is burning, itching, or drainage from the eye of any substance other than tears.
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It is important to determine whether you have a condition that warrants immediate, urgent or emergency care. For example, a discharge from the eye accompanied by swelling of the hands or face, itching and hives could indicate a severe allergic reaction warranting immediate medical care. Vision loss, facial muscle weakness or eye pain are other "alert" symptoms.
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Sometimes a person feels hot to touch due to illness or environmental situation that
causes elevated core temperature. A compounding factor can be dehydration (lack of
fluids.
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