Tetanus : Symptoms

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Spasms and tightening of the jaw muscle ("lockjaw; Tetanic seizures (painful, powerful muscle contractions; Irritability; Fever. Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease: Excessive sweating; Swallowing difficulty; Hand or foot ...
Source:ADAM
Date:November 27, 2006
Tetanus is caused by a bacteria called Clostridium tetani, whose spores (the dormant form) are found in soil, street dust, and animal (or even human) feces. Tetanus spores germinate in the body, producing a highly poisonous neurotoxin in the blood...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Since the incubation period can range from several days to many weeks, individuals often do not associate their initial symptoms with wound infection. The first sign of tetanus is a tightening of the jaw muscles that gives the disease its common n...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
Antispasmodic drugs relieve cramps or spasms of the stomach, intestines, and bladder. Purpose Antispasmodic drugs have been used to treat stomach cramps.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
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:April 25, 2008
New and severe abdominal pain always needs to be closely evaluated by a doctor. It is frequently a sign of serious illness.
Source:StayWell
Repeated episodes of abdominal pain can arise from a variety of medical causes, including some serious conditions. Everyone who has unexplained abdominal pain requires a medical evaluation by a doctor.
Source:StayWell
Most of the time, children with mild abdominal pain are not seriously ill; the symptoms go away in a day or two and can be managed at home. However, if your child has severe abdominal pain or has a bellyache along with frequent vomiting, you should contact your child's pediatrician.
Source:StayWell
Abdominal pain is very common in children, and in many cases there’s no serious cause. But stomach pain can sometimes point to a serious problem, such as appendicitis, so it is important to know when to seek help.
Source:StayWell
Abdominal rigidity involves abnormal muscle tension or inflexibility of the abdomen, detected when touched or pressed.
Source:ADAM
Date:October 26, 2006
Aimless movements can be a symptom of a primary or secondary movement disorder, side effect of a medication, psychiatric disturbance or dementia. Aimless or purposeless movement is therefore a significant symptom requiring evaluation by a physician to determine the origin of the problem.
Source:HealthLine
Date:November 30, 2007
Drooling is saliva flowing outside the mouth.
Source:ADAM
Date:February 6, 2008
Bowel incontinence is the loss of bowel control, resulting in involuntary passage of feces. This can range from an occasional leakage of stool with the passage of gas to a complete loss of control of bowel movements. Urinary incontinence , a separate topic, is the inability to control the passage of urine.
Source:ADAM
Date:November 18, 2006
Fecal incontinence is the inability to control the passage of gas or stools (feces) through the anus. For some people, fecal incontinence is a relatively minor problem that is limited to a slight occasional soiling of underwear, but for others it involves a considerable loss of bowel control.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Fecal incontinence is the inability to control the passage of gas or stools (feces) through the anus. For some people fecal incontinence is a relatively minor problem, as when it is limited to a slight occasional soiling of underwear, but for other people it involves a considerable loss of bowel control and has a devastating effect on quality of life and psychological well-being.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Sometimes a person feels hot to touch due to illness or environmental situation that causes elevated core temperature. A compounding factor can be dehydration (lack of fluids.
Source:HealthLine
Normal body temperature varies by person, age, activity, and time of day. The average normal body temperature is 98.6?F (37?C).
Source:ADAM
Date:February 27, 2008
A fever is any body temperature elevation over100.4 ? F (38 ? C).
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
Detailed information on fevers in children
Source:StayWell
A fever is a special cause for concern in infants younger than 3 months of age. Parents and caregivers should be most concerned with changes in eating or sleeping habits, coughing, pain or other marked changes.
Source:StayWell
Normal body temperature varies somewhat from one individual to another but displays a general range and pattern around the " normal " temperature of 98.6 ? F.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer
Fever is defined as an abnormally high body temperature or a regulated rise to a new set point of body temperature. While a body temperature above 100 ? F(37.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
A fever is any body temperature elevation over 100 ? F (37.8 ? C).
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
An elevated body temperature. While the standard for normal body temperature is 98.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence
One minute you're hot; the next, you're chilled and your teeth chatter. You've got a fever. But look on the bright side: Fever seems to serve a helpful function in the body.
Source:StayWell
Buying a thermometer isn't as easy as it used to be. You face an array of choices. But the decision doesn't have to be hard. Like temperature, it's a matter of degrees.
Source:StayWell
Most medical professionals agree a fever by itself is not an illness; it is a symptom of an underlying problem. Fevers actually can be a positive sign the body is fighting an infection. However, a fever can cause discomfort for a child.
Source:StayWell
A fever is a way for the body to fight infection. But it may also be a sign of a serious illness, especially in children younger than 3 months and children who haven't been immunized. Know when to seek medical care for your child.
Source:StayWell
Detailed information on fever, including when to call your physician
Source:StayWell
The best way to take an infant's temperature is rectally with a digital thermometer (never use a glass mercury thermometer). Taking the temperature under the arm, or using an ear thermometer, is less exact.
Source:StayWell
Use a digital thermometer to take your child's temperature; never use a glass mercury thermometer. Most children aged three years and older can hold a thermometer under their tongue. If your child is younger than that, or you're having difficulty with the oral method, talk to your doctor about the best way to take his temperature.
Source:StayWell
Detailed information on children and fever, including symptoms and treatment
Source:StayWell
Hyperthermia is the use of therapeutic heat to treat various cancers on and inside the body. Purpose The purpose of hyperthermia is to shrink and hopefully destroy cancer without harming noncancerous cells.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer
Hyperthermia involves raising the body ' s core temperature as a means of eradicating tumors. The treatment simulates fever .
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Uncontrollable movements are slow, twisting, continuous, and involuntary movements of the arms, legs, face, neck, or other parts of the body.
Source:ADAM
Date:March 5, 2007
Movement disorders are a group of diseases and syndromes affecting the ability to produce and control bodily movements. It seems simple and effortless, but normal movement requires an astonishingly complex system of control.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
Irritability is an excessive response to stimuli .
Source:ADAM
Date:November 12, 2007
Children can become cranky, fussy or irritable for many reasons. Often it's because they're hungry or just tired. But sometimes irritability can be a sign of illness in children.
Source:StayWell
Don't Catch a Bad MoodLike the common cold, human emotions are highly contagious."It's easy to get swept up in somebody else's emotions," says James Page, M.D., a psychiatrist in Greenville, SC.
Source:StayWell
Muscle rigidity is an alteration of muscle tone in which the muscles are in an involuntary state of continual tension. Muscle rigidity can be a manifestation of neurological damage (basal ganglia diseases) or a side effect of certain medications.
Source:HealthLine
Date:October 31, 2007
Spasticity is marked by stiff or rigid muscles and exaggerated, deep tendon reflexes. The condition can interfere with walking, movement, or speech. See also muscle spasticity .
Source:ADAM
Date:March 5, 2007
Spasticity is a form of muscle overactivity. A spastic muscle is one in which a muscle resists being stretched out, and the resistance to stretch is greater the faster the muscle is moved.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders
Spasticity is an abnormal increase in muscle tone. It may be associated with involuntary muscle spasms , sustained muscle contractions (dystonia), and exaggerated deep tendon reflexes that make movement difficult or uncontrollable.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
Definition and classification Pain is a universal human experience. The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) defines pain as " an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders
Expert-reviewed information summary about pain as a complication of cancer or its treatment. Approaches to the management and treatment of cancer-associated pain are discussed.
Source:StayWell
Pain, medically termed "nociception," is a response to noxious stimuli that is conveyed to the brain by sensory neurons . The discomfort signals actual or impending injury to the body.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Communicating About PainResourcesAmerican Pain Foundation888-615-7246www.painfoundation.orgAmerican Chronic Pain Associationwww.theacpa.orgThe National Pain Foundation www.painconnection.orgYou have a right to have pain treated. Untreated pain can...
Source:StayWell
Pain is an unpleasant feeling that is conveyed to the brain by sensory neurons. The discomfort signals actual or potential injury to the body.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Measuring Your PainA pain scale helps you rate pain intensity. In the scale, 0 means no pain, and 10 is the worst pain possible.
Source:StayWell
Pain is an unpleasant feeling that is conveyed to the brain by sensory neurons. The discomfort signals actual or potential injury to the body.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Pain is an unpleasant feeling that is conveyed to the brain by nerves in the body. Pain arises from any number of situations.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
This comprehensive report describes the many causes of pain, the latest treatments, and the best preventive strategies.
Source:StayWell
Children who experience verbal abuse are at as much risk for developing anxiety or depression as those who are abused physically or sexually. This may be due to the fact that verbal abuse is likely to persist over a lengthy period of time.
Source:StayWell
Examines the role of forgiveness in personal health and happiness, ranging from reduced stress to improved relationships.
Source:StayWell
I have recurring sores in my mouth, most generally on the sides of my tongue, and the tip of my tongue gets very tender and sore. Do I have a vitamin deficiency? What else could be the cause of this?
Source:StayWell
Breathing difficulties involve a sensation of difficult or uncomfortable breathing or a feeling of not getting enough air. See also difficulty breathing - first aid.
Source:ADAM
Date:April 12, 2007
Shortness of breath, or dyspnea, is a feeling of difficult or labored breathing that is out of proportion to the patient ' s level of physical activity. It is a symptom of a variety of different diseases or disorders and may be either acute or chronic.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Struggling to Breathe: A Nurse’s Tips for Managing DyspneaDyspnea is the technical word for difficulty breathing. It's a common symptom in people who have lung cancer or have cancer that has spread to the lungs.
Source:StayWell
Detailed information on the most common breathing problems in a newborn
Source:StayWell
Severe shortness of breath and shortness of breath accompanied by certain symptoms requires immediate medical attention.
Source:StayWell
If your child cannot seem to get enough breath in his lungs (shortness of breath) or is having a hard time breathing, he probably has a medical condition that needs treatment. If your child is old enough to talk, he can tell you that he is having difficulty breathing. If your child is younger, you may notice that he is breathing harder or faster than usual, isn't feeding well, or is cranky.
Source:StayWell
For the past two months I have experienced increased shortness of breath. I have chronic asthma, but there's concern the shortness of breath could be caused by a blockage in heart. I have experienced difficulties in the past when anesthetized. Is there an effective alternative to heart catheterization? I've read about a new CT scan ? is it recommended?
Source:StayWell
I had a quadruple bypass seven years ago. A few months back I found myself taking frequent short breaths when I climbed the stairs. Once I stopped exerting myself, my breathing soon returned to normal. Is this due to a problem with my heart or lungs?
Source:StayWell
Shortness of breath may be a warning sign of heart disease. Chest pain is a near-universal signal of heart disease. Shortness of breath may be an equally valuable tip-off.
Source:StayWell
A charley horse is the common name for a muscle spasm, particularly in the leg. Muscle spasms can occur in any muscle in the body. When a muscle is in spasm, it contracts involuntarily and does not relax.
Source:ADAM
Date:August 6, 2007
Muscle spasms and cramps are spontaneous, often painful muscle contractions. Most people are familiar with the sudden pain of a muscle cramp.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Opisthotonos is a condition of abnormal posturing characterized by rigidity and severe arching of the back, with the head thrown backward. If a person with opisthotonos were laid on his or her back, only the back of the head and the heels would touch the supporting surface.
Source:ADAM
Date:May 22, 2007
A common cause of neck pain is muscle strain or tension...Pharmacological management of head and neck pain...Try sleeping on a firm mattress without a pillow or with a special neck pillow...
Source:ADAM
Date:April 29, 2008
Breathing that slows down or stops from any cause is called apnea. Apnea can come once in a while and be temporary. This tends to occur with obstructive sleep apnea . Prolonged apnea is means a person has stopped breathing. This is also called respiratory arrest.
Source:ADAM
Date:February 19, 2008
Dysphagia is a disorder of swallowing. Dysphagia is a disruption in the ability to move food or liquid from the mouth through the pharynx and esophagus into the stomach safely and efficiently.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Detailed information on dysphagia, including causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
Source:StayWell
Trismus-pseudocamptodactyly syndrome is a rare genetic condition characterized by the inability to completely open the mouth (trismus), difficulty chewing, short stature, and abnormally short muscle-tendon units in the fingers that cause the fingers to curve or bend when the hand is bent back at the wrist (pseudocamptodactyly). Trismus-pseudocamptodactyly syndrome was first described by the pediatrician/geneticist Frederick Hecht and the orthopedist Rodney K.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders Part II
Incontinence is the inability to control the passage of urine. This can range from an occasional leakage of urine, to a complete inability to hold any urine. The two main types of urinary incontinence are: Stress incontinence -- occurs during certain activities like coughing, sneezing, laughing, or exercise. Urge incontinence -- involves a strong, sudden need to urinate followed by instant bladder contraction and involuntary loss of urine. You don't have enough time between when you recognize the need to urinate and when you actually do urinate. Bowel incontinence , a separate topic, is the inability to control the passage of stool.
Source:ADAM
Date:May 22, 2008
Urinary incontinence is unintentional loss of urine that is sufficient enough in frequency and amount to cause physical and/or emotional distress in the person experiencing it. Approximately 13 million Americans suffer from urinary incontinence.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Detailed information on urinary incontinence, including types, symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment, and management
Source:StayWell
What Is a Urodynamics Study?Aurodynamics studyis a series of tests that gives your doctor a detailed look at the function of your bladder and urethra.
Source:StayWell
Detailed information on urinary incontinence, including types, symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment, and management
Source:StayWell
Detailed information on urinary incontinence, including types, symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment, and management
Source:StayWell
Detailed information on urinary incontinence, including types, symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment, and management
Source:StayWell
Detailed information on urinary incontinence, including types, symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment, and management
Source:StayWell
Incontinence is surprisingly common. Surgery, medications, childbirth, or injury can interfere with urinary and rectal function. But there are a variety of treatments available including exercise programs, medications and surgery.
Source:StayWell
Urinary incontinence is unintentional loss of urine that is sufficient enough in frequency and amount to cause physical and/or emotional distress in the person experiencing it. Approximately 13 million Americans suffer from urinary incontinence.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Several medical problems can cause incontinence, incuding the thinning and drying of women's skin in the vagina or urethra, especially after menopause; men's enlarged prostate glands; and weakened pelvic muscles.
Source:StayWell
Bladder and bowel control are complex processes that involve the brain, spinal cord and muscles of the bladder, bowel and pelvis. Loss of bladder or bowel control can be caused by problems with any of these components.
Source:StayWell
Embarrassment and the belief that incontinence is a normal part of aging prevents most women from getting help, experts say.
Source:StayWell
Incontinence after prostate surgery may be treated with medications or medical devices, by behavorial changes or surgery.
Source:StayWell
Millions of other women share your feelings about this problem. Women (and men) are often reluctant to talk with their doctors about it because it is an embarrassing subject. Also many women wrongly believe that this is just part of growing older and nothing can be done. Today many effective treatments are available to help.
Source:StayWell
Loss of urine or bladder control (also known as incontinence) is a surprisingly common problem, especially in older men. It's estimated that 1.5 to five percent of men under age 65 experience problems with urine control. After age 65 this number increases to between 15 and 30 percent, and up to half of people in nursing homes lose control of their bladder for some or all of the time.
Source:StayWell
Managing Urinary Incontinence, Nocturia, Urgency, Frequency, and HesitancyThere are several forms of bladder dysfunction. They include:Urinary incontinence. 
Source:StayWell
Learning about incontinence can give you the courage and understanding needed to bring the subject up with your health care provider.
Source:StayWell
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