For patients and caregivers, understanding clinical progression, diagnostic imaging results, and pharmacological treatment options is vital for managing acute and chronic health conditions.
An enlarged heart, or cardiomegaly, is often a symptom of one of several underlying conditions. Some conditions that can cause an enlarged heart include high blood pressure, heart failure, coronary artery disease, a heart valve problem, and pregnancy.
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Pregnancy causes most parts of a woman’s body to change, and the eyes are no exception. Dry eye is a common pregnancy ailment that usually begins toward the end of the first trimester. It will usually continue throughout the pregnancy and possibly for a few months after the baby’s birth.
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Upper respiratory infections like bronchitis and pneumonia often produce a cough, which is the body’s attempt to clear the airways of mucus. Commercial cough expectorants thin mucus secretions and help remove them from the lungs, but they can have unpleasant side effects.
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A cool mist humidifier has no heating element installed in the base unit. Instead of dispersing moisture in the form of steam, these devices use a built-in fan to blow air through a damp filter—the water and air mix to form a vapor, which the fan propels into the air.
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Gallbladder removal, or cholecystectomy, is usually performed with a laparoscope or tiny camera that allows the surgeon to remove the gallbladder through a small incision. Laparoscopic cholecystectomies are less invasive than the alternate "open"
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An acute myocardial infarction, also known as a heart attack, occurs when a blockage in one or more of the blood vessels leading to the heart muscle causes a disruption in the blood flow to the cardiac tissue.
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Your spine is made up of a column of bones stacked on top of each other. Discs provide cushioning between each of these bones. Sometimes discs may bulge -- move out of place -- and put pressure on nerves that exit your spine. Symptoms are specific to the level of the bulge.
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Neem trees are native to drier regions of Burma, India, West Africa and Southwest Asia. They can grow to 50 feet tall and live for 200 years. In Ayurveda, a traditional Indian form of medicine, neem figures into treatments for many ailments, including intestinal and other types of parasites.
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Upset stomach, also known as dyspepsia, is common in children. The causes of dyspepsia vary and may include viruses, stress, eating too much or any number of gastrointestinal problems. Take your child to the pediatrician to make sure his upset stomach is not a symptom of something more serious.
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A fever is a natural way that your child’s body fights off infections. It typically develops when your child’s immune system releases chemicals that elevate the temperature of the body.
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A strained bicep can refer to an injury in the biceps brachii muscle at the top of the arm or the tendons that connect the muscle to the bone. Regardless of the exact location of the strain, this type of injury typically occurs from an overstretched or overworked muscle.
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As a part of the urinary tract system, your kidneys are responsible for ridding your body of excess fluids and waste. Like all organs, your kidneys are are susceptible to cancer. According to the National Kidney Foundation, there are two main types of kidney cancer: transitional and renal cell cancer.
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Shucking away an offensive lineman or stiff-arming a chasing defender is good football technique, but it may put you at risk for a wrist injury. Many ligaments in the wrist can stretch or tear if you don't protect them. In more severe cases, you may break a bone in your wrist.
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Because so many variables affect your cholesterol, it’s difficult to pinpoint an actual amount of time it takes to lower it. The type of diet you follow, any weight loss or exercise you do, smoking cessation and medications will all affect how quickly you lower your levels.
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Pains in the lower back and abdomen -- coupled with unexplained weight loss -- can indicate an underlying medical condition, which may be serious. If you have this trio of symptoms, see your doctor promptly to rule out dangerous disease.
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Caused by the human papilloma virus, or HPV, warts are skin growths that are usually painless and harmless and can appear anywhere on the body. Plantar warts are found on the soles of the feet and, being subjected to pressure, can make walking painful.
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The earthy, fresh aroma of coffee comes from roasted and brewed coffee beans. This popular hot or cold drink gives you high amounts of stimulating caffeine, a healthy dose of antioxidants and smaller amounts of other nutrients.
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The Great Depression, which generally is considered to have begun with the stock market crash in October 1929, changed the way America worked. At the end of the Roaring Twenties when the stock market and the economy soared, the crash appeared inevitable in retrospect.
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When the Eustachian tube, or narrow passage between the inner ear and the back of the throat, is not working properly, fluid can build up. The fluid can cause other problems to occur, such as infections and inflammation.
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At least 13 million people in the U.S. have an overactive bladder, reports the University of Maryland Medical Center or UMMC. The bladder can become overactive when damaged nerves send out faulty signals that cause the muscles of the organ to suddenly tighten.
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