For patients and caregivers, understanding clinical progression, diagnostic imaging results, and pharmacological treatment options is vital for managing acute and chronic health conditions.
Smoking tobacco is a well-known health hazard, which often leads to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. However, smoking can impair physical fitness long before these chronic diseases arise. Even limited or occasional tobacco use can have significant deleterious effects on athletic performance.
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BMI, or body mass index, is a measurement used to determine your level of fat in the context of your weight and height. The numbers often are used to determine whether you are obese or overweight.
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An earache, or pain in the ear, is caused by conditions within the ear itself, the ear canal or the external portion of the ear, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Causes of the pain usually include an infection from fluid buildup.
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Warts and calluses aren't usually painful, but can be unsightly and annoying. According to the Mayo Clinic, warts are skin growths caused by the human papillomavirus virus. Calluses are hardened layers of skin that develop from the skin trying to protect itself against pressure.
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It isnβt unusual to find fluid in the human ear. This condition, known as serous otitis media, is relatively common in children, particularly those who are exposed to second-hand smoke, who are recovering from ear infections or who have allergies or colds.
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You've probably heard your mother or grandmother complain about hot flashes. You may have even watched them suddenly break out in a drenching sweat and fan themselves vigorously on a cool day. Most young women don't give it a second thought, filing it away as something that just happens to older women.
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The primary functions of the liver are to detoxify the body and to produce the bile used to digest food. However, the liver also stores certain vitamins, minerals, sugars, regulates fat storage and controls the production and excretion of cholesterol.
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Uterine fibroids are growths of non-cancerous tissue on the lining of the uterus. The growths can range from the size of a pea to five inches in diameter. Although they are not harmful, they can cause significant pain.
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Sleeping pills are central nervous system depressants. Most tranquilizers and sleeping pills belong to a class of medications called benzodiazepines. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved hypnotics, a class of psychoactive drugs, in the treatment of sleep and anxiety disorders.
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Salt is not just useful for flavoring food, but has over 14,000 other uses, according to the Salt Institute. Salt draws out fluid and moisture, and also prevents bacteria from growing. Because of these functions, applying salt to a fever blister may assist in the process of healing a fever blister.
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A blood clot in the brain can originate within blood vessels in the brain or can be due to a clot forming elsewhere and traveling to the brain, resulting in an embolism. Blood clots in the brain can result in an ischemic stroke, which is the result of obstructed blood flow to part of the brain.
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Nasal polyps are small, benign growths of tissue that develop within the lining of the nasal passageways or sinuses. Patients with large nasal polyps can experience severe breathing difficulties, decreased sense of smell, headaches, nasal congestion or snoring.
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Cellulitis refers to a skin infection that has spread through the dermis layer and into the tissues under the skin. The infection usually contains common skin bacteria such as staphylococcus or streptococcus. Cellulitis occurs at sites of skin breakdown, where bacteria have access to deeper tissues. According to the "
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The adrenal gland makes many different hormones and is divided into two distinct zones: the medulla and the cortex. The medulla makes hormones called catecholamines, such as adrenaline. The cortex primarily makes the hormones cortisol and aldosterone.
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, until 2000, strep pneumonia causes 100,000 to 135,000 hospitalizations per year. Because of the pneumonia vaccine this rate has decreased to 13 cases per 100,000 people, says the CDC.
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The causes of back pain and inflammation can be hard to pin down, so many people feel locked into a cycle of using medicinal remedies for pain relief. Over-the-counter and prescription drugs, however, cause serious side effects if used for long periods of time.
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Cramps are a common complaint during the menstrual cycle. A March 2014 "American Family Physician" article reports that as many as 9 out of 10 women experience menstrual cramps. The pain can be severe enough that some women miss work, school or social activities.
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Oysters are sea creatures that are often eaten raw with lemon juice or Worcestershire sauce. Raw seafood poses certain health dangers so smoking them is a healthier alternative. Oysters provide numerous vitamins and minerals and are low in fat, and smoked versions are infused with a bold flavor.
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Hemorrhoids are normal collections of blood vessels, nerves and connective tissue that are present in everyone and are thought to help ease the passage of stool and lessen the trauma to the anal canal and anal opening. When they enlarge, hemorrhoids may protrude and may become symptomatic.
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If you have a sulfa allergy, you are not likely to react to sulfites from onions and garlic and vice versa. A sulfa allergy is mediated by the immune system. Sulfite reactions occur because your body is reacting to a metabolic product of sulfite called sulfur dioxide.
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