For patients and caregivers, understanding clinical progression, diagnostic imaging results, and pharmacological treatment options is vital for managing acute and chronic health conditions.
Lower back pain is relatively common; however, in combination with pain in your lower abdomen, it may indicate a serious condition. If the pain doesn’t go away when you change positions or take pain medication, it’s likely serious enough to warrant immediate medical attention.
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Bumps inside the ear seem to appear overnight, causing discomfort and making it difficult to hear in some cases. Although an ear bump isn’t usually a sign of serious illness, some types of bumps can be cancerous.
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Steroid eye drops are prescribed to treat eye infections, reduce inflammation and relieve dry eye. But their use is not without potentially harmful side effects. Steroid eye drops can sting your eyes or cause vision changes or reduce your eyes' ability to fight infection.
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Cold sores are infectious clusters of fluid-filled lesions that are caused by the herpes simplex virus 1, according to the Mayo Clinic. If you’ve had cold sores, you may notice a cold sore forming a couple of days before you can see it.
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The diagnosis is depression and medication advised. It is now time for the patient to take an active role in the selection of an antidepressant. The physician takes a careful history of the symptoms and explains the various types of antidepressants and their side effects.
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Skin blisters typically appear as circular, raised areas of fluid that collect underneath the top layer of your skin. The fluid, called serum, is usually clear to yellow in color and comes from your damaged blood vessels. Blisters develop to protect damaged skin from further harm.
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Dizziness, nausea and vomiting occur with many diseases and conditions affecting different organ systems. Mild to potentially life-threatening ailments of the gastrointestinal tract, nervous system and cardiovascular system commonly provoke these symptoms.
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In the human brain, information must be stored in order for learning to take place. So, the areas of the brain that are most important to learning are those involved in memory. Other crucial areas include regions involved in processing information from the five senses and information about your body.
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Diabetics need to watch their dietary intake, limiting foods that contain high amounts of sugar and carbohydrates. A doctor may recommend a certain calorie intake each day to help with weight loss.
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Both melanoma and age spots can cause brown lesions on the skin. It is very important to differentiate these two skin conditions. While age spots can be a cosmetic nuisance, they are harmless. Melanoma, however, can be deadly. In fact, melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer.
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Hemorrhoids are inflamed and swollen blood vessels in the rectum and anus. This painful condition can occur inside and outside of the body. Symptoms of external hemorrhoids include pain, itching and rectal bleeding.
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It is perfectly normal for infants to lose their hair during the first few months of life. The growth cycles of the hair during this age goes through fluctuations and can lead to hair loss.
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Claritin is a brand name of the medication loratidine, an over-the-counter antihistamine. It is used to treat symptoms of seasonal allergies, such as runny nose, sneezing, watery eyes and a scratchy throat. Claritin is often preferred over other antihistamines because it does not usually cause drowsiness.
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A food allergy to papaya occurs when your immune system mistakenly identifies a protein found in the skin and flesh of the papaya as a threat and creates antibodies in a reaction against it. These antibodies cause your body to exhibit certain symptoms in an attempt to flush out the offending protein.
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Cortisol is a hormone secreted by your adrenal glands in the wee hours of the morning. Cortisol also is known as the "stress hormone" due to its ability to help you adapt during stressful "fight-or-flight" situations.
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Trillions of bacteria live in your body. Most are part of the gut microbiota, the helpful intestinal bacteria and yeasts that provide a variety of benefits -- destroying disease-causing bugs, aiding in food digestion, producing vitamins and strengthening your immune system.
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A toddler can develop an upset stomach after eating spoiled food, in response to an infection or as a reaction to motion sickness or overeating. No matter what the cause, dealing with a child who doesn't feel good puts stress on everyone in the family.
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Any toddler can experience a decrease in urination, especially if suffering from a high temperature. Symptoms can be caused by many conditions, some potentially serious. This makes it pertinent to understand what can trigger a fever and a decrease in urination -- and when you should contact a pediatrician.
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If your ribs hurt while stretching, you’ve likely experienced a recent traumatic blow to the chest or have been lifting more weight than your muscles can handle. Some rib injuries are potentially life-threatening, since the ribs protect vital organs, so always consult with your doctor if you’re feeling rib pain.
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Human chorionic gonadotropin, or HCG, is a hormone that has been shown to help increase testosterone levels in males, support female ovulation and help undescended testicles in young males descend.
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