For patients and caregivers, understanding clinical progression, diagnostic imaging results, and pharmacological treatment options is vital for managing acute and chronic health conditions.
Intestinal gas and loose stools often occur simultaneously with a variety of disorders and conditions. Incomplete digestion commonly leads to diarrhea. As undigested food reaches the large intestine, colonic bacteria break down the particles, producing gas.
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The colon normally absorbs the majority of water in fecal material, leaving soft, solid stool. Dietary intake, infections and digestive disorders can lead to increased water in expelled feces, or loose stools. The nutrient content of ingested foods and intestinal infections often cause transient episodes of diarrhea.
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Good nutrition is essential for everyone, but it is particularly important if you are living with diabetes. In addition to managing your carbohydrate intake, your nutrition plan needs to be heart-healthy because of the increased risk of cardiovascular disease that accompanies diabetes.
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Everyday stress and anxiety are common human experiences that typically fade without medical intervention; however, extreme stress and anxiety may interfere with your ability to conduct your daily life.
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The intestines produce mucus, which protects and lubricates the bowel. A small amount of mucus normally passes unnoticed in the stool. With certain diseases and conditions, bowel mucus production increases. Increased stool mucus appears as clear to white gel-like material, which may coat the stool.
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The simultaneous occurrence of fever and leg pain often points to the presence of an infectious or autoimmune disorder. Infections of the leg skin, joints or bones frequently cause the abrupt onset of fever and pain. Gradually evolving pain with intermittent fevers provokes suspicion for a chronic condition.
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Lower leg muscle pain can arise with a variety of abnormalities and conditions. The causes commonly involve the muscle tissue itself or the blood vessels and other structures associated with the muscles. Many causes of lower leg muscle pain are temporary and quickly resolve with home treatment.
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The phrase “flesh-eating bacteria” refers to a rare but potentially life-threatening infection, which affects the skin and soft tissues down to the muscles. The medical term for a flesh-eating bacterial infection is necrotizing fasciitis (NF).
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Anemia is a condition marked by inadequate oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. An insufficient number of red blood cells or an abnormally low amount of oxygen-transporting hemoglobin within the red blood cells can cause anemia. Anemias are commonly grouped according to the appearance of the red blood cells.
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Skin infections and contact with irritating substances provoke inflammation and immune responses in the skin tissues. These responses often lead to the development of itching and eruption of fluid-filled blisters, or vesicles, in the affected skin areas.
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Many medical conditions can cause skin rashes on the arms and legs. But a red rash confined to one arm usually indicates a local process as opposed to a widespread medical condition. Allergies, infections and contact with irritating chemicals often cause skin reactions, leading to a red arm rash.
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Fluid balance in the human body requires the coordinated function of multiple body systems. The cardiovascular and urinary systems prove particularly important in regulating the distribution of water between the bloodstream and the body tissues.
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Chronic abdominal pain describes persistent or recurrent pain anywhere in the abdomen, which includes the area from the lower edge of the rib cage to the pelvic bone. The digestive organs, including the stomach, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, small intestine and colon, occupy the abdominal cavity.
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No matter how vigilant you are, accidents happen, and babies sometimes sustain bumps on the head. When these incidents occur, worry about a possible concussion or more serious brain injury often follows. A concussion refers to a mild brain injury that temporarily disrupts normal brain function.
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Dry gangrene describes localized tissue death caused by loss of blood supply. The body tissues are kept alive by a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients delivered by the blood, which also carries away tissue waste products.
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The adrenal glands, also known as the suprarenal glands, are small hormone-producing organs located just above each kidney. The adrenal glands produce several hormones, including adrenalin, cortisol and aldosterone. Adrenal gland enlargement is most commonly detected with diagnostic imaging tests, such as a CT scan.
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Vicodin and Percocet are narcotic pain relievers. The narcotic medicine in Vicodin is hydrocodone, and oxycodone is the narcotic in Percocet. Both of these pain relievers also contain acetaminophen, an over-the-counter pain medicine. These powerful medications are used to treat moderate to severe pain.
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Percocet is the trade name for a prescription pain-relieving medicine, which contains the opiate drug oxycodone and the nonopiate drug acetaminophen. Percocet is widely prescribed in the U.S. for the management of moderate to moderately severe pain.
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Swollen throat glands represent enlargement of the lymph nodes in the neck. Lymph nodes are bean-like collections of lymphocytes -- white blood cells with a prominent role in the immune system. Infections and inflammation commonly cause swollen lymph nodes in the throat.
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Amylase and lipase are digestive enzymes. Amylase breaks down dietary starch, and lipase aids in the digestion of dietary fats. The pancreas produces these enzymes in large quantities and secretes them into the small intestine.
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