For patients and caregivers, understanding clinical progression, diagnostic imaging results, and pharmacological treatment options is vital for managing acute and chronic health conditions.
Peri-menopause is the time period before menopause when hormonal fluctuations are common. Peri-menopause can last as long as 10 years; during this time, menstrual cycles may change in length, frequency, duration and intensity. During peri-menopause, ovulation may not occur every month; according to Gerson Weiss, M.D.
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Excessive fluid buildup around the heart, known as pericardial effusion, can be diagnosed on fetal ultrasound. Pericardial effusion can interfere with the heart’s ability to pump blood to the rest of the body, affecting growth and vitality of the fetus.
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Bleeding can occur in any part of the eye, from the superficial external outer layer, the conjunctiva, to the lining of the back of the eye, the retina. Eye hemorrhages may cause no symptoms at all or cause total vision loss and severe pain, depending on the location.
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Your grandmother might be disappointed to learn that a study published in March 2015 in "JAMA Internal Medicine" failed to find convincing evidence supporting the old adage that "an apple a day keeps the doctor away." Nonetheless, apples can be an appetizing, versatile component of a healthful diet.
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Endometriosis is the presence of endometrial tissue, the tissue that lines the uterus, in places outside the uterus. Endometrial tissue can spread as far as the brain, but one of the most common sites for endometrial implants is the uterosacral ligament, located behind the cervix.
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Toddlers often have rather odd-looking stools, depending on what they last ate, but white or light-colored diarrhea deserves evaluation.
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Being told to eat candy to cure a medical condition may sound too good to be true. But if you have problems with your salivary glands, sour candy may be just what the doctor ordered. Infection, decreased saliva production or stones in the salivary ducts can cause pain and swelling in the salivary glands.
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Vitamin B12 plays an integral part in red blood cell production. Red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body, so either a decreased number of red blood cells or a lack of hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying part of the cell, can cause anemia.
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Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that causes demyelinization of nerve coverings over parts of the brain and spinal cord. Multiple sclerosis, or MS, affects women more often than men, and usually occurs between the ages of 20 and 40, notes the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library.
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Red noses have many causes, from inebriation to embarrassment. Diseases that dilate blood vessels cause a reddened nose, along with smoking, excess sun exposure and, in some people, eating spicy foods. Both serious illnesses and minor, temporary conditions cause nose reddening.
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Ginger, an herb sold as an over-the counter supplement, has a long history of use to treat stomach ailments in Chinese herbal medicine.
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A low white blood cell (WBC) count, known as leukopenia, can be caused by diseases such as leukemia, cancer, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and some medications, according to the Mayo Clinic. Normal white blood count is 5,000 to 10,000 WBCs per microliter.
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Restasis is the brand name for cyclosporine A ophthalmic drops, used for chronic or severe dry eyes. Restasis is an anti-inflammatory medication that improves tear production that has been suppressed by chronic dry eye inflammation, called keratoconjunctivitis sicca.
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Ginger has a long history of use in folk and alternative medicine. While you may associate ginger with its stomach-settling properties, practitioners also use it to treat high blood pressure and to improve blood circulation, among other uses.
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The cells in your body can’t absorb glucose, the body’s primary source of energy, without insulin. When glucose enters the bloodstream, the pancreas releases insulin. If cells become insulin-resistant, they no longer respond to insulin release by absorbing glucose.
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Sore in the mouth, fever and blisters either in or around the mouth or on other parts of the body can cause extreme discomfort and difficulty eating or drinking.
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A number of conditions can lead to heart enlargement, also called cardiac hypertrophy, in infants. Around 1 percent of infants have congenital cardiac defects, the most common congenital defect found in newborns, the American Heart Association reports.
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Around 21 million Americans have diabetes, the University of Rochester Medical Center reports. Diabetes, an increase in blood glucose in the blood, affects the circulatory system in a number of ways. Circulatory problems from diabetes can cause increased disability and potentially life-threatening complications.
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L-carnosine, sometimes called simply carnosine, is a combination of two amino acids, alanine and histidine. Your body manufactures carnosine, found in high concentrations in skeletal muscle, the lenses of the eyes, the brain and the nervous system.
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An abnormally high number of platelets in pregnancy is far less common than low platelet levels. High platelet levels are either essential, or primary, meaning that an excess of platelets are being made in the bone marrow.
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