Chronic Diseases And Conditions
Arthritis
- Causesbone and joint disorders, genetics, injuries, metabolic disorders, repetitive use
- Symptomscracking sound when the joints bend, limited range of motion, pain and stiffness in the joints, especially after overuse, resting or engaging in activity for extended periods of time, swelling around the joints
Diabetes
- Causes of Type 1 diabetesgenetics and environmental factors causing the immune system to destroy cells in the pancreas that produce insulin
- Causes of Type 2 diabetesinactivity, carrying excess weight in the midsection and being overweight
- Other causes of diabetescertain medications, genetic mutations
- Symptoms of bothblurred vision, excessive thirst, extreme fatigue, feeling hungry even when eating, slow-healing bruises and cuts, frequent urination, weight loss, numbness, pain and tingling in hands and feet
Heart disease
- Causesbuildup of plaque in the arteries, diabetes, heart defects, smoking, stress
- Symptomschest pain, shortness of breath, swelling in the ankles, pain, numbness and coldness in the hands and feet
High blood pressure
- Causesdiet high in fat and salt, diabetes, excessive alcohol intake, high cholesterol, hormone and kidney conditions, obesity, smoking, stress
- Symptomstypically no symptoms, but can lead to heart disease and kidney complications
High cholesterol
- Causesdiet, genes, inactivity, obesity, smoking
Feeling Full Quickly Despite Not Eating A Lot
This might sound like a blessing, but if youre a woman it could signal a deadly problem. According to the American Cancer Society, around 22,000 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer every yearand about 85 percent of cases are found late, when survival odds dip. A feeling of fullness after eating little food or a general loss of appetite can be early signs of this cancer so are increased abdominal size, bloating, pelvic pain or pressure, and urinary problems.
Urgent Advice: Call 999 If:
You have sudden chest pain that:
- spreads to your arms, back, neck or jaw
- makes your chest feel tight or heavy
- also started with shortness of breath, sweating and feeling or being sick
- lasts more than 15 minutes
You could be having a heart attack. Call 999 immediately as you need immediate treatment in hospital.
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When Should You See Your Doctor
Its always better to err on the side of caution if something doesnt feel right. If you have noticed that you are shorter of breath with regular activity, you should go to your general doctor or your cardiologist, says Dr. Cho. It depends on the severity and the acuteness if it has started recently or not.
When you do visit, be sure to:
- Bring a list of your symptoms and when they are occurring.
- Let them know about any related family history of heart disease.
- Talk about stress or anything going on in your life that might contribute to a problem.
Your doctor likely will listen to your symptoms and check your pulse and blood pressure. They may order blood work, which will show whether your heart is damaged. They also may use an electrocardiogram to tell whether the electrical activity of your heart is normal, or an echocardiogram to view images of the heart to see if damage has occurred. Some patients may get stress tests, a coronary computed tomography angiogram or a cardiac catheterization.All of this is important in identifying any problems and taking steps to intervene before a possible heart attack.
Flulike Symptoms Accompanied By A Stiff Neck
When you have the flu, its normal to feel achy. But if you have extreme discomfort in your neck and you have trouble touching your chin to your chest, you need to see a doctor right away. Meningitis attacks the membrane that protects the brain and spinal cord. In fact, the bacterial form of it can be deadlysometimes killing within just a few hours. Other symptoms can include increased sensitivity to light, confusion, and a rash. But sometimes meningitis symptoms dont look like meningitis. By the time the rash appears, the disease is often in a very advanced state and may not respond to treatment.
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Symptoms That Can Be Warning Signs Throughout Pregnancy
Some symptoms can signal a problem no matter when they occur in pregnancy. Also, be sure to keep an eye on any other health problem that you’d normally call your provider about, even if it isn’t related to your pregnancy. If you have worsening asthma, or a cold that’s getting worse instead of better, for example, give your doctor or midwife a call.
Here are symptoms to look out for:
Back Pain Often With Fever And Nausea
If you are experiencing this, chances are your urinary tract infection has morphed into a full-blown kidney infection. Not only is it painful, but without treatment, it can lead to sepsis and organ failure. Experts advise skipping DIY remedies like drinking cranberry juice . Instead, head straight to the doctor for antibiotics, which should clear things up quickly.
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How Is Abdominal Migraine Diagnosed
There is currently no test to confirm abdominal migraine. Your doctor will make a diagnosis based on specific criteria that details the type, frequency, and severity of symptoms associated with abdominal migraine. The diagnosis will typically be made only after all other causes of abdominal pain have been ruled out.
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Could My Symptoms Mean Pectus Excavatum
Yes, fatigue and chest pain are two symptoms of pectus excavatum, a condition that causes a deformity in your chest wall. But one thing that makes pectus excavatum stand out from the list of heart disease symptoms is the signature sunken chest.
More common in men than women, pectus excavatum happens when your ribs and breastbone develop abnormally. No one knows why this happens to some and not others, but it does tend to run in families. It could be present at birth or show up years later during adolescence.
The reason you feel pain and fatigue with pectus excavatum is that your concave chest wall is crowding your heart and lungs, causing these other potential symptoms as well:
- Low tolerance for exercise
- Frequent coughing or wheezing
If these symptoms are either nonexistent or barely noticeable, your pectus excavatum is primarily a cosmetic issue. But in severe cases, pectus excavatum can significantly hinder your heart and lung function, and then treatment becomes necessary.
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History And Definition Of Pots
Adolescent fatigue is not new. For millennia, teenagers have experienced bothersome fatigue. Since at least the mid-1800s, fatigue was commonly diagnosed,36 and old descriptions of this condition overlap significantly with what we now call either chronic fatigue syndrome or POTS. Fatigue in conjunction with orthostatic intolerance was reported in adolescents who otherwise would have served in Americas Civil War.37 The diagnoses of chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome seemed to grow in popularity during the second half of the 20th century, and popular etiologic explanations varied from chronic mononucleosis to depression to hypoglycemia. The advent of an awareness of fatigue with orthostatic intolerance being linked to autonomic dysfunction came in 1993 when POTS was first described.38 POTS was then reported in teenagers in 1999. This led to hope that there was a physiologic basis for fatigue and orthostatic intolerance in some chronically tired teenagers and offered the potential of improved recovery with targeted treatment regimens. Anecdotally, however, some physicians still doubt that POTS is a legitimate diagnosis.
Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome that is relevant to adolescents is a chronic clinical condition characterized by chronic fatigue and intermittent intolerance of upright positions associated with postural tachycardia of greater than 40 beats per minute.
Heartburn That Doesnt Go Away
If you find yourself popping antacid pills regularly, you might want to take the time to find the source of your discomfort. If you change your diet for the better and take steps to remove stress, but youre still suffering, it could be a sign of stomach or throat cancer. And even if its not the big C, it could cause the condition known as Barretts esophagus, in which your stomach acid damages the lining of the esophagus and, ultimately, could put you at a higher risk for esophageal cancer. This could also cause chest pain while exercising.
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Autonomic Testing Guides Treatment For Improved Autonomic Function
The autonomic nervous system can be tested and evaluated through a process known as spectral analysis. This simple, quick and painless test can provide the critical understanding that helps your physician for their treatment plan.
The ANS can become imbalanced in many different ways. Some ANS dysfunction requires a short course of medication alone or in concert with nutritional strategies to reduce systemic inflammation and oxidative stress in order for the brain to regain maximal function. The safest way to reverse heartburn is with a map of your autonomic nervous systems to guide treatment.
Dr. Nemechek often performs autonomic testing prior to initiating treatment for orthostatic hypotension and other autonomic symptoms . To learn more about this technique contact Dr Patrick Nemechek.
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What Is Microvascular Angina
Angina is any chest pain that occurs when your heart muscle doesnt get enough blood to meet its work demand, a condition called ischemia.
The most common source of angina is obstructive coronary disease, which happens when one of the hearts arteries is blocked. People with this type of angina might feel chest pain during exercise or exertion if not enough blood is supplied to the working heart muscle.
But according to the American Heart Association, up to 50 percent of women with angina symptoms dont have a blocked artery. In fact, they may not even have chest pain, though they may have other symptoms.
They may feel severely short of breath. They might feel extreme fatigue, which rest doesnt make better. They may have pain with exertion in their back, jaw or arm with no chest pain. They might have nausea and indigestion, says Michos.
These women should be evaluated for microvascular angina. Microvascular angina can occur when the hearts tiniest arteries are not able to supply enough oxygen-rich blood due to spasm or cellular dysfunction.
It can be difficult to diagnose microvascular angina because an angiogram a specialized X-ray of the heart wont show obstruction or blockages in these tiny arteries, and symptoms like nausea and indigestion mimic other illnesses. Often, your doctor will perform a stress test to monitor the hearts function during exercise to make a diagnosis.
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Profound Fatigue Cold Sweats Dizziness May Signal Heart Attack
Profound fatigue, cold sweats, dizziness may signal a heart attack.
Detrow was having a heart attack that November day in 2009, but she didnt know it.
For more on heart health, watch A Barbara Walters Special: A Matter of Life and Death tomorrow at 10 p.m. ET on ABC!
As it turns out, neither did the emergency room doctors at a nearby hospital. Upon seeing that she was an avid exerciser with no heart problems, they diagnosed a panic attack and sent her off with anti-anxiety pills and medication to lower her blood pressure, which had increased that day.
Because I was somebody who did not have a history of heart disease, I believed them, because I didnt know any different, Detrow told ABCNews.com. I was aware of the heart attack symptoms with the crushing chest pain where you clutch yourself and fall over: the classic male symptoms.
Detrow, 58, is a poster girl for a campaign launched this week to raise womens awareness that atypical symptoms, such as profound fatigue, unfamiliar dizziness, cold sweats and unexplained nausea or vomiting, can signal that part of their heart muscle is dying, and they could die, too.
Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women. An American woman suffers a heart attack every minute. Yet after years of public education programs, the message hasnt penetrated.
My husband has been on blood pressure medications for umpteen years. When everyone heard about my heart attack, they asked why you and not him?
What Is The Outlook For A Tight Chest
Chest tightness isnt a symptom to take lightly. If you experience chest tightness with other concerning symptoms, see a doctor immediately. Chest tightness could be a symptom of a serious health condition, like a heart attack.
If your chest tightness is the result of anxiety, you should discuss the symptoms with your doctor. Anxiety should be treated early to keep it from getting worse. Your doctor can help you implement a plan thatll reduce anxiety and chest tightness. This may include lifestyle adjustments that help you manage the anxiety from home.
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Red Streaks Under The Skin
If red streaks appear and radiate from a wound, that could signal a very serious bacterial infection called lymphangitis. It happens when bacteriamost often strep or staphenter the lymphatic system and head toward the closest lymph gland. Often incorrectly referred to as blood poisoning, lymphangitis is accompanied by symptoms that include high fever, swelling, redness, and pain at the wound site. While antibiotics should clear this up, it could take weeks or even months to heal fully. If left unchecked, you could develop deadly complications like sepsis. Now, check out these 42 strange symptoms that could indicate a serious disease.
Worsening Shortness Of Breath Could Be A Sign Of Heart Disease
Dont ignore shortness of breath by assuming its from a lack of conditioning or recent weight gain. If you experience shortness of breath after exertion that progressively gets worse, it could be a sign of a heart disease like aortic stenosis or coronary artery disease . Check with your doctor if you have shortness of breath that suddenly gets worse.
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What Are The Treatment Options
A number of things can ease migraine with nausea. They include:
Lifestyle changes.Stress is a common trigger for nauseating migraine headaches. Find ways to cut it, and your attacks could get less severe and happen less often. What else helps? Quit smoking, and keep a diary to identify any foods that trigger your headaches. Common culprits include chocolate and alcohol.
Medications. Your doctor might prescribe drugs to prevent migraine headaches, to stop them once theyve started, and to relieve your symptoms.
You can also take anti-nausea medications during your headache. They come in different forms, like pills, suppositories, syrups, and shots. They have a number of side effects, so work with your doctor to find one that works for you.
Complementary treatments. Some evidence shows that biofeedback and acupuncture may help ease migraine and related symptoms, such as nausea.
Show Sources
National Headache Foundation: American Migraine Study II: A Ten Year Report Card on the State of Migraine,â Migraine, âMenstrual Migraine,â âGlaucoma.
American Academy of Family Physicians, familydoctor.org: Headaches,Management of Cluster Headache,â âFood Poisoning.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, womenshealth.gov: Migraine.
Vestibular Disorders Association: Vestibular migraine.
American Hearing Research Foundation: Migraine Associated Vertigo.
American Headache Society: Migraine Variants in Children.
News release, FDA.
Is This Unique To Covid
“We really don’t know what’s causing these symptoms. That’s a major focus of the research right now,” Dr. Allison Navis, a professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, said during a call with the Infectious Diseases Society of America on Friday.
“There’s a question of whether this is something that’s unique to Covid itself and it’s the Covid virus that’s triggering these symptoms or if this could be part of a general post-viral syndrome,” Navis said, adding that medical experts see similar long-term symptoms after other viral infections.
Another study published in early January in the medical journal The Lancet studied 1,733 patients who were discharged from a hospital in Wuhan, China, between January and May of last year. Of those patients, 76% reported at least one symptom six months after their initial illness. The proportion was higher in women.
“We found that fatigue or muscle weakness, sleep difficulties, and anxiety or depression were common, even at 6 months after symptom onset,” researchers wrote in the study.
They noted that the symptoms reported months after someone’s Covid-19 diagnosis were consistent with data that was previously found in follow-up studies of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS, which is also a coronavirus.
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Less Time Between Menstrual Cycles
One of the most important signs that a female reproductive system is declining is a subtle and slow reduction in the number of days between menstrual cycles, says Shahin Ghadir, MD, an ob-gyn and a founding partner of the Southern California Reproductive Center. For example, normal menstrual cycles are 28 days apart, but if they start to cycle every 27 days and then 26 days apart, this is the first signal that there is a reduction in fertility potential. If this happens as youre trying to get pregnant, you might want to start IVF sooner rather than later. If pregnancy isnt yet in your plans, Dr. Ghadir suggests looking into freezing your eggs. Whatever your particular situation, talk with your doctor. Cycles that are shorter than 20 days could also signal polycystic ovary syndrome , as well as uterine polyps or a thyroid disorder.
What Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome is a complicated disease for doctors to diagnose and even fully understand.
CFS is a chronic condition that makes people feel very tired and weak. They can also have headaches, dizziness, or other physical symptoms. Sometimes they have emotional symptoms too, like anger or sadness.
Different people with CFS can have different symptoms. Many CFS symptoms are similar to those of other health conditions, like mono, Lyme disease, or depression. And the symptoms can vary over time, even in the same person.
This makes treating the illness complicated. No single medicine or treatment can address all the possible symptoms.
CFS is sometimes called myalgic encephalomyelitis . Myalgic means muscle aches. Encephalomyelitis means that there may be inflammation in the brain or spinal cord.
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