For descriptive purposes it is often convenient to consider pain as either organic or functional. But like many things in nature this pigeonholing of ideas is not completely valid. It is not quite as simple as that. Thus pain that is caused in the first place by some disease or injury soon produces a psychological [...]
Q. So many people we know complain about their ulcers. How common are they in the community?
A. All kinds of statistics have been quoted over the years. Several studies carried out in Britain show that by the age of 55 years, between 6 and 20% of people have suffered from one. At any given time, [...]
The human spine – also at times called the spinal column, vertebral column, or just the backbone – is a flexible bony column that extends from the base of the skull to the small of the back. It serves two main purposes:
Working together with various muscles and ‘girdles’ – the latter being encircling or arching [...]
Since liver has the reputation of being an inexpensive but “complete” food, dishes employing it are often recommended for dieters who wish to eat sparingly but well.
Regardless of one’s reason for eating a lot of liver, the danger is the same — it can provide too much vitamin A. Because liver is an animal’s storehouse [...]
Signs and symptoms
The diagnosis first involves ruling out appendicitis. If appendicitis can be ruled out, consider other possibilities.
Your child probably is constipated if he or, she has recently had no bowel movement or a hard movement; if the pain is intermittent (crampy) on the left side of the body and follows eating; and if the [...]
An allergic reaction to an injection of horse serum can produce serum sickness. It occurs in 10 percent of children if only 10 cc. of serum are injected, while the incidence rises to 90 percent if 100 cc. are injected. The symptoms are hives, swelling of the joints, and fever. These may appear immediately after [...]
These disorders occur when a woman produces antibodies directly against her own cells. The antibodies are thought to cause blood clots in the placenta, preventing the baby getting enough nutrients and blood. Treatment involves drugs that thin the blood, like aspirin and heparin.
An auto-immune condition called systemic lupus erythematosis (SLE) causes chronic inflammation which can [...]
• Breast feeding. Research has shown that smoking cigarettes may contribute to inadequate breast-milk production. Nicotine has also been found in the breast milk of mothers who smoke, although the effect on the baby is not yet fully understood.
• Long-term growth. Studies of long-term growth and development give evidence [...]
Improving consultations
Start by writing down any information you need prior to the appointment. Your questions should also be written down and added to during the consultation.
Repeat information back to the doctor to make sure that you have heard and understood everything correctly. Ask for diagrams and illustrations to help you understand the information the doctor [...]
Aching feet are hardly a subject for high-tech medicine and more often than not elicit a laugh rather than sympathy. After all, no one ever died of them. However, when your feet hurt you hurt all over and aching feet can make the most easy-going person irritable and tense. Painful feet in turn can cause [...]