The extent of the disabilities people suffer through the disorders mean that we, as a community, lose the many and varied talents of these people. Not only is there a horrific personal cost, there is also an enormous socio-economic cost to the community. In 1980 the economic cost of panic disorder, calculated in terms of [...]
It will be clear from Table 1, that many of the symptoms seen in psychosomatic illness are also features of food intolerance. Indeed, ‘opponents’ of food intolerance would maintain that most supposed food intolerance is psychosomatic illness. But doctors specializing in the treatment of food allergy and intolerance would disagree. They see innumerable patients who [...]
If you have a family history of prostate cancer, get regular checkups and tests for BPH, including a digital exam of your prostate by your physician. The use of a screening test, such as a ptostatic-specific antigen, or PSA, test, is still controversial, and its results are unproven. Whenever I feel a hard nodule in [...]
If your doctor determines that you have diverticulitis, you will need to be hospitalized. In addition, you will not be able to eat solid food or drink liquids for several days, since you will need to rest the bowel to clear up the condition. You will be given intravenous antibiotics and fluids, and a CAT [...]
Description and Possible Medical Problems We’ve all been thoroughly trained to believe that any mass that suddenly appears anywhere on the body must be cancer, an attitude that often results in unnecessary visits to the doctor’s office. The good news is that if a mass suddenly appears on your sternum, it’s probably not a serious [...]
If your doctor discovers you have polymyositis, dermatomyositis, or polymyalgia rheumatica, he will probably prescribe the corticosteroid prednisone to help reduce pain and inflammation. Prednisone will also help lessen the skin rash and inflammation that accompany dermatomyositis. Prednisone works by reducing inflammation in the blood vessels and tissues by increasing the body’s tolerance to the [...]
Chains of lymph nodes run along the side of the neck from the ear to the shoulder. Lymph nodes feel like small peas under the skin. If they’re swollen, they may also be painful to the touch, and you may also have flulike symptoms, such as nasal congestion, fatigue, and overall aches and pains. Feel [...]
If the reactions between the patient and the doctor are to be studied as a way of illuminating the patient’s problem, it is necessary for the doctor to be aware of his or her normal doctoring style. It is then possible to recognize changes from this norm, and to think about what it is in [...]
Marital therapists, or couple therapists, work with the couple on the relationship between them. Referral for marital therapy will be more effective when there is agreement between the couple that changes in the relationship are required. Specific training in sexual difficulties is taken by selected therapists who work for Relate Marriage Guidance, or facilities may [...]
Patients in the older group may have anxieties about whether they should be still sexually active and hide their requests for advice about contraception behind other complaints such as vaginal soreness or period problems in the same way as those just beginning their sexual life. They may need to try out a different doctor from [...]