Medicine.org - General Information

Can Anything Make Life Easier for Those With COPD?

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 10:30:37 -0500

You have been diagnosed with COPD, or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. You acknowledge that there is no cure; nothing can be done to reverse the damage done to your airways and lungs. But can you do anything at all, to help retain as much quality of life as possible? Yes, there are several things you can do to minimize the effects of COPD and help you breathe a little easier.

Your symptoms can be managed, and damage to your lungs can be slowed. If you smoke, quitting is the most important thing you can do to help your lungs. Information is available on ways to help you quit smoking. Please see the following web site if you are interested: http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/tobacco/ You also need to try to stay away from people who are smoking or places where there is smoking.

COPD: A Suffocating Disease

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 10:24:47 -0500

COPD: most of us know someone who has COPD, or have it ourselves. The most noticeable symptom is the cough; which occurs, all day and all night. Nurses working the night shift can easily identify where the COPD patients are located, as they hear them coughing: a very productive, wet type of cough. A suffocating type of cough, and indeed, that is what is occurring. These patients are slowly suffocating as their COPD progresses. So what exactly is COPD?

Melanoma: One Mole You Do Not Want to Have

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 13:52:27 -0400

Melanoma is a life-threatening form of skin cancer. This cancer starts in the color-producing (pigment-producing) cells of the skin. Melanoma may develop from a previously existing mole (nevus) or may occur as a new lesion. Early diagnosis and treatment can lead to complete cure and survival, while advanced forms are likely to have a poor outcome (prognosis). Advanced melanoma can spread (metastasize) to the lymph nodes and other areas in the body, usually the lungs, liver, and brain.

A Self-Assessment for Alzheimer's Disease

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 18:26:31 -0400

The Seven Warning Signs of Alzheimer's Disease

The purpose of this list is to alert the public to the early warning signs of one of the most devastating disorders affecting older people — Alzheimer's disease. If someone has several or even most of these symptoms, it does not mean they definitely have the disease. It does mean they should be thoroughly examined by a medical specialist trained in evaluating memory disorders, such as a neurologist or a psychiatrist, or by a comprehensive memory disorder clinic, with an entire team of expert knowledge about memory problems.

Alzheimer's Disease Evolves Slowly

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 18:21:51 -0400

What are the Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD)?

AD begins slowly. Recent research has also indicated that a significant number of people may not show any symptoms prior to their death from other causes.

For those who do have symptoms, the initial symptoms may be only a mild forgetfulness. This symptom scares many people who have normal forgetfulness of aging, as they fear they are developing Alzheimer’s. In the early stage of AD, people may have trouble remembering recent events, activities, or the names of familiar people or things. They may not be able to solve simple math problems. Such difficulties may be a bother, but usually they are not serious enough to cause alarm.

September is National Ovarian Cancer Month

Tue, 18 Sep 2007 11:02:40 -0400

Some cancers are more deadly than others. Ovarian is one of the deadly ones. For eons now, ovarian cancer has been thought to be virtually symptomless, until things had progressed so far, little could be done except palliative care.

Among women in the United States, ovarian cancer is the seventh most common cancer and the fifth leading cause of cancer death.

Now, thanks to advances in therapy, ovarian cancer is becoming a chronic disease. It is no longer an automatic death sentence. Besides therapy, attention is now also being drawn to initial symptoms which may indicate a need for further testing.

Hurricane Katrina, Bridge Collapse, 9/11: Coping with Trauma

Thu, 09 Aug 2007 13:13:17 -0400

Self-Care Tips for Survivors of a Traumatic Event: What to Expect in Your Personal, Family, Work, and Financial Life

Traumatic events which will effect the rest of our lives are all around us. Hurricane Katrina, 9/11, and the most current, a bridge collapse. Even beyond these national news calamities are traumatic events which occur in our own lives. Car crashes, fires, accidents, etc. can all take their toll on our psyche for a long time after the event actually occurs.

Pre-Lyrica: What We Know About Fibromyalgia

Sat, 23 Jun 2007 19:51:20 -0400

What Is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a disorder that causes muscle pain and fatigue (feeling tired). People with fibromyalgia have "tender points" on the body. Tender points are specific places on the neck, shoulders, back, hips, arms, and legs. These points hurt when pressure is put on them.

People with fibromyalgia may also have other symptoms, such as:

• Trouble sleeping

Knowledge of UTI's Must Include Knowledge of the Urinary Tract System

Thu, 17 May 2007 13:25:40 -0400

The urinary system consists of the

kidneys,
ureters,
bladder, and
urethra.

The key elements in the system are the kidneys, a pair of purplish-brown organs located below the ribs toward the middle of the back.

The kidneys have several functions, they:

remove excess liquid and wastes from the blood in the form of urine,

Ovarian Cancer: Overview

Mon, 14 May 2007 14:32:39 -0400

The ovaries are part of a woman's reproductive system. They are in the pelvis. Each ovary is about the size of an almond.

The ovaries make the female hormones - estrogen and progesterone. They also release eggs. An egg travels from an ovary through a fallopian tube to the womb (uterus).

When a woman goes through her "change of life" (menopause), her ovaries stop releasing eggs and make far lower levels of hormones.

Adult Attention Deficit Disorder: Not Just a Childhood Thing

Sun, 13 May 2007 21:48:28 -0400

A recurring myth exists which simply is not true. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) does not peter out as the child grows into an adult, but persists. A 50% remission rate exists; therefore, if 8-12% of children have this spectrum disorder, at a minimum approximately 4%, or 7 million Adults will also have.

This spectrum disorder is based on DSM-IV criteria (American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic Manual); therefore, more restrictive than other sources which may be used to diagnose this problem.

Gonorrhea: Yes, It's Still Here, and on the Rise

Sat, 12 May 2007 20:15:21 -0400

OVERVIEW

Gonorrhea is a curable sexually transmitted infection (STI). It is the second most commonly reported bacterial STI in the United States following chlamydia. In 2004, 330,132 cases of gonorrhea were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). When examining race and ethnicity, age, and gender, the highest rates of gonorrhea were found in African Americans, 15 to 24 years of age, and women, respectively.

Bi-Polar Illness is a Spectrum Disorder

Tue, 08 May 2007 00:26:34 -0400

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in a person's mood, energy, and ability to function. Different from the normal ups and downs that everyone goes through, the symptoms of bipolar disorder are severe. They can result in damaged relationships, poor job or school performance, and even suicide. But there is good news: bipolar disorder can be treated, and people with this illness can lead full and productive lives.

Where Does Bullying Take Place?

Sun, 06 May 2007 11:40:18 -0400

The claim is sometimes made that most bullying takes place on the way to school, not at school. However, research shows that two to three times as many students are bullied at school compared to those who are bullied on the way to school.

Approximately 40 to 75 percent of bullying takes place during breaks—in the schoolyard, in the corridors, at recess, or in more secluded places, like bathrooms.

How Much Bullying Goes On?

Sun, 06 May 2007 11:37:30 -0400

Major studies in Norway in the 1980s and 1990s with more than 150,000 students found that about 15 percent of students in primary and lower secondary school, or approximately one in seven students, were involved in bullying with a degree of regularity—as a victim, as a bully, or both. At least 5 percent (more than 1in 20) of all students were involved in more serious bullying at least once a week.