Diseases and Symptoms 1. Lower Abdominal Pain in Women What causes lower abdominal or pelvic pain? All women feel discomfort or pain in the lower abdomen below the navel from time to time, for instance, before or during menstruation. It many cases it can be difficult to identify the cause of the pain, but noting certain features will help you and your doctor come to a likely diagnosis. The most common causes are a urinary system disorder such as a bladder or kidney problem, a bowel problem or a condition involving the reproductive system - the uterus, Fallopian tubes and ovaries. Type of pain arising from the urinary system:Pain from the urinary system can indicate such conditions as cystitis (inflammation of the bladder), inflammation of the collecting system of one or both kidneys (pyelonephritis), kidney stones or tumours. Typical symptoms of all these conditions are a burning sensation when passing urine and a need to empty the bladder more frequently. In addition, pain travelling from the back and around to the front might suggest a kidney infection or kidney stone. The pain associated with kidney stones may be particularly severe. The presence of blood in the urine raises the possibilities of infection, kidney or bladder stones or even a bladder or kidney tumour. Both benign and malignant tumours can first make themselves noticed in this way. The duration of the pain will further help you and your doctor to make the correct diagnosis _____________________________________________________________________ 2.Abortions What complications may arise from a termination? Fewer complications arise if the pregnancy is terminated within 10 weeks. If a woman suspects that she is pregnant, and does not want to continue with the pregnancy, she should contact her GP as soon as possible. There is no such thing as an operation or procedure that is completely risk-free. Termination of pregnancy, whether medical or surgical, is a safe procedure but complications are possible. The most common complications are described below. Bleeding After the abortion it is normal to bleed for a couple of days. After that, the bleeding will decrease for a couple of weeks. A period or menstruation will, in most cases, occur after five to six weeks. If the woman bleeds more heavily than she would normally, it could be because her uterus has not been emptied completely. If this is the case she should ask a doctor to examine her. This complication applies to both medical and surgical terminations. Pelvic inflammatory disease. If a woman has an unpleasant vaginal discharge, a temperature and abdominal pains, she should contact her doctor. Inflammation can occur if the uterus has not been emptied properly, or if bacteria have got into the uterus during the operation. The inflammation is treated with antibiotics. If some tissue still remains in the uterus, it may be necessary to remove it with a new evacuation of the womb. Baths, swimming pools and unprotected sexual intercourse should all be avoided until any bleeding has stopped. This complication applies to both medical and surgical terminations. Pain:It is normal to have mild pain across the lower abdomen for the first couple of days after a termination. If the pain is not reduced by normal pain killers the woman should contact her doctor. Puncture of the uterus:During a surgical termination, inserting the suction device may risk puncturing a hole in the uterus. If the doctor suspects this, the operation will be stopped and the patient will be kept in hospital for observation. This complication is rare and does not apply to medical terminations. _____________________________________________________________________ 3.Food Allergies in children The most frequent food allergies are to milk, eggs, fish, nuts, citrus fruit and tomatoes. Children with food allergies often have several different recurrent symptoms. These include severe children's eczema (or skin rash), vomiting and diarrhoea (for no apparent reason), asthmatic bronchitis or asthma and allergic cold. _____________________________________________________________________ 4.Appendicitis Appendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix, a small worm-like pouch attached to the large bowel. It can happen at any age but most cases are between 8 and 25 years of age. It is rarely seen in children aged under two years.The symptoms can be extremely variable but often take the following classic pattern. The first sign is usually a pain or discomfort in the centre of the abdomen. This pain comes and goes in waves and is often thought at first to be a simple stomach upset. After a few hours, the pain becomes more noticeable and constant in the lower right part of the stomach. It is increased by movement or coughing. The patient often loses their appetite, feels sick, and vomits. The temperature is raised and the complexion becomes flushed. The breath may smell offensive. _____________________________________________________________________ 5.Asthma Asthma is a chronic disease in which sufferers have repeated attacks of difficulty in breathing and coughing. There seems to be an increase in the amount of asthma all over the world, especially in children. To understand what happens in asthmatic attacks it is helpful to visualise the basic structure of the airway tubes of the lung (bronchi). The main airway (windpipe, trachea) of the body is about 2-3cm across. It divides into its main branches (bronchi), which lead to the right and left lung, which divide further, like the branches of a tree, to supply air to all parts of the lungs.Asthma can be triggered by external agents, such as irritants in the atmosphere which are breathed in, or by internal reactions within the body that have been caused by an external influence. _____________________________________________________________________ 6.Infant constipation Constipation is a condition where stools become firmer and harder. Your child will be troubled or in pain when they need to empty their bowels, and the bowels will not be emptied as often as usual. Causes:Food is usually the cause of baby constipation. But in some cases, it can be a symptom of a more serious underlying disease. If your baby isn't gaining weight or shows any other unusual symptoms, seek the advice of a doctor. Bottlefed babies frequently suffer from constipation because formula milk is harder for a baby to digest. A baby who receives only formula milk will typically have fewer bowel movements than a breastfed child. Their stools will be thicker and have a different, more greenish colour. _____________________________________________________________________ 7.Baldness What is male hair loss (male pattern baldness/androgenic alopecia)? Male hair loss is the most common type of hair loss. It is caused by increased sensitivity to male sex hormones (androgens) in certain parts of the scalp, and is passed on from generation to generation. In the past, baldness was often seen as something unfortunate or undesirable. However, this attitude has changed over the years and nowadays a clean-shaven head is usually considered both fashionable and attractive. What causes male hair loss? Some men have areas on the scalp that are very sensitive to the male sex hormones that circulate in men's blood. The hormones make the hair follicles - from which hair grows - shrink. Eventually, they become so small that they cannot replace lost hairs. The follicles are still alive, but are no longer able to perform their task _____________________________________________________________________ 8.Blood Sugar What is the blood sugar level? The blood sugar level is the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood. It is also known as serum glucose level. It is expressed as millimoles per litre (mmol/l). Normally, blood glucose levels stay within narrow limits throughout the day: 4 to 8mmol/l. But they are higher after meals and usually lowest in the morning. In diabetes the blood sugar level moves outside these limits until treated. Even with good control of diabetes, the blood sugar level will still at times drift outside this normal range. The ideal values are: 4 to 7mmol/l before meals. less than 10mmol/l 90 minutes after a meal around 8mmol/l at bedtime. _____________________________________________________________________ 9.Cholesterol? Cholesterol is one of the body's fats (lipids). Cholesterol and another lipid, triglyceride, are important building blocks in the structure of cells and are also used in making hormones and producing energy. To some extent, the cholesterol level in blood depends on what you eat but it is mainly dependent on how the body makes cholesterol in the liver. There are two sorts of cholesterol: a 'good' sort called high density lipoprotein (HDL) and a 'bad' sort called low density lipoprotein (LDL). HDL has a useful effect in reducing tissue cholesterol and taking it back to the liver. HDL actually protects against atherosclerosis. LDL may contribute to diseases of the arteries (cardiovascular disease). LDL-cholesterol level can be lowered by eating a low fat diet and, if required, taking medication. HDL-cholesterol level can be raised by exercising. ideal level: cholesterol level in the blood less than 5mmol/l. mildly high cholesterol level: between 5 to 6.4mmol/l. moderately high cholesterol level: between 6.5 to 7.8mmol/l. very high cholesterol level: above 7.8mmol/l. _____________________________________________________________________ 10.Cough Coughing usually means there is something in the respiratory passages that should not be there. This can be caused by breathing in dust particles in the air or when a piece of food goes down the wrong way. It could also be a sign that an infection in the lungs is making the respiratory passages produce phlegm. Coughing can be provoked by: the common cold, which is a frequent cause of acute cough that usually settles in less than three weeks. sucking material into the breathing tubes from your mouth. more severe illnesses, such as pneumonia, acute heart failure or pulmonary embolism (a clot in the blood vessels of the lung). smoking, which often causes chronic cough (smoker's lung). asthma - particularly in children who may only cough and show no wheezing. stomach acid coming back up the gullet and spilling over into the windpipe (gastro-oesophageal reflux). medicines used in heart disease called angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. bacterial or viral infections in the lungs, eg acute bronchitis, pneumonia, whooping cough, croup in children READ MORE "This site does not treat, diagnose/assess medical conditions, prescribe medication or provide medical advice. 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