Signs and symptoms A mild case of swimmer’s ear may appear as an itching, clogged ear canal with or without discharge; hearing may be diminished. A severe case may cause intense pain, fever, and swollen and tender lymph nodes in front of, behind, and below the ear. Without discharge from the ear, the diagnosis is [...]
• Iron deficiency is usually thought of by most doctors as being unimportant unless it produces anaemia. This is not so. Iron-deficiency fatigue can occur in people who have normal blood levels of the iron-containing red-blood-cell pigment called hemoglobin. Anaemia definitely makes people tired and easily fatigued and their heartbeats raised to higher levels on exercise [...]
Anyone eating a low-quality diet-as people on low incomes and fanatical slimmers may be doing-is especially at risk of anaemia. Vegetarians are also prime targets, unless they take care to eat enough of the non-meat sources of iron, of which there are several. The best are Soya beans, yeast extract and almonds. Because vegetarians eat [...]
Complements The complement system, as we’ve seen, is a vital part of your immune system, whether working on its own or teaming up with other immune fighters. The different complements (called CI, C2, C3, C4, etc.) line up in just the right order to attack, boring holes in invading organisms, altering their molecular structure and [...]
As a group, the B vitamins are especially important for maintaining a positive outlook on life. Deficits of various B vitamins can lead to anxiety, irritability, nervousness, depression and personality changes. A deficiency of vitamin B3, in fact, leads to pellagra, a disease that used to be common in the southern regions of this country. [...]
INFLUENZA (flu, grippe): viral invasion, usually of the lining of the respiratory tract. May spread to other parts of the body, such as the blood or gastrointestinal tract. Signs and Symptoms: fever of sudden onset, 102-103 degrees; general chills; aches all over, especially in back and legs; headache; weakness; sensitivity to light; often aching behind [...]
Lymphocytes (T- and B-cells) also make substances called lympho-kines. Interferon is one of the lymphokines. When a cell is attacked by a virus, for example, the cell releases interferon. Interferon interacts with other, uninfected cells, stimulating them to make an antiviral protein that protects the second cell from the virus. Interferon can travel through the [...]
If you feel a cramp suddenly occur in your calf, you can try to stretch it out manually or by walking. If it’s too painful to manage, try massaging your leg and the cramped area. If your leg cramps frequently wake you in the middle of the night, you can try raising the foot of [...]
Before prescribing estrogen, progesterone, or a combination of the two, your doctor or gynecologist will give you a complete medical and gynecological exam. This will include a blood test to check your cholesterol level, a breast exam, which may include a mammography, and a Pap smear. If you’ve had a hysterectomy and you opt for [...]
The only time in a woman’s life when her breasts produce milk is obviously immediately after giving birth. However, a very small percentage of women will sometimes have a milky discharge from their breasts that is not associated with pregnancy oê childbirth. Even less often a man will have a discharge from his nipples. Anytime [...]