What are the different ways to treat depression?

The most helpful treatment is a combination of psychotherapy and medication. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly prescribed first. They include fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, citalopram and escitalopram. Other effective antidepressants include bupropion, venlafaxine, mirtazapine and duloxetine.

A number of psychotherapy techniques have been demonstrated to be effective. A technique called cognitive behavioral therapy is designed to help a depressed person recognize negative thinking and teaches techniques for controlling symptoms. Psychodynamic, insight-oriented or interpersonal psychotherapy can help depressed people to sort out conflicts in important relationships or explore the history behind symptoms. 

Options for severe or persistent depression despite the usual medications include electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), ketamine and transcranial medical stimulation. 

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What are the possible causes of anosmia?

Smell disorders are often classified as one of the following:
•    anosmia: complete loss of the ability to detect odors
•    hyposmia: decreased sense of smell with some ability to detect odors
•    dysosmia: distorted sense of smell.
Hyposmia commonly happens as we age. Other causes of loss of smell or distorted smell include:
•    COVID-19 or a cold or sinus infection
•    hay fever (allergic rhinitis)
•    nasal polyps
•    a medication, such as the cholesterol-lowering drug atorvastatin (Lipitor), the blood pressure drug amlodipine or the antibiotic erythromycin
•    a side effect of general anesthesia.

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What are the signs and symptoms of hypoxemia?

Hypoxemia is the medical term for a low blood oxygen level. There are many causes but by far most of them are caused by a lung or heart problem. The primary symptom is shortness of breath, but people with hypoxemia will also have less exercise tolerance, feel weak and tire easily. They often have a rapid breathing rate and accelerated heart rate.

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What are the best remedies for headaches?

The best remedy for headaches is the one that works best for you. It could be just lying down in dark, quiet room. For people with migraine, taking preventive medicine daily can be very effective. If you do use medication, take it as soon as your feel the headache about to come on. An inexpensive over-the-counter product that contains aspirin, acetaminophen and caffeine works well for many people.

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What are the early warning signs of bradykinesia?

Bradykinesia, a slowness or “poverty” of movement, reduces the pace of everyday activities, such as walking and eating. Movements that were once second nature become ponderous and deliberate — a process one person described as “going from automatic to manual.” Eventually, the slowness erases body language used to express moods and thoughts, such as waving a hand to emphasize a point or raising a skeptical eyebrow. Bradykinesia can be the most disabling aspects of Parkinson’s disease. Exercise and medications can help counteract many of bradykinesia’s effects.  

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What are the five symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome?

Five symptoms of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome include:
1.    A substantial reduction or impairment in the ability to engage in pre-illness levels of occupational, educational, social or personal activities for longer than 6 months
2.    Post-exertional malaise (PEM), which is a worsening of symptoms following physical, mental, or emotional exertion that would not have caused a problem before the illness.
3.    Unrefreshing sleep that leaves not feeling better or perhaps even feeling worse after a full night’s sleep and no other reason for poor sleep quality.
4.    Cognitive impairment, such as problems with thinking, memory, attention, organization skills, and information processing. 
5.    Orthostatic intolerance, which is a worsening of symptoms upon assuming and maintaining upright posture. 

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