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Cervical lymphadenopathy refers to swollen lymph nodes in the neck. Lymph nodes commonly enlarge in response to an infection. In the neck, causes include strep throat, an ear infection, a viral infection like mononucleosis (“mono”), or a skin infection. Rarely, an enlarged lymph node in the neck can signal a more serious problem, such as lymphoma or other cancer. Quite often neck lymph nodes swell for a couple weeks and then shrink in someone who feels well and no reason is found.

Anosognosia refers to a situation in which the person does not recognize that he or she has a neurological or mental health problem. For example, certain types of strokes leave people unaware that one side of the body has lost feeling or muscle function. This can lead to a higher risk of injury. People with schizophrenia have an altered reality and may not believe they need medication.

Pruritis is the medical term for itchy skin. Pruritis can occur with or without a rash. The list of causes for pruritis is a mile long. If there is a rash and likely culprit, such as contact dermatitis after exposure to poison ivy the diagnosis is straightforward. But diagnosing the underlying cause of pruritis with a non-descript or no rash first requires a doctor taking a detailed history, especially regarding all medications and supplements. Blood tests and a skin biopsy may be needed.

Bradycardia is an abnormally slow heart rate of less than 60 beats per minute. A normal heartbeat is between 60 and 100 beats per minute. However, many otherwise healthy people and those taking heart or blood pressure medications often have heart rates in the 50s without symptoms. Some people even have heart rates in the 40s at rest or with sleeping, especially elite athletes. But a slow heart rate can also be due to a heart problem that can cause fatigue, weakness, lightheadedness, shortness of breath and fainting.

Myalgia is the medical term for muscle aches. Myalgia can be localized to one muscle, a group of muscles or aching all over. The treatment of myalgia depends on the underlying cause. For a simple muscle strain, start with the RICE rule:
•    Rest the injured muscle (and take a temporary break from sports activities).  
•    Ice the injured area to reduce swelling.  
•    Compress the muscle with an elastic bandage.  
•    Elevate the injured area. 
You can add over-the-counter oral acetaminophen and topical diclofenac gel to the affected area. For diffuse muscle pain, an oral pain reliever will provide more help.

The success rate for laser cataract surgery is excellent: it is estimated to be anywhere from 90-99%. Because of the impressive success rate of laser cataract surgery, this procedure is quite popular and often recommended for those suffering from poor vision due to cataracts.

This sounds like a subconjunctival hemorrhage. That’s the medical term for a couple of drops of blood that escape from one of the tiny blood vessels just below the surface of the eye. The blood is under the conjunctiva, the thin, clear layer of tissue that is the outermost coating of the eye. Most often, subconjunctival hemorrhage occurs spontaneously. Sometimes it is related to trauma. Cellulitis is a skin infection and could involve the eyelid, which might inflame the conjunctiva. But a cellulitis would be an unlikely direct cause of a subconjunctival hemorrhage.

There are two key components in the treatment of septic bursitis: drainage and antibiotics.

Drainage can usually be achieved by inserting a needle into the bursa and draining the infected fluid through the needle. An imaging test, such as ultrasound, may be used to guide the insertion of the needle into the proper location. If the infection is not well-drained in this way or if the infection persists or returns, surgery may be necessary to adequately drain the fluid and eliminate the infection.

The choice of antibiotics is guided by testing of the infected bursal fluid. Most of the time, the organism is a common bacterial species, including one of those normally found on the skin.