The primary causes of fatty liver are weight gain, overuse of alcohol, and type 2 diabetes. About 20% of the time, the fat causes the liver to be inflamed, a condition called steatohepatitis. Untreated steatohepatitis can progress to cirrhosis of the liver. Fatty liver, even when there is inflammation, can be reversed or at least slowed with diet, calorie restriction, exercise, and avoiding alcohol.
Erectile dysfunction) often improves through a combination of lifestyle changes, open communication with your sex partner, and medications. Getting more exercise, eating a healthier diet, not smoking, using alcohol in moderation or not at all, and losing weight if necessary can be surprisingly helpful. Engaging your partner and focusing on intimacy rather than erections and orgasms can take the pressure off performing. Doctors commonly prescribe an oral medication known as a phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitor taken prior to sex or daily. Additional potential treatments include penile inserts and injections, vacuum devices and penile implants.
Nocturia is the medical term that refers to getting out of bed more than once per night to urinate. Treatment depends on the cause. For example, bladder infections get treated with antibiotics and an enlarged prostate in a man may get relief with medication or surgery. A general tip for anyone with nocturia: Avoid drinking fluids several hours before bedtime. Especially stop drinking caffeine at least six hours before bedtime. When other measures have not helped enough, there is a medication that acts on the kidneys to hold water.
These terms are related but are not the same: ‘arthralgia’ is joint pain; ‘arthritis’ is joint inflammation.
Many conditions cause both arthralgia and arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is a good example.
However, arthritis doesn’t always cause joint pain. For example, an x-ray can show evidence of arthritis (such as osteoarthritis) despite the absence of pain.
Conversely, arthralgia is not always due to arthritis. Many common causes of arthralgia are not due to arthritis. Examples include injury, bursitis, tendinitis, and fibromyalgia.
Delirium refers to a rapidly developing and severe confusion accompanied by altered consciousness and an inability to focus. It's the most common complication of hospitalization among people ages 65 and over: 20% of those admitted to hospitals, up to 60% of those who have certain surgeries, and almost 80% of those treated in ICUs develop delirium. Illicit and prescription drugs and even certain over-the-counter medications can cause delirium. Delirium can also happen with any severe infection, especially those with high fever or affect the brain. Delirium is also a feature of psychosis and some other mental health disorders.
Atelectasis means part of the lung is collapsed and not getting the usual amount of air. A small area of atelectasis often causes no symptoms, but may be noted on a chest x-ray or CT scan. Ground glass changes on an imaging study usually indicate inflammation or infection in the lungs and are a different problem. A person could have both ground glass changes and atelectasis. Treatment for the ground glass changes would include medication for the infection or inflammation and deep breathing exercises to open the atelectasis.
Yes, a severe asthma attack could put enough stress on the heart to cause a heart attack. If that unlikely combination should happen, most often that would occur in a middle-aged or older person who has coronary artery disease caused by fatty plaque buildup in one or more of the arteries.
Asthma symptoms are generally managed with an inhaled medicine that helps to open the airways that tighten up in an asthma attack. The most commonly used of these medications (bronchodilators) is albuterol, which is given either via a pump (with a tube and mask attached for babies and children) or a nebulizer machine. If symptoms are severe or frequent, other bronchodilators or sometimes steroids (usually inhaled) are given.
Most people with swollen ankles have "venous insufficiency." Valves inside your veins help move blood from your feet back to your heart. When the valves are working correctly, blood flows in just one direction — back toward your heart. If the valves in the veins become leaky, it raises the pressure inside the veins. This can lead to fluid moving out of the veins into the tissues, making your ankles and legs puffy. Medical conditions such as kidney disease, heart disease or a blood clot in the leg also can raise pressure inside the veins, which can force fluid into the legs’ tissues. Some drugs, such as calcium blockers like amlodipine or nifedipine, can lead to swelling of the feet and legs.
Surgery is the most common treatment for thyroid cancer. Your surgeon will remove all of the cancer, as well as all or part of the remaining thyroid and nearby lymph nodes. How much of the thyroid is removed is determined by the size of the tumor, the type of cells that make up the cancer and how likely it is to spread.