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The hepatitis C virus can cause short-term (acute) or long-term (chronic) hepatitis C. Most people with acute hepatitis C have no symptoms or mild symptoms, but eventually develop chronic hepatitis C. Treatment with antiviral drugs can cure hepatitis C. Doctors choose the specific drug therapy based upon the genotype of the hepatitis C virus, amount of liver fibrosis (scarring), and whether the person has already tried other treatment.

There are many causes of hepatitis, inflammation of the liver. How the body responds depends primarily on the severity and persistence of the inflammation and somewhat upon the underlying cause. Many people have mild liver inflammation without any symptoms. People with more significant liver damage, no matter what the cause, may become very ill and potentially develop liver failure, especially if the damage continues for many months or years.

Hepatitis caused by the hepatitis A virus inflames and temporarily damages the liver. Unlike other forms of hepatitis, hepatitis A rarely causes life-threatening illness and does not lead to a persistent infection. Once you have had hepatitis A, you are immune from getting it again.

New onset chest pain always requires evaluation by your doctor. If the pain is severe, you should seek immediate medical care. Even if the chest pain is not severe, emergency care is needed if the chest pain is crushing or squeezing or is accompanied by one or more of the following symptoms
•    shortness of breath
•    discomfort or tingling in the arms, especially the left arm
•    pain in the back
•    tightness or pain in the lower jaw
•    profuse sweating
•    lightheadedness or loss of consciousness.

People often think pain in their mid-back is kidney pain, when it is actually caused by something else. True kidney pain is almost always one sided in the flank area. The most common causes are a kidney stone or an infection of the kidney (pyelonephritis). Other less common causes are trauma, a kidney tumor or large cyst, and blocked blood flow to part of the kidney.

If you notice bloody urine, you should contact your doctor. The most common causes of bloody urine are urinary tract infections and kidney stones. Other less common causes include kidney injury, kidney inflammation known as glomerulonephritis, a tumor in the kidney or bladder, or a blood clotting disorder.

Proteinuria refers to the excretion of more than the normal amount of protein, usually albumin, by the kidneys. Most often this is first detected when a person submits a urine sample for analysis. A little extra protein in the urine may be present without any current or future kidney problem. Repeat urine testing should first be done to confirm the proteinuria. If confirmed, a blood test to measure kidney function should be the next step.

A normal respiratory rate for a healthy relaxed adult at rest is 12 to 16 breaths per minute. A respiratory rate greater than 20 would be considered high. But many circumstances can cause an appropriate increase, such as exercise, fever or anxiety. When a simple explanation for fast breathing is not apparent, it raises concern that something is causing a low blood oxygen level.

Dysphoria is a profound sense of dissatisfaction with life.  It may be a symptom of an underlying mental health condition such as depression and PTSD or a symptom of a chronic medical condition.  Gender dysphoria refers specifically to the unease felt by someone whose assigned sex at birth does not match their gender identity.  People with dysphoria often lose interest in activities they once found pleasurable.  They may have feelings of loneliness, low self-esteem, poor appetite, and lethargy.  The best way to treat dysphoria is to address the underlying cause.  Other treatment options include stress reduction, relaxation techniques, pain management, therapy, and medications.

While surgery is a highly effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, it is considered a last resort. There are several non-surgical options, including:

• wearing a splint – Keeping the wrist relatively straight reduces pressure in the carpal tunnel and can reduce symptoms. Though they are often worn at night (during sleep), they can be worn during the day as well or during certain activities when symptoms are worse.

• cortisone injection – This may provide relief more quickly than splinting but should not be performed too often; many doctors recommend limiting this treatment to no more than twice a year.

• treat the underlying condition (if present) – For example, effective treatment of rheumatoid arthritis can reduce wrist arthritis, reduce pressure on the nerves in the wrist and reduce or eliminate symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.

These treatments can be offered individually or in combination. Prior to considering surgery for persistent symptoms, additional testing may be recommended to confirm the diagnosis or identify other possible causes of symptoms.