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Strop
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Strop
10,816 posts
Bard

In an effort to procrastinate doing everything...okay, really simply to revise my material for next semester when I start working at hospitals (but the first one sounds less dorky D

...anyway...

In an effort to revise my material, I'm inviting each and every one of you to ask any questions you had on the human body (and mind). As long as it's medical, it can be pretty much anything- and I'll attempt to answer it as quickly as possible, hopefully off the top of my head.

HAVE AT IT

  • 327 Replies
madgamer131
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madgamer131
671 posts
Nomad

whenever i type a long paper (nonstop for a while) or play video games for more than 30 minutes, my hands get extremely cold, not numb, just cold, and white. i realize its obviously something to do with bad circulation, but i don't really understand how using my hands causes it. is there some name for this or is it more common than i think?

EnterOrion
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EnterOrion
4,220 posts
Nomad

For the brain power, something tells me that if we used all of our power at the same time, our brains would literally fry. Our brains are very good with electrical production. But I could be wrong.

Anyways, I have this cough that isn't getting any better and more or less worse, and I've had it for about a week. It feels really mucus-y but nothing barely comes out.

Is it a problem?

Strop
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Strop
10,816 posts
Bard

I know Stroppy'll prolly hate me for this, but . . . .

THREADUS REVIVUS!!!!


So you're the one who's responsible for this!

Well, I'm ahead of time so... I guess...

so is the most likely cause of this just bad luck, or is there another possibility?


The first question would be whether you're actually suffering from chronic sinusitis or acute. Very frequent acute episodes isn't quite the same as chronic. Also, since I'm Australian and not from the US, I would be thinking very hard about why you're being put on antibiotics so often: would I be warranted in thinking bacterial cause, and are the antibiotics actually helping?

There's a theory that sinusitis is linked to asthma but hard evidence is lacking, just as evidence on the aetiology of sinusitis is also a bit lacking in areas. While the CT should pick up polyps etc., apparently it's also used to diagnose hospital-acquired acute sinusitis.

The questions I'd start with are a clarified chronology, where the pain is exactly, what associated symptoms there are, whether you've had any other investigations. To really get to the bottom of it I'd have to basically build your history from the ground up myself.

Help me Doctor Strawp! I don't want to get circumcised what should I do?


The simple answer is "say no."

However I appreciate that this doesn't take into account your circumstances. Saying no to traditional cultural practices, if that is the case, is difficult.

But for what it's worth, the complication rate for circumcision in people your age is really very low when done by competent surgeons.

I have a question... Apparently when our appendix explodes it releases a toxic liquid.... why does it do this??


Kingryan answered this one adequately, except to say that the collection of pus and subsequent rupture is tied to the local inflammatory process. Not only does the appendix swell, the tissues become more fragile as a result.

how much % of brain are normal poeple using


There was a thread containing much heated discussion on this, strangely enough. The quickest message is your brain is a "use it or lose it" organ, so all the parts of it you have at any one point could be said to be used!

my hands get extremely cold, not numb, just cold, and white. i realize its obviously something to do with bad circulation


The first name that comes to mind is Raynaud's phenomenon, which describes the pallor and coldness. It's actually not that uncommon, but the causes for it are hugely varied. What interests me here is that your hands go pale and cold when you hold them in the same position for a while, which makes me think some form of carpal tunnel, though you don't get any numbness (what about tingling?)
samy
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samy
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Nomad

Oh yay I've been needing those.

1. Lately I've been throwing up once every other week which is very rare for me. I've also been bloating and having other intestinal problems.
2. The skin on my gums peels of constantly.

Help. Pwease?

Freakenstein
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Freakenstein
9,504 posts
Jester

Hey wow it's back up! Shweet.

I think I may be anemic. I'm easily cold, I'm short of breath whenever I walk or do any sort of physical activity, and I get stomach aches every couple weeks (stomach ache probably not relevant). Must I take a test to see if my RBC count is low, or do I have to increase my intake of nutrition? I haven't been eating much recently, ehehe...

Strop
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Strop
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Bard

Okay guys, just so you know I'm only going to answer these questions once a day... or maybe once every few days... but anyway!

Also, diagnostic questions are really hard to answer concisely on a forum, but I'll try to give some general guidance. Advice given on this thread is not intended as a substitute for advice from a qualified health professional that you see in a medical consult. I would conduct my own consults in a rather different manner given the different setting.

Lately I've been throwing up once every other week which is very rare for me. I've also been bloating and having other intestinal problems.


My initial questions would be: What's your diet and appetite like? What's in the vomit (especially blood or 'coffee grounds', is there any?) Do you have excessive flatus or diarrhoea? What changes have there been and over what period?

The skin on my gums peels of constantly


This seems to be due to either dryness or irritation. Ensure that your fluid intake is adequate, but otherwise I wonder if it may or may not be related to your gastro symptoms. Right now I can't tell.

get stomach aches every couple weeks (stomach ache probably not relevant). Must I take a test to see if my RBC count is low


Fortunately an FBE is an easy (and extremely cheap) test to perform, so I would advise seeing your doctor and seeing if he/she thinks it's warranted. That you have gut aches, don't eat much and are anaemic DOES make me think of something potentially concerning like a gastric ulcer (are your stools unusually dark, or have you been vomiting lately?), so sooner rather than later would be advisable.
Strop
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Strop
10,816 posts
Bard

don't eat much and are anaemic


Whoops, didn't mean to say you were anaemic but rather list the symptoms. I'm not that psychic :P
thisisnotanalt
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thisisnotanalt
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Shepherd

The first question would be whether you're actually suffering from chronic sinusitis or acute.


I've never fully gotten over any of them, so it's sorta like a single, very deeply ingrained infection. The antibiotics help, but can't completely snuff out the infection. There actually is a good possibility of me having a deviated septum, but polyps are pretty much out of the question.

would I be warranted in thinking bacterial cause, and are the antibiotics actually helping?


The infection does respond to antibiotics, but even 21 day courses don't completely get rid of it. Pretty much, for the last 6 or 7 months, I've been always fatigued/plagued by at least cold-type symptoms. My pulmonologist's diagnosed it as chronic, and a nasal CT is pending.

There's a theory that sinusitis is linked to asthma but hard evidence is lacking,


Maybe I'm some needed hard evidence then D:

I have moderate-to-severe problems with all three sides of the Inflammation Disorder triangle - lots of asthma, lots of eczema, lots of allergies. The sinusitis isn't really allergies, because all of my bouts with it have had low-grade fevers and sore throats tagged on.

where the pain is exactly,


Headache is usually above one or both of my eyes and some on my forehead/cheek area around my eyes, noticeably severe(like, throw-up-and-take-some-tylenol PM-then-take-a-3-hour-nap severe) and pressure is attacking my entire nose.

what associated symptoms there are


Always sore throat, lotsa chest congestion, low-grade fever, sore throat. Symptoms don't really change from infection-to-infection, of flareup-to-flareup, depending on what's happening.

And no other investigations into the problem - it's been decided, though, that what I have is severe enough to get a CT done.

Also, hey, this thread'll help you review for your final!
Freakenstein
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Freakenstein
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Jester

Fortunately an FBE is an easy (and extremely cheap) test to perform, so I would advise seeing your doctor and seeing if he/she thinks it's warranted. That you have gut aches, don't eat much and are anaemic DOES make me think of something potentially concerning like a gastric ulcer (are your stools unusually dark, or have you been vomiting lately?), so sooner rather than later would be advisable.


Fortunately not! lol

The only things that's happened are chills, stomach aches, and fatigue. Either my RBCs aren't properly absorbing oxygen, or I have a stomach infection going on somewhere that's causing the aches and fatigue.
samy
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samy
4,871 posts
Nomad

My initial questions would be: What's your diet and appetite like? What's in the vomit (especially blood or 'coffee grounds', is there any?) Do you have excessive flatus or diarrhoea? What changes have there been and over what period?


After I was sick (It's been around three weeks now that I haven't thrown up although I have been close) I cut almost all dairy out of my diet and I've begun to be more cautious. As for the vomit it varied with what I ate but it was never very acidic. Also before I got sick I would have sulfuric tasting belches. Lately my diarrhea, and other symptoms, has subsided; however, during the worst time I was constipated with diarrhea and did have execs flatus as well as bloating and loss of appetite.
EnterOrion
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EnterOrion
4,220 posts
Nomad

Nobody answered my question. D:

Repost:

I have this cough that isn't getting any better and more or less worse, and I've had it for about a week. It feels really mucus-y but nothing barely comes out.

Is it a problem?

Freakenstein
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Freakenstein
9,504 posts
Jester

I have this cough that isn't getting any better and more or less worse, and I've had it for about a week. It feels really mucus-y but nothing barely comes out.


Coughs mean that the body is expelling dead cells and whatnot out of the throat. Have you had any sickness or infection before this cough? Having little to no mucus left could mean that all the cleanup is coming to a close.

At least I think so ;P
RailroadBill
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RailroadBill
43 posts
Nomad

I have this cough that isn't getting any better and more or less worse, and I've had it for about a week. It feels really mucus-y but nothing barely comes out.


You shouldn't worry about it. You'll be dead soon.
Freakenstein
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Freakenstein
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Jester

Whoops, didn't mean to say you were anaemic but rather list the symptoms. I'm not that psychic


Double-post, but that's why I was posting this question here: to see if I really was anemic or not. Anaemic is an Australian spelling but is the same word?
EnterOrion
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EnterOrion
4,220 posts
Nomad

any sickness or infection before this cough?


My nose was stuffy last week, but cleared up around Sunday, my cough started Saturday.

You shouldn't worry about it. You'll be dead soon.


Yay! My greatest wish!

Not.
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