SINAI Urban Health Institute

Archive for the ‘Medical Symptoms’ Category

Asthma symptoms, like many illnesses is not the easiest thing to diagnose. The symptoms can be caused by many different problems. It’s up to the professional who understands bronchial and pulmonary illnesses to accurately diagnose asthma symptoms.

To fully understand the symptoms of asthma, it is important for you to understand that it’s more than simply – difficulty in breathing and coughing.

But these are not really the only symptoms of asthma, because mostly everyone (including those that don’t have any asthma related condition) to occasionally have difficulty in breathing and also sometimes experience cough.

Does this mean they have asthma? Not at all.

So, it is not enough to say the symptoms of asthma are mainly difficulty in breathing and coughing.

Agreed, these two could be some of the symptoms but not all the symptoms. A medical doctor can understand the other symptoms including the construction of the bronchial air passages that keep the victim from being able to breath.

Below are the general symptoms of asthma… in order of their occurrence:

. It can start with very severe sneezing and cough,

. Runny nose and itchy throat.

. Shortness of breath that gradually builds up and leads to difficulty in speaking,

. Gasping for breath while talking,

. Tightening of the victim’s chest,

. Loud wheezing (raspy or whistling sound when breathing) and a more intensified coughing,

. Flared nostrils of victims and tightening of the neck muscles.

. Bluish lips of the victims and fingernails.

At this display of these last symptoms of asthma, it is a serious indication of danger. Blue lips and fingernails are an indication that the person isn’t getting enough oxygen to deliver into the bloodstream.

Whenever you experience any 3 or more of the above symptoms of asthma, then you should know the situation could be dangerous to the victim.

Be vigilant however as many of these same symptoms can be caused by simple allergies. Once again however, it’s important to recognize the symptoms and the severity to determine the right course of action. If in doubt, immediately seek medical attention for the person in distress.

Some people are very lucky to notice the early symptoms of asthma before it becomes critical; while some don’t even see it coming until it suddenly hits them… and brings them to their knees.

Be on the look out for the above symptoms of asthma… so that you can stay protected all the time and be able to quickly take the necessary medication when it occurs.

Many people often suffer with behavior disorder symptoms and don’t even know it. It can be difficult to tell the difference between “normal” and abnormal feelings. The behavioral category contains thousands of disorders, many which share the same symptoms. Some of the most common disorders are: obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety, and post traumatic stress disorder.

The main disorder we will discuss so you can have a better understanding of it is obsessive compulsive disorder. Many people actually suffer from this problem and it is proven to also be a genetic disorder. Meaning that if anyone else in your family suffers from this problem your chances of also having it are increased. This is not special to OCD as there are many disorders that are also genetic in nature and tend to be passed down between generations.

As with any disorder, OCD can be tough to live with at times. A person who suffers with OCD usually deals with repetitive habits every day. OCD can range greatly in the severity of a case. For example, a less-intense case could be a person who has to have every picture, nik-nak, and piece of furniture in the house set at a certain angle or position. One might just assume they are a very tidy person. However, a sever case has more of a life-altering result, in which the person feels they have to control every aspect of the day to run at a strict routine, and when one piece of this routine becomes altered, that person may simply remain in their home the rest of the day, sometimes in severe panic.

The problem with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder tends to be the repetitiveness of the routine in which one is performing, not the action on its own. Sometimes medication can help suppress the overwhelming need to perform a repetitive action, such as twisting a lock a certain number of times, however therapy tend to be most effective.

Signs of behavior disorders can range greatly and affect many in different ways. This makes pinpointing any disorder particularly difficult. If you feel like you may suffer from a behavior disorder then please get tested to find out if you do.

OCD is just one of the behavior disorders out there. There are also social disorder symptoms that can point to a disorder which restricts a person from normal social interaction, which can be difficult to diagnose. If you feel you suffer any kind of behavior or social disorder, please consult your doctor.

It could take ages to consider all of the most common medical conditions.. The reason being is many conditions seem to change overnight. For instance, HIV/AIDS used to be considered a rare condition, then around the 80’s and early 90’s it seemed to have a noticable increase.

Although we can’t tell you what doctors depict as being rare compared to common, we have comprised a list of some of the most widely diagnosed conditions. You do not have to be suffering from one of these conditions in order to view it as common. The term “common” is more leaning towards a wider percentage of people who do have these particular conditions.

Migraines- Unfortunately, we’ve all had to deal with a headache or two, however, minor headaches are not seen as a serious illness that you should rush to your doctor about. When the severity of the headaches escalate so high that they become a debilitating condition suffered on a regular basis, they are then referred to as migraines. In this case, it is recommended that you see a doctor.

ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) – Diagnosis of ADHD has increased a great deal. This disorder yields symptoms such as: inability to concentrate, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. While this is extremely common in children and teens, adults may also suffer from ADHD, feeling more of a sense of restlessness than hyperactivity. ADHD treatment varies, though most often it is treated through medication.

Depression is a very common condition that more than 45% of Americans suffer. Most people experience depression throughout their lives in some way or another, and some cases can be much more severe than others. Some people are more prone to become depressed due to life circumstances or experiences, such as new mothers, war veterans, or someone who has recently lost a loved one.

Some other conditions you may be familiar with are the symptoms of allergy and asthma, as well as influenza, or the “flu.” Severe allergy and asthma conditions are usually treated through doctor-prescribed medications. Treating flu symptoms is generally easier, as it can often be tamed with over-the-counter medications. 

Common medical conditions are just that—common. There is no need to panic about them, doctors have the way to treat you for a common medical problem down to a science, so no need to worry, you will be just fine.