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### Instruction: Disease name: Bradycardia : Prognosis

In well-trained athletes with normal bradycardia, the slow heartbeat is often a sign of overall good health. In other people with bradycardia, the outlook depends on the underlying disorder. For example, the prognosis is usually good in people with hypothyroidism, since treatment with thyroid hormones can relieve bradycardia and other symptoms related to low hormone levels. In some elderly patients, hormone dosages may need to be increased very slowly over several weeks to prevent straining the heart. The availability of permanent pacemakers has improved the quality of life and prognosis for many people with cardiac arrhythmias.

### Instruction: Disease name: Bradycardia : Additional info

American Heart Association (AHA) https://www.heart.org National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/ American College of Cardiology https://www.acc.org/

### Instruction: Disease name: Bradycardia : About the Reviewer

### Instruction: Disease name: Brain Abscess : What is a brain abscess?

A brain abscess is a collection of pus enclosed in the brain tissue, caused by a bacterial or fungal infection. A brain abscess can develop as a complication of an infection, trauma or surgery. They are rare, although people with weakened immune systems (such as people with HIV or those who have received an organ transplant) are more likely to get a brain abscess.  This type of infection usually begins in one of these ways:

### Instruction: Disease name: Brain Abscess : Symptoms of a brain abscess

Symptoms vary depending on the size and location of the abscess. More than 75% of people with a brain abscess have a dull, achy headache. For many people this is the only symptom. The pain usually is limited to the side of the brain where the abscess is, and the pain usually becomes worse until the abscess is treated. Aspirin and other pain medication do not relieve the pain.  About half of the people with a brain abscess have a low-grade fever. Other symptoms may include nausea and vomiting, neck stiffness, seizures, personality changes and muscular weakness on one side of the body.

### Instruction: Disease name: Brain Abscess : Diagnosing a brain abscess

Diagnosing a brain abscess is not easy because the early symptoms are so general. For example, many things can cause headaches. For this reason, the diagnosis of brain abscess is usually delayed until about two weeks after symptoms first develop. In some cases, people with brain abscesses develop seizures or neurological changes, such as muscle weakness on one side of the body, before the diagnosis is made.   If your doctor is concerned you have a brain abscess, he or she will ask about your medical and travel history to determine your risk of having certain infections. The doctor also will ask if you have any of the symptoms of brain abscess. If you do, he or she will ask when they started, how they've progressed, and whether you've had a recent infection or any trauma that could predispose you to a brain abscess.  To diagnose a brain abscess, you will need diagnostic tests, such as computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. These provide pictures of the inside of the brain. The abscess will appear as one or more spots. Blood and other body fluids may be studied to find the original source of the infection. If the diagnosis remains uncertain, a neurosurgeon can remove a piece of the brain abscess with a fine needle.

### Instruction: Disease name: Brain Abscess : Expected duration of a brain abscess

A brain abscess can grow very quickly, typically becoming fully formed within about two weeks. Your doctor will begin treatment immediately after you are diagnosed. Prompt medical attention is the key to relieving your symptoms more quickly and minimizing damage to your long-term health. Surgical drainage of the abscess is often necessary as well.

### Instruction: Disease name: Brain Abscess : Preventing a brain abscess

Some brain abscesses are related to poor dental hygiene or complex sinus infections.  You should floss daily, brush your teeth properly and visit your dentist regularly. Treat sinus infections with decongestants. If symptoms of a sinus or dental infection persist, you may need an antibiotic.   People with untreated HIV infection are at increased risk of brain abscess. Prevent HIV by practicing safe sex. If you have HIV, you substantially reduce your chance of developing a brain abscess by taking anti-viral medications regularly.

### Instruction: Disease name: Brain Abscess : Treating a brain abscess

Treatment of a brain abscess typically requires a two-pronged approach:

### Instruction: Disease name: Brain Abscess : When to call a professional

See your doctor if you experience a nearly constant headache that gets worse over several days or weeks. If you also have nausea, vomiting, seizures, personality changes or muscle weakness, seek emergency care.

### Instruction: Disease name: Brain Abscess : Prognosis

Without treatment, a brain abscess can be fatal. Most people with a brain abscess are treated successfully. Unfortunately, long-term neurological problems are common even after the abscess is removed and the infection is treated. For example, there may be lingering problems with body function, personality changes or seizures due to scarring or other damage to the brain.

### Instruction: Disease name: Brain Abscess : Additional info

American Academy of Neurology (AAN) https://www.aan.com/

### Instruction: Disease name: Brain tumor overview : What is a brain tumor?

A brain tumor is a mass of abnormally growing cells in the brain or skull. It can be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Unlike other cancers, a cancer arising from brain tissue (a primary brain cancer) rarely spreads. Whether benign or malignant, all brain tumors are serious. A growing tumor eventually will compress and damage other structures in the brain. There are two categories of brain tumors: primary and secondary. Primary tumors start in brain tissue, while secondary tumors spread to the brain from another area of the body. Primary tumors are classified by the tissue in which they begin:

### Instruction: Disease name: Brain tumor overview : Symptoms of a brain tumor

The symptoms of a brain tumor often are the same as those of other diseases and may develop gradually. That's why they may be overlooked for a long time before diagnosis. Although a brain tumor rarely causes headaches, someone with no history of headaches who develops them should be seen by a doctor. Headaches from a brain tumor tend to be worse upon waking and ease during the day. Other symptoms may include

### Instruction: Disease name: Brain tumor overview : Diagnosing a brain tumor

Diagnosis often begins with a medical history. Your doctor will ask about your symptoms, health habits, and past illnesses and treatments. He or she will also do a neurological exam to check your

### Instruction: Disease name: Brain tumor overview : Expected duration of a brain tumor

Meningiomas can remain the same size for many years without causing problems. Other types of brain tumors will continue growing until they are treated. Without treatment, permanent brain damage or death can result. Many brain tumors can lead to death even with the best treatment.

### Instruction: Disease name: Brain tumor overview : Preventing a brain tumor

There is no known way to prevent primary brain tumors. As more is learned about what causes them, more may be done to prevent them. Researchers are studying genetic and hereditary factors, exposure to certain chemicals, and exposure to certain viruses. Some secondary brain tumors that originally started in other organs can be prevented. For example, avoiding tobacco products decreases the risk of lung cancer, thereby decreasing the chance that lung cancer cells ever appear in the brain.

### Instruction: Disease name: Brain tumor overview : Treating a brain tumor

Treatment depends on the tumor's size, location, and type, as well as the patient's age and general health. The main treatments include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. A combination of treatments — surgery and radiation therapy, for example — is often used. Before treatment, a patient may be given corticosteroid drugs to reduce swelling of brain tissue. Anticonvulsant drugs also may be prescribed to prevent or control tumor-related seizures. When possible, surgery is the treatment of choice for primary brain tumors. Surgery can successfully remove some benign and malignant brain tumors. Even if the entire tumor cannot be removed, surgeons will likely take out as much as possible to help relieve symptoms. In some cases, a tumor cannot be removed surgically or surgery is too risky. For example, the tumor may abut or wrap around critical normal tissues. Damage to these tissues during surgery could cause the patient significant disability. Stereotactic surgery, which uses computers and imaging devices to create three-dimensional pictures of the brain, can be used to remove tumors or to place radioactive materials in the tumor. Stereotactic surgery is especially helpful in reaching tumors deep in the brain. It can help pinpoint the tumor's edges, too, meaning that surgeons remove less normal tissue. This lowers the chances of side effects and brain injury. Radiation therapy, which uses high-powered x-rays to kill cancer cells, often follows surgery. It helps destroy any pieces of the tumor that could not be surgically removed and any remaining cancer cells. Radiation therapy is also used when surgery is not an option. Because high-dose radiation can damage normal tissue, doctors try to precisely target the tumor, limiting the amount of radiation to surrounding parts of the brain. Gamma Knife and CyberKnife are examples of treatments that allow doctors to more precisely aim the radiation beam at the tumor and better spare surrounding normal tissue. Radiation also can be given by putting radioactive material into the tumor itself. Chemotherapy uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells. It can be taken by mouth, injected into a vein or muscle, or placed directly into a body part. In general, chemotherapy tends to be less effective against gliomas and meningiomas than surgery or radiation. But it plays an important role in the treatment of other types of brain tumors, such as lymphomas and medulloblastomas.

### Instruction: Disease name: Brain tumor overview : When to call a professional

See your doctor right away if you have

### Instruction: Disease name: Brain tumor overview : Prognosis

Early detection and treatment offer the best chance of recovery from both benign and malignant brain tumors. The outlook also depends on

### Instruction: Disease name: Brain tumor overview : Additional info

American Cancer Society (ACS) https://www.cancer.org/ American Brain Tumor Association https://hope.abta.org/ National Cancer Institute (NCI) https://www.nci.nih.gov/ National Brain Tumor Society https://www.tbts.org/

### Instruction: Disease name: Brain tumor overview : About the Reviewer

### Instruction: Disease name: Breast Cancer : What is breast cancer?

Breast cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells that can develop in one of several areas of the breast, including the

### Instruction: Disease name: Breast Cancer : About the Author

### Instruction: Disease name: Broken Jaw : What is a broken jaw?

When a bone breaks or cracks, the injury is called a fracture. Jaw fractures are the third most common type of facial fractures, after fractures of the nose and cheekbone. They can be caused by many different types of impacts to the lower face, including:

### Instruction: Disease name: Broken nose (nasal fracture) : What is a broken nose (nasal fracture)?

A broken nose is a fracture (crack or break) of the nasal bones. In most cases, there is also some damage to nearby nasal cartilage, particularly the nasal septum, the flexible partition that divides the left and right sides of the nose. Because the nose has such a prominent and unprotected position in the center of the face, it is particularly vulnerable to impacts from accidents and violence. In mild fractures, the injury causes only some mild swelling and a brief nosebleed, so you may be unaware of the break unless your nose heals with a slight deformity. In severe fractures, however, the nose can be obviously deformed or shifted out of its normal midline position immediately after impact. There also may be a severe nosebleed, a blocked nostril or air-flow problems related to a deviated septum (a shift of the nasal septum toward the left or right nostril). Health care professionals do not know how often people break their noses, because many people who have mild nasal fractures do not seek treatment. Among adults and teenagers treated by doctors, the most common causes of nasal fractures include contact sports, car crashes, motorcycle accidents and violent assaults. In particular, athletes are at high risk of a broken nose if they participate in soccer, basketball, baseball, boxing, martial arts (especially kickboxing), wrestling, handball, racquetball or mountain biking. Although the nose is also an easy target for fractures during hockey and football games, helmets used in these sports provide some protection against facial injuries. Protective helmets also may reduce the risk of broken noses (as well as more severe injuries) in people who ride motorcycles or bicycles. The increased use of seat belts and airbags over the past three decades has dramatically reduced the number of people who break their noses by hitting the dashboard during a car crash. In infants, the bones in the nose sometimes are fractured at the time of delivery. In older children, broken noses often are caused by a fall, a bicycle accident, contact sports or child abuse. In general, children tend to be at lower risk of a broken nose than adults because a child's immature bones are generally less brittle and more flexible. However, a broken nose in a child is more likely to cause long-term deformities or breathing problems because a child's nasal bones and cartilage have not finished growing.

### Instruction: Disease name: Broken nose (nasal fracture) : Symptoms of a broken nose

Symptoms of a broken nose include:

### Instruction: Disease name: Broken nose (nasal fracture) : Diagnosing a broken nose

After reviewing your symptoms, your doctor will ask how you injured your nose, whether you have broken or severely injured your nose before, and whether you have ever had nasal surgery. Next, your doctor will examine your nose, looking at its shape and symmetry, the alignment of its bones, the position of the nasal septum and any obvious areas of deformity or tenderness. Using a bright light and an instrument (nasal speculum) that gently spreads open your nostril, your doctor will inspect the inside surface of each nostril and check your nasal septum for a bruise or blood clot. In many cases, no other tests are needed. X-rays are not always necessary. Your doctor may refer you to an otolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat specialist) or a plastic surgeon if your nose is deformed, the air flow through your nose is obstructed, or you have other symptoms that require specialized care. These doctors may order additional testing before treating your nasal fracture.

### Instruction: Disease name: Broken nose (nasal fracture) : Expected duration of a broken nose

Although tenderness and swelling usually subside within one to two weeks, any deformities of the nasal bones or cartilages are permanent unless they are treated by a specialist.

### Instruction: Disease name: Broken nose (nasal fracture) : Preventing a broken nose

You can help to prevent a broken nose by avoiding trauma to your nose. Wear a seat belt and a shoulder harness whenever you ride in a car and wear headgear to protect your face during contact sports. Wear a protective helmet if you ride a motorcycle or bicycle.

### Instruction: Disease name: Broken nose (nasal fracture) : Treating a broken nose

If your injured nose is deformed or misaligned and you seek emergency treatment, the doctor may attempt to realign your nose immediately. This can be done with or without surgery. For persistent bleeding, the doctor may pack the front of your nose with a hemostatic sponge or gauze. If there is a bruise or blood clot on your nasal septum (a septal hematoma), the doctor will make a small incision to allow the blood clot to drain. A septal hematoma that is not drained can lead to permanent deformity of the nose. If your injury seems to be less severe, your doctor may wait for a few days to allow swelling to subside before assessing the situation. In many cases, the nose can be realigned within the first 10 days after injury in a nonsurgical procedure called a closed reduction. After that time, the realignment can be done surgically with a procedure called a rhinoplasty, which reshapes your nose to improve its appearance. When the nasal septum needs to be repaired as well, the procedure is called a septorhinoplasty.

### Instruction: Disease name: Broken nose (nasal fracture) : When to call a professional

Call your doctor immediately if you suffer a blow to the nose and you have any of the following symptoms:

### Instruction: Disease name: Broken nose (nasal fracture) : Prognosis

In most cases, the outlook is good, even when surgical treatment is necessary to realign or reconstruct the nose. A small number of people choose to have reconstructive surgery more than once, either for cosmetic reasons or to improve air flow.

### Instruction: Disease name: Broken nose (nasal fracture) : Additional info

American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery https://www.entnet.org/ American Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons https://www.aaoms.org/ American Society of Plastic Surgeons https://www.plasticsurgery.org/

### Instruction: Disease name: Broken nose (nasal fracture) : About the Reviewer

### Instruction: Disease name: Bulimia : What is bulimia?

The main characteristics of the eating disorder, bulimia nervosa, are

### Instruction: Disease name: Bunion : What is a bunion?

A bunion is a firm bump that forms over a bony bulge at the base of the big toe. In most cases, the big toe joint also is enlarged and has degenerative arthritis. The toe also may be pushed toward the second toe (hallux valgus).  Bunions are often painful, especially when wearing stiff shoes that press on the bump. Bunions tend to be inherited, but they also are common in the following groups:

### Instruction: Disease name: Bunion : Symptoms of a bunion

The dominant symptom of a bunion is a big bulging bump on the inside of the base of the big toe. Other symptoms include swelling, soreness and redness around the big toe joint, a tough callus at the bottom of the big toe and persistent or intermittent pain.

### Instruction: Disease name: Bunion : Diagnosing a bunion

Before examining your foot, the doctor will ask you about the types of shoes you wear and how often you wear them. He or she also will ask if anyone else in your family has had bunions or if you have had any previous injury to the foot. In most cases, your doctor can diagnose a bunion just by examining your foot. During this exam, you will be asked to move your big toe up and down to see if you can move it as much as you should be able to. The doctor also will look for signs of redness and swelling and ask if the area is painful. Your doctor may want to order X-rays of the foot to check for other causes of pain, to determine whether there is significant arthritis and to see if the bones are aligned properly.

### Instruction: Disease name: Bunion : Expected duration of a bunion

A bunion can develop at any time during childhood or adulthood. It will remain until it is treated.

### Instruction: Disease name: Bunion : Preventing a bunion

To help prevent bunions, select your style and size of shoes wisely. Choose shoes with a wide toe area and a half-inch of space between the tip of your longest toe and the end of the shoe. Shoes also should conform to the shape of your feet without causing too much pressure.

### Instruction: Disease name: Bunion : Treating a bunion

Treatment options are based on the severity of the deformity and symptoms. Nonsurgical treatments usually are enough to relieve the pain and pressure on the big toe. Your doctor may tell you to start wearing roomy, comfortable shoes and use toe padding or a special corrective device that slips into your shoes to push the big toe back into its proper position. To help relieve pain, you can take over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin and others). To end persistent pain, your doctor may recommend a type of foot surgery called a bunionectomy to remove the bunion and perhaps to reshape the first toe joint. During the operation, the swollen tissue will be removed, the big toe will be straightened if necessary, and the bones of the affected joint may be reshaped or permanently joined. The goal of the surgery is to correct the cause of the bunion and to prevent the bunion from growing back. After surgery, pain medication will be prescribed, and you will be told when you can start moving your toes and ankle.

### Instruction: Disease name: Bunion : When to call a professional

Contact a health care professional if you have persistent pain and a visible bump along the first toe, difficulty moving your toe or foot or difficulty finding shoes that fit properly because of pain or because the first toe has changed shape.

### Instruction: Disease name: Bunion : Prognosis

For people with mild symptoms and a small bunion, the outlook is excellent. For people who have a bunion removed surgically, the prognosis is also excellent for long-term relief from discomfort and deformity, although after surgery, full recovery can take two months or more.

### Instruction: Disease name: Bunion : Additional info

American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society https://www.aofas.org/

### Instruction: Disease name: Bunion : About the Reviewer

### Instruction: Disease name: Bursitis : What is bursitis?

A bursa is a membrane-lined sac near a joint that acts as a cushion between the muscle and bone. The bursa reduces friction caused by movement and makes the joint more flexible.

### Instruction: Disease name: Bursitis : Symptoms of bursitis

Symptoms include:

### Instruction: Disease name: Bursitis : Diagnosing bursitis

After reviewing your symptoms and recent activities, your doctor will examine you and press on the painful area to determine whether the pain is located over a bursa. Typically, your doctor will be able to move the joint through its normal range of motion, but if you try to move the joint yourself, you may not be able to move it as far because of pain. Your doctor also may order X-rays to check for other conditions. If you have bursitis, the X-rays will often be normal, although a small calcium deposit may be present. If your doctor suspects that gout or an infection is causing your bursitis, he or she may recommend that you have a test in which a sample of the fluid is removed from the bursa for analysis. This is a minor procedure.

### Instruction: Disease name: Bursitis : Expected duration of bursitis

Bursitis usually lasts for only days or weeks, but it can last months or years, especially if the cause, such as overuse, is not identified or changed.

### Instruction: Disease name: Bursitis : Preventing bursitis

The best way to prevent the most common type of bursitis is to avoid repetitive motion of a joint, especially if you are overweight. Losing weight may reduce the risk of developing bursitis in your legs. If repeated stress on a bursa cannot be avoided, protective gear can help prevent bursitis. For example, carpet layers who spend time kneeling may need protective knee gear.

### Instruction: Disease name: Bursitis : Treating bursitis

If you modify your activities and rest the joint, symptoms should go away within days or sometimes weeks. In the meantime, you may want to take an anti-inflammatory drug such as aspirin or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin and others) to relieve discomfort and reduce the inflammation. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and physical therapy also may be effective. If bursitis is caused by an infection, you may need drainage of the bursa and treatment with an antibiotic. When the pain is intense or does not improve in a short period, your doctor may inject a corticosteroid drug directly into the area. However, repeated steroid injections over a short time can be damaging and steroid injections are avoided when infection is present. When bursitis occurs repeatedly in the same joint, the bursa may be removed surgically, although this is rare. Surgery also may be needed if you have an infection in the bursa that does not clear up when you take antibiotics.

### Instruction: Disease name: Bursitis : When to call a professional

If you have significant pain or swelling in or near a joint, contact your health care professional.

### Instruction: Disease name: Bursitis : Prognosis

The outlook for most people with bursitis is excellent. The condition usually lasts a short time and improves rapidly with treatment. A small number of people with bursitis will be bothered for a prolonged period. However, even in those cases, bursitis rarely leads to disability or permanent deterioration in function.

### Instruction: Disease name: Bursitis : Additional info

American College of Rheumatology https://www.rheumatology.org/ Arthritis Foundation https://www.arthritis.org/ American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/

### Instruction: Disease name: Bursitis : About the Reviewer

### Instruction: Disease name: Campylobacteriosis : What is it?

Campylobacteriosis is an infection by one of several species of Campylobacter bacteria, particularly Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni). This infection typically causes diarrhea. The infection also can cause fever and abdominal cramps. Humans usually become infected with Campylobacter after eating poorly prepared meat, especially undercooked chicken. Campylobacter is one of the most common bacterial causes of foodborne illness. Infants have an especially high rate of campylobacteriosis because of their immature immune defenses. Young adults also are at higher risk of infection, possibly because they have less experience cooking and handling raw meats. So, they may be exposed more often to potentially contaminated foods. Most healthy people probably develop some degree of immunity against Campylobacter as they mature. This may account for the lower number of cases of Campylobacter infection in middle-aged and older adults. Besides being transmitted to humans in tainted, undercooked meat, Campylobacter also can contaminate unpasteurized milk and untreated water. In addition, Campylobacter bacteria sometimes infect humans who have handled raw meat (especially poultry), touched a sick pet that has diarrhea, or traveled to undeveloped countries where sanitation is poor. Although it is possible to develop campylobacteriosis after direct contact with an infected person, this is not common. People with weakened immune systems are more likely to become infected with Campylobacter. They also tend to have symptoms that are more severe.

### Instruction: Disease name: Campylobacteriosis : Symptoms

Some people who have a Campylobacter infection have mild symptoms, such as a few loose stools per day. These people probably would not seek medical attention, since the symptoms would resolve on their own. When full-blown symptoms occur, they usually begin two to seven days after exposure to Campylobacter. At first, you may have a 12- to 48-hour period of fever, headache, muscle aches, and malaise (a general feeling of sickness). These early symptoms are followed by crampy abdominal pain and diarrhea, sometimes with nausea and vomiting. There may be up to 10 loose stools watery stools per day. You may notice some blood in the stool.

### Instruction: Disease name: Campylobacteriosis : Diagnosis

Your doctor may suspect that you have some sort of food-related illness based on your history and symptoms. If your symptoms are very typical and not severe, the treatment for most food-related illnesses is the same. The only way to confirm that you definitely have been infected with Campylobacter is to collect a stool sample for examination in a laboratory (called a stool culture). However, a stool culture is often not needed. Some patients have symptoms that are not typical. In those cases, the doctor would send the stool culture and also recommend additional tests such as CT scan.

### Instruction: Disease name: Campylobacteriosis : Expected duration

In adults who have normal immune defenses, Campylobacter infection is usually a self-limited illness that goes away on its own within seven to 10 days. With antibiotic treatment, symptoms often stop sooner, usually in about five days.

### Instruction: Disease name: Campylobacteriosis : Prevention

Uncooked commercial chicken, raw veal, and raw ground beef are frequent sources of Campylobacter. To help prevent infection:

### Instruction: Disease name: Campylobacteriosis : Treatment

The first goal in treating Campylobacter-related diarrhea is to replace lost body fluids and electrolytes (chemical substances involved in many body processes). If you have severe diarrhea, you may be at risk of developing dehydration. To treat your dehydration, your doctor will prescribe oral or intravenous (IV) fluids. Because Campylobacter infections are usually self-limited, your doctor may not treat you with an antibiotic if you are otherwise healthy. However, antibiotic treatment is usually necessary in the following situations:

### Instruction: Disease name: Campylobacteriosis : When to call a professional

Call your doctor promptly if you develop severe diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, or severe abdominal pain. Your doctor will consider Campylobacter infection as one of several reasons for your symptoms. Infants, elderly adults, and people with a weakened immune system need urgent medical evaluation if they develop symptoms of Campylobacter infection.

### Instruction: Disease name: Campylobacteriosis : Prognosis

Most otherwise healthy adults recover from Campylobacter infection within several days. Occasionally diarrhea may persist for up to 10 days. Complications other than dehydration are very uncommon. One rare complication is Guillain-Barr' syndrome. In this condition, Campylobacter jejuni somehow triggers the immune system to attack nerves, causing weakness and sometimes paralysis. In patients with reactive arthritis, a Campylobacter infection can trigger an arthritis flare in one or more joints, usually within seven to 10 days after the diarrhea begins.

### Instruction: Disease name: Campylobacteriosis : Additional info

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/

### Instruction: Disease name: Campylobacteriosis : About the Reviewer

### Instruction: Disease name: Cancer overview : What is cancer?

Cancer is not a single disease. It's a group of diseases characterized by their ability to cause cells to change abnormally and grow out of control. Most types of cancer form a tumor, a lump or mass of cancerous cells. Cells from a tumor may break away and travel to other parts of the body, where they can settle and multiply. This spreading process is called metastasis. New cancers that have broken off and spread from the original tumor are called metastases. Not all tumors are cancerous or malignant; some are benign (non-malignant), don't spread, and aren't life-threatening. And a few cancers don't form masses or lumps, such as those that affect the blood, such as leukemia.

### Instruction: Disease name: Cancer overview : Symptoms of cancer

Symptoms vary widely depending on the type, location, size, and extent of the cancer. Some cancers can exist for many years without causing any symptoms or decreasing life expectancy. Common examples are small, non-aggressive prostate and breast cancers. Other cancers can be relatively small and localized to one spot but cause significant pain. Widespread cancer can often lead to marked fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite, and weight loss. Some cancers release substances into the blood that can cause symptoms unrelated to the location or size of the original tumor. For example, one type of lung cancer produces chemicals that trigger unusual neurological symptoms.

### Instruction: Disease name: Cancer overview : Diagnosing cancer

Your doctor will review your medical history and perform a thorough physical examination. He or she will ask about your family history of cancer. In the initial phase of diagnostic evaluation, blood tests and CT scans of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis are performed. Depending on the results, follow-up tests may include MRI and PET scans. Almost always, a biopsy is necessary to confirm the diagnosis and to provide information that will guide prognosis and therapy.

### Instruction: Disease name: Cancer overview : Expected duration of cancer

How long cancer lasts depends on its type and response to treatment. Some cancers grow so slowly that they persist, but never cause harm. Other cancers can grow and spread quickly despite therapy.

### Instruction: Disease name: Cancer overview : Preventing cancer

The number one way to prevent the most dangerous types of cancer is to not smoke cigarettes or use other tobacco products. Other ways to help prevent cancer include:

### Instruction: Disease name: Cancer overview : Treating cancer

For some cancers, no treatment may be necessary because they are very slow-growing. Low-grade prostate cancer in men over the age of 70 is a good example of a cancer that often does not require immediate treatment. Most cancers do require active treatment. If the cancer is confined to only one spot in the body, surgery offers an excellent chance of cure. Cancers of the bone marrow and lymph nodes are treated with chemotherapy and sometimes bone marrow transplant. The chances of cure for many of these types of cancer have improved dramatically. Many other types of cancers are also treated with chemotherapy. The goal may be to control the cancer, rather than cure it. Other treatments for cancer may include:

### Instruction: Disease name: Cancer overview : Prognosis

The outlook for people diagnosed with cancer continues to improve every year.

### Instruction: Disease name: Cancer overview : Additional info

National Cancer Institute (NCI) www.cancer.gov American Cancer Society (ACS) www.cancer.org

### Instruction: Disease name: Cancer overview : About the Reviewer

### Instruction: Disease name: Candidiasis : What is candidiasis?

Candidiasis is an infection caused by Candida fungi, most of by Candida albicans. These fungi are found almost everywhere in the environment. Some may live harmlessly along with the abundant "native" species of bacteria that normally colonize the mouth, gastrointestinal tract and vagina.   Usually, Candida is kept under control by the native bacteria and by the body's immune defenses. If the mix of native bacteria is changed by antibiotics or the body moisture that surrounds native bacteria undergoes changes in its acidity or chemistry, it can allow yeast to thrive and cause symptoms.

### Instruction: Disease name: Carbon monoxide poisoning : What is carbon monoxide poisoning?

Carbon monoxide is a tasteless, colorless, odorless gas found in the fumes of fuels that contain carbon, such as wood, coal and gasoline. Carbon monoxide poisoning is a potentially fatal illness that occurs when people breathe in carbon monoxide. All sorts of sources can release carbon monoxide, including cars, trucks, small gasoline engines (like lawnmowers), stoves, lanterns, furnaces, grills, gas ranges, water heaters and clothes dryers. The risk of poisoning is especially high when equipment is used in an enclosed place and ventilation is poor. Carbon monoxide poisoning can occur in victims of smoke inhalation during a fire. More than one-third of carbon monoxide-related deaths occur when the victim is asleep. Once inhaled, carbon monoxide passes from your lungs into your bloodstream, where it attaches to the hemoglobin molecules that normally carry oxygen. Oxygen can't travel on a hemoglobin molecule that already has carbon monoxide attached to it. As exposure continues, the gas hijacks more and more hemoglobin molecules, and the blood gradually loses its ability to carry enough oxygen to meet your body's needs. Without enough oxygen, individual cells suffocate and die, especially in vital organs such as the brain and heart. Carbon monoxide also can act directly as a poison, interfering with cells' internal chemical reactions.

### Instruction: Disease name: Carbon monoxide poisoning : Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning

Symptoms vary depending on the concentration of carbon monoxide in the environment, the length of time you are exposed, and your health. If you are exposed to very high levels of carbon monoxide gas in a poorly ventilated room, you can develop:

### Instruction: Disease name: Carbon monoxide poisoning : Diagnosing carbon monoxide poisoning

If you are unconscious, your doctor's first priority is to stabilize your condition, providing emergency treatment such as oxygen, fluid and treatment for seizures. Information about the exposure will be collected from the emergency personnel, your relatives, or both. This is especially important if you are a victim of smoke inhalation during a fire, because you could have inhaled other toxic gases besides carbon monoxide. After a poisoning that occurs indoors, your doctor will ask about the condition of fuel-burning appliances and equipment in your home and at work and about the quality of ventilation in these areas. Your doctor will want to know how long you were exposed, whether your symptoms improve when you leave the area, and whether any of your family members or co-workers complain of symptoms similar to yours. If you are pregnant, tell your doctor immediately. Carbon monoxide attaches to fetal hemoglobin at a level 10% to 15% higher than in the mother, placing the fetus at special risk. When your doctor examines you, he or she will pay particular attention to your nervous (neurological) system. To confirm the diagnosis, your doctor will draw blood to determine your levels of oxygen and carboxyhemoglobin (carbon monoxide attached to hemoglobin). Additional tests may be needed depending on your specific symptoms. You may need an electrocardiogram (EKG) to evaluate symptoms of chest pain or an irregular heartbeat. In people with neurological symptoms, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) scan of the brain may be needed. In a pregnant woman, the fetus may have to be monitored. An external monitor will be placed on the woman's belly to measure the fetus' heart rate over time to look for signs of distress suggesting low oxygen levels.

### Instruction: Disease name: Carbon monoxide poisoning : Expected duration of carbon monoxide poisoning

Carbon monoxide gas leaves the body the same way it got in, through the lungs. In fresh air, it takes four to six hours for a victim of carbon monoxide poisoning to exhale about half of the inhaled carbon monoxide in their blood. This "clearing" time can be increased if the person is given 100% oxygen or is placed in a hyperbaric oxygen (high-pressure oxygen) chamber, which creates a higher oxygen pressure than the normal outside pressure. Because carbon monoxide poisoning can kill body cells, especially in the brain, there is a risk of long-term neurological problems in people who have had severe poisoning.

### Instruction: Disease name: Carbon monoxide poisoning : Preventing carbon monoxide poisoning

Carbon monoxide can kill without warning because it has no color, odor or taste. Here are some suggestions to reduce your risk:

### Instruction: Disease name: Carbon monoxide poisoning : Treating carbon monoxide poisoning

You should immediately get out of the environment with high carbon monoxide level. You should receive oxygen as quickly as possible, preferably high flow oxygen through a non-rebreather mask. This prevents you from inhaling the gas that you just exhaled. You will be taken to an emergency department. If your symptoms disappear after oxygen treatment for several hours and your physical exam and blood tests are normal, you may be able to go home. You may need to schedule a follow-up visit with your doctor to check for complications to your nerves and brain. If you have severe carbon monoxide poisoning and are unconscious, you will be connected to a respirator (a machine that breathes for you) and you will get 100% oxygen. Patients with very severe poisoning may be treated in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber.

### Instruction: Disease name: Carbon monoxide poisoning : When to call a professional

You are at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning whenever you are near a fuel-burning appliance or tool. At the first hint of symptoms, move quickly to fresh air. Don't wait for more severe symptoms to start. If you are concerned about the condition of a fuel-burning appliance in your home and you notice headaches, flu-like symptoms or sleep problems, call your doctor. If you suspect that someone else is suffering from severe carbon monoxide poisoning, call for emergency help immediately. If possible, move an unconscious victim to an area with fresh air. Be cautious. Remember that high levels of carbon monoxide can make you sick, too, even before you can bring the victim to safety.

### Instruction: Disease name: Carbon monoxide poisoning : Prognosis

The prognosis depends on the severity of carbon monoxide poisoning. Among people with severe symptoms, as many as two out of three people may have long-term complications, especially neurological problems. In people with mild to moderate symptoms, as many as one in five can develop lasting neurological problems. Neurological problems range from mild personality changes to severe intellectual impairment, blindness and deafness. In pregnant women, poisoning can cause fetal death or cerebral palsy in the child.

### Instruction: Disease name: Carbon monoxide poisoning : Additional info

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) https://www.epa.gov/

### Instruction: Disease name: Carbon monoxide poisoning : About the Reviewer

### Instruction: Disease name: Cardiac arrhythmias : What is a cardiac arrhythmia?

A cardiac arrhythmia is any abnormal heart rate or rhythm. In normal adults, the heart beats regularly at a rate of 60 to 100 times per minute. And the pulse (felt at the wrist, neck or elsewhere) matches the contractions of the heart's two powerful lower chambers, called the ventricles. The heart's two upper chambers, called the atria, also contract to help fill the ventricles. But this milder contraction occurs just before the ventricles contract, and it is not felt in the pulse. Under normal circumstances, the signal for a heartbeat comes from the heart's sinus node. It's the natural pacemaker located in the upper portion of the right atrium. From the sinus node, the heartbeat signal travels to the atrioventricular node or "A-V node," which is located between the atria. Next the signal travels through the bundle of His (pronounced HISS). It's made up of a series of modified heart muscle fibers located between the ventricles. The signal enters the muscles of the ventricles. This causes the ventricles to contract and produces a heartbeat. Cardiac arrhythmias sometimes are classified according to their origin as either ventricular arrhythmias (originating in the ventricles) or supraventricular arrhythmias (originating in heart areas above the ventricles, typically the atria). They also can be classified according to their effect on the heart rate, with bradycardia indicating a heart rate of less than 60 beats per minute and tachycardia indicating a heart rate of more than 100 beats per minute. Some common types of cardiac arrhythmias include:

### Instruction: Disease name: Cardiac arrhythmias : Symptoms of a cardiac arrhythmia

Symptoms of specific arrhythmias include:

### Instruction: Disease name: Cardiac arrhythmias : Diagnosing a cardiac arrhythmia

Your doctor will ask about your family history of coronary artery disease, cardiac arrhythmias, fainting spells or sudden death from heart problems. Your doctor also will review your personal medical history, including any possible risk factors for cardiac arrhythmias (such as coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy, thyroid disorders, and medications). You will be asked to describe your specific cardiac symptoms, including any possible triggers for those symptoms. During the physical examination, your doctor will check your heart rate and rhythm, together with your pulses. This is because certain cardiac arrhythmias cause a mismatch of the pulse and the heart sounds. Your doctor also will check for physical signs of an enlarged heart and for heart murmurs, one sign of a heart valve problem. A test called an electrocardiogram (EKG) often can confirm the diagnosis of a cardiac arrhythmia. However, because cardiac arrhythmias may come and go, a one-time office EKG may be normal. If this is the case, an ambulatory EKG may be required. During an ambulatory EKG, the patient wears a portable device that monitors your heart rate and electrical pattern. You will be instructed to press a button to record the EKG reading whenever you experience symptoms. This approach is especially useful if your symptoms are infrequent.

### Instruction: Disease name: Cardiac arrhythmias : Expected duration of a cardiac arrhythmia

When a patient has ventricular fibrillation, it is an emergency. The patient is unconscious, not breathing, and doesn't have a pulse. If available, electrical cardioversion must be administered as soon as possible. If not available, then cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) should be started. How long a cardiac arrhythmia lasts depends on its cause. For example, atrial fibrillation that is caused by an overactive thyroid may go away when the thyroid problem is treated. However, cardiac arrhythmias that result from progressive or permanent damage to the heart tend to be long-term problems. When a heart attack causes ventricular fibrillation, death can occur within minutes.

### Instruction: Disease name: Cardiac arrhythmias : Preventing a cardiac arrhythmia

Cardiac arrhythmias that result from coronary artery disease can be prevented by taking the following actions to modify your risk factors:

### Instruction: Disease name: Cardiac arrhythmias : Treating a cardiac arrhythmia

The treatment of a cardiac arrhythmia depends on its cause:

### Instruction: Disease name: Cardiac arrhythmias : When to call a professional

Call your doctor if you have any symptoms of a cardiac arrhythmia, including palpitations, dizziness, fainting spells, fatigue, shortness of breath and chest pain. Call for emergency help immediately whenever someone in your family develops a severely irregular pulse. If you cannot feel a pulse at all, and the person is not breathing, perform CPR until emergency professionals arrive.

### Instruction: Disease name: Cardiac arrhythmias : Prognosis

The outlook for cardiac arrhythmias depends on the type of rhythm disturbance and whether the person has coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, or some other heart muscle disorder. The prognosis for ventricular fibrillation is grave, and death follows quickly without emergency treatment. Most atrial arrhythmias have an excellent prognosis. The outlook is good for heart block, even third-degree A-V block, the most serious type. The availability of permanent pacemakers, implanted cardioversion/defibrillation devices and effective medications has improved the prognosis for many people with serious cardiac arrhythmias.

### Instruction: Disease name: Cardiac arrhythmias : Additional info

American Heart Association (AHA) https://www.heart.org/ National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/ American College of Cardiology https://www.acc.org/

### Instruction: Disease name: Cardiac arrhythmias : About the Reviewer

### Instruction: Disease name: Cardiomyopathy : What is cardiomyopathy?

Cardiomyopathy refers to changes in the heart muscle. These changes prevent part or all of the heart from contracting normally. There are three types of cardiomyopathy. The types are based on the physical changes that occur in the heart:

### Instruction: Disease name: Cardiomyopathy : Symptoms of cardiomyopathy

The symptoms of cardiomyopathy vary by type.

### Instruction: Disease name: Cardiomyopathy : Diagnosing cardiomyopathy

Your doctor will review your medical history. He or she will ask about

### Instruction: Disease name: Cardiomyopathy : Expected duration of cardiomyopathy

Dilated cardiomyopathy sometimes can be reversed if it is caused by a treatable condition. Most cases of hypertrophic and restrictive cardiomyopathy are persistent. They can get worse over time.