bowang0911/MedQuAD huggingface dataset:
Spina bifida is a neural tube defect - a type of birth defect of the brain, spine, or spinal cord. It happens if the spinal column of the fetus doesn't close completely during the first month of pregnancy. This can damage the nerves and spinal cord. Screening tests during pregnancy can check for spina bifida. Sometimes it is discovered only after the baby is born.    The symptoms of spina bifida vary from person to person. Most people with spina bifida are of normal intelligence. Some people need assistive devices such as braces, crutches, or wheelchairs. They may have learning difficulties, urinary and bowel problems, or hydrocephalus, a buildup of fluid in the brain.    The exact cause of spina bifida is unknown. It seems to run in families. Taking folic acid can reduce the risk of having a baby with spina bifida. It's in most multivitamins. Women who could become pregnant should take it daily.    NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Summary : Folic acid is a B vitamin. It helps the body make healthy new cells. Everyone needs folic acid. For women who may get pregnant, it is really important. Getting enough folic acid before and during pregnancy can prevent major birth defects of her baby's brain or spine.     Foods with folic acid in them include       - Leafy green vegetables    - Fruits    - Dried beans, peas, and nuts    - Enriched breads, cereals and other grain products       If you don't get enough folic acid from the foods you eat, you can also take it as a dietary supplement.    NIH: National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements
Summary : A hurricane is a severe type of tropical storm. Hurricanes produce high winds, heavy rains and thunderstorms. Hurricanes can cause tremendous damage. Winds can exceed 155 miles per hour. Hurricanes and tropical storms can also spawn tornadoes and lead to flooding. The high winds and heavy rains can destroy buildings, roads and bridges, and knock down power lines and trees. In coastal areas, very high tides called storm surges cause extensive damage.    Although there are no guarantees of safety during a hurricane, you can take actions to protect yourself. You should have a disaster plan. Being prepared can help reduce fear, anxiety, and losses. If you do experience a disaster, it is normal to feel stressed. You may need help in finding ways to cope.    Federal Emergency Management Agency
Pain is a feeling triggered in the nervous system. Pain may be sharp or dull. It may come and go, or it may be constant. You may feel pain in one area of your body, such as your back, abdomen or chest or you may feel pain all over, such as when your muscles ache from the flu.    Pain can be helpful in diagnosing a problem. Without pain, you might seriously hurt yourself without knowing it, or you might not realize you have a medical problem that needs treatment. Once you take care of the problem, pain usually goes away. However, sometimes pain goes on for weeks, months or even years. This is called chronic pain. Sometimes chronic pain is due to an ongoing cause, such as cancer or arthritis. Sometimes the cause is unknown.    Fortunately, there are many ways to treat pain. Treatment varies depending on the cause of pain. Pain relievers, acupuncture and sometimes surgery are helpful.
Swine flu is an infection caused by a virus. It's named for a virus that pigs can get. People do not normally get swine flu, but human infections can and do happen. In 2009 a strain of swine flu called H1N1 infected many people around the world.    The virus is contagious and can spread from human to human. Symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.    There are antiviral medicines you can take to prevent or treat swine flu. There is a vaccine available to protect against swine flu. You can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza by       - Covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.    - Washing your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. You can also use alcohol-based hand cleaners.    - Avoiding touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.    - Trying to avoid close contact with sick people.    - Staying home from work or school if you are sick.       Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The prostate is a gland in men. It helps make semen, the fluid that contains sperm. The prostate surrounds the tube that carries urine away from the bladder and out of the body. A young man's prostate is about the size of a walnut. It slowly grows larger with age. If it gets too large, it can cause problems. This is very common after age 50. The older men get, the more likely they are to have prostate trouble.    Some common problems are       - Prostatitis - inflammation, usually caused by bacteria    - Enlarged prostate (BPH), or benign prostatic hyperplasia - a common problem in older men which may cause dribbling after urination or a need to go often, especially at night    - Prostate cancer - a common cancer that responds best to treatment when detected early       NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Summary : Vitamins are substances that your body needs to grow and develop normally. Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium. Calcium is one of the main building blocks of bone. A lack of vitamin D can lead to bone diseases such as osteoporosis or rickets. Vitamin D also has a role in your nerve, muscle, and immune systems.    You can get vitamin D in three ways: through your skin, from your diet, and from supplements. Your body forms vitamin D naturally after exposure to sunlight. However, too much sun exposure can lead to skin aging and skin cancer. So many people try to get their vitamin D from other sources.    Vitamin D-rich foods include egg yolks, saltwater fish, and liver. Some other foods, like milk and cereal, often have added vitamin D.     You can also take vitamin D supplements. Check with your health care provider to see how much you should take. People who might need extra vitamin D include       - Seniors    - Breastfed infants    - People with dark skin    - People with certain conditions, such as liver diseases, cystic fibrosis and Crohn's disease    - People who are obese or have had gastric bypass surgery       NIH: National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements
Overactive bladder is a condition in which the bladder squeezes urine out at the wrong time. You may have overactive bladder if you have two or more of these symptoms:       - You urinate eight or more times a day or two or more times at night    - You have the sudden, strong need to urinate immediately    - You leak urine after a sudden, strong urge to urinate       You also may have incontinence, a loss of bladder control. Nerve problems, too much fluid, or too much caffeine can cause it. Often the cause is unknown.    Your doctor may prescribe a medicine that can calm muscles and nerves. The medicine may come as a pill, a liquid, or a patch. The medicines can cause your eyes to become dry. They can also cause dry mouth and constipation. To deal with these effects, use eye drops to keep your eyes moist, chew sugarless gum or suck on sugarless hard candy if dry mouth bothers you, and take small sips of water throughout the day.    NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Summary : A heart transplant removes a damaged or diseased heart and replaces it with a healthy one. The healthy heart comes from a donor who has died. It is the last resort for people with heart failure when all other treatments have failed. The heart failure might have been caused by coronary heart disease, damaged heart valves or heart muscles, congenital heart defects, or viral infections of the heart.    Although heart transplant surgery is a life-saving measure, it has many risks. Careful monitoring, treatment, and regular medical care can prevent or help manage some of these risks.    After the surgery, most heart transplant patients can return to their normal levels of activity. However, fewer than 30 percent return to work for many different reasons.    NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Summary : Cosmetics are products you apply to your body to clean it, make it more attractive, or change the way it looks. They include       -  Hair dyes     -  Makeup     -  Perfumes     -  Skin-care creams        Cosmetics that treat or prevent diseases are also drugs. Products such as dandruff shampoo, fluoride toothpaste, and antiperspirant deodorant are both cosmetics and drugs. A good way to tell if you're buying a cosmetic that is also a drug is to see if the first ingredient listed is an "active ingredient." The active ingredient is the chemical that makes the product effective. The manufacturer must have proof that it's safe for its intended use.    Cosmetics can cause allergic reactions. The first sign is often red and irritated skin. Fragrances and preservatives are the most common causes of skin problems.    To find out all the ingredients in a cosmetic you use, check the container. Manufacturers are required to list them. Labels such as "natural" and "hypoallergenic" have no official meaning. Companies can use them to mean whatever they want.     Food and Drug Administration
Summary : Lice are parasitic insects that can be found on people's heads and bodies. They survive by feeding on human blood. Lice found on each area of the body are different from each other. The three types of lice that live on humans are head lice, body lice (also called clothes lice), and pubic lice ("crabs").     Symptoms of lice may include       - Intense itching    - Rash    - Visible nits (lice eggs) or crawling lice           Lice spread most commonly by close person-to-person contact. Dogs, cats, and other pets do not spread human lice. Lice move by crawling. They cannot hop or fly. If you get lice, both over-the-counter and prescription medicines are available for treatment.    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Any part of your neck - muscles, bones, joints, tendons, ligaments, or nerves - can cause neck problems. Neck pain is very common. Pain may also come from your shoulder, jaw, head, or upper arms.     Muscle strain or tension often causes neck pain. The problem is usually overuse, such as from sitting at a computer for too long. Sometimes you can strain your neck muscles from sleeping in an awkward position or overdoing it during exercise. Falls or accidents, including car accidents, are another common cause of neck pain. Whiplash, a soft tissue injury to the neck, is also called neck sprain or strain.    Treatment depends on the cause, but may include applying ice, taking pain relievers, getting physical therapy or wearing a cervical collar. You rarely need surgery.
Summary : Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel and act as we cope with life. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.     Mental illnesses are serious disorders which can affect your thinking, mood, and behavior. There are many causes of mental disorders. Your genes and family history may play a role. Your life experiences, such as stress or a history of abuse, may also matter. Biological factors can also be part of the cause. Mental disorders are common, but treatments are available.
Tuberous sclerosis is a rare genetic disease that causes benign tumors to grow in the brain and other organs. Symptoms vary, depending on where the tumors grow. They could include       - Skin problems, such as light patches and thickened skin    - Seizures    - Behavior problems    - Intellectual disabilities    - Kidney problems       Some people have signs of tuberous sclerosis at birth. In others it can take time for the symptoms to develop. The disease can be mild, or it can cause severe disabilities. In rare cases, tumors in vital organs or other symptoms can be life-threatening.    Tuberous sclerosis has no cure, but treatments can help symptoms. Options include medicines, educational and occupational therapy, surgery, or surgery to treat specific complications.    NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Osteoporosis makes your bones weak and more likely to break. Anyone can develop osteoporosis, but it is common in older women. As many as half of all women and a quarter of men older than 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis.    Risk factors include        -  Getting older     -  Being small and thin     -  Having a family history of osteoporosis    -  Taking certain medicines    -  Being a white or Asian woman    -  Having osteopenia, which is low bone density       Osteoporosis is a silent disease. You might not know you have it until you break a bone. A bone mineral density test is the best way to check your bone health. To keep bones strong, eat a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D, exercise and do not smoke. If needed, medicines can also help.     NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
If you have diabetes, your blood glucose, or blood sugar, levels are too high. Over time, this can damage your eyes. The most common problem is diabetic retinopathy. It is a leading cause of blindness in American adults.    Your retina is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of your eye. You need a healthy retina to see clearly. Diabetic retinopathy damages the tiny blood vessels inside your retina.    You may not notice it at first. Symptoms can include       - Blurry or double vision    - Rings, flashing lights, or blank spots    - Dark or floating spots    - Pain or pressure in one or both of your eyes    - Trouble seeing things out of the corners of your eyes       Treatment often includes laser treatment or surgery, with follow-up care.    Two other eye problems can happen to people with diabetes. A cataract is a cloud over the lens of your eye. Surgery helps you see clearly again. Glaucoma happens when pressure builds up in the eye, damaging the main nerve. Eye drops or surgery can help.    If you have diabetes, you should have a complete eye exam every year. Finding and treating problems early may save your vision.     NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Summary : Breastfeeding offers many benefits to your baby. Breast milk contains the right balance of nutrients to help your infant grow into a strong and healthy toddler. Some of the nutrients in breast milk also help protect your infant against some common childhood illnesses and infections. It may also help your health. Certain types of cancer may occur less often in mothers who have breastfed their babies.    Women who don't have health problems should try to give their babies breast milk for at least the first six months of life. Most women with health problems can breastfeed. There are rare exceptions when women are advised not to breastfeed because they have certain illnesses. Some medicines, illegal drugs, and alcohol can also pass through the breast milk and cause harm to your baby. Check with your health care provider if you have concerns about whether you should breastfeed.    If you are having problems with breastfeeding, contact a lactation consultant.    NIH: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Summary : Pets can add fun, companionship and a feeling of safety to your life. Before getting a pet, think carefully about which animal is best for your family. What is each family member looking for in a pet? Who will take care of it? Does anyone have pet allergies? What type of animal suits your lifestyle and budget?    Once you own a pet, keep it healthy. Know the signs of medical problems. Take your pet to the veterinarian if you notice:       - Loss of appetite    - Drinking a lot of water    - Gaining or losing a lot of weight quickly    - Strange behavior    - Being sluggish and tired    - Trouble getting up or down    - Strange lumps
Summary : A bioterrorism attack is the deliberate release of viruses, bacteria, or other germs to cause illness or death. These germs are often found in nature. But they can sometimes be made more harmful by increasing their ability to cause disease, spread, or resist medical treatment.    Biological agents spread through the air, water, or in food. Some can also spread from person to person. They can be very hard to detect. They don't cause illness for several hours or days. Scientists worry that anthrax, botulism, Ebola and other hemorrhagic fever viruses, plague, or smallpox could be used as biological agents.    Biodefense uses medical measures to protect people against bioterrorism. This includes medicines and vaccinations. It also includes medical research and preparations to defend against bioterrorist attacks.    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a disorder that causes extreme fatigue. This fatigue is not the kind of tired feeling that goes away after you rest. Instead, it lasts a long time and limits your ability to do ordinary daily activities.    The main symptom of CFS is severe fatigue that lasts for 6 months or more. You also have at least four of these other symptoms:       - Feeling unwell for more than 24 hours after physical activity    - Muscle pain    - Memory problems    - Headaches    - Pain in multiple joints    - Sleep problems    - Sore throat    - Tender lymph nodes       CFS is hard to diagnose. There are no tests for it, and other illnesses can cause similar symptoms. Your doctor has to rule out other diseases before making a diagnosis of CFS.    No one knows what causes CFS. It is most common in women in their 40s and 50s, but anyone can have it. It can last for years. There is no cure for CFS, so the goal of treatment is to improve symptoms. Medicine may treat pain, sleep disorders, and other problems. Lifestyle changes, coping techniques, and a special, gradual exercise program can also help.    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Summary : The field of ethics studies principles of right and wrong. There is hardly an area in medicine that doesn't have an ethical aspect. For example, there are ethical issues relating to        - End of life care: Should a patient receive nutrition? What about advance directives and resuscitation orders?    - Abortion: When does life begin? Is it ethical to terminate a pregnancy with a birth defect?    - Genetic and prenatal testing: What happens if you are a carrier of a defect? What if testing shows that your unborn baby has a defect?    - Birth control: Should it be available to minors?    - Is it ethical to harvest embryonic stem cells to treat diseases?    - Organ donation: Must a relative donate an organ to a sick relative?    - Your personal health information: who has access to your records?    - Patient rights: Do you have the right to refuse treatment?    - When you talk with your doctor, is it ethical for her to withhold information from you or your family?
Plague is an infection caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. The bacteria are found mainly in rats and in the fleas that feed on them. People and other animals can get plague from rat or flea bites. In the past, plague destroyed entire civilizations. Today plague is uncommon, due to better living conditions and antibiotics.    There are three forms of plague:       - Bubonic plague causes the tonsils, adenoids, spleen, and thymus to become inflamed. Symptoms include fever, aches, chills, and tender lymph glands.    - In septicemic plague, bacteria multiply in the blood. It causes fever, chills, shock, and bleeding under the skin or other organs.    - Pneumonic plague is the most serious form. Bacteria enter the lungs and cause pneumonia. People with the infection can spread this form to others. This type could be a bioterror agent.       Lab tests can diagnose plague. Treatment is a strong antibiotic. There is no vaccine.    NIH: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
A person with dual diagnosis has both a mental disorder and an alcohol or drug problem. These conditions occur together frequently. In particular, alcohol and drug problems tend to occur with       - Depression     - Anxiety disorders    - Schizophrenia     - Personality disorders        Sometimes the mental problem occurs first. This can lead people to use alcohol or drugs that make them feel better temporarily. Sometimes the substance abuse occurs first. Over time, that can lead to emotional and mental problems.    Someone with a dual diagnosis must treat both conditions. For the treatment to be effective, the person needs to stop using alcohol or drugs. Treatments may include behavioral therapy, medicines, and support groups.    NIH: National Institute on Drug Abuse
The ovaries are part of the female reproductive system. They produce a woman's eggs and female hormones. Each ovary is about the size and shape of an almond.    Cancer of the ovary is not common, but it causes more deaths than other female reproductive cancers. The sooner ovarian cancer is found and treated, the better your chance for recovery. But ovarian cancer is hard to detect early. Women with ovarian cancer may have no symptoms or just mild symptoms until the disease is in an advanced stage. Then it is hard to treat. Symptoms may include       - A heavy feeling in the pelvis    - Pain in the lower abdomen    -  Bleeding from the vagina    -  Weight gain or loss    -  Abnormal periods    -  Unexplained back pain that gets worse    -  Gas, nausea, vomiting, or loss of appetite       To diagnose ovarian cancer, doctors do one or more tests. They include a physical exam, a pelvic exam, lab tests, ultrasound, or a biopsy. Treatment is usually surgery followed by chemotherapy.    NIH: National Cancer Institute
Summary : Nuclear scans use radioactive substances to see structures and functions inside your body. They use a special camera that detects radioactivity.    Before the test, you receive a small amount of radioactive material. You may get it as an injection. Sometimes you swallow it or inhale it. Then you lie still on a table while the camera makes images. Most scans take 20 to 45 minutes.    Nuclear scans can help doctors diagnose many conditions, including cancers, injuries, and infections. They can also show how organs like your heart and lungs are working.
Summary : No matter how well you have prepared, you might feel dazed or numb after going through a disaster. You may also feel sad, helpless, or anxious. In spite of the tragedy, you might just feel happy to be alive.    It is not unusual to have bad memories or dreams. You may avoid places or people that remind you of the disaster. You might have trouble sleeping, eating, or paying attention. Many people have short tempers and get angry easily. These are all normal reactions to stress.    Sometimes the stress can be too much to handle alone. Some people have long-term problems after a disaster, including       -  Post-traumatic stress disorder    -  Depression    -  Self-blame    -  Suicidal thoughts    -  Alcohol or drug abuse       If your emotional reactions are getting in the way of your relationships, work, or other important activities, talk to a counselor or your doctor. Treatments are available.    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention