Article: If you experience any symptoms of anemia, such as persistent fatigue, weakness, pale skin, or shortness of breath, make an appointment with your doctor. It's important to get a definite diagnosis so that you can treat your condition appropriately. Different types of anemia require different treatments. It's also important to rule out other conditions that might be causing your symptoms (such as a thyroid disorder or heart disease). Your doctor will perform a physical exam, which means they will listen to your heart and breathing. They will also check for physical signs of anemia and ask you about other symptoms. Your doctor will also likely draw a small amount of blood to check your blood count. This is a test that counts the number of RBCs and other cells in the blood and check the quality of your RBCs. If the underlying cause of the anemia is not clear, other tests may be ordered. If you try to donate blood and can't because you have a low hemoglobin count, see your doctor and ask to be tested for anemia. Before using any supplements to treat your anemia, talk to your doctor about which supplements are likely to help you and in what doses. You should also let them know about any other medications or supplements you are currently taking to avoid potentially dangerous interactions. If you have deficiency anemia, you may need to take your supplements in forms you can't get over-the-counter. For example, treatment for vitamin B-12 deficiency anemia sometimes involves regular injections of vitamin B-12.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
See your doctor for a diagnosis if you suspect anemia. Consult with your doctor before trying supplements.
Article: Treatments may be available to help manage changes in your condition. Treatment of pain should always first be directed toward identifying and treating the underlying cause before just symptom relief. If you have not seen a doctor about your pain, and your pain has been persistent, medical attention is warranted. Prescription pain medications are stronger than over-the-counter products, and are available in oral forms as well as topical products. These products often contain controlled substances that can be addictive, such as opiates. Some prescription opiate-free products are available, such as anti-inflammatory agents and tramadol. Older antidepressant agents, called tricyclics, some anticonvulsant drugs, and muscle relaxers are commonly prescribed to help manage chronic pain conditions. These agents work in different ways to control pain signals sent to and from the brain, and to relax muscle tissue surrounding the painful areas. Prescription only patches are also available. Some are applied directly over the painful area, these typically contain active ingredients like lidocaine, and some are applied anywhere that allows the medication to be absorbed into your bloodstream, like patches that contain fentanyl. In addition to prescription pain medications, many procedures are available that are designed to treat conditions involving pain. Physical therapy, nerve blocks, localized anesthetics, acupuncture, electrical stimulation, or even surgery may improve your pain. Chronic pain symptoms are sometimes controlled by using nerve block injections that are performed as an outpatient. Let your doctor know if you are allergic to contrast dye, which is commonly used during the procedures. Depending on the site of the injection, common side effects include temporary numbness and soreness in the area of the injection site. Some procedures can result in droopy eyelids, temporary stuffy nose, and temporary difficulty swallowing. For some types of chronic pain, stimulating the nerves in the area can help to reduce painful symptoms. A TENS unit, or transcutaneous electro-nerve stimulator unit, uses small pads that are placed near the area of the pain. This device is controlled manually by the patient. Chronic pain affects people of all ages, involves practically every part of the body, and includes hundreds of diseases. Keep in touch with your doctor. Follow your doctor's advice if your symptoms worsen.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
See a doctor if your pain suddenly changes, or worsens. Take prescription pain meds. Consider medical procedures. Ask your doctor about a TENS unit. Recognize the warning signs specific to your condition.
Article: It's a difficult fact to come to terms with, but some friendships aren't worth repairing. If your friend consistently treated you poorly or made you feel bad about yourself, you may not want to keep that friend in your life. Your friend should show you kindness, encouragement, respect, and empathy. If your friend is generally incapable of giving you these things, or vice versa, it may not be a healthy friendship. A surefire sign of a toxic friendship is if you feel like you can't be yourself around that person. If you're forced to walk on eggshells, it's probably not a good friendship. If your friend criticizes your personality consistently, this is a toxic relationship. If you don't feel comfortable being yourself around them, then it may be a sign that you don't trust them not to use the information you share with them against you. Since healthy relationships are based on trust, your friendship may never be close if this feeling remains. A good friend offers criticism with compassion. Healthy, mutual friendships involve a balance of both friends reaching out to the other. If your friend never calls or texts you, or if you are always the one who has to make plans, there may be an imbalance in the friendship. A toxic friend may make you compete for their friendship, whereas a good friend will accept you and make time for you without exception. Toxic people tend to force you to abandon your own problems to deal with theirs. Think about how you felt around this person and ask yourself whether it was honestly supportive and comfortable to be friends with that individual. You should feel like you can generally trust your friend. You should also feel supported by one another. Your friend should inspire you to grow, and you should do the same for your friend. If you've decided that a friendship isn't worth saving, you'll need to cut off all ties with that person. Be firm and direct. Don't just block someone's phone number and avoid them forever get some type of closure by verbally ending the friendship. For example, you might say something like, "I've been thinking about our friendship and I think I need to take a break. I don't like the way I feel when we're around each other I think I need to sort some things out for myself."
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Examine the way you treat each other. Determine if you feel like you can be your true self around them. Make sure there's balance in your friendship. Evaluate whether your friendship is healthy and mutually-beneficial. Cut off ties with toxic friends.