randomani/MedicalQnA-llama2 huggingface dataset:
This is a medical question of type : information 
 What is (are) Thrombocythemia and Thrombocytosis ? 
 Thrombocythemia (THROM-bo-si-THE-me-ah) and thrombocytosis (THROM-bo-si-TO-sis) are conditions in which your blood has a higher than normal number of platelets (PLATE-lets).
                
Platelets are blood cell fragments. They're made in your bone marrow along with other kinds of blood cells.
                
Platelets travel through your blood vessels and stick together (clot). Clotting helps stop any bleeding that may occur if a blood vessel is damaged. Platelets also are called thrombocytes (THROM-bo-sites) because a blood clot also is called a thrombus.
                
A normal platelet count ranges from 150,000 to 450,000 platelets per microliter of blood.
                
Overview
                
The term "thrombocythemia" is preferred when the cause of a high platelet count isn't known. The condition sometimes is called primary or essential thrombocythemia.
                
This condition occurs if faulty cells in the bone marrow make too many platelets. Bone marrow is the sponge-like tissue inside the bones. It contains stem cells that develop into red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. What causes the bone marrow to make too many platelets often isn't known.
                
With primary thrombocythemia, a high platelet count may occur alone or with other blood cell disorders. This condition isn't common.
                
When another disease or condition causes a high platelet count, the term "thrombocytosis" is preferred. This condition often is called secondary or reactive thrombocytosis. Secondary thrombocytosis is more common than primary thrombocythemia.
                
Often, a high platelet count doesn't cause signs or symptoms. Rarely, serious or life-threatening symptoms can develop, such as blood clots and bleeding. These symptoms are more likely to occur in people who have primary thrombocythemia.
                
Outlook
                
People who have primary thrombocythemia with no signs or symptoms don't need treatment, as long as the condition remains stable.
                
Other people who have this condition may need medicines or procedures to treat it. Most people who have primary thrombocythemia will live a normal lifespan.
                
Treatment and outlook for secondary thrombocytosis depend on its underlying cause.
This is a medical question of type : causes 
 What causes Thrombocythemia and Thrombocytosis ? 
 Primary Thrombocythemia
                
In this condition, faulty stem cells in the bone marrow make too many platelets. What causes this to happen usually isn't known. When this process occurs without other blood cell disorders, it's called essential thrombocythemia.
                
A rare form of thrombocythemia is inherited. ("Inherited" means the condition is passed from parents to children through the genes.) In some cases, a genetic mutation may cause the condition.
                
In addition to the bone marrow making too many platelets, the platelets also are abnormal in primary thrombocythemia. They may form blood clots or, surprisingly, cause bleeding when they don't work well.
                
Bleeding also can occur because of a condition that develops called von Willebrand disease. This condition affects the blood clotting process.
                
After many years, scarring of the bone marrow can occur.
                
Secondary Thrombocytosis
                
This condition occurs if another disease, condition, or outside factor causes the platelet count to rise. For example, 35 percent of people who have high platelet counts also have cancermostly lung, gastrointestinal, breast, ovarian, and lymphoma. Sometimes a high platelet count is the first sign of cancer.
                
Other conditions or factors that can cause a high platelet count are:
                
Iron-deficiency anemia (uh-NEE-me-uh)
                
Hemolytic (HEE-moh-lit-ick) anemia
                
Absence of a spleen (after surgery to remove the organ)
                
Inflammatory or infectious diseases, such as connective tissue disorders, inflammatory bowel disease, and tuberculosis
                
Reactions to medicine
                
Some conditions can lead to a high platelet count that lasts for only a short time. Examples of such conditions include:
                
Recovery from serious blood loss
                
Recovery from a very low platelet count caused by excessive alcohol use and lack of vitamin B12 or folate
                
Acute (short-term) infection or inflammation
                
Response to physical activity
                
Although the platelet count is high in secondary thrombocytosis, the platelets are normal (unlike in primary thrombocythemia). Thus, people who have secondary thrombocytosis have a lower risk of blood clots and bleeding.
This is a medical question of type : susceptibility 
 Who is at risk for Thrombocythemia and Thrombocytosis? ? 
 Primary Thrombocythemia
                
Thrombocythemia isn't common. The exact number of people who have the condition isn't known. Some estimates suggest that 24 out of every 100,000 people have primary thrombocythemia.
                
Primary thrombocythemia is more common in people aged 50 to 70, but it can occur at any age. For unknown reasons, more women around the age of 30 have primary thrombocythemia than men of the same age.
                
Secondary Thrombocytosis
                
You might be at risk for secondary thrombocytosis if you have a disease, condition, or factor that can cause it. (For more information, go to "What Causes Thrombocythemia and Thrombocytosis?")
                
Secondary thrombocytosis is more common than primary thrombocythemia. Studies have shown that most people who have platelet counts over 500,000 have secondary thrombocytosis.
This is a medical question of type : symptoms 
 What are the symptoms of Thrombocythemia and Thrombocytosis ? 
 People who have thrombocythemia or thrombocytosis may not have signs or symptoms. These conditions might be discovered only after routine blood tests.
                
However, people who have primary thrombocythemia are more likely than those who have secondary thrombocytosis to have serious signs and symptoms.
                
The signs and symptoms of a high platelet count are linked to blood clots and bleeding. They include weakness, bleeding, headache, dizziness, chest pain, and tingling in the hands and feet.
                
Blood Clots
                
In primary thrombocythemia, blood clots most often develop in the brain, hands, and feet. But they can develop anywhere in the body, including in the heart and intestines.
                
Blood clots in the brain may cause symptoms such as chronic (ongoing) headache and dizziness. In extreme cases, stroke may occur.
                
Blood clots in the tiny blood vessels of the hands and feet leave them numb and red. This may lead to an intense burning and throbbing pain felt mainly on the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet.
                
Other signs and symptoms of blood clots may include:
                
Changes in speech or awareness, ranging from confusion to passing out
                
Seizures
                
Upper body discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or abdomen
                
Shortness of breath and nausea (feeling sick to your stomach)
                
In pregnant women, blood clots in the placenta can cause miscarriage or problems with fetal growth and development.
                
Women who have primary thrombocythemia or secondary thrombocytosis and take birth control pills are at increased risk for blood clots.
                
Blood clots are related to other conditions and factors as well. Older age, prior blood clots, diabetes, high blood pressure, and smoking also increase your risk for blood clots.
                
Bleeding
                
If bleeding occurs, it most often affects people who have platelet counts higher than 1million platelets per microliter of blood. Signs of bleeding include nosebleeds, bruising, bleeding from the mouth or gums, or blood in the stools.
                
Although bleeding usually is associated with a low platelet count, it also can occur in people who have high platelet counts. Blood clots that develop in thrombocythemia or thrombocytosis may use up your body's platelets. This means that not enough platelets are left in your bloodstream to seal off cuts or breaks on the blood vessel walls.
                
Another cause of bleeding in people who have very high platelets counts is a condition called von Willebrand Disease. This condition affects the blood clotting process.
                
In rare cases of primary thrombocythemia, the faulty bone marrow cells will cause a form of leukemia (lu-KE-me-ah). Leukemia is a cancer of the blood cells.
This is a medical question of type : prevention 
 How to prevent Thrombocythemia and Thrombocytosis ? 
 You can't prevent primary thrombocythemia. However, you can take steps to reduce your risk for complications. For example, you can control many of the risk factors for blood clots, such as high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking.
                
To reduce your risk, quit smoking, adopt healthy lifestyle habits, and work with your doctor to manage your risk factors.
                
It's not always possible to prevent conditions that lead to secondary thrombocytosis. But, if you have routine medical care, your doctor may detect these conditions before you develop a high platelet count.
This is a medical question of type : information 
 What is (are) Hemochromatosis ? 
 Hemochromatosis (HE-mo-kro-ma-TO-sis) is a disease in which too much iron builds up in your body (iron overload). Iron is a mineral found in many foods.
                
Too much iron is toxic to your body. It can poison your organs and cause organ failure. In hemochromatosis, iron can build up in most of your body's organs, but especially in the liver, heart, and pancreas.
                
Too much iron in the liver can cause an enlarged liver, liver failure, liver cancer, or cirrhosis (sir-RO-sis). Cirrhosis is scarring of the liver, which causes the organ to not work well.
                
Too much iron in the heart can cause irregular heartbeats called arrhythmias (ah-RITH-me-ahs) and heart failure. Too much iron in the pancreas can lead to diabetes.
                
If hemochromatosis isn't treated, it may even cause death.
                
Overview
                
The two types of hemochromatosis are primary and secondary. Primary hemochromatosis is caused by a defect in the genes that control how much iron you absorb from food. Secondary hemochromatosis usually is the result of another disease or condition that causes iron overload.
                
Most people who have primary hemochromatosis inherit it from their parents. If you inherit two hemochromatosis genesone from each parentyou're at risk for iron overload and signs and symptoms of the disease. The two faulty genes cause your body to absorb more iron than usual from the foods you eat.
                
Hemochromatosis is one of the most common genetic disorders in the United States. However, not everyone who has hemochromatosis has signs or symptoms of the disease.
                
Estimates of how many people develop signs and symptoms vary greatly. Some estimates suggest that as many as half of all people who have the disease don't have signs or symptoms.
                
The severity of hemochromatosis also varies. Some people don't have complications, even with high levels of iron in their bodies. Others have severe complications or die from the disease.
                
Certain factors can affect the severity of the disease. For example, a high intake of vitamin C can make hemochromatosis worse. This is because vitamin C helps your body absorb iron from food.
                
Alcohol use can worsen liver damage and cirrhosis caused by hemochromatosis. Conditions such as hepatitis also can further damage or weaken the liver.
                
Outlook
                
The outlook for people who have hemochromatosis largely depends on how much organ damage they have at the time of diagnosis. Early diagnosis and treatment of the disease are important.
                
Treatment may help prevent, delay, or sometimes reverse complications of the disease. Treatment also may lead to better quality of life.
                
For people who are diagnosed and treated early, a normal lifespan is possible. If left untreated, hemochromatosis can lead to severe organ damage and even death.
This is a medical question of type : causes 
 What causes Hemochromatosis ? 
 The two types of hemochromatosis are primary and secondary. Each type has a different cause.
                
Primary Hemochromatosis
                
Primary hemochromatosis is caused by a defect in the genes that control how much iron you absorb from food. This form of the disease sometimes is called hereditary or classical hemochromatosis. Primary hemochromatosis is more common than the secondary form of the disease.
                
The genes usually involved in primary hemochromatosis are called HFE genes. Faulty HFE genes cause the body to absorb too much iron. If you inherit two copies of the faulty HFE gene (one from each parent), you're at risk for iron overload and signs and symptoms of hemochromatosis.
                
If you inherit one faulty HFE gene and one normal HFE gene, you're a hemochromatosis "carrier." Carriers usually don't develop the disease. However, they can pass the faulty gene on to their children. Estimates suggest that about 1 in 10 people in the United States are hemochromatosis carriers.
                
If two parents are carriers of the faulty HFE gene, then each of their children has a 1 in 4 chance of inheriting two faulty HFE genes.
                
Although less common, other faulty genes also can cause hemochromatosis. Researchers continue to study what changes to normal genes may cause the disease.
                
Secondary Hemochromatosis
                
Secondary hemochromatosis usually is the result of another disease or condition that causes iron overload. Examples of such diseases and conditions include:
                
Certain types of anemia, such as thalassemias and sideroblastic anemia
                
Atransferrinemia and aceruloplasminemiaboth are rare, inherited diseases
                
Chronic liver diseases, such as chronic hepatitis C infection, alcoholic liver disease, or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis
                
Other factors also can cause secondary hemochromatosis, including:
                
Blood transfusions
                
Oral iron pills or iron injections, with or without very high vitamin C intake (vitamin C helps your body absorb iron)
                
Long-term kidney dialysis
This is a medical question of type : susceptibility 
 Who is at risk for Hemochromatosis? ? 
 Hemochromatosis is one of the most common genetic diseases in the United States. It's most common in Caucasians of Northern European descent. The disease is less common in African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, and American Indians.
                
Primary hemochromatosis is more common in men than in women. Also, older people are more likely to develop the disease than younger people. In fact, signs and symptoms usually don't occur in men until they're 40 to 60 years old.
                
In women, signs and symptoms usually don't occur until after the age of 50 (after menopause). Young children rarely develop hemochromatosis.
                
Inheriting two faulty HFE genes (one from each parent) is the major risk factor for hemochromatosis. However, many people who have two copies of the faulty gene don't develop signs or symptoms of the disease.
                
Alcoholism is another risk factor for hemochromatosis. A family history of certain diseases and conditions also puts you at higher risk for hemochromatosis. Examples of such diseases and conditions include heart attack, liver disease, diabetes, arthritis, and erectile dysfunction (impotence).
This is a medical question of type : symptoms 
 What are the symptoms of Hemochromatosis ? 
 Hemochromatosis can affect many parts of the body and cause various signs and symptoms. Many of the signs and symptoms are similar to those of other diseases.
                
Signs and symptoms of hemochromatosis usually don't occur until middle age. Women are more likely to have general symptoms first, such as fatigue (tiredness). In men, complications such as diabetes or cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) often are the first signs of the disease.
                
Signs and symptoms also vary based on the severity of the disease. Common signs and symptoms of hemochromatosis include joint pain, fatigue, general weakness, weight loss, and stomach pain.
                
Not everyone who has hemochromatosis has signs or symptoms of the disease. Estimates of how many people develop signs and symptoms vary greatly. Some estimates suggest that as many as half of all people who have the disease don't have signs or symptoms.
                
Hemochromatosis Complications
                
If hemochromatosis isn't found and treated early, iron builds up in your body and can lead to:
                
Liver disease, including an enlarged liver, liver failure, liver cancer, or cirrhosis (scarring of the liver)
                
Heart problems, including arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats) and heart failure
                
Diabetes, especially in people who have a family history of diabetes
                
Joint damage and pain, including arthritis
                
Reproductive organ failure, such as erectile dysfunction (impotence), shrinkage of the testicles, and loss of sex drive in men, and absence of the menstrual cycle and early menopause in women
                
Changes in skin color that make the skin look gray or bronze
                
Underactive pituitary and thyroid glands
                
Damage to the adrenal glands
This is a medical question of type : treatment 
 What are the treatments for Hemochromatosis ? 
 Treatments for hemochromatosis include therapeutic phlebotomy (fleh-BOT-o-me), iron chelation (ke-LAY-shun) therapy, dietary changes, and treatment for complications.
                
The goals of treating hemochromatosis include:
                
Reducing the amount of iron in your body to normal levels
                
Preventing or delaying organ damage from iron overload
                
Treating complications of the disease
                
Maintaining a normal amount of iron in your body for the rest of your life
                
Therapeutic Phlebotomy
                
Therapeutic phlebotomy is a procedure that removes blood (and iron) from your body. A needle is inserted into a vein, and your blood flows through an airtight tube into a sterile container or bag.
                
The process is similar to donating blood; it can be done at blood donation centers, hospital donation centers, or a doctor's office.
                
In the first stage of treatment, about 1 pint of blood is removed once or twice a week. After your iron levels return to normal, you may continue phlebotomy treatments. However, you may need them less oftentypically every 24 months.
                
As long as treatment continues, which often is for the rest of your life, you'll need frequent blood tests to check your iron levels.
                
Iron Chelation Therapy
                
Iron chelation therapy uses medicine to remove excess iron from your body. This treatment is a good option for people who can't have routine blood removal.
                
The medicine used in iron chelation therapy is either injected or taken orally (by mouth). Injected iron chelation therapy is done at a doctor's office. Oral iron chelation therapy can be done at home.
                
Dietary Changes
                
Your doctor may suggest that you change your diet if you have hemochromatosis. You may be advised to:
                
Avoid taking iron, including iron pills, iron injections, or multivitamins that contain iron.
                
Limit your intake of vitamin C. Vitamin C helps your body absorb iron from food. Talk with your doctor about how much vitamin C is safe for you.
                
Avoid uncooked fish and shellfish. Some fish and shellfish contain bacteria that can cause infections in people who have chronic diseases, such as hemochromatosis.
                
Limit alcohol intake. Drinking alcohol increases the risk of liver disease. It also can make existing liver disease worse.
                
Treatment for Complications
                
Your doctor may prescribe other treatments as needed for complications such as liver disease, heart problems, or diabetes.
This is a medical question of type : prevention 
 How to prevent Hemochromatosis ? 
 You can't prevent primary, or inherited, hemochromatosis. However, not everyone who inherits hemochromatosis genes develops symptoms or complications of the disease. In those who do, treatments can keep the disease from getting worse.
                
Treatments include therapeutic phlebotomy, iron chelation therapy, dietary changes, and other treatments. For more information, go to "How Is Hemochromatosis Treated?"
                
People who have hemochromatosis (or a family history of it) and are planning to have children may want to consider genetic testing and counseling. Testing will help show whether one or both parents have faulty HFE genes. A genetic counselor also can help figure out the likelihood of the parents passing the faulty genes on to their children.
This is a medical question of type : information 
 What is (are) Cough ? 
 A cough is a natural reflex that protects your lungs. Coughing helps clear your airways of lung irritants, such as smoke and mucus (a slimy substance). This helps prevent infections. A cough also can be a symptom of a medical problem.
                
Prolonged coughing can cause unpleasant side effects, such as chest pain, exhaustion, light-headedness, and loss of bladder control. Coughing also can interfere with sleep, socializing, and work.
                
Overview
                
Coughing occurs when the nerve endings in your airways become irritated. The airways are tubes that carry air into and out of your lungs. Certain substances (such as smoke and pollen), medical conditions, and medicines can irritate these nerve endings.
                
A cough can be acute, subacute, or chronic, depending on how long it lasts.
                
An acute cough lasts less than 3 weeks. Common causes of an acute cough are a common cold or other upper respiratory (RES-pi-rah-tor-e) infections. Examples of other upper respiratory infections include the flu, pneumonia (nu-MO-ne-ah), and whooping cough.
                
A subacute cough lasts 3 to 8 weeks. This type of cough remains even after a cold or other respiratory infection is over.
                
A chronic cough lasts more than 8 weeks. Common causes of a chronic cough are upper airway cough syndrome (UACS); asthma; and gastroesophageal (GAS-tro-eh-so-fa-JE-al) reflux disease, or GERD.
                
"UACS" is a term used to describe conditions that inflame the upper airways and cause a cough. Examples include sinus infections and allergies. These conditions can cause mucus to run down your throat from the back of your nose. This is called postnasal drip.
                
Asthma is a long-term lung disease that inflames and narrows the airways. GERD occurs if acid from your stomach backs up into your throat.
                
Outlook
                
The best way to treat a cough is to treat its cause. For example, asthma is treated with medicines that open the airways.
                
Your doctor may recommend cough medicine if the cause of your cough is unknown and the cough causes a lot of discomfort. Cough medicines may harm children. If your child has a cough, talk with his or her doctor about how to treat it.