shaneperry0101/health-chatbot huggingface dataset:
Question: What to do for Hemochromatosis ?
Answer: Iron is an essential nutrient found in many foods. Healthy people usually absorb less than 10 percent of iron in the food they eat.6 People with hemochromatosis absorb up to 30 percent of that iron.6 People with hemochromatosis can help prevent iron overload by
- eating only moderate amounts of iron-rich foods, such as red meat and organ meat - avoiding supplements that contain iron - avoiding supplements that contain vitamin C, which increases iron absorption
People with hemochromatosis can take steps to help prevent liver damage, including
- limiting the amount of alcoholic beverages they drink because alcohol increases their chance of cirrhosis and liver cancer - avoiding alcoholic beverages entirely if they already have cirrhosis
Question: What is (are) Adrenal Insufficiency and Addison's Disease ?
Answer: Adrenal insufficiency is an endocrine, or hormonal, disorder that occurs when the adrenal glands do not produce enough of certain hormones. The adrenal glands are located just above the kidneys.
Adrenal insufficiency can be primary or secondary. Addisons disease, the common term for primary adrenal insufficiency, occurs when the adrenal glands are damaged and cannot produce enough of the adrenal hormone cortisol. The adrenal hormone aldosterone may also be lacking. Addisons disease affects 110 to 144 of every 1 million people in developed countries.1
Secondary adrenal insufficiency occurs when the pituitary glanda pea-sized gland at the base of the brainfails to produce enough adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), a hormone that stimulates the adrenal glands to produce the hormone cortisol. If ACTH output is too low, cortisol production drops. Eventually, the adrenal glands can shrink due to lack of ACTH stimulation. Secondary adrenal insufficiency is much more common than Addisons disease.
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Question: What are the symptoms of Adrenal Insufficiency and Addison's Disease ?
Answer: Adrenal Insufficiency
The most common symptoms of adrenal insufficiency are
- chronic, or long lasting, fatigue - muscle weakness - loss of appetite - weight loss - abdominal pain
Other symptoms of adrenal insufficiency can include
- nausea - vomiting - diarrhea - low blood pressure that drops further when a person stands up, causing dizziness or fainting - irritability and depression - craving salty foods - hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar - headache - sweating - irregular or absent menstrual periods - in women, loss of interest in sex
Hyperpigmentation, or darkening of the skin, can occur in Addisons disease, although not in secondary adrenal insufficiency. This darkening is most visible on scars; skin folds; pressure points such as the elbows, knees, knuckles, and toes; lips; and mucous membranes such as the lining of the cheek.
The slowly progressing symptoms of adrenal insufficiency are often ignored until a stressful event, such as surgery, a severe injury, an illness, or pregnancy, causes them to worsen.
Adrenal Crisis
Sudden, severe worsening of adrenal insufficiency symptoms is called adrenal crisis. If the person has Addisons disease, this worsening can also be called an Addisonian crisis. In most cases, symptoms of adrenal insufficiency become serious enough that people seek medical treatment before an adrenal crisis occurs. However, sometimes symptoms appear for the first time during an adrenal crisis.
Symptoms of adrenal crisis include
- sudden, severe pain in the lower back, abdomen, or legs - severe vomiting and diarrhea - dehydration - low blood pressure - loss of consciousness
If not treated, an adrenal crisis can cause death.
Get Treatment for Adrenal Crisis Right Away People with adrenal insufficiency who have weakness, nausea, or vomiting need immediate emergency treatment to prevent an adrenal crisis and possible death. An injection with a synthetic glucocorticoid hormone called a corticosteroid can save a persons life. People should make sure to have a corticosteroid injection with them at all times, and make sure their friends and family know how and when to give the injection. Read more under How is adrenal insufficiency treated?
Question: What are the treatments for Adrenal Insufficiency and Addison's Disease ?
Answer: People with adrenal insufficiency who have weakness, nausea, or vomiting need immediate emergency treatment to prevent an adrenal crisis and possible death. An injection with a synthetic glucocorticoid hormone called a corticosteroid can save a persons life. People should make sure to have a corticosteroid injection with them at all times, and make sure their friends and family know how and when to give the injection.
Read more under How is adrenal insufficiency treated?
Question: How to prevent Adrenal Insufficiency and Addison's Disease ?
Answer: The following steps can help a person prevent adrenal crisis:
- Ask a health care provider about possibly having a shortage of adrenal hormones, if always feeling tired, weak, or losing weight. - Learn how to increase the dose of corticosteroid for adrenal insufficiency when ill. Ask a health care provider for written instructions for sick days. First discuss the decision to increase the dose with the health care provider when ill. - When very ill, especially if vomiting and not able to take pills, seek emergency medical care immediately.
Question: What to do for Adrenal Insufficiency and Addison's Disease ?
Answer: Some people with Addisons disease who are aldosterone deficient can benefit from following a diet rich in sodium. A health care provider or a dietitian can give specific recommendations on appropriate sodium sources and daily sodium guidelines if necessary.
Corticosteroid treatment is linked to an increased risk of osteoporosisa condition in which the bones become less dense and more likely to fracture. People who take corticosteroids should protect their bone health by consuming enough dietary calcium and vitamin D. A health care provider or a dietitian can give specific recommendations on appropriate daily calcium intake based upon age and suggest the best types of calcium supplements, if necessary.
Question: What are the symptoms of Hypothyroidism ?
Answer: Hypothyroidism has many symptoms that can vary from person to person. Some common symptoms of hypothyroidism are
- fatigue - weight gain - a puffy face - cold intolerance - joint and muscle pain - constipation - dry skin - dry, thinning hair - decreased sweating - heavy or irregular menstrual periods and impaired fertility - depression - slowed heart rate
However, hypothyroidism develops slowly, so many people dont notice symptoms of the disease.
Symptoms more specific to Hashimotos disease are a goiter and a feeling of fullness in the throat.
Hypothyroidism can contribute to high cholesterol, so people with high cholesterol should be tested for hypothyroidism. Rarely, severe, untreated hypothyroidism may lead to myxedema coma, an extreme form of hypothyroidism in which the bodys functions slow to the point that it becomes life threatening. Myxedema requires immediate medical treatment.
Question: How to diagnose Hypothyroidism ?
Answer: Many symptoms of hypothyroidism are the same as those of other diseases, so hypothyroidism usually cannot be diagnosed based on symptoms alone. With suspected hypothyroidism, health care providers take a medical history and perform a thorough physical examination. Health care providers may then use several blood tests to confirm a diagnosis of hypothyroidism and find its cause:
TSH test. The ultrasensitive TSH test is usually the first test a health care provider performs. This test detects even tiny amounts of TSH in the blood and is the most accurate measure of thyroid activity available. Generally, a TSH reading above normal means a person has hypothyroidism and a reading below normal means a person has hyperthyroidism.
Mildly elevated TSH without symptoms indicates subclinical hypothyroidism. Some health care providers treat subclinical hypothyroidism immediately. Others prefer to leave it untreated but monitor their patients for signs that the condition is worsening.
Health care providers may conduct additional tests to help confirm the diagnosis or determine the cause of hypothyroidism.
T4 test. This test measures the actual amount of circulating thyroid hormone in the blood. In hypothyroidism, the level of T4 in the blood is lower than normal.
Thyroid autoantibody test. This test looks for the presence of thyroid autoantibodies. Most people with Hashimotos disease have these antibodies, but people whose hypothyroidism is caused by other conditions do not.
More information about testing for thyroid problems is provided in the NIDDK health topic, Thyroid Tests.
Question: What are the treatments for Hypothyroidism ?
Answer: Health care providers treat hypothyroidism with synthetic thyroxine, a medication that is identical to the hormone T4. The exact dose will depend on the patients age and weight, the severity of the hypothyroidism, the presence of other health problems, and whether the person is taking other drugs that might interfere with how well the body uses thyroid hormone.
Health care providers test TSH levels about 6 to 8 weeks after a patient begins taking thyroid hormone and make any necessary adjustments to the dose. Each time the dose is adjusted, the blood is tested again. Once a stable dose is reached, blood tests are normally repeated in 6 months and then once a year.
Hypothyroidism can almost always be completely controlled with synthetic thyroxine, as long as the recommended dose is taken every day as instructed.
Question: What to do for Hypothyroidism ?
Answer: Experts recommend that people eat a balanced diet to obtain most nutrients. More information about diet and nutrition can be found on the National Agricultural Library website at www.nutrition.gov.
Dietary Supplements
Iodine is an essential mineral for the thyroid. However, people with autoimmune thyroid disease may be sensitive to harmful side effects from iodine. Taking iodine drops or eating foods containing large amounts of iodinesuch as seaweed, dulse, or kelpmay cause or worsen hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. More information about iodine can be found in the National Library of Medicine fact sheet Iodine in diet, available at www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002421.htm.
Women need more iodine when they are pregnantabout 250 micrograms a day because the baby gets iodine from the mothers diet. In the United States, about 7 percent of pregnant women may not get enough iodine in their diet or through prenatal vitamins.3 Choosing iodized salt salt supplemented with iodineover plain salt and prenatal vitamins containing iodine will ensure this need is met.
To help ensure coordinated and safe care, people should discuss their use of dietary supplements, such as iodine, with their health care provider. Tips for talking with health care providers are available through the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.
Question: What causes Urinary Tract Infection In Adults ?
Answer: Most UTIs are caused by bacteria that live in the bowel. The bacterium Escherichia coli (E. coli) causes the vast majority of UTIs. Microbes called Chlamydia and Mycoplasma can infect the urethra and reproductive system but not the bladder. Chlamydia and Mycoplasma infections may be sexually transmitted and require treatment of sexual partners.
The urinary tract has several systems to prevent infection. The points where the ureters attach to the bladder act like one-way valves to prevent urine from backing up toward the kidneys, and urination washes microbes out of the body. In men, the prostate gland produces secretions that slow bacterial growth. In both sexes, immune defenses also prevent infection. But despite these safeguards, infections still occur. Certain bacteria have a strong ability to attach themselves to the lining of the urinary tract.
Question: How to prevent Urinary Tract Infection In Adults ?
Answer: Changing some daily habits may help a person prevent recurrent UTIs.
Eating, Diet, and Nutrition
Drinking lots of fluid can help flush bacteria from the system. Water is best. Most people should try for six to eight, 8-ounce glasses a day. Talk with your health care provider if you cant drink the recommended amount due to other health problems, such as urinary incontinence, urinary frequency, or kidney failure.
Urination Habits
A person should urinate often and when the urge arises. Bacteria can grow when urine stays in the bladder too long. Women and men should urinate shortly after sex to flush away bacteria that might have entered the urethra during sex. Drinking a glass of water will also help flush bacteria away.
After using the toilet, women should wipe from front to back. This step is most important after a bowel movement to keep bacteria from getting into the urethra.
Clothing
Cotton underwear and loose-fitting clothes should be worn, so air can keep the area around the urethra dry. Tight-fitting jeans and nylon underwear should be avoided because they can trap moisture and help bacteria grow.
Birth Control
For women, using a diaphragm or spermicide for birth control can lead to UTIs by increasing bacteria growth. A woman who has trouble with UTIs should try switching to a new form of birth control. Unlubricated condoms or spermicidal condoms increase irritation, which may help bacteria grow. Switching to lubricated condoms without spermicide or using a nonspermicidal lubricant may help prevent UTIs.
Question: How to prevent Diagnosis of Diabetes and Prediabetes ?
Answer: A major research study, the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), proved that people with prediabetes were able to sharply reduce their risk of developing diabetes during the study by losing 5 to 7 percent of their body weight through dietary changes and increased physical activity.
Study participants followed a low-fat, low-calorie diet and engaged in regular physical activity, such as walking briskly five times a week for 30 minutes. These strategies worked well for both men and women in all racial and ethnic groups, but were especially effective for participants age 60 and older. A follow-up study, the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study (DPPOS), showed losing weight and being physically active provide lasting results. Ten years after the DPP, modest weight loss delayed onset of type 2 diabetes by an average of 4 years.
The diabetes medication metformin also lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes in people with prediabetes, especially those who are younger and heavier and women who have had gestational diabetes. The DPPOS showed that metformin delayed type 2 diabetes by 2 years. People at high risk should ask their health care provider if they should take metformin to prevent type 2 diabetes. Metformin is a medication that makes insulin work better and can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
More information about insulin resistance, the DPP, or how to lower risk for type 2 diabetes is provided in the NIDDK health topics:
- Am I at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes? - Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) - Insulin Resistance and Prediabetes
Additional information about the DPP, funded under NIH clinical trial number NCT00004992, and the DPPOS, funded under NIH clinical trial number NCT00038727, can be found at www.bsc.gwu.edu/dpp.
As part of its Small Steps, Big Rewards campaign, the National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) offers several booklets about preventing type 2 diabetes, including information about setting goals, tracking progress, implementing a walking program, and finding additional resources. These materials are available at www.ndep.nih.gov or by calling the NDEP at 1888693NDEP (18886936337).
Question: What are the treatments for Diagnosis of Diabetes and Prediabetes ?
Answer: People can manage their diabetes with meal planning, physical activity, and if needed, medications. More information about taking care of type 1 or type 2 diabetes is provided in the NIDDK health topics:
- What I need to know about Diabetes Medicines - What I need to know about Eating and Diabetes - Your Guide to Diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2
These NDIC publications are available at http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/Diabetes/Pages/default.aspx or by calling 18008608747.
Question: What is (are) Mntriers Disease ?
Answer: Mntriers disease causes the ridges along the inside of the stomach wallcalled rugaeto enlarge, forming giant folds in the stomach lining. The rugae enlarge because of an overgrowth of mucous cells in the stomach wall.
In a normal stomach, mucous cells in the rugae release protein-containing mucus. The mucous cells in enlarged rugae release too much mucus, causing proteins to leak from the blood into the stomach. This shortage of protein in the blood is known as hypoproteinemia. Mntriers disease also reduces the number of acid-producing cells in the stomach, which decreases stomach acid.
Mntriers disease is also called Mntrier disease or hypoproteinemic hypertrophic gastropathy.
Question: What causes Mntriers Disease ?
Answer: Scientists are unsure about what causes Mntriers disease; however, researchers think that most people acquire, rather than inherit, the disease. In extremely rare cases, siblings have developed Mntriers disease as children, suggesting a genetic link.
Studies suggest that people with Mntriers disease have stomachs that make abnormally high amounts of a protein called transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-).
TGF- binds to and activates a receptor called epidermal growth factor receptor. Growth factors are proteins in the body that tell cells what to do, such as grow larger, change shape, or divide to make more cells. Researchers have not yet found a cause for the overproduction of TGF-.
Some studies have found cases of people with Mntriers disease who also had Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. H. pylori is a bacterium that is a cause of peptic ulcers, or sores on the lining of the stomach or the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine. In these cases, treatment for H. pylori reversed and improved the symptoms of Mntriers disease.1
Researchers have linked some cases of Mntriers disease in children to infection with cytomegalovirus (CMV). CMV is one of the herpes viruses. This group of viruses includes the herpes simplex viruses, which cause chickenpox, shingles, and infectious mononucleosis, also known as mono. Most healthy children and adults infected with CMV have no symptoms and may not even know they have an infection. However, in people with a weakened immune system, CMV can cause serious disease, such as retinitis, which can lead to blindness.
Researchers are not sure how H. pylori and CMV infections contribute to the development of Mntriers disease.
Question: What are the symptoms of Mntriers Disease ?
Answer: The most common symptom of Mntriers disease is pain in the upper middle part of the abdomen. The abdomen is the area between the chest and hips.
Other signs and symptoms of Mntriers disease may include
- nausea and frequent vomiting - diarrhea - loss of appetite - extreme weight loss - malnutrition - low levels of protein in the blood - swelling of the face, abdomen, limbs, and feet due to low levels of protein in the blood - anemiatoo few red blood cells in the body, which prevents the body from getting enough oxygendue to bleeding in the stomach
People with Mntriers disease have a higher chance of developing stomach cancer, also called gastric cancer.
Question: What are the treatments for Mntriers Disease ?
Answer: Treatment may include medications, IV protein, blood transfusions, and surgery.
Medications
Health care providers may prescribe the anticancer medication cetuximab (Erbitux) to treat Mntriers disease. Studies have shown that cetuximab blocks the activity of epidermal growth factor receptor and can significantly improve a persons symptoms, as well as decrease the thickness of the stomach wall from the overgrowth of mucous cells. A person receives cetuximab by IV in a health care providers office or an outpatient center. Studies to assess the effectiveness of cetuximab to treat Mntriers disease are ongoing. A health care provider also may prescribe medications to relieve nausea and abdominal pain.
In people with Mntriers disease who also have H. pylori or CMV infection, treatment of the infection may improve symptoms. Health care providers prescribe antibiotics to kill H. pylori. Antibiotic regimens may differ throughout the world because some strains of H. pylori have become resistant to certain antibioticsmeaning that an antibiotic that once destroyed the bacterium is no longer effective. Health care providers use antiviral medications to treat CMV infection in a person with a weakened immune system in order to prevent a serious disease from developing as a result of CMV. Antiviral medications cannot kill CMV; however, they can slow down the virus reproduction.
Intravenous Protein and Blood Transfusions
A health care provider may recommend an IV treatment of protein and a blood transfusion to a person who is malnourished or anemic because of Mntriers disease. In most cases of children with Mntriers disease who also have had CMV infection, treatment with protein and a blood transfusion led to a full recovery.
Surgery
If a person has severe Mntriers disease with significant protein loss, a surgeon may need to remove part or all of the stomach in a surgery called gastrectomy.
Surgeons perform gastrectomy in a hospital. The patient will require general anesthesia. Some surgeons perform a gastrectomy through laparoscopic surgery rather than through a wide incision in the abdomen. In laparoscopic surgery, the surgeon uses several smaller incisions and feeds special surgical tools through the incisions to remove the diseased part of the stomach. After gastrectomy, the surgeon may reconstruct the changed portions of the GI tract so that it may continue to function. Usually the surgeon attaches the small intestine to any remaining portion of the stomach or to the esophagus if he or she removed the entire stomach.
Question: What is (are) Inguinal Hernia ?
Answer: An inguinal hernia happens when contents of the abdomenusually fat or part of the small intestinebulge through a weak area in the lower abdominal wall. The abdomen is the area between the chest and the hips. The area of the lower abdominal wall is also called the inguinal or groin region.
Two types of inguinal hernias are
- indirect inguinal hernias, which are caused by a defect in the abdominal wall that is congenital, or present at birth - direct inguinal hernias, which usually occur only in male adults and are caused by a weakness in the muscles of the abdominal wall that develops over time
Inguinal hernias occur at the inguinal canal in the groin region.