shaneperry0101/health-chatbot huggingface dataset:
Question: What are the symptoms of Pleurisy and Other Pleural Disorders ?
Answer: Pleurisy
The main symptom of pleurisy is a sharp or stabbing pain in your chest that gets worse when you breathe in deeply or cough or sneeze.
The pain may stay in one place or it may spread to your shoulders or back. Sometimes the pain becomes a fairly constant dull ache.
Depending on what's causing the pleurisy, you may have other symptoms, such as:
Shortness of breath or rapid, shallow breathing
Coughing
Fever and chills
Unexplained weight loss
Pneumothorax
The symptoms of pneumothorax include:
Sudden, sharp chest pain that gets worse when you breathe in deeply or cough
Shortness of breath
Chest tightness
Easy fatigue (tiredness)
A rapid heart rate
A bluish tint to the skin caused by lack of oxygen
Other symptoms of pneumothorax include flaring of the nostrils; anxiety, stress, and tension; and hypotension (low blood pressure).
Pleural Effusion
Pleural effusion often has no symptoms.
Hemothorax
The symptoms of hemothorax often are similar to those of pneumothorax. They include:
Chest pain
Shortness of breath
Respiratory failure
A rapid heart rate
Anxiety
Restlessness
Question: What is (are) Thrombocythemia and Thrombocytosis ?
Answer: 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.
Question: What causes Thrombocythemia and Thrombocytosis ?
Answer: 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.
Question: Who is at risk for Thrombocythemia and Thrombocytosis? ?
Answer: 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.
Question: What are the symptoms of Thrombocythemia and Thrombocytosis ?
Answer: 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.
Question: How to diagnose Thrombocythemia and Thrombocytosis ?
Answer: Your doctor will diagnose thrombocythemia or thrombocytosis based on your medical history, a physical exam, and test results. A hematologist also may be involved in your care. This is a doctor who specializes in blood diseases and conditions.
Medical History
Your doctor may ask you about factors that can affect your platelets, such as:
Any medical procedures or blood transfusions you've had
Any recent infections or vaccines you've had
The medicines you take, including over-the-counter medicines
Your general eating habits, including the amount of alcohol you normally drink
Any family history of high platelet counts
Physical Exam
Your doctor will do a physical exam to look for signs and symptoms of blood clots and bleeding. He or she also will check for signs of conditions that can cause secondary thrombocytosis, such as an infection.
Primary thrombocythemia is diagnosed only after all possible causes of a high platelet count are ruled out. For example, your doctor may recommend tests to check for early, undiagnosed cancer. If another disease, condition, or factor is causing a high platelet count, the diagnosis is secondary thrombocytosis.
Diagnostic Tests
Your doctor may recommend one or more of the following tests to help diagnose a high platelet count.
Complete Blood Count
A complete blood count (CBC) measures the levels of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in your blood. For this test, a small amount of blood is drawn from a blood vessel, usually in your arm.
If you have thrombocythemia or thrombocytosis, the CBC results will show that your platelet count is high.
Blood Smear
A blood smear is used to check the condition of your platelets. For this test, a small amount of blood is drawn from a blood vessel, usually in your arm. Some of your blood is put on a glass slide. A microscope is then used to look at your platelets.
Bone Marrow Tests
Bone marrow tests check whether your bone marrow is healthy. Blood cells, including platelets, are made in the bone marrow. The two bone marrow tests are aspiration (as-pih-RA-shun) and biopsy.
Bone marrow aspiration might be done to find out whether your bone marrow is making too many platelets. For this test, your doctor removes a sample of fluid bone marrow through a needle. He or she examines the sample under a microscope to check for faulty cells.
A bone marrow biopsy often is done right after an aspiration. For this test, your doctor removes a small amount of bone marrow tissue through a needle. He or she examines the tissue to check the number and types of cells in the bone marrow.
With thrombocythemia and thrombocytosis, the bone marrow has a higher than normal number of the very large cells that make platelets.
Other Tests
Your doctor may recommend other blood tests to look for genetic factors that can cause a high platelet count.
Question: How to prevent Thrombocythemia and Thrombocytosis ?
Answer: 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.
Question: Who is at risk for Hemochromatosis? ?
Answer: 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).
Question: How to prevent Hemochromatosis ?
Answer: 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.
Question: What is (are) Cough ?
Answer: 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.
Question: What causes Cough ?
Answer: Coughing occurs when the nerve endings in your airways become irritated. Certain irritants and allergens, medical conditions, and medicines can irritate these nerve endings.
Irritants and Allergens
An irritant is something you're sensitive to. For example, smoking or inhaling secondhand smoke can irritate your lungs. Smoking also can lead to medical conditions that can cause a cough. Other irritants include air pollution, paint fumes, or scented products like perfumes or air fresheners.
An allergen is something you're allergic to, such as dust, animal dander, mold, or pollens from trees, grasses, and flowers.
Coughing helps clear your airways of irritants and allergens. This helps prevent infections.
Medical Conditions
Many medical conditions can cause acute, subacute, or chronic cough.
Common causes of an acute cough are a common cold or other upper respiratory infections. Examples of other upper respiratory infections include the flu, pneumonia, and whooping cough. An acute cough lasts less than 3 weeks.
A lingering cough that remains after a cold or other respiratory infection is gone often is called a subacute cough. A subacute cough lasts 3 to 8 weeks.
Common causes of a chronic cough are upper airway cough syndrome (UACS), asthma, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). A chronic cough lasts more than 8 weeks.
"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 (a slimy substance) 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 is a condition in which acid from your stomach backs up into your throat.
Other conditions that can cause a chronic cough include:
Respiratory infections. A cough from an upper respiratory infection can develop into a chronic cough.
Chronic bronchitis (bron-KI-tis). This condition occurs if the lining of the airways is constantly irritated and inflamed. Smoking is the main cause of chronic bronchitis.
Bronchiectasis (brong-ke-EK-tah-sis). This is a condition in which damage to the airways causes them to widen and become flabby and scarred. This prevents the airways from properly moving mucus out of your lungs. An infection or other condition that injures the walls of the airways usually causes bronchiectasis.
COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). COPD is a disease that prevents enough air from flowing in and out of the airways.
Lung cancer. In rare cases, a chronic cough is due to lung cancer. Most people who develop lung cancer smoke or used to smoke.
Heart failure. Heart failure is a condition in which the heart can't pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. Fluid can build up in the body and lead to many symptoms. If fluid builds up in the lungs, it can cause a chronic cough.
Medicines
Certain medicines can cause a chronic cough. Examples of these medicines are ACE inhibitors and beta blockers. ACE inhibitors are used to treat high blood pressure (HBP). Beta blockers are used to treat HBP, migraine headaches, and glaucoma.
Question: Who is at risk for Cough? ?
Answer: People at risk for cough include those who:
Are exposed to things that irritate their airways (called irritants) or things that they're allergic to (called allergens). Examples of irritants are cigarette smoke, air pollution, paint fumes, and scented products. Examples of allergens are dust, animal dander, mold, and pollens from trees, grasses, and flowers.
Have certain conditions that irritate the lungs, such as asthma, sinus infections, colds, or gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Smoke. Smoking can irritate your lungs and cause coughing. Smoking and/or exposure to secondhand smoke also can lead to medical conditions that can cause a cough.
Take certain medicines, such as ACE inhibitors and beta blockers. ACE inhibitors are used to treat high blood pressure (HBP). Beta blockers are used to treat HBP, migraine headaches, and glaucoma.
Women are more likely than men to develop a chronic cough. For more information about the substances and conditions that put you at risk for cough, go to "What Causes Cough?"
Question: What are the symptoms of Cough ?
Answer: When you cough, mucus (a slimy substance) may come up. Coughing helps clear the mucus in your airways from a cold, bronchitis, or other condition. Rarely, people cough up blood. If this happens, you should call your doctor right away.
A cough may be a symptom of a medical condition. Thus, it may occur with other signs and symptoms of that condition. For example, if you have a cold, you may have a runny or stuffy nose. If you have gastroesophageal reflux disease, you may have a sour taste in your mouth.
A chronic cough can make you feel tired because you use a lot of energy to cough. It also can prevent you from sleeping well and interfere with work and socializing. A chronic cough also can cause headaches, chest pain, loss of bladder control, sweating, and, rarely, fractured ribs.
Question: How to diagnose Cough ?
Answer: Your doctor will diagnose the cause of your cough based on your medical history, a physical exam, and test results.
Medical History
Your doctor will likely ask questions about your cough. He or she may ask how long you've had it, whether you're coughing anything up (such as mucus, a slimy substance), and how much you cough.
Your doctor also may ask:
About your medical history, including whether you have allergies, asthma, or other medical conditions.
Whether you have heartburn or a sour taste in your mouth. These may be signs of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Whether you've recently had a cold or the flu.
Whether you smoke or spend time around others who smoke.
Whether you've been around air pollution, a lot of dust, or fumes.
Physical Exam
To check for signs of problems related to cough, your doctor will use a stethoscope to listen to your lungs. He or she will listen for wheezing (a whistling or squeaky sound when you breathe) or other abnormal sounds.
Diagnostic Tests
Your doctor may recommend tests based on the results of your medical history and physical exam. For example, if you have symptoms of GERD, your doctor may recommend a pH probe. This test measures the acid level of the fluid in your throat.
Other tests may include:
An exam of the mucus from your nose or throat. This test can show whether you have a bacterial infection.
A chest x ray. A chest x ray takes a picture of your heart and lungs. This test can help diagnose conditions such as pneumonia and lung cancer.
Lung function tests. These tests measure how much air you can breathe in and out, how fast you can breathe air out, and how well your lungs deliver oxygen to your blood. Lung function tests can help diagnose asthma and other conditions.
An x ray of the sinuses. This test can help diagnose a sinus infection.