This Video COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary (PULL-mun-ary) disease, is a progressive disease that makes it hard to breathe. "Progressive" means the disease gets worse over time. COPD can cause coughing that produces large amounts of mucus (a slimy substance), wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and other symptoms. Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of COPD. Most people who have COPD smoke or used to smoke. Long-term exposure to other lung irritants—such as air pollution, chemical fumes, or dust—also may contribute to COPD.

Vertigo is a sense of rotation, rocking, or the world spinning, experienced even when someone is perfectly still. Many children attempt to create a sense of vertigo by spinning around for a time; this type of induced vertigo lasts for a few moments and then disappears. In comparison, when vertigo occurs spontaneously or as a result of an injury it tends to last for many hours or even days before resolving.

The spine is made flexible by discs located between each vertebra and ligaments made of tough elastic fibers which hold the vertebrae together. The spine gives the body stability and protects the spinal cord which is located in a narrow canal that runs through the center of each vertebra.

each type of heart problem requires different treatment but may share similar warning signs. It is important to see your doctor so that you can receive a correct diagnosis and prompt treatment. Learn to recognize the symptoms that may signal heart disease. Call your doctor if you begin to have new symptoms or if they become more frequent or severe. Symptoms of Coronary Artery Disease The most common symptom of coronary artery disease is angina, or chest pain. Angina can be described as a discomfort, heaviness, pressure, aching, burning, fullness, squeezing, or painful feeling in your chest. It can be mistaken for indigestion or heartburn. Angina may also be felt in the shoulders, arms, neck, throat, jaw, or back. Other symptoms of coronary artery disease include: Shortness of breath Palpitations (irregular heart beats, or a "flip-flop" feeling in your chest) A faster heartbeat Weakness or dizziness Nausea Sweating

mply put, relapses, also known as flare ups, or (MS) attacks are new or worsening MS symptoms. But there is a concrete definition used by healthcare providers to identify MS attacks. To be considered an MS relapse: Old symptoms of MS must have become worse or new symptoms appeared.

Epstein-Barr is the virus that causes mononucleosis. You might know this disease better by its nickname, "mono." It's also called the "kissing disease" because of one way you can spread it to someone else. Even though Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) isn't a household name, you've probably been infected without knowing it. Lots of people carry the virus but don't get sick

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In a small but promising Phase II clinical trial of breast cancer treatment, cryoablation killed 25 early-stage tumors in 13 women. The tumors ranged in size from .5 cm (very small) to 5.8 cm (very large), with an average size of 1.7cm. Patients were first given a local anesthesia with mild sedation before physicians used ultrasound with or without computed tomography (CT) imaging to guide needle-like probes to deliver very low temperature gas to the tumor site. The ultra-cold gas forms a ball of ice around the probe tip, then expands and destroys surrounding tumor cells. A harmless saline solution was first injected into the chest wall and skin of the breast to protect the tissue surrounding the tumor from the freezing effects. Patients experienced very little pain and most healed completely within six months with no complications and with little or no scarring. The cryotherapy margins of each participant were biopsied immediately after the procedures, and all were negative, with no evidence of cancerous tissue. All 13 patients were without recurrence at an average of 18 months and up to five years following the procedure. These results are promising, but larger studies with lengthier follow-up are needed to determine whether cryotherapy as effective as lumpectomy. A study involving cryoablation of mouse tumors at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center found that the freezing procedure also works like a vaccine, boosting the immune system to reduce the likelihood of recurrence. Just how quickly the tumor was frozen made a difference: a 30-second freeze killed tumors and also boosted the immune system, inhibiting metastases to the lungs. A slower freezing lasting several minutes destroyed tumors just as effectively, but actually suppressed the immune system, resulting in greater metastases to the lungs.

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Atherosclerosis is a process in which blood, fats such as cholesterol, and other substances build up on your artery walls. Eventually, deposits called plaques may form. The deposits may narrow — or block — your arteries. These plaques can also rupture, causing a blood clot.

Otitis media with effusion is inflammation and fluid buildup (effusion) in the middle ear without bacterial or viral infection. This may occur because the fluid buildup persists after an ear infection has resolved. It may also occur because of some dysfunction or noninfectious blockage of the eustachian tubes

Uterine polyps, also called endometrial polyps, are usually small, bulb-shaped masses of endometrial tissue attached to the uterus by a stalk. They are soft, as opposed to uterine fibroids, which can grow much bigger and are made of hard muscle.

The voice box, or larynx, has three important functions. It is necessary for breathing, voice and swallowing. The vocal folds have two positions, open (apart) for breathing (picture I) and closed (together) for making sound, coughing and sealing off the lungs when swallowing (picture II). When one of the vocal folds are paralyzed, it usually rests in an in-between position (picture III), and neither opens for breathing, nor closes for voicing, coughing, or swallowing. Usually, the effects on the voice are the most dramatic. The voice becomes weak and breathy. People can only say a few words per breath, and are frequently out-of-breath, or physically tired when trying to speak for more than a few minutes straight. The voice may also get somewhat high and squeaky, with a diminished range. Swallowing may be affected as well, where you may notice some choking or coughing with certain liquids. Your cough is frequently different and very weak. This is a serious problem for patients with with vocal fold paralysis because one of the most important functions of the larynx is to keep liquids out of the lungs, and to be able to cough up mucus. When this does not happen, you are at risk for getting an "aspiration" pneumonia. The surgical procedure to restore these important functions is called "medialization laryngoplasty"

This video: Pericarditis is swelling and irritation of the pericardium, the thin sac-like membrane surrounding your heart. Pericarditis often causes chest pain and sometimes other symptoms. The sharp chest pain associated with pericarditis occurs when the irritated layers of the pericardium rub against each other. Pericarditis usually begins suddenly but doesn't last long (acute). When symptoms develop more gradually or persist, pericarditis is considered chronic. Most cases are mild and usually improve on their own. Treatment for more-severe cases may include medications and, rarely, surgery. Early diagnosis and treatment may help to reduce the risk of long-term complications from pericarditis.