What should you know about factitious disorders (Munchausen syndrome)? What is the medical definition of factitious disorder? Facticious disorder (previously called "Munchausen syndrome") is characterized by feigning or intentionally producing physical or emotional symptoms in another person in order to place that person in the sick role. What are the symptoms of factitious disorders? Symptoms a victim of factitious disorders...
What Is Jaundice in Newborns? Definition, Symptoms, Causes
What should you know about jaundice in newborns and babies? Jaundice is the yellowish discoloration of the skin, mucous membranes and the whites of the eyes (sclerae) caused by elevated levels of bilirubin in the blood (hyperbilirubinemia). The term jaundice is derived from the French word jaune, which means yellow. Jaundice is not technically a disease, but rather it is...
Tuberculosis (TB) Treatment, Test, Vaccine & Cause
Tuberculosis (TB) facts Readers Comments 5 Share Your Story TB is an infectious disease that's transmitted from person to person. Consumption: an old and once common term for wasting away of the body, particularly from pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) at certain times in the past used interchangeably with TB There are many different types of TB. A bacterium, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, causes...
Is C. diff (Clostridium difficile) Contagious?
What facts should I know about C. diff (Clostridium difficile)? Readers Comments 20 Share Your Story What is a bacterial infection? What is the medical definition of C. diff? Clostridium difficile or C. diff is a bacterium. Microscopically it is referred to as gram positive and rod-shaped. It is exists best in a low oxygen environment. It was first described in...
Potassium Chloride Supplement Side Effects, Uses & Dosage
What is potassium chloride, and how does it work (mechanism of action)? Potassium preparations are used for supplementing potassium in order to treat or prevent low potassium levels in the blood (hypokalemia). Potassium is a major mineral (electrolyte) that is important for the function of every cell in the body. For example, it is important in nerve conduction, muscle contraction,...
Healthy Living Facts, Diet and Exercise Tips & Tools for Success
What is healthy living? Healthy living involves more than physical health, it also includes mental and emotional health. This article is designed to give tips to readers about how they can improve or augment actions in their life to have a healthy lifestyle; it is not meant to be all inclusive but will include major components that are considered to...
RDW Test (Red Cell Distribution Width): Purpose, Test Meaning, and More
What Is RDW? The RDW test identifies the variation in size of your red blood cells. A red cell distribution width (RDW) test is one part of a complete blood count (CBC). That’s a standard test doctors use to check your health by looking at the parts that make up your blood. RDW measures how the sizes of your red...
MCH Levels: High and Low Symptoms, Treatments, and Risks
What Are MCH Levels? MCH levels reveal the average amount of hemoglobin in each red blood cell. Hemoglobin is a protein that makes your blood red. It takes oxygen from your lungs to other parts of your body. It’s also what helps your body get rid of carbon dioxide. Mean corpuscular hemoglobin, or MCH, is the average amount of hemoglobin...
Sibutramine (Meridia): Weight Loss Side Effects & Dosage
What is sibutramine? What is sibutramine used for? Sibutramine is no longer available in the U.S. because of the risk of serious cardiovascular problems in some people who take it. Sibutramine is indicated for the management of obesity, including weight loss and maintenance of weight loss, and should be used in conjunction with a reduced calorie diet. Sibutramine is recommended for...
Tramadol (Ultram) vs. Hydrocodone (Zohydro ER) Opioid Painkillers
What is the difference between tramadol and hydrocodone? Tramadol (Ultram) and hydrocodone (Zohydro ER) are both prescription opiates and narcotics for pain, though tramadol is less potent. Hydrocodone is used for people with severe pain that don’t experience pain relief from weaker opiates like tramadol or codeine. Hydrocodone is derived from the poppy plant like other narcotics, including morphine, oxycodone,...