Fainting. A big issue with high white blood cell counts is that the excessive number of white blood cells can essentially crowd out red blood cells in the blood. Red blood cells are necessary for carrying oxygen to other parts of the body, so without them, people may feel fatigued, get dizzy, and faint. Not all people with high white blood cell counts end up fainting. It is more common in those with high white blood cell levels due to cancer instead of high counts due to basic infections. Fainting due to high levels of white blood cells is normally temporary. People tend to recover consciousness fairly rapidly.

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Information. Penile cancer is not a common condition that happens when cells mutate and grow exponentially. These cells can join together to form a tumor. There can be penile tumors that are benign, but they need to be tested to make sure. Additionally, penile cancer usually occurs in uncircumcised men. Uncircumcised men still have a foreskin on the penis. This makes it easier for fluids to accumulate in the foreskin, contributing to the growth of cancer cells. Furthermore, this type of cancer is more prevalent in smokers, in men over 60, and in men who have a compromised or weakened immune system.

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Drink lots of fluids. This technique is also called flushing. It is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to produce a false negative with a pee test. A pee test will not measure the amount of illegal drugs in the urine; instead, they measure how many metabolites are found. When drugs are taken the body gets rid of them as metabolites, so drinking a lot of water helps the body produce untainted metabolites. Urinalysis will look for 44 different metabolites due recreational or prescription drug use. While drinking tons of water can help a person pass a drug test, too much water can be fatal. Water intoxication can damage the internal organs, so it is important not to over-hydrate.

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Swollen breasts. Swollen breasts are one of the most common early signs of pregnancy. If your breasts swell within a week to 10 days after ovulation, you might be pregnant. If they are swollen, tender, and they tingle, it’s an even more obvious sign of pregnancy. The one caveat to this rule is you might experience this before your period arrives every month. If this is a normal premenstrual problem for you, it might not be an easy way for you to tell if you’re pregnant. If you don’t always feel your breasts changing leading up to your menstrual cycle, it’s easier to tell when they do. However, this is one symptom that’s more easily noticed when you also exhibit other early signs of pregnancy.

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Information. Gastroparesis is an uncommon condition, and there are less than 200,000 cases a year in the United States. Besides the problems stated above, it can have consequences for people with diabetes because the delay of food entering the small intestine interferes with blood sugar levels. The person can also become dehydrated and malnourished as the nutrients from food trapped in the stomach can’t be utilized by the body. The condition overwhelmingly strikes young and middle aged women, though men and children are also susceptible. There are many tests that can diagnose gastroparesis, including the noninvasive radiographic gastric emptying test. The patient eats some food that contains a radioisotope and is scanned over time to see how quickly it leaves their stomach.

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Doctors routinely check blood pressure because controlled blood pressure is vital to the health of the entire body. Blood pressure is measured by two numbers: systolic and diastolic. Systolic blood pressure (the first or top number) relays the pressure of blood against the artery walls when the heart beats. Diastolic pressure (the second or bottom number) explains the force of blood against the artery walls between heartbeats. Blood pressure is usually recorded as systolic over diastolic (ex: 120 over 80 or 120/80).

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Hemophilia is a genetic disorder that harms the body’s capacity to control blood clotting, which is used to prevent bleeding caused by a damaged or broken blood vessel. There are many types of hemophilia, each of which causes prolonged bleeding. For example, people who have hemophilia and have a cut will bleed for a longer time than normal. It is usually inherited, and is a lifelong disease, though it can be managed and treated effectively.

Symptoms

There are several symptoms of hemophilia. Excessive bleeding is typically the most common. The amount of bleeding will depend on just how severe the case of hemophilia is. The excessive bleeding can be caused by an accident, a trip to see a dentist, or undergoing surgery. External bleeding signs include bleeding in the mouth from a bite, cut, or from a tooth falling out, nosebleeds caused by no apparent reason, bleeding from a cut that stops but begins again a short period of time, or heavy bleeding from a minor cut. Signs of internal bleeding may include bloody stool (internal bleeding in the stomach or intestines), bloody urine (bleeding in the bladder or kidneys), or large bruises. This bleeding can happen without any external injury. The joint may become hot to touch, swollen, and very painful to bend. Hemophilia can also cause internal bleeding to occur in a person’s brain. This is a very rare but a dangerous complication. It can occur after suffering a blow or strike to a person’s head, and result in long-lasting headaches, sudden weakness, changes in behavior, repeated vomiting, seizures and convulsions. The NHLBI provides more information on the various symptoms of hemophilia.

Causes

The main cause of hemophilia is a deficiency of clotting factors. It is inherited, meaning all patients start life with the disorder at birth. It is caused by a defect in one of the genes on the X chromosome that determines blood clotting in the body. A male who has the hemophilia gene on his X chromosome will suffer from hemophilia, but this is not necessarily the case with females, because they have two X chromosomes. It is extremely rare to have the faulty gene on both chromosomes. A woman can be a carrier however, and pass it on to their children despite not suffering any symptoms herself.

Prevention

Unfortunately, because hemophilia is an inherited genetic disease, it cannot be prevented. People who have hemophilia or women who are hemophilia carriers should talk to their family doctor or health professionals about having a child. If you do have hemophilia, it is important to maintain a healthy body weight to reduce stress on your joints, which can lead to bleeding episodes and chronic pain. You also want to create an exercise plan, preferably with your doctor, which is effective and safe. Regular exercise can strengthen the muscles and joints and prevent bleeding episodes.

Treatment

There is also no cure at this time, although most people suffering from hemophilia live fairly normal lives. The main treatment for hemophilia is replacement therapy.

This therapy consists of clotting factor VIII or IX slowly dripping into a vein (or injected into a vein). Mild hemophilia A is treated with a slow injection into the vein of a hormone which stimulates a release of more clotting factor to prevent excessive and dangerous bleeding. In severe cases of hemophilia A or hemophilia B, the bleeding might only stop after an infusion of clotting factor derived from genetically engineered products or donated from human blood. These infusions help replace a clotting factor that is low or missing. Regular preventive infusions may help stop bleeding as well. Your doctor can train you to perform infusions at work, home, or school. If the internal bleeding has damaged the joints, physical therapy can help them function better.

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Leukemia is a type of cancer of bone marrow or blood characterized by an abnormal increase of white blood cells. When you have leukemia, your bone marrow generates a lot of leukemia cells, which are irregular white blood cells. These leukemia cells crowd out regular blood cells, causing cancer and other serious problems like anemia, infections, and bleeding. Leukemia can affect people at any age, although about 90% of leukemia cases are diagnosed in adults. The name comes from the Ancient Greek meaning “white blood”. In the United States, there are almost 50 000 new cases of leukemia diagnosed each year, and about 24 000 deaths a year caused by leukemia.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of leukemia vary depending on what type you are diagnosed with. Common symptoms include fever, chills, and night sweats, bone pain or tenderness, headaches, joint pain, swollen lymph nodes in the neck, armpit, or groin, a painful or swollen stomach because of an enlarged spleen, feeling tired or weak, easy bruising, and losing weight. People who have leukemia may also see tiny red spots appear on their skin, and are much more susceptible to suffering from various infections and viruses. The National Cancer Institute has more information about leukemia and the types of symptoms that come with the disease.

Causes

There is no one single known cause for leukemia, or any of its specific types. The few known causes are usually caused by factors beyond a person’s control, and account for only a few cases. Leukemia is caused by mutations in DNA, just like all cancer. Some mutations can trigger leukemia. These mutations may happen as an outcome of exposure to carcinogenic substances or radiation, or may happen spontaneously. There are several risk factors, however, that can increase your chances of getting leukemia. If you are exposed to certain chemicals (like benzene) or large amounts of radiation, if you have genetic problems like down syndrome, if you have undergone specific types of chemotherapy to treat another form of cancer, or if you are a chronic smoker. There are four major types of leukemia: acute myelogenous leukemia, acute lymphocytic leukemia, chronic myelogenous leukemia, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Prevention

Unfortunately, most cases of leukemia cannot be prevented by lifestyle changes or taking medication. Researchers have been able to identify a few risk factors associated with leukemia, however. Smoking is one of these risk factors. Smoking puts you at risk for many types of cancer, such as acute myelogenous leukemia. Exposure to benzene also increases your risk for leukemia (benzene is a chemical product of petroleum and coal).

Treatment

The type of treatment you need depends on many factors, including the type of leukemia, how far along it is, and your overall health and age. Acute leukemia requires immediate treatment to prevent the rapid advance of leukemia cells.

In most cases, the treatment for acute leukemia makes it go into remission (not completely cured because there is still a chance it may come back). Chronic leukemia is rarely cured, but there is treatment available to help you control the symptoms and the disease. Chemotherapy is the main treatment used for almost all types of leukemia. It uses powerful medicines to eliminate cancer cells. Radiation treatments are also used. It uses high dose X-rays to shrink an enlarged spleen or swollen lymph nodes, and remove cells affected by cancer. Stem cell transplant can also be used. Stem cells boost your immune system and restore your supply of normal blood cells. Often chemotherapy or radiation is used first to make room for the new stem cells by destroying cells in the bone marrow. Other treatment options include biological therapy, which uses special medicines to improve the body’s natural defenses against cancer, and clinical trials.

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A blood clot (also called a thrombus) is created by the body as a normal response to a damaged blood vessel. The main purpose of a blood clot is to seal the link in the broken blood vessel. This protects the person from bleeding and stops blood from leaking out. Blood clots can be hurtful however, especially when they block arteries and stop oxygen and blood from flowing to vital organs. Clots that block blood flow are responsible for most strokes and heart attacks.

Symptoms

Blood clots can cause a heart attack, and can cause all the symptoms associated with a heart attack, including pain in the chest, back, left arm, and jaw. It may also include tightness in the chest, nausea, shortness of breath, and fainting. Blood clots can also result in a stroke. This may result in a loss of feeling on one side of the body, including the face, leg, and arm. In the case of Deep Vein Thrombosis, a blood clot may cause serious pain, redness, swelling, and a warm sensation over the affected area. DVT usually occurs in the leg and can lead to serious complications. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services has more information about symptoms of a blood clot, and how to prevent and treat it.

Causes

There are many different reasons behind a blood clot forming. An irregular heartbeat can lead to a blood clot, as the irregular pumping can cause blood to remain and clot in the heart chamber. Blood clots can also form in a narrowed artery, which can tear over time, allowing the clot to completely block the artery, causing serious health complications. Blood clots can also form in people who have had recent surgery, who take hormone supplements (including birth control), have a broke bone, are over 65, are confined to bed or have a serious lack of mobility, have bad veins, have a family history of blood clotting or have had a blood clot before, have heart trouble, and have taken a long trip (such as on an airplane or in a car).

Prevention

There are ways to prevent blood clots from forming. It is important to stay healthy and exercise frequently. You may want to wear loose-fitting clothing, and change your position constantly, especially if you are taking a long trip in a car or on an airplane. Try to avoid standing or sitting for more than 1 hour at a time. Eat less salt, do not use pillows under your knees, and raise the bottom of your bed to help influence blood flow. Prevention of blood clots is the best way to deal with the problems of stroke and heart disease. Lifestyle changes can help with this. Controlling high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels, quitting smoking, and avoiding high consumption of caffeine and alcohol are all ways to improve your lifestyle and prevent clotting, as well as other serious health risks.

Treatment

Treatment for blood clotting usually comes in the form of medication. This medication can prevent the clot from worsening, or moving to affect other organs or the lungs.

 There are several popular blood-thinning medications. They thin the blood which helps reduce the risk of clotting. Some can also be used as a long-term treatment to help stop new blood clots from forming. To relieve discomfort and mild inflammation, the affected area should be kept warm and elevated. Moist packs should be applied to the area for 15 minutes at a time, and should be done so multiple times throughout the day. If the symptoms and inflammation last for over a couple of days, it is important to see a physician as soon as possible. Blood clotting can also be caused by an infection, and this can usually be cured by antibiotics. In rare cases, surgery may be required to remove the inflamed portion of the vein.

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Diabetes (medically referred to as diabetes mellitus) is a group of metabolic diseases that causes a person to have very high blood sugar. This may be caused because the cells do not respond to , or because the pancreas does not produce enough hormones to handle the sugar in the blood stream. There are two main types of diabetes: Type 1 DM and Type 2 DM. Type 1 results from the body’s failure to produce hormone from the pancreas, while Type 2 occurs from resistance in the cells. There is a third type, called gestational diabetes, which occurs when a pregnant woman who does not have a prior diagnosis of diabetes develops a high blood glucose level. This usually resolves after delivery. Since manufactured versions of pancreatic hormone became available in 1921, all forms of diabetes have been treatable, although both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are chronic conditions that cannot be cured.

Symptoms

The typical symptoms of diabetes that is left untreated are increased thirst (polydipsia), frequent urination (polyuria), increased hunger (polyphagia), and weight loss. These symptoms may develop quickly (in months or even weeks) in Type 1 diabetes, but develop much more slowly in Type 2 diabetes. People with Type 1 diabetes tend to feel very tired and suffer from severe weight loss despite maintaining a normal or even excessive appetite. People with Type 2 diabetes tend to have a persistent thirst, may suffer from blurred vision, feel fatigued and have to urinate frequently. Diabetes is a major cause of heart disease, and can lead to kidney failure and blindness in adults. People with diabetes may also have to undergo foot amputations later in life because of circulatory problems. The American Diabetes Association provides more information about diabetes, its symptoms, and how to control them.

Causes

Type 1 diabetes is what is known as an autoimmune disorder. It is widely accepted that a combination of certain factors and genetic predisposition provoke the immune system into attacking and killing certain cells that are located within a pancreas. There is a different causes for type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is caused by a body showing an increased hormone resistance. This means the body cannot use the hormones it produces properly, no matter how much is made. This means glucose is unable to be transferred from blood into a person’s cells. In turn, this excess sugar in the blood will damage and poison the pancreas over time. In turn, this means it will produce lower levels of hormones, which makes it even more difficult to make sure the blood glucose stays under control. Genetic factors also play a role in causing Type 2 diabetes, as does obesity. Other risk factors include being over the age of 40, high blood pressure, HIV infection, high cholesterol, blood vessel disease, the use of certain medications, and mental health disorders.

Prevention

There are a number of ways you can help reduce the risk of being diagnosed with diabetes. One way is to get more physically active. There are numerous benefits to regular physical activity, and exercise can help you lower your blood sugar and lose weight while boosting your sensitivity to pancreatic hormones. This ensures your blood sugar stays within a normal range. Both resistance training and aerobic exercise can help control diabetes. You also want to make sure you get plenty of fiber in your diet. This lowers your risk of heart disease and improves your blood sugar control. It also makes you feel full, encouraging weight loss. Whole grains help maintain blood sugar levels and have been known to reduce the risk of diabetes. It is also important to lose any extra weight you may have. According to a recent study, overweight adults can reduce their diabetes risk by 16% for every 2.2 pounds they lose.

Treatment

The major goal behind treating diabetes is to minimize the elevation of blood sugar, while still maintaining necessary levels of blood sugar in the body. Type 1 diabetes is treated with exercise, hormone injections, and a specific diabetic diet.

 Type 2 diabetes is treated by having the patient lose weight, a specific exercise program, and a diabetic diet. Medications are extremely effective at treating diabetes, reducing the long-term effects of the condition, and controlling symptoms.

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