Your Health ToGo!

You're out working in your yard and decide that you need to trim some branches off one of the trees. You grab your ladder, climb up to the right spot, and get to work. The next you know, you wake up in the hospital to find that it's several days later, and the doctor tells you that you have a spinal cord injury from falling off the ladder. What does this mean for you at the moment? What does it mean for your future?

You've noticed that your toes and ankles have had this weird prickling sensation for the past few days. This morning, you realized that your legs felt weak, and it continues to worsen throughout the day. You go to the doctor, and he suspects you might have Guillain-Barré syndrome. What is this? Should you be concerned? How is it treated?

When most people hear the word meningitis, they immediately think of a person having a life-threatening illness. Is this always the case? It really depends on which type of meningitis the person has. How many types are there? Which one should you be most concerned about? How do you prevent getting any kind?

You've had a minor cold for the past few days, so you don't feel your best. When you woke up this morning, your neck was stiff and painful. Also, you can't turn your head to the right. Concerned that something serious might be going on, you go to the doctor. After examining you, she says that you have torticollis. What does this mean? Will it go away? How can you prevent it from coming back?

For the past several mornings, you have been waking up with pain in your hip. No matter what you try, it won't go away. You go to your doctor, and after several tests, he tells you that you have Paget's disease of the bone. What is this? What are the impacts going to be on your life? Is there a way to get rid of it?

You get home from work and take off your shoes. As you relish the moment of your feet being free, you notice that the second toe on your right foot is curled up. After a few moments, it straightens. Over the next several days, this keeps happening. What's going on? Why does your toe keep doing it? How can you get it to stop?

You take your infant daughter to the doctor for a wellness check. During the visit, the doctor does a physical exam. Afterward, she tells you that she thinks your daughter has hip dysplasia and recommends that she be treated. What exactly is hip dysplasia? How is it treated? Could it have been prevented?

Most people know that sickle cell has something to do with blood not functioning properly. However, many people don't know exactly what happens during a sickle cell crisis or who's at risk for developing one. So, why does sickle cell occur? Who's more likely to be impacted? What can be done to lessen the discomfort?

You're visiting your grandfather after not seeing him for a while and notice that his left leg is swollen, and the skin looks different from his right leg. You ask him what's going on, and he brushes you off. You insist on taking him to the doctor, who tells you that he has lymphedema. What is that? How can it be fixed? Is there any way to prevent it?

In a few weeks, you'll be going on vacation, and you can't wait to get to the sunny island to enjoy some time on the beach. You're at the store trying on some new clothes to take with you and notice that there are many small veins on your legs that are more visible than before. What are they? Is it a sign of something wrong? Will they go away?

You no sooner get to work in the morning, and your boss is yelling that you need to turn in the monthly report in an hour because he must talk about it on a conference call. You completely forgot that it was due today, and your stress level immediately skyrockets, and your heart starts to race. In fact, your heart feels like it's going to beat out of your chest. Is this dangerous? Does it require treatment? What can you do to make it stop?

One day you're going about your normal activities when you notice that your lips seem to have a tingling, itching sensation. It's not really bothersome, so you don't think much about it. A few days later, you notice that some blisters appear in the same area. What caused them to occur? How can you get rid of them? Can you prevent them from coming back?

You just got home from your evening walk and are taking off your shoes and socks. On your left foot, you notice that there's a hard, raised bump on your heel. You press on the area, but it doesn't hurt. You ask your doctor about it at your routine visit the following week. After looking at it, she says, you have a callus. What caused it to occur? Can it be removed? What do you need to do to prevent more calluses from forming?

For the past several days, you've had a sore throat and nasal congestion. When you woke up this morning, you noticed that your right eye had crusted over, so you couldn't open it. After gently removing the crust, you realize that your eye is very red compared to the other one. Oh no, do you have pink eye? If so, what can you do to get rid of it? How do you prevent it from spreading to your other eye?

You go to the dentist for your regular 6-month checkup. After the X-rays are taken, he comes and tells you that you might want to consider having your wisdom teeth removed because they're partially impacted. What does this mean? Why do wisdom teeth need to be removed more frequently than other teeth?

What do you think of when you hear the word “bunion?” If you're like most people, you probably think of your grandparents or other elderly individuals complaining about their bunions hurting. Is it something that only affects older people? What exactly is it? How is it treated? Is it preventable?

It's something that we're all familiar with and, in most cases, embarrassed by. You're probably wondering what I'm talking about…gas. While it might be common, the majority of people don't want to have it. What can you do to reduce it? Can it be prevented?

All your friends are excited about the season change and the upcoming holidays every Fall. You dread this time of year because you feel depressed, lose interest in activities, and have low energy. This lasts until sometime in the Spring. When you explain this to your doctor, she says you might have seasonal affective disorder. What is this? How is it treated? Are there ways to prevent it?

If you've ever had a headache, you know how painful it can be. Sometimes, it can be downright debilitating. Migraines are extreme forms of headache that can severely impact a person's life. How are they different from regular headaches? What can be done to treat them? Are they preventable?

You've always heard that you shouldn't run your car with the garage door closed because it's unsafe. However, you've never really understood why it was so important. Well, it has to do with carbon monoxide and how bad it is for your health. What exactly does it do? How do you know if you have carbon monoxide poisoning? What do you need to do to treat it?

The human papillomavirus has been in the news a lot in recent years. Partly because of the high incidence of cervical cancer associated with it, but also because of the development of a vaccine to prevent it. What are the concerns surrounding both of these? What else should you know about the condition?

You go to take your shower and notice that there seem to be tiny bugs in your genital area. The spot is also incredibly itchy. The doctor tells you that you have pubic lice. How do you get rid of them? What do you need to do to prevent them from coming back in the future?

One day, you're going to the bathroom and notice small red bumps in your genital area. At first, you don't think much about it until the next day when you start having pain and itching in the same place. You go to the doctor and find out that you have genital herpes. How did it happen? What can you do to treat it? Can you prevent it from coming back?

You've probably heard of syphilis before. Most people assume that it's a disease that isn't around anymore. However, this isn't true. The treatment for it has improved significantly, which is why there are fewer infections. What is this treatment? Why is it so important to get treated if you have an infection? How can you prevent it in the first place? 

One morning you wake up and go to the bathroom, you notice that it burns when you urinate. You also notice that you have itching and redness to your genital area. So, you go to the doctor to see what's the matter. After running a few tests, your doctor tells you that you have trichomoniasis. What do you need to do to feel better? Are there steps you can take to prevent it in the future? 

You've just had your first baby and were super excited to welcome him home. Now, several days later, you've started feeling sad, overwhelmed, and anxious. You've also been crying a lot. What's going on? Aren't you supposed to be happy? Is it something serious? 

Over the past several months, you've noticed that your lower abdomen has a heaviness sensation that seems to be getting worse. In the past few weeks, you started leaking urine when you cough or sneeze. You go to the doctor to get check out, and she tells you that you have a uterine prolapse. What is this? How can it be fixed? Are there ways to prevent it?

You just found out that you're pregnant with your first child. You're super excited, but the next you know, you start feeling sick to your stomach all of the time. Why does this happen? When should you be concerned? How can you treat it? 

Every month when you have your menstrual cycle, you experience severe pain and heavy bleeding. It's only been a few months, but you decide to see your doctor. She tells you that you might have endometriosis and suggests testing to confirm. What causes this to occur? How is it treated?

One day you notice that the nails on your right foot seem to be thicker and discolored than they usually are. You go to the doctor, and he tells you that you might have a fungal infection. How did this happen? What do you need to do to get rid of it? Is there a way to prevent it from appearing on your other nails?

Just hearing the word “scabies” can make some people itchy. Most of us view it as a condition that affects people with poor hygiene. However, that's not always the case. How do you get scabies? What can you do to treat an infection? How do you prevent spreading it? 

When you hear the word toxoplasmosis, what's the first thing you think of? For some people, it's pregnant women. For others, it might be cats. Neither group is wrong. What exactly does either of these have to do with the condition? How serious is a toxoplasmosis infection? What can be done to treat it? Is there a way to prevent it?

One foodborne illness that can be very serious, especially for pregnant women, elderly individuals, or those with compromised immune systems, is listeria. Where does it come from? How can you prevent it in the first place? What's the treatment for a listeria infection?

You spent a nice, relaxing weekend out on the lake swimming, kayaking, and fishing. A few days later, you notice that your stomach is cramping, and you have diarrhea that smells really bad. You go to the doctor, and she thinks that you might have a giardia infection. What caused it? How is it treated? Can you prevent it in the future?

One afternoon, you're at work when your stomach starts cramping, and you make a run for the bathroom. You make it just in time! This happens several more times before you finally decide to go home. You don't really become concerned until you notice there's blood in your stool. You go to the doctor, and he suspects you might be infected with shigella. What is this? How serious is it? What do you need to do to get rid of it?

You're in the kitchen cooking and crack open an egg for the omelet you're making. After you throw away the shell, you wash your hands because you know that touching raw eggs puts you at risk for salmonella. However, it's not the only way that you can encounter it. Where else do the bacteria live? What else can you do to prevent an infection?

You're sleeping peacefully one night when suddenly, you're woken up by burning pain in your stomach and chest and feel slightly nauseous. You roll over, trying to ignore the pain, but in the morning, it's still there. After eating a small breakfast, you notice that the pain eases up some. This pattern repeats for the next several days, so you go to the doctor and find out you have an ulcer. What caused it? How can you get rid of it? Are there ways to prevent it from coming back?

You're eating dinner with your parents and notice that your dad seems to be having trouble swallowing. When you ask him about it, he says it hurts to swallow, and it feels like the food is getting stuck in his throat. You take him to the doctor the next day, and he says that your dad has dysphagia. What is this? How did it happen? Is it fixable? 

You're visiting your grandmother in her suburban house, and she notices that you're sneezing, have red eyes, and a runny nose. She says that you have hay fever. You tell her that's not possible because you haven't been around any hay. What is hay fever? How is it treated? Can you prevent it? 

We've all been there…you're talking to someone and get a whiff of their breath and feel like you're going to pass out because it smells so bad. This is why most people are self-conscious about how their breath smells, and there are so many products available to combat bad breath. What causes it in the first place? How can you prevent it from happening? 

One day, you're putting your socks on before heading out the door. You notice that there seems to be a spot on one of your toes that has a growth on it. It doesn't hurt, so you don't think much about it. A few days later, you're at the doctor for your annual exam and show her your foot. She tells you that you have a plantar wart. How did this happen? Can you get rid of it? Is there a way to prevent it from coming back?

You're cooking dinner, and the water you've got on the stove starts to boil over, so you reach out to turn it down. In doing so, some of the water splashes on your arm. Immediately, you notice that it hurts. Quickly, you run some cool water over the area. It feels a little better but is still red. You've been burned, but how bad is it? Do you need to go to the doctor? What should you do to treat it?

All day long, you've been sitting at your desk and notice that your elbow looks red and swollen. When you move your arm, it hurts. This continues for the next few days, so you go to the doctor. He confirms that you have bursitis. What caused it to occur? How can you get rid of it? Is there a way to prevent it? 

The doctor decides to send you for some tests once she finds out that you've been having lower back and leg pain for the past few months. The results show you have a ruptured disc in your back. What does this mean? Is it fixable? Can you prevent it from happening again? 

 After getting out of bed, your neck is hurting, and your right arm feels tingling and slightly weak. You figure you slept wrong and go about your routine. Your symptoms don't get any better. In fact, they start to get worse. The doctor diagnoses you with spinal stenosis. What is that? How is it treated? 

 Over the past few weeks, you notice that your back has become increasingly painful, especially if you've been sitting for a while. After you start experiencing numbness in your legs, you go to the doctor and find out you have degenerative disc disease. What does this mean for your future? Is it treatable? Can you prevent it? 

One day when you get up from a chair, you notice that your legs are shaking slightly. You slowly start walking, and the tremor goes away. This continues to happen over the next several days. What's wrong with your body? Is there more than one type of tremor? Can they be treated?

You might know that there was an outbreak of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in the 1990s because people ate contaminated beef. The disease progresses rapidly and is fatal, so many people were very concerned about it. It hasn't been prevalent since then, so is it gone? Are there still ways to contract it? Have treatments been developed?

One morning as you're brushing your teeth before work, you experience a sudden, sharp, stabbing pain. It goes away quickly, so you figure it was some sort of fluke. A week later, you're washing your face before going to bed, and the same thing happens again. What's wrong with your face? Is there a treatment for it? Can you prevent the pain from coming back?

You're sitting on the couch, watching TV, and get up to go to the bathroom. Upon standing, you notice that you feel dizzy and lightheaded. After a moment, it passes. You don't think much of it until it happens again the next day when you stand up after working at your desk for a while. Why is this happening? Is there a treatment for it? Can you prevent it from occurring? 

When you hear the word encephalitis, you probably think of mosquitoes or babies. However, it can impact anyone of any age, and the causes can vary widely. So, what exactly is it? How is treated? Can it be prevented?