A normal bowel habit is usually associated with ease of passing stool at least 3 times a week or more frequently but not exceeding 3 times in a 24 hour period. Difficulty passing stool is a sign of constipation. It is one of the common causes for stuck bowel movement. This feeling may be due to feces stuck in the bowels >> Read More ...
Overindulging in certain foods or beverages and overeating in terms of larger than normal quantities of food intake can lead to diarrhea for several reasons. Sometimes this diarrhea can start during or immediately after eating, while at other times it may arise hours or even a day or two later. There may be no signs of an >> Read More ...
Is urine sterile? Sterile means that there are no bacteria, viruses or other microbes. Normally urine is sterile. It is produced in the kidneys from filtered blood, passes down the ureters and into the bladder for storage. There should be no bacteria, viruses or other microbes anywhere along this path from the point where >> Read More ...
Itching of the beard area is not an uncommon problem, especially for men with facial hair. There are many reasons why itching may occur. Sometimes this can be harmless like with sweating and scratching the area. At other times however, itching of the beard may be due to some underlying disease like a fungal infection of >> Read More ...
The consistency of bowel movement is a good indicator of bowel health as is the frequency of bowel movements and even the color of stool. Normally stool should be soft but firm. However, there are cases where some people may experience either extreme – very soft stool that cannot maintain its form and may even be >> Read More ...
With almost 2 in 3 American households having one or more pets, allergies to pets are a relatively common problem. Cat allergies are more likely to affect pet owners than dog allergies. There is no cure for pet allergies and treatment largely focuses on easing symptoms and minimizing the reaction to the allergy triggers. >> Read More ...
Arthritis is a well known joint condition where there is inflammation of the joint. There are many different types of arthritis with osteoarthritis being the most common form followed by rheumatoid arthritis. Psoriasis is a separate condition that involves the skin. It is an autoimmune skin condition that leads to >> Read More ...
Whiplash is one of the most common consequences of a motor vehicle collision. It may not always be immediately evident after a car accident. In fact the symptoms usually arise after 24 hours and can last for months but it is not common for whiplash to lead to chronic problems. People with previous neck injuries or >> Read More ...
Abdominal pain is one of the most common symptoms seen in doctor’s rooms but it is also vague when there are no other accompanying symptoms. Trying to identify the cause of abdominal pain on its own is difficult and often requires additional investigations. However, some characteristics of abdominal pain, like the >> Read More ...
A sore throat is a common problem and most of the time it is acute. This means that it is intense but short lived. However, there are cases where a sore throat can be recurrent or persistent in which case it is referred to as chronic. A sore throat is a symptom and the exact underlying cause needs to be identified and >> Read More ...
