| A major theme throughout this text is
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| | illness are subject to a wide variation
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| that you can control many factors that
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| | in interpretation. If you are attuned to
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| influence your health. An outgrowth of
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| | your body, you are your own best expert
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| this attitude is the self-care movement,
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| | for recognizing signs and symptoms of
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| which is the trend toward individuals
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| | illness.
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| taking increased responsibility for
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| | Several signs and symptoms warrant
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| prevention or management of certain
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| | medical attention without question.
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| health conditions. Armed with correct
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| | Internal bleeding, such as blood in
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| information, you can manage many aspects
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| | urine, bowel movement, sputum, or vomit,
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| of your health care that were once
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| | or blood from any of the body's openings
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| thought possible only with the help of a
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| | requires immediate attention. Abdominal
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| physician.
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| | pain, especially when it is associated
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| Answers to the following questions
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| | with nausea, may indicate a wide range of
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| provide clues to the use of health-care
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| | problems from appendicitis to pelvic
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| services, providers, and products and
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| | inflammatory disease and requires the
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| facilitate the self-care approach to
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| | diagnostic expertise of a physician. A
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| wellness:
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| | stiff neck when accompanied by a fever
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| When should you seek health care?
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| | may suggest meningitis and justifies
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| What can you expect from a stay in the
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| | immediate medical intervention. Injuries,
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| hospital?
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| | many first aid emergencies, and severe
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| How can you select a health-care
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| | disabling symptoms require prompt medical
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| professional?
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| | care.
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| When To Seek Health Care
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| | There is debate as to when medical care
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| Many people tend to fall into two extreme
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| | is needed in the case of fever. An
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| groups regarding health care: those who
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| | elevated temperature may be a sign that
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| seek health care for every ache and pain
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| | the body's immune system is responding to
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| and those who avoid health care unless
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| | an infection and working to destroy
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| experiencing extreme pain. Both groups
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| | pathogens, or disease-producing
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| unwisely use the health-care
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| | organisms. On the other hand, if left
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| establishment. Those in the first group
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| | untreated for an extended time, a fever
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| fail to understand that too much health
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| | may cause harm to sensitive tissues in
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| care can be ineffective or even harmful.
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| | the body, such as connective tissue found
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| They also fail to recognize the powerful
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| | in joints and tissues in the valves of
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| recuperative powers of the body. An
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| | the heart.
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| estimated 80% of patients who seek
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| | The normal body temperature of 98.6° F
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| medical care are unaffected by treatment,
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| | was studied at the University of
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| 10% get better, and 9% experience an
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| | Maryland. Findings involving 700
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| nitrogen condition in which they get
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| | temperature readings of 148 adults over a
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| worse because of the medical treatment.
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| | 3-day period suggest that the normal body
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| Those in the latter group fail to
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| | temperature is 98.9° F. The study
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| recognize the value of early diagnosis
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| | attributed the difference to less
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| and detection of disease. This is
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| | accurate techniques when the earlier
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| especially true for men; 30% of men have
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| | standard of 98.6° F was established.
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| not been to a doctor in a year or more,
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| | Body temperature varies with exercise,
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| one-third have never had their
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| | rest, climate, and gender. Fever means a
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| cholesterol checked, and three fourths
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| | reading over 99° F. It is not usually
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| have not been checked for prostate cancer
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| | necessary for an adult to seek medical
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| during the previous year.
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| | care for a fever. Home treatment in the
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| Perhaps the best way to find a balance
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| | form of aspirin, acetaminophen, and
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| between too much and too little health
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| | sponge baths usually lowers fever. You
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| care is to establish a physician-patient
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| | should consult your physician if fever
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| relationship with a general practitioner.
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| | remains above 102 0 F despite your
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| The general practitioner may be a family
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| | actions or, in the case of a low-grade
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| practice physician or an internist who
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| | fever (99 0 to 100 0 F), if there is no
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| specializes in internal medicine.
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| | improvement in 72 hours. You should
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| It is important to visit your doctor
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| | consult a physician if fever lasts more
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| while in good health. This permits your
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| | than 5 days, regardless of improvement.
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| doctor to serve as a facilitator of
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| | Symptoms, such as sore throat, ear pain,
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| wellness and provides a benchmark for
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| | diarrhea, urinary problems, and skin
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| interpreting symptoms when they occur.
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| | rash, may be the cause of the fever and
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| A second important way to balance health
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| | should be treated as such. Fever in young
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| care is to trust your instincts. Nobody
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| | children should be discussed with a
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| knows when some thing is wrong with your
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| | physician.
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| body better than you do. Health and
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