Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

Electroconvulsive therapy, commonly known as ECT, is a controversial method of treating people with mental disorders by exposing their brains to electric currents. The electric current induces seizures, which are intended at reducing symptoms of mental disorders that have persisted despite other forms of treatment such as medication or therapy. However, people who undergo ECT are at risk of side effects such as losing their memory temporarily or permanently or suffering an irregular heartbeat. Opinions about whether ECT is effective are divided. Some argue that it works, whereas others argue that it is no more effective than a placebo, leaving clients of mental health services and clinicians potentially confused. Does ECT work? Some researchers argue that ECT works in reducing symptoms of certain mental illnesses such as depression when compared to medication, 1 but other researchers argue that the evidence supporting the use of ECT tends to be of poor quality, such as lacking l...

A cough is a spontaneous reflex that helps clear dust, germs, and mucus out of the throat and airways. Coughing keeps the body safe from invaders, and most coughs are not serious. Colds, sinus congestion or infection, and allergies can cause a cough, as can the flu. In some cases, a cough can be a symptom of a more serious condition like pneumonia or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Some medicines—including those that treat kidney or heart disease or high blood pressure—lung disease, smoking, and allergies can also cause a cough. This article covers the symptoms, types, and causes of a cough; diagnosis and treatment of a cough; and when to get help for a cough. Crispin la valiente / Getty Images Causes of a Cough A cough can be categorized as acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term). The most common causes of acute cough are: Some causes of chronic cough include: What Medications Can Cause a Cough? Med...

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an acute autoimmune disease affecting the peripheral nervous system presenting as a symmetric, ascending polyneuropathy. The syndrome arises after a stimulus, such as infection or vaccination, and provokes an autoimmune response in the body. Common symptoms include rapidly progressive weakness in the extremities and generalized hyporeflexia or areflexia. However, GBS may have various presentations, which can make for a challenging diagnosis. We present a case of a 46-year-old female with asymmetric ascending weakness, paresthesias, and acute onset urinary retention occurring after Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. Of note, this patient did not present with albuminocytologic dissociation in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) studies. The complex presentation of her symptoms prompted a diagnosis of atypical GBS. Her diagnosis was achieved through a series of diagnostic tests ruling out other etiologies, such as meningitis and spinal cord co...

Kira Stoops lives in Bozeman, Montana—a beautiful mountain town where it sometimes feels like everyone regularly goes on 50-mile runs. Stoops, however, can't walk around her own block on most days. To stand for more than a few minutes, she needs a wheeled walker. She reacts so badly to most foods that her diet consists of just 12 ingredients. Her "brain fog" usually lifts for a mere two hours in the morning, during which she can sometimes work or, more rarely, see friends. Stoops has myalgic encephalomyelitis, or chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). "I'm considered a moderate patient on the mild side," she told me. ME/CFS involves a panoply of debilitating symptoms that affect many organ systems and that get worse with exertion. The Institute of Medicine estimates that it affects 836,000 to 2.5 million people in the U.S. alone, but is so misunderstood and stigmatized that about 90 percent of people who have it have never been diagnosed. At best, most medical p...

Background: Dengue fever (DF) is a mosquito-borne viral illness carried worldwide by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. The aim of the present study was to observe the different clinical presentations of dengue fever and the platelet profile analysis in DF patients. Methods: This retrospective study was performed on 130 diagnosed patients with dengue fever, aged over 14 years. Data collection included patient age, gender, clinical manifestations, hematocrit, platelet count, and evidence of plasma leakage. Results: Most of the patients belong to the 21-30 year age group, with a greater number of males compared to females. The common presentation of dengue fever was fever and myalgia, observed in 100% and 95.3% of the patients, respectively. A platelet count of less than 1,00,000 was observed in 77% of patients, whereas decreased total leukocyte count (TLC) and hematocrit were observed in 52.3% and 40%...

An itchy rash on the arms and legs is common and can be caused by numerous conditions. It can cause a serious disruption in normal day-to-day activities and make sleeping near impossible. Pruritis is the medical term for itching. When an itchy rash develops on the arms or legs, the first step to treatment is identifying the cause. Once the cause is determined, then targeted treatment can begin. Here we will cover many of the common causes of an itchy rash on the arms and legs, how to diagnose the rash and treatment options. HeikeKampe / E+ / Getty Images Possible Causes There are many possible causes for an itchy rash on the arms and legs. Here is information on each type of rash and what distinguishes it from other rashes. Allergic Contact Dermatitis Allergic contact dermatitis is an allergic response that happens after skin has come into contact with an allergen. There are numerous allergens that can cause an allergic reaction to th...