Basicmedical Key

36 Weight Gain and Weight Loss Weight Gain The most common cause of weight gain is increased caloric intake, regardless of what the patient states. Though percentage of body fat…

29 Skin Problems Skin problems are one of the most common reasons why patients seek medical attention. The 10 most common skin problems leading patients to consult dermatologists are acne,…

33 Vaginal Discharge and Itching Vaginal discharge, which may be accompanied by vulvar itching or burning, is one of the most common problems seen in the physician’s office. These symptoms…

30 Sore Throat This chapter defines sore throat as pain in the throat at rest that often worsens with swallowing. The most common causes (70% to 80%) of sore throat…

10 Diarrhea In this chapter, diarrhea is defined as an increase in frequency, fluidity, or volume of bowel movements relative to the usual habit for a person. Acute diarrhea is…

15 Fever This chapter emphasizes fever as the presenting problem rather than fever of unknown origin (FUO). Classically, FUO is a temperature greater than 101° F that occurs on several…

13 Facial Pain Because doctors can usually differentiate headache from other causes of facial pain, the differential diagnosis of headache is discussed in Chapter 17. Typically, by the time patients…

12 Earache Primary otalgia (earache) is ear pain due to a problem in the ear. Referred otalgia is pain in the ear not due to an ear problem. It is…

28 Shortness of Breath Dyspnea, or breathlessness, has been defined as patient awareness of respiratory discomfort, unpleasant sensation of labored breathing, or shortness of breath. Dyspnea can be caused by…

23 Pain in the Foot Foot pain is usually caused by inappropriate footwear, local disease, or an abnormality but occasionally results from referred pain. Therefore, examination of the foot should…