Womens Health, Fitness, Weight Loss, Beauty and More

Strange Symptoms

 

Things that go lump in the night

When exposed to a constant diet of disease-related information, it is not uncommon for medical students to develop a form of hypochondria called medical student syndrome. And though no one has coined a term for the tendency to self-diagnose rare diseases on the basis of a symptom and an Internet search, the proliferation of health-related information available in the news and on the Web has led many a health consumer to mentally leap from a dull ache to certain death. Common symptoms usually point to common problems, but that doesn’t diminish our fascination with the subtle, unusual clues our bodies may be sending us. Following are some unlikely symptoms that may send an early warning of trouble ahead. But reader beware: Sometimes a lump is only a lump.

Nailing diabetes?

Does it smell like nail polish remover even though there’s none around? Does your partner think he or she is kissing a bottle of it when you get intimate? It could be a sign that you have diabetes. Acetone, the major ingredient in polish remover, is found naturally in the body. However, when your body does not have enough insulin, or can’t make use of it, fat is used for energy instead of glucose, and acetone levels rise. In fact, the medical profession and researchers have known about acetone breath for ages. In August, two researchers from Mississippi State University published a study on their new medical device that uses the acetone in breath to detect early-stage diabetes.

Sexual Problems in Women

Exams and Tests

Women often begin the process of diagnosing a sexual problem by noticing an absence of sexual desire or satisfaction.

Your health professional will work with you to identify your symptoms and the history of those symptoms by:

Asking questions about your complete medical history, including any history of childhood sexual abuse or adult sexual assault, and your current sexual activity.
Doing a physical exam.
Your health professional will use the information from the history and examination to determine the cause of your sexual concerns.

Throughout the appointment and future treatment of a sexual problem, your health professional should establish an encouraging atmosphere for you to discuss your concerns. All of your communications about your sexual concerns should be maintained in a professional, confidential, and nonjudgmental manner. See a list of questions you might be asked by your health professional.

What to Think About
By definition, a sexual problem is a sex-related stressor for you and/or your relationship with a partner. If you have a symptom that you are not troubled by and that isn’t causing a relationship problem, then it is not considered to be a problem.

Nystatin for yeast infections while breast-feeding

Examples

Brand Name: Mycostatin

Chemical Name: nystatin

How It Works

Nystatin is an antibiotic that kills yeast, such as Candida albicans.

Nystatin is used as a cream or ointment to treat yeast infections of the breast and nipple. A liquid formulation is used to treat thrush in a baby’s mouth. For more information, see the topic Thrush.

Why It Is Used

Nystatin is used to treat a yeast infection that is causing:

Red or very pink nipples with burning pain upon breast-feeding or breast-pumping or between feedings.
Thick, white patches in the mouth and/or a red rash in the diaper area (one type of diaper rash) of the breast-feeding infant.
How Well It Works

Nystatin often relieves the symptoms of breast yeast infections in 24 to 72 hours. Treatment for thrush in the child usually takes 1 to 2 weeks. Treatment is continued for 7 to 14 days after symptoms clear up to ensure that the yeast has been eliminated. Nystatin usually is effective as a cure.

Side Effects

Nystatin rarely causes side effects in a mother or breast-feeding child. High oral doses may produce diarrhea, abdominal pain, and/or nausea.

See Drug Reference for a full list of side effects. (Drug Reference is not available in all systems.)

What To Think About

Usually both the breast-feeding woman and her baby are treated at the same time, even if only one of the two has symptoms.

Talk to your doctor if tenderness and redness resolve but deep pain in the breast continues in between or during feedings. The infection may be inside the breast. You will usually need another prescription medicine that may be taken for a couple of weeks or more.