It certainly is. While most people diagnosed with pneumonia eventually develop a symptomatic cough - not all of them do. Symptoms of pneumonia can vary widely.
For instance, one woman recently had a cough for weeks. When she went to her physician she was initially diagnosed with bronchitis. She had aching lungs, and a racking cough that was so bad she injured the intercostal muscles between her ribs, but the physician did not hear fluid in her lungs. She was also fever-free. A week later, after the original antibiotics didn’t improve her condition, she was given a chest x-ray that came back abnormal. A subsequent CT scan revealed she had pneumonia in both lungs. A stronger course of antibiotics eliminated the pneumonia.
One of the more inconvenient injuries people experience is “tennis elbow” - pain felt from the outside of the elbow and down the forearm (if the pain is experienced on the inside of your elbow, it is known as “golf elbow”). It can make the simplest things, like turning a doorknob, using a screwdriver, opening a jar, brushing your teeth, lifting a fork, or swinging a racket uncomfortable and difficult.
Despite its name, tennis elbow is most often caused by repetitive everyday actions in one’s life - the repeated contraction of the forearm muscles used to straighten and raise your hand and wrist. Think of carpenters, mechanics, assembly line workers or landscapers who use their arms and hands in a repetitive manner each day. These repetitive motions can inflame or tear the tendons that attach the forearm muscle to the outside bone of the elbow. The result is pain that is exacerbated when you have to move your wrist or squeeze your hands.
The biggest problem with health-related New Year’s resolutions? Most of us go “too big.” And that usually sets us up for failure. Everything in moderation — that’s the ticket. If you are serious about losing weight, lowering your cholesterol, stopping smoking, exercising more, eating better, preventing diabetes II — then make that effort in this frame of mind: small gradual changes in lifestyle. In this manner, you set realistic, reachable goals for yourself. And once those are reached — you go on to the next set of slightly bigger goals. And all the while you incorporate those changes into how you live. It’s not about dieting, complete denial or starting out with a daily 5-mile run. It’s about increments of change that you can live with so you can live better and healthier.
Here’s an excellent article that serves as a great example.
At this time of year, it’s not uncommon for many of us to feel more tired than usual - the circadian rhythms of our body are adjusting to shorter days and longer nights, and many of us are fighting off infectious diseases such as a cold or the flu. However, there is one infectious disease -mononucleosis (mono) - that can make you extraordinarily tired for several weeks.
Known informally as the “kissing disease” mono can be caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which is passed along via saliva, sharing a glass or utensil, coughing or sneezing. Most people consider mono to be very “catchy,” yet it’s not generally more contagious than the common cold.
In the heart of winter, we tend to “hibernate” - more sleep and food, less exercise and fresh air. This can lead to the “winter blues” - lethargy, lack of ambition and darker moods. However, Seasons Affective Disorder (SAD) may lead to increased sleepiness, fatigue, depression, and a general lack of ambition that goes beyond the “winter blues.” You may lose interest in your favorite activities, spend more time in bed, crave carbohydrates and gain weight. You may have trouble concentrating feel hopeless, and stop socializing.
If you notice marked changes in your sleep patterns and appetite, feel down for days, feel hopeless or suicidal, or are drinking alcohol as a source of comfort, see your doctor.
Otherwise, eat well, stay active, get outside and see people — despite the weather. Hibernating is for the bears.
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