The symptoms you are describing are consistent with an ileus. An ileus, also known as a bowel obstruction, is a disruption of the normal forward flow of the gastrointestinal tract. An ileus can be mechanical or non-mechanical. Symptoms often include excessive burping/belching, abdominal distension/discomfort, constipation, and lack of flatulence or bowel movements. Causes can include… Continue reading I woke up this morning with a very uncomfortable feeling in my stomach. It felt like I had something stuck there and it wasn’t going down. It wasn’t a sharp pain but I couldn’t walk right because of how it burned. I also couldn’t eat or drink anything. It went away after a few hours. What could this be? What is causing this? Should I go see a doctor?
Category: Emergency Medicine
I was punched in the jaw last night in a fight. How do I know if I broke my jaw?
The best way to tell if your jaw is broken is to go in to the emergency room for an X-Ray. Short of that, a simple at-home test would be to bite down and see if you feel your bite is misaligned or if you feel there is something between your teeth preventing you from… Continue reading I was punched in the jaw last night in a fight. How do I know if I broke my jaw?
My sister moved into a new house with her sons aged 3 and 5. We’re worried about lead poisoning in the kids. They’re due for their physical exams next week. The doctor can test for lead? If so, how much lead requires treatment?
Lead paint was commonly used in houses built before 1950s and automobiles prior to the 1980s. Exposure can lead to developmental delays, cognitive defects, anemia, and gastrointestinal disturbances. Lead is commonly tested for on routine pediatric visits with finger sticks being an easy screening tool and venous lead levels drawn for quantitative blood lead levels… Continue reading My sister moved into a new house with her sons aged 3 and 5. We’re worried about lead poisoning in the kids. They’re due for their physical exams next week. The doctor can test for lead? If so, how much lead requires treatment?
Can I get HIV from being kissed by someone who has HIV?
It is highly unlikely to contract HIV from kissing someone. HIV transmission depends on the mode of contact and the amount of blood in body fluid exchanged. Contact with pure saliva, sweat, or tears has never been proven to cause transmission of HIV. In fact, it is not recommended to use HIV prophylaxis treaments on… Continue reading Can I get HIV from being kissed by someone who has HIV?
In House MD season two, there was this girl who was immunocompromised and developed neurological symptoms after having a tick on her. Does that really happen if I get a tick?
It appears you are referring to House MD Season 2 Episode 16 “Safe.” The final diagnosis was “tick paralysis.” Tick paralysis is caused by a neurotoxin in the tick saliva and is commonly associated with the Dermacentor andersoni (wood tick) or Dermacentor variabilis ticks (dog tick) that are found in wooded areas. After a tick… Continue reading In House MD season two, there was this girl who was immunocompromised and developed neurological symptoms after having a tick on her. Does that really happen if I get a tick?