Can a DVT Cause Pain without Swelling or Redness?
We always hear how a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) can cause pain, swelling and/or redness in the affected area, which is commonly the calf.
The blood clot may also form in the upper leg or behind the knee. (more…)
Stinky Sneezes: Causes and Solutions
Do your sneezes smell so bad that even YOU can’t stand them?
Are your sneezes so stinky that you do all you can to muffle them even if you’re the only one in the room? (more…)
Salivary Gland Infection vs. Salivary Gland Cancer Symptoms
There are distinct differences between the symptoms from a salivary gland infection and those from cancer.
First off, an infection of the salivary glands is far more common than is a malignancy. (more…)
Does Low Thyroid Cause a Lump Feeling in the Throat?
That lump feeling in your throat sometimes isn’t just a feeling; it could be cancer, acid reflux, anxiety and not so surprisingly, low or underactive thyroid.
“When the thyroid gland is not producing enough thyroid hormone, it is called hypothyroidism,” says Gene Liu, MD, MMM, President, Chair, Department of Surgery; Chief, Division of Otolaryngology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Group.
“Patients who are hypothyroid can have a feeling of a lump on the throat, or globus sensation about a third of the time, and is highly dependent on the reason for the hypothyroidism,” continues Dr. Liu.
“Many hypothyroid patients have underlying inflammation from autoimmune thyroid disease, post-viral episodes or other types of thyroiditis. And this inflammation in the neck can cause the globus sensation.”
How well your thyroid is functioning can be determined by a blood test. If you have an underactive thyroid gland, this does not always mean weight gain.
In fact, low thyroid can cause a menagerie of symptoms that most people would never associate with poor function of this so-called master gland.
Yes, it can cause some weight gain, but often, there is none. Instead, an affected individual might have a completely different batch of symptoms other than the ones that get the most media attention, which are weight gain, hair loss or thinning hair, feeling cold when nobody else does and fatigue.
Other Symptoms of Low Thyroid
• Constipation
• Depression (which may lead to appetite loss)
• Dry skin
• Hoarse voice
• Joint swelling
• Memory impairment
• Stiff aching muscles
Where does cancer (laryngeal and pharyngeal) rank as a possible cause for a lumpy sensation in the throat?
It’s way down there. Cancer that affects the throat is rare, even among those with the leading risk factor: smoking.
Anxiety so often causes a feeling of a lump that “lump in my throat” is part of the English vernacular when referring to anxiety or nervousness.
If low thyroid is making you feel that there is a lump in your throat, chances are very high that you have a few of the above symptoms.
Do not delay seeing a doctor. If untreated, this autoimmune disease can become life threatening.
Dr. Liu’s clinical areas of focus cover a broad range including surgery of the head and neck, sinuses and thyroid, and disorders of the ears, salivary glands and vocal cords.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Shutterstock/Mykola Samoilenko
Part of the Body Melanoma Most Often Grows in Dark Skin
There are certain parts of the body that melanoma is more likely to grow in blacks and other dark skinned individuals.
People with dark skin are not immune to melanoma, especially since this skin cancer has risk factors not related to sun exposure, the ability to tan or how much natural pigment a person has. (more…)
How Rare Is Melanoma in Dark Skinned Children?
Though melanoma is very rare in children, and rare in dark skinned adults, just how rare is it in a person who’s both dark and under age 20? (more…)
Causes of Barrett’s Esophagus Other than GERD
Barrett’s esophagus is a risk factor for esophageal cancer. GERD causes Barrett’s esophagus.
But what else might cause this precancerous condition?
“The lining (epithelium) of the esophagus is normally what is called a squamous epithelium, exactly like our skin,” says Alex Little, MD, a thoracic surgeon with a special interest in esophageal and lung cancer.
“Barrett’s esophagus is a condition in which the epithelium near the bottom of the esophagus is found to be glandular; it resembles cells found in glands,” explains Dr. Little.
“All these patients have GERD, and the understanding is that the acid that refluxes from the stomach injures the normal squamous epithelium — which is replaced by stem cells that migrate in and develop a columnar lining.
“There are no other known causes, although during fetal development columnar cells line the esophagus.
“They are usually replaced by squamous cells before birth, but occasionally ‘nests’ of columnar cells remain. This is not Barrett’s.”
About 10 percent of people with chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease will develop Barrett’s esophagus.
And most people with Barrett’s have a long history of GERD.
It’s not known why that small percentage of acid reflux sufferers eventually develop Barrett’s esophagus.
A study in Gastroenterology (2012) links smoking to Barrett’s, but the relationship is not clear.
There’s not enough evidence to date to show a strong correlation to smoking and this precancerous condition, let alone how the link occurs.
Type 2 diabetes and obesity have also been implicated as possible risk factors for Barrett’s, but again, the links are associative rather than causal.
Alex Little, MD, trained in general and thoracic surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; has been active in national thoracic surgical societies as a speaker and participant, and served as president of the American College of Chest Physicians. He’s the author of “Cracking Chests: How Thoracic Surgery Got from Rocks to Sticks,” available on Amazon.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Freepik.com, pressfoto
Sources
sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/10/121022081232.htm; sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016508512000170
Do Dark Skinned People Ever Get Basal Cell Carcinoma?
Even though basal cell carcinoma is a skin cancer heavily associated with sun exposure among Caucasians, those with dark skin can still get this disease. (more…)
Burping from the Esophagus: Causes and Solutions
The good news about burping from the esophagus is that you don’t have to fear that this means cancer.
However, one of the causes, if left untreated, can lead to a condition that’s a risk factor for esophageal cancer. (more…)
How Common Is Phantosmia: Smelling Something that’s Not There?
If you’ve been smelling things that aren’t there (phantosmia), you’re in good company: lots of it.
Phantosmia is also far more common in people over the age of 40, says a study. (more…)
