Can a Banged Elbow Cause a Twitching Index Finger?
It would be reassuring to hope that the sudden twitching in your index finger was caused by a recent bang to your elbow, since ALS can cause twitching in various parts of the body. (more…)
Should You Go to ER if Your Blood Sugar Is in the 300’s?
A blood sugar in the 300’s is dangerously high, and all diabetics need to recognize when it’s time to rush to the emergency room when their glucose levels soar into an unacceptable range. (more…)
Drink Tons of Water but Urine Is Still Dark Yellow?
Are you drinking a lot of water—tons, at least eight glasses a day—and still keep producing dark yellow or bright yellow urine?
Or is the urine sometimes a strong yellow-orange color? There are several factors that can influence the varying shades of yellow in one’s excrement.
Can Cancer Cause a Chemical Smell in Urine?
If you suddenly notice a chemical or strong smell from your urine, this can be unnerving, especially if you already know that some cancers have an odor that dogs can sniff out. (more…)
Do You Have Bladder Pressure But UTI Test Is Negative?
The feeling of bladder pressure but you’re not voiding any urine prompts a trip to the doctor, but your UTI test comes back negative.
You were kind of hoping it was a urinary tract infection since that can easily be cured with antibiotics.
So if an infection isn’t causing bladder pressure, then what might be?
“There are many reasons why a patient may have symptoms similar to a UTI [like bladder pressure] with a negative urine analysis,” says Dana Rice, MD, a board certified urologist and creator of the UTI Tracker mobile app, which helps patients catalogue daily urinary tract symptoms, medication and behavioral patterns, and offers personalized tips for UTI prevention.
For some people, it’s very puzzling that a test for a urinary tract infection would come back negative in the face of uncomfortable bladder pressure for no apparent reason.
Dr. Rice explains, “Urine cultures are a more accurate assessment of bacterial infections, but they too can be limited.
“Standard urine cultures do not test for atypical organisms such as urea and mycoplasma.
“In addition, there are other diagnoses that could present with UTI-like symptoms.”
These conditions are not infections, but could cause a sensation of pressure on the bladder despite what seems to be a complete voiding.
“Kidney stones, interstitial cystitis, overactive bladder, incomplete emptying of the bladder and even bladder cancer are a few that come to mind quickly,” says Dr. Rice.
Three more possible causes for the sensation of pressure on the bladder is a prolapsed bladder, an enlarged prostate or prostate cancer.
A few other symptoms of prostate cancer are a weak or dribbly urine stream, difficulty urinating and a burning sensation when doing so.
In their early stages, bladder cancer and prostate cancer are highly curable.
Problem is, many people put off seeing a doctor, self-diagnosing themselves with a UTI.
For more information on the UTI Tracker, go to utitracker.com.
Dana Rice, MD, is with Inova Medical Group in Fairfax, VA, and her clinical interests include bladder, kidney and prostate cancer, minimally invasive surgery and robotic surgery.
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/sheff
Can Screaming Children Worsen Tinnitus and Hearing Loss ?
Tinnitus sufferers with children or near kids often wonder if a child’s screams and shrieks can worsen their tinnitus and even cause hearing loss.
Many people would agree that young kids are their loudest during play, rather than during a tantrum. (more…)
Why Is Tinnitus Quieter in the Morning?
It is a well-known fact that for many tinnitus sufferers, morning brings relief because their tinnitus seems quieter during this time.
So why can’t this quieter ringing, hissing or buzzing extend further into the day as the hours go by?
For some with the common problem of tinnitus — which has a large number of causes — the sound that only they can hear can become unbearably loud.
What Is It About the Morning?
“Some individuals are not as aware of their tinnitus in the morning, and this is likely due to their relative calm state of mind,” says Rivka Strom, AuD, CCC-A, chief audiologist at Central Hearing LLC in NY.
“When we are tired or more stressed during or after a long day of work, we are often more aware and disturbed by our tinnitus.
“Stress can be a trigger for tinnitus or the change in severity of tinnitus.”
Other sufferers report that their tinnitus is actually more pronounced in the morning.
This could be due to the lack of distraction while someone lies in bed early in the morning; no distraction of kids, pets, having to shower or make breakfast, check the e-mail, etc.
Instead, one is just lying there in a quiet room. What much else can they hear BUT their tinnitus?
Another point to consider for those whose tinnitus is louder in the morning, is that as they lie in bed, they start dwelling on what the day faces.
The anticipation of the day’s tasks may bring on anxiety and feelings of bleakness, which can aggravate the tinnitus. The exact science behind how this occurs is not known.
So it goes both ways: Some people have a quieter tinnitus in the morning, and for others, it’s louder or more noticeable.
Dr. Strom is a member of the American Speech Language and Hearing Association and has received several awards including Brooklyn College’s Excellence In Audiology Award.
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/sruilk
Source:
Baigi, A., et al., “Tinnitus in the general population with a focus on noise and stress: a public health study.” Ear Hear. 2011 Nov-Dec;32(6):787-9.
What Can Cause Tinnitus to Come and Go ?
Are you puzzled over why your tinnitus seems to just come and go without any rhyme or reason?
Or is it just your imagination that the “ringing” in your ears is intermittent? (more…)
How to Tell if Tinnitus Is in Both Ears or One
If you know that a brain tumor can cause tinnitus in only one ear, you’ll want to be able to tell if your tinnitus is in one ear or both.
You may want to know this even if you’re not all that worried about a serious cause. (more…)
How Does Earwax Buildup Cause Tinnitus & How Does It Sound?
If you’ve been googling causes of tinnitus, you’ve probably come across ear wax buildup as a potential cause of this annoying condition.
“Ears typically are self-cleaning, but some people produce excess wax and need to use softening agents or have the wax (cerumen) professionally cleaned,” says Rivka Strom, AuD, CCC-A, chief audiologist at Central Hearing LLC in NY.
“According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, excessive ear wax, especially if the wax touches the ear drum, can cause pressure and change how the ear drum vibrates, which can result in tinnitus,” explains Strom.
“It is also thought that if there is even a slight decrease in auditory input (such as that caused by excessive ear wax), it can evoke tinnitus or enhance an already present tinnitus.
“A classic study performed in 1953 by Drs. Heller and Bergman revealed the high prevalence of tinnitus when individuals are placed in a very quiet environment for several minutes.
“Hearing loss of any type can reduce auditory input and promote tinnitus, but it is especially common for those with cerumen impaction.
“As indicated earlier, this could also be resulting from pressure changes at the eardrum due to impacted cerumen.”
The tinnitus can have a variety of sounds such as a high pitched steady tone, a hissing or buzzing, crackling, tinkling or chirping.
What about tinnitus in just one ear — unilateral tinnitus?
People who experience sudden-onset unilateral tinnitus may start fearing that this one-sided nature means something serious like a brain tumor or entanglement of blood vessels.
Yes, tinnitus on only one side can be a brain tumor, but it is more likely to have a benign cause such as ear was buildup.
An audiologist can remove the excess cerumen.
I’ve had this done, and it felt good to know that a clump of wax had just been removed from deep inside my ears. A Q-tip swab could NOT have gotten it out.
The removal should be done annually or sooner if necessesary by a professional, whether you have tinnitus or not.
Dr. Strom is a member of the American Speech Language and Hearing Association and has received several awards including Brooklyn College’s Excellence In Audiology Award.
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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