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For most people, pain is an automatic reflex that protects them from damaging stimulus like a hot stove or candle. For example, heat exposure activates pain receptors in the skin, which pass a signal along a sensory neuron to the spinal cord. This activates a motor neuron, which sends a signal to the muscles in the arm, causing it to contract. But nerve damage can send false signals that cause real pain, or prevent individuals from feeling pain when they are injured.
Neuropathic Pain Symptoms & Treatment

Nerve damage affects approximately 20 million Americans. There more than 100 different types of nerve damage with a range of different causes including compression, trauma, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, motor neuron diseases, nutritional deficiencies, infections, cancer and drug side effects and toxicities. Learn more about the symptoms of and treatments for neuropathic pain with this slideshow.

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Patients with anorexia nervosa have an intense fear of gaining weight. They are severely underweight, but continue to restrict food intake despite being thin. Medical signs of anorexia are BMI less than 17.5, irregular or slow heartbeat, low BP, slow pulse rate and abnormal blood counts. Patients with anorexia tend to have a flat disposition and lack emotional expression.
Anorexia and Bulimia Warning Signs

Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are eating disorders that cause serious medical problems. Anorexia and bulimia frequently develop during adolescence or early adulthood, but can occur during childhood or later in adulthood. An estimated 8 million Americans – 7 million women and 1 million men – have an eating disorder. Malnutrition due to anorexia and…

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Childhood ADHD is comprised of three types: hyperactive/impulsive type, inattentive type and combined type. Symptoms may include inability to pay attention or sit still; impulsivity; trouble listening to a speaker, following directions, finishing tasks or keeping track of personal items; excessive talking; and difficulty playing quietly.
Childhood ADHD Types & Treatments

Attention-deficit hyperactivity-disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurobehavioral childhood disorders, according to the CDC. American Psychiatric Association data reveal that between 3% and 7% of U.S. school age children have some form of ADHD as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria, and that prevalence has been increasing in…

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Yellow teeth are one of the most notorious effects of long-term smoking, but smokers also develop gum disease, persistent bad breath, plaque and tartar buildup and are twice as likely to loose teeth as nonsmokers.
Health Implications of Cigarette Smoking

More deaths are caused each year by tobacco use than by all deaths from HIV, illegal drug use, alcohol use, motor vehicle injuries, suicides and murders combined, according to the CDC.The good news: Nearly 70% of smokers want to quit, and about 50% said they made an attempt in the year prior to being questioned,…

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Physical symptoms of depression include persistent aches and pains, fatigue and insomnia, and appetite changes. Depression can also exacerbate other health problems, particularly chronic pain.
Depression Signs, Symptoms & Treatment

One-in-10 U.S. adults are affected by depression, according to the CDC, with certain groups more prone to the condition than others. Depression is most common among people aged 45 to 65 years, women and people of black, Hispanic or mixed race/ethnicity.The exact causes of depression remain unknown, but a variety of factors are thought to…

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Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia, causes progressive memory loss, impaired intellect, loss of coordination, and an inexorable decline in the ability to perform daily tasks. The exact cause of the condition is not known and there is no cure, but some therapies may help ease symptoms.
Understanding Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disease that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, and eventually even the ability to carry out the simplest tasks, according to the National Institute on Aging. In most people with Alzheimer’s, symptoms first appear after age 60. Learn more with this slideshow.

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