Enfermedades en Ingles
Enfermedades en Ingles
Enfermedades en Ingles
You can often treat the flu without seeing your GP and should begin to feel better in about a
week.
an aching body
a dry cough
a sore throat
a headache
difficulty sleeping
loss of appetite
The symptoms are similar for children, but they can also get pain in their ear and appear less
active.
keep warm
take paracetamol or ibuprofen to lower your temperature and treat aches and pains
drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration (your pee should be light yellow or clear)
Be careful not to use flu remedies if you're taking paracetamol and ibuprofen tablets as it's
easy to take more than the recommended dose.
It's probably nothing serious, but it's best to get checked because any treatment you might
need may work better if it's started early.
Important
If you're worried about an older relative who's becoming increasingly forgetful, speak to your
GP about whether it could be a sign of dementia.
Your GP will ask you some questions to try to find the cause of your memory problems.
It might be useful to bring someone else with you who can help describe the problems you're
having.
Your GP may refer you to a memory specialist for an in-depth assessment. Further tests, such
as scans, may also sometimes be needed.
Any treatment that's recommended will depend on the cause of your memory problems.
stress
anxiety or depression
sleeping problems
Occasionally, memory loss can be a sign of something more serious, such as dementia.
Don't try to self-diagnose the cause of your memory loss – always see a GP.
Appendicitis
Appendicitis is a painful swelling of the appendix. The appendix is a small, thin pouch about
5 to 10cm (2 to 4 inches) long. It's connected to the large intestine, where poo forms.
Nobody knows exactly what the appendix does, but removing it's not harmful.
Appendicitis typically starts with a pain in the middle of your tummy (abdomen) that may
come and go.
Within hours, the pain travels to the lower right-hand side, where the appendix usually lies,
and becomes constant and severe.
Pressing on this area, coughing or walking may make the pain worse.
You may lose your appetite, feel sick, and have constipation or diarrhoea.
If you have abdominal pain that's gradually getting worse, contact your GP or local out-of-
hours service immediately.If your pain eases for a while but then gets worse, your appendix
may have burst, which can lead to life-threatening complications.
If you have appendicitis, it's likely your appendix will need to be removed as soon as possible.
It's not clear what causes appendicitis. In many cases it may be that something blocks the
entrance of the appendix.
For example, it could become blocked by a small piece of poo, or an upper respiratory tract
infection could cause the lymph node within the wall of the bowel to become swollen.
If the obstruction causes inflammation and swelling, it could lead to increased pressure within
the appendix, which may then burst.
As the causes of appendicitis are not fully understood, there's no guaranteed way of
preventing it.
Who's affected
Appendicitis is a common condition. You can get appendicitis at any age, but it usually affects
young people aged between 10 and 20 years.
Asthma
Asthma is a common lung condition that causes occasional breathing difficulties.
It affects people of all ages and often starts in childhood, although it can also develop for the
first time in adults.
There's currently no cure, but there are simple treatments that can help keep the symptoms
under control so it doesn't have a big impact on your life.
Symptoms
breathlessness
coughing
The symptoms can sometimes get temporarily worse. This is known as an asthma attack.
When to see a GP
See your GP if you think you or your child may have asthma.
Several conditions can cause similar symptoms, so it's important to get a proper diagnosis and
correct treatment.
Your GP will usually be able to diagnose asthma by asking about symptoms and carrying out
some simple tests.
Treatments
Asthma is usually treated by using an inhaler, a small device that lets you breathe in medicines.
reliever inhalers – used when needed to quickly relieve asthma symptoms for a short
time
Bone cancer can affect any bone, but most cases develop in the long bones of the legs or
upper arms.
persistent bone pain that gets worse over time and continues into the night
swelling and redness (inflammation) over a bone, which can make movement difficult
if the affected bone is near a joint
If you or your child are experiencing persistent, severe or worsening bone pain, visit your GP.
While it's highly unlikely to be the result of bone cancer, it does require further investigation.
osteosarcoma – the most common type, which mostly affects children and young
adults under 20
Ewing sarcoma – which most commonly affects people aged between 10 and 20
In most cases, it's not known why a person develops bone cancer.
have a condition known as Paget's disease of the bone – however, only a very small
number of people with Paget's disease will actually develop bone cancer
have a rare genetic condition called Li-Fraumeni syndrome – people with this condition
have a faulty version of a gene that normally helps stop the growth of cancerous cells
Bronchitis
Bronchitis is an infection of the main airways of the lungs (bronchi), causing them to become
irritated and inflamed.
The bronchi branch off on either side of your windpipe (trachea). They lead to smaller and
smaller airways inside your lungs, known as bronchioles.
The walls of the bronchi produce mucus to trap dust and other particles that could otherwise
cause irritation.
acute bronchitis – temporary inflammation of the airways, causing a cough and mucus
production, lasting up to three weeks; acute bronchitis can affect people of all ages
but mostly affects children under the age of five; it's more common in winter and
often develops following a common cold, sore throat or flu
chronic bronchitis – a daily productive cough that lasts for three months of the year
and for at least two years in a row; chronic bronchitis is one of a number of lung
conditions, including emphysema, that are collectively known as chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD); it mostly affects adults over 40
It's important that you stop smoking if you smoke and you have bronchitis.
Cigarette smoke and the chemicals in cigarettes make bronchitis worse and increase your risk
of developing chronic bronchitis and COPD.
Symptoms of bronchitis
The main symptom of acute bronchitis is a hacking cough, which may bring up clear, yellow-
grey or greenish mucus (phlegm). Other symptoms are similar to those of the common cold
or sinusitis, and may include:
sore throat
headache
tiredness
Cholera
Cholera is an infection that can cause severe diarrhoea. It's not found in the UK, but there's a
very small risk of getting it while travelling in some parts of the world.
It's mainly found in places without a clean water supply or modern sewage system, such as
parts of Africa and Asia.
Do
Don't
do not eat uncooked fruit and vegetables (including salads) that you haven't washed
with bottled or boiled water and prepared yourself
There's a vaccine for cholera, but most people don't need it.
Cirrhosis
Cirrhosis is scarring of the liver caused by long-term liver damage. The scar tissue prevents
the liver working properly.
Cirrhosis can eventually lead to liver failure, where your liver stops working, which can be fatal.
But it usually takes years for the condition to reach this stage and treatment can help slow its
progression.
Symptoms
feel nauseous
vomiting blood
itchy skin
Diagnosing cirrhosis
If your GP suspects cirrhosis, they'll check your medical history and carry out a physical
examination to look for signs of long-term liver disease.
blood tests
liver biopsy – a fine needle is used to remove a sample of liver cells so they can be
examined under a microscope
Colic
Colic is when a baby cries a lot but there's no obvious cause. It's a common problem that
should get better on its own. Check if your baby has colic
All babies cry, but your baby may have colic if they cry more than 3 hours a day, 3 days a week
for at least 1 week.
It can start when a baby is a few weeks old. It usually stops by the time they're 6 months old.
gently rock your baby in their Moses basket or crib, or push them in their pram
have some gentle white noise like the radio or TV in the background to distract them
bloodshot
itch
water
If eyes are red and feel gritty, the conjunctivitis is also usually contagious
In most people the infection is mild and passes in about a week without causing any lasting
problems. But in rare cases it can be very serious and potentially life threatening.
There's no specific treatment or widely available vaccine for dengue, so it's important to try to
avoid being bitten by mosquitoes when visiting an area where the infection is found.
Symptoms of dengue
a high temperature
(fever), which can
reach 40C (104F) or
higher
a severe headache
a widespread red
rash
loss of appetite
There's no cure or specific treatment for dengue. Treatment involves relieving your symptoms
while the infection runs its course.
take paracetamol to relieve pain and fever – avoid aspirin or ibuprofen, as these can
cause bleeding problems in people with dengue
drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration – if you're currently abroad, only drink
bottled water from properly sealed bottles
You should start to feel better in around a week, although it may be a few weeks before you
feel your normal self again. Get medical advice if your symptoms don't improve.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes a
person's blood sugar level to become too high.
Type 2 diabetes is far more common than type 1. In the UK, around 90% of all adults with
diabetes have type 2.
During pregnancy, some women have such high levels of blood glucose that their body is
unable to produce enough insulin to absorb it all. This is known as gestational diabetes.
Visit your GP as soon as possible if you experience the main symptoms of diabetes, which
include:
blurred vision
Many people have type 2 diabetes for years without realising because the early symptoms
tend to be general.
Causes of diabetes
The amount of sugar in the blood is controlled by a hormone called insulin, which is produced
by the pancreas (a gland behind the stomach).
When food is digested and enters your bloodstream, insulin moves glucose out of the blood
and into cells, where it's broken down to produce energy.
Diphtheria
Diphtheria is a highly contagious and potentially fatal infection that can affect the nose and
throat, and sometimes the skin. It's rare in the UK, but
there's a small risk of catching it while travelling in
some parts of the world.
Diphtheria vaccination
Travel vaccination
Asia
eastern Europe
the Caribbean
Information:
For foreign travel, you may be able to get a combined vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and
polio free on the NHS. Ask at your GP surgery.
Diphtheria is highly contagious. It's spread by coughs and sneezes, or through close contact
with someone who's infected.
Symptoms of diphtheria
feeling sick
sore throat
Encephalitis
Encephalitis is an uncommon but serious
condition in which the brain becomes inflamed
(swollen).
Symptoms of encephalitis
Encephalitis sometimes starts off with flu-like symptoms, such as a high temperature
and headache, but these don't always occur.
confusion or disorientation
seizures (fits)
difficulty speaking
loss of consciousness
Causes of encephalitis
It's not always clear what causes encephalitis, but it can be caused by:
viral infections – several common viruses can spread to the brain and cause
encephalitis in rare cases, including the herpes simplex virus (which causes cold
sores and genital herpes) and the chickenpoxvirus
a problem with the immune system (the body's defence against infection)
– sometimes something goes wrong with the immune system and it mistakenly attacks
the brain, causing it to become inflamed
Encephalitis needs to be treated in a hospital. The earlier treatment is started, the more
successful it's likely to be.
antiviral medication
steroid injections
For most people, gastritis isn't serious and improves quickly if treated – but if not, it can last
for years.
Symptoms of gastritis
Many people with gastritis caused by a bacterial infection don't have any symptoms. In other
cases, gastritis can cause:
indigestion
If the stomach lining has been worn away (erosive gastritis) and exposed to stomach acid,
symptoms may include pain, bleeding or a stomach ulcer.
The symptoms of gastritis may come on suddenly and severely (acute gastritis) or last a long
time (chronic gastritis).
If you have indigestion and stomach pain, you can try treating this yourself with changes to
your diet and lifestyle, or with a number of different over-the-counter medications, such
as antacids.
you have indigestion symptoms lasting a week or longer, or it's causing you severe
pain or discomfort
you're vomiting blood or have blood in your stools (your stools may appear black)
Stomach ache and abdominal pain aren't always a sign of gastritis – the pain could be caused
by a wide range of other things, from trapped wind to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).