Meningitis is inflammation of the thin tissue that surrounds the brain and spinal cord, called the meninges. There are several types of meningitis which include: bacterial, parasitic, fungal, viral, amebic, and non-infectious. The most common is viral meningitis. Viral meningitis may cause headaches, fever, stiff neck, seizures, sensitivity to bright light, sleepiness, lethargy, nausea and vomiting, and/or a decreased appetite. Each type of meningitis has a slightly different cause, but each ultimately acts in the same way: a virus spreads through the bloodstream until it reaches the brain, or spinal cord where it sets up in the lining or fluids around these vital body parts and starts developing into a more advanced infection. Viral meningitis may resolve on its own, but some causes of viral meningitis will be treated with intravenous antiviral medications. If you would like to find out more and receive a second opinion regarding your diagnosis and treatment, please contact us at secondopinions.com, for your peace of mind.

Measles are a respiratory tract viral infection commonly found in children. Also called rubeola, measles can be serious and even fatal for small children. It remains a common disease in many parts of the world, including Europe, the Middle East, Asia, the Americas, and Africa. Many popular travel destinations are still experiencing outbreaks of measles like Israel, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, Ukraine, and the Philippines. Since measles is still common in many countries, unvaccinated travelers can bring it to the U.S., and it can spread. Before traveling internationally, people should protect themselves, their family, and community with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine.

Measles symptoms and signs include: dry cough, conjunctivitis, runny nose, and a high fever. Many patients will get sick 7 to 14 days after exposure and will start with a prodrome of fatigue, fever, loss of appetite, and malaise before the classic symptoms and signs develop. Some complications of the disease include ear infections, pneumonia, and encephalitis. If you would like to find out more and receive a second opinion regarding your diagnosis and treatment, please contact us at secondopinions.com for your peace of mind.

According to the National Cancer Institute, in 2020, an estimated 1,800,000 new cases of cancer were diagnosed in the United States and over 600,000 people died from the disease. The most common cancers (listed in descending order) are breast cancer, lung and bronchus cancer, prostate cancer, colon and rectum cancer, melanoma of the skin, bladder cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, kidney and renal pelvis cancer, endometrial cancer, leukemia, pancreatic cancer, thyroid cancer, and liver cancer.

Prostate, lung, and colorectal cancers account for an estimated 43% of all cancers diagnosed in men in 2021. For women, the three most common cancers are breast, lung, and colorectal, and they will account for an estimated 50% of all new cancer diagnoses in women in 2021.

Radiology imaging is a key way that doctors test to see whether a tumor is present. These pictures can be made in several ways:

Imaging tests create pictures of areas inside your body that help the doctor see whether a tumor is present. These pictures can be made in several ways:

CT Scan

A CT scan uses an x-ray machine linked to a computer to take a series of pictures of your organs from different angles. These pictures are used to create detailed 3-D images of the inside of your body.

MRI

An MRI uses a powerful magnet and radio waves to take pictures of your body in slices. These slices are used to create detailed images of the inside of your body, which can show the difference between healthy and unhealthy tissue.

Nuclear scan

A nuclear scan uses radioactive material to take pictures of the inside of the body. This type of scan may also be called radionuclide scan.

Bone Scan

Bone scans are a type of nuclear scan that check for abnormal areas or damage in the bones. They may be used to diagnose bone cancer or cancer that has spread to the bones.

PET scan

A PET scan is a type of nuclear scan that makes detailed 3-D pictures of areas inside your body where glucose is taken up. Because cancer cells often take up more glucose than healthy cells, the pictures can be used to find cancer in the body.

Ultrasound

An ultrasound exam uses high-energy sound waves that people cannot hear. The sound waves echo off tissues inside your body. A computer uses these echoes to create pictures of areas inside your body. This picture is called a sonogram.

X-rays

X-rays use low doses of radiation to create pictures inside your body. An x-ray tech will put you in position and direct the x-ray beam to the correct part of your body. While the images are taken, you will need to stay very still and may need to hold your breath for a second or two.

Given the complicated nature of the types of imaging that is usually performed in order to properly diagnose an oncology case, biopsies are often taken for a pathologist to analyze a sample of tissue under a microscope and runs other tests to see if the tissue is cancer.

With many areas of analysis, there is also much room for error. Getting a second opinion can help ensure that a such a serious condition as cancer has been properly diagnosed, so it can be properly treated, if need be. SecondOpinions.com specializes in oncology diagnoses and has Board-Certified doctors available 24/7. For your peace of mind, speak to a doctor now. SecondOpinions.com.

Citation:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cancer/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20370594
https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/statistics

Every year, over 600,000 people undergo surgery for lower back pain alone. According to experts at Johns Hopkins University, only 1 in 10 surgeons follow recommended use of psychological screenings prior to surgery. The study found that Orthopedic and Neurosurgeons with a higher volume of patients, more than 200 a year, favored screening patients to understand their cases compared to colleagues who performed fewer procedures. With a greater number of patients and greater volume of cases, the doctors preferred to not spend tremendous time evaluating patients before administering the surgeries. Therefore, many patients receive treatment when it is not necessary nor helpful.

In the United States today, up to 80% of original diagnoses are said to be overturned when looked at for further review. Getting a second opinion can elucidate any confusion and provide conclusive evidence for whether to get back surgery or not.

SecondOpinions.com. For your peace of mind.

Citation:
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/survey_shows_spine_surgeons_need_to_screen_more_patients_for_anxiety_and_depression

In a collaborative study between the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute, scientists found that younger women — previously at lower risk — are now at greater risk of getting lung cancer than younger men.

The leading causes of lung cancer in younger women are cigarette smoking, smog, and marijuana. Cigarette smoking is the largest contributing factor, accounting for about 80 percent of lung cancer deaths each year.

In a day and age where only 2% of heavy smokers get lung cancer screening, it is time to become more aware. Upon getting a second opinion, up to 80% of medical diagnoses are overturned, and medical misdiagnoses are the third leading cause of death.

Getting a second opinion can save your life. SecondOpinions.com. For your peace of mind.

Citation:
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/why-more-women-are-getting-lung-cancer

Malnutrition is a physical condition resulting either from a faulty or inadequate diet or from a physical inability to absorb or metabolize nutrients. When the body is deprived of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients it needs to maintain healthy tissues and organ function, a person can also develop this condition. Causes of malnutrition include inappropriate dietary choices, a low income, difficulty obtaining food, and various physical and mental health conditions. ​In the United States, more children suffer from malnutrition due to dietary imbalances than due to nutritional deficiencies. Malnourished children may be short for their age, thin or bloated, listless, and have weakened immune systems. There are two types of malnutrition: undernutrition and overnutrition. Undernutrition is when a person is not getting enough vitamins and minerals, whereas overnutrition is when a person is overconsuming certain nutrients.

Nutritional disorders can affect any system in the body and the senses of sight, taste, and smell. They may also produce anxiety, changes in mood, and other psychiatric symptoms. Some symptoms may include:

• Pale, thick, and dry skin
• Bruising easily
• Rashes
• Changes in skin pigmentation
• Thin hair that is tightly curled and pulls out easily
• Achy joints
• Bones that are soft and tender
• Gums that bleed easily
• The tongue that may be swollen or shriveled and cracked
• Night blindness
• Increased sensitivity to light and glare

If you would like to find out more and receive a second opinion regarding your diagnosis and treatment, please contact us at secondopinions.com, for your peace of mind.