New and Updated Topics
Updated Symptom Topics
A primary care physician and/or a specialist in the field reviewed the following topics. All information has been verified for medical accuracy, and new medical information has been added if available.
- Alcohol and Drug Problems: This topic has undergone a new medical review and was found to be accurate and up-to-date.
- Anger, Hostility, and Violent Behavior: The conditions and diseases that are considered health risks have been reviewed and updated. All questions in the Check Your Symptoms section have been reviewed and updated.
- Burns to the Eye: All time frames in the Check Your Symptoms section have been reviewed and updated.
- Coughs: A link to more information on asthma in teens and adults has been added to the Topic Overview. The temperature ranges in the questions on productive cough and nonproductive cough in the Check Your Symptoms section have been updated. We have added information on immunizations to the Prevention section. Questions on what home treatment and medicines tried have been added to the Preparing for Your Appointment section.
- Ear Canal Problems (Swimmer's Ear): Information about the use of earplugs has been added to this topic, as has a link to a picture of how to insert eardrops.
- Ear Problems and Injuries, Age 11 and Younger: The Topic Overview now contains a link to a picture of the eustachian tubes. The time frame for fluid behind the eardrum being reabsorbed has been changed to 3 months in the Topic Overview. Medical review concluded that the immune system definition linked in the Check Your Symptoms section included the condition of diabetes, so the specific diabetes questions have been deleted.
- Ear Problems and Injuries, Age 12 and Older: The Emergencies section now contains some additional symptoms. And the Home Treatment section now includes information on the use of cold packs for sunburn or swelling from a minor injury.
- Earwax: This topic has undergone a new medical review and was found to be accurate and up-to-date.
- Eye Injuries: We have added squash as an example of a high-risk sport for eye injuries. Information on a corneal scratch healing in 1 to 2 days has been added to the Topic Overview. A question on not being able to remove a contact lens after an eye injury has been added to the Check Your Symptoms section. Medical review determined that a person with a cut on or around the eye does not necessarily need to be transported lying flat, so this statement has been deleted from the Home Treatment section.
- Eye Problems, Noninjury: Change in the size or shape of a pupil with eye pain or vision changes has been added to the Emergencies section. Also in the Emergencies section, we have added blurred vision and seeing black spots to our description of possible retinal detachment. In the Check Your Symptoms section, we now refer to ocular misalignment rather than ocular deviation. A new question about the change in the size or shape of a pupil has been added to the Check Your Symptom section. The Check Your Symptoms question about a sore, ulcer, or spot on an eye has been changed from a yellow (call today) to a red (call now) level of triage.
- Insect Bites and Stings and Spider Bites: References to Hobo spider bites have been removed from throughout this topic, since hobo spider bites do not cause medically significant problems. In the Home Treatment section, we have added information about the importance of "quickly removing the stinger" after a sting. Additional methods of removing the stinger have been added to the linked document.
- Nervous System Problems: In the Topic Overview, mental health problems and exposure to toxins have been added to the list of things that can cause nervous system problems.
- Objects in the Ear: The Home Treatment section now contains a warning about flushing an object out with water. Also in Home Treatment, we have added a reminder to call a doctor if a disc battery cannot be removed from the ear.
- Objects in the Eye: A new question about not being able to remove a contact lens from the eye has been added to the Check Your Symptoms section. The topic Pinkeye have been added in Related Information. More tips on protective eyewear have been added to the Prevention section.
- Physical Abuse: At the beginning of the Check Your Symptoms section, we have added information to direct the reader to other related topics, such as Anger, Hostility, and Violent Behavior as well as Sexual Abuse or Rape. Other related topics, such as Domestic Abuse, Elder Abuse, and Child Abuse, are now listed at the end of the Check Your Symptoms section. All of the risk factors for abuse have been reviewed and updated.
- Pinkeye: We have added metal objects and insects to the information about foreign bodies causing red eye. Instructions on inserting eye ointment has been added to the Home Treatment section.
- Respiratory Problems, Age 11 and Younger: We have added a link to the SARS topic in the Topic Overview. Honey or lemon juice for home treatment has been added with a caution about using honey in a child younger than 1 year old. In the Preparing for Your Appointment section, we have added questions about what home treatment and medicines have been tried.
- Respiratory Problems, Age 12 and Older: We have added a link to the SARS topic in the Topic Overview. Related information on sleep problems has been added to the end of the Check Your Symptoms section. The information on zinc use as an alternative supplement has been updated in the Home Treatment section. We have added immunization information to the Prevention section. In the Preparing for Your Appointment section, we have added questions about what home treatment and medicines have been tried. A history of a pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis has been added to the information on health risks.
- Ringing in the Ears (Tinnitus): In the Preparing for Your Appointment section, we have added questions about what home treatment and medicines have been tried.
- Sexual Abuse or Assault (Rape): This topic has undergone a new medical review and was found to be accurate and up-to-date.
- Sore Throat: We have added allergic reaction as a symptom to evaluate first in the beginning of the Check Your Symptoms section. Hoarseness has been added to the muffled voice Check Your Symptoms question. Questions about strep throat and having diabetes or an immune system problem have been added to the symptoms of strep throat question in the Check Your Symptoms section. In the Preparing for Your Appointment section, we have added questions about what home treatment and medicines have been tried.
- Sunburn: Cold sores, lupus, and cataracts have been added to possible long-term problems from sunburn in the Topic Overview. Information on clothing with sun protection factor has been added to the Prevention section as well as a caution about using tanning booths. The SPF factor for children was changed from 30 or higher to 15 or higher.
- Tick Bites: Additional questions on difficulty swallowing or talking, facial paralysis, and double vision have been added to the Check Your Symptoms question on tick paralysis. Information on controlling ticks has been added to the Prevention section.
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