American Medical Association Family Medical Guide - American Medical Association [155]
Pain, stiffness, or limited movement in the shoulder.
Painful ankles
Pain in or around one or both ankles.
Swollen ankles
Swelling or puffiness in one or both ankles.
Foot problems
Pain, irritation, or swelling anywhere in one or both feet. For the chart PAINFUL ANKLES, see p. 317. For the chart SWOLLEN ANKLES, see p. 318.
MEN
Painful or enlarged testicles
Pain or swelling that may affect one or both testicles or the scrotum (the pouch that contains the testicles).
Painful intercourse in men
Pain or discomfort during or just after intercourse.
WOMEN
Pain or lumps in the breast
Aches, pain, tenderness, or lumps in one or both breasts. See HOW TO PERFORM A BREAST SELF-EXAMINATION (p. 137).
Breast problems in new mothers
Pain, tenderness, or lumps in the breasts within 4 months of having a baby.
Absent periods
Not getting your menstrual period when it’s due.
Heavy periods
Menstrual periods lasting longer than 7 days or that are longer or heavier than usual.
Painful periods
Pain with menstruation.
Pelvic pain in women
Pain in the pelvic area. Use this chart only after consulting the chart ABDOMINAL PAIN, p. 284.
Irregular vaginal bleeding
Any bleeding that occurs between menstrual periods, during pregnancy, or after menopause.
Abnormal vaginal discharge
Discharge from the vagina that is different than usual in color, consistency, or quantity.
Vaginal irritation
Itching or soreness inside or just outside the vagina.
Abnormal hair growth in women
Excessive hair anywhere on the body.
Painful intercourse in women
Pain or discomfort during or just after sexual intercourse.
COUPLES
Infertility
The inability to conceive after more than 12 months of having intercourse without using contraception. See also the chapter INFERTILITY (p. 493).
CHILDREN
Waking at night in children
Difficulty sleeping through the night that causes a child to cry or call out. See also DIFFICULTY FALLING ASLEEP OR SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT (p. 413).
Crying in infants
Any persistent crying in infants.
Vomiting in infants
Burping or throwing up after feedings.
Diarrhea in infants
Having three to four watery bowel movements within 24 hours.
Skin problems in young children
Skin discoloration, inflammation, or blemishes.
Slow weight gain in young children
Failure to gain weight or grow at the expected rate. See the box below on WEIGHT GAIN IN THE FIRST YEAR OF LIFE.
Fever in young children
An axillary (armpit) temperature over 100ºF or a rectal temperature over 102ºF.
Fever in children
An axillary (armpit) temperature over 100ºF, an oral temperature over 101ºF, or a rectal temperature over 102ºF.
Abdominal pain in children
Pain in the area between the bottom of the rib cage and the groin.
Itching in children
Skin irritation that makes a child want to scratch.
Coughing in children
Coughing in children is usually a symptom of a respiratory infection.
Swellings in children
Any swellings or lumps in the neck or armpits.
Limping in children
Difficulty walking (in a young child, a reluctance to walk) that may be accompanied by pain in the affected hip, leg, or foot.
OLDER PEOPLE
Over 65 years
Lack of bladder control in older people
Involuntary urination. Use this chart only after first consulting the chart LACK OF BLADDER CONTROL, p. 303.
Confusion in older people
A loss of clarity about times, places, and events, or a loss of contact with reality. Use this chart only after first consulting the chart CONFUSION, p. 234.
PART FIVE
Health Issues Throughout Life
1
Children’s Health
One of the most important things you can do to make sure that your child is healthy and is developing normally is to take him or her to the doctor for routine examinations, called well-child visits, and all the recommended vaccinations. This chapter describes the developmental steps your child will take during the first few years