Every case of chest pain with one or more red flag signs or symptoms (refer to Chest Pain Diagnosis) is treated as a medical emergency. In most settings, an x-ray and ECG (electrocardiogram) are the two investigative techniques that can be conducted with  immediate test results being made available.

Other tests may require periods of time for processing which is not feasible in a medical emergency. Nevertheless, if the facilities are available, the emergency room doctor may consider one or more of these chest pain tests while continuing with the appropriate treatment.

Chest pain tests are helpful in confirming a diagnosis but a skilled physician can often make a diagnosis based on clinical findings, a patient’s medical history and accurate case taking. Due to the serious nature of chest pain, many tests are conducted routinely even if serious medical disorders are not suspected by the attending doctor.

continue reading Chest Pain Test – Heart and Lung X-Ray, ECG Stress Tests

Neck spasm is a painful and discomforting stiffness of the neck muscles. It is a highly disabling condition, which greatly prevents a person from leading a normal life. Neck spasm is seen either since childhood, in which case we call it torticollis, or in adulthood, where we call it trapezitis. Both these diseases have entirely different origins, but yet they cause the same symptom, a stiff and painful neck. Injury from road accidents can also lead to neck spasm from fracture of neck vertebrae or with a whiplash injury.
continue reading Neck Spasm – Causes and Treatment

Valmontemmanuel Asked :
I have been feeling this pain in the manubrium, occasionally. It resurfaces, sometimes. I felt this when I was first year in college. Now I am in third year and I feel the pain when I wake up from sleep in morning.

I am assuming this is because of my sleeping positions. I move many times and my bed is sort of imbalanced, since it is old already and fragile. When i try to press it, in the middle of the bone which holds the first intercostal bones, it hurts.

continue reading Morning Sternum (Breastbone), Manubrium Pain Upon Waking

Hazel10 Asked :
I’m kind of worried about my finger, my right index finger. About 3 days ago, I had put on a ring and by accident I fell asleep with my ring on, but only for about 30 to 60 minutes and the ring wasn’t even tight.

When i woke up, my finger felt weird when I took off my ring,I thought maybe cause I fell asleep with it. I’m used to it now, but 2 days ago, I realized that my finger is swollen but it doesn’t hurt at all. It just feels uncomfortable.

I tried putting ice on it cause sometimes ice helps for swelling? Well it didn’t, it only became red.

continue reading Swollen Right Index Finger after Sleeping with Ring

Amyloid is a substance which is composed of different types of proteins. It is a proteinaceous substance in that it is composed largely of protein in addition to other compounds like polysaccharides, lipids and even hormones. In amyloidosis, amyloid is deposited and builds up between the cells of tissues and organs. This is not a normal physiological process and is a result of some pathology (disease, disorder, dysfunction).

Amyloid plaques or deposits may be present with no signs or symptoms appearing. However, it can cause serious clinical manifestations and even lead to death depending on the organs involved and the extent of the deposits.

continue reading What is Amyloidosis? Amyloid Deposits, Disease, Types, Pictures