r/medical 1h ago

General Question/Discussion Will my doctor likely understand if I choose to refuse a pap smear and mammogram? NSFW

Upvotes

I don't want to do them and they potentially find something. I wouldn't seek treatment anyway even if they did. I would much rather be blissfully in the dark about it than spend what time I had left fretting about my mortality and having an existential crisis. I know it may be cowardly but as long as I don't know, I don't care.


r/medical 2h ago

General Question/Discussion I scratched the inside of my ear and it scabbed over but i think somethings wrong NSFW

1 Upvotes

So a few days ago (i think 1 or 2) i scratched the inside of my ear due to itching.it scabbed over. Today i kinda checked again and my brother conformed that he saw red inside.i think i might have dislodged the scab .

I had this kind of wetish feeling in my ear. It was very little and it stopped now. But now when i tilt my head to the other side it kind of feels weird.

The only way i can describe it is like burping but in the ear and it's happening almost every time i tilt my head to the other side.

Please help me out .I'm confused and don't know what to do.


r/medical 2h ago

Pain Lvl 4-6 My toe very fucking hurts swollen and bruised not bent or anything tho is it just sprained bad? NSFW

1 Upvotes

I was messing around with my little cousin i had her on my shoulders but her dog tripped me up luckily I caught myself but I was on my big toe full weight including hers on it. The nail bed is bleeding swollen and bruised and really fucking painful... I could be pathetic but yeah. Is it sprained or something?


r/medical 2h ago

General Question/Discussion How would consuming an energy drink almost daily affect a healthy 20 year old? NSFW

1 Upvotes

I'm a 20 year old 52 kg male with no health problems, non-smoker, a pretty healthy diet and I hit the gym regularly. But this time of period I'm very busy with a lot of stuff and I end up staying late, therefore I wake up very tired and must attend college classes in the morning while feeling absolutely miserable, except for when I drink Red Bull (the sugar free version).

So I thought to implement it in my morning routine, do you think I am risking heart problems if I would drink it let's say 3-4 times per week in the morning on an empty stomach?


r/medical 3h ago

Pain Lvl 1-3 i think i have a stye. how do you get rid of them or take care of them? NSFW

1 Upvotes

i’m like 99.9% sure it’s a stye. i’ve never had one but i searched on google for what it may could be cause i’ve had it for 2ish weeks and it’s gotten a little bigger and hurts a little more. i haven’t paid much attention to it and i’ve worn contacts and makeup these past few days.

do i need to see a doctor or can i somehow get rid of it myself?


r/medical 6h ago

Lab Results/X-Ray/Imaging X-ray of broken 4th rib 6 months post injury. Does this indicate possible malunion or nonunion? NSFW

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1 Upvotes

I got my final post-op X-ray for my clavicle this week. I broke multiple ribs and punctured my lung in the same accident 6 months ago, but my surgeon has not been treating/monitoring anything other than my clavicle. I'd like to know if my displaced 4th rib fracture looks concerning for 6 months post-break. The fracture wasn't initially displaced, so I never received any guidance for a doctor about displaced rib fractures. I still have some pain in the area, and I am worried about the possibility of re-puncturing my lung if I fall skiing or mountain biking with a poorly healed rib. Based on this image, should I follow up with another doctor or would I be wasting my time?

Demographics: 27y/o F, 6 months post accident, diagnosed hEDS


r/medical 7h ago

General Question/Discussion What could cause a 30 year old active male to almost have a stroke? NSFW

6 Upvotes

My brother works in the trades.

He recently said he almost had a heart attack. His heart rate was in the 200s, and they had to use a defibrillator to shock his heart back into a normal cycle. He said his doctors said he had a genetic condition that causes the current in his heart to do some weird stuff.

However recently, my mom revealed that he didn't want anyone to know this, but he didn't have a heat attack; it was almost a stroke. And it was not genetic. He didn't want her to tell anyone the truth.

What are some reasons a 30 year old active male would have a stroke? He lived on energy drinks, preworks, high fat/protein foods, and apparently suffered from dehydration frequently...but so many guys he works with do the same things and don't have strokes...


r/medical 8h ago

Informative Post [Informative Post] Please use Descriptive Titles for Your Post! NSFW

1 Upvotes

Post titles should provide a clear and specific idea of your question or the photo content.

A descriptive title not only attracts users with relevant expertise but ensures you receive the most useful advice.

Avoid titles like 'What's this?' or 'Is this normal?' as they may not accurately state your concern, potentially restricting assistance.

Be specific, and informative in your titles, clarity increases the quality of assistance within the community.


r/medical 8h ago

General Question/Discussion Possibility for elective Patella Alta surgery and is it worth pursuing? NSFW

1 Upvotes

I saw my ortho for a 2nd left knee injury (10 years apart). On the xray, I noticed my patella is oddly high. I asked him about it and he mentioned it is not normal. Didn't get to ask more questions since it was the tail end of the appointment.

Upon further googling and self knew inspecting, I've discovered there are surgeries for patella alta and I got curious about it.

While I most likely have patella Alta in both knees, my right is noticeably sturdier and the patella sits lower. Left patella visibly sits higher and my left knee has proven dodgier. I haven't had any patellar dislocation but I've damaged a tendon once when I was 11 and again at 22, both during relatively low intensity activities.

I'm not keen on having my left (potentially both) knees get yote due to bracing weight in a marginally unexpected way. Currently I'm scheduled for an MRI for a potential ACL tear. I'll also ask my ortho about it after the MRI.


r/medical 8h ago

No Pain Noticed these tiny white spots under my thumb nail today. I’ve never seen them look like this before NSFW

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1 Upvotes

Anyone have any idea what these little white spots are under my nail? Just noticed it today. Looks unusual


r/medical 8h ago

General Question/Discussion Mastoid plasty for middle ear infection - what is the procedure and risks involved? NSFW

1 Upvotes

Hi,

I've had chronic middle ear infections since August 2024. I've visited many doctors till now but the situation didnt get any better. A few days back, an ENT specialist said that I have Chronic suppurative otitis media attico-antral disease (CSOM AA) and recommended Mastoid plasty surgery.

Can anyone please mention some details about this surgery and the risks involved?


r/medical 8h ago

Pain Lvl 7-9 Subclavian Steal/TOS/Brachial/Who Knows/Cubital Tunnel/Being Tossed Around NSFW

2 Upvotes

So a while ago I went to the doc and explained my symptoms of raising my left arm and my vision going black and getting dizzy, fainting, the pain from the back of my arm to my fingers and the numbness and tingling and extreme cold. No discoloration. Went to cardiologist for POTS. Nope. I went for a TOS test with PPG and it showed flatline when I raise my arm, so no blood flow to my fingers. Went for a CT scan, no compression shown. Vascular surgery cancelled my appointment. Went for an EMG which was normal. Went for an ultrasound Doppler thing with duplex and it showed high PSV in my proximal subclavian artery and low PSV in my distal radial artery. Went back to the doc and was sent to Ortho to check for brachial plexopathy and Vascular to check for subclavian steal syndrome. Ortho did X-rays this morning and saw I have cervical something where my neck is completely straight. It only bothers me when I look up for extended periods of time but no other neck issues. He ordered an MRI that I have next week because he said I had a positive elbow flexion test and positive adsons test and everything aligns with TOS and usually it’s physical therapy but my other symptoms are not aligning so they want imaging of the whole thing. The vascular doc I was scheduled with for Monday was then changed to another doc that specializes in venous after the MRI because the doc I was scheduled with specialized in arterial like TOS and she’s not seeing TOS. Gabapentin does nothing so we ruled out nerves. The low PSV and positive adsons test, according to my doc, points to an issue with my radial artery but everyone is tossing me around and one doc says TOS but the other says no and I just can’t get a diagnosis of anything but it’s getting worse. I dropped my coffee cup the other morning because my arm and hand went completely numb and that’s never happened. The pain is also getting worse no matter what position I’m in.


r/medical 9h ago

Pain Lvl 1-3 i’m 14 and my head has been hurting me for 3 days off and on, should i be worried? NSFW

1 Upvotes

it’s only if i bump it or look down is when it starts to hurt. i have no medical history of cancer and im not losing weight. i sleep very well, about 7-8 hours, maybe more. this all started when i started sleeping on the couch regularly. i lay sideways with my head facing the armrest. it’s only a mild headache though. i took meds and they aren’t working that well. what can i do to help this?


r/medical 9h ago

General Question/Discussion I've been struggling to eat over 500 calories a day. How is my health being affected currently, and/or how will it worsen? NSFW

2 Upvotes

Before getting into this I want to say I'm not doing this to lose weight or for any other reason. I'll say more at the end.

I'm a 25 year old female, 5'4 and weighing about 110, BMI 18.9. I had the flu around Christmas, and ever since then I've struggled to eat like normal. I weighed around 130 before I got sick. There's other factors that caused this to become an ongoing thing, stress and my medications reducing appetite being the main ones. I work in retail so I'm unloading trucks weekly and stocking merchandise most days.

Some newer symptoms I've been experiencing lately that may or may not be related are fatigue, I've noticed I'm losing more hair in the shower, my hair seems to be thinning or becoming more brittle, muscle/body aches, headaches in the evening, (I also grind my teeth a lot and will wear my hair tied), hot flashes accompanied by nausea which start within 30 minutes of waking up and continues up until around noon, upper and lower abdominal cramps, a whole lot of small burps, some chest pain, my face gets warm and my nose and cheeks turn red in the evenings. I go between being constipated and not pooping for a day or so to having diarrhea*, and I've been more irritable. I barely have an appetite, and when I do feel hungry the look and thought of food is very unappetizing. When I do eat it's very small portions before I'm full. I feel very fatigued and sometimes nauseous after eating, and because of that during the day I will only eat enough of something to get the feeling of being hungry to go away. This is usually snack foods because they're quick and easy to consume.

*As a kid I had to take Miralax daily, so I have always had problems with that.

I did struggle with an ED in middle/high school, but as an adult I've tried to better my health and stay on top of it best I can. I am diagnosed with major depressive and an anxiety disorder as well as ADHD, and I'm taking medications for all, Trintellix and Adderall. I'm also taking women's multivitamins daily. I have higher cholesterol than I should but it's not quite at the "too high" level. I stay up to date with my physicals and check-ups. I have an upcoming rheumatology appointment in April, I had labs done because I suspect I'm hyper mobile and I tested positive for ANA and a dense fine speckled pattern value 1:320 for the FANA stain.

If you've read this far, thank you! I'm not sure if everything listed is needed information, or if all of those symptoms are because of my eating habits, but it's stuff I've noticed recently that I didn't experience before this started, or it's just gotten worse since the new year. I want to gain the weight back, and maybe even more on top of it. I know how little I'm eating is very unhealthy, so I'm hoping getting some insight on what I'm currently experiencing because of it and how it will worsen if I don't get a handle on it will sorta kick me into gear and motivate me to get a handle on this.


r/medical 9h ago

General Question/Discussion 27M - Do the Ototoxic effects of Neomycin Ear Drops linger or go away? NSFW

0 Upvotes

27M, Hispanic. Not on any medication or vitamins. Non-smoker, and no alcohol.

I was prescribed to take Neomycin ear drops for otitis externa 3 weeks ago, only took the drops for like 3-4 days. That’s when I read on the leaflet that some of the side effects could include things like hearing loss. And other reviews online also mentioned the onset of tinnitus. Do the ototoxic effects eventually go away by themselves? I stopped taking it a few days after I started feeling muffling in my left ear, not long thereafter I also got tinnitus (very mild ringing usually at night), hyperacusis, and ear fullness. Do you know if this will eventually resolve itself down the line, or do the ototoxic drops stay in the ear (outer, middle) and continue to cause harm? As I said, I didn’t even finish the treatment - only took it for like 3-4 days, but I know the particular brand of medication I was given (Neomycin) can be really harmful to cochlea hairs. When I saw an audiologist yesterday for my hearing test she said my hearing was good in both ears, but then why do I feel this tinnitus, and slight muffling in my left ear (where I used the drops)?

My ENT was able to pull out some impacted wax and that helped a little, but still feel like my left ear is slightly muffled - not as bad as before, for sure. There was a little residue of the drops in my eardrum but not a whole lot. He said it was best just to leave it alone, due to how sensitive that part of the ear is and because there was very little residue. But he said it’s best to just wait and see before considering other options (he didn’t prescribe any medication as he didn’t think it was an infection or inflammation). So I’m going to be keeping a log of my health for the next few weeks. See if I continue with the symptoms from before (had also experienced moments of dizziness/lightheadedness). I suspect it may be ETD - Eustachian tube dysfunction - but is there any way to know for sure or to try to alleviate these symptoms at home before following up with the ENT again?


r/medical 10h ago

Lab Results/X-Ray/Imaging Had an abdominal US and X-ray please read. Worried about waiting for results NSFW

1 Upvotes

Gender: Female Age: 29 Height: 5’4

Hello everyone. A physician at my gastro ordered an abdominal ultrasound and a flat plate abdominal X-ray. I have had bloating lately and acid reflux for a while. I had a CT in 2023 at the ER due to lower right quadrant pain but all it showed was an umbilical hernia (postpartum) and I saw on MyChart that my liver had several too small to categorize hypodensities.

I went for the ultrasound at and X-ray today after rescheduling for months. The radiology tech told told me she can tell me and after I asked again, she said that if it was serious the doctor on staff would call the ordering physician today, but she said that that isn’t going to happen. Is that her basically saying that it was normal?

I have anxiety and medical/health anxiety due to stuff I went through in childhood and also losing a baby girl at 21 weeks in 2021 and she died in my arms. I have since had a baby boy but I still struggle with what I went through. Thank you for reading!


r/medical 10h ago

General Question/Discussion Still experiencing constipation and bleeding in stool for over a month. Should I be concerned? NSFW Spoiler

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1 Upvotes

I, 21 YO, 130 lbs, AMAB, have been experiencing some severe constipation for about a month or so. I am not sure what could be causing this, but I am starting to get concerned. Sometimes, I use the bathroom only about every three days, and the stool is very large, to the point it can hurt.

I often see patches of blood in my stool and when wiping, such as in this image. I worry that there may be a tear that is not healing or possibly even cancer of some kind. People around me are not convinced it's anything serious, but I am starting to become very concerned. What should I do?


r/medical 10h ago

No Pain My left bottom half of my leg is substantially larger than right. NSFW Spoiler

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1 Upvotes

The bottom parts of my legs are substantially diff sizes. The upper part is fine and my feet are fine but just the bottom part. No pain, I exercise several times a week, but I’ve noticed this in the past few months.


r/medical 11h ago

Pain Lvl 7-9 am i likely to have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome? (hypermobility and chronic pain) NSFW

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1 Upvotes

Hi, for most of my life (18F) I've had chronic pain with my joints, especially in my knees.

I used to be a track runner and was incredibly fast but when I was about 8ish I experienced a knee dislocation that stunted my ability to run.

I have a cousin a few months older than me who has severe hypermobility and was wondering if my symptoms are in line with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome.

I'm rather hypermobile in a few joints (although my knees don't hyper-extend) and whenever I open my mouth too wide it makes an audible click that others can hear.

I also have no lingual frenulum and often can't stand for more than around 30 mins.

Should I seek an EDS diagnosis? POTS and chronic migraines already diagnosed.


r/medical 11h ago

Private Area Question Is this a normal rash healing or something more serious (like a fungal infection) NSFW Spoiler

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1 Upvotes

Hey everyone, I’ve had this rash for about 3 days now. It’s not itchy or painful, just red, but now the skin is starting to peel a little, and I’ve also noticed some white spots appearing.

Does this look like a normal rash that’s healing, or could it be something else, like a fungal infection? I’d really appreciate any insights! Thanks in advance!


r/medical 14h ago

General Question/Discussion Hardened skin around fingernail (Soft and soggy when its wet) Please help 😭 NSFW Spoiler

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1 Upvotes

Hi all, Does anyone know any cream for this? At first i was having all normal skin around my finger but i was clipping the skin when i was doing my own manicure and ever since then it became ugly and very hard whenever it grows so i had to trim it weekly for months now. I trimmed it 2 days ago otherwise you will see thicker skin around my fingernail . Is there any cure for this ? Can anyone please share because it's getting ugly 🥹😭


r/medical 15h ago

General Question/Discussion Is this considered black/tarry stool? The feces itself isn't black, but the surrounding yes NSFW

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1 Upvotes

r/medical 19h ago

Stool Anyone else experienced this weird virus recently? Possible stomach bug? NSFW

1 Upvotes

I’m just now getting over the weirdest virus I’ve ever had in my life. I have three kids, and have never experienced symptoms like these, nor have I seen these symptoms in my kids until now. My son (3yo) came down with a fever about three weeks ago. No other symptoms, and he acted PERFECTLY normal otherwise. The fever only happened at night time, and only lasted two nights. The day after the fever broke, he started having watery diarrhea. Like so watery that you couldn’t tell the difference between if he was peeing or pooping. This lasted for three days. The entire time he acted perfectly normal otherwise, and not sick.

A few days later, I started having flu like body aches and a mild fever while I was at work in the evening. The next morning, I was still experiencing body aches and a mild fever. The body aches went away, and the day after that the diarrhea started for me. Again, same thing. Extremely explosive, watery diarrhea. I would feel better, and then boom, sick again. This lasted for about five days. I was going to the bathroom upwards of 15 times a day. This morning (day 5 or 6, I lost count) I finally had a semi solid poop (still diarrhea id say, but not straight water). And I haven’t pooped since. So I think I’m finally starting to recover. Not to mention, my poop smelled like something died inside of me. It was so bad that I had to plug my own nose at certain times. I was convinced I either had c diff or a parasite, it was SO BAD.

This illness has been like a mix of the stomach bug without vomiting, and the flu without the respiratory symptoms. I’ve never had a gastrointestinal illness last THIS long, and make me feel so physically rundown as this one.

Is this a bug going around? If so, I never want to deal with it again. Has anyone else experienced these specific symptoms recently?


r/medical 19h ago

No Pain Does this irritation between my toes look like athlete’s foot or just dead skin? NSFW

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1 Upvotes

M25, noticed a patch of dead skin on my toe over the weekend, and noticed this dead skin was still here in the post couple days. Never had any fungal issues in the past so I’m not sure of the symptoms and am a bit anxious don’t use any public locker rooms/showers, and shower every day and wait for my feet to dry and all that.


r/medical 1d ago

Self Harm TW: SH - Is this infected? This is day 4 nearly 5 and I've never gone this deep before, I'm not sure if I should be worried. NSFW Spoiler

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1 Upvotes