Fever of unknown origin

Disease class: Fever

Also known as

• FUO
• Pyrexia of unknown origin

Fever

Also known as

• Pyrexia
• Febrile response

 

Subtypes

• Fever of unknown origin

Apnoea

Disease class: Respiration disorders

Types

• Sleep apnoea syndromes

Definition

Pyrexia of unknown origin

Also known as PUO.

Secondary headache disorders

This is a category of headache disorder.
A headache can be secondary to various pathologies, both inside the head, and outside the head. The pain is a useful warning sign, heralding a potentially harmful pathology. Correction of the cause would alleviate the pain signals.

The pain is a useful warning sign, heralding a potentially harmful pathology. Correction of the cause would alleviate the pain signals.

The most common type of secondary headache is medication overuse headache.

 

Types

Headache attributed to trauma or injury to the head and/or neck

• Acute headache secondary to traumatic head injury
• Persistent headache secondary to traumatic head injury
• Acute headache secondary to whiplash
• Persistent headache secondary to whiplash
• Acute headache secondary to craniotomy
• Persistent headache secondary to craniotomy

Headache attributed to cranial or cervical vascular disorder

• Cerebral ischaemic event
• Non-traumatic intracranial haemorrhage
• Unruptured vascular malformation

Headache attributed to non-vascular intracranial disorder

• Increased CSF pressure
• Low CSF pressure

Headache attributed to a substance or its withdrawal

• Use of a substance
• Exposure to a substance
• Medication overuse headache
• Substance withdrawal

Headache attributed to infection

• Intracranial infection
• Systemic infection

Headache attributed to disorder of homoeostasis

• Hypothyroidism

Headache or facial pain attributed to disorder of the cranium, neck, eyes, ears, nose, sinuses, teeth, mouth or other facial or cervical structure

• Refractive error
• Glaucoma
• Dental caries

Headache attributed to psychiatric disorder

• Somatisation disorder
• Psychotic disorder

Pain

Definition

Pain: an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage.

Source: International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP)

Haematuria

Definition

Blood in the urine. The blood may come from any part of the urinary tract.
When the blood comes from the kidney or upper parts of the urinary tract, it usually gives the urine a brownish or smoky tinge.

 Source: Black's Medical Dictionary (42nd ed, 2010, ISBN 978-1-4081-0419-4) 

Enuresis

The involuntary passage of urine.

At night this is called nocturnal enuresis.
In the day this is called diurnal enuresis. 

Urinary urgency

Definition

An immediate unstoppable urge to urinate, due to a sudden involuntary contraction of the muscular wall of the bladder.

When urinary incontinence ensues, this is known as urge incontinence.

Nocturia

Definition

Excess passing of urine during the night.

Source: Black's Medical Dictionary (42nd ed, 2010, ISBN 978-1-4081-0419-4) 

Dysuria

Definition

Difficulty or pain on urination.
A burning feeling is common and relief is achieved by treating the underlying cause.

Source: Black's Medical Dictionary (42nd ed, 2010, ISBN 978-1-4081-0419-4)  

Nocturnal enuresis

Also known as bedwetting.

This is the involuntary passage of urine at night.

Enuresis may also occur during the day.

Anuria

Disease class: Kidney diseases

Definition

A condition in which no urine is voided.

Source: Black's Medical Dictionary (42nd ed, 2010, ISBN 978-1-4081-0419-4)  

Vesical tenesmus

Definition

Complaint that the bladder does not feel empty after micturition.

 There is an assocation between high post-void residual (PVR) and vesical tenesmus. However, it can occur with an apparently empty bladder.

Urinary hesitancy

Definition

Having to strain to pass urine.

Symptom of urinary retention.
Patients often complain of  "hestitating" at the urinal, as they must wait for long periods of time before urination begins. 

Oliguria

Definition

An abnormally low excretion of urine. 

Source: Black's Medical Dictionary (42nd ed, 2010, ISBN 978-1-4081-0419-4)  

Polyuria

Definition

The production of excessive amounts of urine.
About 1,500 ml is the usual daily quantity.

Source: Black's Medical Dictionary (42nd ed, 2010, ISBN 978-1-4081-0419-4) 

Anorexia

Definition 

Loss of appetite. 

Source: Black's Medical Dictionary (42nd ed, 2010, ISBN 978-1-4081-0419-4)

Fatigue

Definition

Tiredness: a physiological state in which muscles become fatigued by the lactic acid accumulating in them as a result of their activity.

Source: Black's Medical Dictionary (42nd ed, 2010, ISBN 978-1-4081-0419-4)

Pathophysiology

Oxygen is required to remove lactic acid in the recovery phase of muscular contraction and, if the supply of oxygen is not plentiful enough, or cannot keep pace with the work the muscle is doing, then lactic acid accumulates and fatigue results.

There is also a nervous element in muscular fatigue: it is diminished by stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system.

Polydipsia

Definition

Excessive thirst.

Source: Black's Medical Dictionary (42nd ed, 2010, ISBN 978-1-4081-0419-4)