Is Tuberculosis (TB) Contagious?

Chest pain is a common complaint by a patient in the ER. Causes of chest pain include broken or bruised ribs, pleurisy, pneumothorax, shingles, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, angina, heart attack, costochondritis, pericarditis, aorta or aortic dissection, and reflux esophagitis.

Diagnosis and treatment of chest pain depends upon the cause and clinical presentation of the patient's chest pain.

Chronic cough is a cough that does not go away and is generally a symptom of another disorder such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, sinus infection, cigarette smoking, GERD,  postnasal drip,  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  medications, and  less frequently tumors or other lung disease.

Chronic cough treatment is based on the cause, but may be soothed natural and home remedies.

Cipro (ciprofloxacin) and Levaquin (levofloxacin) are antibiotics prescribed to treat bacterial infections of the airways, lungs, bone, joints, and skin. Both Cipro and Levaquin belong to a class of antibiotics called fluoroquinolones. Fluoroquinolones stop the multiplication of bacteria by preventing the reproduction and repair of their genetic material (DNA).

Both Cipro and Levaquin cause side effects, for example, abdominal pain, rash, diarrhea, vomiting, and headache. Side effects of Cipro that do not occur with Levaquin include insomnia, dizziness, intestinal gas, and itching. Levaquin also can cause side effects like restlessness and constipation. Dosage for both antibiotics depends upon the type of infection. Drug interactions occur with both drugs. Cipro and Levaquin are not recommended to take if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Cipro, generic name ciprofloxacin, is an antibiotic that belongs to a class of antibiotics called fluoroquinolones, prescribed for the treatment a variety of bacterial infections. Flagyl, generic name metronidazole, is an antibiotic prescribed for the treatment of parasites and anaerobic bacteria.

Cipro and Flagyl have the same common side effects like rash, headache, abdominal cramps and/or pain, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.

Nerve pain (peripheral neuropathy) and seizures are serious side effects of both Cipro and Flagyl. Cipro may cause rupture of the Achilles tendon. Cipro may cause a rare allergic reaction called anaphylaxis or shock. Symptoms of shock include shortness of breath, hives, itching, and cardiovascular collapse.

Examples of side effects unique to Flagyl are dizziness, constipation, vaginal dryness, furry tongue, dry mouth, and loss of appetite. Neither Cipro or Flagyl are recommended during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

Cipro, generic name ciprofloxacin, and Keflex, generic name cephalexin, are antibiotics that belong to different drug classes. Cipro is a type of fluoroquinolone and Keflex is a type of penicillin. Cipro and Keflex can cause similar side effects like abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, headache, and skin rashes.

Keflex has fewer serious side effects than Cipro, for example, anaphylaxis, a type of severe allergic reaction. Cipro and Keflex both can cause a serious infection with C. difficile, which causes severe, chronic diarrhea and may lead to pseudomembranous colitis. Cipro has many serious side effects, for example, Achilles tendon rupture, peripheral nerve pain, CNS problems, high blood sugar, abnormal heart rhythms, hepatitis, yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), liver failure, acute kidney failure, cardiac arrest, and respiratory failure.

Cipro and Keflex are used to treat bacterial infections, for example, infections of the ears, skin, bone, urinary tract, and C. difficile (infectious diarrhea). Cipro also is used for the treatment of lower respiratory infections, sinusitis, chronic prostatitis, TB, typhoid fever, cystitis, the plague, anthrax poisoning, and bronchiectasis. Keflex also is used for the treatment of infections of the middle ear, tonsils (tonsillitis), bronchioles (bronchitis), laryngitis (larynx), and lungs (pneumonia).

Coughing is a reflex that helps a person clear their airways of irritants. There are many causes of an excessive or severe cough including irritants like cigarette and secondhand smoke, pollution, air fresheners, medications like beta blockers and ACE inhibitors, the common cold, GERD, lung cancer, and heart disease.

Natural and home remedies to help cure and soothe a cough include stay hydrated, gargle saltwater, use cough drops or lozenges, use herbs and supplements like ginger, mint, licorice, and slippery elm, and don't smoke.

Over-the-counter products (OTC)to cure and soothe a cough include cough suppressants and expectorants, and anti-reflux drugs.

Prescription drugs that help cure a cough include narcotic medications, antibiotics, inhaled steroids, and anti-reflux drugs like proton pump inhibitors or PPIs, for example, omeprazole (Prilosec), rabeprazole (Aciphex), and pantoprazole (Protonix).

Night sweats are severe hot flashes that occur at night and result in a drenching sweat. The causes of night sweats in most people are not serious, like menopause in women, sleep apnea, medications, alcohol withdrawal, and thyroid problems. However, more serious diseases like cancer and HIV also can cause night sweats. Your doctor will treat your night sweats depending upon the cause.

You may experience other signs and symptoms that are associated with night sweats, which depend upon the cause, but may include, shaking, and chills with a fever caused by an infection like the flu or pneumonia; unexplained weight loss due to lymphoma; women in perimenopause or menopause may also have vaginal dryness, mood swings, and hot flashes during the day; and low blood sugar in people with diabetes.

Other causes of night sweats include medications like NSAIDs (aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), and naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), antidepressants, sildenafil (Viagra), and abuse of prescription or illegal drugs and drug withdrawal; hormone disorders like pheochromocytoma and carcinoid syndrome; idiopathic hyperhidrosis; infections like endocarditis, AIDs, and abscesses; alcoholism and alcohol withdrawal; drug abuse, addiction, and withdrawal; and stroke.

A doctor or other health care professional can treat your night sweats after the cause has been diagnosed.