 | Diseases And Conditions 331 Ask the Doc Q&A I have high blood pressure. But my blood pressure varies a lot during the day, especially the top number. Which blood pressure reading should I use: the lowest, the highest or the average? I have high blood pressure. But my blood pressure varies a lot during the day, especially the top number. Which blood pressure reading should I use: the lowest, the highest or the average? htmASKTHEDOCbloodpressurereadingtopaverage You’re right that blood pressure varies. If you dash up two flights of stairs or pick up something heavy, it may surge 30 to 40 points or more. The strain doesn’t have to be purely physical. Arriving late for your doctor’s appointment or being worried about work might also cause a temporary spike. 1477315 InteliHealth 2013-02-19 t Howard LeWine, M.D. 2016-09-19
| | Ask The Expert |  | | | | | | | | | Archive By Date: Ask the Doc Q&A | Page 1 of 4 | | Answered questions from the past 2 years: | | I have costochondritis. What causes this? I’ve had no injury, but lots of stress and mental health problems. Can stress bring this on? Is this chronic? | I have frequent headaches. I don’t like taking pain relievers. I’ve been told that vitamins can help prevent headaches. Is this true? What about other natural products? | y 13-year-old daughter has been diagnosed with a hemangioma. It looks like a wart, and about the size of a pencil eraser. It’s just above her left armpit on her shoulder. What would cause this to happen? Is there anything we should be concerned with? Should it be removed — or will it go away on its own? | My six-month-old daughter started to have seizures. She had 3 on Thursday, 20-30 on Friday, 2 on Saturday and none since then. All she does is stop, roll her eyes to the back of her head and then cry. We are waiting on the results of an EEG. But can you give us more information on what could be happening and why? | I recently had a severe reaction to amoxicillin. I had to go to the hospital, where I was given Benadryl and cortisone through an IV. My doctor tells me that I now have "serum sickness." I have joint pain, fatigue and headaches. What exactly is “serum sickness?” | When you’ve have a cold or the flu, how do you know when it's safe to continue a routine exercise program? | Recently I’ve been staying up until 3 or 4 in the morning to work on my oil paintings. I know I should feel tired, but I don’t. One of my friends said that I might be hypomanic. What is that? | I was not able to pass urine after having a pacemaker put in. I was sent home with catheter attached to a bag. I have a follow-up appointment with the urologist. What if I still can’t pass urine after the catheter is removed? I’d prefer not to have surgery. What are my options? | Do adult women — that is, not just teenagers — have problems with eating disorders? | I have a couple of broken ribs. The pain is so bad that I can hardly move. I can’t sleep at night and I can’t take a deep breath. Is there anything I can do to help my ribs heal quickly or ease the pain? I’ve been told that there isn’t really anything that can be done for this. |
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