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Sickle Cell Disease

If you are having any symptoms or have any questions, please call 811 to speak with a registered nurse 24 hours a day. OVERVIEW What is sickle cell disease? Sickle cell disease, also called sickle cell anemia, is a hereditary problem (which means it runs in families). It causes a type of faulty hemoglobin in…

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Silent Heart Attacks

If you are having any symptoms or have any questions, please call 811 to speak with a registered nurse 24 hours a day. OVERVIEW What are silent heart attacks? A silent heart attack is a heart attack without the traditional symptoms. You often don’t know you are having a silent heart attack. Many people don’t…

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Sinusitis

If you are having any symptoms or have any questions, please call 811 to speak with a registered nurse 24 hours a day. OVERVIEW What are sinuses? Sinuses are the air chambers in the bone behind your cheeks, eyebrows and jaw. They make mucus, a fluid that cleans bacteria and other particles out of the…

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Sjögren’s Syndrome

If you are having any symptoms or have any questions, please call 811 to speak with a registered nurse 24 hours a day. OVERVIEW What is Sjögren’s syndrome? Sjögren’s (say: “show-grins”) syndrome is an immune disorder that causes severe dryness in the mouth, eyes and other areas of the body that have mucus membranes. A…

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Skin Cancer

If you are having any symptoms or have any questions, please call 811 to speak with a registered nurse 24 hours a day. OVERVIEW What is skin cancer? Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer. Fortunately, it is usually one of the most curable types of cancer. The body is made up of…

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Skin Cancer – Atypical Moles

If you are having any symptoms or have any questions, please call 811 to speak with a registered nurse 24 hours a day. What are atypical moles? Atypical moles are skin growths that are usually bigger than 6 mm wide (about the size of a pencil eraser). They have an irregular shape and borders that…

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Skin Problems – How to Protect Yourself From Job-related Skin Problems

If you are having any symptoms or have any questions, please call 811 to speak with a registered nurse 24 hours a day. Skin diseases and injuries are common job-related medical problems. Workers of all ages and in almost all jobs can have skin problems that are related to their occupation. Skin problems are more…

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Skin Tags

If you are having any symptoms or have any questions, please call 811 to speak with a registered nurse 24 hours a day. What are skin tags? A skin tag is a non-cancerous skin growth that can occur anywhere on your body. Both men and women get them. Symptoms of skin tags A skin tag…

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Sleep and Pregnancy

If you are having any symptoms or have any questions, please call 811 to speak with a registered nurse 24 hours a day. The amount of sleep you get while you’re pregnant not only affects you and your baby but could impact your labour and delivery as well. Lack of sleep during pregnancy has been…

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Sleep Apnea

If you are having any symptoms or have any questions, please call 811 to speak with a registered nurse 24 hours a day. OVERVIEW What is sleep apnea? Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder. People who have sleep apnea stop breathing for 10 seconds to 30 seconds at a time while they are sleeping….

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Sleep changes in Older Adults

If you are having any symptoms or have any questions, please call 811 to speak with a registered nurse 24 hours a day. How much sleep do older adults need? Most adults need 7 or 8 hours of sleep each night to feel fully alert during the day. This is usually also true for people…

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Sleepwalking

If you are having any symptoms or have any questions, please call 811 to speak with a registered nurse 24 hours a day. OVERVIEW What is sleepwalking? Sleepwalking is a disorder in which a person partly, but not completely, awakens during the night. The person may walk or do other things without any memory of…

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Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis

If you are having any symptoms or have any questions, please call 811 to speak with a registered nurse 24 hours a day. OVERVIEW What is slipped capital femoral epiphysis? Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) is a hip problem that starts if the epiphysis (growing end) of the femur (thigh bone) slips from the ball…

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Small Vessel Disease

If you are having any symptoms or have any questions, please call 811 to speak with a registered nurse 24 hours a day. OVERVIEW What is small vessel disease? Small vessel disease, which is also called coronary microvascular disease, is a disease that affects the small arteries in the heart. These small arteries normally expand…

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Social Phobia (Social Anxiety Disorder)

If you are having any symptoms or have any questions, please call 811 to speak with a registered nurse 24 hours a day. OVERVIEW What is social phobia? Most people feel nervous in certain social situations, such as at a job interview, a high school reunion or giving a speech. Most of us worry about…

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