Differential Diagnosis #1

[geekygecko.livejournal.com]

Just a little harmless bit of fun as part of our annual birthday celebration.  Well, harmless to everyone except Wilson. *grins evilly*


QUESTION:

Craving and chewing ice may be a symptom of what condition(s)?
 
 
 

Comments

[nuclearfootball.livejournal.com]

I've eaten a lot of it in the past to stave off hunger pangs but that's probably not what you're going for.

:img-debbie_downer.gif:

[geekygecko.livejournal.com]

Not quite. :)

But if he's not getting enough to eat and he passes out from low blood sugar, we'd be totally cool with that, especially if he hits his head or something as he falls. *rubs hands together in fiendish glee*

[taiga13.livejournal.com]

Thirst?
Tooth pain?
Labour?

[geekygecko.livejournal.com]

Good guesses. Apparently at least one study suggests that people crave ice as an analgesic for burning mouth syndrome.

But we have something else in mind. :)

Quiz

[melraemorgan.livejournal.com]

It's a symptom of anemia.

Re: Quiz

[geekygecko.livejournal.com]

Yup. That's what we were looking for. :)

[mosquito-larva.livejournal.com]

I could think of pica (craving non-nutritive things) or possibly it being a symptom of anemia.

[geekygecko.livejournal.com]

Hee! Two people on the same wavelength at the same time. *cue Twilight Zone music*

You got it! Well done. :)

[yarroway.livejournal.com]

Drat! I'd have guessed pregnancy because I actually know some women who craved freezer ice (not the ice in ice trays) when pregnant...but maybe they were anemic.

[geekygecko.livejournal.com]

Isn't that a cool little bit of info?

I first stumbled across it in this (http://factoidz.com/why-some-people-are-addicted-to-eating-ice/) article while I was doing some mod stuff awhile back, and thought it would be a great "ice-breaker" for the birthday festivities. *ducks and runs for cover* :)

[jomadge.livejournal.com]

"Ice breaker". D'oh!

I impressed my boss by knowing the word "pica" when she recently needed it for a crossword answer. House makes me all smart, and stuff! ;-)

[geekygecko.livejournal.com]

Yay! for impressing the boss. :D

It is pretty amazing how much stuff we pick up from the show. I'm sure TPTB take some poetic license, and the medical info isn't always 100% accurate. But it does give us an extra excuse to indulge in our fannish vices, with House being so educational and all. ;)

[smiddlecn.livejournal.com]

This is interesting...and freaking me out a bit...because I chew ice a LOT!
I just thought it was an annoying little habit!

[geekygecko.livejournal.com]

*smiles*

Well, it could just be an annoying little habit. ;)

But that article does kinda make you see it in a new light.

And if we ever see Wilson chewing ice on the show, you just know we're all going to diagnose him as being anemic. LOL!