cover image Symptoms: What They Mean--When to Call Your Doctor

Symptoms: What They Mean--When to Call Your Doctor

Isadore Rosenfeld. Simon & Schuster, $19.45 (0pp) ISBN 978-0-671-66140-3

This useful home health guide is a hypochondriac's delight, as physician Rosenfeld ( Modern Prevention ) describes bodily ailments and symptoms running the gamut from heartburn to fainting spells, blurred vision to yellow eyeballs, memory loss to constipation. Are such disorders nothing serious--or a good reason to start worrying? Rosenfeld contends that his book will give most readers an idea of what a symptom really indicates, what should be done about it and how quickly. ``In my experience, the first opinion of an informed patient usually turns out to be right.'' He is careful to note, however, that Symptoms is not intended to replace a visit to the doctor; rather, it is a tool for patients to rely on in describing their problems with increased accuracy. In 17 chapters Rosenfeld gives intelligent suggestions on how to play medical detective and pin down the likely diagnosis, and explains how age, sex, family medical history and habits can offer additional clues to a symptom's meaning. His book will save readers time, money and, best of all, anxiety. BOMC , QPBC , MacMillan Book Club , Preferred Choice Book Plan and Rodale Press Book Club alternates. (Apr.)