What are Allergies and Hay Fever?
Allergies refer to an abnormal immune response that can produce a wide range of symptoms (e.g., hives, asthma, anaphylactic shock and death). The most common allergic condition is hay fever (seasonal allergic rhinitis),...
What is Alzheimer's Disease?
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a degenerative brain disorder that manifests as a progressive deterioration of memory and mental function—a state of mind commonly referred to as dementia. In the United States, 5 percent o...
What is Angina?
Angina pectoris is caused by an insufficient supply of oxygen to the heart muscle. Angina usually precedes a heart attack.
What are the Signs and Symptoms of Angina?
The characteristic symptoms are a squeezing or pressure-like...
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is an unpleasant emotional state ranging from mild unease to intense fear. But while fear is a rational response to a real danger, anxiety usually lacks a clear or realistic cause. Though some anxiety is normal and, in fact,...
What is Arrhythmia?
Arrhythmia refers to a disturbance in the rhythm of the heartbeat. Some arrhythmias are very mild and nothing to worry about (such as most cases of atrial fibrillation and premature ventricular contractions); others are potentially...
What is Asthma?
Asthma is an allergic disorder characterized by spasms of the bronchi (the airway tubes); swelling of the mucus lining of the lungs; and excessive production of a thick, viscous mucus. The major concern with asthma is that it can lead...
What is Atherosclerosis?
Atherosclerosis is the process of the hardening of an artery due to the build-up of cholesterol-containing plaque. Atherosclerosis is responsible for coronary artery disease—the leading cause of death in America—and man...
What is a Bladder Infection?
Bladder infections occur when bacteria invade the urinary bladder. Bladder infections are very common in women—10 to 20 percent of all women have urinary-tract discomfort at least once a year. Recurrent bladder infections c...
What is Breast Cancer?
For many women, breast cancer is the disease they fear most. The frightening statistic is that about one in seven or eight women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. Fortunately, there are many effective strategies that...
What is Bronchitis and Pneumonia?
Bronchitis is an infection or irritation of the bronchi—the passageway from the windpipe (trachea) to the lungs—while pneumonia is an infection or irritation of the lungs. Both of these conditions are much more com...
What is Chemotherapy?
Chemotherapy refers to the use of drugs to treat cancer. For many people, the very thought of chemotherapy evokes horrific images of debilitating nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and weakness. Although chemotherapy can induce those...
What are Canker Sores?
Canker sores (aphthous stomatitis is the medical term) are single or clustered shallow, painful ulcers found anywhere in the oral cavity. The sores usually disappear in seven to 21 days, but are recurrent in many people.
What ...
What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common, painful disorder caused by compression of the median nerve that passes between the bones and ligaments of the wrist.
What are the Signs and Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?...
What are Cataracts?
Cataracts are white, opaque blemishes on the normally transparent lens of the eye. They occur as a result of free-radical or oxidative damage to the protein structure of the lens, similar to the damage that occurs to the protein...
What is Cerebral Vascular Insufficiency?
Cerebral vascular insufficiency refers to decreased blood supply to the brain. It is extremely common among the elderly in developed countries due to the high prevalence of atherosclerosis (hardening of the...
What is Chronic Candidiasis?
Chronic candidiasis, or yeast syndrome, is a complex medical syndrome attributed to an overgrowth in the gastrointestinal tract of the usually benign yeast (or fungus) Candida albicans .
Fatigue, allergies, immune system...
What is the Common Cold?
The common cold is an upper respiratory tract infection that is caused by a virus. Typically, people with a cold will experience general malaise, fever, headache and congestion of the upper respiratory tract (nasal passages,...
What is Congestive Heart Failure?
Congestive heart failure (CHF) refers to an inability of the heart to effectively pump enough blood. Weakness, fatigue and shortness of breath are the most common symptoms of CHF.
What Causes Congestive Heart Failure?...
What is Constipation?
Constipation refers to the inability to defecate. Hard, small and difficult-to-pass stools are the most frequent complaint. The frequency of defecation and the consistency and volume of stools vary so greatly from individual...
What is Depression?
Depression is characterized by feelings of low self-esteem, pessimism, and despair. Clinical depression is more than feeling depressed. The official definition of clinical depression is based on the following eight primary criteria:
Poor...
What is Diabetes Mellitus?
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disorder of carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism characterized by fasting elevations of blood sugar (glucose) levels and a greatly increased risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease,...
What is Diarrhea?
Diarrhea refers to an increase in frequency, fluidity, and volume of bowel movements. Diarrhea is a common symptom that usually indicates a mild, temporary event. However, it may also be the first suggestion of a serious underlying...
What is Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a recently recognized disorder that is regarded as a common cause of chronic musculoskeletal pain and fatigue.
What are the signs and symptoms of Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is characterized by generalized...
What is a Food Allergy?
A food allergy or sensitivity occurs when there is an adverse reaction to the ingestion of a food. The allergic reaction may or may not be mediated (controlled and influenced) by the immune system. The allergic reaction may...
What are Gallstones?
Gallstones are round or oval, smooth or faceted lumps of solid matter found in the gallbladder (the sac under the liver where bile is stored and concentrated). Gallstones may be without symptoms or may be associated with periods...
What Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and Non-Ulcer Dyspepsia?
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and non-ulcer dyspepsia (NUD) are medical terms often used to label indigestion and/or heartburn that is not related to an ulcer. The main symptoms...
What is Gout?
Gout is a common type of arthritis caused by an increased concentration of uric acid (the final breakdown product of purine-one of the units of DNA and RNA) in biological fluids. In gout, uric acid crystals are deposited in joints, tendons,...
What is hepatitis?
Hepatitis refers to inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis can be caused by many drugs and toxic chemicals, but in most instances it is caused by a virus. Viral types A, B, and C are the most common.
During the period before liver...
What is Herpes?
Herpes simplex is a virus that is responsible for cold sores and genital herpes. There are two types of Herpes simplex viruses: type 1 (HSV-1) is most often responsible for cold sores (also referred to as fever blisters) while type...
What is High Blood Pressure?
High blood pressure is a major risk factor for a heart attack or stroke. The blood pressure denotes the resistance produced each time the heart beats and sends blood coursing through the arteries. The peak reading of the...
What is Hypoglycemia?
Hypoglycemia refers to low blood sugar. Normally, the body maintains blood sugar levels within a narrow range through the coordinated effort of several glands and their hormones. If these control mechanisms are disrupted, hypoglycemia...
What is hypothyroidism?
The thyroid gland is located in the front of the neck below the voice box. It is just about the same size and shape - and is in the same location - as a small bow tie. The thyroid secretes two hormones that are crucial for...
What is Insomnia?
Insomnia refers to a difficulty in achieving or maintaining normal sleep. There are two basic forms of insomnia. In sleep-onset insomnia a person has a difficult time falling asleep. In sleep-maintenance insomnia a person suffers...
What is Macular Degeneration?
The macula is the area of the retina where images are focused. It is the portion of the eye responsible for fine vision. Age-related degeneration of the macula is the leading cause of severe visual loss in the United...
What is Menopause?
Menopause denotes the cessation of menstruation in women, which usually occurs when a woman reaches the age of fifty but may occur as early as 40 and as late as 55 years of age. Six to twelve months without a menstrual period is...
What is Migraine Headache?
A migraine is a vascular-type headache characterized by a sharp pounding pain located within one side of the head. The pain of a migraine is characterized as a throbbing or pounding sharp pain. It is typically noticed on...
What is Multiple Sclerosis?
Multiple sclerosis is a syndrome of progressive nerve disturbances that usually occurs early in adult life. It is caused by gradual loss of the myelin sheath that surrounds the nerve cell. This process is called demyelination....
What is Obesity?
Obesity is defined as a state of being more than twenty percent above "normal" weight, or having a body-fat percentage greater than thirty percent for women and twenty-five percent for men. Another measurement of obesity is having...
What is Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis (also known as degenerative joint disease) is a form of arhtritis (inflammation of a joint) caused by degeneration of cartilage. Cartilage serves an important role in joint function. Its gel-like nature provides...
What is Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis literally means "porous bone." Osteoporosis involves both the mineral (inorganic) and nonmineral (organic matrix, composed primarily of protein) components of bone. Bone is dynamic living tissue that is constantly...
What is Parkinson's Disease?
Parkinson's disease is a neurological disease resulting from damage to the nerves in the area of the brain that is responsible for controlling muscle tension and movement - the basal ganglia. The damaged cells are the...
What is Premenstrual Syndrome?
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a recurrent condition of women, characterized by troublesome symptoms seven to fourteen days before menstruation. Typical symptoms include: decreased energy level, tension, irritability,...
What is prostate cancer?
The prostate is a single, doughnut-shaped gland about the size of a walnut that lies below the bladder and surrounds the urethra (the tube that connects the bladder to the tip of the penis). The prostate secretes a thin, milky,...
What is Prostate Enlargement?
The prostate is a single, doughnut-shaped gland about the size of a walnut that lies below the bladder and surrounds the urethra. The prostate secretes a thin, milky, alkaline fluid that increases sperm motility and lubricates...
What is Psoriasis?
Psoriasis is an extremely common skin disorder characterized by the appearance of plaque-like, silvery scale lesions caused by a pileup of skin cells that have replicated too rapidly. In addition to affecting the skin, psoriasis...
What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory condition that affects the entire body, but especially the joints. The joints typically involved are the hands, feet, wrists, ankles, and knees.
The onset of RA is...
What are uterine fibroids?
Uterine fibroids are bundles of smooth muscle and connective tissue that can be as small as a pea or as large as a grapefruit. Although they are sometimes called "tumors," fibroids are not cancerous. However, because they...
