Degenerative neurological diseases may affect a lot of your body’s activities, such as balance, movement, talking, breathing and heart function. A lot of these diseases are genetic. Oftentimes, t he cause is a medical condition such as alcoholism, tumors or a stroke. Other known causes may include toxins, chemicals and viruses. Sometimes the cause can…
Dandruff is a condition of the scalp that causes flakes of skin to appear. It’s sometimes accompanied by itching. The exact cause of this condition is unknown, but different factors can help increase the risk. It’s not related to poor hygiene, but it may be more visible if a person doesn’t wash or brush their…
Cystic fibrosis is known as an inherited disorder that causes severe damage to the lungs, digestive system and other organs in the body. Cystic fibrosis can affect the cells that can produce mucus, sweat and digestive juices. These secreted fluids are normally thin and slippery. However, in people with cystic fibrosis, a defective gene can…
Crohn’s Disease is a disorder of uncertain etiology. It has often been thought of as an autoimmune disease; however, research suggests that the chronic inflammation may not be due to the immune system attacking the body itself, but rather a result of the immune system attacking the harmless virus, bacteria or food in the gut…
A cough is a common reflex action that helps clear the throat of mucus or foreign irritants. Coughing to help clear the throat is usually an infrequent action, although a number of conditions can cause more frequent bouts of coughing. Generally speaking, a cough that can last for less than three weeks is known as…
Coronary artery disease is known as the narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries, usually caused atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis (sometimes referred to as the “hardening” or “clogging” of the arteries) is the buildup of cholesterol and fatty deposits (known as plaques) on the inner walls of the arteries. These plaques can restrict blood flow to the…
Chronic constipation is infrequent bowel movements or difficulty in passing stool that can persist for a couple of weeks, maybe even longer. Generally speaking, constipation is described as having fewer than three bowel movements a week. Though occasional, constipation is quite common, some people experience chronic constipation that can interfere with their ability to go…
Conjunctivitis, also known as pinkeye, is an inflammation of the conjunctiva. The conjunctiva is the clear tissue that lies over the white part of the eye and lines the inside of the eyelid. Children get it a lot. It can be a highly contagious disease (it spreads rapidly in schools and in day cares), but…
A congestion is an abnormal or excessive accumulation of body fluid. The term is broadly used in medicine. Example of such include nasal congestion (excess mucus and secretions in the air passage of the nose) seen with a common cold and congestion of blood in the lower extremities seen with some types of heart failure.
Colon cancer is cancer of the large intestine (colon), which is known as the final part of your digestive tract. Most cases of colon cancer starts small, noncancerous (benign) clumps of cells called adenomatous polyps. Over time some of these polyps can become into colon cancer. Polyps may be small and produce few, if any,…