Epilepsy is a neurological disorder, one that affects the central nervous system, which is present in about 1 in every 26 people in the United States. Epilepsy occurs when the nerve cell activity in the brain becomes disrupted. This disruption can cause seizures, nervous system sensations, and sometimes loss of consciousness.
Read MorePeptic ulcers come about when acid from the digestive tract erodes, or eats away at, the inner layer of the esophagus, stomach or small intestine. This constant wearing away of the inner digestive lining creates open sores that over time cause pain, nausea and other symptoms over time. Currently, about 1 in 10 Americans experiences gastric ulcers at some point in their lives. Depending on the location of the developing ulcer, whether in the esophagus, stomach, or upper portion of your small intestine, complications can arise over time.
Read MoreGingivitis is a form of gum disease caused most often by poor oral hygiene. It affects about 8 in 10 Americans, which is quite a lot of people. Dentists recommend brushing and flossing day and night for healthy teeth and gums. This habit of good oral hygiene can help you avoid some major health issues, aside from giving you whiter and brighter teeth. Brushing and flossing give you a way to rid the mouth of disease causing bacteria. When there is poor oral hygiene, bacteria and debris form a sticky plaque on teeth along the gum line. This plaque causes gums to swell and redden, becoming inflamed. Often, if allowed to progress, gums will get red, s
Read MoreLyme disease diagnoses are on the rise according to a new study published by the government this week. The geographic areas where Lyme disease appears to be the biggest danger has dramatically increased with U.S. cases remaining concentrated in the Northeast and upper Midwest. The study revealed that more areas in those regions are considered high-risk. With a total of 260 counties where the number of Lyme disease cases doubled is expected given the growing number of America's population. That increase is up from 130 just 10 years ago.
Read MoreHemorrhoids are swollen and inflamed veins that appear on the anus and lower rectum. They are also known as piles. Hemorrhoids often occur when a person strains during bowel movements or is constipated, or when women experiences increased pressure on the veins during pregnancy. Hemorrhoids can be internal or external. They may appear inside the rectum (internal) or under the skin around the anus (external). Both types of hemorrhoids can cause anal pain, bleeding, itching, or a hard lump near the anus.
Read MoreHydronephrosis is the swelling of a kidney which is caused by the accumulation of urine. This happens when the kidney cannot empty urine out through the bladder as a result of a blockage or obstruction such as a kidney stone, blood clot, tumor, enlarged prostate, or enlarged uterus during pregnancy. Hydronephrosis can occur in either one or both kidneys. If the condition appears suddenly, it can be extremely painful. Early diagnosis is crucial in order to prevent permanent kidney damage.
Read MoreGallstones, known by its medical term cholelithiasis, is a condition of the gallbladder where hardened deposits (stones) develop within the digestive fluid of the gallbladder. The gallbladder is a small organ found under the liver on the right side of the body, which stores bile produced by the liver. After meals, the gallbladder transports bile, a yellowish-brown fluid, to the small intestine and helps the body break up and digest fatty foods.
Read MoreHepatitis C is a liver infection caused by a virus that causes inflammation. It is contagious and people get it when it is passed on when an infected person’s blood enters their body. This usually happens when people share needles when using illegal drugs like heroin. Most people don’t have any signs or symptoms, and therefore are unaware they even have it until it causes liver damage. The infection can progress for many years and cause life-threatening complications like cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver failure. There are about 2.7 million people in the United States that are infected with hepatitis C.
Read MoreAlso called Viral Gastroenteritis, many argue the stomach flu is one of the worst minor illnesses one can get. This gastric flu or stomach virus has many symptoms including, abdominal pain, nausea, cramping, diarrhea, chills, low-grade fever, headache, muscle aches and weakness. How does this begin? Well, gastroenteritis is inflammation of the stomach and intestines, caused by viruses.
Read MoreGout is a type of arthritis that is caused by too much uric acid in the body. Too much uric in the body occurs for two reasons: when the body produces an excess amount of uric acid or when the kidneys fail to get rid of the proper amount of it. When uric acid builds up in the body, it builds up within the fluid that surrounds the joints. This eventually causes severe joint pain and inflammation and most often affects the big toe, heels, ankles, knees, fingers, wrists, and elbows. This can later lead to kidney stones and lumps of uric acid crystals under the skin. About five out of 1,000 people in the U.S. have gout.
Read MoreCystitis is inflammation of the bladder. The inflammation of the bladder is caused by a urinary tract infection or UTI, which is a bacterial infection. Cystitis more commonly affects women, however men can get it too. In either case, cystitis can affect a person’s quality of life and therefore requires treatment. Men who suffer from an enlarged prostate or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), kidney stones, or a urethral stricture have an increased risk for cystitis.
Read MoreBrain aneurysms, also known as an intracranial aneurysms, develop from the thinning of artery walls. Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood away from the heart and off to the rest of the body. When these weaknesses appear in the blood vessels that supply blood the brain, they can balloon, fill with blood, and in rare cases rupture and cause a stroke. Brain aneurysms are considered common in the United States, as this country sees 200,000 to 3 million cases per year.
Read MoreAlso called, fever blisters or oral herpes, cold sores are quite common, affecting 600,000 new people each year in the U.S. Cold sores cause red, painful blisters on the mouth, lips and each sore is filled with fluid. They also are known to cause fever and swollen glands with the first outbreak, especially.
Read MoreKidney disease, also known as chronic kidney disease, is a life-long condition in which the kidney gradually loses function. About 26 million American adults have chronic kidney disease, according to the National Kidney Foundation. Millions of others are at an increased risk for developing the disease and are not aware of it.
Read MoreWhile it looks eating disorders are about food and weight, they often develop as a way to cope with some type of emotional pain a person is suffering from inside. They develop when a person feels overwhelmed by something they cannot control in their life, and as a coping method, they take control of what they eat, how much or little they eat, and ultimately how much they weigh. People suffering from an eating disorder may believe this makes them feel better, but in reality, they are doing serious damage to their emotional and physical health.
Read MoreEczema is also known as atopic dermatitis, a chronic inflammatory and itchy skin condition often occurring mostly in children. Symptoms include dry skin, redness, itching, swelling and oozing. It can also be used to widely describe any rash-like skin condition and is often used interchangeably with dermatitis, a general term meaning inflammation of the skin. This can have many causes and comes in various forms.
Read MoreAcute Stress Reaction is a very real condition that brings on shortness of breath, anxiety, nervousness, sense of impending doom, feeling unable to cope, rapid heartbeat, increased blood pressure, anger and insomnia. Also called, acute stress disorder, this physical and psychological reaction to a stressful situation actually affects millions of Americans. These reactions can be normal after an unusually severe and stressful event such as the death of a loved one, a natural disaster, or physical violence.
Read MoreOne of the harder moments in adulthood comes at the realization that you’re getting older. It doesn’t fully sink in, however, until that exact moment when you look in the bathroom mirror and start to see your hair thinning. You are losing a little bit of yourself with every strand. Every memory of combing your hair before picture day in school, shaving your head for summer swim meets, growing it long in winter to keep your head warm, are all fading. One truth is all that matters now, and that is that you will never have what you once did. You will forever be looking in the mirror to see how much is gone.
Read MoreAbout 3% of women and 2% of men will be diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome during their lifetime in the U.S. The disease appears to be prevalent among women older than 55. There is a lot of difficulty around understanding CTS and how many people actually have it because symptoms reported often result in normal test results. What is carpal tunnel syndrome? It's a condition in the hand and arm that causes numbness, tingling and other feeling symptoms.
Read MoreBarrett’s esophagus, however exotic sounding, is a serious complication of chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease. Gastroesophageal reflux disease is usually used interchangeably with GERD (its acronym) and acid reflux. But there are some key differences. Acid reflux is the backward flow of stomach acid into the esophagus - the tube that connects the throat to the stomach. This backward flow occurs when the sphincter muscle at the lower end of your esophagus is weak or relaxes at the wrong time. If the valve or sphincter is open, stomach acid is allowed to back up into your esophagus. This reflux can, in turn, cause heartburn, among other not so pleasant symptoms.
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