What is sarcoidosis?

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What is sarcoidosis?

Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease and is characterized by the growth of tiny collections of inflammatory cells.  These patches of inflamed cells can occur in different parts of the body but are most common, or most likely to affect the lungs, lymph nodes, eyes and skin.  Most cases are only temporary, and over half heal without any treatment at all.  Of all the parts of the body which can be affected, the lungs are the most common organs to be hit by sarcoidosis.  This is known as pulmonary sarcoidosis, which specifically presents as small patches of inflamed cells on the breathing tubes of the lungs, known as the bronchioles, the tiny air sacs contained in the lungs, known as the alveoli, or on the lymph nodes.  

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Understanding Japanese Encephalitis

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Understanding Japanese Encephalitis

Generally speaking, encephalitis refers to an inflammation of the brain tissue.  Japanese encephalitis refers to a type of encephalitis that is caused by a virus and is the leading cause of encephalitis in Asia and the western Pacific. This type of encephalitis is vaccine-preventable, and the risk of contraction is low, but still a concern for those traveling to Asia.  The risk for exposure varies by destination, season and the types of activities someone is involved in.

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Symptoms of Kyphosis

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Symptoms of Kyphosis

Kyphosis is a condition that is characterized by a rounding or curving of the spine. It can lead to a permanent slouch in a person’s posture. Kyphosis may also be known as a roundback or a hunchback. While everyone has a slight curve in their spine, kyphosis causes the spine to be curved at an angle of fifty degrees or more. This is a significant difference. It is estimated that about four percent to eight percent of people have a type of kyphosis called Scheuermann’s kyphosis. The condition can occur among people of any age and in both men and women. However, older women are the most common group affected by this condition.

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What is Schizophrenia?

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What is Schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is type of mental illness. It is characterized by people being unable to perceive a normal reality. People often hear voices, see things that aren’t there, have hallucinations and delusions, and overall experience a very abnormal way of thinking or behaving. The condition may also be known as paranoid schizophrenia. It is estimated that about one percent of people in the world have schizophrenia.

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Risk Factors For Labyrinthitis

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Risk Factors For Labyrinthitis

Labyrinthitis is a disorder that occurs in the inner ear. It is characterized by an infection or and swelling in the inner ear. The condition is usually caused by a type of virus. It may cause vertigo, dizziness, loss of balance, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes hearing loss. The inner ear has two nerves called vestibular nerves. They are responsible for sending information to your brain regarding the movement of your head. Labyrinthitis occurs when one of these nerves becomes inflamed. Labyrinthitis is also known as an inner ear infection or inner ear vertigo. It is estimated that about seventeen percent of people with chronic ear infections develop labyrinthitis. In addition, about one in every 10,000 people seek treatment for sudden labyrinthitis, which often occurs after a cold or the flu.

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Sciatica and the Sciatic Nerve

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Sciatica and the Sciatic Nerve

Sciatica is a condition that causes pain which radiates along the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve extends from the lower back to the hips and buttocks and down each leg. The condition usually only affects one side of the body. Sciatica may also be known as Sciatic nerve pain, sciatic nerve dysfunction, or sciatic neuritis. There are millions of people who suffer from sciatica in the United States every year.

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What is Amblyopia?

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What is Amblyopia?

mblyopia, known better as a condition referred to as ‘lazy eye’, is the result of abnormal development of the eye during infancy and early childhood.  The abnormal development is the fault of improper stimulation in the nerve pathways between the brain and the eye.  As a result, the brain favors one eye over the other, and the weaker or “lazy” eye will wander.  Untreated, the brain might start to ignore signals from the lazy eye all together. 

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What is Paragonimiasis?

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What is Paragonimiasis?

Paragonimiasis is an infection that is caused by a parasitic worm called a fluke. The infection is caused by eating raw, undercooked, pickled, or salted crustaceans, such as crab or crayfish. The infection may also be caused by eating raw meat, such as wild boar. Sometimes, the infection in transmitted by using contaminated food utensils. Not long after the infection, larvae will inhabit the lungs. It may also spread to other organs such as the brain.

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