Diseases & Health Conditions

Living with a mental illness is a challenge in today’s society where there are many stigmas related to mental illness. Treatments, therapy options, support groups and other resources can help persons with mental illnesses. Persons with mental illnesses and their…
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Overview Compulsive lying can wreck relationships with family or friends. A compulsive liar does not always realize that there is a problem, and many times goes about daily life without remorse. Confronting a compulsive liar is a delicate situation that,…
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Interleukin 2 or IL-2 is a synthetic form of a protein in the body that is part of our immune system. It is used as therapy for patients with melanoma skin cancer and kidney cancer. IL-2 is also used to…
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According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), marijuana is one of the most commonly used illicit drugs in the United States. There is ongoing debate if marijuana use during pregnancy causes harm to the fetus. Research reported by…
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Medication and therapy are the two most common forms of treatment for anxiety disorders. When a person seeks professional help from a licensed mental health professional, the therapist usually completes a treatment plan. Many times this treatment plan is reviewed…
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Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that affects the small joints in the hands and feet. RA occurs when the body’s own immune system inappropriately attacks the lining of the joints in the body, instead of bacteria or other foreign…
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HIV is a virus that gets transmitted via exposure to contaminated bodily fluids. Women can become infected with HIV due to sexual intercourse or sharing needles with an infected intravenous drug user. An HIV infection has three main stages: acute…
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Overview Abilify, or aripiprazole, is an antipsychotic used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar mania. In November of 2002, the FDA approved the use of Abilify as adjunct therapy to antidepressants in individuals with depression who have not found relief with…
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Due to the dangers to both mother and baby of chickenpox infection during pregnancy, the Mayo Clinic recommends preventative chickenpox vaccination for all women of childbearing age who have not had chickenpox or received a vaccination before. Once pregnant, women…
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Arthritis, or osteoarthritis, is the breakdown of cartilage in the joints over time. Cartilage acts as a shock absorber in the joints when performing physical activities. When this cartilage breaks down, bone spurs, or humps of bone, can form in…
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The flu will often resolve on its own with some supportive care on your part. Fever usually goes away within four days, but regaining your normal energy level can take up to two weeks. According to the Center for Disease…
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According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI), as many as 50 million individuals in the United States suffer from some form of allergic disease. Fortunately, there are a variety of medications available to treat this chronic…
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Most pregnant women know that it’s not recommended to drink alcohol or smoke during the pregnancy. Yet women who regularly drink and smoke and suddenly find themselves pregnant have a major change to make in their lives in a short…
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Doxycycline is an antibiotic used to treat a variety of infections, including malaria, anthrax, syphilis and even severe acne. It can be taken by children over age 8 as well as by adults. Despite its use for a wide range…
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The prostate is a gland located near the rectum that makes up part of the male reproductive system. Prostate cancer develops when cells within the prostate acquire genetic mutations and begin to divide rapidly, leading to the development of a…
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Prostate cancer is an uncontrolled proliferation of cells within the prostate gland, a part of the male reproductive system that secretes fluid that makes up a component of semen. Prostate cancer begins with a tumor localized within the prostate gland,…
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The esophagus is the muscular conduit in humans that carries nutrition in the form of food and liquid from the throat to the stomach. Cancer of the esophagus usually originates in the innermost lining of the esophagus, and the malignant…
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The National Institute of Mental Health reports that one percent of the total population receives a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Paranoid schizophrenia is one of the five types of schizophrenia with characteristics specific to paranoid delusions and hallucinations. The exact cause…
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Overview Many pregnant women get heartburn, sometimes referred to as acid indigestion or acid reflux. This condition is generally harmless, but it can be very uncomfortable. Fortunately, most cases can be safely treated with over-the-counter remedies, along with simple diet…
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Overview A mini stroke, also known as a transient ischemic attack or TIA, results from a temporary blockage of the blood vessels leading to the brain. Mini strokes can be a precursor to more severe strokes and should be taken…
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Overview Mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer, affects the lining surrounding the lungs, stomach and heart. Either one area or all three can be affected by this disease. Although inhaling asbestos fibers causes mesothelioma, the onset of the disease usually…
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Overview Anxiety produces feelings of fear for no apparent reason in those who suffer. Causes of anxiety may be linked to post traumatic stress, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Occupational hazard, race, sex and age may…
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Indian frankincense, known to Ayurvedic practitioners are boswellia, has been used for centuries as a component of traditional Indian medicine. Boswellia sacra, the primary medicinal species of this large genus, grows naturally in arid regions of the Middle East and…
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According the Cedars Sinai Medical Center, a neutropenic diet is ordered when a person has a low white blood cell count, which includes patients undergoing chemotherapy, people with bone marrow or stem cell transplant, organ transplant recipients, and those with…
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Chemotherapy is normally used in combination with surgery and/or radiation for the treatment of colon cancer. Chemotherapy usually follows surgery as a part of an overall treatment plan to extend colon cancer survival. If found and treated in early stages…
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Overview Acid reflux affects many people and is a condition that involves the esophagus and the stomach. It often causes a burning sensation, both in the throat and the mouth. While there are many conventional medicines used to treat acid…
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Dissociative identity disorder (DID) is a psychological disorder that disrupts the normally integrated functions of memory, identity, perception and consciousness in an individual. This is a difficult disorder to conceptualize because of the extreme disconnection of self associated with the…
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Overview According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a total of 78,561 Americans were diagnosed with esophageal cancer from 1999 to 2004. This type of cancer is in the top 10 causes of cancer death in the country….
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Abilify, generic name aripiprazole, was first released in 2002 and is available in four forms; tablet, orally disintegrating tablets, liquid and as an injection. Since its release, Abilify has been approved by the FDA to treat a variety of conditions…
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The American Stroke Association says that stroke is the No. 3 cause of death and a leading cause of long-term disability in the United States. When blood supply to the brain is reduced or interrupted, a stroke occurs. Blood carries…
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