Diseases & Health Conditions

Arthritis conditions are related to swelling in the joints, leading to pain, stiffness and even disability. There are more than 100 types of arthritis. One of the most common, osteoarthritis can be considered a “wear-and-tear” condition caused by the breakdown…
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Smoking can have devastating consequences for a pregnancy. From miscarriage to growth restriction to birth defects, smoking during pregnancy increases the risk for many poor outcomes. The more a woman smokes, the higher the risks. Being aware of these risks…
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Meth, crystal meth, speed, and crank are all names for methamphetamine, a powerful synthetic stimulant drug that dramatically affects the central nervous system (CNS), and is highly addictive. Meth can be injected, taken orally, smoked or snorted, and its appearance…
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A nut allergy occurs when a child’s immune system mistakenly interprets a nut to be a harmful substance. The immune system reacts by developing antibodies against the proteins found in nuts. These antibodies are specifically designed to destroy the nut…
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1. It’s All About Space Where you live should be a factor in the type of pet you choose. In general, the bigger the pet, the more space it needs. If you live in a small space, look for smaller…
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Around 58 percent of Americans experience insomnia-like symptoms each week, reports the National Sleep Foundation. These symptoms include waking without feeling refreshed, having trouble staying asleep and not being able to fall asleep quickly. If you have trouble with sleep,…
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Depression is a serious mental health problem, affecting the patient’s mood, behavior and cognitive functions. Depression can occur at any age, including during childhood. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry states that about 5 percent of children and…
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Cancer is a disease that can affect any body organs and produce serious health problems. According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), abnormal cancerous cells replicate, or multiply, uncontrollably, forming a tumor that can invade surrounding healthy tissue. The cancerous…
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Nutrition plays a major role in the lives of people with stomach (gastric) cancer. They need an adequate amount of calories, protein, vitamins and minerals to heal and reduce the risk of developing other chronic diseases. However, they may find…
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Conduct disorder results in antisocial behavior, such as aggression and drug abuse. A patient with conduct disorder tends to also have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a disorder that causes impulsiveness and inattention, according to the National Institutes of Health…
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Overview With all the heavy media coverage and talk about the H1N1 or swine flu, it is no wonder that children are anxious and have concerns about how it affects them. As a teacher, parent or caregiver, it is important…
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Buerger’s disease, also known as thromboangiitis obliterans, is a rare disorder characterized by occlusion of the small blood vessels. According to Medline Plus, a service of the National Institutes of Health, blood vessels of the hands and feet are typically…
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The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association contains several different categories of mental disorders, organized by symptom profile. This categorization helps in the conceptualization of numerous psychological abnormalities. The most common categories are mood disorders, anxiety disorders,…
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Smoking leads to diseases that often end in long and painful deaths. More deaths occur each year in the United States because of smoking than deaths from alcohol use, illegal drug use, traffic accidents, the HIV virus and murders combined,…
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All herpes viruses cause painful blisters that lead to open sores. Depending on the type of herpes virus, these lesions can occur on different areas of the body. Two types of herpes, herpes simplex virus type1 (HSV-1) and herpes simplex…
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The symptoms associated with restless leg syndrome (RLS) are due to problems within the nervous system. The exact cause of RLS is still not known. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, this condition creates a need…
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The herpes simplex virus is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that causes painful blisters and sores. The contagious virus spreads via direct contact between people. The transmission occurs either through skin-to-skin contact or with the exchange of infected bodily fluids….
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Pharmaceutical companies have developed several classes of antidepressant medications over the years. The earliest antidepressants suffered from many side effects, some potentially harmful. Newer medications are more sophisticated, can target multiple neurotransmitters in the brain, but have their own, unique…
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Overview Atypical depression constitutes a specific variant of major depressive disorder; it is not a separate diagnosis. In addition to the symptoms required for the diagnosis of major depressive disorder, “atypical” symptoms include mood reactivity, excessive sleeping, excessive eating, a…
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A hemangioma, which is also referred to as infantile hemangioma or a strawberry hemangioma, is a type of birthmark that most frequently develops on the facial skin of young infants and children. Approximately 30 percent of patients exhibit hemangioma symptoms…
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Overview HSV-1, herpes simplex virus type 1, is the most common herpes simplex virus, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. HSV-1 typically infects the mouth area and is sometimes referred to as oral herpes, although it can also…
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Hepatitis A is an infectious, highly contagious liver disease caused by a virus called hepatitis A. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all children receive the hepatitis A vaccine between 12 and 23 months of age…
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According to the National Cancer Institute, breast cancer is a disease in which malignant cells grow in certain tissues of the breast. Inside the breasts are lobes and ducts. Milk is produced in the lobes, and the ducts are small…
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Overview Herpes, a disease caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV), comes in a few different forms. Herpes 2, also known as HSV-2, most often infects the genital area, although it can infect other areas of the body, and other…
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Fighting depression often involves both psychotherapy and various medications to control or alleviate symptoms. Such medications have been available to the general public since the late 1950s and early 1960s. In the decades that have followed, new forms of medicines…
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The brain disorder termed bipolar affects about 5.7 million adults in the United States, with about 2.6 percent of those 18 years of age and older. Most bipolar patients show symptoms of cycling depression and euphoria at about age 25…
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Rabies is a viral infection of the brain. It is typically contracted from the bite of an infected animal. In the U.S., the illness is exceedingly rare but often deadly. In an April 2010 article published by the Centers for…
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African sleeping sickness takes its name from a disturbance in the normal circadian rhythm (sleep-wake cycle) during the second stage of the infection. When the disease moves from the blood and lymphatic system into the central nervous system, the infected…
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Herpes simplex virus has multiple strains causing a multitude of different diseases. Most people are familiar with herpes simplex-1 virus (HSV-1), the viral strain associated with cold sores. The other familiar strain of the herpes simplex virus is HSV-2, the…
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If you are a sexually active male, you are at an increased risk of becoming infected by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). This virus, commonly referred to as herpes, is transmitted through oral, anal or genital contact with an infected…
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