Information About Disease, Illness, & Conditions

What is pityriasis rosea? What causes it, and how do you get rid of it? Full-body rashes can be very scary, and this one, although harmless, is one of them.

Sleeping with a sleep apnea face mask and hose may seem difficult, but it is possible to get comfortable and get some rest using a CPAP machine using these tips and suggestions.

Sometimes it's hard to know what to say to a friend who is facing the loss of a loved one. Here are some words and verses that may provide comfort . . . as well as some advice about what NOT to say.

Psoriasis is a chronic and recurring inflammatory condition of the skin. It has been linked to an increased incidence of obesity, heart disease, and strokes.

Glucagon is an essential pancreatic hormone that raises the blood sugar level. Glucagon administration is sometimes required to treat hypoglycemia in diabetes.

Blood platelets help blood to clot after an injury. A low platelet count caused by faulty platelet manufacture or platelet destruction may result in bleeding.

Hair loss for a woman can be devastating. If you are woman facing hair loss, the first step to combating it is to learn about it - the types and causes of hair loss and the myths surrounding it.

When you sing or speak, do you sound hoarse? If you keep losing your voice, you may have vocal nodules. Learn about vocal nodes and nodules: what causes them and how to avoid them.

In someone with an anemia disorder, there are either not enough red blood cells in the blood or the cells contain abnormal hemoglobin. Symptoms range from mild to severe.

Many different bacteria live on our skin and in its upper layer. Most are harmless. Some may be helpful. A few become harmful under certain conditions.

Costochondritis is a painful and serious lifelong condition that affects many people of different ages. Chest pain, as well as back and shoulder pain, is one of its symptoms.

Bone spurs are projections or outgrowths that extend from a bone. They may press on nerves or other tissues, causing pain, numbness, or difficulty in moving.

Flying increases the risk of blood clots, particularly for people with pulmonary embolism, DVT, Factor V Leiden, or thrombophilia conditions. Learn how to prevent blood clots while flying.

Cholesterol has vital jobs in our bodies. Excess LDL cholesterol is bad, but HDL cholesterol is good. Our diet helps to control the ratio between the two forms.

A new treatment may one day be used to stop beta cell destruction in the early stage of type 1 diabetes. The beta cells produce insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar.

Lysozyme is an antibacterial enzyme in body secretions that helps to protect us from infections. It's also present in eggs, where it may cause allergies.

If you have trouble falling asleep or maintaining a regular sleep pattern, foods with naturally high levels of melatonin can help you without the need for sleep medication.

Learn how to treat and prevent itchy ears.

Histamine has important functions but also causes the symptoms of hay fever. It's released from mast cells. Helpful techniques can prevent or reduce hay fever symptoms.

Iliac crest pain is common in people with lower back pain, older individuals, and athletes (especially runners). This article discusses symptoms, causes, treatments, and prevention.

This article briefly summarizes the causes and implications of coronary heart disease and explains major risk factors for the disease.

Skin that bruises easily can be caused by a number of factors, including some medications. Here are some self-help ideas to help improve skin that is thin, easily bruised, or torn.

Mycobacterium leprae is the bacterium that causes leprosy. It damages nerves, perhaps by reprogramming Schwann cells or by hijacking macrophages in the immune system.

Sleep architecture is the amount of time spent in each sleep cycle. Abnormal architecture may be caused by sleep-disordered breathing, periodic leg movements, or other sleep disorders.

Polydactyly and syndactyly are both congenital malformations of the fingers and toes. These anomalies can occur in humans as well as cats.

My cluster headaches created intense pressure on the eye region. This article describes how I managed to get rid of these headaches without the use of medication.

In this article I share what worked for me in terms of treating athlete's foot. I also discuss treatments for toenail fungus.

Sort out your itchy, flaky scalp! Find out what causes this condition and how to relieve the symptoms. You may need to evaluate your hair products as well as your diet.

Find out more about this frequently misdiagnosed type of headache. It's like a migraine but different. It's called a cervicogenic headache or migraine, and it's a real pain!

Our faces can say so much about us—the mood we are in and the emotions we feel. However, look more closely, and it can also reveal something about our physical health.

When we touch objects, our hands are contaminated by bacteria on the surfaces of the objects. It's very important to wash hands regularly to prevent infections.

Escherichia coli is a bacterium that exists as different strains. Some strains live in our gut and are very helpful. Others cause foodborne illness and disease.

Rabies is found throughout the world, caused by lyssavirus that is transmitted through bite wounds. The disease is now treatable, though the success rates vary immensely.

Swollen ankles in the summertime not only look unsightly but can be very uncomfortable, too. Read on to find the cause and how to avoid swelling.

Urine can have many colors, ranging from black to colorless. A change in pee appearance may be unimportant or may indicate a serious health problem.

The synovium is a membrane that lines the inside of many of our joints. Inflammation of the synovium is known as synovitis. Symptoms include swelling and pain.

Pulmonary embolism recovery can be difficult due to the heart and lung damage that occurs. This article focuses on things that patients can do to help themselves throughout the recovery process.

Measles and rubella (German measles) are viral diseases. They both produce a red body rash and can cause complications, but there are important differences between them.

The color of your snot can tell you a lot about what is going on inside your body. Clear, white, yellow, green, brown, red, or gray—what does your mucus say about you?

Toxoplasma gondii causes toxoplasmosis and may affect brain chemistry and our behavior. The pork tapeworm may enter our brain and cause serious health problems.

Learn about the causes of dyshidrotic eczema, as well as both medical and home treatments for the condition.

Do you feel chilled but you don't have a fever? There are many possible reasons for why you may experience chills without a high temperature, and this article explores them.

This article is based on questions I’ve received from readers of my other tinnitus articles. This is a compilation of those questions and my answers.

Proteus mirabilis is responsible for urinary tract infections in some people. The bacterium causes inflammation and the production of stones in the urine.

Concentrated oxalic acid is poisonous. Oxalic acid and oxalates are present in plants in much lower concentrations but may cause problems such as kidney stones.

Having a sore throat at night is a problem that many people have. Sometimes, the problem fades away by daytime prompting individuals to shrug it off. Here are the possible causes of the condition.

Vitiligo is a skin disorder involving loss of melanin, the pigment that colors skin. It's most likely an autoimmune condition. A variety of potentially helpful treatments are available.

Sleep apnea was a major contributor to NFL star Reggie White's death at age 43. What is sleep apnea, and how is it treated?

A step-by-step guide (with pictures) on getting your health information with your AncestryDNA results.

Stress. Nausea. A need to nap. A sudden feeling of being chilled to the bone. Let's be honest, chemo is challenging and harsh. We researched for you. Here's a comprehensive list of items to include in a care package for cancer patients.

Aldosterone is a hormone that affects blood pressure. Excess aldosterone can cause high blood pressure and low aldosterone can result in low blood pressure.

Scabies mites burrow under the surface of the skin, causing a very itchy disease. Demodex skin mites are often harmless but may cause rosacea or blepharitis.

In some cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a protein called SOD1 is misfolded due to a gene mutation. In mice, a copper compound can prevent the misfolding.

Scar tissue may form on or in our body when we're injured. It replaces damaged tissue but is sometimes troublesome. The appearance of scars can often be improved.

Many people who use Accutane (isotretinoin) for acne are aware that it can cause severe hair loss. I lost 70% of my thick, long hair from Accutane; luckily, I managed to regain most of my hair within 2 years due to topical minoxidil (Rogaine), peppermint oil and an anti-inflammatory, fat-rich diet.

The parathyroid glands produce a hormone that controls the amount of calcium in the blood. A problem with the glands may cause hypercalcemia or hypocalcemia.

Sickled feet are considered as the bane in any form of dancing. It is also a problem of many athletes as well. Well there is that and rolling, which make two of the biggest issues out there. However, it should be noted that sickling of the feet when performing is a bit harder to get rid of.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a bacterium that lives in the nose of many people. It's often harmless but can cause a variety of diseases. Some of these are serious.

Solanine is found in green potatoes and other nightshade vegetables. It's poisonous at high concentrations. Some people say that nightshades make their arthritis worse.

When the pain of costochondritis flares, it can feel like a heart attack. Once cardiac causes have been ruled out, you are often just given a prescription. Here are other healing treatment options.

Stress is one of the most common causes of adult acne today. In this article, we'll see how stress causes acne, how it worsens your acne, how you can manage your stress-acne, and other triggering factors.

Death is difficult to accept, and yet it is a part of life that we cannot change. Having a better understanding of the stages of the dying process will help ease the experience for all involved.

Insulin resistance is a serious problem for many people who are trying to lose weight but can't. Do you think you might be? Learn about why this is and what you can do about it.

People with COPD, or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, suffer from chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or both of these disorders. Treatment slows lung deterioration.

Jaundice is characterized by yellow skin and a yellow tinge in the whites of the eyes. It's caused by excess bilirubin and often indicates the presence of a health problem.

With these gentle daily exercises, as well as the help of gravity inversion, you can improve your posture and ease your neck or shoulder pain.

A biphasic sleep pattern is a type of segmented sleep that allows one to gain an extra 2 hours a day!! You could do a lot in 2 hours!!

Cervical osteoarthritis can be very painful. It can cause symptoms such as headaches and migraines, but it is often misdiagnosed. Learn about the causes, symptoms, and treatments for this condition.

Slipping rib syndrome occurs when one of the ribs intermittently slips out of place, thereby stretching the ligaments that support the front and back of the affected rib.

A brief overview of vitamin B12 deficiency, how it happens, what it presents, and what can be done about it.

Tangles of alpha-synuclein fibrils in the brain are a feature of Parkinson's disease. Under some circumstances, the substance also appears in nerves surrounding the gut. Evidence suggests that it can travel from the gut to the brain, where it may cause or contribute to Parkinson's disease.

Can fallen arches cause knee pain? Not only that, flat feet affect the entire body structure. Learn how the foot works and practice these simple exercises to cure the painful symptoms of fat feet.

Staph infection is caused by a bacterium that has evolved to resist many of our current antibiotics. Though many infections are minor, some can cause serious damage or even death.

A popping, clicking, or cracking sound of your sternum, or breastbone, is usually not a cause for alarm. What causes this phenomenon, and when should you be concerned?

Does milk cause your body to produce more mucus, making your cold and asthma symptoms worse? The research says no. But you might be surprised at the other tricks that milk can play on your system.

Chilblains are painful red bumps that appear after chilled skin has been rewarmed. A boil and a carbuncle are painful skin abscesses formed by a bacterial infection.

Most adults have the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in their body. The virus is either dormant or active. The active form causes mononucleosis, some types of cancer, and perhaps other diseases.

Recovery from a pulmonary embolism takes a lot of time. Lung damage from blood clots is very serious. Based on my own experience with this condition, I will share what to expect during your recovery.

The maleficent stomach virus, also known as norovirus, is an epidemic around the world that spreads like wildfire. Here are some tips to protect yourself from this miserable experience.

Have you ever had a wound that took time to heal? Later on it progressed and caused a massive inflammation of your whole leg? Learn more about these disease with a case review of a 4 year old patient.

The symptoms of water retention (also known as fluid retention or edema) can sometimes be confused with the appearance of chronic diabetic skin blisters. Do you know how to tell the difference?

An in-depth review of the early signs of diabetes. Find out what the symptoms are, discover whether you should be screened, and learn if you fall into one of the high-risk groups.

If you recently observed some white spots in your stool, you've come to the right place. Learn about the many reasons why this can occur.

Waking up can be refreshing. However, waking up with swollen fingers is no one's idea of a perfect morning. Learn what causes swollen fingers and how you can treat them.

Difficulty sleeping spoils your day, undermines relationships, and makes you less effective at work. Many causes of sleep problems relate to your lifestyle. This article explains 13 gentle but effective changes you can make to help you get a good night's sleep and wake refreshed and raring to go.

Most of us don't drink enough water which leaves us dehydrated and damages our health. Learn about the benefits of drinking more water as well as the easiest way to increase the amount of water you drink every day.

The death of a loved one while sleeping can come as an enormous shock, particularly if the deceased had no known health issues. Some, however, view death while sleeping as the most peaceful way to go.

Worms in humans are common, even in developed nations. They take a toll on a person's health, and cause horrific disfigurations and disease. Let's take a look at the most common of these parasites.

Cystitis is a painful illness, but there are a few self-help ideas that you can try. Based on my experience, these remedies will work relatively quickly, as long as you follow these instructions.

If your body does something unexpected, it's often a sign that something's wrong. One of the things that should never happen is bleeding from the belly button or navel.

Chronic back pain, stiff neck, frozen shoulders, and all posture-related pains can be prevented and cured with simple gravity inversion.

Glial cells affect the activity of neurons, or nerve cells. Problems with astrocytes, a type of glial cell, may cause or worsen amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

When I went through chemotherapy, I had to figure out some critical things for myself. Here are the top 10 things I wish somebody had told me ahead of time.

Learn the signs and symptoms of diabetes, then ask your doctor for a simple blood test to determine if you have the disease

Pneumonia can be a killer. It is often a serious complications of other medical conditions. What exactly is pneumonia, and is it the same as pleurisy?

In GERD, acidic material in the stomach moves in the wrong direction and enters the esophagus, causing heartburn. Dietary changes may relieve or improve symptoms.

Biotech companies are striving to find new cancer treatments using immune therapies and targeted biologics. New detection and screening tests are also under development to diagnose patients earlier.

Colon bacteria make butyric acid. This acid improves the health of the intestinal lining. It may also reduce inflammation and decrease the risk of colon cancer.

In rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system attacks joints. In chikungunya, a virus infects the body. Both diseases produce joint pain and may sometimes be confused.