Definition Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder characterized by overwhelming daytime drowsiness and sudden attacks of sleep. People with narcolepsy often find it difficult to stay awake for long periods of time, regardless of the circumstances. Narcolepsy can cause serious disruptions in your daily routine. Sometimes, narcolepsy can be accompanied …
Read More »Fibrocystic Breast Disease – Symptoms, Causes, and Prevention.
Definition Fibrocystic breasts are characterized by lumpiness and usually discomfort in one or both breasts. The lumpiness is due to small breast masses or breast cysts. The condition is very common and benign, meaning that fibrocystic breasts are not malignant (cancerous). Fibrocystic breast disease (FBD) is now referred to as …
Read More »Crohn’s Disease – Symptoms, Risk Factors, and Prevention.
Definition Crohn’s Disease is a condition that causes inflammation of the digestive system or gut. Crohn’s can affect any part of the gut, though the most common area affected is the end of the ileum (the last part of the small intestine), or the colon. The areas of inflammation are …
Read More »Chagas Disease – Causes, Epidemiology, and Treatment.
Definition Chagas disease is an inflammatory, infectious disease caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which is found in the feces of the triatomine (reduviid) bug. Chagas disease is common in South America, Central America and Mexico, the primary home of the triatomine bug. Rare cases of Chagas disease have been …
Read More »Wilson’s Disease – Risk factors, Symptoms and Diagnosis.
Definition Wilson’s disease is an inherited disorder in which excessive amounts of copper accumulate in the body, particularly in the liver, brain, and eyes. The signs and symptoms of Wilson disease usually first appear between the ages of 6 and 45, but they most often begin during the teenage years. …
Read More »Parkinson’s Disease – Causes, Risk factors, and Prevention.
Definition Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative brain disorder that progresses slowly in most people. Most people’s symptoms take years to develop, and they live for years with the disease. In short, a person’s brain slowly stops producing a neurotransmitter called dopamine. With less and less dopamine, a person has …
Read More »Alkaptonuria – Causes, Symptoms, and Prevention.
Definition Alkaptonuria is a rare inherited disorder. It occurs when your body can’t produce enough of an enzyme called homogentisic dioxygenase (HGD). This enzyme is used to break down a toxic substance called homogentisic acid. When you don’t produce enough HGD, homogentisic acid builds up in your body. The buildup …
Read More »Apallic syndrome – Causes, Diagnosis, and Prognosis.
Introduction Apallic syndrome (AS) also called Unresponsive Wakefulness Syndrome (UWS) and Persistant Vegetative State. It is a result of a traumatic brain injury such as diffuse, bilateral cerebral cortical degeneration and anoxia, or encephalitis which causes the brain to halt the ability to create thoughts, experience sensation, and remember past …
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