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Hay Fever - Pollen - Pet Dander - Itchy Eyes - Runny Nose - Allergies, Allergic Rhinitis, Allergy, What are Allergies? Allergies are used to describe a response, within the body, to almost any substance (allergen) that causes an immune reaction. Almost...
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Anemia - Low levels of healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin. What is Anemia? Anemia, one of the more common blood disorders, occurs when the number of healthy red blood cells decreases in the body. The disc-shaped red blood cells contain hemoglobin, a...
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Blockages of plaque or cholesterol, platelets, fibrin and other substances on the arterial walls. What is Arteriosclerosis? Arteriosclerosis is a term used to describe several diseases that involve the cardiovascular system and the many arteries and...
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Occurs when the muscles around the airways tighten up, making the airways narrower so less air flows through. What Is Asthma? Asthma (Az-muh) is a chronic disease that affects your airways. The airways are the tubes that carry air in and out of your...
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Atrial Fibrillation - Atrial fibrillation (AF or afib) is an abnormal heart rhythm which involves the two upper chambers of the heart. In a normal heart rhythm, the impulse generated by the sinoatrial node spreads through the heart and causes...
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Bladder Infection - A bladder infection is also called a urinary tract infection (UTI) by many doctors. Both names can be used but it is the same thing. It's a bacterial infection that affects any part of the urinary tract. Urinary tract infections are...
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Bladder Stones - Bladder stones are tiny crystalline masses that form from the minerals and proteins, which naturally occur in urine. These types of stones are much less common than kidney stones. It is not unusual for tiny crystals to form in the urine..
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BPH (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia) - The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that forms part of the male reproductive system. The gland is made of two lobes, or regions, enclosed by an outer layer of tissue...
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Temporary narrowing of the bronchi (airways into the lungs) caused by contraction of the muscles, Bronchospasm is an abnormal contraction of the smooth muscle of the bronchi, resulting in an acute narrowing and obstruction of the respiratory airway...
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Cardiomyopathy is also called dilated cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, myocardiopathy or restrictive cardiomyopathy. Cardiomyopathy refers to diseases of the heart muscle that causes an enlargement in your heart. It can also cause the heart...
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What is Cardiovascular Disease? Cardiovascular disease or cardiovascular diseases refers to the class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels (arteries and veins). While the term technically refers to any disease that affects the cardio...
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Cellular Toxicity - Cellular toxicity is a reference to any cell state that is not conducive to healthy cell function typically caused by toxicity or substances toxic to cells and resulting in cell damage. Toxic damage to cells can cause individual...
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Chemotherapy treatment with drugs that kill cancer cells or make them less active. The purpose of chemotherapy and other systemic treatments is to get rid of any cancer cells that may have spread from where the cancer started to another part of the body...
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Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - Chronic fatigue syndrome (also known as CFS) is a debilitating and complex disorder characterized by intense fatigue that is not improved by bed rest and may also be worsened by physical or mental activity. This syndrome...
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What are Circulatory System Problems? No discussion of the circulatory system would be complete without mentioning some of the problems that can occur. Several problems can occur with the valves of the heart. Valvular stenosis is the result of diseases...
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Colds - The common cold generally involves a runny nose, nasal congestion, and sneezing. You may also have a sore throat, cough, headache, or other symptoms. Over 200 viruses can cause a cold. Causes, incidence, and risk factors - There are over one...
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Also called: Clinical depression, Dysthymic disorder, Major depressive disorder, Unipolar depression. Depression is a serious medical illness that involves the brain. It's more than just a feeling of being "down in the dumps" or "blue" for a few days...
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Diabetes - Diabetes (also called Adult onset diabetes or Non-insulin dependent diabetes) is a disease in which your blood glucose, or sugar, levels are too high. Glucose comes from the foods you eat and insulin is a hormone that helps the glucose get...
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Dysmenorrhea, also known as excessively painful menstrual periods, is a medical condition characterized by severe uterine pain during menstruation. While many women experience minor pain during menstruation, dysmenorrhea is diagnosed when the pain is...
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Ear Infections, Earaches, Chronic Ear Infection - Otitis Media - Ear infections are the most common illnesses in babies and young children. Most often, the infection affects the middle ear and is called otitis media. The tubes inside the ears become...
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Emphysema - Emphysema is a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) involving damage to the air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs. As a result, your body does not get the oxygen it needs. Emphysema makes it hard to catch your breath. Emphysema is...
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Epstein Barr - What is Epstein-Barr virus? Epstein-Barr virus, frequently referred to simply as EBV, is a member of the herpes virus family and one of the most common human viruses. In the U.S., as many as 95% of adults between 35 to 40 years of age...
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Fatigue - What is Fatigue? Fatigue is a feeling of excessive tiredness or lethargy, with a desire to rest, perhaps to sleep and can cause yawning. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), which is also sometimes referred to as Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction...
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Female Cramps, Painful Menstrual Periods, Female Cramps, also known as Dysmenorrhea, painful menstrual periods, painful periods, and menstrual cramps, are a medical condition characterized by crampy uterine pain during menstruation. Symptoms can include...
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Fibromyalgia - What is Fibromyalgia? Fibromyalgia is a disorder that causes fatigue and muscle pain. People with fibromyalgia can have chronic widespread pain, as well as "tender points" on the neck, back, shoulders, hips, arms, and legs, which hurt...
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Flu - What is the Flu? The Flu, also known as Grippe or Influenza is a respiratory infection caused by a number of possible viruses. The viruses pass through the air and enter your body through your eyes, ears, nose or mouth. Between 5% and 20% of...
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Frequent Urination - What is Frequent Urination? Frequent urination means needing to urinate more often than usual. Urgent urination is a sudden, compelling urge to urinate, along with discomfort in your bladder. A frequent need to urinate at night...
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What is Chronic Glomerulonephritis? Chronic glomerulonephritis is caused when there is slow progressive destruction of the glomeruli of the kidney, with progressive loss of kidney function. Some cases are caused by specific stimuli to the body's immune...
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Gout is a painful condition caused by the buildup of uric acid crystals in the joint cartilage and synovial fluid and tissue. It can cause symptoms such as sharp pain, loss of mobility, needle like pain in joints as well as fever and chills...
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Hayfever - What is Hay Fever? Hay fever is a very common condition. Hayfever is caused by an allergy to pollen or sometimes mould spores. With hay fever, the body's immune system over reacts to the presence of external substances, as if they were...
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Heart Disease - What is Heart Disease? Cardiac disease & Heart disease is a term that includes several more specific heart conditions. The most common heart disease in the United States is coronary heart disease, which can lead to heart to heart attack...
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Hepatitis A & Hepatitis B are liver diseases that cause your liver to swell and can prevent it from functioning normally. A healthy liver is essential to help your body fight infections, remove toxins like drugs and other poisons from your blood as well...
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Hepatitis C (Hep C) is a contagious disease of the liver caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and is passed via direct contact with blood from a person infected with hepatitis C. The liver, the largest organ in the body, has many important functions...
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Herpes - What is Herpes Simplex Virus - (Also called: HSV)? Herpes is an infection that is caused by a herpes simplex virus (HSV). Oral herpes causes cold sores around the mouth or face. Genital herpes affects the genitals, buttocks or anal area...
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High Blood Pressure - What is High Blood Pressure? (Also called: HBP, HTN, Hypertension) Blood pressure is the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your arteries. Blood pressure rises and falls during the day. When blood pressure stays...
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High Cholesterol - What is High Cholesterol? High cholesterol is the best known of all the many threats to a healthy heart. When excess amounts of this waxy, fat-like substance build up along the walls of the arteries, you face a dramatically higher...
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Hyperglycemia - Hyperglycemia refers to the condition of having a high level of glucose in the bloodstream. This can occur when the body doesn't make enough insulin or can't use its insulin supply appropriately. Everyone with type 1 and type 2 diabetes...
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ITP Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (I.T.P.), also known as Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura, is classified as an autoimmune disease with symptoms of low platelets and with no known cause (idiopathic, according to western...
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IgA Nephropathy - According to the National Institutes of Health, IgA Nephropathy is a kidney disorder that occurs when IgAa protein that helps the body fight infectionssettles in the kidneys. After many years the IgA deposits may cause the kidneys...
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Indigestion - Indigestion is the term used to describe pain and discomfort in the upper abdomen or chest that can develop after a meal. The medical term for it is dyspepsia. Sometimes a burning feeling is felt in the chest, and this is known as heartburn...
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Mononucleosis - What is Infectious Mononucleosis? Infectious mononucleosis, also known as Glandular fever, Kissing disease, Mono and Mononucleosis is an infection caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). The virus spreads through saliva, which is why...
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Irritable Bowel Syndrome - What is Irritable Bowel Syndrome? Also called: IBS, Irritable colon, Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a problem that affects the large intestine. It can cause abdominal cramping, bloating and a change in bowel habits. Some...
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Jaundice - Also called: Icterus, Jaundice is a yellow color in the skin, the mucous membranes, or the eyes. The yellow pigment is from bilirubin, a byproduct of old red blood cells. Jaundice causes your skin and the whites of your eyes to turn yellow...
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Joint Pain - What Causes Joint Pain? Joint pain can affect one or more joints. See also: Arthritis (inflammation of joints) Bursitis, Muscle pain, Joint Pain Considerations - Joint pain can be caused by many types of injuries or conditions. Joint pain...
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Kidney Problems & Disease - Signs of Kidney Problems & Chronic Kidney Disease, Chronic kidney diseasecalled kidney disease here for shortis a condition in which the small blood vessels in the kidneys are damaged, making the kidneys unable to do their...
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What is a Kidney Stone? A kidney stone (sometimes called renal calculi) is a solid piece of mineral and crystaline material formed within the kidney or urinary tract out of substances in the urine. A kidney stone may stay in the kidney or break loose...
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Leaky Gut Syndrome - What is a Leaky Gut Syndrome? The leaky gut syndrome (or LGS) is a hyperpermeable intestinal lining. In other words, large spaces develop between the cells of the gut wall, and bacteria, toxins and food leak in. The official...
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Liver Detoxification - What does the Liver do? Detoxification...Among its many functions, the most important role of the liver is that of Detoxification. The liver detoxifies harmful substances by a complex series of chemical reactions...
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Lung Infection - What do healthy lungs do? Lungs are the organs that allow us to breathe. Lungs provide a huge area (as large as a football field) for oxygen from the air to pass into the bloodstream and carbon dioxide to move out. The cells of our body..
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Malaria - What is Malaria? Malaria is a serious disease caused by a parasite. Infected mosquitoes spread it. Malaria is a major cause of death worldwide, but it is almost wiped out in the United States. The disease is mostly a problem...
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Menstrual Cramps - What are Menstrual Cramps? Menstrual Cramps, also known as Dysmenorrhea, painful menstrual periods, painful periods, and female cramps, is a medical condition characterized by crampy uterine pain during menstrual periods. Symptoms...
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Minimal Change Disease, aka Minimal Change GN is a disease of the kidney that is most commonly found in children, although 20% of cases of this condition are found in Adults. In this form of Glomerulonephritis, there is damage to the tiny...
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Mononucleosis (also known as Mono, Kissing disease, Glandular fever, Infectious Mononucleosis) The clinical diagnosis of infectious mononucleosis is suggested on the basis of the symptoms of fever, sore throat, swollen lymph glands, and the age of the...
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Osteoarthritis - Also called: Degenerative joint disease, OA, Osteoarthrosis, Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. It causes pain, swelling and reduced motion in your joints. It can occur in any joint, but usually it affects your hands...
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Osteoporosis - What is Osteoporosis? Osteoporosis makes your bones weak and more likely to break. Anyone can develop osteoporosis, but it is common in older women. As many as half of all women and a quarter of men older than 50 will break a bone due...
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What are Ovarian Cysts? A cyst is a fluid-filled sac. In most cases a cyst on the ovary does no harm and goes away by itself. Most women have them sometime during their lives. Cysts are rarely cancerous in women under 50. Cysts sometimes hurt...
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Petechiae is condition resulting from hemorrhages under the skin's surface causing tiny red or purple spots on the skin. Petechiae is sometimes called "red skin spots" or "pinpoint red spots on the skin". This condition can be caused by...
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Platelets help wounds heal and prevent bleeding by forming blood clots. Your bone marrow makes platelets. Problems can result from having too few or too many platelets, or from platelets that do not work properly. If your blood has a low number...
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What is Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD)? (Also sometimes called: Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease, Kidneys Cysts, Polycystic Kidney Or ADPKD) Read More About Polycystic Kidney Disease...
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What is Premenstrual Syndrome? Also called: PMS, Premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, is a group of symptoms that start one to two weeks before your period. Most women have at least some symptoms of PMS, and the symptoms go away after their periods start...
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Prostate Problems & Diseases - The prostate is a gland. It helps make semen, the fluid that contains sperm. The prostate surrounds the tube that carries urine away from the bladder and out of the body. A young man's prostate is about...
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What Is Proteinuria? According to the National Institutes of Health, proteinuria is a condition in which your urine contains an abnormally high amount of protein. These building block proteins are desirable and should not be excessively discarded in...
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COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) - Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) makes it hard for you to breathe. Coughing up mucus is often the first sign of COPD. Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are common COPDs...
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What is Shingles? Also called: Herpes zoster, Postherpetic neuralgia - Shingles is a disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus - the same virus that causes chickenpox. After you have chickenpox, the virus stays in your body. It may not cause...
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What is Sinusitis? Sinusitis means your sinuses are infected or inflamed. Your sinuses are hollow air spaces within the bones surrounding the nose. They produce mucus, which drains into the nose. If your nose is swollen, this can block the sinuses and...
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What is Stress? Stress (also called: Psychological stress) We all have stress sometimes. For some people, it happens before having to speak in public. For other people, it might be before a first date. What Causes Stress? What causes stress for you may...
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What is Tonsillitis? Tonsillitis is inflammation (swelling) of the tonsils. See also: Sore throat, Tonsillitis Causes - The tonsils are lymph nodes in the back of the mouth and top of the throat. They normally help to filter out bacteria and other...
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What is an Upper Respiratory Tract Infection (URI or URTI)? Upper respiratory infection is one of the most commonly infected area in the body and is a common cause of childhood illness and adult discomfort. In fact, the average child has...
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What Are Urinary Tract Infections (UTI)? Urinary tract infections are a serious health condition affecting millions of people each year. Infections of the urinary tract are the second most common type of infection in the body. Urinary tract infections...
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What are Viral Infections? Viruses are capsules with genetic material inside. They are very tiny, much smaller than bacteria. Viruses cause familiar infectious diseases such as the common cold, flu and warts. They also cause severe illnesses such as...