Dementia is a very general term that describes any brain syndrome that is characterized by issues with memory, judgment, carrying out familiar tasks and projects, and language. Dementia also typically involves problems with orientation; for example, the person may have difficulties knowing who he is, where he lives, and the time of day.
Dementia used to [...]
Although everyone can feel depressed at times, the medical condition of depression is much more than ordinary sadness. Clinical depression includes feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. People suffering from depression often feel worthless. These feelings can last for weeks or months…or longer.
When diagnosing depression, most experts refer to the DSM-IV, a manual used to diagnose [...]
High cholesterol, also known as hypercholesterolemia, is a major risk factor for both heart disease and stroke. In many cases, abnormal cholesterol levels are a combination of both high LDL cholesterol (the ‘bad’ cholesterol) a low HDL cholesterol (the ‘good’ cholesterol). High cholesterol can be caused by an unhealthy diet or by heredity—or both.
Cholesterol Tests
Most [...]
Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition which causes skin cells to grow too quickly. It is characterized by thick red, white, or silvery patches of skin that are inflamed or flaking. With normal skin, the skin cells grow and gradually flake off every four weeks or so; new skin cells continually grow to replace the [...]
Fibromyalgia is often misunderstood. It is a rheumatic condition that is comprise of widespread muscle and joint pain as well as fatigue and other symptoms. Many specialists consider fibromyalgia to be a syndrome; this is because there is no clear-cut method or laboratory test that can diagnose fibromyalgia. Instead, doctors and specialists rely on diagnosing [...]
Nearly one out of every five people in the United States suffers from some type of allergy. Allergies are caused by an immune system reaction to a substance in the environment. The particular substance—the allergen—can be different for each allergy sufferer, and the substances are typically harmless to those who do not have allergies.
There are many common types of allergies. Quite a lot of people are allergic to pollen, for example. Other widespread allergens include mold, latex, milk, eggs, nuts, shellfish, wheat, bee stings, and pet dander.
Asthma is a disease that causes a difficulty in breathing due to the temporary narrowing of the airways that deliver oxygen to the lungs. This narrowing is caused by an inflammation of the air passages. With asthma, the inflammation occurs when the airways come into contact with an asthma trigger.
Asthma triggers are not the same [...]
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, degenerative brain disease. Nearly 5 million people in the United States have been diagnosed with this disease, most of whom are over the age of 65. It is predicted that the number of people who will have Alzheimer’s by the year 2030 will be close to 8 million if no [...]
Diabetes affects how the body uses digested food for energy. Our bodies break down food into glucose, the form of sugar in the blood. This glucose is used by cells for energy and growth; however, insulin must be present to allow the glucose into the cells. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas. For [...]
Arthritis, which is basically a form of joint inflammation, is a health problem that is common to millions of people across the United States. In fact, there are actually more than 100 types of arthritis. Some types affect only certain joints or specific areas of the body. Other types of arthritis can affect seemingly unrelated [...]
In simple terms, cancer is an abnormal growth of cells in the body. There are more than 100 different types of cancers; however, all are caused by irregular and extraneous cellular growth. This growth results in masses called tumors. Cancerous tumors are called malignant; the cells within these tumors have the ability to invade neighboring [...]
By practicing basic dental care, people can prevent tooth decay and periodontal disease. In addition, basic dental care helps to keep the teeth white and prevents bad breath. Taking the time to care for the teeth each day means that dental visits will be shorter and more pleasant because there will likely be no need [...]
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a problem common to millions of Americans. The condition is a serious one, as it forces the heart to work harder in order to pump the blood to the body. High blood pressure also contributes to the hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis); it is also a contributing factor in [...]
Not long ago, the food pyramid was changed. Fortunately, there isn’t a whole new list of food guidelines to memorize. Although the graphics of the food pyramid changed a great deal, the nutrition guidelines in the new pyramid are actually quite similar to the old guidelines. The new pyramid is merely more specific with a [...]
When flu season gets underway each year, many people do get sick with the flu. However, not everyone who is sick actually has the flu—many people may still simply have the common cold. Both the flu and colds share some symptoms, so it can be difficult to determine whether one is suffering from a cold [...]
Obesity
A person is considered to be obese when he has a severe excess of body fat. Most people are diagnosed as obese when their weight is 20% or higher above normal weight. Body mass index (BMI) is also used to diagnose [...][Read More...]
Cold & Flu
When flu season gets underway each year, many people do get sick with the flu. However, not everyone who is sick actually has the flu, but many people may still simply have the common cold. Both the flu and colds share [...][Read More...]
