Showing posts with label Digestive Diseases. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Digestive Diseases. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Nervous System Diseases

Nervous System Diseases
The Nervous System is the most important system in the human body. If the nervous system doesn't work properly then the entire body fails. Unfortunately, there are many diseases that affect the neurologic system. Here're a brief list and descriptions of some of the more common neurologic disorders that affect the majority of people in our modern day world.



Cerebral Palsy - this disease is the most common cause of children becoming crippled. Cerebral palsy is defined as a group of neuromuscular disorders the will result in CNS damage. One of the most common signs and symptoms for cerebral palsy are having hyperactive deep tendon reflexes, increased stretch reflexes, general muscle weakness, underdevelopment of limbs, and rapid muscle contractions and relaxation.



Hydrocephalus - This disorder is the result of excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid within the ventricular spaces of the brain. This disorder also affects newer born babies, but it can affect adults as well. The most important signs and symptoms for this disorder, is the rapidly increasing width of the head circumference which will be very disproportionate to the infant's or adult's body.



Epilepsy - This disorder is also called a seizure disorder, which is the condition of the brain that is marked by a person having the susceptibility to have recurrent seizure episodes.



CVA - A Cerebrovascular accident (also known as brain attack or stroke) is defined as the sudden impairment of the cerebral circulation in one or more of the blood vessels supplying the brain. This can cause a diminish oxygen supply to the brain and will often result in necrosis (tissue death) of the brain tissues and will cause physical impairment the will affect the person the result of their life. Some of the signs and symptoms for this disorder are sudden drowsiness, dizziness, headache, and mental confusion. Other signs like mental impairment, seizures, coma, nuchal rigidity, disorientation, and fever are also common.



Parkinson's Disease - Is one of the most common crippling diseases in the United States today. A person that has Parkinson disease will display sings of having dementia, involuntary tremors, akinesia, and progressive muscle rigidity.



In conclusion, there are many different types of neurologic disorders that can affect a person. Therefore, it is important for anyone that wants to avoid these diseases to take good care of themselves. However, some neurologic disorders may not be prevented because they are depended on family genetics. Nonetheless, if a person can recognize these common signs and symptoms of these diseases, then they can be better prepared in understanding this condition.






Immune System Diseases

Immune System Diseases
Immune system diseases can be put into two general classifications: There are disorders or diseases of the immune system where the body ceases to have the defenses necessary to fight off disease, and the other disorder is where the body overly reacts to stimulus, which consequently results in organ damage and function.



There are multiple rare genetically inherited disease processes of the immune system that are classified as primary immune deficiency disorders. These disorders affect about fifty thousand people within the United States, alone.



A person with a healthy immune system has the physiological ability to identify invading viruses, bacteria or any element that is not a typical part of the body's function and destroys them.



In cases of immune system diseases where there exists a debilitation in the response, frequent infections occur within the victim. The most Common disease that occurs in people as a result of a lower functioning immune system is AIDS.



AIDS is not inherited or caused at birth. It is caused by becoming infected with the HIV (Human Immune Deficiency Virus) by way of blood transfusion, sexual intercourse and IV drug usage.



The HIV virus invades the T-helper cells in the body that are responsible for destroying invaders by creating anti-bodies, but when this system is compromised by HIV, the process ultimately destroys the bodies immune system causing numerous infections, including cancer and pneumonia- and without drug treatment- even death.



Currently there are over 955,000 people with AIDS in the United States. This disease is acquired, which means that people who have become infected had normal, healthy immune systems to start with.



Other immune system diseases include allergies, Addison's disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, Psoriasis and Multiple Sclerosis.



Immune disorders like Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis are believed to be caused by an over-reactive immune system.



Much research has been done on the study of immune system diseases, treatments, prevention and cures.



As of today, many alternative health care industries who promote dietary supplements and herbs have concluded that maintaining a healthy immunes system is possible by boosting the body's ability to fight off infection by a healthy diet, exercise, and taking these nutrients on a daily basis.



There are also a number of research scientists currently doing studies on drugs that can be used to treat these immune system diseases, particularly with the epidemic of AIDS that has infected almost a million Americans to date.






Monday, June 23, 2014

Diseases Of The Stomach

Diseases Of The Stomach
Diseases of the stomach affect hundreds of thousands of people throughout the world, more particularly during the active years of a person's life. The causes greatly vary and can be generally divided into two categories - internal and external factors. Internal factors e.g. extremely high or extremely low levels of gastric acid and also a very slow paced process of emptying the stomach. External factors include stress, excessive consumption of tea, coffee, alcohol, smoking, and some medications particularly non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. With that said, some of the diseases of the stomach include: -



- Dyspepsia - this is the commonest disease of the stomach that affects 60% of the population atleast once in a person's lifetime. It is characterized by a persistent or irregular pain in the lower chest or upper abdomen. It may lead to regurgitation i.e. reflux of contents of the stomach back to the esophagus and mouth, vomiting, bloating, and nausea.



- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) - another common stomach disease that is chronic. It leads to abnormal gastric reflux to the esophagus from the stomach and may end up damaging the esophagus. It is mostly characterized by heartburn, difficulties when swallowing, as well as regurgitation mostly when a meal is taken minutes before sleeping.



- Heartburn or pyrosis - generally affects around 10% of the total world's population at least once a year. It is characterized by a burning sensation in the esophagus just beneath the breastbone and may lead to bad breath, bitter or sour taste in the mouth, mouth ulcer, vomiting, and regurgitation.



- Gastritis - this is an inflammation of the lining of the stomach which mainly causes pain in the upper abdomen.



- Peptic ulcer - a sore that develops in the duodenum as well as the stomach's mucous membrane. It is more prevalent in men and is characterized by burning ache, continuous abdominal pain, abdominal fullness, bloating, weight loss, and loss of appetite.



- Helicobacter pylori infection - another common stomach disease that causes chronic low-level inflammation of the lining of the stomach. This infection is suspected to be the leading cause of stomach cancer, gastritis, and peptic ulcer.



- Stomach cancer - it is a kind of cancer that has abnormal cells growing in any part of the stomach and which might spread to other body organs through the lymphatic or circulatory systems. It is equally more prevalent in men and is characterized by poor digestion, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, black stools, unplanned weight loss, and difficulties when swallowing.






Disease Of Nervous System

Disease Of Nervous System
The nervous system and the brain form an intricate system of electrical signals responsible for muscle, speech, thought, emotion, and senses coordination. A neurological disease, or a disease of the nervous system, is one that affects the nervous system of the body. Several neurological diseases that have a direct effect on the nervous system have a characteristic genetic component - some may be as a result of mutation in a singular cell, while others can have a more intricate mode of inheritance.



Being such an important part of the human body, each disease of the nervous system isn't a rare condition, even though some are definitely direr compared to others. Important to keep in mind is that these diseases will either affect the peripheral nervous system or the central nervous system. The central nervous system is the most important part of the nervous system which includes the spinal cord and the brain. The peripheral nervous system on the other hand extends from the central nervous system to the limbs and torso.



Examples of the first category of diseases of the nervous system caused by faulty genes are muscular dystrophy and Huntington's disease, which of course will be passed down from one generation to another. A disease of the nervous system can also be as a result of an irregular development of the nervous system such as the Spina bifida condition caused by the abnormal formation of the spinal cord. Note that these kinds of diseases have no cure.



An injury to the brain or the spinal cord can also cause a disease of the nervous system. Paraplegic patients will normally have suffered a severe injury of either of the two parts. Basically, where the injury occurs, the patient will be paralyzed from that point down. An immediate treatment of such injuries can reduce long-term effects of the diseases. Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases are examples of diseases of the nervous system under the category of degenerative neurological diseases. In other words, the nerve cells progressively get damaged and die eventually.



Falling in the degenerative neurological diseases are seizure disorders such as epilepsy, which is caused by a group of nerve cells sending out the wrong signals. Infections or cancer can also cause neurological diseases. While the cause of brain cancer is yet to be determined, it can be treated using chemotherapy and surgery. Meningitis, caused by viruses getting in the body through open cavities and traveling to the brain may also cause a disease of the nervous system.