As children grow and develop, there are many times that parents have questions about whether the behavior is normal or not and can compare their offspring with others. To put parents at ease, two or three out of every 10 children show signs of...
A meningioma is a tumor that affects the meninges, which is the covering that surrounds your brain and spinal cord. Even if this type of tumor is benign, it can still cause problems if it presses on the brain or spinal cord nerves. The type and...
Eating raw meat, including pork, can increase your risk of developing a roundworm infection. Pork, if not cooked thoroughly, carries the risk of infecting you with trichinosis. Cook your pork until the pink is no longer visible to avoid this...
Human immunodeficiency virus or HIV can cause an acute flu-like illness in the weeks following initial infection. The terms acute HIV infection, primary HIV infection and acute retroviral syndrome are used to describe this illness. The Centers for...
Menactra, also known as the meningococcal vaccine, is a vaccine used to prevent potentially lethal infections such as meningitis (bacterial inflammation of the lining surrounding the brain and spinal cord) and septicemia (bacteria in the blood),...
Niacin is a vitamin also known as vitamin B-3. This nutrient helps transform foods into energy and helps you metabolize the fats and proteins you consume. Your body also needs niacin to produce certain hormones. If you have a deficiency, your...
If consuming dairy products causes soreness in your muscles, you may have a milk allergy. During an allergic reaction, the integrity of your tissues is compromised because of the production of various chemicals, such as antibodies and histamine....
An autoimmune disease, multiple sclerosis is also known as 'demyelinating disease' according to the New York Times. It damages the myelin sheath that surrounds nerve cells, reducing their ability to process nerve impulses. Rather than experiencing...
A facial heating pad can offer many benefits when you have tension or simply need to relax after a long day at work. Using a facial heating pad for a short period of time each day can help you get better blood circulation, healthier looking skin...
Symptoms or lab tests alone cannot verify someone has multiple sclerosis, also called MS, a progressive disease of the central nervous system. Doctors combine exams, magnetic resonance imaging, spinal fluid analysis and other techniques to reach a...
A person bitten by a tick infected with the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi can develop Lyme disease symptoms. Early-stage Lyme disease symptoms are typically mild and can include skin rash and flu-like symptoms. Patients who do not receive early...
The nerves of the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system are responsible for providing sensation and movement to specific areas of the body. Any damage to the nerves, either caused by trauma or an underlying condition, can result in...
Physical therapists use various techniques to address pain, dystrophy and paralysis associated with conditions that affect cranial nerves and muscles. Such conditions include Bell's palsy, muscle-related headaches, middle ear infections,...
Blue algae, also known as spirulina, grows naturally in freshwater ponds. Blue algae are microscopic plants that share characteristics of both bacteria and algae. It is also grown commercially to produce dietary supplements. The supplement is...
Despite their commonly-used name, blue-green algae are actually not algae, but different types of Cyanobacteria. Most commercial products contain Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, Sprirulina maxima, Spirulina platensis or a combination, according to the...
Cholesterol granulomas are sacs, lesions or cysts filled with fluid, fat and cholesterol. While more research is still needed to understand the exact cause, it may be that these growths form when the immune system initiates an anti-inflammatory...
High total cholesterol counts, coupled with particularly high low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels put you at a major risk for developing heart disease, report doctors at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Doctors at the Mayo...
According to the National Institutes of Health, eye spasms, also known as eye twitching, is the involuntary movement of the eyelid muscles. Eye twitches usually affect the bottom lid of an eye, although a twitch can also occur in the upper lid....
Hodgkin's disease is a type of cancer involving the lymph nodes, special vessels in the body that are responsible for carrying white blood cells. Specific symptoms of Hodgkin's disease include drenching night sweats, chronic fatigue, trouble...
Usually, people don't realize they have multiple sclerosis until they have a first attack of symptoms. It's called clinical isolated syndrome and usually happens when you're between 20 and 40 years old. When you experience a second attack, you...
Algae supplements are often marketed for their abilities to boost your immune system and promote healthy joints. It's also been claimed that algae can be used to treat viruses and cancer, but there is little scientific evidence to support such...
Fingernails are composed of layers of a protein called keratin. Healthy fingernails are strong and smooth and do not have any color abnormalities. Some fingernail conditions, such as ridges in the nail, occur with advancing age and do not indicate...
Temporomandibular joint disorders, or TMJ disorders, involve discomfort and dysfunction in one or both of your temporomandiular joints -- the joints that help connect your jaw, or mandible, with your skull. According to the National Institute of...
In recent years the medicinal herb comfrey has, if not exactly withered under the microscope of modern science, at least shriveled slightly. At one time people suffering from stomach ache drank comfrey root tea, while visionaries hailed comfrey...
The thyroid is a hormone-producing gland located in the front of the neck. The surgical removal of the thyroid gland may be necessary with conditions such as hyperthyroidism or thyroid cancer. While this may be effective in treating a thyroid...
Medline Plus describes a toothache as pain that stems from the tooth or radiates around it. Tooth pain ranges from mild discomfort to excruciating pain. Tooth pain can have a variety of causes, but generally stems from a problem with the teeth or...
Styrchnine is an extremely dangerous poison with fast-acting effects. It was originally used as a pesticide, but it has long since been replaced by safer chemicals. The symptoms of strychnine poisoning appear between 10 and 30 minutes of taking...
Facial massage is not simply a beauty treatment that you receive from a spa treatment. The face has numerous nerves and blood vessels that can benefit from the right kind of facial massage. As a result, a good facial massage can help treat many...
Multiple sclerosis is a type of disease in which the body attacks its own brain and spinal cord. Symptoms of multiple sclerosis include numbness, muscle spasms, loss of balance, lack of coordination, tremors and weakness in the arms or legs,...