Lou Gehrig's disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a debilitating neurological condition causing progressive muscle weakness and disability. According to the National Institute of Neurologic Disorders and Stroke, more than 90 percent of...
Genetic diseases are caused by defects in genes, segments of DNA that govern specific characteristics in a person. Common genetic disorders such as cystic fibrosis or Huntington's disease aren't always inherited, but may occur as a spontaneous...
Iron is an mineral that is especially important for the synthesis of new red blood cells, which are used to carry oxygen throughout the body. Although having too little iron in your body can cause health problems, too much iron is also dangerous....
The air pressure inside of the ear should be equal to the air pressure outside the ear. The pressure is kept equal by a structure called the Eustachian tube. This tube runs from the middle ear through the back of the nose and ends in the upper...
Collagen is a protein that plays an important role in the development of bone. It is also a major component of connective tissue and tendons. Collagen is a flexible and stretchy protein that is used by the body to support tissues. Disorders of...
Biotin is a type of B vitamin that's found in many foods. It can be taken as a supplement to treat rare cases of vitamin deficiency. There is not enough evidence to support its supplemental use for the treatment of other conditions.
Healthy hair is shiny and smooth. Damaged hair looks dull, lifeless and can even fall out. Hair damage is caused by various environmental, chemical, mechanical or even medical factors. The type of hair damage will determine which course of...
Phosphate is an electrolyte that is present throughout the body and is an important part of bone matrix, along with calcium. The body typically does not excrete appreciable amounts of phosphate into the urine because of a myriad of functions that...
The term "radiation" encompasses a host of physical phenomenon--for instance, visible light is a form of radiation, albeit a harmless one--but most people use the word to refer to the sort of radiation capable of doing biological harm. The general...
Metabolic disorders are inherited genetic defects that affect the way you metabolize your food. They affect about one in every 4,000 Americans, according to the Mayo Clinic. Metabolism is the process by which your body acquires energy from food....
Magnesium is an essential mineral involved in multiple processes in the body including central nervous system function. Severe magnesium deficiency resulting from rare genetic defects has been associated with seizures. Intravenous infusion of...
Congenital diseases are the result of faulty or mutated DNA causing problems that often appear very early in life. Genetic mutations in the genes that are responsible for making muscles can lead to congenital neuromuscular disease. These...
The temporal lobes of the brain control memory and emotions, as well as survival reactions such as the 'fight-or-flight' response that governs how someone reacts to dangerous situations. According to the Epilepsy Foundation, temporal lobe epilepsy...
Genetic tests are done either to diagnose genetic disorders or identify risks associated with developing a disease. Testing problems range from the accuracy of the genetic tests and oversight of the testing labs, to the growing market for...
DNA provides the blueprint for life: it codes the information required for cells to generate the compounds required for growth, development and metabolism. Genetic diseases may develop due to abnormalities or deletions of single genes, or large...
Iron is particularly abundant in living things and is an essential element for most organisms, including human beings. The control of the levels of iron in the body, or iron homeostasis, is an important part of many aspects of human health and...
Cobalt, an element with atomic number 27, has many medical uses. You need zinc, an element with atomic number 30, for growth and health. Zinc deficiency may lead to poor night vision, slow healing of wounds, a diminished sense of taste and smell,...
Drinking water on a daily basis is essential to proper body functioning. Therefore when people experience prolonged and excessive thirst, it can be a sign of illness. There are several diseases in which excessive thirst is a common symptom....
Genetic diseases occur in 3 to 4 percent of all babies born according to information provided by Net Wellness. Genetic diseases are caused by damage to or destruction of one or more genes, which are specific segments of DNA (the fundamental...
Birth defects are abnormalities present at the time of a baby's birth. They occur in approximately 3 percent of pregnancies. When some part of the baby's body did not form correctly or completely, this is a structural birth defect. For example,...
Glioblastoma multiformes (GBM) are the most common, as well as the most aggressive, form of cancerous brain tumors found in humans, according to MayoClinic.com. Treatment can be difficult and prognosis is often poor for people that suffer from...
The muscular system is composed of more than 600 muscles that serve varying functions in the human body. There are several diseases that can affect the muscular system. The broad categories of these conditions include infection, weakness, injury,...
The Myositis Association defines muscle enzymes as proteins present inside muscle fibers serving a metabolic function. When muscle cells break down, they leak these enzymes into the blood stream. Muscle enzymes are detected in the blood to...
ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a severe disease in which the nerves in the brain and spinal cord responsible for movement are damaged. Ten percent of ALS cases are related to genetic defects; however, the cause of the other 90 percent...
According to the Cleveland Clinic, nearly 20 percent of women are prescribed bedrest during pregnancy. Bedrest can take many forms -- from simply limiting your activity to being confined to bed all day every day. Bed rest is usually recommended to...
Neonatal seizures typically appear in babies under 28 days old, according to the Hospital for Sick Children. While babies who experience convulsions in the early days following birth may be stricken with a lifelong condition, it does not...
Genetic diseases have a wide spectrum of presentations ranging from mild in individuals unaware of their condition to severe, resulting in death at a young age. Single-gene disorders are caused by mutations that affect individual genes. Examples...
Finding out you are pregnant, especially with your first child, can be an exciting time filled with joy, wonder and apprehension. There is so much to learn, so much to do and so much to look forward to. Caring for yourself and ensuring the health...
The primary function of the lungs is respiration. As air is breathed in, it travels from the nose down the trachea and into the bronchial airways that branch off into smaller tubes called aveoli that lead to millions of tiny air sacs. Once in the...
Spina bifida is a birth defect involving the neural tube, resulting in an incomplete formation of the spine. Get expert tips and advice on treating and understanding spina bifida or split spine in this video.
