Dermatophagia, or the compulsive biting of the skin around the nails, is a condition that closely relates to onychophagia, or the picking of the skin around the nails. These psychological conditions fall under the obsessive-compulsive disorder, or...
A razor bump in the armpit is caused when hair that is shaved, tweezed or chemically removed grows out and curves around back into the skin. The armpit area is one of the most common areas in which women get ingrown hairs. This can cause...
Eye infections are also known as conjunctivitis, which means "inflammation of the conjunctiva." The conjunctiva is the thin layer of tissue covering the white of eye (sclera) and the inside of the eyelids. Infectious conjunctivitis can be caused...
An infant with thick green snot discharging from the nose most likely has sinusitis, also known as a sinus infection. There are several steps you can take to ease painful sinuses and provide comfort to your baby. Always consult with your baby's...
Nasal lavage or irrigation aids in relieving symptoms of chronic sinusitis. Symptoms of the condition include nasal congestion, facial pressure, persistent coughing, and thick yellow or green discharge. The University of Maryland Medical Center...
A nose piercing can become infected despite using sterile equipment and techniques. The most likely time a piercing will show signs of infection is when the piercing begins to heal, several days or weeks after the initial piercing. Signs of...
Eye redness occurs when blood vessels become enlarged and dilated, according to the National Institutes of Health. Several factors may lead to this condition including an allergic reaction, infection, trauma, dryness---including from computer...
Vaginal itching is an uncomfortable condition and involves a scratchy irritation on the skin of the vagina and the surrounding area, vulva. Vaginal itching stems from numerous causes. To prevent the symptom of vaginal itching, the MayoClinic.com...
A neti pot, similar to a teapot, flushes out thick mucus buildup in the sinuses during an infection. The pot uses nasal irrigation, or lavage, technique that likely originated in Ayurvedic medical practices, according to the University of...
Cataract surgery is one of the most common surgeries performed in the United States, but side effects of the surgery also are common. All About Vision states that about 1/2 of all Americans will develop cataracts by the age of 60. When these...
Sinusitis is the inflammation of the sinuses. Often, sinusitis is caused by a cold or other upper respiratory virus. Sometimes, however, it is caused by bacteria. Most cases of sinusitis will resolve themselves, but occasionally a patient may...
Areas prone to congestion start in the nasal passages of the nose and extend all the way down into the lungs. How you manage your child's congestion is going to depend somewhat on the area affected and your child's age. Although it is scary to...
Swimmer's ear, also known as otitis externa, is an infection or irritation of the external ear canal. Symptoms include pain, tenderness and itching of the external ear; you may also notice yellow or green discharge from the ear. While conventional...
Newborn babies can contract viral infections including the common cold. Indeed, babies are typically more susceptible to catching a cold than children or adults, as their immune systems are not as developed. If you notice any cold symptoms in your...
Pink eye or conjunctivitis gets its name from the pink coloring that the eye membranes takes on. The transparent coverings or membranes of the eyes are susceptible to many different viruses, bacteria and allergies in the air. Look for symptoms to...
Between 500,000 and 800,000 Americans are affected by venous leg ulcers annually, reports the Cleveland Clinic. Leg ulcers are open wounds that have difficulty healing, often recur and have high infection rates. People who are diabetic, suffer...
Even the most minor burn can become infected, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Proper care initially can prevent pain and prolonged healing. Between 50,000 and 70,000 people suffer from burns each year, according to UMMC,...
Pink eye conjunctivitis is an inflammation or infection of the conjunctiva--the thin clear tissue that covers the sclera, or the white of the eye, and the inside of the eyelids. The conjunctiva does contain blood vessels; when these vessels get...
Pressure ulcers are known by several different names including bedsores and decubitis ulcers. The skin condition occurs when healthy tissue is compressed between bone and a hard surface causing decreased circulation. Merck Manual reports old age,...
The sinuses are air-filled spaces attached to your nasal cavity. Their soft-tissue walls can easily become inflamed and irritated due to allergens, environmental factors, or the common cold. When the sinuses are irritated, they can swell and...
Feminine itch causes run the gamut from simple irritation to infection by organisms such as yeast, bacteria and protozoa. While most causes of feminine itching are simple and easy to treat at home, post-menopausal women experiencing frequent...
According to DrGreene.com, allergies are a common cause of sinus infections, but they are not the same thing. It can be difficult to distinguish between the two, especially when a person's allergies cause nasal congestion, a runny nose and...
When a child is sick, parents often feel helpless and are willing and eager to do whatever they can to help him feel better. When an infant has a cough or a cold, there are not many medicinal alternatives available to help relieve his symptoms....
During sex without protection, like a condom, bodily fluids come in contact with your sexual partner, which can result in the passage of a sexually transmitted disease. Some of the sexually transmitted diseases, like chlamydia and gonorrhea, can...
Viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites can infect the eye. Typically, one eye is initially infected, with the spread to the other eye in some cases. Eye infections, also known as conjunctivitis, cause local irritation and symptoms of varying...
The vagina is a complex organ lined by a layer of squamous cells, which are formed from epithelial or skin cells. Underneath these epithelial cells lies the vaginal wall, which contains connective tissues, muscle tissue, lymph vessels and nerves....
Injuries to the skin caused by chemicals, radiation, the sun and heat are referred to as burns. Most burns affect the top layer of skin known as the dermis. More severe burns may damage the deeper layer of tissue, blood vessels and bones. Burns on...
Plugged ears are a common problem and may be a sign of an underlying hearing loss. Anything that blocks the outer, middle or inner ear can interfere with the normal hearing mechanism and result in decreased hearing. Conditions such as wax, foreign...
Adenovirus describes a group of different viruses that cause respiratory and eye infections, according to Children's Hospital Boston. A common virus in this group causes infectious conjunctivitis, which is an inflammation in the eye. This...