Itching, also called pruritus, commonly occurs due to skin disorders, and may affect sleep or quality of life if the condition is severe. Rooted in the nerve endings, itching all over the body is called generalized pruritus. This condition may...
Salmonella food poisoning, also called Salmonellosis, can result from ingestion of large amounts of the Salmonella enteritis bacteria and similar strains. This bacterium grows in perishable foods such as poultry and eggs, and remains after...
If your legs are showing signs of swelling, there could be a variety of reasons for the excess water retention. Though it may not be cause for concern, swelling in the legs could indicate something more serious, so contact your doctor. Exercise is...
The liver is responsible for making a variety of proteins, including those important for blood clotting. It also processes certain chemicals and toxins in the blood. Some illnesses can cause the liver to become enlarged, which is also known as...
Chloracne is a rare acne that forms a few months after touching, inhaling or swallowing certain toxic chemical agents. It is, in fact, the only known effect linked directly to exposure to dioxins (also known as hydrogenated aromatic...
Over 40,000 children and adults in the United States are diagnosed with the blood cancer leukemia each year. Damaged and malignant white cells growing in the bone marrow are the starting point for leukemia. White blood cells eventually overwhelm...
According to the National Institutes of Health, "lymphoma is cancer of lymph tissue found in the lymph nodes, spleen, liver and bone marrow." Lymphoma is divided into two main types: Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's disease. In addition,...
Liver function tests are biochemical measurements of blood levels of various substances to assess overall liver health. Although the term "liver function tests" is commonly used, it is a misnomer because none of these measurements directly assess...
Liver enlargement may occur for a variety of reasons. The development of this symptom signals the presence of an underlying disorder, such as liver disease or cancer. While the specific treatment for an enlarged liver varies, depending on the...
Itching has many possible causes. It most often results from disorders within the skin but can also result from underlying conditions within the body, according to the journal American Family Physician. Sometimes, itchy skin free is free from a...
Vitamins are important in promoting and maintaining health, but some individuals may have trouble absorbing the vitamins they get through diet or supplementation. There are many causes for malabsorption of vitamins, and it is important to see your...
Anemia is the condition of having a low count of red blood cells. These are the cells in the body that carry and distribute oxygen. Macrocytic refers to the enlarged size of the red blood cells. The most common causes of macrocytic anemia are...
Treating the condition that is causing cholestasis--a blockage of the flow of bile from your liver--can reverse the effects of the disease. Extrahepatic cholestasis happens outside of the liver, and can occur when there are tumors, stones or cysts...
Although a wide variety of dermatological conditions and illnesses can cause itchy skin at night, most often the condition is due to xerosis, abnormally dry skin. Xerosis is most common in the winter, when there is little moisture in the air. The...
The term lymphoma describes several similar types of cancers that result from malignant growth of lymphocytes, which are specialized cells of the immune system. Cancer results when the lymphocytes either multiply too fast or fail to die when they...
Androstene is also called andro or androstenedione, a naturally occurring human steroid. It was once used as a dietary supplement to help athletes increase muscle mass, but the Federal Drug Administration has banned the sale and distribution of...
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, also called non-Hodgkin lymphoma or NHL, is a cancer originating in lymphocytes, which are cells in the immune system. Within NHL, there are two sub-types of lymphomas: T-cell lymphomas and B-cell lymphomas. According to...
Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma is a cancer of the disease fighting system spread throughout the body known as the lymphatic system. The American Cancer Society reports that Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma accounts for nearly four percent of all cancers making it...
Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma is a general term that encompasses any large group of cancer cells attacking the immune system. It includes over 40 types of cancer. There are two basic classifications: B-cell, a a blood cell found in bone marrow, and...
Itchy skin, also called "pruritus" is an uncomfortable skin condition that results in your scratching irresistibly, according to the Mayo Clinic. Itchy skin may also be accompanied by bumps, blisters or redness. To help reduce or prevent itchy...
Your body uses vitamin D for calcium absorption, bone growth, immune function, reducing inflammation, regulating blood pressure and cell growth. It is a fat-soluble vitamin, so your body stores some vitamin D for later use. Although you are...
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma describes a group of cancers that develop from a specific type of white blood cell known as a lymphocyte. Lymphocytes, usually concentrated in the lymph nodes, spleen and bone marrow, play an important role in protecting the...
Remicade (infliximab) is an injectible TNF-alpha inhibitor used to relieve the symptoms of certain autoimmune disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriasis and psoriatic...
MayoClinic.com defines leukemia as a cancer "of the body's blood-forming tissues, including the bone marrow and the lymphatic system." They explain further that the disease causes white blood cells to reproduce uncontrollably. These immature...
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, which is now more commonly called Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, is a type of cancer that results from the uncontrolled growth of a type of immune system cells called lymphocytes. Men are slightly more likely to develop this type of...
Itching sounds like a simplistic problem--with the exception of wanting to scratch every itch regardless of its location. As MayoClinic.com explains, itchy skin can have hundreds of possible causes, ranging from a simple rash to a serious problem...
An elevation of the liver enzymes indicates damage or inflammation to the cells in the liver. These enzymes are normally found inside the liver cells, but when the liver is damaged, the enzymes leak out into the blood stream, where they can be...
The liver is the body's largest solid organ. An average healthy liver measures approximately 8 inches across and 6.5 inches down, and is 4.5 inches thick. It weighs about 3.5 lb. An enlarged liver is called hepatomegaly. It is a symptom of liver...
Antivirals are drugs used to treat or prevent viral infections. Viruses cause major killer diseases around the world, accounting for huge numbers of deaths every year from diseases like the flu, HIV/AIDS and viral hepatitis. They are also causally...
