Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are the most common forms of the debilitating disease that causes joint pain, swelling and stiffness. Osteoarthritis affects the cartilage that acts as cushion for the bone. When the surface of cartilage...
When someone has an autoimmune disease it means that the immune system is attacking and destroying some part of the body. Weight loss, along with several other symptoms, is a common feature of many autoimmune conditions. Unexplained weight loss,...
Much controversy often surrounds the safety of herbal supplements. Because the FDA does not regulate the safety, purity and efficacy of these supplements, the products vary widely with respect to quality standards. Herbalists have used black...
Pain in the lower right abdominal quadrant is associated with a variety of moderate to serious medical conditions and infections. Concern should increase when this symptom increases in severity and is associated with other complaints such as...
Creatine is an amino acid that helps to provide energy to the cells of the body, particularly the muscle cells. It is produced naturally by the body but is also available as a nutritional supplement. Adequate levels of creatine allow a person to...
An infant has an immature immune system and in the first months of its life it will be exposed to many agents causing infections, allergies and reactions. A stuffy nose is one of the signs of an upper respiratory condition and is very common in...
Diseases and disorders of the heart affect all ages from congenital heart disease at birth to congestive heart failure in the elderly. Statistics from the American Heart Association reported by New York-Presbyterian Hospital in 2008 state that...
Hepatitis A is a highly contagious virus that affects the liver. Hepatitis A is often contracted by consuming contaminated food or water or by coming into contact with an infected person. Mild cases of hepatitis A may not require treatment, and...
Your appendix is a small organ that is attached to the right side of your large intestine. Most of the time, the appendix does not cause any problems, but occasionally it gets blocked with feces or becomes infected and inflamed. This inflammation...
Coughing is one of the most common reasons people visit a doctor, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. A productive cough is one that produces mucus, or phlegm. A continuous, or chronic, productive cough is not normal and may...
Nausea and stomach aches are signs of unrest in the gastrointestinal tract. According to the experts at the Mayo Clinic, these symptoms are not usually signs of serious conditions, but there are some life- threatening conditions that can cause...
Vomiting, or throwing up, is very common in children. It can be caused by a wide variety of triggers. Food and liquid coming up from the stomach can be a scary thing for a young child. Reassurance from a parent can help calm their fears. However...
Many people confuse the hepatitis A, hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses, but the viruses are actually quite different, according to Dr. Richard Manch, the medical director of the Banner Good Samaritan Liver Disease Center in Phoenix, Arizona....
Creatinine is a waste product in the blood that results from energy metabolism of muscle, which is transported in the bloodstream to the kidneys where it is then filtered and excreted from the body in urine. This chemical by-product of muscle...
The signs and symptoms of teething can begin two to three months before a tooth even appears, according to the website WhatToExpect.com. A runny nose and congestion is just one of the many signs that can indicate teeth are on the way. Consult with...
The appendix is a small organ that is attached to your colon. Although it has no essential purpose, it can cause health problems. Appendicitis occurs when the appendix becomes inflamed and filled with pus. This inflammation is typically caused by...
Your joint is a place where two bones with ends covered in cartilage meet. The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases state that your joints are lined and surrounded with tissue called synovium, which protects and...
The tissues that cover the brain and the spinal cord are the "meninges." Inflammation of these tissues is "meningitis." Aseptic meningitis, or viral meningitis, is the most common form of this disease. Viruses, as you might expect, are the...
Rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease, affects nearly 1 percent of Americans, according to the Arthritis Foundation. Although not firmly established, genetic markers and environmental aspects seem to play a role in developing RA. RA affects...
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, or AIDS, has killed almost 22 million people all over the world already and another 42 million people are battling the virus. But these figures are only the tip of the iceberg. The Centers for Disease Control...
Stomach aches can cause pain anywhere between the chest and the groin. They can localize to certain areas or generalize all over. Those who experience chronic stomach aches may feel irritable and experience mild to severe symptoms. Chronic stomach...
