Mumps is caused by a viral infection and is highly contagious. It can be contracted by breathing in saliva droplets that are disbursed through the air when an infected person sneezes or coughs. Since a mumps vaccine was introduced in 1967, the...
No matter how much you may want to have a drink, you may avoid it if drinking alcohol causes consistent bloating in your lower abdomen. Bloating is the result of increased gas that forms in your digestive system and becomes trapped, building...
Heart failure, also called congestive heart failure, almost always presents as a chronic condition, although sometimes it develops suddenly, according to Medline Plus, a service of the National Institutes of Health. The heart is a muscular organ...
The liver is essential for eliminating toxins and manufacturing many vitamins. Cirrhosis is scarring of the liver caused by inflammation from either toxins or disease. According to Donna D. Ignatavicius, MS RN, and M. Linda Workman, Ph.D, authors...
Chronic renal failure results in the complete or near complete failure of the kidneys to perform their functions. These include regulating fluid balance in the body, removing waste products and producing and concentrating urine, among other...
There are a number of reasons for enlarged kidneys, from polycystic kidney disease to infections, alcoholism and cancer. The Mayo Clinic reports that patients often go for years without noticing they have enlarged kidneys. Normal sized kidneys...
Ovarian cysts commonly affect women during their reproductive years. While some ovarian cysts go unnoticed, others may cause a range of symptoms, including mild discomfort to severe pain. In some instances, increasing your level of activity or...
Water retention involves excess water that accumulates in different parts of the body. It is most common in the feet and legs, according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, yet it can also occur in the hands, face, lungs or stomach area....
Urinary tract infections account for the majority of serious bacterial infections affecting infants. The prevalence of urinary tract infection in female infants is slightly higher than in boys. The leading cause of urinary tract infection in...
Congestive heart failure occurs when the heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. High cholesterol, diabetes, coronary artery disease, obesity or high blood pressure are all diseases that can lead to CHF. Controlling these...
Uterine fibroids are a common medical condition in women. According to the National Women's Health Information Center, 20 to 80 percent of women under the age of 50 will have uterine fibroids. Most women actually do not develop symptoms and are...
HCG, or human chorionic gonadotropin, is a hormone that has been approved for the treatment of infertility and male hormone irregularities. It’s also popularly prescribed off-label for treating obesity. Proponents of HCG diets theorize that...
Biking provides excellent exercise, but it's not always advisable if you have a very large, symptomatic ovarian cyst. In most cases, though, an ovarian cyst shouldn't keep you from exercise like biking. Ovarian cysts are common in women of...
Alcohol is a commonly consumed substance which is processed by the liver. When the liver metabolizes alcohol it produces some byproducts that are toxic to the liver. The liver is able to heal itself, but it needs time to recover. In extreme cases,...
The appendix is a small, saclike organ attached to the large intestine on the right side of the abdomen. While the appendix has no known function in the human body, it can swell from infection or trauma or can be ruptured. This condition, called...
Malaria is a disease caused by blood-borne parasites from Plasmodium organisms. It is contracted from the bites of contaminated mosquitoes and is endemic in tropical parts of the world. Amodiaquine is a member of the 4-aminoquinolone family of...
Bloating is not a common symptom that develops in most people after eating cheese. If you experience bloating from consuming cheese, you may have an underlying digestive condition that is causing excessive gas. Bloating is the feeling of fullness...
If you're showing signs and symptoms of a bladder or urinary tract infection, your doctor should perform an analysis on a sample of your blood or urine, or both. Your doctor will be looking for laboratory evidence of a high concentration of...
A blocked artery occurs from the formation of blood clots and plaque buildup. Factors such as high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, high cholesterol, obesity and diabetes can contribute to its formation, according to MayoClinic.com A...
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...
The heart pumps blood to the various organs of the body; if the heart ceases to function, massive tissue and organ death results. Heart function depends on the optimal concentration of various important ions such as calcium, potassium and sodium,...
A blocked artery occurs from the buildup of plaque or from the formation of blood clots. Factors such as coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or obesity can contribute to its development. A blocked artery can...
According to the MayoClinic.com, heart failure is a condition in which the heart is no longer able to pump enough blood to adequately supply the body's needs. Heart failure is the outcome of a disease process that results in a weakened heart...
Symptoms of uncontrolled hypertension are not present in the majority of cases, making the disease especially dangerous. High blood pressure that is longstanding and has remained uncontrolled often manifests after the disease has progressed....
Prostatitis is a general term for conditions caused by an inflammation of the prostate gland. There are four types of prostatitis--acute bacterial prostatitis, chronic bacterial prostatitis, chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome and...
The kidneys are a pair of organs located in the lower abdomen on each side of the spine that make up part of the urinary tract. The kidneys are responsible for making urine by removing wastes and fluid from the blood. Kidney cancer develops when...
Congestive heart failure is an impairment of the heart that prevents it from filling with blood or ejecting blood. Congestive heart failure can occur after the heart has been damaged or weakened by conditions such as high blood pressure, heart...
The hepatitis C virus (HCV) has the potential to infect the liver and cause chronic damage and inflammation. Over time, this has the potential to result in a condition known as cirrhosis, which is characterized by replacement of normal liver...
Drinking beer is a favorite American pastime, although excessive consumption can harm your liver and lead to edema, or swelling, in your lower legs and abdomen. Even light beer consumption can cause allergic reactions in some people or relax blood...
