An ear infection is the most common illness in childhood, according to MayoClinic.com. While most ear infections typically do not last very long and are uncomplicated, certain risks are involved when developing otitis media. The National Institute...
A stroke occurs when an artery leading to the brain ruptures or becomes clogged, thus damaging part of the brain. The portion of the body controlled by the damaged brain area cannot function correctly. Stoke is the third leading cause of death...
The neck is made up of muscles, nerves, vertebrae and protective, cushioning layers. These structures work together to allow the neck to move freely up and down and from side to side. Stick neck pain is often described as soreness in the neck that...
Stiffness in the cervical spine may relate to any number of conditions, some more innocuous than others. In some cases, cervical spine stiffness may indicate a spasm in the neck muscles or injury to the spinal cord in the neck, known as a burner....
Diseases can be chronic or acute, they can start at a young age or they can develop over the course of time. Infectious diseases are caused from a bacteria or virus and they can be spread from person to person. Noncommunicable diseases are caused...
A spinal block or spinal anesthesia is a form of local or regional anesthesia. The medication in this case is injected directly into the cerebrospinal fluid, which surrounds the spinal cord in the lower back. It is used for genitourinary surgery,...
Emsam (selegiline) is a transdermal antidepressant medication indicated to alleviate symptoms associated with a mental disorder called depression in adult patients. This medication is part of a class of drugs called monoamine oxidase inhibitors...
The carotid arteries in the neck are the primary passageways for blood flow to the brain. Blockages and narrowing of the carotid artery are major risk factors for a stroke. Carotid artery stenosis, or narrowing, is caused by atherosclerosis, the...
Linezolid is a prescription antibiotic available in generic form and as the brand Zyvox. It is used to treat certain types of bacterial infections, including a specific kind of pneumonia, complicated skin infections and infections resistant to...
Headaches can present as a sharp pain in one location, a squeezing pain across the entire head, a radiating pain from one point to another or a dull ache in one region. Severe headaches may result in dizziness, a stiff neck or nausea. The most...
Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is a condition that causes inflammation of the spinal cord and the brain. Specifically, this neurological ailment causes damage to the myelin surrounding the brain's nerves. Both adults and children can...
The meninges are the protective layer of tissue covering the brain and spinal cord. The illness meningitis is an infection of this protective layer. Bacteria or viruses can cause meningitis. While viral meningitis is more common, bacterial...
A benign tumor that forms on a nerve that connects the brain and the inner ear, an acoustic neuroma affects six to 10 million people each year, according to the University of California, Irvine's Department of Otolaryngology. One treatment option...
Treating a severe headache can be a matter of trial and error, as the type of headache you have often dictates its response to treatment. Migraine, cluster and tension-type headaches respond differently to different interventions. Additionally, if...
Headaches affect everyone slightly differently. You may notice pain on both sides of your head--or only one. Headache pain can have a sharp, piercing quality or present as a dull, steady throb. There's more than one type of headache, each of which...
Viral meningitis is an infection of the spinal fluid and surrounding tissues that is caused by enteroviruses, the cytomegalovirus, herpes virus or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Symptoms include fever, headache, stiff neck, confusion and...
A stroke occurs when blood flow is obstructed to the brain, causing brain cells to die and brain damage to occur. Damage can affect movement, speech and memory. Blood flow is blocked when a blood clot is present in an artery, or a blood vessel...
Hearing of a case of meningitis can evoke fear, especially when a daycare, school or college is involved. Meningitis symptoms include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, nausea and vomiting. and often appear suddenly. Individually, these...
Exercise-induced thunderclap headaches can be more than just painful and debilitating -- they can also be dangerous. Although uncommon, thunderclap headaches can signal a serious medical complication or issue that requires immediate medical...
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is referred to as a "silent killer" because it can lead to strokes without previous symptoms, explains the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Hypertension is a measure of the force of blood pumped in the blood...
Thirty-six million people are living with HIV infection worldwide, according to AIDS.org. As of December 2000, 774,467 cases of AIDS have been reported in the United States and 58 percent of these people have died of AIDS-related illnesses or...
Fever is a common symptom in a variety of health ailments, but treatment is indicated when fever is accompanied by additional symptoms such as headache and cough. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, recognizing the different...
Meningitis is an infection of the meninges, the membrane that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. It’s most often linked to viruses, but bacteria and fungi can lead to this condition as well. Since meningitis is the result of a pathogen,...
A headache can be a painful distraction and may even get in the way of your daily life. A headache is considered pain in any area of your head. You may experience a dull headache or a sharp pain. Your headache may be localized to one area of your...
Behcet's disease is a rare autoimmune disorder. Autoimmune illnesses are conditions in which the body attacks its own tissues. Behcet's disease is a chronic inflammatory condition categorized as a vasculitis, in which blood vessels around the...
The phrase "pain in the neck" is a figure of speech. However, neck pain is real and can be debilitating. The causes of neck pain vary widely. You can often remedy neck pain by correcting your posture or making simple adjustments in the placement...
Headaches and backaches are extremely common complaints. Headaches not caused by medical conditions are usually migraine, tension and cluster headaches, while many backaches result from simple muscle strain. Backache and headache together can...
Ear infections are a common ailment, especially in infants and young children. Otitis externa is an infection of the ear canal, and otitis media is an infection of the middle ear (behind the eardrum). The National Institute on Deafness and Other...
Teas made of soothing herbs such as lavender, lemon balm and chamomile are time-tested natural alternatives that can relax muscles, soothe frayed nerves and relieve headaches. You may need to try different teas to find one that works best for you....
Headaches can be part of living a busy, hectic lifestyle. Learn about the different causes, symptoms, and treatments of headaches in this video.
