Psoriasis is a life-long immune condition, characterized by abnormal cell growth on the skin, eventually forming lesions. Psoriatic arthritis, a condition whereby pain and swelling develop in the joints, usually precedes psoriasis about 10 years...
Your blood vessels become tense when you suffer from high blood pressure (hypertension). This condition refers to an elevated amount of force that pushes against your vessel walls. Also, your blood encounters an increased amount of resistance as...
The thyroid is instrumental in helping control metabolism and growth. In the case of hypothyroidism, the thyroid is underactive and produces insufficient amounts of thyroid hormone. While teens with this condition share many of the same symptoms...
Bystolic is the brand name of the generic drug nebivolol. According to MayoClinic.com, Bystolic is prescribed by doctors to treat hypertension, or high blood pressure. Bystolic works by slowing down the heart and decreasing the amount of blood...
Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder found prominently in people of African descent, though it can occur in anyone. In this disease, the hemoglobin in red blood cells is deformed, resulting in characteristic sickle-shaped cells that...
There are many diseases that are exclusive to children. Some diseases occur only in newborns and infants, while some develop in young children only. Among these are various types of tumors and inflammation. Children with these kind of serious...
You may have stepped on a scale after a hard workout and thought you'd lost weight, only to come back after drinking water and realize you were simply dehydrated. If so, you know water weight can cause a significant change in the numbers on your...
Sickle cell anemia is an inherited health disorder characterized by a lack of red blood cells that results in poor blood oxygenation. Another aspect of sickle cell anemia involves the shape of the sufferers' blood cells. Normal red blood cells are...
A fold of loose skin on the back of an infant's neck can be a sign of one of several serious syndromes. Although these syndromes might seem to be alarming, your child should still be able to enjoy a happy, industrious life as long as any...
Pregnancy brings with it the promise of a new life and the notion of eating what ever you want for the next nine months, but it can also cause toxemia. Toxemia is high blood pressure due to pregnancy. Preeclampsia and eclampsia are other names...
Sickle cell anemia is a recessive hereditary disease that causes the red blood cells to become sickle-shaped instead of round. Hemoglobin, the iron-rich protein inside the red blood cells that is responsible for carrying oxygen through the body,...
Salt is an ingredient in many prepared foods and a common way of adding flavor to food. Sodium chloride is the scientific name for table salt, although foods may contain other forms of sodium. The recommended limit for sodium in most healthy...
Many women suffer from swollen ankles during pregnancy, but it also is possible to suffer from swollen ankles after you give birth. Swelling is sometimes referred to as edema and is caused by fluid and blood retention. In most cases, swollen...
Red blood cells carry oxygen from your child's lungs to the body tissues. Iron deficiency is the most common form of anemia and occurs when your child does not have enough red blood cells. This can be caused by a lack of iron in his daily diet....
Grapefruit contains chemicals that can interfere with the enzymes that your body uses to break down certain medications. When this happens, the amounts of medication in your body can build up and cause serious side effects. Amlodipine is one of...
Puffy lips accompanied by fever in a child could be a sign of several illnesses. If your child has a fever and swollen lips, she could be suffering from a minor illness, such as a canker sore, or she could be having an allergic reaction. Swollen...
Sickle cell anemia is an inherited form of anemia that results in an inadequate amount of healthy red blood cells in the body. Red blood cells carry oxygen to the body's tissues. In patients with sickle cell anemia, red blood cells are rigid,...
Sickle cell anemia is a disorder of the red blood cells that is passed down through the genes. Affected individuals may have the full-blown disorder, which significantly affects quality of life and can cause severe disability or even death. Others...
Many conditions can cause stomach or abdominal pain in the upper left abdomen. According to the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library, acute and severe abdominal pain, or abdominal pain that comes on suddenly, is usually an indication of a serious...
Chronic abdominal pain lasts for over three months, either continuously or intermittently, according to the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. Abdominal pain that comes and goes is called recurrent abdominal pain. Chronic abdominal pain can...
The side effects of medication vary from person to person. In cancer chemotherapy, it could be nausea or vomiting, fatigue or hair loss, bruising or bleeding, anemia and infection. You may have issues with your bowels and appetite or weight, sore...
Sickle cell anemia is an inherited from of anemia. This condition results in inadequate amounts of healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to the rest of the body. In this type of anemia, red blood cells are not round and bouncy but are rigid,...
Growth hormone is produced in the pituitary gland--a hormone-producing organ located in the brain. It stimulates growth of the long bones in the body as well as growth of some organs. When levels of this hormone are higher or lower than normal,...
Glutamine may seem safe for use during pregnancy and breastfeeding because it is “natural.” However, you need to approach even natural substances with caution at this time, recommends the American Pregnancy Association. Supplemental...
The kidneys help maintain a balance of sodium in your body. From that point of view, sodium's role in kidney function is passive. However, with either too high or too low a concentration of sodium in the blood, many basic body functions would...
Dry, cracked lips are generally just an annoyance, but they can be a sign of a more serious medical condition in children. Understanding the different chapped-lip causes and their accompanying symptoms can help you determine if your child simply...
Sickle cell anemia is an inherited blood disorder in which red blood cells are stiff and crescent-shaped or sickled instead of being disc-shaped. Stiff sickled red blood cells can block blood vessels, reducing blood flow to many parts of the body,...
Antibodies never have to worry about unemployment, because they have a lifelong job in the fight against infections. Antibodies are also called immunoglobulins because they are part of your immune system and they are a type of protein that is...
Sickle cell anemia, a serious congenital inherited disease usually diagnosed in childhood, causes red blood cells to develop a sickle rather than an oval shape. Red blood cells carry oxygen to the body on hemoglobin, a protein that gives blood its...
