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General Illness Information Common Name: Hives Medical Term: Urticaria Description: Disorder characterized by a skin rash with raised areas with redness and itching. Commonly allergic but may also occur on a non-allergic basis. Causes: Allergic or non-allergic; massive histamine release from mast cells in skin; Drug reaction especially Aspirin, Non-steroidal anti- inflammatory drugs; Food or food additive allergy; Allergy to peanuts and/or tree nuts a leading cause of severe (sometimes…

General Illness Information Common Name: Liver Cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma) Medical Term: None Specified Description: A malignant tumor arising from liver cells. Although much less common than metastatic liver cancer in most areas of the world, hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common internal malignancy and an important cause of death in certain areas of Africa and Southeast Asia. This is mainly because of the high incidence of Hepatitis B in these…

General Illness Information Common Name: Headache, Cluster Medical Term: Same Description: Constant one-sided headache over and behind the eye, with onset occurring usually within 3-4 hours of falling asleep. 80% of these affected are males. Pain recurs nightly for several weeks or month, followed by no symptoms for months or years. Causes: Unknown. Thought to be related to changes in blood flows to the brain, and to disturbances in RAM…

General Illness Information Common Name: Ulcerative Colitis Medical Term: Ulcerative Colitis Description: It is an inflammatory disease of the colon characterized by episodes of abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea. Secondary to ulceration in the mucosal lining of the large bowel. Usually this is a disease of flare ups and remissions. Occurs most commonly between ages of 15 and 40 and more common in women. Causes: Unknown. Genetic, infectious, immunologic and…

General Illness Information Medical Term: Upper Respiratory Infection, URI Common name Common Cold Description: A contagious viral infection of the upper-respiratory passages Causes: Any of at least 100 viruses. Virus particles spread through the air or from person-to-person contact, especially hand-shaking. Prevention: Wash hands frequently, especially after blowing your nose or handling food. To prevent spreading a cold to others, avoid unnecessary contact during the contagious phase (first 2 to…

General Illness Information Medical Term: INCONTINENCE, STRESS Common Name: None Specified Description: Involuntary loss of bladder control and passage of urine in conditions of high abdominal pressure or stress (coughing, sneezing, lifting, etc.). Commonest in post-menopausal women. Causes: Loss of pelvic support with age, childbirth and surgery. Damage to sphincter control mechanisms in males (rare). Prevention: Eat a normal, well-balanced diet and exercise regularly to build and maintain muscle strength….

General Illness Information Common Name: Lupus (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) Medical Term: None Specified Description: A chronic inflammatory disorder of connective tissue, of unknown cause. Involves major organs such as skin, joints, kidneys, brain, heart, lungs, etc. Occurs predominantly in young women, also occurs in children Causes: Lupus is an autoimmune disease. This means that the body’s defenses against infection attack the body’s own tissue. This causes inflammation. Areas of the…

General Illness Information Common Name: Ringworm infection of nails Medical Term: Onychomycosis, tinea unguium. Description: A fungus infection of the toenails or fingernails in which nails become pliable, brittle, opaque, white and thickened. It affects all ages, but most common in older adolescents and adults. Causes: Infection with the Trichophyton fungus. Fingernail infection occurs usually if the nail has been injured or the nail is affected by another skin disease…

General Illness Information Common Name: Dermatitis, Seborrheic Medical Term: None Specified Description: Seborrheic dermatitis is a common , chronic skin condition presenting as dry whitish scales or greasy scales. Can involve the scalp, eyebrows, forehead, face, trunk, or skin folds. It is not considered contagious. Dandruff and cradle cap are both forms of seborrheic dermatitis. Causes: Mechanism of disease unknown. Recently discovered to be probably caused by a fungus Malassezia…

General Illness Information Common Name:  Nephrotic Syndrome. Medical Term: None Specified Description: Nephrotic syndrome is a syndrome ( a collection of symptoms) caused by many diseases that affect the kidneys . This results in severe protein loss in the urine, decreased blood levels of protein ( especially albumin), retention of excess salt and water in the body, causing swelling of extremities, face and abdomen. It can occur at any age, but…