You searched for : 'O'

General Illness Information Common Name: Cataract Medical Term: None Specified Description: Opacity (or clouding) of the lens of the eye. As the opacity gets denser, it interferes with vision. Cataracts can occur in one or both eyes. Cataracts are not cancerous. Most common cause of visual loss (blindness) in adults. Causes: Common causes include: Aging. Metabolic disorders such as diabetes mellitus, galactosemia (inherited disease of infants in which milk cannot…

General Illness Information Common Name: Celiac Disease Medical Term: Gluten Enteropathy Description: A chronic diarrheal disease characterized by intestinal malabsorption of almost all nutrients precipitated by eating foods containing gluten. This intestinal sensitivity to gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and oats causes changes in the intestine which prevents it from absorbing nutrients. Usually present between ages of 6-12 months when the child is first introduced to gluten….

General Illness Information Common Name: Cellulitis Medical Term: None Specified Description: An infection of the skin and tissue beneath the skin. Non-contagious, non cancerous. Usually proceeded by skin surface injury. Severe cellulites of face are termed Erysipelas. Causes: Many different bacteria may cause infection; most common is from Streptococcus bacteria. The second most common is staphylococcus. Cellulitis due to streptococci tends to spread rapidly over a wide area because this…

General Illness Information Common Name: BURSITIS Medical Term: None Specified Description: Inflammation of a bursa is known as bursitis and causes pain in the affected area. A bursa is a soft fluid-filled sac that serves as a cushion between tendons and bones. They are located at sites of friction, especially where tendons or muscles pass over a bone, mostly near joints. A bursa normally contains very little fluid. However, when injured,…

General Illness Information Common Name: BULIMIA Medical Term: Binge-Eating Syndrome Description: Habit of consumption of large amounts of food in a discrete period of time. Binge eating is characterized by abnormal perception of body image, constant craving for food, followed by purging (self-induced vomiting, or laxative use or diuretics), rigorous dieting or excessive exercising to counteract the effects of binging. More common in adolescents or young adults, and in females….

General Illness Information Common Name: BURNS Medical Term: None Specified Description: Injury to the skin, and sometimes other organs, from contact with heat, radiation, electricity or chemicals. Causes: Rise in skin temperature form a heat source, such as fire, steam or electricity. Open flame and hot liquid are most common causes. Tissue injury caused by chemicals or radiation, including sunlight. Lighting strikes can cause internal burns with minimal external signs….

General Illness Information Common Name: BREAST ABSCESS Medical Term: None Specified Description: Infection of breast tissue, occurring most often during nursing. The infected area becomes filled with pus. Causes: Bacteria that enter the breast through the nipple (usually a cracked nipple during the early days of breast-feeding). Prevention: Clean the nipples and breasts thoroughly before and after nursing. Lubricate the nipples after nursing with lanolin or Vitamin A & D…

General Illness Information Common Name: BREAST CANCER Medical Term: None Specified Description: A malignant growth of breast tissue. Breast cancer may spread to nearby lymph glands, lungs, pleura, bone (especially the skull), pelvis, and liver. Breast cancer is classified by the kind of tissue in which it starts and by the extent of spread. It may affect males in rare cases. Breast cancer is rare before the age of 30,…

General Illness Information Common Name: BELL’S PALSY Medical Term: Acute Peripheral Facial Palsy Description: A form of acute paralysis of one side of the face, without an obvious acquired cause, in an otherwise healthy patient. Causes: Unknown- but it may involve swelling of the facial nerve secondary to a viral infection, compression or to lack of blood supply. Prevention: Cannot be prevented at present. Signs & Symptoms Pain behind the…

General Illness Information Common Name: BLEPHARITIS Medical Term: None Specified Description: Infection or inflammation of the margins or edges of the eyelids. It can affect eyelids, eyelashes, meibomian glands (lubricating glands of the eyelid) or conjunctiva (whites of the eyes). Causes: Blepharitis can be cause by the following: Bacterial infection, usually staphylococcal, of the eyelash follicles and the meibomian glands; Allergic reaction (less serious- inflammation only); Body lice (rare). Prevention:…