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General Illness Information Common Name: ANORECTICAL ABSCESS Medical Term: Anorectal Abscess Description: An abscess (collection of pus due to infection) that develops in the area around the anus and rectum. They occur more frequently in men and in people with digestive diseases. They may occur on the edge of the anal opening or deeper in the rectum. Causes: Common bacteria such as staphylococci and E. coli are most common cause….

General Illness Information Common Name: ANIMAL BITES Medical Term: None Specified Description: Bite injuries and wounds to humans from dogs, cats, or other animals including humans. Causes: Animal bites are primarily caused by the following: Most bite wounds are from a domestic pet known to the victim. Large dogs are the most common source. Human bites are often the result of one person striking another in the mouth with a clenched…

General Illness Information Common Name: ANEURYSM Medical Term: None Specified Description: Weakness in the wall of an artery is causing an abnormal enlargement or bulge. Aneurysms may be round (saccular) or tube-like (fusiform) swellings. Majorities are fusiform in shape. Aneurysms usually affect the aorta (major artery in the chest and abdomen) but may affect other arteries e.g. those that supply the brain, legs, or heart wall. Aneurysms can develop anywhere…

General Illness Information Common Name: ANEMIA DURING PREGNANCY Medical Term: None Specified Description: A low level of hemoglobin (less than 10 gm/dl) during pregnancy. Hemoglobin carries oxygen to body tissues via the red blood cells. Anemia in pregnancy is very common and is present in almost 8o% of pregnant women. Because volume of blood increases during pregnancy (hemodilution), a moderate decrease in the concentration of red blood cells and hemoglobin…

General Illness Information Common Name: ANAL FISTULA Medical Term: None Specified. Description: An abnormal channel from the anus or rectum to the skin near the anal opening but may occasionally be to another organ such as the vagina. Most fistulas begin from a deep gland in the wall of the anus or rectum. However, fistulas may sometimes result from drainage of an ano-rectal abscess. The fistula may be painful and…

General Illness Information Common Name: ANAPHYLAXIS Medical Term: None Specified Description: An acute, generalized life-threatening allergic or hypersensitive reaction in a previously sensitized person (i.e. a person who has previously been exposed to that particular allergen) who comes into contact with the same allergen again. Reactions that occur almost immediately tend to be the most severe. Anaphylaxis can be caused by any allergen. The most common allergens are medications, insect…

General Illness Information Common Name: ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE Medical Term: Pre-senile dementia Description: A brain disorder characterized by a gradual and progressive mental deterioration. A rapidly progressive form begins in adults around the ages of 36 to 45. A more gradual form, with slower development of symptoms, begins around ages 65 to 70. An estimated 5 to 10 percent of persons over 65 show some form of dementia. Dementia is a…

General Illness Information Common Name: AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) Medical Term: None specified Description: A progressive disease which usually begins with muscle weakness most frequently in the hands and less often in the feet .Weakness is usually asymmetric (usually progresses more on one side of the body) and is accompanied by muscle wasting and proceeds either up the arm or down the leg. It is due to progressive…

General Illness Information Common Name: ACNE ROSACEA Medical Term: Adult Acne Description: Chronic inflammation of facial skin, usually the cheeks and nose; tendency to appear between the ages of 30 and 50. It is more common in women, but more severe in men. Extensive nose involvement (i.e. a bulbous red nose), mostly in men; called rhinophyma. Causes: Unknown. May be worsened by stress, warm drinks, hot or spicy foods, and…

General Illness Information Common Name: Hay Fever Medical Term: Allergic Rhinitis Description: Allergic response to airborne inhaled allergens affecting the upper respiratory tract (nose, sinuses, throat, bronchial tubes and frequently the eyes). Most common of all allergic diseases. Affects up to 15% of the population in the United States and Canada. Onset of symptoms usually before age 30. Hay fever name is misleading, since symptoms most frequent in the pollen…