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General Illness Information Medical Term: EARWAX BLOCKAGE Common Name: Cerumen Impaction Description: Overproduction of earwax (cerumen), causing blockage of the external ear canal. Wax is produced, by glands in the ear  to protect the ear canal ( passage leading from the eardrum to the outside). The amount of wax produced varies from person to person. Some people produce enough earwax  to block the ear canal and need treatment. Causes: Overproduction…

General Illness Information Medical Term: ECTOPIC PREGNANCY Common Name: None Specified Description: An ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy that develops outside the uterus-either in the fallopian tubes, or in the cervical canal, or in the pelvic cavity or in the abdominal cavity. Commonest site (98%) is the fallopian tube (that connects the ovary to the uterus). 1-5% of all pregnancies are ectopic, in the United States. About 40% occur in…

General Illness Information Medical Term: ECZEMA (Dermatitis, atopic) Common Name: Eczema Description: It is a chronic, itchy inflammation of the upper layers of the skin. May be associated with other allergic disorders, such as asthma or hay fever and may have family members with these conditions. There are 3 phase: Infantile phase – birth to two years; Childhood phase – two years to puberty; Adult phase – after puberty. It…

General Illness Information Medical Term: Drug Abuse And Addiction Common Name: None Specified Description: Drug addiction involves a triad of compulsive drug use, which includes: 1) Psychologic craving or dependence and the behavior included in the procurement of the drug (“hustle”), 2) Physiologic dependence, with withdrawal symptoms on discontinuance of the drug; and 3) tolerance, i.e. the need to increase the dose to get the desired effect. Drug dependency is…

General Illness Information Medical Term: Down Syndrome Common Name: None Specified Description: Down syndrome (Trisomy 21 ) is due to a chromosomal abnormality that  is associated with mental retardation of varying degrees and may be associated with abnormalities in many organs. Down Syndrome is usually diagnosed at birth on the basis of typical facial features. The syndrome occurs in all races with equal frequency. Incidence is 1 in 1000 births…

General Illness Information Medical Term: Dysentery, Bacillary ( Shigellosis) Common Name: None Specified Description: Bacillary dysentery is a bacterial infection of the mucosal surface of the intestines, that results in severe diarrhea and is caused by Shigella bacteria. It has a 1-4 day incubation period. It is a contagious infection, occurs in epidemics and occurs more frequently in the summer and fall. The infection is spread by contact with feces…

General Illness Information Medical Term: Dysmenorrhea Common Name: Menstrual Cramps Description: Dysmenorrhea is severe painful abdominal cramps at the onset of and during menstruation. Severity of symptoms varies greatly from women to women and from time to time. It is usually less severe after childbirth. There are two types – Primary and Secondary dysmenorrhea. The condition is called Primary dysmenorrhea when there is no underlying cause and usually occurs in…

General Illness Information Medical Term: Diaper Rash Common Name: None Specified Description: Rash in the diaper area of infants. It is a form of primary irritated contact dermatitis. Causes: Diaper rash results from skin irritation caused by prolonged contact with substances in the urine and stool. The irritants are caused by the action of bacteria in the stools, reacting with chemicals in the urine. Studies show that the incidence of…

General Illness Information Medical Term: Diarrhea, Acute Common Name: None Specified Description: Diarrhea is an increase in the frequency of bowel movements, or increased stool liquidity or increase in the volume. Normally, stool is 60 to 90 percent water: diarrhea mainly results when the percentage exceeds 90. Diarrhea is considered to be acute, when there is passage of three or more loose stools in a 24 hour period, and lasts…

Medical Term: Diphtheria Common Name: None Specified Description: Diphtheria is an acute, highly contagious infection caused by a bacteria Corynebacterium diphtheriae, that usually attacks the respiratory tract but may involve any mucous membrane or skin wound. The diphtheria bacteria are spread by droplets of moisture coughed into the air. Rarely, the bacteria can be spread by contaminated household article, such as clothing or toys. Years ago, diphtheria was one of…