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General Illness Information Medical Term: GLAUCOMA Common Name: None Specified Description: Glaucoma is a term applied to a number of conditions causing optic nerve damage often in  association   with increased intraocular pressure ( increased  pressure in the eyeball ) causing damage to the optic nerve and resulting in potential loss of vision. Glaucoma is a disease of pressure and adequate lowering of intra-ocular pressure almost always stops optic nerve damage….

General Illness Information Medical Term: GLOMERULONEPHRITIS (Post-infectious, Acute  glomerulonephritis) Common Name: None Specified Description: Acute glomerulonephritis is an inflammation of the glomeruli that results in sudden appearance of blood in the urine, with clumps of red blood cells (casts) and protein in the urine. It is an immunologic response to an infection  (usually streptococcal) which damages the glomeruli. It can be initiated by other bacterial or viral infections. Glomeruli are…

General Illness Information Common Name: Hiatus hernia, Gastro-esophageal reflux disease, GERD Medical Term: Gastro-esophageal reflux disease. Description: Reflux of stomach and duodenal contents into the esophagus, with or without esophageal inflammation. This is a common condition. 65% of adults have suffered heartburn; 24% have had symptoms for > 10 years. All ages are affected. Males and females suffer equally. Causes: Inappropriate relaxation of lower esophageal sphincter; Familial clustering of GERD…

General Illness Information Medical Term: FIBROID TUMORS OF THE UTERUS Common Name: None Specified Description: A fibroid is a benign growth of cells in the muscular wall of the uterus. Cells are composed of mainly muscle cells, but with varying amounts of fibrous connective tissue. They may be present as solitary or multiple tumors. The size of the tumor may range from size of a pea to as large as…

General Illness Information Medical Term: IMPOTENCE, MALE SEXUAL (ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION) Common Name: None Specified Description: A consistent inability to achieve or maintain an erection. Impotence is not inevitable with aging. The capacity for erection is retained, though a man may need more stimulation to achieve erection and more time between erections than in the past. Causes: Psychological causes include: Guilt feelings. A poor relationship with the sexual partner. Psychological disorders,…

General Illness Information Medical Term: ESOPHAGUS CANCER Common Name: None Specified Description: Malignant growth in the esophagus (food pipe) ,in which cells multiply in an uncontrolled manner. Usually develops in people between the ages of 50 to 70 years of age. The overall ratio of men to women is 3:1. There are 2 types of cancer – squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. In the United States, squamous cell carcinoma is…

General Illness Information Medical Term: FAILURE TO THRIVE Common Name: None Specified Description: This term is usually reserved for children, who for various reasons, fail to gain weight. Length and head circumference may also be affected in which case, the underlying condition may be more severe. Most commonly affected children are between ages of 3-6 months and almost all are under 3-5 years. It is more predominant in males than…

General Illness Information Medical Term: EARDRUM, RUPTURED Common Name: Perforated eardrum Description: A hole in the thin membrane (tympanic membrane) that separates the inner ear from the outer ear. Causes: The eardrum may be perforated when a sharp object is inserted in the ear, such as: a cotton swab or paper clip to clean the ear or relieve an itch; or by an object accidentally entering the ear, such as…

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: 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…