Amnesia

What is Amnesia ?
Amnesia is a state of mind in which the person tends to suffer from partial or complete memory loss. There are varying types and degrees of amnesia that take place during old age. Talking about the amnesia symptoms, the persons suffering from this mental disorder forget words and names.
There is a distinctive uncommon form of amnesia in which the memory loss occurs to such an extent that the patient even forgets his own identity, as in his name, age, and family background. It is a stage in which the person fails to recollect anything of the past.

Symptoms of Amnesia
The list of signs and symptoms mentioned in various sources for Amnesia includes the 5 symptoms listed below:
Memory loss
Partial memory loss
Total memory loss
Temporary memory loss
Permanent memory loss
Diagnosis of Amnesia
There are no laboratory tests that are necessary to confirm amnesia nor are there any physical conditions that must be met. However, it is very important not to overlook a physical illness that might mimic or contribute to amnesia. If there is any doubt about a medical problem, the mental health professional should refer to a physician, who will perform a complete physical examination and request any necessary laboratory tests.
Very sophisticated psychological testing, called neuropsychological testing, can be very helpful in determining the presence of amnesia. Sometimes the diagnosis of amnesia can be aided by the use of brain scans such as the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

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Mesothelioma

What Is Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma, an extremely rare form of cancer, derives its name from mesothelium, which is the tissue infected by this cancer. Mesothelium is a membrane covering most of the body viscera. Factually speaking, mesothelium consists of two layers: one of the two forms an immediate cover of the organ; the other one leaves a space around the first layer and then forms a covering. A fluid released by mesothelium fills this sac-like space. Function of this fluid is lubrication, in other words, it allows convenient and frictionless motion of the internal body organs.Mesothelial tissue, if surrounds the lungs and chest cavity, is called pleura, it is called peritoneum if it surrounds the abdominal organs and pericardium if it surrounds heart. Mesothelial lining surrounding the male reproductive system is called tunica vaginalis testis, and the one surrounding internal female reproductive organs is called tunica serosa uteri.Mesothelioma is a disorder, in which uncontrollable division of cells of mesothelium leads to formation of a tumor in this tissue, which, in most of the cases is malignant. That is why, mesothelioma is also known as cancer of mesothelium. The cancerous cells of mesothelioma can metastasize to other body parts and can also damage nearby tissues. Most of the cases of mesothelioma begin in pleural cavity. Peritoneal and pericardial origin is less common. Rarely, mesothelioma may originate in groin and give a hernia-like appearance.
Types of Mesothelioma

Malignant Mesothelioma
A cancerous form of tumour, which is virtually always caused by sustained exposure to asbestos. The time period between first exposure to asbestos and appearance of first symptoms can be anywhere between 20-50 years. In some cases, it may stretch even beyond that. Besides the treatment methods mentioned forth, supportive treatment such as pain-relief and oxygen may also help in relieving the symptoms a bit. Even though. Prognosis depends upon the stage of cancer, and availability of effective treatment options, different studies indicate median period to be between 4 and 18 months.
Benign-fibrous Mesothelioma
A non-cancerous tumour of the pleura. This is a localized type of tumour, which, as studies suggest, affects men more frequently then women. The usual symptoms to appear are chronic cough and shortness of breath. The reason for appearance of these symptoms is, the tumour grows to a large size at times and compresses the lung, causing shortness of breath. During physical examination, the health care professional may observe a clubbed appearance of fingers. Pleural effusion is a complication of this disorder

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Signs and Symptoms of Heart Attack

Chest pain or pressure is a common symptom of heart attack. Cardiac chest pain is often vague, or dull, and may be described as a pressure or band-like sensation, squeezing, heaviness, or other discomfort. Heart attacks frequently occur from 4:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.due to higher adrenaline (a hormone that prepares the body for fight or flight) levels released by the adrenal glands during the morning hours. Interestingly, heart attacks do not usually happen during exercise, although exercise is commonly associated with angina (heart pain). Approximately 1/4th of all heart attacks are silent i.e. without associated chest pain. In diabetics, the incidence of “silent” heart attacks may be much higher.

>chest pressure,
>sweating,
>jaw pain,
>heartburn and/or indigestion,
>arm pain (more commonly the left arm, but may be either),
>upper back pain,
>general malaise (vague feeling of illness),
>nausea,
>shortness of breath

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Signs and Symptoms of Heart Attack

Chest pain or pressure is a common symptom of heart attack. Cardiac chest pain is often vague, or dull, and may be described as a pressure or band-like sensation, squeezing, heaviness, or other discomfort. Heart attacks frequently occur from 4:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.due to higher adrenaline (a hormone that prepares the body for fight or flight) levels released by the adrenal glands during the morning hours. Interestingly, heart attacks do not usually happen during exercise, although exercise is commonly associated with angina (heart pain). Approximately 1/4th of all heart attacks are silent i.e. without associated chest pain. In diabetics, the incidence of “silent” heart attacks may be much higher.

>chest pressure,
>sweating,
>jaw pain,
>heartburn and/or indigestion,
>arm pain (more commonly the left arm, but may be either),
>upper back pain,
>general malaise (vague feeling of illness),
>nausea,
>shortness of breath

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Heart Attack

What is the disease?

Myocardial or Cardiac infarction or Heart attack may be defined as infarction (death) of an area of the heart muscle, usually as a result of occlusion or blockage of a coronary artery (vessel supplying the heart with oxygen rich blood). Infarction occurs as a result of a sudden insufficiency of blood supply either due to some obstruction, pressure, clot or the artery twisting upon itself which in turn produces an area of necrosis (death of cells, tissue, or part of the organ). Death of the heart muscle often causes chest pain and electrical instability of the heart muscle tissue resulting in a malfunction or sudden death.

Cause

A heart attack is caused by the formation of a blood clot on a cholesterol plaque located on the inner wall of an artery that supplies the heart (coronary artery). Cholesterol plaque is caused by deposits of cholesterol in the artery walls and is a process that begins as early as in the late teens. Over the period of time, the accumulation of cholesterol plaque causes thickening of the artery walls and resultant narrowing of the arteries; a process called asatherosclerosis. Smoking, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, and diabetes can accelerate plaque formation. Ultimately, atherosclerosis causes significant narrowing of the coronary arteries to the extent that the blood supply to the heart muscle is compromised. During exercise or excitement, the narrowed coronary arteries cannot increase the blood supply to meet the increased oxygen demand of the heart muscle. When the heart muscle is thus deprived of blood oxygen, a condition called ischemia results. When the narrowing in the artery becomes critical, angina (heart pain) may result leading over time to a heart attack.Occasionally the surface of the cholesterol plaque in the artery may rupture (tear away), which leads to the formation of blood clot on the surface of the plaque, which then completely occludes blood flow in the vessel and results in a heart attack. The cause of this “plaque rupture is largely unknown, but contributing factors may include cigarette smoking, elevated cholesterol, elevated levels of blood catecholamines (adrenaline), high blood pressure, and other mechanical and biochemical forces.Unlike angina (heart pain), death of the heart muscle from a heart attack is permanent.

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Heart Attack

What is the disease?

Myocardial or Cardiac infarction or Heart attack may be defined as infarction (death) of an area of the heart muscle, usually as a result of occlusion or blockage of a coronary artery (vessel supplying the heart with oxygen rich blood). Infarction occurs as a result of a sudden insufficiency of blood supply either due to some obstruction, pressure, clot or the artery twisting upon itself which in turn produces an area of necrosis (death of cells, tissue, or part of the organ). Death of the heart muscle often causes chest pain and electrical instability of the heart muscle tissue resulting in a malfunction or sudden death.

Cause

A heart attack is caused by the formation of a blood clot on a cholesterol plaque located on the inner wall of an artery that supplies the heart (coronary artery). Cholesterol plaque is caused by deposits of cholesterol in the artery walls and is a process that begins as early as in the late teens. Over the period of time, the accumulation of cholesterol plaque causes thickening of the artery walls and resultant narrowing of the arteries; a process called asatherosclerosis. Smoking, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, and diabetes can accelerate plaque formation. Ultimately, atherosclerosis causes significant narrowing of the coronary arteries to the extent that the blood supply to the heart muscle is compromised. During exercise or excitement, the narrowed coronary arteries cannot increase the blood supply to meet the increased oxygen demand of the heart muscle. When the heart muscle is thus deprived of blood oxygen, a condition called ischemia results. When the narrowing in the artery becomes critical, angina (heart pain) may result leading over time to a heart attack.Occasionally the surface of the cholesterol plaque in the artery may rupture (tear away), which leads to the formation of blood clot on the surface of the plaque, which then completely occludes blood flow in the vessel and results in a heart attack. The cause of this “plaque rupture is largely unknown, but contributing factors may include cigarette smoking, elevated cholesterol, elevated levels of blood catecholamines (adrenaline), high blood pressure, and other mechanical and biochemical forces.Unlike angina (heart pain), death of the heart muscle from a heart attack is permanent.

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Symptoms of Thalassemia

Symptoms of Thalassemia

• People with thalassemia major may experience the following:
  
• Paleness
  
• Headaches
  
• Fatigue
  
• Shortness of breath
  
• Jaundice
  
• Spleen enlargement
  
  Diagnosis of Thalassemia

The diagnosis of thalassemia trait and thalassemia major is made from microscopic examination of the blood, which shows many small, pale red blood cells, and from other blood tests that show reduced levels of adult hemoglobin in the blood.

Treatment of ThalassemiaThalassemia trait
Normally, there are no treatments recommended. However, the doctor may suggest taking iron medication if they feel it is necessary.

Thalassemia major

The primary treatment is regular blood transfusions, usually every four weeks. In addition to the blood transfusions, doctors recommend injections of Desferal to help the body flush out the extra iron created by the new blood. The injections are given under the skin from a small pump 5 to 7 nights a week.
Additionally, splenectomy (removal of the spleen), bone marrow transplants and chelation therapy are being researched as possible treatments for thalassemia.

Questions To Ask Your Doctor About Thalassemia

How can having the thalassemia trait affect a person's life?Children's lives?

Do you recommend genetic counseling if a couple is planning on having children?

Is a thalassemia carrier more likely to get other diseases?

Is a thalassemia carrier physically or mentally weak?

Can thalassemia trait turn into thalassemia major?

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Symptoms of Thalassemia

Symptoms of Thalassemia

• People with thalassemia major may experience the following:
  
• Paleness
  
• Headaches
  
• Fatigue
  
• Shortness of breath
  
• Jaundice
  
• Spleen enlargement
  
  Diagnosis of Thalassemia

The diagnosis of thalassemia trait and thalassemia major is made from microscopic examination of the blood, which shows many small, pale red blood cells, and from other blood tests that show reduced levels of adult hemoglobin in the blood.

Treatment of ThalassemiaThalassemia trait
Normally, there are no treatments recommended. However, the doctor may suggest taking iron medication if they feel it is necessary.

Thalassemia major

The primary treatment is regular blood transfusions, usually every four weeks. In addition to the blood transfusions, doctors recommend injections of Desferal to help the body flush out the extra iron created by the new blood. The injections are given under the skin from a small pump 5 to 7 nights a week.
Additionally, splenectomy (removal of the spleen), bone marrow transplants and chelation therapy are being researched as possible treatments for thalassemia.

Questions To Ask Your Doctor About Thalassemia

How can having the thalassemia trait affect a person's life?Children's lives?

Do you recommend genetic counseling if a couple is planning on having children?

Is a thalassemia carrier more likely to get other diseases?

Is a thalassemia carrier physically or mentally weak?

Can thalassemia trait turn into thalassemia major?

READ MORE - Symptoms of Thalassemia

Thalassemia

Definition of Thalassemia

Thalassemia, also known as Mediterranean Anemia, Cooley's Anemia or Homozygous Beta Thalassemia, is a group of inherited disorders in which there is a fault in the production of hemoglobin (oxygen-carrying pigment found in red blood cells).

Description of Thalassemia

Blood is red because the red blood cells contain an oxygen-carrying substance called hemoglobin. The principal function of hemoglobin is to combine with and transport oxygen from the lungs and deliver it to all body tissues, where it is required to provide energy for the chemical reaction of all living cells.

Hemoglobin contains a large amount of iron. When red blood cells are broken down, most of the iron from the hemoglobin is used again to make new hemoglobin.

In the case of thalassemia the hemoglobin is fragile and breaks down sooner than normal, thus leaving the person with not enough hemoglobin in their body. This lack of hemoglobin causes anemia.

There are different types of anemia. The most common is iron-deficiency anemia. This happens when people do not have enough hemoglobin because they're not eating enough of the foods that contain iron (See Health Profile on Anemia).

Thalassemia is a different type of anemia. This happens when people do not have enough hemoglobin and is caused by the inheritance of a defective gene.

There are two forms of thalassemia:

Thalassemia trait

People with thalassemia trait carry thalassemia, but they are not ill. They are healthy and normal, however, some may have slight anemia.

People with thalassemia trait also have slightly more hemoglobin called hemoglobin A2 in their blood.

Thalassemia trait is present at birth, it remains the same for life, and it can be handed down from parents to children.

Thalassemia major
This a very serious blood disease that begins in early childhood.
Children with thalassemia major are normal at birth but become anemic between the age of three months and eighteen months. They become pale, do not sleep well, do not want to eat, and may vomit frequently after feedings.
If thalassemia major goes untreated, children usually die between one and eight years of age.

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Symptoms of hepatitis

Symptoms of hepatitis include:

• yellowing of the skin and eyes, known as jaundice
  
• fever
  
• nausea, vomiting, and lack of appetite
  
• abdominal pain (on the upper right side)
  
• light-colored bowel movements
  
• dark-colored urine
  

The incubation period (how long it takes between the time a person becomes infected and symptoms first appear) for hepatitis varies depending on the type a person has. A person may not feel any different than before, or may notice these symptoms anywhere from 15 days to 4 months after getting the disease, depending on the type of hepatitis.

How Is Hepatitis Diagnosed and Treated?

A blood test is usually needed to determine if a person has hepatitis.
Doctors don't prescribe medications to treat hepatitis A; they usually recommend a person rest until any fever and jaundice are gone and the person's appetite has returned to normal. It is also important to stay well hydrated by drinking lots of fluids. Hepatitis B and C can sometimes be treated with medications, although some forms of medication used to treat hepatitis C are only approved for use in adults. Although treatments for hepatitis B and C are becoming more effective, a cure cannot be guaranteed.

Protecting Yourself

There are vaccines available to protect people against hepatitis A and hepatitis B. Today, all children in the United States are routinely vaccinated against hepatitis B at birth, and against hepatitis A between the ages of 1 and 2 years. People who are traveling to certain parts of the world where sanitation isn't very good also benefit from immunization against hepatitis A. Sometimes, if a person has been recently exposed to hepatitis A or B, a doctor may recommend a shot of immune globulin containing antibodies against the virus to try to prevent the person from coming down with the disease.

• In addition to the vaccinations against hepatitis A and B, there are other steps for protecting yourself against hepatitis virus infection:
  
• Avoid unprotected sexual intercourse. Not only does unprotected sex put you at risk for hepatitis B and C, but also for many other sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy.
  
• Avoid intravenous drug use and sharing of drug paraphernalia. Hepatitis is only one of the life-threatening infections you can get by sharing contaminated needles.
  
• Wash your hands before handling food and after using the bathroom. Washing your hands thoroughly is one of the simplest, most important ways to prevent the spread of any infection, including hepatitis.
  
• If you are thinking about getting a tattoo or piercing, be sure the shop sterilizes needles properly. Poorly sterilized or nonsterile needles put people at risk for hepatitis B or C.
  
• Don't share toothbrushes or razors. Hepatitis can be transmitted through sores or cuts.
  
• Avoid eating raw shellfish (such as clams or oysters). You could put yourself at risk for hepatitis A if the shellfish was harvested from contaminated water.
  
• Hepatitis infection can be serious, but knowing what puts you at risk can help protect you.

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Hepatitis

What Is Hepatitis?
The liver is one of the body's powerhouses. It helps process nutrients and metabolizes medication. The liver also helps clear the body of toxic waste products.
The word hepatitis (pronounced: heh-puh-tie-tus) means an inflammation of the liver, and it can be caused by one of many things - including a bacterial infection, liver injury caused by a toxin (poison), and even an attack on the liver by the body's own immune system.
Although there are several forms of hepatitis, the condition is usually caused by one of three viruses: hepatitis A, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C virus. Some hepatitis viruses can mutate, which means they can change over time and can be difficult for the body to fight. In some cases, hepatitis B or C can destroy the liver. The patient then will need a liver transplant to survive, which is not always available or successful.


Hepatitis A

The hepatitis A virus is transmitted through the feces (poop) of infected individuals. People usually get hepatitis A by eating food or drinking water that's been contaminated with feces. Although that sounds disgusting, hepatitis A is actually considered to be less destructive than some other hepatitis viruses. That's because, unlike some other types, it rarely leads to permanent liver damage. Within a few weeks, the symptoms will have gone away on their own and the hepatitis A virus will no longer be in your system. Once a person has recovered from a hepatitis A infection, that person has immunity to the virus, meaning he or she will probably never get it again. People are also protected against hepatitis A if they've been vaccinated for it.

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is a more serious infection. It may lead to a condition called cirrhosis (permanent scarring of the liver) or liver cancer, both of which cause severe illness and even death. Hepatitis B is transmitted from person to person through blood or other body fluids.
In the United States, the most common way people get infected with hepatitis B is through unprotected sex with a person who has the disease. People who inject drugs (in other words, use a needle) also are at risk of becoming infected because it's likely that the needles they use will not have been sterilized. In fact, up to one in every 50 people living in the United States will become infected with the hepatitis B virus - and the risk of infection is greater among people who have unprotected sex or inject drugs.
That's scary stuff given that, as yet, there's no effective cure for hepatitis B. In most cases, a teen who gets hepatitis B will recover from the disease and may develop a natural immunity to future hepatitis B infections. But some people will have the condition forever. Medications can help some people with hepatitis B get rid of the virus.

Hepatitis C

Like hepatitis B, hepatitis C can lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer. Also like hepatitis B, hepatitis C is transmitted from person to person through blood or other body fluids.
Hepatitis C is the most serious type of hepatitis - it's now one of the most common reasons for liver transplants in adults. Every year, thousands of people in the United States die from the virus. And there's no cure and no vaccine.
An estimated 4.1 million Americans are currently infected with the virus. The most common way people become infected is through sharing drug paraphernalia such as needles and straws. People also get hepatitis C after having unprotected sex with an infected partner. Before 1990, many people got hepatitis C through blood transfusions, but better blood screening and handling procedures now mean that this rarely happens.
The medications currently used to treat hepatitis C are effective in controlling the disease in some people. However, hepatitis C treatments are not very easy to take, especially because some require frequent injections.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms?
Hepatitis infection causes inflammation of the liver, which means that the liver becomes swollen and damaged and begins losing its ability to function. People with hepatitis often get symptoms similar to those caused by other virus infections, such as weakness, tiredness, and nausea. Because the symptoms of hepatitis are similar to other conditions, it's easy for a person who has it to confuse it with another illness. In addition, people with hepatitis A may not show any symptoms of the infection, so the infection can go undiagnosed. People with hepatitis B or C infection also may not show symptoms right away, but can develop health problems from the infection many years later. Even when infected people don't have any symptoms, they can still pass the disease on to others.

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Cancer

Defining Cancer

Cancer is a term used for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and are able to invade other tissues. Cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems.
Cancer is not just one disease but many diseases. There are more than 100 different types of cancer. Most cancers are named for the organ or type of cell in which they start - for example, cancer that begins in the colon is called colon cancer; cancer that begins in basal cells of the skin is called basal cell carcinoma.
Cancer types can be grouped into broader categories. The main categories of cancer include:
Carcinoma - cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs.
Sarcoma - cancer that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue.
Leukemia - cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow and causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the blood.
Lymphoma and myeloma - cancers that begin in the cells of the immune system.
Central nervous system cancers - cancers that begin in the tissues of the brain and spinal cord.
(For definitions of other cancer-related terms, see NCI's Dictionary of Cancer Terms.)

Origins of Cancer

All cancers begin in cells, the body's basic unit of life. To understand cancer, it's helpful to know what happens when normal cells become cancer cells.
The body is made up of many types of cells. These cells grow and divide in a controlled way to produce more cells as they are needed to keep the body healthy. When cells become old or damaged, they die and are replaced with new cells.
However, sometimes this orderly process goes wrong. The genetic material (DNA) of a cell can become damaged or changed, producing mutations that affect normal cell growth and division. When this happens, cells do not die when they should and new cells form when the body does not need them. The extra cells may form a mass of tissue called a tumor.

Not all tumors are cancerous; tumors can be benign or malignant.
Benign tumors aren't cancerous. They can often be removed, and, in most cases, they do not come back. Cells in benign tumors do not spread to other parts of the body.
Malignant tumors are cancerous. Cells in these tumors can invade nearby tissues and spread to other parts of the body. The spread of cancer from one part of the body to another is called metastasis.
Some cancers do not form tumors. For example, leukemia is a cancer of the bone marrow and blood.
Cancer Statistics
A new report from the nation's leading cancer organizations shows cancer death rates decreased on average 2.1 percent per year from 2002 through 2004, nearly twice the annual decrease of 1.1 percent per year from 1993 through 2002.

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Headache

Oh my aching head! Nearly everyone has had a headache. The most common type of headache is a tension headache. Tension headaches are due to tight muscles in your shoulders, neck, scalp and jaw. They are often related to stress, depression or anxiety. You are more likely to get tension headaches if you work too much, don't get enough sleep, miss meals or use alcohol.
Other common types of headaches include migraines, cluster headaches and sinus headaches. Most people can feel much better by making lifestyle changes, learning ways to relax and taking pain relievers.
Headaches can have many causes, but serious causes of headaches are rare. Sometimes headaches warn of a more serious disorder. Let your health care provider know if you have sudden, severe headaches. Get medical help right away if you have a headache after a blow to your head, or if you have a headache along with a stiff neck, fever, confusion, loss of consciousness or pain in the eye or ear.

Symptoms

• Tension-type headaches
  
• the pain is usually mild or moderate and is usually felt as a pressure (tightness) on both sides of the head,
  
• the pain is constant and pressing (can be described as a tight band around the head) and can build gradually throughout the day,
  
• the pain is not aggravated by routine physical activity,
  there may be a feeling of pressure behind the eyes and a tightening of the neck muscles,
  
• the headache is not associated with nausea or vomiting or an unusual sensitivity to light or sound,
  mostly they last a few hours or so, and
  
• the headache normally comes on during the day.
  
• Cluster headaches
  
• the pain is extremely severe but the attack is relatively short, lasting no more than an hour or two (often less than an hour),
  
• the pain starts quickly, without warning, and is often described as excruciating,
  the pain always affects one side of the head, is centred around one eye, and generally affects the same side in subsequent attacks (although it does move to the opposite side in some people), and
  inflammation and watering from the eye, and a blocked nose on the affected side of the face are common.
  
• The attacks of pain are clustered in groups (often 1 to 3 attacks per day, although there can be more) that usually last for a few weeks to a couple of months, and are usually followed by a pain-free gap for months or years (the average is one year). Although 10% of people have chronic cluster headaches where the attacks occur regularly without significant intervals without pain.
  
• The headaches often occur at the same time each day during a cluster, with many people saying that they are being woken within around 2 hours of going to sleep, at the same time each night. Or they are woken early in the morning. However, they can also occur during the daytime.

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Diarrhea

What is diarrhea?

Diarrhea is loose, watery stools. A person with diarrhea typically passes stool more than three times a day. People with diarrhea may pass more than a quart of stool a day. Acute diarrhea is a common problem that usually lasts 1 or 2 days and goes away on its own without special treatment. Prolonged diarrhea persisting for more than 2 days may be a sign of a more serious problem and poses the risk of dehydration. Chronic diarrhea may be a feature of a chronic disease.
Diarrhea can cause dehydration, which means the body lacks enough fluid to function properly. Dehydration is particularly dangerous in children and older people, and it must be treated promptly to avoid serious health problems. See Dehydration.
People of all ages can get diarrhea and the average adult has a bout of acute diarrhea about four times a year. In the United States, each child will have had seven to 15 episodes of diarrhea by age 5.

What causes diarrhea?

Acute diarrhea is usually related to a bacterial, viral, or parasitic infection. Chronic diarrhea is usually related to functional disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome or inflammatory bowel disease.

A few of the more common causes of diarrhea include the following:

Bacterial infections. Several types of bacteria consumed through contaminated food or water can cause diarrhea. Common culprits include Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, and Escherichia coli (E. coli).

Viral infections. Many viruses cause diarrhea, including rotavirus, Norwalk virus, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus, and viral hepatitis.

Food intolerances. Some people are unable to digest food components such as artificial sweeteners and lactose—the sugar found in milk.

Parasites. Parasites can enter the body through food or water and settle in the digestive system. Parasites that cause diarrhea include Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica, and Cryptosporidium.

Reaction to medicines. Antibiotics, blood pressure medications, cancer drugs, and antacids containing magnesium can all cause diarrhea.

Intestinal diseases. Inflammatory bowel disease, colitis, Crohn’s disease, and celiac disease often lead to diarrhea.

Functional bowel disorders. Diarrhea can be a symptom of irritable bowel syndrome.

Some people develop diarrhea after stomach surgery or removal of the gallbladder. The reason may be a change in how quickly food moves through the digestive system after stomach surgery or an increase in bile in the colon after gallbladder surgery.
People who visit foreign countries are at risk for traveler’s diarrhea, which is caused by eating food or drinking water contaminated with bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Traveler’s diarrhea can be a problem for people visiting developing countries. Visitors to the United States, Canada, most European countries, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand do not face much risk for traveler’s diarrhea. See Preventing Traveler’s Diarrhea.
In many cases, the cause of diarrhea cannot be found. As long as diarrhea goes away on its own, an extensive search for the cause is not usually necessary.

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HIV/AIDS

• HIV/AIDS Symptoms
  Many people do not develop symptoms after getting infected with HIV. Some people have a flu-like illness within several days to weeks after exposure to the virus. They complain of fever, headache, tiredness, and enlarged lymph glands in the neck. These symptoms usually disappear on their own within a few weeks.
  Following initial infection, you may have no symptoms. The progression of disease varies widely among individuals. This state may last from a few months to more than 10 years.
  During this period, the virus continues to multiply actively and infects and kills the cells of the immune system. The immune system allows us to fight against the bacteria, viruses, and other infectious causes.
  The virus destroys the cells that are the primary infection fighters, called CD4+ or T4 cells.
  Once the immune system weakens, a person infected with HIV can develop the following symptoms:
  1. Lack of energy
  
• 2. Weight loss
  
• 3. Frequent fevers and sweats
  
• 4. Persistent or frequent yeast infections
  
• 5. Persistent skin rashes or flaky skin
  
• 6. Short-term memory loss
  
• 7. Mouth, genital, or anal sores from herpes infections.
  
• AIDS is the most advanced stage of HIV infection. The definition of AIDS includes all HIV-infected people who have fewer than 200 CD4+ cells per microliter of blood. The definition also includes 26 conditions that are common in advanced HIV disease but that rarely occur in healthy people. Most of these conditions are infections caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, and other organisms. Opportunistic infections are common in people with AIDS. Nearly every organ system is affected. Some of the common symptoms include the following:
  
• Cough and shortness of breath
  
• Seizures and lack of coordination
  
• Difficult or painful swallowing
  
• Mental symptoms such as confusion and forgetfulness
  
• Severe and persistent diarrhea
  
• Fever
  
• Vision loss
  Nausea, abdominal cramps, and vomiting
  
• Weight loss and extreme fatigue
  
• Severe headache with neck stiffness
  Coma
  
• People with AIDS are prone to develop various cancers such as Kaposi sarcoma, cervical cancer, and cancers of the immune system known as lymphomas. Kaposi sarcoma causes round, brown, reddish or purple spots that develop in the skin or in the mouth. After the diagnosis of AIDS is made, the average survival time has been estimated to be 2-3 years.

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Anthrax

Anthrax is an acute infectious disease caused by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Anthrax most commonly occurs in wild and domestic lower vertebrates (cattle, sheep, goats, camels, antelopes, and other herbivores), but it can also occur in humans when they are exposed to infected animals or tissue from infected animals.
What are the symptoms of anthrax?

Symptoms of disease vary depending on how the disease was contracted, but symptoms usually occur within 7 days.
Cutaneous: Most (about 95%) anthrax infections occur when the bacterium enters a cut or abrasion on the skin, such as when handling contaminated wool, hides, leather or hair products (especially goat hair) of infected animals. Skin infection begins as a raised itchy bump that resembles an insect bite but within 1-2 days develops into a vesicle and then a painless ulcer, usually 1-3 cm in diameter, with a characteristic black necrotic (dying) area in the center. Lymph glands in the adjacent area may swell. About 20% of untreated cases of cutaneous anthrax will result in death. Deaths are rare with appropriate antimicrobial therapy.
inhalation: Initial symptoms may resemble a common cold. After several days, the symptoms may progress to severe breathing problems and shock. inhalation anthrax is usually fatal.
Intestinal: The intestinal disease form of anthrax may follow the consumption of contaminated meat and is characterized by an acute inflammation of the intestinal tract. Initial signs of nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, fever are followed by abdominal pain, vomiting of blood, and severe diarrhea. Intestinal anthrax results in death in 25% to 60% of cases.

How is anthrax diagnosed?
Anthrax is diagnosed by isolating B. anthracis from the blood, skin lesions, or respiratory secretions or by measuring specific antibodies in the blood of persons with suspected cases.

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Anti Aging Discoveries - The Guide To Perfect Skin!

INTRODUCTIONS:
Tuberculosis is chronic granulomatous disease of human and other mammals caused by a group of closely related obligate pathogens, the mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, comprising M. tuberculosis. The human tubercle bacillus - M. bovis - the bovine tubercle bacillus, -agricanum - a heterogeneous type found principally in effuational Africa with properties intermediate between the former two species and M-microti-a rare cause of disease involves and other small mammals but attenuated for humans. Humans are the usual, but not unique, host of M. tuberculosis. M. bovis causes disease in cattle and also in badgers, deer, and other mammals. Humans are incidental hosts, usually acquiring infection by drinking contaminated milk although infection of farm workers may occur by aerogenous route. Human may transmit M. bovis to cattle but human to human is rarely reported (PDO D awis et al, 2003).
The annual tuberculosis infection rate or annual risk of infection is the best single indicator of the status and trend of tuberculosis in both developed and developing countries. It indicates the proportion of the population that will primarily infected or reinfected in the course of one year and is usually expressed as a percentage.
The risk of tuberculosis infection in developed countries is now very low, being less than 0.5% per annum in the majority, 0.1-0 % in most and less than 0.1% in a few countries. The risk of tuberculosis in these countries is declined by about 10% per year.
In developing countries much higher rates are found. The annual risk of infection for the richest and poorest countries is shown in following table. In most industrialized countries the annual rate of infection is now below 0.1% and continues decline by 10% per annum. In Africa, the annual risk of infection may be much as 2.5% or more, and in the present context of increasing tuberculosis, notification due to HIB epidemic is increasing rather than decreasing.

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The Dummies Guide to Curing Heartburn

The term heartburn is used to describe a feeling that people get that isn't actually anything to do with their heart at all. That awful sensation that wells up in your chest isn't even remotely related to your heart; it actually starts in your gut. Heartburn or acid reflux as it's otherwise known starts with a problem with the control of the acid in your stomach.The pain you feel during a bout of heartburn is down to the acid from your stomach moving back up your throat towards your mouth. Now bearing in mind that the acid in your stomach is hydrochloric acid (strong enough to melt metal) your throat (your esophagus) is going to be severely irritated by this acid. It's actually burning away at your flesh which is what causes that intense pain in and around your chest.How often you actually get heartburn and how severe it is depends on a lot of factors such as stress and especially what types of foods you eat a lot. Spicy foods or foods that have a very high acid content are almost guaranteed to cause an attack of acid reflux; so if they're part of your diet you may want to cut them out totally. For some people heartburn is a just a passing nuisance pain. For other folks out there it's a constant battle against a painful problem they'd much rather get rid of.When you get an attack of heartburn the way it appears varies from person to person. Some people feel a burning sensation in their throat, some people can't stop burping and some others even begin to choke. Overall the most common sign of acid reflux is that nasty taste of vomit in the back of your mouth.So what causes this problem?Basically there's a valve in your stomach designed to keep the acid down there. Sometimes this valve gets jammed open and the acid in your stomach escapes and flows up towards your throat. This happens a lot when people are laying down - maybe having a nap after a meal. Heartburn itself can be made far worse by your diet - eating spicy foods definitely won't help.Is it treatable?Sure. There are dozens of treatments out there for heartburn/acid reflux and you'll be spoiled for choice when choosing one. Actually there's that many options out there just making the choice can be a headache. You have so many different over-the-counter treatments to choose from first. Dozens of them. Then you move into the territory of prescription treatments and all the "potential" side-effects that are tied to those. Some people even go as far as having surgery as a longterm solution for their reflux....which is a bit drastic no?If you're like me you probably prefer to go the "natural route" for treating a problem like this. Especially considering the fact that most acid reflux "cures" can only be used for 2 weeks and then you have to stop. Not really a cure is it?

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