Alcohol Abuse

Alcohol slows down brain activity. Because alcohol affects alertness, judgment, coordination, and reaction time--drinking increases the risk of falls and accidents. Some research has shown that it takes less alcohol to affect older people than younger ones. Over time, heavy drinking permanently damages the brain and central nervous system, as well as the liver, heart, kidneys, and stomach. Alcohol’s effects can make some medical problems hard to diagnose. For example, alcohol causes changes in the heart and blood vessels that can dull pain that might be a warning sign of a heart attack. It also can cause forgetfulness and confusion, which can seem like Alzheimer’s disease.

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Allergies

The most common types of allergic reactions-hay fever, some kinds of asthma, and hives-are produced when the immune system responds to a false alarm. In a susceptible person, a normally harmless substance-grass pollen or house dust, for example-is perceived as a threat and is attacked.

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Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease is a condition that causes progressive deterioration of brain functions. Symptoms include the gradual loss of memory, reason, language and the ability to care for oneself.

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The absence or abnormal ceasing (stoppage) of menstrual periods. The absence of cyclical menstruation, amenorrhea, most frequently reflects an abnormality in hypothalamic/pituitary and/or ovarian function. Central amenorrhea can be caused by disease of the brain or pituitary gland. The former may be rarely due to a genetic defect or more commonly to acquired disease leading to a deficit in the production of GnRH, which controls the secretion of pituitary gonadotropins. Changes in body mass, stress (both physical and psychological), and drug abuse may cause hypothalamic amenorrhea due to brain dysfunction.

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Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also called Lou Gehrig's disease, is a progressive, fatal neurological disease affecting as many as 20,000 Americans with 5,000 new cases occurring in the United States each year. The disorder belongs to a class of disorders known as motor neuron diseases. ALS occurs when specific nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary movement gradually degenerate.  The loss of these motor neurons causes the muscles under their control to weaken and waste away, leading to paralysis. 

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Anemia is having less than the normal number of red blood cells or less hemoglobin than normal in the blood.  Even those with mild anemia can experience some weakness and fatigue. Moderate to severe anemia can also cause shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, lightheadedness, headache, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), irritability, pale skin, restless leg syndrome, and mental confusion. Anemia may occur without symptoms, however, and be detected only during a medical examination that includes a blood test. In spite of the common association of anemia with thinness and pallor, a normal to heavy weight and healthy-looking skin color do not rule out anemia in people with risk factors and other symptoms.

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ANGINA PECTORIS ("ANGINA") IS A recurring pain or discomfort in the chest that happens when some part of the heart does not receive enough blood. It is a common symptom of coronary heart disease (CHD), which occurs when vessels that carry blood to the heart become narrowed and blocked due to atherosclerosis

Angina feels like a pressing or squeezing pain, usually in the chest under the breast bone, but sometimes in the shoulders, arms, neck, jaws, or back.

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Anovulation means "lack of ovulation." Some women do not ovulate regularly, they may only ovulate every few cycles, or not at all. A woman can have what seems like regular periods and still not ovulate. Though, more often than not, her periods are not normal at all. She may have no periods as a result of no ovulation, or her periods may be very heavy and far apart. Women with anovulatory cycles generally have irregular spotting between periods, or if they don't, they have long periods that are often painless.

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Anxiety disorders are the most common of all the mental disorders. 

Anxiety disorders tend to be chronic and may become quite disabling. Fortunately, they are among the most successfully treated emotional disorders in medical practice.

There are several types of anxiety disorders each with its own distinct features:

• Panic Disorder - is characterized by repeated panic or anxiety attacks.
• Agoraphobia - is characterized by persistent avoidance of places or situations in which one feels trapped or fears having a panic attack and/or being unable to escape from the situation.
• Social Phobia -  is characterized by the experience of significant anxiety in certain types of social or performance situations.
• Specific Phobia - is characterized by excessive anxiety brought on by exposure to a specific feared object or situation, often leading to avoidance behaviour. It involves a sense of dread so intense that the individual will do everything to avoid the source of their fear.
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - is characterized by recurrent, intrusive, and unpleasant thoughts, images or impulses, which are referred to as obsessions.
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - is a condition that occurs when an individual has survived the experience of a terrifying, often life-threatening event, such as a serious car accident or a violent attack. Persons who have survived a traumatic event may become so preoccupied with the experience that they are not able to live a normal life.
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder - is characterized by excessive anxiety and worry about a number of ordinary events or activities such as work or school performance, their health or safety, or simply just the thought of making it through the day.

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Appendicitis is inflammation of the appendix, a small portion of the large intestine that hangs down from the lower
right side. Although the appendix does not seem to serve any purpose, it can still become diseased. If untreated, an
inflamed appendix can burst, causing infection and even death.

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An arrhythmia is a change in the rhythm of your heartbeat. When the heart beats too fast, it's called tachycardia.
When it beats too slow, it's called bradycardia. An arrhythmia can also mean that your heart beats irregularly
(skips a beat or has an extra beat). At some time or another, most people have felt their heart race or skip a beat.
These occasional changes can be brought on by strong emotions or exercise. They usually are not a cause for alarm.
Arrhythmias that occur more often or cause symptoms  may be more serious and need to be
discussed with your doctor.

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ATHEROSCLEROSIS it is characterized by a narrowing of the arteries caused by cholesterol-rich plaques of immune-system cells. Key risk factors for atherosclerosis, which can be genetic and/or environmental, include: elevated levels of cholesterol and triglyceride in the blood, high blood pressure and cigarette smoke.
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Arthritis causes pain and loss of movement. It can affect joints in any part of the body. Arthritis is usually chronic, meaning it can occur over a long period of time. The more serious forms can cause swelling, warmth, redness, and pain. The three most common kinds of arthritis in older people are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout.

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Asthma is a respiratory condition characterized by episodes of airflow obstruction in the bronchial tubes. Symptoms caused by this obstruction include coughing, chest tightness, wheezing and shortness of breath. Although problems are often separated by symptom-free periods, asthma is a chronic illness.

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Autism is classified as one of the pervasive developmental disorders of the brain. It is not a disease. People with
classical autism show three types of symptoms: impaired social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal
communication, and unusual or severely limited activities and interests.

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The word "auto" is the Greek word for self. The immune system is a complicated network of cells and cell components (called molecules) that normally work to defend the body and eliminate infections caused by bacteria, viruses, and other invading microbes. If a person has an autoimmune disease, the immune system mistakenly attacks self, targeting the cells, tissues, and organs of a person's own body. A collection of immune system cells and molecules at a target site is broadly referred to as inflammation.

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Breast cancer, a common cancer in women, is a disease in which cancer(malignant) cells are found in the tissues of the breast. The most common type of breast cancer is ductal cancer.

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Bursitis is inflammation or irritation of a bursa. Bursa are small sacs located between bone and other moving structures such as muscles, skin or tendons. The bursa allows smooth gliding between these structures.

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Cancer is a group of more than 100 different diseases. Cancer occurs when cells become abnormal and keep dividing and forming more cells without control or order.

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Cerebral aneurysm is a common cerebrovascular disorder caused by a weakness in the wall of a cerebral artery or vein. The disorder may result from congenital defects or from preexisting conditions such as hypertensive vascular disease and atherosclerosis (build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries), or from head trauma. Cerebral aneurysms occur more commonly in adults than in children and are slightly more common in women than in men, however they may occur at any age.

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Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

The term Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) refers to a symptom complex of marked and prolonged fatigue for which no identifiable cause can be found. Other symptoms frequently present include generalised muscle weakness and pain, low-grade fever, sore throat, painful lymph nodes in the neck and armpits, exacerbation of fatigue after moderate or strenuous exercise for periods of 24 hours or more, transient pains in a number of joints, and various disturbances of neuropsychological function including confusion, irritability, poor concentration and visual changes.

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In cirrhosis of the liver, scar tissue replaces normal, healthy tissue, blocking the flow of blood through the organ and preventing it from working as it should. Cirrhosis is the eighth leading cause of death by disease, killing about 25,000 people each year. Also, the cost of cirrhosis in terms of human suffering, hospital costs, and lost productivity is high.

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A depressive disorder is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts. It affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks about things. A depressive disorder is not the same as a passing blue mood. It is not a sign of personal weakness or a condition that can be willed or wished away. People with a depressive illness cannot merely "pull themselves together" and get better.

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Dermatomyositis is one of a group of acquired muscle diseases called inflammatory myopathies. The disease, which
has a subacute (somewhat short and relatively severe) onset, affects both children and adults. Females are more often
affected than males. Dermatomyositis is characterized by a rash accompanying, or more often, preceding muscle
weakness. The rash is described as patchy, bluish-purple discolorations on the face, neck, shoulders, upper chest,
elbows, knees, knuckles, and back.

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DIABETES is a chronic metabolic disorder that adversely affects the body's ability to manufacture and use insulin, a hormone necessary for the conversion of food into energy. The disease greatly increases the risk of blindness, heart disease, kidney failure, neurological disease and other conditions for the approximately 16 million Americans who are affected by it. Type I, or juvenile onset diabetes, is the more severe form of the illness.
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Diarrhea refers to a familiar phenomenon with unusually frequent or liquid bowel movements, excessive watery evacuations of fecal material. Diarrhea is the opposite of constipation.
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Two of the most common eating disorders—anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

Eating disorders often are chronic in nature and, as a result, may require long-term treatment. The medical consequences of anorexia, which include death in about 10 percent of the cases, usually are more severe than bulimia. The earlier these disorders are diagnosed and treated, the better the prospects are for full recovery. 

Anorexia nervosa—People who have this disorder often develop elaborate rituals around food, continue to lose weight, and can literally starve themselves to death. They also may exercise excessively. 

Bulimia nervosa—Those who have bulimia gorge themselves, then almost immediately make themselves vomit or use laxatives or diuretics to purge their bodies of food. This often is referred to as the “binge/purge” cycle. Preoccupation with weight is a primary trait of both disorders.

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The word eczema is used to describe all kinds of red, blistering, oozing, scaly, brownish, thickened, and itching skin conditions. Examples of eczema include dermatitis, allergic contact eczema; seborrheic eczema; and nummular eczema.

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The name endometriosis comes from the word "endometrium," the tissue that lines the inside of the uterus. If a woman is not pregnant this tissue builds up and is shed each month. It is discharged as menstrual flow at the end of each cycle. In endometriosis, tissue that looks and acts like endometrial tissue is found outside the uterus, usually inside the abdominal cavity. 

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Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which clusters of nerve cells, or neurons, in the brain sometimes signal abnormally. Neurons normally generate electrochemical impulses that act on other neurons, glands, and muscles to produce human thoughts, feelings, and actions. In epilepsy, the normal pattern of neuronal activity becomes disturbed, causing strange sensations, emotions, and behavior, or sometimes convulsions, muscle spasms, and loss of consciousness.

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Fibroids are non-cancerous tumors within or around the uterine wall. Although they are often asymptomatic, it is important to know that depending on their size and location they can become troublesome and dangerous over time.

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Uterine fibroids are nodules of smooth muscle cells and fibrous connective tissue that develop within the wall of the uterus (womb). Medically they are called uterine leiomyomata (singular: leiomyoma).Fibroids may grow as a single nodule or in clusters and may range in size from 1 mm to more than 20 cm (8 inches) in diameter. They may grow within the wall of the uterus or they may project into the interior cavity or toward the outer surface of the uterus. In rare cases, they may grow on stalks or peduncles projecting from the surface of the uterus.

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Fibromyalgia (AKA FMS) originally named fibrositis, is a mysteriously debilitating syndrome that attacks women more often than men. It is not physically damaging to the body in any way, but is characterized by the constant presence of widespread pain that often moves about the body. Fibromyalgia can be so severe that it is often incapacitating. Other symptoms include, but are not limited to; chronic muscle pain, aching, stiffness, disturbed sleep, depression, and fatigue.

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Gastritis is defined as inflammation of the lining of the stomach (mucosa).  This inflammation occurs when Helicobacter pylori infects the stomach.  Sometimes the inflammation in the stomach mucosa can become so severe that an actual break in the stomach lining occurs.  One then has an ulcer which is an actual break in the stomach mucosa. 

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Excess fat stored in the body. Obesity is a known risk factor for chronic diseases including heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, and some forms of cancer.

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Genital warts (condylomata acuminata or venereal warts) are caused by only a few of the many types of HPV. Other common types of HPV infections, such as those that cause warts on the hands and soles of the feet, do not cause genital warts. Genital warts are spread by sexual contact with an infected partner and are very contagious. Approximately two-thirds of people who have sexual contact with a partner with genital warts will develop warts, usually within three months of contact.

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Gynecomastia is a condition in which firm breast tissue forms in males. The breast tissue is usually less than 1-1/2 inches across and is located directly under the nipple. Gynecomastia may be present on one side or on both sides. This condition may make the breast tender.

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Many conditions, diseases, and improper hair care result in excessive hair loss. Many men and women use chemical treatments on their hair, including dyes, tints, bleaches, straighteners and permanent waves. These treatments rarely damage hair if they are done correctly. The hair can become weak and break if any of these chemicals are used too often. Hair can also break if the solution is left on too long, if two procedures are done on the same day, or if bleach is applied to previously bleached hair. If hair becomes brittle from chemical treatments, it's best to stop until the hair has grown out. 

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Heart Disease Risk Factors Risk factors are habits or traits that make a person more likely to develop a disease. Many of those for heart disease can be controlled. These include: > Cigarette smoking > High blood pressure > High blood cholesterol > Overweight > Physical inactivity > Diabetes The more risk factors you have, the greater your risk.

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Hemorrhoids are swollen but normally present blood vessels in and around the anus and lower rectum that stretch under pressure, similar to varicose veins in the legs.

The increased pressure and swelling may result from straining to move the bowel. Other contributing factors include pregnancy, heredity, aging, and chronic constipation or diarrhea.

Hemorrhoids are either inside the anus (internal) or under the skin around the anus (external).

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Genital Herpes

Genital herpes is an infection caused by the herpes simplex virus or HSV. There are two types of HSV, and both can cause genital herpes. HSV type 1 most commonly infects the lips causing sores known as fever blisters or cold sores, but it also can infect the genital area and produce sores there. HSV type 2 is the usual cause of genital herpes, but it also can infect the mouth during oral sex. A person who has genital herpes infection can easily pass or transmit the virus to an uninfected person during sex.
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As blood flows from the heart out to the blood vessels, it creates pressure against the blood vessel walls. Your blood pressure reading is a measure of this pressure. When that reading goes above a certain point, it is called high blood pressure. Hypertension is another name for HBP.
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Hypoxia is a condition in which there is a decrease of oxygen to the tissue in spite of adequate blood flow to the tissue. Hypoxia, however, are often used interchangeably--without regard to their specific meanings--to describe a condition that occurs in an organ when there is a diminished supply of oxygen to the organ's tissues. Hypoxia may be caused by a number of events, such as heart attack, severe asthma, smoke or carbon monoxide inhalation, high altitude exposure, strangulation, anesthetic accidents, or poisoning.

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Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is the result of an infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This virus attacks selected cells of the immune, nervous, and other systems impairing their proper function. HIV infection may cause damage to the brain and spinal cord, causing encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), meningitis (inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain), nerve damage, difficulties in thinking (i.e., AIDS dementia complex), behavioral changes, poor circulation, headache, and stroke. AIDS-related cancers such as lymphoma and opportunistic infections (OI) may also affect the nervous system.

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Infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is mainly transmitted sexually, is directly connected to the development of cervical cancer. As with any sexually transmitted infection, having multiple partners puts a woman at higher risk for contracting the virus and thus developing abnormalities that can lead to cancer. However, few people understand what HPV is. The following questions should help you understand what HPV is and why it is connected to cervical cancer.

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The term hyperthyroidism refers to any condition in which there is too much thyroid hormone in the body. This most commonly results from a generalized overactivity of the entire thyroid gland, a condition also known as diffuse toxic goiter or Graves' disease. Alternatively, one or more nodules or lumps in the thyroid may become overactive, a condition known as toxic nodular or multinodular goiter. Finally, a person may become hyperthyroid if he or she has a condition called thyroiditis, or if one takes too much thyroid hormone in tablet form.
The symptoms of hyperthyroidism include nervousness, irritability, increased perspiration, thinning of your skin, fine brittle hair, and muscular weakness especially involving the upper arms and thighs. Your hands may shake and your heart may race. Your bowel movements may increase in frequency, though diarrhea is uncommon. Usually you will lose weight despite a good appetite and, if you are a woman, menstrual flow may lighten and menstrual periods may occur less frequently.

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The technical meaning of hypoglycemia is low blood sugar. Occasionally, hypoglycemia can be a potentially dangerous problem (for example, when caused by a tumor of the pancreas, liver disease, or from injecting too much insulin). More often, however, when people say they have hypoglycemia, they are describing a group of symptoms that occur when the body reacts to increasing blood sugar levels after eating and may overdo its efforts to bring blood sugar back down. Common symptoms are fatigue, anxiety, headaches, difficulty concentrating, sweaty palms, shakiness, excessive hunger, drowsiness, abdominal pain, and depression. This condition is sometimes called reactive hypoglycemia.

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The term "impotence," as applied to the title of this conference, has traditionally been used to signify the inability of the male to attain and maintain erection of the penis sufficient to permit satisfactory sexual intercourse. However, this use has often led to confusing and uninterpretable results in both clinical and basic science investigations. This, together with its pejorative implications, suggests that the more precise term "erectile dysfunction" be used instead to signify an inability of the male to achieve an erect penis as part of the overall multifaceted process of male sexual function.

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A kidney stone is a solid piece of material that forms in the kidney out of substances in the urine.

A stone may stay in the kidney or break loose and travel down the urinary tract. A small stone may pass all of the way out of the body without causing too much pain.

A larger stone may get stuck in a ureter, the bladder, or the urethra. A problem stone can block the flow of urine and cause great pain.

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Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is a type of cancer. Lymphoma is a general term for cancers that develop in the lymphatic system. Hodgkin's disease is one type of lymphoma. (Hodgkin's disease is the subject of another NCI booklet, What You Need To Know About™ Hodgkin's Disease.) All other lymphomas are grouped together and are called non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Lymphomas account for about 5 percent of all cases of cancer in this country.

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Menopause is the point in a woman's life when menstruation stops permanently, signifying the end of her ability to have children. Known as the "change of life," menopause is the last stage of a gradual biological process in which the ovaries reduce their production of female sex hormones--a process which begins about 3 to 5 years before the final menstrual period. This transitional phase is called the climacteric, or perimenopause. Menopause is considered complete when a woman has been without periods for 1 year. On average, this occurs at about age 50. But like the beginning of menstruation in adolescence, timing varies from person to person. Cigarette smokers tend to reach menopause earlier than nonsmokers.

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Osteoporosis is a disease that thins and weakens bones to the point where they break easily--especially bones in the hip, spine, and wrist. Osteoporosis is called the "silent disease" because you may not notice any symptoms. People can lose bone over many years but not know they have osteoporosis until a bone breaks. About 25 million Americans have osteoporosis--80 percent are women.

Experts do not fully understand all the causes of osteoporosis. They do know that when women go through menopause, levels of the female hormone estrogen drop. Lower hormone levels can lead to bone loss and osteoporosis. Other causes of bone loss and osteoporosis include a diet too low in calcium and not getting enough exercise.

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Ovarian cancer often shows no obvious signs or symptoms until late in its development. Signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer may include:

• General abdominal discomfort and/or pain (gas, indigestion, pressure, swelling, bloating, cramps)
• Nausea, diarrhea, constipation, or frequent urination
• Loss of appetite
• Feeling of fullness even after a light meal
• Weight gain or loss with no known reason
• Abnormal bleeding from the vagina

These symptoms may be caused by ovarian cancer or by other, less serious conditions. It is important to check with a doctor about any of these symptoms

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An ovarian cyst is a collection of fluid that comes from an ovary. Many cysts are completely normal. These are called functional cysts. In women who are having periods, functional cysts are normal. They occur as a result of ovulation (the release of an egg). Functional cysts will normally shrink over time, usually in about one to three months.

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Paget's disease is the second most common bone disease in the United States. Osteoporosis is No. 1. Paget's disease can cause pain, deformities, hearing loss, and limits on activity. The disease, which affects people in different ways, also can cause arthritis and other serious consequences.

In Paget's disease, the process goes awry. In discrete portions of bone, overly large osteoclasts dissolve bone too quickly--as much as 50 times faster than normal. Osteoblasts try to compensate for the increased pace by rapidly depositing new bone. But, in the hurried process, the newly deposited bone is loose and bulky in structure, rather than strong, compact, and neatly arranged.

Over time, pagetic bone becomes weak and soft and can easily bend, actually shortening the part of the body affected: for example, a leg or the spine. The bone may enlarge in diameter, though, and it can become painful and break easily.

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Pain of such proportions overwhelms all other symptoms and becomes the problem. People so afflicted often cannot work. Their appetite falls off. Physical activity of any kind is exhausting and may aggravate the pain. Soon the person becomes the victim of a vicious circle in which total preoccupation with pain leads to irritability and depression. The sufferer can't sleep at night and the next day's weariness compounds the problem-leading to more irritability, depression, and pain. Specialists call that unhappy state the "terrible triad" of suffering, sleeplessness, and sadness, a calamity that is as hard on the family as it is on the victim. The urge to do something-anything-to stop the pain makes some patients drug dependent and drives others to undergo repeated operations or resort to questionable practitioners who promise quick and permanent "cures."

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Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological disorder that results from degeneration of neurons in a region of the brain that controls movement. This degeneration creates a shortage of the brain signaling chemical (neurotransmitter) known as dopamine, causing the movement impairments that characterize the disease.  Often, the first symptom of Parkinson's disease is tremor (trembling or shaking) of a limb, especially when the body is at rest. The tremor often begins on one side of the body, frequently in one hand. Other common symptoms include slow movement (bradykinesia), an inability to move (akinesia), rigid limbs, a shuffling gait, and a stooped posture. People with Parkinson's disease often show reduced facial expressions and speak in a soft voice. Occasionally, the disease also causes depression, personality changes, dementia, sleep disturbances, speech impairments, or sexual difficulties. The severity of Parkinson's symptoms tends to worsen over time.

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A week before your period begins, your mood swings from depression to irritability to downright anger. Your breasts become tender, your abdomen swells and your pants fit like sausage casings. You feel lethargic, have trouble concentrating and crave junk food.

No one knows for sure what causes PMS. Some believe it's caused by chemical changes in the brain. Fluctuating hormones also may play a role. Low levels of vitamins and minerals have been associated with some symptoms. So has eating a lot of salty foods, which may cause fluid retention, and drinking alcohol, which may cause mood and energy level disturbances. It's possible all these factors contribute to some degree.

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The prostate is a small organ about the size of a walnut. It lies below the bladder (where urine is stored) and surrounds the urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder). The prostate makes a fluid that becomes part of semen. Semen is the white fluid that contains sperm.

Prostate problems are common in men 50 and older. Most can be treated successfully without harming sexual function. A urologist (a specialist in diseases of the urinary system) is the kind of doctor most qualified to diagnose and treat many prostate problems.

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Psoriasis is a noncontagious skin disorder that most commonly appears as inflamed swollen skin lesions covered with silvery white scale. This most common type of psoriasis is called "plaque psoriasis."

Psoriasis comes in many different variations and degrees of severity. Different types of psoriasis display characteristics such as pus-like blisters (pustular psoriasis), severe sloughing of the skin (erythrodermic psoriasis), drop-like dots (guttate psoriasis) and smooth inflamed lesions (inverse psoriasis).

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During normal digestion, food moves from the mouth down the esophagus into the stomach. The stomach produces hydrochloric acid and an enzyme called pepsin to digest the food. From the stomach, food passes into the upper part of the small intestine, called the duodenum, where digestion and nutrient absorption continue.

An ulcer is a sore or lesion that forms in the lining of the stomach or duodenum where acid and pepsin are present. Ulcers in the stomach are called gastric or stomach ulcers. Those in the duodenum are called duodenal ulcers. In general, ulcers in the stomach and duodenum are referred to as peptic ulcers. Ulcers rarely occur in the esophagus or in the first portion of the duodenum, the duodenal bulb.

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Uterine bleeding is part of a complex process that includes the activation of homeostatic mechanisms coupled to regeneration of the uterine lining.

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Although "yeast" is the name most women know, bacterial vaginosis is actually the most common vaginal infection in women of reproductive age. Bacterial vaginosis will often cause a vaginal discharge. The discharge is usually thin and milky and is described as having a "fishy" odor.  This odor may become more noticeable after intercourse. Redness or itching of the vagina are not common symptoms of bacterial vaginosis. It is important to note that many women with bacterial vaginosis have no symptoms at all and the vaginitis is only discovered during a routine gynecologic exam. Bacterial vaginosis is caused by a combination of several bacteria. These bacteria seem to overgrow much the same way as Candida will when the vaginal balance is upset. The exact reason for this overgrowth is not known. Since bacterial vaginosis is caused by bacteria, not by yeast, it is easy to see that different methods are needed to treat the different infections. A medicine that is appropriate for yeast is not effective against the bacteria that causes bacterial vaginosis.

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Approximately 25 million Americans have varicose veins. For some, they're simply a cosmetic concern. But for many others, varicose veins can cause significant pain and discomfort.  Sometimes they even lead to more serious problems. 
Exercise does not cause varicose veins. In fact, exercise may help prevent the problem, while excessive sitting or standing is more likely to aggravate it. The underlying cause is malfunction of the
valves in the veins that normally allow blood to flow only toward your heart. If the valves are defective, blood may pool
in the veins, causing them to dilate and become varicose (meaning twisted and swollen). 

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Venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism constitute major health problems that result in significant morbidity and mortality in the United States. It is estimated that venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism are associated with 300,000 to 600,000 hospitalizations a year and that as many as 50,000 individuals die each year as a result of pulmonary embolism.

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Whipple's disease is a malabsorption disease. It interferes with the body's ability to absorb certain nutrients. The disease causes weight loss, irregular breakdown of carbohydrates and fats, resistance to insulin, and malfunctions of the immune system. When recognized and treated, Whipple's disease can be cured. Untreated, the disease is usually fatal.

Whipple's disease is caused by bacteria. It can affect any system of the body, but occurs most often in the small intestine. The disease causes lesions on the wall of the small intestine and thickening of the tissue. The villi--tiny, finger-like protrusions from the wall that help absorb nutrients--are destroyed.

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