Cushing’s syndrome is a hormonal disorder. The cause is long-term exposure to too much cortisol, a hormone that your adrenal gland makes. Sometimes, taking synthetic hormone medicine to treat an inflammatory disease leads to Cushing’s. Some kinds of tumors produce a hormone that can cause your body to make too much cortisol. Cushing’s syndrome is […]
Health Answer Category: General
What are Elbow Injuries and Disorders ?
Your elbow joint is made up of bone, cartilage, ligaments and fluid. Muscles and tendons help the elbow joint move. When any of these structures is hurt or diseased, you have elbow problems. Many things can make your elbow hurt. A common cause is tendinitis, an inflammation or injury to the tendons that attach muscle to […]
What is Cryptosporidiosis ?
Cryptosporidiosis (crypto) is an illness caused by a parasite. The parasite lives in soil, food, and water. It may also be on surfaces that have been contaminated with feces (poop). You can become infected by swallowing the parasite, if it is in your food, drinking water, or water that you swim in. You can also […]
What are Fungal Infections ?
If you have ever had athlete’s foot or a yeast infection, you can blame a fungus. A fungus is a primitive organism. Mushrooms, mold and mildew are examples. Fungi live in air, in soil, on plants and in water. Some live in the human body. Only about half of all types of fungi are harmful. Some fungi reproduce through tiny […]
What is Croup?
Croup is an inflammation of the vocal cords (larynx) and windpipe (trachea). It causes difficulty breathing, a barking cough, and a hoarse voice. The cause is usually a virus, often parainfluenza virus. Other causes include allergies and reflux. Croup often starts out like a cold. But then the vocal cords and windpipe become swollen, causing the hoarseness and the […]
What are Eye Movement Disorders ?
When you look at an object, you’re using several muscles to move both eyes to focus on it. If you have a problem with the muscles, the eyes don’t work properly. There are many kinds of eye movement disorders. Two common ones are Strabismus – a disorder in which the two eyes don’t line up […]
What is Crohn’s Disease ?
What is Crohn’s disease? Crohn’s disease is a chronic disease that causes inflammation in your digestive tract. It can affect any part of your digestive tract, which runs from your mouth to your anus. But it usually affects your small intestine and the beginning of your large intestine. Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease […]
What is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome ?
Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden, unexplained death of an infant younger than one year old. Some people call SIDS “crib death” because many babies who die of SIDS are found in their cribs. SIDS is the leading cause of death in children between one month and one year old. Most SIDS deaths […]
What are Facial Injuries and Disorders ?
Face injuries and disorders can cause pain and affect how you look. In severe cases, they can affect sight, speech, breathing and your ability to swallow. Fractures (broken bones), especially in the bones of your nose, cheekbone and jaw, are common facial injuries. Certain diseases also lead to facial disorders. For example, nerve diseases like trigeminal neuralgia or Bell’s palsy sometimes cause […]
What are Craniofacial Abnormalities ?
Craniofacial is a medical term that relates to the bones of the skull and face. Craniofacial abnormalities are birth defects of the face or head. Some, like cleft lip and palate, are among the most common of all birth defects. Others are very rare. Most of them affect how a person’s face or head looks. These conditions may […]