Plantar Fasciitis

Are your first steps out of bed in the morning causing you severe pain in your heel? Or does your heel hurt after jogging or playing tennis?Most commonly, heel pain is caused by inflammation of the plantar fascia which is a tendon, that starts at your heel and goes along the bottom of your foot. It attaches to each one of the bones that form the ball of your foot. The plantar fascia works like a rubber band between the heel and the ball of your foot to form the arch of your foot. If the band is short, you'll have a high arch, and if it's long, you'll have a low arch, what some people call flatfeet. A pad of fat in your heel covers the plantar...

Deep Venous Thrombosis

What is deep vein thrombosis?Deep vein thrombosis (also called DVT) is a blood clot in a vein deep inside your body. These clots usually occur in one of the major deep veins of the lower legs, thighs, or pelvis. A clot blocks blood circulation through these veins, which carry blood from the lower body back to the heart. The blockage can cause pain, swelling, or warmth in the affected leg.your leg veins. While DVT is a fairly common condition, it is also a dangerous one. Occasionally the veins of the arm are affected (known as Paget-Schrötter disease). If tlood clot breaks away and travels through your bloodstream, it could block a blood vessel...

Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis

Diverticular disease affects the lining of the bowel. It is caused by small pouches (called diverticula) that can form anywhere in your digestive tract. They occur when the inner layer of the digestive tract bulges through weak spots in the outer layer.Although these pouches can occur anyplace from the mouth to the anus, most occur in the large intestine (colon), especially the left (lower) part of the colon just above the rectum. These marble-sized pouches usually occur where blood vessels run through the intestinal wall. People who have these pouches are said to have diverticulosis. When this condition does not cause any symptoms, most people...

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - When the hands go numb and hurt!

The carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway which is surrounded by bones, ligaments and tendons — about as big around as your thumb — located on the palm side of your wrist. This tunnel protects a main nerve ( called the median nerve )to your hand and nine tendons that bend your fingers.When the median nerve is compressed at the wrist, it leads to pain, paresthesias ( numbness ), and muscle weakness in the forearm and hand. A form of compressive neuropathy ( nerve damage ), Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ( CTS ) is more common in women than it is in men. It has a peak incidence on the 40's, though it can occur at any age. The lifetime risk for CTS is around...

Acne - When pimples come out!

Acne is a large cosmetic problem of about 85% of teenagers. It produces unpleasant pimples and lesions on the face, that if unproperly taken care of, can cause scars and can be painful. It’s not a wonder that teens often refer to it as ‘the plague’. Acne commonly starts in the early teen years , when the oil glands in the body start making more sebum (oil). This happens at adrenarche ( the start of hormonal production in the adrenals ). In people who have acne, dead skin cells mix with the extra oil and plug up hair follicles in the skin. Bacteria ( Propionibacterium acnes ) that grows in the hair follicles causes more skin irritation.A "whitehead"...

Nausea

Nausea is the sensation of unease and discomfort in the stomach with an urge to vomit.CausesNausea is not a sickness, but rather a symptom of several conditions, many of which are not related to the stomach. If you are not suffering from upset stomach there are other illnesses that can cause this problem. Nausea is basically a reaction; the body has, due to the presence of some illness in your body.Common causes of nausea are travel sickness ( due to confusion between perceived movement and actual movement ), morning sickness ( due to pregnancy ), also as a reaction to chemotherapy and general anesthesia, and of course as side effects to drugs...

Bening Prostatic Hypertrophy

What is benign prostatic hyperplasia?Benign prostatic hyperplasia or hypertrophy (also called BPH) is a condition that affects the prostate gland in men. The prostate is a gland found between the bladder (where urine is stored) and the urethra (the tube urine passes through on its way out). Found only in men, the prostate adds a liquid medium that the sperm cells need for nourishment as well as to exit the body. This prostate gland slowly grows bigger (or enlarges) as men get older. As the prostate gets bigger, it presses on the urethra and cause the flow of urine to be slower and less forceful. The term "benign" means the enlargement isn't caused...

Bad Breath - Halitosis

This is one very common cause of dentist visits. Having bad breath or halitosis is usually so common that you may know someone with the problem. Halitosis, oral malodor, breath odor, foul breath, fetor oris, or most commonly bad breath are used to describe noticeably unpleasant odors exhaled in breathing. Sometimes the smells do come from a mouth source, others they come from other sources such as nares and stomach. Halitosis has a significant impact — personally and socially — on those who suffer from it and is estimated to be the 3rd most frequent reason for seeking dental aid.Where does bad breath come from?In 85-90% of the cases, halitosis...

Anemia - When Blood count goes low

Anemia is defined as a qualitative or quantitative deficiency of hemoglobin. But what is hemoglobin? It is a molecule inside red blood cells (RBCs).Red blood cells are the most numerous blood cells in blood, present in males: 4.7 to 6.1 million cells per microliter (cells/mcL) and in females: 4.2 to 5.4 million cells/mcL.Hemoglobin is a molecule that is in charged of carrying oxygen. As Red blood cells move around the body, oxygen in the hemoglobin molecule will go from the lungs to the tissues. Normal values of hemoglobin vary depending on age and sex:cord blood  -  13.5-20.5 Hb g/dLfirst day of life  -  15.0-23.5 Hb g/dLchild, 6mths-6yrs  -...