COMMON DISEASES OF THE BODY CONTINUED

I hope you enjoyed my last two post about the care of the heart and effects of smoking.
Well, this article is the continuation of the brief description of the common diseases of the body:

DEAFNESS:
This is inability to hear a sound adequately. It can be partial or complete. It could be as a result of problems involving the auditory apparatus or the nerve supplying the ear. An otolaryngologist should be consulted in each circumstance.

ECTOPIC PREGNANCY:

It is a pregnancy which occurs outside the uterus or womb. There are different types, depending on which part of the pelvis the fertilized egg gets implanted. By far, the commonest variety is tubal pregnancy. The symptoms include amenorrhoea, lower abdominal pain, dizziness and fainting attacks. Whenever there is a suspicion of ectopic pregnancy, a gynaecological opinion is mandatory.

EPILEPSY:

This is attributed to some inherent instability in the function of the brain. It is a chronic disease where the victim suffers from recurrent fits. The age at which this occurs varies; at puberty, childhood or adult life.

In a typical attack of epilepsy, the body will look stiff and rigid, followed by jerky movements, which gradually diminish.
The patient at this stage may bite his tongue or foam from the mouth. When this is occurring, he or she should be allowed to lie flat on the floor and a handkerchief inserted in between the teeth. Also unwanted materials should be removed including tight clothing. The severity of the fit varies from individual to individual, just as the period of loss of consciousness. There is yet no known cure for epilepsy. Regular intake of drugs will improve the condition and prolong the attack free intervals.

FRECKLE:

A freckle is a small darkening of the skin of the face due to the production of a pigment from the skin which protects it against sunrays. In some, this pigment forms small patches known as freckles; while in others, the reaction to this pigment causes the blowing of the skin. Freckles are mostly caused by too-much exposure of oneself to the sun and the logical remedy is to avoid over exposure to sunrays.

ASTHMA:
Asthma occurs when the airways in your lungs (bronchial tubes) become inflamed and constricted. The muscles of the bronchial walls tighten, and your airways produce extra mucus that blocks your airways. Signs and symptoms of asthma range from minor wheezing to life-threatening asthma attacks.

INFLUENZA:
This is also called flu
Influenza, commonly called the flu, is not the same as the stomach viruses that cause diarrhea and vomiting.
Influenza is a viral infection that attacks the respiratory system, including your nose, throat, bronchial tubes and lungs.
Anyone can get the flu, but young children, older adults, people with weakened immune systems and those with chronic illnesses are especially vulnerable. If you're at high risk of flu, your first line of defense is an annual flu shot.
Approximately 50 million people died worldwide in the 1918 influenza pandemic. Today, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as many as 36,000 people in the United States die each year of complications of influenza and more than 200,000 are hospitalized.


HYPERTENSION:
Blood pressure is determined by the amount of blood your heart pumps and the amount of resistance to blood flow in your arteries. The more blood your heart pumps and the narrower your arteries, the higher your blood pressure.
You can have high blood pressure (hypertension) for years without a single symptom. Uncontrolled high blood pressure increases your risk of serious health problems, including heart attack and stroke
High blood pressure typically develops over many years, and it affects nearly everyone eventually. Fortunately, high blood pressure can be easily detected. And once you know you have high blood pressure, you can work with your doctor to control it.

DEPRESSION:
Most health professionals today consider depression a chronic illness that requires long-term treatment, much like diabetes or high blood pressure. Although some people experience only one episode of depression, most have repeated episodes of depression symptoms throughout their life.
Depression is one of the most common health conditions in the world. Depression isn't a weakness, nor is it something that you can simply "snap out of." Depression, formally called major depression, major depressive disorder or clinical depression, is a medical illness that involves the mind and body. It affects how you think and behave and can cause a variety of emotional and physical problems. You may not be able to go about your usual daily activities, and depression may make you feel as if life just isn't worth living anymore.
Effective diagnosis and treatment can help reduce even severe depression symptoms. And with effective treatment, most people with depression feel better, often within weeks, and can return to the daily activities they previously enjoyed.

I hope you've learnt something from this post. In my next post, I will be telling you about some diseases and thier old names..............

Stay healthy.