Sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) is a condition presenting with many pauses in breathing while a person is asleep. The condition was first described in the literature . A person has SAS if he stop breathing 5 or more times in 1 hour while asleep. Or, if he stops breathing 30 or more times during a 6 hour sleep period. SAS Two Types: Central and Obstructive (OSAS) In central variety, the airways stay open, while the chest muscles and diaphragm stop working. This [...]
Sinusitis is an inflammation or infection of one or more of the sinuses. A sinus is a hollow air space in the skull. These are also known as the para-nasal sinuses since they surround the nasal cavity. The para-nasal sinuses include: Frontal sinuses over the eyes in the brow area Maxillary sinuses inside each cheekbone Ethmoid sinuses just behind the bridge of the nose and between the eyes Sphenoid sinuses behind the ethmoids in the upper region of the nose and behind the [...]
Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder – HSDD Every man and woman experiences low sex (loss of libido) drive during some period in life. If low sex drive is continued and lasting, it calls for treatment. Almost 15% of men have this problem all the time; while over 30% females have it, but may not voice about it. As you know every disease has complex medical name. Similarly, Low sex desire is also called as (Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder – HSDD). Let us look [...]
Seborrheic dermatitis (=Seborrhoeic Dermatitis) is a common, chronic, superficial skin disorder causing scaly, itchy, red skin on the scalp, face, upper chest, back and other oily areas in the body. Seborrheic dermatitis is one of the leading causes of stubborn dandruff and occurs in all age groups. This condition primarily affects the sebaceous cysts present in the skin. The sebaceous glands are present nearly everywhere in our skin except on the palms and soles. These glands secrete an oily substance (sebum) which [...]
What is Scleroderma? Scleroderma is a disease which primarily affects the skin producing abnormal hardening of tissues. The exact cause of scleroderma is unknown, however, it is termed as an autoimmune disease, which triggers overproduction of collagen in tissues and damages blood vessels. Collagen is a protein found in connective tissues of skin, joints, tendons and internal organs such as lungs, heart, liver, kidneys, etc. Hence the severity of disease depends on which parts of the body are affected. Overproduction of collagen leads [...]
Sciatica simply means problem with the sciatic nerve. Sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the human body starting from pelvis passing through buttocks, thighs and backside of the leg and ending near the sole of the feet. Typically sciatica affects only one side of the body or only one leg. Causes of sciatica: Compression of the sciatic nerve: When there is bulging (herniation) of disc or extra growth of the bone or bone spur of the vertebra it causes compression [...]
Schizophrenia, also sometimes called split personality disorder, is one of the psychotic mental disorders and is characterized by symptoms of thought, behavior, and social problems. Schizophrenia seems to result from a breakdown in the mental process by which we differentiate our inner self from the outside world. To a normal person, thinking, speaking and hearing are quite different subjective experiences, but in schizophrenia, this differentiation becomes blurred. Prevalence of Schizophrenia: It is a chronic, severe, debilitating mental illness that affects about 1% [...]
Restless leg syndrome is a disorder characterized by a powerful, irresistible urge to move one’s legs. Many unpleasant sensations like those of burning, aching, or bugs creeping, crawling, tugging, etc. in the legs, make the person want to move them constantly. These sensations are strongest when the person relaxes his legs, lies down or while sitting. They can be intense enough to make the person unusually irritable and disturbs many a good night’s sleep. Who can have Restless Leg Syndrome? RLS can [...]
Definition: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the joints. This condition can also affect the tissues surrounding the joints (muscles, tendons, ligaments) as well as other organs of the body (skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and muscles). RA is a chronic condition and it tends to last for many years though there are periods in between when the patient is without any symptom. RA is a progressive condition and over a period of time, it [...]
Discoloration of the extremities caused due to lack of blood supply because of cold and emotional stress is called Raynaud’s disease. It is more common in women then men. Symptoms: When exposed to cold or the triggering emotional stress the fingers and toes become pale, cold and numb and then blue when the oxygen supply is depleted. When the blood supply returns on warming the extremities turn red with tingling and swelling. Prevention: People suffering from Raynaud’s disease should keep their extremities warm by [...]