ILLNESSOPEDIA

Here you can look through thousands of and diseases, ailments, medical conditions and illnesses. You can find the symptoms. Read about any ailment's diagnosis and find medications that can be used and the correct treatments that are needed.

Diseases, Illnesses & Ailments Starting from Letter A

1. Aplastic anemia
   Aplastic anemia is a condition wherein the bone marrow does not produce enough new cells to replenish the blood cells. The word ?aplastic? refers to the marrow that suffers from aplasia, making it unable to function normally. Anemia is the disorder that results in having lesser red blood cells than normal, which are needed to function properly. Although anemia refers to low levels of red blood cells, Aplastic anemia differs due to the lower counts of all blood cell types ? platelets, white blood cells and red blood cells. [read more]
   
   
2. Apnea, Infantile
   Apnea is a condition that is characterized by the sudden or spontaneous loss of breathing for 20 seconds or more. Infantile apnea, as its name suggest, occurs in children under 1 year old. [read more]
   
   
3. Apnea, Postanesthetic
   Postanesthetic apnea is a rare genetic disorder that is characterized by sensitivity to any anesthetic agents, particularly those derived from drugs like choline. When a person with sleep apnea is administered with anesthetic drugs, the muscles responsible for lung function become paralyzed. [read more]
   
   
4. Apocrine Duct Occlusion
   Apocrine duct Occlusion, commonly known as the Fox-Fordyce disease, is an uncommon skin disorder, affecting male and children, but is more common in women between 13 and 35 years old. This condition is characterized by the sudden development of itchy bumps usually around hair follicles of nipples, underarm areas and pubic region. [read more]
   
   
5. Apparent mineralocorticoid excess
   Apparent mineralocorticoid excess (AME) is a potentially fatal genetic disorder and autosomal recessive cause of hypokalaemia, prenatal and postnatal growth failure, undetectable levels of aldosterone and renin and hypertension, which responds to treatments using glucocorticoid. Apparent mineralocorticoid excess is an extremely rare disorder, accounting to only 60 patients recorded for the past 20 years. Apparent mineralocorticoid excess is a result of mutations of the HSD11B2 gene, which is responsible for encoding the kidney isozyme ?11B-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase?. This isozyme inactivates the circulating cortisol to the less-active metabolite cortisone, which leads to an elevated amount of cortisol in the kidney. Note that high concentrations of cortisol could activate the ?mineralocorticoid receptor?, which leads to an aldosterone-like effect in the patient's kidneys. This occurrence causes hypernatremia, hypokalemia and hypertension. Apparent mineralocorticoid excess can also be caused by licorice ingestion, which blocks 11-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and increase cortisol activity. Early and aggressive treatment of Apparent mineralocorticoid excess can prevent and improve the mortality and morbidity of end-organ damage rates. Diagnosis is made by DNA and hormonal analysis. [read more]
   
   
6. Appendicitis
   Appendicitis, also known as epityphlitis, is a condition wherein an inflammation of the appendix occurs. Although mild cases of appendicitis can be resolved without any treatment, most require removal of the appendix. [read more]
   
   
7. Apple Peel Syndrome
   Apple peel syndrome, also known as Jejunal Atresia, is an extremely rare genetic disorder wherein patients are born without a small part of the fold from the stomach membrane connecting the small intestines to the abdomen. This condition occurs in 1 of 270 babies born alive. It is the most common intestinal obstruction found in one third of all babies. [read more]
   
   
8. Apraxia
   Apraxia is a neurological disorder that is characterized by the loss of ability to carry out or execute learned movements, such as speech, despite having the physical ability and desire to perform such movements. [read more]
   
   
9. Apudoma
   An apudoma is any endocrine tumor that arises from an APUD cell (APUD, meaning amine precursor uptake and decarboxylation) properties. These cells, which are derived from neural crest cells, are from structures such as the prostate, pancreas and ampulla of Vater. First identified in 1975, Apudoma is a very general term. As such, most doctors and scientists prefer to use a more specific term when possible, such as apudoma of gall bladder. [read more]
   
   
10. Arachnitis
    Arachnitis, commonly known as Arachnoiditis, is a severe condition characterized by intense stinging, burning pain and various neurological problems, which could lead to scarring, irritation and blinding of blood vessels ad its nerve roots. [read more]
    
    
11. Arachnodactyly
    This disease is also known as "spider fingers" or archromachia. It is referred to as "spider fingers" due to the fact that the fingers are slim and long comparing it to the palm like a spider's legs. This disease can occur after birth or later in life. This disease can happen without any medical conditions but sometimes it is related with some medical condition for instance Marfan Syndrome. Other term for this disease is Dolichostenomelia. [read more]
    
    
12. Arachnodactyly, Contractural Beals Type
    Contractural Beals Type Arachnodactyly is a very rare genetic disorder also known as Beals Syndrome. It is characterized by permanently flexed fingers, abnormally shaped ears and the permanent fixation of affected joints like hips, fingers, knees and elbows that is in a flexed position. [read more]
    
    
13. Arachnoid cysts
    It is an uncommon disease which involves cysts that are fluid-filled that forms in the arachnoid membrane that is a thin layer of tissue that creates a membrane that covers the brain and the spinal cord It can start during childhood or can come later during adulthood. The determination of the severity of the disease is based on the location of the cyst and how big it is. [read more]
    
    
14. Arachnoidal Fibroblastoma
    Arachnoidal Fibroblastoma, commonly known as Meningioma, is a tumor of the meninges, a part of the brain that protects the spinal cord and brain. This condition can develop in any part of the spinal cord or brain, but usually start in the cerebral hemispheres. Most Arachnoidal Fibroblastoma are benign, but malignant types of this condition occur. This condition accounts to one in every five brain tumors and is mostly found in middle-aged adults. [read more]
    
    
15. Arachnoiditis
    A disease due to the swelling of the arachnoids which is a membrane that encloses and shields the central nervous system nerves together with the spinal cord and the brain. The swelling can be caused by infections due to viruses or bacteria and can also be caused by chemical irritation. The swelling may cause creation of scar tissue and bonding that results the nerves on the spine to ?bond?. The disease is usually progressive and treatments differ in its efficiency, the disease is not often cured. [read more]
    
    
16. Arakawa's syndrome II
    An error of metabolism that is inherent is known as Arakawa's syndrome II. A hereditary disorder caused by the absence of the enzyme tetrahydrofolate-methyltransferase. People who has this disease cannot properly digest methylcobalamin a kind of Vitamin B12. Other terms for this disease are Methionine synthase deficiency, N5-methylhomocysteine transferase deficiency and Tetrahydrofolate-methyltransferase deficiency syndrome. [read more]
    
    
17. ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome)
    Acute respiratory distress syndrome is a condition in which a patient with underlying disease has a breathing problem. It is a non- specific respiratory disorder that occurs if there is a fluid build up in the lungs that blocks the exchange of gases that provide energy in the body. ARDS is a life threatening disease if failed to provide care immediately and properly. [read more]
    
    
18. Aregenetive Anemia
    Aregenetive anemia is a type of anemia in which the bone marrow drastically reduces its production of blood cells. It is a rare but serious condition that can be life-threatening. [read more]
    
    
19. ARG Deficiency
    ARG deficiency is a rare genetic disorder that is shown by a lack of the arginase enzyme. This enzyme plays a big role in removing nitrogen from the body, and insufficient amounts of arginase can lead to nitrogen poisoning in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid. Effects of nitrogen contamination include mental retardation, spasticity and mental retardation. ARG deficiency is an autosomal recessive disorder. [read more]
    
    
20. Arginase deficiency (Arginemia)
    A hereditary disorder, that causes high level of arginine in the blood. Death is the result for total deficiency while partial deficiency causes hyperammonemia, metabolic alkalosis, convulsions, hepatomegaly, mental retardation and failure to grow. [read more]