113 results found for "muscular"
Acanthocheilonemiasis is an uncommon tropical infectious illness which is caused by Acanthocheilonema perstans, a parasite. This parasite causes rashes of the skin, chest and abdominal pains, joint and muscle pains, lumps on the skin and also neurologic defects. This disease is often transmitted when small flies bite the victim and the bite has the parasite with it. The scientific name of the fly that transmits the ?infectious bite' is A.Coliroides. Studies manifest that the white blood cell levels at elevated when the parasite is present in the human body. Acanthocheilonemiasis belongs to the parasitic diseases group which is called nematode or filarial diseases. This disease is often found in Africa only because the parasite is found abundantly on this region. Uganda, specifically, has had a lot of reported cases. A handful of patients were found in South America. Other names for this disease are Acanthocheilonemiasis perstans, Dipetalonema perstans, Mansonella perstans, and Dipetalonemiasis. [read more]
Acanthocytosis is a phenotype of the red cell which can be found in different fundamental conditions. Bassen-Kornzweig syndrome or Abetalipoproteinemia; and an acute disease of the liver (spur cell hemolytic anemia) are the most common conditions that can be associated with acanthocytosis. Acantha is a Greek word for thorn and it is fitting that it is given to name the spur cells that have projections of different sizes which are the acanthocytes. These cells appear to be contracted, irregular, and dense. The formation of these cells depends on the alteration of the fat composition and the fluidity of red cell's membrane. [read more]
Achalasia also called esophageal achalasia; cardiospasm, achalasia cardiae; dyssynergia esophagus or esophageal aperistalsis; is an esophageal motility disease. This disorder manifests an impaired peristalsis of the smooth muscle level of the esophagus. Peristalsis is the term used to describe the muscular capability of the esophagus to make the food move down to the stomach). Also, a patient with achalasia has a lower esophageal sphincter or LES that cannot relax which is its normal response to swallowing. The most common form of this disorder is primary achalasia. This form has no recorded underlying cause. Esophageal cancer (Chagas disease in South America) could be a result of achalasia. [read more]
Adenomyosis is more popularly known as amenorrhea, and is characterized as a serious health complication among women that consist of the detection of an ectopic endometrial tissue, which normally lines the uterus, are found to extend into the muscular and fibrous tissue of the uterus.There are two known types of adenomyosis?primary and secondary. This disorder may coexist along with external endometriosis. [read more]
There are four types of congenital adrenal hypoplasia that have been recognized and they are the following: an X-linked type or the OMIM 300200 which is caused by a deletion or mutation of the AHCH gene or the DAX1 gene (found in the X chromosome dosage-receptive sex reversal adrenal hypoplasia congenital vital region). This type is often linked with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. It might be a component of an adjacent deletion of chromosome (this may include congenital adrenal hypoplasia, OMIM 310200 or the Duchenne muscular dystrophy and OMIM 307030 or glyce3rol kinase deficiency; the second type is the autosomal recessive type and it is caused by a deletion or mutation of the gene which is responsible for coding for SF-1 or steroidogenic factor 1 on OMIM 184757 or chromosome 9q99. This type is also linked with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism; The third type is an autosomal recessive type. This type has a vague etiology (or OMIM 240200); The fourth type of adrenal hypoplasia which is linked with the retardation of intrauterine growths, genital defects, and metaphysical dysplasia is the OMIM 300290 or the IMAGe (intrauterine growth retardation, metaphysical dysplasia, adrenal hypoplasia congenital, genital defects) association. The X-linked type adrenal hypoplasia congenital is a disease which is mainly acquired by males. It usually involves several endocrine tissues of the body most especially the gmall glands above the kidneys or the adrenal glands. The characteristics that often manifest are a reduction in the function of the adrenal gland; hypoglycemia; dehydration, feeding difficulties; and shock. Other male patients might also be sexually underdeveloped. The females who are rarely affected also have adrenal insufficiency and a deficiency of sex hormones. [read more]
Agyria which actually means smooth brain is an unusual brain formation disorder distinguished by the absence of normal folds in the brain. Malfunctioning neuronal movement is the cause of Agyria where in the nerve cells travel from their original place to their stable location. It is a kind of cephalic disorder. Convolutions or gyri refer to the folds in the brain and this forms the surface of the normal brain. Young patients who have Agyria has have a lack of or partially formed convolutions which makes the exterior of the brain smooth. [read more]
Androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) is also called Androgen resistance syndrome. Androgen insensitivity syndrome is a condition wherein patients suffer from a set of disorders related to sexual differentiation, which results in mutation of the genes encoding the androgen receptor. The nature of problems caused by Androgen insensitivity syndrome varies largely according to the sensitivity and structure of abnormal receptor. Almost all types of Androgen insensitivity syndrome involve infertility and undervirilization in persons of both genders. Women with complete Androgen insensitivity syndrome have female appearance even if they have an undescended testes and 46XY karyotype. [read more]
Ankylosis is a condition characterized by joint stiffness caused by an injury or a disease. The rigidity of joints may be partial or complete. Some cases of Ankylosis may be due to the inflammation of the muscular (tendinous) structures in the outer part of the joints or of the joint's tissues itself. [read more]
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]
Ascariasis is a human infection caused by the parasitic roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides. Maybe one quarter of the world's inhabitants is infected and ascariasis is mainly common in humid regions and in regions of poor hygiene. Additional types of the species Ascaris are parasitic and can cause infections in domestic animals. Disease happens during eating of food contaminated with feces having Ascaris eggs. The larvae hatch hideaway all the way through the intestine, arrive at the lungs, and lastly travel up the respiratory tract. Starting there they are then re-swallowed and grow up in the intestine, growing up to 30 cm (12 in.) in length and securing itself to the intestinal wall. Diseases are typically asymptomatic especially if the quantity of worms is little. They may nevertheless be associated with swelling, fever, and diarrhea, and serious harms may extend if the worms travel to other portions of the body. [read more]
Atrioventricular septal defect formerly known as "common atrioventricular canal" (CAVC) or "endocardial cushion defect" distinguished by a deficit of the heart's atrioventricular septum. It results from an abnormal or insufficient union of the lower and higher endocardial cushions with the middle part of the atrial septum and the muscular part of the ventricular septum. The Atrioventricular septal defect is divided into two forms which are ?partial? and ?complete? forms. In partial AVSD there is a partial defect in the primum or lower portion of the atrial septum but does not have straight intraventricular communication while in complete AVSD, there is a huge ventricular element underneath each or both the higher or lower bridging leaflets of the AV valve. [read more]
Autoimmune peripheral neuropathy is a term for the nerves of the secondary nervous system being damaged that can result from either diseases of the nerve or from the systemic illness side-effects. Secondary neuropathies differ in their presentation and origin and can affect the neuromuscular or nerve junction. [read more]
Balance disorders are impairments or complete loss of muscle coordination. A common balance disorder is ataxia, in which involuntary trembling of some parts of the body take place during voluntary motion. This becomes a hindrance in performing precise movements. Balance disorders are a symptom of different defects in the muscular as well as the central nervous system. [read more]
Basilar artery migraines an unusual condition distinguished by headache related with a range of neurological symptoms. The state is a result of a trouble of the basilar artery that is seen in the brainstem. [read more]
Beals Syndrome, also known as Congenital contractural arachnodactyly or CCA, is a heritable disorder involving the connective tissue of the skeleton. It is related to, but distinct from, Marfan Syndrome. [read more]
Becker's muscular dystrophy (BMD), also known as benign pseudohypertrophic muscular dystrophy, is an X-linked inherited disorder that involves the slowly and progressive weakness of the muscle in the legs and pelvis. It is a type of dystrophinopathy, which includes a range of muscle diseaseswhere there is insufficient dystrophin produced in the muscle cells, resulting in instability in the muscle cell membrane's structure. [read more]
Benign fasciculation syndrome (BFS) is a disorder affecting the neurological system and characterized by fasciculation (or twitching) of various voluntary muscles in the body. The twitching can occur in any voluntary muscle group but is most commonly found in the eyelids, arms, legs, and feet. Even the tongue may be affected by BFS. The twitching may be occasional or may go on almost continuously. Any intentional movement of the affected muscle causes the fasciculation to cease immediately, but may return once the muscle is at rest again. [read more]
Bladder neoplasm (or bladder cancer) is a disease in which abnormal cells multiply and grow in number without control in the bladder. The bladder is a hollow, muscular organ that stores urine and is located in the pelvis. The most common type of bladder cancer starts in cells lining the inside of the bladder and is called urothelial cell or transitional cell carcinoma (UCC or TCC). [read more]
Brucellosis, also known as undulant fever, undulating fever, or Malta fever, is a zoonosis (infectious disease transmitted from animals to humans) caused by bacteria of the genus Brucella. It is generally a disease of domestic animals (goats, pigs, cattle, dogs, etc) and humans and has a worldwide distribution, mostly now in developing countries. [read more]
Bruton agammaglobulinemia was the first immunodeficiency disease to be described. Colonel Ogden Bruton noted in 1952 the absence of immunoglobulins in a young male with a history of pneumonias and other bacterial sinopulmonary infections. Bruton was also the first physician to furnish specific immunotherapy for this X-linked disorder by administering intramuscular injections of immunoglobulin G (IgG). The patient improved but died of chronic pulmonary disease in his fourth decade of life. This disorder is now formally known as X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA), and the gene defect has been mapped to the gene that codes for Bruton tyrosine kinase (Btk) at band Xq21.3. The BTK gene is big and consists of 19 exons that encode the 659 amino acids that form the Btk cytosolic tyrosine kinase. Mutations can happen in any area of the gene. Btk is needed for the proliferation and differentiation of B lymphocytes. In the absence of working Btk, mature B cells that express surface immunoglobulin and the marker CD19 are few to absent. The lack of CD19 is readily detected with fluorocytometric assays, and this finding usually easily confirms the diagnosis of XLA in a male. As Bruton originally described, XLA shows itself as pneumonias and other bacterial sinopulmonary infections in 80% of cases. Such infections that start in male infants as maternal IgG antibodies, acquired transplacentally, are lost. Thus, XLA is most often diagnosed when unusually severe or recurrent sinopulmonary infections occur in a male infant younger than 1 year. [read more]
Bunions pertain to abnormal bony bumps that grow on the joint at the base of the big toe, causing the latter to enlarge. [read more]
Cardiospasm is the muscular failure among the esophagus and the stomach to open where in obstructing the passage of food into the stomach which causes the food to go into the esophagus. Cardiospasm is also known as achalasia and other terms for this condition are as follows achalasia cardiae, cardiospasm, dyssynergia esophagus, and esophageal aperistalsis. [read more]
Cerebral palsy is a group of diseases that are non-progressive and non-contagious. The word cerebral refers to the cerebrum, and palsy means disorder of movement. Cerebral palsy is characterized by damaged motor control centers in the brains of young children. The brain damage that occurs does not worsen over time, although orthopedic difficulties may accompany the condition. There are 4 common classifications of cerebral palsy according to the damaged area of the brain. These are spastic, athetoid/dyskinetic, ataxic, and mixed. Spastic cerebral palsy is the most common type, and this type of cerebral palsy affects the motor cortex, corticospinal tract, or pyramidal tract, which leads to neuromuscular conditions. Patients with this type of CP also are hypertonic. Athetoid or dyskinetic type of CP have mixed muscle tone, and have either hypertonia or hypotonia. Ataxia, the least most common type of cerebral palsy, is characterized by tremors, hypotonia, and possibly some difficulties with motor skills. [read more]
The Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease is an inherited heterogeneous disease characterized by the death of muscle tissue and loss of touch sensation. It usually attacks the legs and feet but also triggers the arms and hands as the disease progresses. It is also known as Peroneal Muscular Atrophy or Hereditary Motor and Sensory Neuropathy, and is incurable at present. The disease is named after scientists who took the effort to do research on it, Jean-Martin Charcot and his student Pierre Marie, as well as Howard Henry Tooth. [read more]
Chronic fatigue syndrome is a complex disorder where in one suffers from recurring fatigue which cannot be improved by rest and can be aggravated by mental or physical activity. People suffering from CFS do not engage in lots of activities because they easily get tired. CFS can last for years and there are no specific tests available to diagnose this disorder. [read more]
Congenital central hypoventilation syndrome, or CCHS, is a disease that affects the central nervous system. The disease is characterized by an impairment or absence in the body's automatic control for breathing. The patient's body forgets to breathe, even during sleep. The symptoms for congenital central hypoventilation syndrome can be mild or severe, but typical symptoms include abnormal pupils, which occur in 70% of cases; poor breathing functions especially during sleep, lack of spontaneous breathing, and bluish color in lips, nails, and skin due to breathing problems. Half of the patients with congenital central hypoventilation syndrome can breathe almost normally when they are awake; however, it is during sleep when they encounter difficulty breathing. Other characteristics to watch out for when diagnosing one with congenital central hypoventilation syndrome are: no muscular or respiratory problems that may cause the breathing difficulty; no heart disease; consistent poor breathing during sleep, and that the symptoms are noticed when the child is less than a year old and continues. Early diagnosis of the disease is important, because when it goes undetected, this may result in death. Once it is determined that a patient has congenital central hypoventilation syndrome, they can seek treatment for the disease. Prior to treatment, the patient will undergo a variety of tests, among the first will determine the severity of the problem. Other tests will determine the respiratory aspects of the disease, as well as neurological and cardiac tests. During the course of treatment, the patient will use breathing support apparatus, such a respirator. Some children may need to use it for 24 hours of the day. In more severe cases, patients undergo surgery that will allow them to use a surgical implant that provides electrical stimulation to the diaphragm muscle to help improve breathing. Studies show that genetics plays a role in the occurrence of congenital central hypoventilation syndrome. Research also shows that since 20% of the cases are accompanied by Hirschsprung disease, that there is an underlying connection that can be found in the genetics of the patients. Children born with congenital central hypoventilation syndrome can still lead normal and active lives; however, extra supervision is needed during certain activities such as swimming when the body can forget to breathe when in the water. [read more]
Congenital hypothyroidism is also medically referred to as endemic cretinism which is characterized by the inadequate production of thyroid hormone among newborn infants. This typically occurs due to an anatomic defect in the infant's gland, which is categorized as an inborn defect of iodine deficiency or thyroid metabolism. [read more]
Congenital myopathy is characterized by a muscle disorder that is already present at birth, and this includes a great number of highly distinct neuromuscular syndromes and disorders. In most cases, congenital myopathies do not display any evidence of progressive dystrophic progress or any inflammations. This comes with the marked muscle weakness and loss of muscle tone that significantly delays motor development of babies such as learning how to walk. [read more]
The cubital tunnel syndrome is a nerve disorder wherein stiffness and pain occurs in the cubital tunnel, or the ulnar nerves. Pain is severely felt at the back part of the elbow, which is commonly known as the funny bone. [read more]
A condition in which the muscles of your stomach don't function normally is called gastroparesis or delayed gastric emptying. Usually, strong muscular contractions propel food through the digestive tract, and if the muscles in the wall of the stomach work poorly or not all, it would prevent the stomach from emptying properly and therefore, letting one would experience delayed gastric emptying. [read more]
Dermatomyosis is a disease of the connective tissues associated with muscles and skin inflammation. Juvenile dermatomyositis affects young children often associated with pink patches in the knuckles, abnormal and painful erection of the penis that can last for a long period of time, and groton's papules. It is one type of autoimmune disease of the connective tissue which is related to polymyositis characterized by many inflammations of the muscles, and the related disease that attacks the arm and leg muscles called Sporadic Inclusion Body Myositis. [read more]
Diptheria is a communicable disease of upper respiratory tract it is caused by an anaerobic Gram- positive bacterium called Corynebacterium diphtheriae. it is spread through direct contact. Vaccine of this bacteria is recommended for children after four weeks of birth, it has 3 dosage with 3 weeks interva. It also recommended to travellers. Incubation period of Diphtheria is from 2 to 5 days. [read more]
Distal Myopathy are also known as distal muscular dysrtophy is a hereditary disease that causes weakness of muscuskeletal system at the distal area, it includes the hands and the feet .There are Different types of distal myopathy: the miyoshi myopathy, limp-girdle muscular dystrophy, welander distal myopathy and distal myopathy with anterior tibial onset. [read more]
is a form of muscular dystrophy that is characterized by decreasing muscle mass and progressive loss of muscle function in male children [read more]
Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy is characterized by some form of a clinical triad consisting of joint structures that usually develop during early childhood. This is accompanied by the slow progression of muscle weakness as well as wasting that starts from the scapular down to the pelvic girdle, along with cardiac muscle involvement. [read more]
Encephalitis lethargica or otherwise known as von Economo disease is categorized as an atypical manifestation of encephalitis. Also known as "sleepy sickness" or as "sleeping sickness".EL is a dreadful illness that swept the world in the 1920s and then vanished as quickly as it had appeared. EL primarily attacks the brain, then leaving some of its victims in a rather statue-like condition, both motionless as well as speechless. [read more]
Endocardial fibroelastosis is a rare heart disorder that is characterized by a thickening within the muscular lining of the heart chambers (the endocardium) due to an increase in the amount of supporting connective tissue and elastic fibers. It is considered to be a rather uncommon cause of some unexplained types of heart failure among infants and children. [read more]
Eosinophilic gastroenteritis or EG is a heterogeneous condition which is usually rare and characterized by some patchy or diffuse infiltration of the gastrointestinal tissue. It is also classified into different clasifications like serosal, mucosal, and muscular types basing on the involvement depth. For this condition, any part of the gastrointestinal tract may be affected. Also an involvment of the isolated biliary tract was reported. Most of the time it is the stomach that is commonly affected, then the small intestine and then the colon [read more]
Excessive sweat, or hyperhidrosis, is the excessive release of perspiration. It is the kind of sweating not caused by strenuous activities but can be due to genetic defects. It usually triggers the hands, underarms and feet. [read more]
Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy is also commonly known by another medical term as Landouzy-Dejerine. This is categorized as an autosomal dominant type of muscular dystrophy that primarily affects the patient's skeletal muscles of the scapula, face and upper arms. It is categorized as one of the most common genetic disorder that affects the skeletal muscle. The symptoms gradually develop and can become increasingly evident during the teenage years. [read more]
Fazio Londe syndrome is an uncommon hereditary ?motor neuron' disorder found in young adults and children. The disease is distinguished by progressive weakness of the muscle that ultimately results to untimely death. Neuromuscular transmission in these muscles might be abnormal due to immature reinervation and rapid denervation. The disease can progress to an affected person's death in as short as nine months, or can have slow evolution. [read more]
Fibromuscular dysplasia is categorized as a type of angiopathy that greatly affects medium-sized arteries and is observed to be predominant among women of childbearing age. This also affects renal arteries and can possibly cause refractory renovascular hypertension. Medical case reports have shown that Fibromuscular dysplasia also include coronary arteries, the aorta and the pulmonary arteries. [read more]
Influenza or flu is a viral infection that attacks the respiratory system including the nose, throat, bronchial tubes, and lungs. Though it is commonly called flu, influenza is not the same virus that causes diarrhea and vomiting. [read more]
Sometimes called drop foot, foot drop is a general term used to describe the difficulty in lifting the front part of the foot and cases of dragging the front of the foot on the ground when walking. Foot drop is a sign of an underlying cause such as neurological, muscular, or anatomical problem and is not a disease. [read more]
Forbes Disease occurs in 1 for every 100,000 live births. It is also called Cori's type III glycogenosis. It was Gerty Theresa Radnitz Cori and Gilbert Burnett Forbes who developed an accurate description of this condition. This rare disease is due to a missing enzyme which causes abnormal glycogen levels to be absorbed by the body, namely the liver and the skeleton musculature. [read more]
These are rare tumor of the gastrointestinal tract also known ?GIST'. GIST is a form of joint tissue cancer or sarcoma. GISTs are therefore non-epithelial tumors, separate from common forms of bowel cancer. [read more]
HARD syndrome, also known as Walker-Warburg syndrome, is a congenital muscular dystrophy related to eye and brain abnormalities. Around 30 different muscular disorders are classified under the HARD syndrome. [read more]
Heritable disorders of connective tissue are muscular diseases that cause the connective tissues to degenerate. Connective tissues such as collagen and elastin are important as they link the different organs together, and deterioration of these tissues can lead to muscular problems, weakness and paralysis. Among the kinds of hereditary connective tissue disorders are the Marfan syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and osteogenesis imperfecta, or the brittle bone disease. [read more]
A hernia is a protrusion of a tissue, structure, or portion of an organ through the muscular tissue or the membrane by which it is normally contained. The hernia had three parts: the orifice through which it herniates, the hernia sac, and its contents. [read more]
Hunt's syndrome is a rare form of progressive cerebellar dyssynergia mainly marked by intention tremor and often associated with convulsions and myoclonic epileptic jerks. [read more]
Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is a term used to describe a number of different disorders, all having in common a genetic cause and the manifestation of weakness due to loss of the motor neurons of the spinal cord and brainstem. [read more]
Intestinal pseudo-obstruction is the weakened ability of the intestines to completely push food through. Intestinal pseudo-obstruction is classified into two categories: primary condition and secondary condition. Primary conditions are those with unknown cause (idiopathic), it can also be inherited from a parent; while secondary conditions are those caused by a different underlying ailment. [read more]
Juvenile dermatomyositis or JDM is an autoimmune disorder which causes vasculitis manifesting itself among children; and it is a pediatric equivalent of dermatomyositis. JDM manifests vasculitis an inflammation which is caused by the attack of the body's immune system to the blood vessels. In the US, the rate of occurrence of JDM is estimated to be 3 in every 1,000,000 children annually. This is about 300 to 500 fresh cases every year or about 3,000 to 5,000 children. Other types of juvenile myositis include juvenile inclusion-body myositis (JIBM) and juvenile polymyositis (JPM). These two other types are very rare and are not that as common among children. The underlying cause of Juvenile dermatomyositis is still unknown. It is most probable that it has a genetic component such as other autoimmune diseases (inherited within the family). The most common triggering factors include infections, immunizations, sunburn and injuries. [read more]
Kearns-Sayre syndrome is a neuromuscular disorder of a genetic origin. However, it is different from other mitochondrial disorders because it occurs periodically and not maternally inherited. Onset of the disorder usually occurs before the person reaches the age of 20. [read more]
Kennedy disease is a rare hereditary disease affecting the nerves and muscles (neuromuscular). Females can be carriers of the disease but only males present the symptoms of the disease. Kennedy Disease is also known as X-linked spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy. [read more]
King-Denborough Syndrome is the termed used for the combination of the particular characteristics of people with malignant hyperthermia. King-Denborough syndrome is a usually inherited reaction to exposure to general anesthesia and its component drug like volatile anesthetics. It is a rare life-threatening condition. Malignant hyperthermia is an autosomal dominant disorder that is usually inherited. It is genetically related to Central Core Disease (CCD), another autosomal dominant disorder that is remarkable by MH symptoms and neuromuscular disease that leads to muscle weakness. Exposure to drugs of this kind can lead to circulatory collapse and worse, death if left untreated. [read more]
Kocher-Debr-Semlaigne syndrome is a rare disease. It is a disease of the bone muscles that are products of any nerve disorders. It is a myopathy of hypothyroidism (a medical condition marked by insufficient production of thyroid hormone by the thyroid gland. The name of the syndrome is derived from the names of Emil Theodor Kocher, Robert Debr?, and Georges Sem?laigne. This syndrome are referred with other names including: Debr Semlaigne syndrome, myxoedema-myotonic dystrophy syndrome, myxoedema-muscular hypertrophy syndrome, myopathy-myxoedema syndrome, cretinism-muscular hypertrophy, hypothyroidism-large muscle syndrome, hypothyroid myopathy, infantile, myxoedema-muscular hypertrophy, hypothyreotic muscular hypertrophy in children, [read more]
Korsakoff's syndrome is a degenerative disease of the brain, which is caused by deficit amounts of thiamine (Vitamin B1) present in the brain. The syndrome's name was derived from the name of the neuropsychiatrist who made this theory popular, Sergei Korsakoff. This disease is also known as Korsakoff's psychosis and amnesic confabulatory syndrome. [read more]
Kugelberg-Welander disease, or juvenile spinal muscular atrophy, is a disease that affects one's manner of walking, running and climbing steps. [read more]
Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome is a rare autoimmune disorder that involves the neuromuscular junction. It has a great similarity with Myasthenia Gravis, but there are also obvious distinctions with the symptoms and pathogenetic features between the two medical conditions. The disease is common in middle aged and older people; however, this is not a guarantee that young people will have no chances of suffering the disease. [read more]
Landouzy-Dejerine muscular dystrophy, also known as Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy is an autosomal dominant form of muscle weakness disorder. On the initial onset of this disorder, the first affected part is the facial, scapulo and humeral skeletal muscles. Landouzy-Dejerine muscular dystrophy is the third most prevalent genetic disease affecting the skeletal muscle. [read more]
Laryngomalacia is a medical condition wherein the larynx is extremely soft enough to cause breathing difficulties and also can initiate voice quality negative effects. Because the larynx is very soft, it tends to collapse during inhalation causing blockage to the airway passage. Laryngomalacia is literally referred to as soft larynx. The condition is most common to occur in infants; however, it can also occur in older patients essentially those who have neuromuscular problems that are possible to develop weakness of the throat muscles. [read more]
Lead poisoning is a result of exposure to lead in the environment. Even thou lead is no longer used in paints, gasoline, water pipes and other products, some lead-based products still exist and may pose a health hazard. [read more]
A leg cramp is an involuntary, sustained tightening (contraction) of one or more of your muscles. It may result in intense pain and an inability to use the affected muscles. Leg cramps are contractions of the muscles, which is often in the back of the lower leg (calf). They usually occur just as you're falling asleep or just as you're waking up. [read more]
Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy is an autosomal muscular dystrophy that is characterized by a collection of rare muscle disorders. [read more]
Locked-In syndrome is a medical condition where a patient is awake and conscious, but is unable to move any part of his body due to paralysis all almost all voluntary muscles. [read more]
Lockjaw, also known as tetanus, is a serious bacterial disease that leads to stiffness of the jaw muscles and other muscles. It can cause severe muscle spasms, make breathing difficult and, ultimately, threaten one's life. [read more]
Mannosidosis (alpha-mannosidosis) is a rare inherited metabolic disorder characterized by a deficiency of the alpha mannosidosase. This occurrence results in the accumulation of certain chemicals in the body leading later on to mental and physical deterioration. The enzyme alpha-mannosidosase aids in the breakdown of complex sugars derived from glycoprotein in the organelles that contain digestive enzymes (lysosomes). [read more]
Mononeuritis multiplex comes out from problems with multiple individual nerves serially or almost simultaneously. It is a painful asymmetric asynchronous sensory and motor peripheral neuropathy involving isolated damage to at least 2 separate nerve areas. [read more]
MND or motor neurone diseases are a group of progressive neurological disorders that destroy the cells that control voluntary muscle activity such as speaking, walking, breathing, and swallowing. Those cells are called motor neurons. The disease has several forms including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS, primary lateral sclerosis (PLS), progressive muscular atrophy (PMA), and bulbar. Spinal muscular atrophy is sometimes considered a form of MND. [read more]
Known as Hereditary Motor and Sensory Neuropathy (HMSN) or Peroneal Muscular Atrophy, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is characterized by loss of muscle tissue and touch sensation, primarily in the feet and legs but also in the hands and arms in the advanced stages of disease. The disease is presently incurable and is one of the most common inherited neurological disorders, with 37 in 100,000 affected. [read more]
Mount-Reback syndrome or Mount' syndrome was named after the doctors who classified it namely Lester Adrian Mount and S. Reback. The disease is a form of Huntington's Chorea, a rare hereditary disease affecting various muscular and nervous systems in the body. Mount's syndrome passes to roughly 50% of the offspring and shares many of the same symptoms of Chorea. Chorea however is more severe and the shared symptoms may be caused by different factors. Persons with the disease experience attacks lasting for a few minutes to several hours when they are awake. Said attacks are most severe at an early or young ages and the symptom tend to lessen as the person grows. The reason for this is unknown. [read more]
Muscle dysmorphia is a disorder in which a person becomes obsessed with the idea that he or she is not muscular enough. People who suffer from muscle dysmorphia tend to hold delusions that they are "skinny" or "too small" but are often above average in musculature. Referred to as bigorexia or reverse anorexia nervosa, it is a most specific type of body dysmorphic disorder. [read more]
Referring to a group of genetic and hereditary muscle disease that cause progressive muscle weakness, muscular dystrophies are characterized by progressive skeletal muscle weakness defects in muscle proteins, and the death of muscle cells and tissue. There are nine diseases that are classified as muscular dystrophies namely Duchenne, Becker, limb girdle, congenital, facioscapulohumeral, myotonic, oculopharyngeal, distal, and Emery-Dreifuss. [read more]
Duchenne muscular dystrophy is characterized by decreasing muscle mass and progressive loss of muscle function in male children. [read more]
Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy is an autosomal dominant from of muscular dystrophy that is also known as Landouzy-Dejerine. It initially affects the skeletal muscles of the face (facio), scapula (scapulo) and upper arms (humeral) and is the third most common genetic disease of skeletal muscle. [read more]
Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune disorder, a neuromuscular disease that can lead to fluctuating muscle weakness and fatiguability. The name is coined from Greek and Latin terms, which literally means serious muscle weakness. [read more]
A neuromuscular disease, Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune disorder that can lead to unpredictable muscle weakness and fatigability. The term is coined from Greek and Latin terms, which literally means serious muscle weakness. [read more]
Myoadenylate Deaminase Deficiency or MADD is classified as a metabolic disorder with a recessive genetic cause. This condition affects about 1-2% of the Eastern descent populations which makes it not particularly a rare disease. MADD is somewhat rarer in the Oriental populations. Myoadenylate Deaminase which is also referred to as AMP deaminase is an enzyme responsible in converting adenosine monophosphate or AMP into inosine monophosphate or IMP. This process frees ammonia molecule. This is a portion of metabolic process responsible in converting sugar, fat and protein to cellular energy. A cell usually converts sugar, fat and protein to adenosine triphosphate (ATP) through the mitochondria to utilize energy. Processes within the cell, the muscles in particular then convert ATP to adenosine diphosphate or ADP which frees the energy to perform work. Failure to deaminate AMP molecules covers three major effects which are: 1. The cell and body loses considerable amounts of AMP 2. Ammonia is not freed or released in the event that the cell performs work 3. Maintenance of IMP levels within the cell is impaired [read more]
Myocarditis is a cardiology condition marked by an inflammation of the myocardium, the muscular part of the heart, due to either viral or bacterial infection. [read more]
Myoclonus is a medical symptom marked by a brief, involuntary twitching of a muscle or a group of muscles, often caused by contractions of the muscle as a result of brief lapses in concentration. [read more]
The word myopathy literally means muscle disease. ?Myo? is from the Greek word for muscle, while ?pathy? is Greek for ?suffering?. More specifically, myopathies are neuromuscular conditions wherein the muscle fibers are damaged and no longer function for a number of reasons, thus resulting in muscular weakness. Myopathy implies a primary defect in the muscle. Even mild muscle complaints, such as cramps, stiffness, and spasms are, in fact, associated with this disorder. Myopathy is a very broad term. Specific classes are available with more distinct classifications. Some of these classes are dystrophies, myotonia, neuromyotonia, mitochondrial myopathies, and familial periodic paralysis, among others. [read more]
Myotonic dystrophy, also known as muscular dystrophy, is a progressive crippling illness presented by extreme muscle weakness until the affected person is confined to a wheelchair. [read more]
Narcolepsy-Cataplexy is a sleep disorder. Affected individuals are extremely drowsy even during the daytime; they may also fall asleep regardless of the time. After taking a short nap, persons with narcolepsy will feel and look rejuvenated and revived but after a short while will feel drowsy again. [read more]
Nemaline myopathy is a congenital hereditary neuromuscular disorder that causes muscular weakness that continuously progresses and with varying severity. It is also known as rod myopathy or nemaline rod myopathy. Nemaline myopathy is a clinical and genetical heterogeneous disease. This disorder has two forms: autosomal dominant and autosomal recessive forms. Autosomal dominant form is produced by a defective gene contributed by one parent while autosomal recessive form is produced by defective genes coming from both parents. [read more]
Neonatal myasthenia is a postsynaptic neuromuscular transmission defect that arises as a complication in the infants of mothers with myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune disease that affects the transmission of signals from nerves to muscles. [read more]
Oculopharyngeal dystrophy, which is also called oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy, is a condition characterized by deformed eyelids, speech impediment, and swallowing difficulty due to dystrophy of the pharynx. [read more]
Palate cancer pertains to a rare type of cancer affecting the roof of the mouth. The word ?palate? pertains to the roof of the mouth which has a bony portion in the front (this part is called ?hard palate?) and a muscular portion at the back (this is known as the ?soft palate?). [read more]
Patellofemoral syndrome is common muscular condition in which chronic pain under the kneecap is felt. [read more]
Peroneal muscular atrophy is a hereditary neurological disorder that causes neuropathy, particularly to the peripheral nerves or the myelin sheath, resulting in muscle weakness and muscle bulk loss. The other names for peroneal muscular atrophy are Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, and hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy. [read more]
Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy is a rapidly progressive neuromuscular disease; an opportunistic infection occurring in individuals with deficient and ineffective immune response and individuals going through long-term chemotherapy for cancer. [read more]
Progressive spinal muscular atrophy is a disease marked by progressive degeneration of motor neurons located in the spinal cord, which causes weakness and wasting of the voluntary muscles. [read more]
Proximal myotonic myopathy is a inherited muscular disorder that results to muscle weakness, frequent muscle contractions, cataracts, infertility, balding, and cardiac problems. The disorder was only discovered in 2001. It is also known as myotonic dystrophy type 2. [read more]
Psoriatic arthritis is a disease that spawns out of psoriasis. When a psoriasis-infected patient suffers from arthritis and joint pain, psoriatic arthritis has become present. It has five types, symmetric, assymetric, arthritis mutilans, spondylitis, and distal interphalengeal predominant. [read more]
Psoriatic rheumatism is a inter-joint disease similar to psoriatic arthritis. Psoriatic rheumatism however attacks the hip joints that causes stress and discomfort to those affected by it. It is as well a muscular effect brought about by psoriasis. [read more]
Rabies is a viral zoonotic neuro-invasive infection that often causes an inflammation of the brain (a condition known as acute encephalitis). Rabies is from the Latin word ?rabies? meaning ?rage, fury, or madness?. Rabies can be fatal when affecting non-vaccinated humans, especially after neurological symptoms have occurred. However, the effects can be curbed if the patient is promptly vaccinated shortly after exposure to the virus. When the disease becomes symptomatic, however, it becomes invariably fatal. [read more]
Renal artery stenosis is a condition characterized by the narrowing of the renal artery, often as a result of atherosclerosis or fibromuscular dysplasia. The narrowing of the renal artery obstructs the blood flow to the target kidney, which leads to hypertension and atrophy of the affected kidney, which in turn causes renal artery stenosis, and ultimately to renal failure if untreated. [read more]
Respiratory acidosis is the abnormal increase of acidity in the blood as a consequence of decreased ventilation of the pulmonary alveoli, which leads to an increase in carbon dioxide concentration (PaCO2). Respiratory acidosis can be either acute or chronic. [read more]
Also known as nemaline myopathy and nemaline rod myopathy, rod myopathy pertains to a congenital, hereditary neuromuscular disease characterized by progressive and non-progressive muscle weakness of varying severity. Rod myopathy is clinically classified into several groups, ranging from mild (typical), intermediate, severe, to adult-onset. However, this categorization is somewhat ambiguous, with categories commonly overlapping. [read more]
Salla disease is an autosomal recessive congenital disease affecting lysosomal storage, resulting in early physical impairment and mental abnormalities. It is also alternatively known as Finnish type sialuria or sialic acid storage disease. [read more]
Sciatica is a painful condition due to pressure on the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is the main nerve that branches off and continues down to the thighs, legs, feet, and ankles. [read more]
This is a medical condition wherein the person's spine is curved sideways and may also be rotated. When the spine is seen in x-rays, it may look more like a letter ?S' or a ?C'. It is categorized as congenital, idiopathic or developed due to a secondary symptom of another condition like celebral palsy. [read more]
Sea sickness is a type of motion sickness which is characterized by a feeling of nausea and sometimes vertigo which is experienced after spending time on a craft on water. This is usually because of the rocking motion of the craft such as boat. Some can instantly feel sea sick when they set foot on a boat. [read more]
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is an illness in which the bacteria found in the small intestine have grown to abnormally large proportions, which can cause infections and obstruction of the intestinal lining. [read more]
Spinal muscular atrophy is a degenerative group of disorder affecting the spinal cord and nerves, which results in muscle wasting and weakness caused by loss of motor neurons of the spinal cord and brainstem. [read more]
Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), also called Steele-Richardson-Olszewski syndrome, is a neurodegenerative disease that affects cognition, eye movements, and posture. [read more]
Torticollis, or wry neck, is a condition in which the head is tilted toward one side, and the chin is raised and turned toward the opposite side. [read more]
Uterine fibroids are characterized as noncancerous growths that develop in the uterus that appear within the childbearing years. Uterine fibroids are also known as fibromyomas and are not elated with uterine cancer. Generally, these growths do not pose any real problem and would seldom require any treatment. [read more]
Vaginal cancer is a rare form of carcinoma that affects the vagina, or the muscular tube connecting the uterus to the outer genitals. Most cases of vaginal cancer occur in the birth canal. [read more]
Vaginal discharge, also known as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an inflammation of the female genital tract. It is a result of various sexually transmitted diseases such as Chlamydia and gonorrhea. [read more]
Ventricular septal defect or VSD for brevity is a defect in the wall dividing the left and right ventricles of the heart called the ventricular septum which consists of an inferior muscular and superior membranous portion which is close to the atrioventricular node, It is the most common congenital heart defects in adults and older children (Hoffman JI, Kaplan S. (2002) The Incidence of congenital heart disease, p 39). [read more]
Weil's Disease is more commonly known as leptospirosis, which is a term used to identify certain forms of diseases that are caused by microorganisms of the genus Leptospira. These viruses can usually contracted from urine of rats and other farm animals, most commonly found in cave environment in mud and water. [read more]
Werdnigg-Hoffman Disease otherwise known as the Sever Infantile Spinal Muscular Atropy or simply Spinal Muscular Atropy Type I is an sutosomal recessive condition that presents either neonatally as floppy baby or with progressive weakness and wating within the first year of life owing to widespread lower motor neuron degeneration (Souhami, R. and Maxham,J. (2002) Textbook on Medicine, p 1391). [read more]