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BODY ORGANS AFFECTED

This category is an alphabetical listing of any and all health conditions that affect one or more body organs.

Vitamin B3 (Niacin) Deficiency

What Is Vitamin B3 (Niacin)? Niacin is an essential water-soluble B vitamin that is required by all cells of the body. During digestion of food containing it, niacin (the form in food) is changed in the small intestines to the active form niacinamide (niacin ...

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Iron Deficiency

What Is Iron? Iron is an essential mineral that is required for normal body function. Almost two-thirds of iron in the body is found in hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to tissues. Smaller amounts of ...

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Hypertension, Reversible

What Is Reversible Hypertension? Reversible hypertension is a pressure disorder of arteries associated with increased systemic (body wide) blood vessel resistance to blood flow due to endothelial (cell) dysfunction of arterial blood vessels that can improve with nutritional treatment. Hypertension ...

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Homocysteine, Elevated Blood Level (Hyperhomocysteinemia)

What Is Elevated Homocysteine? Elevated homocysteine in blood, called hyperhomocysteinemia, indicates an abnormal blood level of this transient amino acid. Q: How does the level of homocysteine become abnormal? A: In metabolism, homocysteine is briefly formed in the breakdown of ...

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Dry Eyes, Chronic

What Is Chronic Dry Eye Syndrome? Chronic dry eye syndrome is an inflammatory condition of the conjunctiva with inadequate tear production or distribution over the eye surface. It is characterized by surface damage to the conjunctiva, giving the appearance of ...

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Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis)

What Is Eczema? Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is a chronic recurring inflammatory skin disorder characterized by itching, eczematous plaques and a defective epidermal barrier (surface layer of skin cells) that fails to hold moisture, with affected areas becoming dry then inflamed. ...

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Muscle Weakness 

What Is Muscle Weakness? Muscle weakness is the impaired status of muscle function characterized by decreased or low muscle strength and inability to perform normal work such as lifting a pot off the stove. Q: How do muscles work? A: ...

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Cataracts

What Are Cataracts? Cataract is a clouding of the normally clear lens in an affected eye characterized by blurred vision and progressive blindness due to loss of the len’s ability to focus light rays on the retina. Cataracts can occur ...

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Intraepithelial Lymphocytosis In Normal Small Bowel Samples 

What Is Intraepithelial Lymphocytosis In Normal Small Bowel Samples? Intraepithelial lymphocytosis is characterized by an abnormal increase in the numbers of intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) that are present in the small intestinal mucosa. Q: What are intraepithelial lymphocytes? A: Intraepithelial lymphocytes are ...

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Sarcoidosis

What Is Sarcoidosis? Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous disease characterized by hard granulomas and inflammation of the alveoli in lungs that occurrs in 80% of patients. Alveoli are the tiny one cell thick round structures that are clustered at the ...

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Peripheral Neuropathy 

What Is Peripheral Neuropathy? Peripheral neuropathy is a syndrome involving damage to one or more peripheral nerves characterized by impaired nerve transmission. Peripheral nerves are nerves of the body outside the brain and spinal cord. Q: Why is nerve transmission impaired? ...

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Autism and Learning Disabilities

What Is Autism and Learning Disabilities? Autism and learning disabilities constititute a non-progressive psychiatric syndrome appearing in childhood characterized by withdrawal from communication with others often accompanied by repetitive or primitive behaviors. Primary gastrointestinal pathology may play an important role ...

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Nails, White Spots And White Bands

What Are White Spots And White Bands In Nails? White spots in the nails is a feature of zinc deficiency and white bands signify protein deficiency characterized by abnormal appearance anywhere in one or more nails. White spots and bands ...

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Nails, Splinter Hemorrhages In

What Are Splinter Hemorrhages In Nails? Subungual (under the nail) splinter hemorrhage is characterized by fragility of the underlying capillaries resulting in bleeding under the nail . Bleeding that results looks like a brown streak or splinter.1 Because the streak of ...

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Koilonychia (Washboard Nails)

What Is Koilonychia? Koilonychia is a feature of an iron deficiency state characterized by abnormally shaped nails, called spoon shaped nails, meaning that the normal downward curve is reversed. Depending on the inadequacy of iron, nails may simply remain flat ...

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