Associated Disorders

What Is Impaired Gall Bladder Motility? Impaired gall bladder motility means the gall bladder is slow to empty or is dysfunctional. The functional disorder of the gallbladder is caused initially either by metabolic abnormalities or by an alteration in its muscular ability to ...

What Is Dermatomyositis? Dermatomyositis is a rare autoimmune systemic disease of the connective tissue that is characterized by inflammatory and debilitating degenerative changes in the muscles and in the skin.  Dermatomyositis results in symmetric, proximal muscle weakness of limbs (upper arms and ...

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 ...

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 ...

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. ...

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 ...

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? ...

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 ...

What Is Multiple Sclerosis? Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system characterized by patchy inflammation of the myelin sheath surrounding nerve cells that produces multiple and varied neurologic symptoms and signs due to demyelination. Q: What ...

What Is Developmental Delay? Developmental delay is failure in infants and young children to meet expected milestones, such as smiling for the first time or taking the first steps, due to an impairment in physical, learning, language, or behavior areas. These ...

What Is Osteomalacic Myopathy? Osteomalacic myopathy is a major feature of osteomalacia that is characterized by painful muscle weakness involving the thighs and upper arms and hyperreflexia. Q: What is hyperreflexia? A: Hyperreflexia means the action of reflexes is increased. ...

What Are Autoimmune Disorders? Autoimmune disorders refer to those conditions that involve an abnormal immune attack on the body’s own tissues perpetuated by the production of autoantibodies directed against the body, or “self.” Auto means self. Q: Why does the ...

What Is Inability To Concentrate? Inability to concentrate is a mental dysfunction characterized by trouble fixing the mind on one subject to the exclusion of all other thoughts. What Is Inability To Concentrate In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

What Is Anxiety? Anxiety or worry is a distressing emotional state of mind or mood that is characterized by a vague uneasiness, unpleasant feelings of apprehension or anticipation of danger and by interference with normal functioning, ranging from mild qualms ...

What Are Bitot’s Spots? Bitot’s spots are superficial foamy patches that develop on the exposed bulbar conjunctiva (white of the eye) as a manifestation of advanced vitamin A deficiency. This painless eye disorder is reversible only with vitamin A therapy. ...