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 ...
Read More »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 ...
Read More »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 ...
Read More »Nails, Horizontal Ridges (Beau’s Lines), Fragile
What Are Horizontal Ridges In Fragile Nails? Horizontal ridges, also called “beau’s lines,” are abnormalities of the nail plate that appear as rumpling from the base to the tips of nails and are characterized by poor nail structure of both fingernails and ...
Read More »Developmental Delay
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 ...
Read More »Osteomalacic Myopathy
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. ...
Read More »Anemia, Folic Acid Deficiency
What Is Folic Acid Or Folate Deficiency Anemia? Folic acid deficiency anemia, also called folate deficiency anemia, is a macrocytic anemia characterized by defective DNA synthesis of red blood cells that results from a lack of folate in the body. ...
Read More »Apathy
What Is Apathy? Apathy is an abnormal emotional state that is characterized by indifference to things which others find interesting, moving or exciting, and diminished motivation to perform regular daily activities. The neural mechanisms of apathy are postulated to involve ...
Read More »Anxiety, Chronic
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 ...
Read More »Bitot’s Spots
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. ...
Read More »Miscarriage (Spontaneous Abortion)
What Is Miscarriage? Miscarriage, or spontaneous abortion, is a reproductive failure characterized by loss of an unborn baby before the 20th week of pregnancy. What Is Miscarriage In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?
Read More »Insomnia
What Is Insomnia? Insomnia is a distressing sleep disorder that includes inability to fall asleep, inability to stay asleep, and inability to get deep sleep depending on the type of insomnia. Q: What are the types of insomnia? A: There ...
Read More »Muscle Pain and Tenderness, Chronic
What Is Chronic Muscle Pain And Tenderness? Muscle pain and tenderness, also called myalgia, is a disorder of muscle tissue. Muscle pain that is ongoing or chronic can result from a variety of disorders, infections, overuse, injury, as an unwanted ...
Read More »Pulmonary Hemosiderosis, Idiopathic (Lane-Hamilton Syndrome)
What Is Idiopathic Pulmonary Hemosiderosis? Pulmonary hemosiderosis (IPH) is a rare and severe pulmonary syndrome characterized by a triad of recurrent episodes of alveolar hemorrhage (bleeding into air sacs), hemoptysis (coughing blood), and iron deficiency anemia. Q: What is the prognosis ...
Read More »Vitamin A Deficiency
What Is Vitamin A? Vitamin A is a family of fat-soluble compounds that are essential for health, vision, protection of the body, reproduction, and normal growth of children before and after birth. Q: What is the family of vitamin A? ...
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