What Is Sjögren’s Syndrome? Sjögren’s syndrome is a systemic inflammatory autoimmune disease with a chronic, progressive course that primarily attacks the lacrimal glands of the eye and the salivary glands of the mouth, which are exocrine glands. Exocrine glands secrete the substances they ...
Read More »Candida Albicans Infection
What Is Candida Albicans Infection? Candida albicans infection, called candidosis or candidiasis, is an opportunistic invasion of mucous membrane or skin by candida albicans, an endogenous yeast found in 40 to 80% of normal human beings. A former name for ...
Read More »Low Stomach Acid Production
What Is Low Stomach Acid Production? Low stomach acid production is a common disorder in celiac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis that is characterized by lack of sufficient hydrochloric acid needed 1) to properly digest food, which results in malnutrition and ...
Read More »Polymyositis
What Is Polymyositis? Polymyositis is a body-wide connective tissue disease resulting from autoimmune attack of skeletal muscles that is characterized by inflammatory and degeneratory changes. The course is unpredictable being marked by spontaneous flare-ups and remissions. Polymyositis can begin slowly or abruptly according ...
Read More »Scleroderma (Systemic Sclerosis)
What Is Scleroderma? Scleroderma is a chronic skin manifestation of progressive systemic sclerosis characterized by generalized thickened, edematous skin firmly bound to subcutaneous tissue which causes limited movement. Systemic sclerosis a connective tissue disease that involves destructive changes in the ...
Read More »Glycogenic Acanthosis (Esophageal Plaques)
What Is Glycogenic Acanthosis? Glycogenic acanthosis is a benign thickening of the esophageal squamous epithelium (surface cell lining) characterized by the presence of numerous, uniformly grey-white plaques made up of large squamous cells filled with glycogen. The wax-like plaques in ...
Read More »Dysphagia (Difficulty Swallowing)
What Is Dysphagia? Dysphagia is a functional upper digestive disorder characterized by difficulty in swallowing or food getting stuck and swallowing that takes longer than 10 seconds to complete. Q: What determines the symptoms? A: Symptoms depend on the location ...
Read More »Post-Cricoid Carcinoma: definition
A malignancy with early metastasis and poor prognosis arising in the hypopharynx, the region of the throat lying behind the voice box (larynx). Symptoms start out as difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) that progress to the feeling of a lump in the ...
Read More »Esophageal Webs: definition
Thin mucosal membranes growing across the inside of the esophagus causing obstruction. Click for full description.
Read More »Plummer-Vinson Syndrome Affecting Esophagus: definition
A rare iron deficiency disorder that is characterized by a combination of postcricoid esophageal webs (upper throat area), iron deficiency anemia, dysphagia and koilonychia (nail spooning), predisposing to esophageal cancer. Click for full description.
Read More »Cancer of the Pharynx: definition
A malignant growth of cells in the pharynx (throat) that is a major complication of celiac disease, developing as a consequence of gluten exposure and deficiencies of selenium, vitamin E and possibly, omega-3 fatty acids. Click for full description.
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