What Is Epilepsy? Epilepsy is a dysfunctional disorder of the brain characterized by recurring seizures also called convulsions. Q: What happens in a seizure? A: During a seizure abnormal electrical discharges occur within the brain. Not all seizures have the same intensity ...
Read More »Cortical Calcifying Angiomatosis
What Is Cortical Calcifying Angiomatosis? Cortical calcifying angiomatosis is a cortical vascular (brain blood vessel) abnormality that is characterized by calcification of blood vessels and is usually present in the parietal or occipital cortical and subcortical regions of the brain.1 ...
Read More »Ichthyosis, Acquired
What Is Acquired Ichthyosis? Acquired ichthyosis is an uncommon, nonhereditary cutaneous disorder characterized by dry, rough skin with prominent symmetrical scaling that involves significant portions of the body. Most microscopic studies of acquired ichthyosis exhibit hyperkeratosis (thickened skin) with a ...
Read More »Hangnail
What Is Hangnail? Hangnail is a broken strip of epidermis (piece of skin) at root or lateral (side) edge of fingernail or toenail that causes sharp pain. A hangnail develops because the skin around the nail is unhealthy due to ...
Read More »Cheilosis (Cracks in corners of mouth)
What Is Cheilosis? Cheilosis is a painful feature of nutritional deficiencies, especially riboflavin and/or pyridoxine deficiency, and less frequently, from vitamin B12, folic acid, and iron. It is characterized by redness of the lips with cracking and weeping in the ...
Read More »Aphthous Ulcers (Canker Sores)
What Are Aphthous Ulcers? Aphthous ulcers, also called canker sores, are a chronic disorder of soft mouth tissue characterized by small, painful purpuric, papular, or erosive lesions that are often surrounded by erythematous (red) margins.1 Q: What soft mouth tissues develop ...
Read More »Atherosclerosis
What Is Atherosclerosis? Atherosclerosis is a disease of arteries involving the buildup of fatty material called plaque along the walls of medium and large arteries characterized by patchy subintimal thickening, hardening, and loss of elasticity of blood vessels. The intima is the ...
Read More »Macrocytosis
What Is Macrocytosis? Macrocytosis is a blood cell disorder characterized by altered blood cell formation that results in abnormally large erythrocytes (red blood cells) circulating in the bloodstream. The mean corpuscular volume (MCV), which is a measure of the size of ...
Read More »Hyperprolactinemia (Excess Prolactin Hormone)
What Is Hyperprolactinemia? Hyperprolactinemia is an excess secretion of prolactin hormone causing an elevated blood level that is characterized by its effects on reproduction: in females causing amenorrhea and in males causing reduced sexual potency. Q: What is prolactin? A: ...
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