Heart failure DEFINITION Heart Failure develops when the heart cannot pump sufficient blood to provide the body with oxygen and nutrients. Heart Failure is closely associated with many types of heart disease. DESCRIPTION Heart Failure may be left sided, right sided or Congestive Heart Failure (affecting both sides of the… Read Article
Hepatitis DEFINITION Hepatitis is an inflammatory condition of the liver. There are many causes of Hepatitis but the most common cause is viral infection. There are many known Hepatitis viruses including hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, hepatitis D and hepatitis E. DESCRIPTION Once a virus has infected the liver,… Read Article
Infertility DEFINITION Infertility is the inability to conceive after one year of regular, unprotected intercourse. It may be a result of biological factors affecting either the male or female partner. DESCRIPTION For a woman to become pregnant, a number of events need to occur. A woman must produce an egg… Read Article
Influenza DEFINITION Influenza (also known as seasonal flu) is a highly infectious illness caused by a flu virus. SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS Symptoms of Influenza appear suddenly, unlike the common cold, where less-severe symptoms appear gradually. The gap between exposure to the flu virus and development of symptoms is 2 to… Read Article
Irritable bowel syndrome DEFINITION Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic (long-term) digestive disorder causing abdominal pain, diarrhoea and constipation. DESCRIPTION Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common ‘functional’ digestive disorder. A functional disorder means there is a problem with the function of a part of the body. In IBS,… Read Article
Melanoma DEFINITION Moles are flat or elevated, flesh coloured to dark-brown markings located randomly over the entire skin surface. Moles can become malignant (melanoma) requiring removal. DESCRIPTION Moles are a clump of cells with different pigment (colour) than the surrounding skin. The surface of moles varies from smooth to pebbly… Read Article
Motor neurone disease DEFINITION Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is the name given to a group of diseases in which the nerve cells controlling muscles of movement are slowly destroyed. These nerve cells are known as motor neurones, and they occur in the brain and spinal cord. With no nerves to… Read Article
Muscle cramps DEFINITION Muscle Cramps occur when a muscle contracts with great intensity and stays contracted, without relaxing as normal. Muscle Cramps are common and their effects range from mild discomfort to considerable pain. Common areas of muscle cramping include the calves (particularly at night), ‘stitches’ (pain in the side… Read Article
Obesity DEFINITION Obesity is the term used to describe the accumulation of excessive body fat. DESCRIPTION The Body Mass Index (BMI) is used to measure Obesity. BMI is calculated by dividing the weight of a person in kilograms by the square of their height in metres. A person with a… Read Article