Medical Today

Definition

Gout is a form of acute arthritis that causes severe pain and swelling in the joints. It most commonly affects the big toe, but may also affect the heel, ankle, hand, wrist, or elbow. It affects the spine often enough to be a factor in lower back pain. Gout is often a recurring condition. An attack usually comes on suddenly and goes away after 5-10 days. Gout occurs when there are high levels of uric acid circulating in the blood, and the acid crystallizes and settles in the body. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), gout accounts for about 5% of all cases of arthritis reported in the United States.

Definition

Gonorrhea is a highly contagious sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacterium. The genitourinary tract is the main system that is usually affected, but gonorrhea can also spread to the rectum, the throat, and the eyes. Left untreated, gonorrhea can spread through the bloodstream and infect the brain, heart valves, joints, and the reproductive system.

Exposure to an infected mother during birth may cause permanent blindness in the newborn.

Definition

Gastroenteritis is a general term for infection or irritation of the digestive tract, particularly the stomach and intestine. It is frequently referred to as stomach or intestinal flu, although the influenza virus does not cause this illness. Major symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps. Fever and overall weakness sometimes accompany these symptoms. Gastroenteritis typically lasts about three days. Adults usually recover without problem, but children, the elderly, and persons with an underlying disease are more vulnerable to complications such as dehydration.

Definition

Glaucoma is a slowly progressive eye condition that causes damage to the optic nerve. It is the leading cause of blindness among African-Americans and older adults in the United States. Because there are usually no symptoms early on in the disease, about half of the people with glaucoma do not even know they have it.

Description

Definition

Psoriasis is a chronic, non-contagious disease characterized by inflamed hyperproliferative lesions covered with silvery-white scabs of dead skin.

Description

Psoriasis, which affects at least four million Americans, is slightly more common in women than in men. Although the disease can develop at any time, 10–15% of all cases are diagnosed in children under 10, and the average age at the onset of symptoms is 28 years of age. Psoriasis is most common in fair-skinned people and relatively rare in dark-skinned individuals, although the rate among African Americans appears to be slowly rising.