Granuloma annulare

Granuloma annulare is a chronic skin condition consisting of raised, reddish or skin-colored bumps (lesions) that form ring patterns, usually on your hands and feet.

Although the lesions may be unsightly, granuloma annulare usually causes no other symptoms and has no long-term impact on your health. Still, granuloma annulare can be hard to cope with if your lesions are visible enough to affect your appearance.

In most cases the lesions disappear on their own within two years. If you prefer treatment of granuloma annulare for cosmetic reasons, your doctor may prescribe corticosteroids to improve the appearance of the lesions and speed their disappearance.

Granuloma annulare is generally marked by:

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Zollinger-Ellison syndrome

Zollinger-Ellison syndrome is a complex condition in which one or more tumors form in your pancreas or in the upper part of your small intestine (duodenum). These tumors secrete large amounts of a hormone that causes excessive production of acid by your stomach. The excess acid, in turn, leads to peptic ulcers.
The disease may occur at any time in life, but the average age at diagnosis is 50.
Treatment for Zollinger-Ellison syndrome most often consists of medications to reduce acid and heal the ulcers. Surgery to remove the tumors may be an option for some people with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.

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Ischemic colitis

Ischemic colitis is a disorder in which part of your colon (large intestine) becomes inflamed and injured. Usually, the problem is caused by impaired blood flow to your colon. This can lead to areas of colon inflammation and, in some cases, permanent colon damage.

Ischemic colitis can affect any part of your colon, but most affected people develop pain on the left side of the abdomen. Urgent bowel movements and bloody diarrhea also are common to ischemic colitis.

Although it sounds scary, most cases of ischemic colitis are mild and resolve on their own in a couple of days. Still, because the condition can become severe, call your doctor right away if you develop symptoms of ischemic colitis.

schemic colitis involves inadequate blood supply reaching your colon. In acute cases, the most frequent cause is blood clots in the arteries leading to your colon. Chronic cases are usually associated with the buildup of fatty deposits (atherosclerosis) in the blood vessels leading to your colon.

In some people, ischemic colitis may be caused by or related to other medical conditions, including:

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Burning mouth syndrome

Burning mouth syndrome causes chronic burning pain in your mouth. The pain from burning mouth syndrome may affect your tongue, gums, lips, inside of your cheeks, roof of your mouth, or widespread areas of your whole mouth. The pain can be severe, as if you scalded your mouth.

Unfortunately, the cause of burning mouth syndrome often can’t be determined. While that makes treatment more difficult, don’t despair. By working closely with your health care team, you can usually get burning mouth syndrome under control.

Other names for burning mouth syndrome include scalded mouth syndrome, burning tongue syndrome, burning lips syndrome, glossodynia and stomatodynia.

When the cause of burning mouth syndrome isn’t known, the condition is called primary or idiopathic burning mouth syndrome. Sometimes burning mouth syndrome is caused by an underlying medical condition, such as a nutritional deficiency. In these cases, it’s called secondary burning mouth syndrome.

Some research suggests that primary burning mouth syndrome is related to problems with taste and sensory nerves of the peripheral or central nervous system. Secondary burning mouth syndrome is a symptom of one or more underlying medical problems. Underlying problems that may be linked to secondary burning mouth syndrome include: Read the rest »

Trachoma

Trachoma is the leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide.

The bacterium that causes trachoma spreads through direct contact with the eye, nose or throat secretions of infected people. It’s very contagious and almost always affects both eyes. Untreated trachoma can lead to blindness.

Trachoma is preventable and, if treated early, the prognosis for people with trachoma is excellent.

The cause of trachoma is certain subtypes of Chlamydia trachomatis, a bacterium that can also cause the sexually transmitted disease chlamydia.

Trachoma spreads through contact with discharge from the eyes or nose of an infected person. Hands, clothing, towels and insects can all be routes for transmission. In the world’s developing countries, flies are a major means of transmission.

The principal signs and symptoms in the early stages of trachoma include: Read the rest »