Meniere's Disease
A disorder of the inner ear that mostly strikes those aged 50 and above, and which often results in total deafness. The person also experiences recurrent vertigo (dizziness) and tinnitus (ringing or hissing in the ear).
Osgood-Schlatter Disease
Painful enlargement of the shin just below the knee usually due to repetitive exercise.
Paget's Disease
A common disease of the elderly where bones become weaker and prone to fracture. Parts affected are usually the pelvis, skull, collarbone, vertebrae and long bones of the leg, which may become deformed. The first signs of the disease are pain and bowlegs.
Peyronie's Disease
This disease causes the penis to bend at an angle during erection, making sex difficult and painful. This is due to a thickening of part of the sheath of fibrous connective tissue.
Sezary Syndrome
Proliferation of lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) in the skin, liver, spleen and lymph nodes. Affecting mostly the elderly, it starts with a red scaly patch on the skin and spreads to form a severe, itchy and flaking rash.
Stokes-Adams Syndrome
Recurrent fainting episodes caused by insufficient blood flow from the heart to the brain. Occasionally a seizure may result due to lack of oxygen supply to the brain.
Still's Disease
Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, affecting children as young as four years or less. Even if the disorder clears up, usually after a few years, the child's growth may be stunted.
Sturge-Weber Syndrome
A skin and brain disorder characterized by a large, purplish birthmark on one side of the face including the eye. It is caused by abnormal distribution of blood vessels. It can result in retardation, epilepsy and glaucoma leading to blindness.
Von Willebrand's Disease
Inherited bleeding disorder caused by a defective gene. Unlike the other bleeding disorder hemophillia, which affects only men, Von Willebrand's disease affects both sexes.
Waterhouse-Friderichsen Syndrome
Associated with meningitis, or inflammation of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord, and which results in bleeding of the adrenal glands. It is caused by a viral or bacterial infection.
Werdnig-Hoffmann Disease
A disease of the nervous system affecting infants and marked by floppy limbs and paralysis. Eventually the muscles that control breathing and feeding are affected, resulting in early death.
Source: Where Health Begins, July/August 2004
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