Health Information Medical Directory!
Since 1996, Medifocus has been the largest provider of health information medical to consumers in North America. Our guides are updated regularly using the most trusted peer-reviewed medical information sources. We have medical information for over 120 medical conditions, including cancer, heart ailments and women's health issues. The MediFocus Guidebooks contains health information medical that is vital to anyone who has been diagnosed with any of these health conditions.
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Graves' Disease is the most common form of hyperthyroidism in people who do not take extra thyroid hormone. But what is hyperthyroidism? The thyroid, the largest endocrine gland, helps control metabolic rate, body temperature, and muscle tone. This butterfly-shaped gland, which is located in front of and on each side of the windpipe, secretes two hormones. The production of thyroid hormones depends on an adequate intake of dietary iodine. The thyroid gland takes what it needs and the kidneys excrete the rest. But when the body is exposed to too much thyroid hormone - which can happen in the presence of several different disorders - hyperthyroidism occurs. The MediFocus Guidebook contains health information medical that is vital to anyone who has been diagnosed with this condition. |
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Hereditary hemochromatosis is an inherited, autosomal recessive disorder of iron metabolism that causes the body to absorb and store an excess amount of iron resulting in "iron overload" disease. If left untreated, hereditary hemochromatosis can result in the progressive accumulation of iron in the liver, pancreas, heart, joints, and pituitary gland leading to potentially serious complications including cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes, and heart problems. The good news is that early diagnosis and treatment can effectively reduce the body's iron overload, prevent organ damage, and enable patients to lead normal and productive lives. The MediFocus Guidebook contains health information medical that is vital to anyone who has been diagnosed with this condition. |
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The term "edema" refers to the accumulation of an excessive amount of fluid in tissues or organs resulting in swelling. Lymphedema is the swelling of skin and subcutanous tissue as a result of obstruction of lymphatic vessels or lymph nodes causing the accumulation of large amounts of lymph fluid in the affected region. The two major types of lymphedema are primary lymphedema (a rare inherited condition) and secondary lymphedema which is caused by a blockage or interruption of the normal flow of lymph fluid through the lymphatic system. The MediFocus Guidebook contains health information medical that is vital to anyone who has been diagnosed with this condition. |
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Meniere's Disease (MD or endolymphatic hydrops) is a disorder of the inner ear associated with a change in the volume of fluid inside a portion of the inner ear called the labyrinth, which includes the membranous labyrinth and the bony labryinth. When the head moves, endolymph fluid in the membranous labyrinth shifts, telling nerve receptors to signal the brain about the body's motion. If the amount of endolymph increases, doctors believe, the membranous labyrinth can balloon or dilate. If it then ruptures, endolymph fluid can mix with perilymph fluid in the bony labyrinth, causing Meniere's symptoms. The underlying cause of Meniere's is still unknown, though many hypotheses have been advanced. The MediFocus Guidebook contains health information medical that is vital to anyone who has been diagnosed with this condition. |
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Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) also known as Stein-Leventhal syndrome or functional ovarian hyperandrogenism, is a complex endocrine disorder associated with a long-term lack of ovulation (anovulation) and an excess of androgens (male hormones, e.g., testosterone). The disorder is characterized by the formation of eight or more follicular cysts of 10 mm or smaller in the ovaries, a process related to the ovary's failure to release an egg (ovum). PCOS is one of the most frequent causes of infertility. The MediFocus Guidebook contains health information medical that is vital to anyone who has been diagnosed with this condition. |
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Several different types of cancer can affect the kidneys. Although it is not a very common cancer overall, Renal Cell Carcinoma is the most common kidney cancer, affecting approximately 40,000 people in the U.S. each year. Renal Cell Carcinoma symptoms include blood in the urine, abnormal urine color, flank or back pain, a lump or mass in the kidney area, abdominal pain or swelling, weight loss, testicle enlargement, fatigue, fever and anemia. However, several less serious conditions can cause similar symptoms, including urinary tract infections (from simple cystitis to more complex infections, such as pyelonephritis), kidney stones or a cyst. The MediFocus Guidebook contains health information medical that is vital to anyone who has been diagnosed with this condition. |
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Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder that is characterized by the following four major features: 1) a compulsory desire to move the limbs usually associated with a sensation of burning or tingling; 2) motor movement to relieve the discomfort such as floor pacing, leg rubbing, or stretching the limb; 3) partial or temporary relief of symptoms by activity; and 4) worsening of the symptoms at rest and in the evening or night. Patients with RLS may also experience sleep disturbances and periodic leg movements either during sleep or while awake. The MediFocus Guidebook contains health information medical that is vital to anyone who has been diagnosed with this condition. |
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Scleroderma is a disease of the skin, joints and sometimes, internal organs. Its cause is not known. Scleroderma means hardening (fibrosis) of the skin, and due to malfunction of the vascular and immune systems, results in the overproduction of collagen (connective tissue in the body). Scleroderma can be localized to the skin or may become systemic with excess collagen building up in various organs such as the esophagus, kidneys, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, heart skin, and peripheral nervous system. The MediFocus Guidebook contains health information medical that is vital to anyone who has been diagnosed with this condition. |
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Sjogren's syndrome is a chronic, inflammatory, autoimmune disorder characterized by dry mouth (xerostomia) and dry eye (keratoconjuctivitis sicca) which represent the two primary clinical features of this disorder. Two distinct forms of Sjogren's syndrome are recognized known as primary and secondary Sjogren's. Primary Sjogren's syndrome is defined as dry mouth that is not associated with another underlying autoimmune disorder, whereas, secondary Sjogren's is dry eye and dry mouth associated with an underlying autoimmune connective tissue disorder such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, or scleroderma. The MediFocus Guidebook contains health information medical that is vital to anyone who has been diagnosed with this condition. |
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Approximately 170,000 cases of lung cancer are diagnosed in the United States each year. Lung cancer is fairly rare in persons under the age of 40. The average age of persons found to have lung cancer is 60. Lung cancer is usually treated with a combination of modalities (i.e., surgery and chemotherapy and radiation) It is becoming more common to undergo a course of radiation or chemotherapy before surgery to reduce the number of cancer cells that may have the potential to spread. The MediFocus Guidebook contains health information medical that is vital to anyone who has been diagnosed with this condition. |
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The skeletal anatomy involved in spondylolisthesis is complex but, in brief, it works like this: Each vertebra in the spine has a thick anterior body (called the centrum). A vertebral (or neural) arch on the surface of the centrum encloses a "vertebral foramen," which the spinal cord passes through. On each side of the neural arch on each vertebra, a pair of "superior articulating processes" projects up, and pair of "inferior articulating processes" projects down, supplying support and flexibility. Spondylolysis is the degeneration or deficient development of these articulating parts of the vertebra. It can range from a serious condition to a mild one. The MediFocus Guidebook contains health information medical that is vital to anyone who has been diagnosed with this condition. |
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Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS) is a group of distinct disorders producing signs and symptoms attributed to compression of nerves and blood vessels in the thoracic outlet region. Clincal signs and symptoms of TOS usually include pain in the neck and shoulder area and numbness and weakness in the arm/hand. Risk factors for TOS may include trauma to the shoulder/neck, postural distortions, congenital anomalies (cervical rib and band syndrome). Epidemiologic studies have shown that TOS may be associated with certain occupations that involve working in a static position for prolonged periods of time as well as jobs involving heavy lifting. The MediFocus Guidebook contains health information medical that is vital to anyone who has been diagnosed with this condition. |
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The oral cavity and oropharynx contain several types of tissue and each of these tissues contains several types of cells. Different cancers can develop from each kind of cell. The differences are important, because they influence treatment options and outlook for recovery. More than 90% of cancers of the oral cavity and oropharynx are squamous cell carcinomas, also called squamous cell cancer. Squamous cell cancer begins as a collection of abnormal squamous cells. The earliest form of squamous cell cancer is called carcinoma in situ meaning that the cancer cells are present only in the lining layer of cells called the epithelium. Invasive squamous cells cancer means that the cancer cells have spread beyond this layer into deeper layers of the oral cavity or oropharynx. The MediFocus Guidebook contains health information medical that is vital to anyone who has been diagnosed with this condition. |
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Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a disorder of unilateral (usually right-sided) facial pain. While the exact cause is unknown, it is thought that TN results from irritation of the trigeminal nerve. This irritation results from damage due either to changes in the blood vessels or the presence of a tumor or other lesions that cause compression of the nerve. The pain of TN is characterized by unilateral pain attacks that start abruptly and last for varying periods of time from minutes to hours. The pain quality is usually sharp, stabbing, lancinating (cutting or tearing), and burning. It may have an "electric shock"-like character. The attacks are initiated by stimuli such as light touch of the skin, chewing, washing the face, and brushing the teeth. In some individuals the attacks may be initiated by non-painful physical stimulation of specific areas (trigger points or zones) that are located on the same side of the face as the pain. The MediFocus Guidebook contains health information medical that is vital to anyone who has been diagnosed with this condition. |
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Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML), also known as chronic myeloid or chronic myelocytic leukemia, is a malignant cancer of the myeloid line of cells in the bone marrow that results in the uncontrolled growth of white blood cells in the bone marrow, blood, and body tissues. It is estimated that about 5,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with CML each year. CML affects males more than females and usually occurs in middle age adults. Although children can also develop the disease, childhood cases of CML account for only about 2% of all people who develop the condition. The MediFocus Guidebook contains online health information medical that is vital to anyone who has been diagnosed with this condition. |
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Hepatocellular carcinoma, also called malignant hepatoma, is a primary form of liver cancer that originates in the hepatocyte cells of the liver. Hepatocellular carcinoma is the 5th most common type of cancer worldwide with nearly 500,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Approximately 19,000 cases of primary liver cancer are diagnosed each year in the United States and affects males more than females by a ratio of about 3:1. Major risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma include cirrhosis of the liver, chronic infection with the Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C virus, exposure to aflatoxins that can contaminate certain crops, hereditary hemochromatosis, and primary biliary cirrhosis. The MediFocus Guidebook contains health information medical that is vital to anyone who has been diagnosed with this condition. |
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Thyroid cancer is the most common of all cancers involving the endocrine system. Approximately 26,000 cases of thyroid cancer are diagnosed in the United States each year. Thyroid cancer develops about 3 times more frequently in women than men suggesting that female hormones (estrogens) may predispose women to this type of cancer. Differentiated thyroid cancer is the most common type of thyroid cancer and accounts for over 90% of all cases. Medullary thyroid cancer and anaplastic thyroid cancer account for only about 5% and 1% of all cases, respectively. The most common symptom of thyroid cancer is an enlarged thyroid nodule. Other symptoms may include a hoarse voice, enlarged lymph nodes in the neck, and difficulty swallowing. The MediFocus Guidebook contains health information medical that is vital to anyone who has been diagnosed with this condition. |
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