Clear Answers for Common Questions

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that occurs when there is an inflammation of the median nerve. This nerve runs through the carpal tunnel which is made up of bones and ligaments in the wrist area. As the nerve swells, it creates pressure and pain in the fingers, hands, and ...

Asperger's syndrome is a developmental disorder considered to be part of the group of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Children diagnosed with this condition often have difficulty with social interactions and understanding unspoken social cues. As such, these children frequently get into more trouble in school, exasperate teachers, and are ...

Werner’s syndrome is a recessive autosomal disorder that is characterized by premature aging. Progeria refers to a group of premature aging diseases, such as Werner’s syndrome. Werner's syndrome is also sometimes classified as progeroid syndrome, and is caused by an inherited mutation of a gene affecting the ...

Turner's syndrome is a condition that affects approximately one in 2,000 females. The condition does not affect men, but they can have a similar condition called Noonan syndrome that is often mistakenly referred to as Turner's syndrome. Turner's occurs when one of the X chromosomes normally ...

Restless leg syndrome is a neurological condition affecting as much as 15% of the general population. Restless leg syndrome is characterized by a creepy or crawling sensation deep inside the sufferer's legs or other extremities which can only be alleviated by movement. Once the limb has been flexed or ...

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a gastrointestinal condition in which the movement of digested material through the intestines and colon is seriously altered. The nerves controlling the flow of fecal material become overactive, changing the sufferer's natural elimination cycle and causing diarrhea, constipation or both. Abdominal pains relieved by ...

Usher's Syndrome, or Usher Syndrome, is an inherited disability which causes both deafness and blindness. Deaf-blindness can be a very severe disability, as the tools used to help many blind people cannot be used by the deaf, and things designed to assist deaf people are often not accessible ...

Bloom Syndrome is a genetic condition characterized by a problem with the BLM gene, which normally governs recombination during cell division. Due to a malfunction in this gene, people with this condition experience chromosomal breakage and rearrangement, which can in turn cause a number of complications. There is no cure ...

Apical ballooning syndrome is a heart condition that can have serious repercussions if left untreated. It is classified as a type of cardiomyopathy, meaning a condition that affects the muscle of the heart; in this case, the main muscle of the heart is seriously weakened, which makes it hard for ...

Down Syndrome or Down’s Syndrome is a pattern of congenital defects caused by an additional 21st chromosome. It was first documented in 1866 by John Langdon Down. The condition occurs in all races, and it has been specifically linked to maternal age. Risk for having a child with this ...

Felty's Syndrome or Felty Syndrome is a rare disorder that may complicate the illness of those who have rheumatoid arthritis. Not all people with rheumatoid arthritis have or will develop Felty's Syndrome. Having two additional conditions identifies those that do: a very low white blood cell count, and ...

De Clerambault's Syndrome, also called erotomania, is a psychological condition in which the sufferer is under the delusion that a certain person is in love with him or her. Typically, the object of this delusion is of a higher social class than the sufferer and is merely an acquaintance ...

Premenstrual syndrome (also called PMS) is the name given to a whole host of unpleasant symptoms that many women experience at some point during their menstrual cycle. It is sometimes coincident with ovulation and thus begins some seven to fourteen days prior to a woman's menstrual period. Symptoms associated ...

Fragile X syndrome is a birth defect occurring in about 2 of every 10,000 live births. It is more common in males, occurring in about 1 out of 3,600 and in about 1 of every 4,000-6,000 females. Fragile X syndrome can cause slow growth, mental ...

Crocodile Tears Syndrome is a popular name for a condition known as gustatolacrimal reflex or Bogorad’s Syndrome. The medical condition usually appears during recovery from Bell’s Palsy and affects the function of the facial nerve network. As a result, a person suffering from this syndrome may begin to ...

Abdallat Davis Farrage syndrome is an extremely rare genetic condition that was first identified and described in 1980. It is characterized by pigmentation irregularities in the skin and nervous system problems. The condition is named for the team of medical professionals who first wrote it up, describing the appearance of ...

Munchausen syndrome, which takes its name from a German officer known for telling outrageous stories, is a psychological disorder in which the sufferer fakes or induces illness in order to garner comfort and nurturing from friends, family, and healthcare workers. In Munchausen by proxy syndrome, a related illness, a caregiver ...

Angelman Syndrome (AS) is a genetic disorder which affects the nervous system. Patients can manifest a variety of symptoms, ranging from seizures to profound developmental delays. Because Angelman Syndrome is genetic in nature, there is no cure, with treatment focused on supportive therapies which help the patient to live a ...

Many parents struggle with their children's seemingly uncombable or unruly hair, but there really is a rare genetic condition which makes certain children's hair completely unbrushable. Uncombable Hair Syndrome, also known as Pili trianguli et canaliculi, causes a sufferer's hair to grow out in frizzy patches which ...

Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS) is a condition of the skin that results from an infection caused by a strain of staphylococcal bacterium. The condition is characterized by red, painful, sometimes blistered skin that separates in layers, appearing as if it has been burned. This syndrome, also known as Ritter ...

Noonan syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that affects around 1 in 2000 people. The disorder was named after American child cardiologist Dr. Jacqueline Noonan. In 1963. Dr, Noonan noticed that many of her child patients with narrow pulmonary valves also had similar facial features. She also became aware that ...

Post-concussion syndrome is an unusual syndrome that affects about 15% of people who get a concussion. A concussion is caused by a mild brain injury, usually as a result of a blow to the head. When a concussion is mild, most people recover from major symptoms, like nausea, dizziness ...

Edwards' Syndrome is a rare genetic disorder caused by irregularities with the 18th chromosomal pair, appearing in around one out of every 600,000 births. It is characterized by serious birth defects, with most infants dying within the first few months of life, since their bodies are so severely impaired ...

The piriformis muscle is located in part behind the joint of the hip. In piriformis syndrome it is thought this muscle may cause compression on the sciatic nerve, though there is some scientific argument regarding whether this is the root cause of the syndrome. What occurs though, as a result ...

Blue Diaper Syndrome is an inherited condition which causes people to have difficulty metabolizing tryptophan, an essential amino acid which plays an important role in the human diet. As a result of the inability to process tryptophan, the urine turns a distinctive pale blue. This condition is known as Blue ...

Gulf War Syndrome is a medical condition of unknown causes characterized by statistically improbable similar symptoms which appear primarily in veterans of the First Gulf War, and sometimes their families as well. Numerous theories for the causes of Gulf War Syndrome have been posited, and the condition has been extensively ...

Proteus Syndrome is an extremely rare congenital condition which causes abnormal growth of skin, bone, and fatty tissue. It is estimated that less than 200 people worldwide are alive at any given time with this condition, although it is possible that additional cases are not diagnosed because the symptoms are ...

Toxic shock syndrome is an acute bacterial infection caused by either Streptococcus or Staphylococcus bacteria. When these bacteria enter the bloodstream, they can generate toxins which produce an assortment of symptoms which will lead to death if they are not addressed. While toxic shock syndrome is commonly linked in the ...

Alien hand syndrome or Dr. Strangelove syndrome is an unusual medical condition, most often caused by damage to the connection between right and left brain hemispheres. This may occur through surgery. In rare cases, splitting the brain can be proposed to treat epilepsy that does not respond to more traditional ...

Renfield's Syndrome, also called clinical vampirism, is a rare psychiatric disorder in which the sufferer feels a compulsion to consume blood. The disorder, identified by clinical psychologist Richard Noll in 1992, does not appear in the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V). According to current ...

Leaky gut syndrome is a diagnosis that appears most typically in alternative medicine; as a general rule, most conventional medical practitioners reject the idea. According to alternative health practitioners, this problem occurs when the lining of the intestines is weakened to the point that their contents can leak out and ...

Dry eye syndrome, or DES, sounds like a relatively benign ailment. However, as sufferers can attest, this affliction actually lowers the quality of life for millions of people in the United States alone. DES is a disorder that affects the amount or quality of tears produced by a person's ...

Alice in Wonderland syndrome (AIWS) is a neurological disorder that disrupts the messages sent from the eyes to the brain, causing a corresponding distortion in visual perception. This condition can also cause strange distortions in the sense of touch and sound in the patient. Children are most commonly afflicted with ...

Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome is a genetic condition characterized by an inability to produce an enzyme known as hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferasa (HGPT). This condition is X-linked, appearing only in boys, although women who carry the condition may experience some health problems. Like many other conditions which are genetic in nature ...

Horner's syndrome is described as a pattern of syndromes affecting the face, caused by traumatic injury to the neck, also called the cervical region of the spine, or by a variety of other conditions. Johann Friedrich Horner who first described the condition in the mid 19th century named the ...

Sundowners syndrome, also known as sundowning, is a type of mood or sleep disorder often associated with the early stages of dementia and Alzheimer's. Patients experience periods of extreme agitation and confusion during the late afternoon or early evening hours, often leading to irritability towards caregivers or hospital staff ...

Vanishing Twin Syndrome is a medical phenomenon which affects some mothers carrying multiple fetuses. For unknown reasons, one or more of the fetuses may die and be fully reabsorbed by the body, leaving minimal traces behind, most typically in the first trimester of pregnancy. While the news media has drawn ...

Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome is a neurological disease that progresses from the nervous system to the body’s muscles. Sufferers of this syndrome will gradually, over a period of time, lose the use of their limbs. The arms, hands, legs and feet will no longer be able to function normally ...

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome (RSDS) is also called complex regional pain syndrome or causalgia. The condition continues to baffle doctors since little is known about its cause. Plenty is known about how to recognize reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome, and to diagnose it, but unfortunately not all doctors do diagnose it ...

Just as it sounds, delayed sleep phase syndrome is a disorder occurring when a person regularly cannot fall asleep at his or her desired bedtime. Those who experience this syndrome often take two or more hours to fall asleep, which not only often results in difficulty waking at the desired ...

Cushing's syndrome is a condition that results from excessive steroid hormones in the body. The adrenal glands, which are situated above the kidney, produce steroid hormones, including cortisol, which regulates the blood pressure and the immune system. The overproduction of cortisol can leave the sufferer with a variety of ...

Truman Syndrome is a form of psychological delusion in which the patient believes that he or she is trapped inside in a reality television show, or that people are monitoring his or her every move. The name for this syndrome is a reference to The Truman Show, a 1998 film ...

Two small bones in the wrist, along the lower edge of the palm, called the pisiform and the hamate, form a canal of sorts through which the ulnar nerve passes. This is called Guyon’s canal, and any obstruction or narrowing of this space can result in sensitivity and numbness ...

Lynch syndrome is an inherited medical condition in which people affected inherit several genes that make them much more likely to develop certain types of cancer. Most commonly those who have Lynch syndrome are at higher risk for colon, endometrial and ovarian cancer, and are especially likely to get these ...

Patau syndrome or trisomy 13 is a genetic disorder caused by anomalies in the 13th chromosome. It is characterized by severe developmental disabilities, and many fetuses with the condition do not even survive to be born. If a child does make it to birth with the condition, he or she ...

McCune-Albright Syndrome is a disease with a genetic base. This health condition can impact the coloring of the skin, as well as have a negative impact on the proper development bone tissue. In extreme cases, McCune-Albright Syndrome can trigger the onset of gigantism, a condition in which the ...

Reye's syndrome was first identified as a distinct illness in 1963 by Australian pathologist R. Douglas Reye, M.D. This rare but potentially deadly disease afflicts primarily children between four to 16 years of age. A two-phased illness, Reye's syndrome appears during the recovery period following a ...

Guillain-Barré syndrome is a condition causing extensive weakness in the nerves. It often progresses to paralysis affecting not only the nerves but also the muscles. The overall muscle weakness can result in respiratory failure. Timely treatment of this usually temporary disorder is extremely important to avoid complications, which can ...

Ekborn syndrome, also called Wittmaack-Ekborn or Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a condition that poses a challenge to nearly 3% of the population. The condition is characterized by involuntary movements of the legs, and uncomfortable or prickly sensations in the legs. This especially occurs when people are in a ...

Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) was first identified and recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the early 1980s. It is a condition, most often occurring in commercial buildings, where numerous workers can be affected by a variety of symptoms, cutting down on worker productivity and greatly increasing absenteeism. The ...

Container syndrome is a relatively new term, first popularly used in mid 2008 to describe a condition observed by a variety of pediatric health care providers. In a survey sponsored by Pathways Awareness, pediatric health care workers have noted an increase in motor delays in infants, that may well be ...

Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS), also called erythema multiforme major, is a rare, skin disease that has the potential to be deadly. In some cases there is no known cause, but the most common triggers are an allergic reaction to medication or an infection. The drugs most often linked to Stevens ...

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is a very serious disorder that generally develops from taking neuroleptic medications. These drugs are also called antipsychotics and are frequently prescribed for mental health conditions that include elements of psychosis like bipolar I and schizophrenia. Most neuroleptics, including medications like Zyprexa® and Giodon® ...

Sjogren's syndrome is an autoimmune disorder that affects about 1 in 500 people, mostly middle-aged women, who make up about 90% of those affected. The most common symptoms are excessively dry eyes and mouth due to lower tear and saliva production, although other symptoms occur in varying degrees ...

Emotional Fatigue Syndrome (EFS) is a mental condition that is recognized in various medical disciplines. The state typically renders an individual unable to enjoy any aspect of living and can progress to include physical manifestations of mental and emotional issues. While traditional or nuclear healthcare professionals do not all accept ...

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), also known as Stein-Leventhal Syndrome, is a hormonal imbalance that causes women to develop a number of small cysts on their ovaries. Cysts are abnormal growths that aren’t usually harmful in and of themselves, but can cause trouble when it comes to things like ...

Hypoplastic right heart syndrome is a congenital heart defect in which the right ventricle of the heart fails to grow and develop appropriately. The underdeveloped ventricle cannot contain the proper amount of blood pumped from the right atrium, and because the muscle's structure is poor, additional problems are encountered ...

Marfan syndrome is a genetic condition affecting the body’s connective tissues. Connective tissue forms the body’s structure and holds the body together, setting the foundation for growth and development. It affects approximately one in 5,000 Americans. Although a gene for this condition has been identified, making a ...

Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome (ZES) is a very rare condition that causes both tumors and ulcers to form in the stomach and intestine. Tumors may also form on the liver or pancreas. Left untreated, some tumors can metastasize and spread to other parts of the body. ZES is also associated with ...

Raynaud's phenomenon is a disorder that causes the blood vessels in the fingers and toes to constrict, which results in discoloration, numbness and/or throbbing or tingling. The attacks are triggered by exposure to cold temperatures or, sometimes, emotional stress. When someone with Raynaud's phenomenon is exposed to ...