Systemic mastocytosis (mas-to-sy-TOE-sis) is a rare disorder that results in too many mast cells building up in your body. A mast cell is a type of white blood cell. Mast cells are found in connective tissues throughout your body. Mast cells help your immune system function properly and normally help protect you from disease. When …
Vitiligo (vit-ih-LIE-go) is a disease that causes loss of skin color in patches. The discolored areas usually get bigger with time. The condition can affect the skin on any part of the body. It can also affect hair and the inside of the mouth. Normally, the color of hair and skin is determined by melanin. …
Eczema is a condition in which patches of skin become inflamed, itchy, cracked, and rough. Some types can also cause blisters. Different types and stages of eczema affect 31.6 million people in the United States, which equals more than 10% of the population. Many people use the word eczema when referring to atopic dermatitis, which is the most common type. …
Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a disease characterized by recurrent episodes (also called attacks) of severe swelling of the skin and mucous membranes. The age at which attacks begin varies, but most people have their first one in childhood or adolescence. The frequency of attacks usually increases after puberty. Attacks most often affect 3 parts of …
Acromegaly is a hormonal disorder that develops when your pituitary gland produces too much growth hormone during adulthood. When you have too much growth hormone, your bones increase in size. In childhood, this leads to increased height and is called gigantism. But in adulthood, a change in height doesn’t occur. Instead, the increase in bone …
Lung diseases are some of the most common medical conditions in the world. Tens of millions of people have lung disease in the U.S. alone. Smoking, infections, and genes cause most lung diseases. Your lungs are part of a complex system, expanding and relaxing thousands of times each day to bring in oxygen and send out carbon …
Asthma is a condition in which your airways narrow and swell and may produce extra mucus. This can make breathing difficult and trigger coughing, a whistling sound (wheezing) when you breathe out and shortness of breath. For some people, asthma is a minor nuisance. For others, it can be a major problem that interferes with …
Immunoglobulin is made from plasma separated out from donated blood. During manufacture everything except a type of immunoglobulin called immunoglobulin G (IgG) is removed from the plasma. IgG is very good at fighting bacteria and viruses. IgG has other effects too, so it isn’t just used for people with immune deficiency. You might hear about immunoglobulin being used in some …
Chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) is an ongoing condition without any known cause or identified underlying illness. Constipation is a condition which can be defined as a state of unsatisfactory defecation, with characteristic features of infrequent stools and difficulty in passing stools, or both. Eight million people in the US seek medical care for constipation every …
Hyperuricemia is when you have too much uric acid in your blood. This condition can lead to health problems such as gout and kidney stones. Around one out of every five people has a high uric acid level. Read on to learn more about hyperuricemia, its symptoms, how to treat it, and more. Causes of Hyperuricemia Hyperuricemia …