Acne: A disorder of the skin caused by inflammation of skin glands and hair follicles
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS): A chronic, potentially life-threatening condition characterized by a damaged immune system; known as the final stage of HIV
Addiction: The condition of being unable to resist a particular thing, most commonly a habit-forming substance
Alcoholism: An addiction to the consumption of alcoholic liquor or the mental illness and compulsive behavior resulting from alcohol dependency
Allergy: A damaging immune response by the body to a substance, especially pollen, fur, a particular food, or dust, to which the body has become hypersensitive
Alzheimer’s Disease: An irreversible, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills; it is generally caused by the degeneration and death of brain cell connections, destroying important mental functions
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS): A disease of the nervous system also known as motor neuron disease (MND) or Lou Gehrig’s disease; causes the death of neurons controlling voluntary muscles, breaking down nerve cells and reducing functionality in the muscles they supply
Anemia: A condition which reduces the healthy red blood cell count, reducing a person’s ability to carry adequate oxygen to the body’s tissues and causing tiredness and weakness
Anorexia: A medical, emotional disorder characterized by an obsessive desire to lose weight by refusing to eat; often associated with a severe loss of appetite and known as anorexia nervosa
Anxiety: An abnormal or overwhelming sense of apprehension and fear, often marked by physical signs such as tension, sweating, and increased heart rate, by doubt of reality, and by self-doubt pertaining to one’s ability to cope with such feelings
Appetite Loss: A decreased desire to eat as usual, including not wanting to eat, unintentional weight loss, and not feeling hungry; often associated with nausea and referred to as “loss of appetite”
Arthritis: Inflammation of the joints due to infectious, metabolic, or constitutional causes
Asthma: A respiratory condition marked by spasms in the bronchi of the lungs, causing difficulty in breathing, sometimes resulting from an allergic reaction or other forms of hypersensitivity
Atherosclerosis: A disease characterized by the build-up of fats, cholesterol, and other substances in and on the artery walls, able to rupture and even build-up enough to block blood flow
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD): A neurological disorder that causes a range of behavior problems such as difficulty following instruction, focusing, completing tasks, and interacting socially
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): A medical disorder characterized by differences in the brain, leading to an inability to pay attention, sit still, or maintain self-control
Autism: includes a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, and nonverbal communication; also known as autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
Behavior Disorder: Any disorder that onsets a pattern of disruptive behaviors that last for at least six months and cause problems in learning, concentration, and social skills and situations; common in children
Bipolar Disorder: Any of several psychological disorders pertaining to mood, usually characterized by alternating episodes of mania and depression
Bulimia: An emotional disorder involving the distortion of body image and an obsessive desire to lose weight, characterized by bouts of extreme overeating followed by depression and self-induced vomiting, purging, or fasting
Cachexia: A general term meaning weakness or wasting away of the body due to severe chronic illness
Cancer: A malignant tumor of potentially unlimited growth that expands locally through invasion and systemically through metastasis
Chronic Pain: A localized or generalized unpleasant bodily sensation characterized by severe physical discomfort and often associated with emotional distress as a result of this discomfort
Cirrhosis: A late stage of liver scarring (fibrosis) caused by man forms of liver diseases and conditions, such as hepatitis and chronic alcoholism
Coma: A deep state of prolonged unconsciousness in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light, or sound, lacks a normal wake-sleep cycle, and does not initiate voluntary actions
Cramp: A painful and involuntary spasmodic contraction of a muscle
Crohn’s Disease: An inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) caused by inflammation of the digestive tract, leading to abdominal pain, severe diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss, and malnutrition
Depression: A mood disorder marked especially by sadness, lethargy, difficulting thinking and concentrating, a significant increase or decrease in appetite, increased time spent sleeping, feelings of dejection and hopelessness, and sometimes suicidal tendencies
Diabetes: Any of various abnormal conditions characterized by the secretion and excretion of excessive amounts of urine
Dravet Syndrome: A type of epilepsy associated with seizures that are triggered by hot temperatures or fever and often begin around six months of age
Eating Disorder: Any of several psychological disorders, such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia, characterized by serious disturbances in eating behavior
Endocrine Disorder: Any of several diseases characterized by glands producing too much or too little of an endocrine hormone, otherwise known as a hormone imbalance, which can lead to the development of lesions (like nodules and tumors) in the endocrine system
Epilepsy: Any of various disorders marked by abnormal electrical discharges in the brain and typically manifested by sudden episodes of altered or diminished consciousness, involuntary movements and spasms, and convulsions
Fatigue: Extreme tiredness resulting from a mental or physical exertion or illness
Fibromyalgia: A disorder characterized by widespread muscle pain accompanied by fatigue, altered sleep habits, problems with memory, muscle tenderness, and the amplification of painful sensations, due in part to the brain responding abnormally to pain signals
Fibrosis: The formation of excess fibrous connective tissue in an organ or tissue in a reparative or reactive process; in response to injury, this is known as organ scarring
Gastrointestinal Disorder: Any of various conditions associated with the gastrointestinal tract, including the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and anus
Glaucoma: A group of eye conditions that damage the optic nerve, the health of which is vital for good vision, and are often caused by abnormally high pressure in the eyes; the leading cause of blindness in people over 60 years old
Heart Disease: A term used to describe a range of conditions that affect the heart, including blood vessel diseases, heart defects, and heart failure, among others
Hepatitis: A disease characterized by the inflammation of the liver; varieties include Hepatitis A (contracted from food), Hepatitis B (contracted from infectious blood, semen, or other bodily fluids), and Hepatitis C (contracted from the HCV virus)
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV): A virus that harms the immune system by destroying the white blood cells that fight infection; precursor to AIDS
Huntington’s Disease (HD): A fatal genetic disorder that causes the progressive breakdown of nerve cells in the brain, deteriorating a person’s physical and mental abilities, usually during their “prime working years”
Hypersensitivity: Extreme physical sensitivity to particular substances or conditions, such as allergies
Hypertension: A state of great psychological stress often associated with abnormally high blood pressure
Inflammation: A localized physical condition in which part of the body becomes reddened, swollen, hot, and painful
Insomnia: A sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep, often accompanied by feeling tired and irritable while awake
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): A common disorder that affects the large intestine and is usually characterized by cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea, and constipation
Kidney Disease: A term used to describe a range of conditions that affect the kidneys and are usually characterized by kidney damage or the inability to filter blood through the kidneys as usual
Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome: A severe epileptic condition characterized by recurrent seizures that begin early in life and are often defined by muscle stiffness
Lightheadedness: A feeling of faintness, dizziness, or being close to passing out; it can occur alongside vertigo, a similar symptom that is commonly confused with lightheadedness and vice versa
Liver Disease: A term used to describe a range of conditions that affect the liver, including cirrhosis, liver scarring, and various forms of hepatitis
Mad Cow Disease: A fatal prion disease that slowly destroys the brain and spinal cord; humans cannot contract this disease, contrary to popular belief, but can contract a human variant known as Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD)
Mania: Commonly an aspect of mental illnesses that is marked by periods of great excitement or euphoria, delusions, and overactivity
Manic Depression: A variety of conditions characterized by altering moods of abnormal highs (known as mania) and abnormal lows (known as depression)
Metabolic Syndrome: A variety of conditions that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, usually characterized by high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol levels
Migraine: A recurring type of headache that causes moderate to severe pain that is often throbbing or pulsing, often on one side of the head, and often onsetting nausea, weakness, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound
Mood Disorder: A variety of mental health disorders that primarily affect a person’s emotional state, usually characterized by long periods of extreme happiness followed by long periods of extreme sadness
Motion Sickness: A sensation of wooziness that usually occurs when traveling by car, boat, plane, or tain and is associated with the body sending mixed message to the brain, usually leading to dizziness, lightheadedness, and nausea
Multiple Sclerosis (MS): A disease in which the immune system eats away at the protective covering of the nerves, resulting in nerve damage that disrupts communication between the brain and the body
Muscular Atrophy: When muscles waste away, usually caused by a lack of physical activity, including when a disease or injury makes it difficult or impossible for a person to move; common after coming out of a coma
Muscular Dystrophy: A group of diseases characterized by abnormal genes, or mutations, interfering with the production of proteins needed to form healthy muscles, causing progressive weakness and a loss of muscle mass
Nausea: A stomach discomfort causing the sensation of wanting to vomit; often a precursor to vomiting
Neurodegeneration: A breakdown of the nervous system, especially of neurons in the brain
Neurological Disorder: Any disorder of the nervous system, usually characterized by structural, biochemical, or electrical abnormalities in the brain, spinal cord, and other nerves
Nodule: A small swelling or aggregation of cells in the body, especially an abnormal one
Obesity: The condition of being grossly fat or overweight
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): A common, chronic, and long-lasting disorder in which a person possesses uncontrollable, recurring thoughts (obsessions) and behaviors (compulsions) that the person feels the urge or need to repeat over and over again
Osteoporosis: A disease in which the density and quality of bones are reduced, causing bones to become fragile and fracture easily; literally translates to “porous bone”
Pain: A localized or generalized unpleasant bodily sensation or series of sensations that cause mild to severe physical discomfort, sometimes associated with emotional distress pertaining to bodily disorders such as injury or disease
Panic Attack: An episode of intense fear or apprehension that onsets suddenly; often associated with anxiety or anxiety-inducing disorders
Parkinson’s Disease: A progressive nervous system disorder that affects movement, characterized by nerve cell damage, decreased dopamine levels, and resulting tremors
Phantom Limb: The sensation that an amputated or missing limb is still attached, often associated with a stabbing, achy, or burning pain near the area where the limb used to be
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): A disorder in which a person has difficulty recovering after experiencing or witnessing a terrifying or traumatic event, often characterized by triggers (“flashbacks”) that bring back memories of the trauma, accompanied by intense emotional and physical reactions such as fear or becoming violent
Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS): A combination of symptoms that women may feel a week or two before their period, commonly characterized by bloating, headaches, and moodiness
Prion Disease: A term used to describe neurodegenerative diseases caused by prions, which are “proteinaceous” infectious particles, caused by misfolded forms of the prion protein (PrP)
Rheumatism: Any disease marked by inflammation and pain in the joints, muscles, or fibrous tissues, commonly referring to rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid Arthritis: The most common form of autoimmune arthritis, occurring when the immune system stops working properly and causing pain and swelling in the wrist and the small joints of the hands and feet
Salmonella: A common bacterial disease that affects the intestinal tract, causing diarrhea, abdominal cramps, fever and headaches, and muscle aches
Schizophrenia: A long-term mental disorder involving the breakdown of relations between thought, emotion, and behavior, leading to a faulty perception of reality, inappropriate actions and feelings, withdrawal from reality and personal relationships, believing in fantasy and delusions, and a general sense of mental fragmentation
Seasonal Depression: A type of depression related to the changes in seasons, with symptoms most likely starting in the Fall and continuing through the Winter months; often associated with drained energy and moodiness
Seizure: A sudden internal bodily attack characterized by the physical manifestation of abnormal electrical discharges in the brain, usually resulting in convulsions, sensory disturbances, or loss of consciousness
Sickle Cell Anemia: A group of disorders that cause red blood cells to become misshapen and break down, causing the cells to die early and leaving a shortage of healthy red blood cells, blocking blood flow, and causing pain, infections, and fatigue
Skin Condition: A term used to describe a variety of cutaneous conditions, those of which affect the organ system that encloses the body, including the skin, hair, nails, and related muscles and glands
Sleep Apnea: A potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, often causing loud snoring and feeling tired after a full night’s rest
Sleep Disorder: A variety of disorders that affect, disrupt, or pertain to sleep, sleep cycles, sleepwalking, or how tired or energized a person feels after sleep
Sleep Paralysis: When, during the act of waking up or falling asleep, a person is aware but unable to move or speak, commonly associated with hallucinations and then fear
Spasticity: A condition in which certain muscles contract continuously, causing stiffness or tightness of the muscles and interfering with regular movement, speech, and gait
Spinal Injury: Any injury or damage to the spinal cord, including to the vertebrae, ligaments, or disks of the spinal column or to the spinal cord itself
Stress: A state of mental or emotional strain or tension, resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances and often onset by other physical or neurological ailments
Stroke: The rupture or obstruction of a blood vessel in the brain caused by a clot; often associated with a sudden diminution of sensations and voluntary motion or loss of consciousness
Tourette’s Syndrome: A problem with the nervous system that causes people to make sudden movements or sounds, referred to as tics, that they cannot control
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): Involves sudden damage to the brain, usually caused by a blow or jolt to the head, and includes everything from mild concussions to severe, permanent brain damage, including from strokes
Tuberculosis (TB): An infectious bacterial disease that primarily affects the lungs, characterized by late-onset symptoms such as cough or blood-tinged cough, weight loss, night sweats, and fever
Tumor: A swelling or part of the body, generally without inflammation, caused by an abnormal growth of tissue, whether malignant (cancer) or benign
Vertigo: A sensation of whirling or loss of balance, associated particularly with looking down from a great height, or caused by diseases that affect the inner ear or the vestibular nerve; commonly confused with lightheadedness and vice versa
