Top Diseases – Causes, Symptoms and Precautions

Most people have known someone at once or another with an illness, some considered curable and some not. Cancer is considered one of the most deadly amongst all.

There are different types of diseases, some affect the brain, others are heart disease, alzheimers disease, lung disease, kidneys disease, eye disease, skin types like acne and other parts of the body have been known to develop diseases.

Also Read: 80 Important Medical And Health Related Terms You Need to Know

Now a day’s people are using the internet to study information on health and wellness, illness and medical therapies. With the help of the internet and various other media, the World Health and wellness Company (WHO) can send immediate warnings about the recently diseases and viruses like COVID-19 (Coronavirus) which are being spread out by fatal infections.

Health and wellness authorities are advising the federal governments of various nations worldwide to produce an alert for new killer disease and their risks.

Let’s start this article with the meaning of words and than explore more about the cause, symptom and prevention:

Arthritis –
It causes inflammation of one or more Joints.
The commonest cause of this disease in rheumatic fever.
Treatment depends upon the cause; in some cases vaccine, heat treatment can help.
Asphyxia –
It is stoppage of breathing due to obstruction of the air passage.
Causes are many – drowning, strangling, smoke etc.
Treatment is to remove obstruction and give artificial respiration.
Asthma –
A chest disease whose attack causes difficult breathing and suffocations.
Causes are allergy to certain things chronic bronchitis and psychological reason.
It can be prevented by removing allergy and pshycological causes.
Beri Beri –
Its symptoms are numbness of arms and legs and swelling of the feet and hands.
Its cause is food, which is deficient in vitamin B.
Treatment is to give the vitamin.
Blood Pressure, High –
It causes high tension in the blood vessels.
Its causes are chronic anxiety, perpetual fear, kidney diseases and poisoning during pregnancy etc.
It is treated, sometimes by cutting the nerve of the sympathetic nervous system.
Cancer –
It results in perpetual pain. Its causes are:
1. Continual irritation,
2. Before birth a particular tissue may be enclosed by tissue of another kind etc.
Its cure is possible though in majority of the cases it proves fatal.
Cataract –
It is clouding of the lens of the eyes which prevents clear vision.
Treatment is operation.
Catarrh –
This is an obsolete word applied to any illness that causes inflammation of the membrane with a discharge of mucus. Thus when nose is running we call it nasal catarrh.
Cholera –
It is a tropical intestinal disease caused by a germ known as Cholera Vibrios. ITs predisposing causes are under or overripe fruit, ill cooked food, dirty water, Dysentery etc.
Symptoms are vomiting, stools and cramps in the calves of legs.
Precaution: Keep the patient in isolation, keep food and water pure.
Coma –
Complete loss of consciousness which may be due to various diseases.
Diabetes –
A disease of the pancreas which shows itself in an inhability of the body to make use of sugar in the food.
It accumulates in the blood and is excreted through urine.
Its effects are general weakness, loss of weight, excessive hunger or thirst.
Diarrhoea –
Looseness of bowels which may be due to many causes particularly by irritating or poisonous food.
Diptheria –
It is a disease caused by a particular germ causing sore throat and growth of a membrane that cause suffocation.
It is a disease of the children.
Hydrophobia –
Cause is the bite of a rabid dog or a jackal.
Symptoms: Muscles or throat and larynx contract, fever rises to 102 degree F.
Insomnia –
Inability to sleep.
This is due to two causes
1.Physical
2.Mental
Kala-azar –
It is also called Mediterranean fever, Dumdum or Black fever.
It results in fever, anaemia, dropsy and swelling of the liver and spleen.
Its cause is the sandfly which carries its germs.
Leprosy –
It affects the skin and the nerves.
Its symptoms are pain and tingling in the affected area which results in complete loss of feeling.
Leukaemia –
It results in the increase in the number of white cells in the blood and swelling of the spleen and lymph glands.
The red blood cells break down causing anemia and hemorrhages in the various parts of the body.
Malaria –
Scottish physician Ross discovered that its cause is parasite spread by the bite of mosquito.
It enters the blood and attacks red blood cells.
Its prevention lies in preventing the breeding of mosquitoes with D.D.T. etc.
Measles –
Symptoms are fever, pink spots, redness of eyes and mild bronchitis.
It is caused by a virus.
Treatment is rest and light diet.
Mumps –
An infectious disease marked by swelling of large salivary glands in front of the ears.
It is caused by a virus.
There is no specific treatment.
Neurosis –
There is no physical illness in it, but there is mental depression, worry and fear of the unknown.
Its cause is wrong attitude towards life.
Pellagra –
A disease found mainly in Southern states of America and Southern Europe.
It is caused due to mal-nutrition and lack of vitamin B.
The symptoms are skin rashes, weakness and mental depression.
Plague –
It is caused by fleas which carry the germs from the infected rats.
Bubonic plague occurs in two forms depending on whether lungs have been affected or the glands.
Prevention – Anti-plague inoculation; burn the dead rats and isolate the patient.
Pleurisy –
Pleura (lining of the chest wall) becomes inflammed.
It is caused by infection with a geron.
The symptoms are cough, pain in chest and fever.
Polio –
A disease of nervous system in which the beginnings of the nerves of movement are affected i.e. before they leave the spinal cord.
It is infectious and is caused by a virus.
Prevention is possible through improved sanitary and hygienic conditions.
Pyorrhoea –
It is a type of the infection of the gums causing tooth sockets to bleed when the teeth are brushed.
There is a constant discharge of pus which gives bad smell to the breath.
Rickets –
Bone disease among the children caused by the lack of vitamin D.
Symptoms are bowed legs, bad teeth, poor health and pot belly.
Ringworm –
Contagious disease caused by vegetable fungus which attacks the hairy parts of the body.
Symptoms: The affected parts show circular bluish patches covered with white scales.
Prevention: Do not use combs and towels of the patient.
Scarlet Fever –
Cause is the germ known as streptococcus.
Its symptoms: There may be hallucinations and delusion and the patient becomes more solitary.
Prevention: is with an antitoxin and sulphonamide drugs.
Schizophrenia –
Cause: It is mental disease due to psychological reasons. It is form of mental deterioration.
Symptoms: There may be hallucinations and delusion and the patient becomes more solitary.
Prevention: Now a days insulin is used.
Scurvy –
Cause: Lack of vitamin C.
Prevention: Wholesome diet.
Sea Sickness –
Cause:
1.Partly due to over stimulation of visceral nerves by the sailing of the ship.
2.Partly due to psychological causes.
Prevention: Mild sedative before sailing, a tight belt and empty stomach etc.
Small Pox –
Cause: Spread by direct contact of the scales from other patients either carried by air or flies.
Symptoms: High fever, eruption of skin etc.
Prevention: Vaccination scales should be burnt, patient should be isolated.
Sun Stroke –
Cause: Produced by overheating of body and head.
Symptoms are headache, dizziness, high temperature etc.
Prevention: Complete rest, cold sponging, cold drinks.
Tetanus or lock jaw –
Cause: Caused by tetanus bacillus which is found in rich soil. Infection is produced by the germ entering the skin through a cut or wound.
Symptoms: Affects nervous system and produces contraction of all the muscles in the human body particularly jaw and mouth.
Prevention: Through inoculation and after infection, if there is time, through immunity.
Tonsillitis –
Infection of tonsil caused by streptococci.
Symptoms: Pain in swallowing.
Prevention: Gargles and Penicillin lozenges.
Tuberculosis –
An infectious disease, of lungs or glands or bones etc.
Cause: among the children it is spread through milk of the infected cattle and among the matured through infection.
Prevention: Isolate the patient, provide fresh air and nourishing diet, avoid drinking and too much fatigue.
Typhoid Fever –
Cause: Typhoid bacillus.
Prevention: Disinfection of clothes and utensils; complete rest.
Typhus –
Cause: A fever caused by a germ carried by lice.
Symptoms: Fever and then rash and delirium.
Prevention: One cannot develop it till one is bitten by lice so the end of lice prevents it.
Whooping cough –
Cause: Infection present in sputum.
Symptoms: Fever, inflammation of respiratory passage, fits of coughing.
Prevention: Isolate the patient, protect children from cold, proper disinfection of clothes etc.