Also called: Fungi
Molds are fungi that can be found both outdoors and indoors. They grow best in warm, damp and humid conditions. If you have damp or wet spots in your house, you will probably get mold. Mold can cause health problems. Inhaling or touching mold or mold spores may cause allergic reactions or asthma attacks in sensitive people. It can cause fungal infections. In addition, mold exposure may irritate your eyes, skin, nose, throat and lungs.
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Also called: Anti-platelet drugs, Anticoagulants
If you have some kinds of heart or blood vessel disease, or if you have poor blood flow to your brain, your doctor may recommend that you take a blood thinner. Blood thinners reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke by reducing the formation of blood clots in your arteries and veins. You may also take a blood thinner if you have
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Also called: Cleft spine, Open spine
Spina bifida is the most common disabling birth defect in the United States. It is a type of neural tube defect, which is a problem with the spinal cord or its coverings. It happens if the fetal spinal column doesn’t close completely during the first month of pregnancy. There is usually nerve damage that causes at least some paralysis of the legs. Many people with spina bifida will need assistive devices such as braces, crutches or wheelchairs. They may have learning difficulties, urinary and bowel problems or hydrocephalus, a buildup of fluid in the brain.
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You see them all the time, in newspapers and on TV – the number of people who were in the hospital last year, the percentage of kids who are overweight, the rate at which people are catching the flu, the average cost of a medical procedure. These are all types of health statistics.
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During your teens you become sexually mature. If you’re a girl, you develop breasts and begin to get your period. If you’re a boy, your penis and testicles become larger. If you have sex, you could get pregnant or get someone pregnant. Whether you choose to have sex or not, it is a good idea to know about safe sex and how sex affects your health. Besides pregnancy, having sex puts you at risk of getting a sexually transmitted disease, such as herpes or genital warts, or HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
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Also called: Neuritis, Peripheral neuritis, Peripheral neuropathy
Your peripheral nerves are the ones outside your brain and spinal cord. Like static on a telephone line, peripheral nerve disorders distort or interrupt the messages between the brain and the rest of the body.
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Also called: Dyspepsia, Upset stomach
Nearly everyone has had indigestion at one time. It’s a feeling of discomfort or a burning feeling in your upper abdomen. You may have heartburn or belch and feel bloated. You may also feel nauseated, or even throw up.
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Also called: Barlow’s syndrome, Floppy valve syndrome, MVP
Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) occurs when one of your heart’s valves doesn’t work properly. MVP is one of the more common heart valve conditions. Most often, it’s a lifelong condition that a person is born with. Most people with MVP have no symptoms or problems, need no treatment, and are able to lead normal, active lives.
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Anthrax is a disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, a microbe that lives in soil. Many people know about it from the 2001 bioterror attacks. In the attacks, someone purposely spread anthrax through the U.S. mail. This killed five people and made 22 sick.
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Also called: Harelip
Cleft lip and cleft palate are birth defects that affect the upper lip and roof of the mouth. They happen when the tissue that forms the roof of the mouth and upper lip don’t join before birth. The problem can range from a small notch in the lip to a groove that runs into the roof of the mouth and nose. This can affect the way the child’s face looks. It can also lead to problems with eating, talking and ear infections.
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