You are reading our best questions and answers in the Health category

Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease after the physician who identified the cause, is a disease that is best known for causing skin lesions that often appear as deformations or growths. If it is untreated the disease commonly progresses and leads to permanent disfiguration and damage to the eyes, skin, nerves and limbs. Evidence for this disease dates back to at least 4000 years ago and it has affected many people and civilizations through the years. Leprosy drugs are now available to cure this disease, but in the past those suffering leprosy were quarantined or segregated in leper colonies and some of these still exist today.

Chapped lips, also known as cracked lips, is a painful condition where the lips become cracked and sore. The lips may also peel and have some redness around the outside of the lips. In extreme cases large cracks can occur which can also cause bleeding. Chapped lips is a very common condition and it is most common during winter. Let’s take a look at what causes chapped lips.

Snake venom is the cause of many injuries and deaths to humans each year. The affect that snake venom has on the human body varies based on the species of snake and the type and amount of venom that is injected. Each species of snake injects a different venom and knowing the type of snake involved in a snakebite incident can be vital in saving a person’s life.

The liver is a major organ that is located in the upper right quadrant of the abdominal cavity. It is dark reddish-brown and has four lobes. The liver is a triangular shaped organ that weights approximately 1.44–1.66 kg (3.2–3.7 lb) in an adult human. The liver is connected to the hepatic artery and the portal vein. It is the second largest organ of the human body and has a number of functions within the body.

Chickenpox is a common highly contagious illness that is best known for causing a distinctive itchy skin rash. However, chickenpox commonly causes other symptoms such as nausea, muscle pain, fever, headache, sore throat, ear pain, lack of appetite and fatigue. There are rarely serious complications from this illness, but adult males and those with suppressed immune systems are most at risk of complications.

Warts are a hard, rough lump that commonly grow on the hands and feet, but can occur anywhere on the body. There are many different types of warts including; flat warts, plantar warts and genital warts. The common skin wart is the most frequently encountered wart and they are most commonly found on the hands, feet and elbows. Warts usually occur without any other symptoms and may simply disappear on their own after a few months. However, they have been known to reoccur or even last for many years. Warts are contagious and are commonly passed on via broken skin. Let’s take a look at what causes these strange little lumps.

Pancreatitis is a painful condition in which the pancreas becomes inflamed. This inflammation occurs when the enzymes produced in the pancreas are activated inside the pancreas rather than the small intestine. This condition can come on suddenly or last for many years, depending on a variety of factors. Common symptoms include abdominal and back pain, nausea and vomiting. When the condition lasts for a long period of time it can lead to diabetes and pancreatic cancer. Pancreatitis has many different causes.

An ingrown toenail is a painful condition of the nail bed where the sides of the toenail grows into the nail bed. The sliver of toenail cuts into the nail bed causing pain, infection and inflammation. Whilst this condition can happen on both hands and feet it most commonly occurs with toenails. Some of the common symptoms of an ingrown toenail are localized pain at the base of the nail, swelling, pus, bleeding and sensitivity to pressure.

Impetigo, sometimes known as school sores, is a infection common amongst young children. It is usually a minor illness that causes painless blisters filled with fluid that occur on the arms, legs, face and trunk. These blisters may be red and itchy and eventually break and turn into a scab. In some cases the infection spreads into the second layer of skin. This is known as ecthyma and it is a far more serious problem. Symptoms of ecthyma include painful blisters that turn into ulcers and eventually cause scarring and swollen glands. Let’s take a look at what causes this infection.

Boils are a painful swollen area on the skin that are sometimes known as a furuncle. They are sometimes mistaken for a large pimple, but are usually much more painful and can reach the size of a golf ball! In most cases they are a mere annoyance, but in serious cases they can cause swollen lymph nodes, fever, fatigue, scarring, abscesses and even blood poisoning (sepsis). They can also reoccur, which is referred to as chronic furunculosis. Boils are contagious and are easily spread between people that have close contact. Let’s take a look at what causes this painful skin condition.