ENDOCRINE SYSTEM

The following list are the most common diseases of Endocrine system:

1.TYPE 1 DIABETES

 Type 1 diabetes, sometimes called juvenile diabetes or type 1 diabetes

mellitus, is a chronic autoimmune condition where your pancreas produces
little or no insulin, the crucial hormone that helps convert the glucose in your
bloodstream into fuel.

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  After digesting a meal, our bodies take the carbohydrates from our food and
convert them into glucose, which travels through our bloodstream into our
cells. Our cells then use this glucose as fuel to power everything they do.
 Insulin works like a key for the glucose, unlocking the cells so that the
glucose can enter. Without insulin, our cells can’t function, because the
glucose remains locked out. As a result, glucose from food accumulates in
the bloodstream. Too much accumulated glucose leads to a rise in blood
sugar, which then causes symptoms to develop.

What causes type 1 diabetes?

 Viral infection such as mumps, rubella, cytomegalovirus, measles, influenza,
encephalitis, polio, or Epstein-Barr.
 Injury to or removal of the pancreas. 

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 Symptoms:
 Excessive thirst
 Increased urination
 Unexplained weight loss
 Headache
 Dehydration
 Irritability, mood swings
 Increased appetite
 Fatigue
 Disruption of menstrual cycles and miscarriage (in adults)
 Yeast infections
 Waking up in the middle of the night to urinate

 Treatment for type 1 diabetes:

Type 1 diabetes must be treated with insulin.
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 2.TYPE 2 DIABETES
 Type 2 diabetes occurs when your blood sugar levels become elevated and
you develop insulin resistance. Your body is no longer able to effectively
respond to insulin, making it unable to fully absorb and use the sugar from
the food you eat for energy.
Signs and symptoms:
 Polydipsia is an excessive thirst
 Hyperphagia is an unceasing hunger
 Polyuria is the urge to urinate more often than usual.
 Weight loss 
 Blurred vision, headaches
 Yeast infections 
 Extremity paresthesia or tingling feet and hands.
 Dry mouth is that cottony feeing, often accompanied by excessive thirst.
 Fatigue, sore, tender gums

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 3.GRAVES DISEASE

 Graves' is a cluster of symptoms caused by the butterfly-shaped thyroid

gland in your lower neck.

Signs and symptoms:

 Weight loss despite increased appetite.
 Anxiety, irritability, mood swings, and restlessness

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 Tremors (involuntary, quick movements, such as twitching)
 Difficulty sleeping and disturbed sleep (insomnia)
 Heat intolerance and sweating
 Chest pain, palpitations, and rapid or irregular heartbeats
 Shortness of breath and difficulty breathing
 Increased stool frequency (with or without diarrhea)
 Irregular or stopped periods
 Muscle weakness
 Difficulty controlling diabetes
 Fatigue
 Reduced libido or erectile dysfunction
 Vitamin b12 deficiency

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 4.HYPOTHYROIDISM (Underactive Thyroid)

 A condition in which the thyroid gland is not able to produce

enough thyroid hormone. People with this condition will have symptoms
associated with a slow metabolism.

Causes:

 The most common cause of thyroid gland failure is called autoimmune

thyroiditis (also called Hashimoto's thyroiditis).

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 Symptoms:

 Fatigue, weakness
 Weight gain or increased difficulty losing weight
 Coarse, dry hair, hair loss, dry and rough pale skin
 Cold intolerance (you can't tolerate cold temperatures like those around you)
 Muscle cramps and frequent muscle aches
 Constipation
 Depression, irritability, memory loss
 Abnormal menstrual cycles
 Decreased libido

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5.HYPERTHYROIDISM

 Hyperthyroidism is the abnormal function of your thyroid gland, an organ

located in the front of your neck that releases hormones to regulate your
body’s use of energy.

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 Symptoms:
 Appetite Changes
 Insomnia, emotional extremes
 Fatigue or Muscle Weakness
 Fertility and Menstruation Issues
 Frequent Bowel Movements
 Hand Tremors and Shakiness
 Heart Palpitations or Irregular Heartbeat
 Heat Intolerance and Excessive Sweating, Increased Blood Sugar
 Skin, Hair, and Nail Problems
 Nausea and Vomiting, Shortness of breath, Dyspnea
 Hyperventilation (deeper and more rapid breathing)
 Pulmonary arterial hypertension 
 Sudden Paralysis, Weight fluctuations
 Swollen Base of Your Neck and Thyroid

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6. OSTEOPOROSIS

 Osteoporosis means "porous bone," or bone that has become more open
due to a loss of bone cells. As such, it's often described as a disorder
characterized by "holey" bones
 Complications: Severe, chronic pain, loss of height, stooped posture,
restricted mobility, depression
 Prevention: Eat a healthy diet rich in calcium and vitamin D, exercise
regularly, and cut out smoking and excessive drinking.

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7.GROWTH HORMONE DEFICIENCY

 Growth hormone deficiency is a condition in which the body doesn’t create

enough growth hormone. Other names for growth hormone deficiency
are dwarfism and pituitary dwarfism.
 When your pituitary gland doesn’t produce enough growth hormone, your
growth can slow.

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 Symptoms in children:
 Child's face may appear younger than children who are the same age
 Delayed puberty—but sometimes a child won't go through puberty
 Increased fat around the face and stomach
 Mild to moderate chubbiness
 Slow tooth development
 Sluggish hair growth

Symptoms in Adults
 Anxiety and/or depression
 Baldness (in men)
 Decrease in sexual function and interest
 Decreased muscle mass and strength
 Difficult to concentration and lack of memory
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 Dry, thin skin
 Elevated triglyceride levels
 Fatigue and/or tiredness
 Heart problems
 High levels of LDL (the "bad") cholesterol
 Insulin resistance
 Lower tolerance to exercise
 Reduced bone density, making you more susceptible to developing osteoporosis
 Sensitivity to heat and cold
 Very low energy levels
 Weight gain, especially around the waist

 The most common treatment for growth hormone deficiency in both children
and adults is growth hormone therapy—injections of growth hormone into
the body.
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8.MENOPAUSE

 Technically, menopause lasts only a day, and marks the point at which you
have gone 12 consecutive months without a period. The phase leading up to
this is called perimenopause, and it typically lasts 3 to 4 years, though it can
take up to 10. After menopause, you are technically postmenopause, but the
word menopause is often still used to describe that stage of life as well.

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 What causes perimenopause and menopause?
 Perimenopause refers to the time period leading up to menopause
(premenopause) and the time following it (postmenopause). During the
years preceding menopause, hormone levels fluctuate and average
estrogen levels may even be higher. After menopause, hormone levels
gradually decline.

Perimenopause and Menopause symptoms may include:

 Heavier, longer periods

 Irregular periods
 Hot flashes and night sweats
 Sleep disruption
 Fatigue
 Irritability, mood swings, and bouts of rage
 Depression and other mental health

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 Vaginal dryness, Painful sex, Loss of Libido
9.CUSHING’S SYNDROME

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 The obesity tumor, overproduction of cortisol
 Since cortisol production by the adrenal glands is normally under the control
of the pituitary, overproduction can be caused by a tumor in the pituitary or
within the adrenal glands themselves. 
 When the adrenal glands develop a tumor, like any other endocrine gland,
they usually produce excess amounts of the hormone normally produced by
these cells. If the adrenal tumor is composed of cortisol-producing cells,
excess cortisol will be produced.
 Obviously, the treatment of this disease depends on the cause. Pituitary
tumors are usually removed surgically and often treated with radiation
therapy. 

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 10. LOW TESTOSTERONE

In men, testosterone is responsible for maintaining:

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 sex drive
 sperm production
 facial, pubic, and body hair
 muscle and bones
Low Testosterone Symptoms:
 decreased sex drive (libido)
 poor (or no) erections (erectile dysfunction or impotence)
 enlarged breasts
 low sperm count
Severe low testosterone may lead to signs and symptoms, including:
 loss of body hair, muscle bulk and strength
 weaker bones (osteoporosis)
 mood swings (including increased irritability)
 depression
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 hot flashes

Low Testosterone Causes

 Low testosterone is broken into 2 main types:  primary hypogonadism and
secondary hypogonadism.
Primary hypogonadism is also known as primary testicular failure, and it is
caused by a problem in the testicles.  These problems can include:
 injury to the testicle
 Klinefelter syndrome
 undescended testicles

Secondary hypogonadism is caused by a problem with the pituitary or

hypothalamus glands.  Those are glands that give a signal to the testicles to
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 make testosterone, so if something affects them, testosterone production can be
affected.  Conditions that can cause secondary hypogonadism include:
 pituitary disorders, type 2 diabetes, medications
 aging
REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

The following list are diseases of Reproductive System.

1. ENDOMETRIOSIS

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  Endometriosis is an often painful disorder in which tissue similar to the tissue
that normally lines the inside of your uterus — the endometrium — grows
outside your uterus.
Common signs and symptoms:

 Painful periods (dysmenorrhea)

 Pain with intercourse

 Pain with bowel movements or urination

 Excessive bleeding

 Infertility

 Fatigue, diarrhea, constipation, bloating or nausea, especially during

menstrual periods.

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Several factors place you at greater risk of developing endometriosis, such
as:

 Never giving birth

 Starting your period at an early age

 Going through menopause at an older age

 Short menstrual cycles — for instance, less than 27 days

 Heavy menstrual periods that last longer than seven days

 Having higher levels of estrogen in your body or a greater lifetime exposure to

estrogen your body produces

 Low body mass index

 One or more relatives (mother, aunt or sister) with endometriosis

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 Any medical condition that prevents the normal passage of menstrual flow out
of the body

 Reproductive tract abnormalities

2. UTERINE FIBROIDS

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  Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths of the uterus that often appear
during childbearing years. Also called leiomyomas (lie-o-my-O-muhs) or
myomas, uterine fibroids aren't associated with an increased risk of uterine
cancer and almost never develop into cancer.
Most common signs and symptoms:

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 Heavy menstrual bleeding

 Menstrual periods lasting more than a week

 Pelvic pressure or pain

 Frequent urination

 Difficulty emptying the bladder

 Constipation

 Backache or leg pains

Causes:

 Genetic changes. Many fibroids contain changes in genes that differ from

those in normal uterine muscle cells.

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 Hormones. Estrogen and progesterone, two hormones that stimulate
development of the uterine lining during each menstrual cycle in preparation
for pregnancy, appear to promote the growth of fibroids.

Fibroids contain more estrogen and progesterone receptors than normal

uterine muscle cells do. Fibroids tend to shrink after menopause due to a
decrease in hormone production.

 Other growth factors. Substances that help the body maintain tissues, such
as insulin-like growth factor, may affect fibroid growth.

 Extracellular matrix (ECM). ECM is the material that makes cells stick

together, like mortar between bricks. ECM is increased in fibroids and makes
them fibrous. ECM also stores growth factors and causes biologic changes in
the cells themselves.

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 3. OVARIAN CANCER

 Ovarian cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the ovaries. The female
reproductive system contains two ovaries, one on each side of the uterus.
The ovaries — each about the size of an almond — produce eggs (ova) as
well as the hormones estrogen and progesterone.
 Often goes undetected until it has spread within the pelvis and abdomen. At
this late stage, ovarian cancer is more difficult to treat. Early-stage ovarian
cancer, in which the disease is confined to the ovary, is more likely to be
treated successfully.

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  Surgery and chemotherapy are generally used to treat ovarian cancer.

Signs and symptoms:

 Abdominal bloating or swelling

 Quickly feeling full when eating

 Weight loss

 Discomfort in the pelvis area

 Changes in bowel habits, such as constipation

 A frequent need to urinate

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 4. CERVICAL CANCER

 Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that occurs in the cells of the cervix —
the lower part of the uterus that connects to the vagina.
 Various strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted
infection, play a role in causing most cervical cancer.

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Risk factors for cervical cancer include:

 Many sexual partners

 Early sexual activity

 Other sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

 A weakened immune system

 Smoking

 Exposure to miscarriage prevention drug

Prevention:

 HPV vaccination may reduce risk of cervical cancer

 Have routine Pap tests

 Practice safe sex, Don’t smoke

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 5. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

 Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder common among

women of reproductive age. Women with PCOS may have infrequent or
prolonged menstrual periods or excess male hormone (androgen) levels.
The ovaries may develop numerous small collections of fluid (follicles) and
fail to regularly release eggs.

Signs and symptoms:

 Irregular periods, Excess androgen, Polycystic ovaries

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Complications of PCOS can include:

 Infertility

 Gestational diabetes or pregnancy-induced high blood pressure

 Miscarriage or premature birth

 Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

 Metabolic syndrome

 Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes

 Sleep apnea

 Depression, anxiety and eating disorders

 Abnormal uterine bleeding

 Cancer of the uterine lining (endometrial cancer)

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 6. ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION

 Erectile dysfunction (impotence) is the inability to get and keep an erection

firm enough for sex.
Symptoms:

 Trouble getting an erection

 Trouble keeping an erection

 Reduced sexual desire

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 7. PROSTATE CANCER

 Prostate cancer is cancer that occurs in the prostate. The prostate is a small
walnut-shaped gland in males that produces the seminal fluid that nourishes
and transports sperm.
Symptoms:

 Trouble urinating

 Decreased force in the stream of urine

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  Blood in the urine

 Blood in the semen

 Bone pain

 Losing weight without trying

 Erectile dysfunction

Risk factors

 Older age. It's most common after age 50.

 Race

 Family history

 Obesity

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 8. EPIDIDYMITIS

 Epididymitis (ep-ih-did-uh-MY-tis) is an inflammation of the coiled tube

(epididymis) at the back of the testicle that stores and carries sperm. Males
of any age can get epididymitis.
 Epididymitis is most often caused by a bacterial infection, including sexually
transmitted infections (STIs), such as gonorrhea or chlamydia. Sometimes, a
testicle also becomes inflamed — a condition called epididymo-orchitis.

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Symptoms

 A swollen, red or warm scrotum

 Testicle pain and tenderness, usually on one side, that usually comes on
gradually

 Painful urination or an urgent or frequent need to urinate

 Discharge from the penis, Blood in the semen

 Pain or discomfort in the lower abdomen or pelvic area

Causes

 STIs and Other infections

 Urine in the epididymis (chemical epididymitis)

 Trauma

 Tuberculosis. Rarely, epididymitis can be caused by tuberculosis infection.

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 9. TESTICULAR CANCER

 Testicular cancer occurs in the testicles (testes), which are located inside the
scrotum, a loose bag of skin underneath the penis. The testicles produce
male sex hormones and sperm for reproduction.

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Signs and symptoms of testicular cancer include:

 A lump or enlargement in either testicle

 A feeling of heaviness in the scrotum

 A dull ache in the abdomen or groin

 A sudden collection of fluid in the scrotum

 Pain or discomfort in a testicle or the scrotum

 Enlargement or tenderness of the breasts

 Back pain

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 10. VAGINAL CANCER

 Vaginal cancer is a rare cancer that occurs in your vagina — the muscular
tube that connects your uterus with your outer genitals. Vaginal cancer most
commonly occurs in the cells that line the surface of your vagina, which is
sometimes called the birth canal.

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Signs and symptoms:

 Unusual vaginal bleeding, for example, after intercourse or after menopause

 Watery vaginal discharge

 A lump or mass in your vagina

 Painful urination

 Frequent urination

 Constipation

 Pelvic pain

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 NERVOUS SYSTEM
The following list are diseases of Nervous System.

1.ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

 Most common type of irreversible dementia (gradual loss of memory,

intellect, rational thought and social skills).
 The brain contains millions of brain cells (neurons) that organise how the
brain stores memories, learns habits and shapes our personality. Signals
pass along the connections between brain cells in the form of chemicals

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 called neurotransmitters. Alzheimer’s disease affects these cells and
chemicals, disturbing memory, impairing thinking and causing behaviour
changes over time.

Symptoms:

The first signs are usually memory loss and difficulty finding the right words for
everyday things.

Other common symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease include:

 vagueness in daily conversation

 lack of enthusiasm for activities you once enjoyed
 taking longer to do regular tasks
 forgetting well-known people or places
 difficulty processing questions and instructions
 a decline in social skills
 unpredictable emotions
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3 stages of Alzheimer’s disease based on the severity of symptoms:

1. Mild Alzheimer’s disease: early signs of dementia

2. Moderate Alzheimer’s disease: symptoms are difficult to cope
3. Advanced Alzheimer’s disease: continuous care in all daily activities

What causes Alzheimer’s disease?

 Amyloid plaques are deposits outside the brain cells — they prevent the

brain from passing signals properly.
 Neurofibrillary tangles are deposits inside the brain cells — they kill the
cells by blocking off food and energy, causing dementia that worsens over
time.
 Neuronal death causes shrinking in the outer layer of the brain (the cortex)
which is vital to memory, language and judgement — Alzheimer’s disease is
characterised by this shrinkage.

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 2.BELL’S PALSY

 Bell's palsy, also known as acute peripheral facial palsy of unknown cause,
can occur at any age. The exact cause is unknown. It's believed to be the
result of swelling and inflammation of the nerve that controls the muscles on
one side of your face. Or it might be a reaction that occurs after a viral
infection.

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  For most people, Bell's palsy is temporary. Symptoms usually start to
improve within a few weeks, with complete recovery in about six months.

Signs and symptoms:

 Rapid onset of mild weakness to total paralysis on one side of your face —
occurring within hours to days

 Facial droop and difficulty making facial expressions, such as closing your
eye or smiling

 Drooling

 Pain around the jaw or in or behind your ear on the affected side

 Increased sensitivity to sound on the affected side

 Headache

 A loss of taste

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 Changes in the amount of tears and saliva you produce

3.CEREBRAL PALSY

 Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that affect movement and muscle tone
or posture. It's caused by damage that occurs to the immature brain as it
develops, most often before birth.

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  Causes impaired movement associated with abnormal reflexes, floppiness
or rigidity of the limbs and trunk, abnormal posture, involuntary movements,
unsteady walking, or some combination of these.

Signs and symptoms:

 Variations in muscle tone, such as being either too stiff or too floppy

 Stiff muscles and exaggerated reflexes (spasticity)

 Stiff muscles with normal reflexes (rigidity)

 Lack of balance and muscle coordination (ataxia)

 Tremors or involuntary movements

 Slow, writhing movements

 Delays in reaching motor skills milestones, such as pushing up on arms,

sitting up or crawling

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 Favoring one side of the body, such as reaching with one hand or dragging a
leg while crawling

 Difficulty walking, such as walking on toes, a crouched gait, a scissors-like

gait with knees crossing, a wide gait or an asymmetrical gait

 Excessive drooling or problems with swallowing

 Difficulty with sucking or eating, delays in speech development or difficulty

speaking

 Learning difficulties

 Difficulty with fine motor skills, such as buttoning clothes or picking up utensils

 Seizures

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Causes:

 Gene mutations 

 Maternal infections

 Fetal stroke

 Bleeding into the brain in the womb or as a newborn

 Infant infections 

 Traumatic head injury and lack of oxygen to the brain related to difficult labor
or delivery

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 4.EPILEPSY

 Epilepsy is a central nervous system (neurological) disorder in which brain

activity becomes abnormal, causing seizures or periods of unusual behavior,
sensations, and sometimes loss of awareness.
 Treatment with medications or sometimes surgery can control seizures for
the majority of people with epilepsy. Some people require lifelong treatment
to control seizures, but for others, the seizures eventually go away. Some
children with epilepsy may outgrow the condition with age.

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Symptoms:

 Temporary confusion

 A staring spell

 Uncontrollable jerking movements of the arms and legs

 Loss of consciousness or awareness

 Psychic symptoms such as fear, anxiety or deja vu

Focal seizures (Partial)

Appear to result from abnormal activity in just one area of your brain.

 Focal seizures without loss of consciousness. Once called simple partial

seizures, these seizures don't cause a loss of consciousness. They may alter
emotions or change the way things look, smell, feel, taste or sound. They may
also result in involuntary jerking of a body part, such as an arm or leg, and

54
 spontaneous sensory symptoms such as tingling, dizziness and flashing
lights.

 Focal seizures with impaired awareness. Once called complex partial

seizures, these seizures involve a change or loss of consciousness or
awareness. During a complex partial seizure, you may stare into space and
not respond normally to your environment or perform repetitive movements,
such as hand rubbing, chewing, swallowing or walking in circles.

Generalized seizures

Appear to involve all areas of the brain. Six types of generalized seizures exist.

 Absence seizures. Absence seizures, previously known as petit mal

seizures, often occur in children and are characterized by staring into space
or subtle body movements such as eye blinking or lip smacking. These
seizures may occur in clusters and cause a brief loss of awareness.

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 Tonic seizures. Tonic seizures cause stiffening of your muscles. These
seizures usually affect muscles in your back, arms and legs and may cause
you to fall to the ground.

 Atonic seizures. Atonic seizures, also known as drop seizures, cause a loss

of muscle control, which may cause you to suddenly collapse or fall down.

 Clonic seizures. Clonic seizures are associated with repeated or rhythmic,

jerking muscle movements. These seizures usually affect the neck, face and
arms.

 Myoclonic seizures. Myoclonic seizures usually appear as sudden brief jerks

or twitches of your arms and legs.

 Tonic-clonic seizures. Tonic-clonic seizures, previously known as grand mal

seizures, are the most dramatic type of epileptic seizure and can cause an
abrupt loss of consciousness, body stiffening and shaking, and sometimes
loss of bladder control or biting your tongue.

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 5.SHINGLES

 Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful rash. Although shingles can
occur anywhere on your body, it most often appears as a single stripe of
blisters that wraps around either the left or the right side of your torso.
 Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus — the same virus that
causes chickenpox. After you've had chickenpox, the virus lies inactive in
nerve tissue near your spinal cord and brain. Years later, the virus may
reactivate as shingles.

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Signs and Symptoms:

 Pain, burning, numbness or tingling

 Sensitivity to touch

 A red rash that begins a few days after the pain

 Fluid-filled blisters that break open and crust over

 Itching

Causes

Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus — the same virus that causes
chickenpox. Anyone who's had chickenpox may develop shingles. After you
recover from chickenpox, the virus enters your nervous system and lies dormant
for years.

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 6.MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

 Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a potentially disabling disease of the brain and

spinal cord (central nervous system).
 The immune system attacks the protective sheath (myelin) that covers nerve
fibers and causes communication problems between your brain and the rest
of your body. Eventually, the disease can cause permanent damage or
deterioration of the nerves.

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Symptoms:

 Numbness or weakness in one or more limbs that typically occurs on one side
of your body at a time, or your legs and trunk

 Electric-shock sensations that occur with certain neck movements, especially

bending the neck forward (Lhermitte sign)

 Tremor, lack of coordination or unsteady gait

 Partial or complete loss of vision, usually in one eye at a time, often with pain
during eye movement

 Prolonged double vision, blurry vission

 Slurred speech, Fatigue, Dizziness

 Tingling or pain in parts of your body

 Problems with sexual, bowel and bladder function

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 7.PARKINSON’S DISEASE

 Parkinson's disease is a progressive nervous system disorder that affects

movement. Symptoms sometimes starting with a barely noticeable tremor in
just one hand. Commonly causes stiffness or slowing of movement.
 In the early stages of Parkinson's disease, your face may show little or no
expression. Your arms may not swing when you walk. Your speech may
become soft or slurred. Parkinson's disease symptoms worsen as your
condition progresses over time.

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Signs and symptoms:

 Tremor. A tremor, or shaking, usually begins in a limb, often your hand or

fingers.

 Slowed movement (bradykinesia). Your steps may become shorter when

you walk. It may be difficult to get out of a chair. You may drag your feet as
you try to walk.

 Rigid muscles. Muscle stiffness may occur in any part of your body. The stiff
muscles can be painful and limit your range of motion.

 Impaired posture and balance. 

 Loss of automatic movements. You may have a decreased ability to

perform unconscious movements, including blinking, smiling or swinging your
arms when you walk.

 Speech and Writing changes. 

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 8.MOTOR NEURONE DISEASE

 Motor neurone disease (MND) is the name for a group of diseases that
affects particular nerves known as motor nerves, or motor neurons. In MND,
those neurons generate and die and slowly the muscles become weaker.
This eventually leads to paralysis. It is also known as Lou Gehrig's disease,
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS.

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Symptoms:

MND is a progressive disease that usually starts slowly and gets worse over
time. Symptoms sometimes starting on one side of the body and then spreading.
Usually, the first things people notice are:

 weakness in the hands and grip

 slurred speech
 weakness in the legs, and a tendency to trip
 weakness of the shoulder, making lifting difficult
 cramps and muscles twitching

Later on, people with MND:

 have little or no movement

 have trouble talking, breathing and swallowing

A few people with MND develop a type of dementia.

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 9.NEUROFIBROMATOSIS

 Neurofibromatoses are a group of genetic disorders that cause tumors to

form on nerve tissue. These tumors can develop anywhere in the nervous
system, including the brain, spinal cord and nerves. There are three types of
neurofibromatosis: neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1), neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2)
and schwannomatosis. NF1 is usually diagnosed in childhood,
while NF2 and schwannomatosis are usually diagnosed in early adulthood.

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  The tumors in these disorders are usually noncancerous (benign), but
sometimes can become cancerous (malignant). Symptoms are often mild.
However, complications of neurofibromatosis can include hearing loss,
learning impairment, heart and blood vessel (cardiovascular) problems, loss
of vision, and severe pain.

Symptoms

There are three types of neurofibromatosis, each with different signs and
symptoms.

Neurofibromatosis 1

Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) is usually diagnosed during childhood. Signs are often

noticeable at birth or shortly afterward and almost always by age 10.

Signs and symptoms include:

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 Flat, light brown spots on the skin (cafe au lait spots). These harmless
spots are common in many people. Having more than six cafe au lait spots
suggests NF1.

 Freckling in the armpits or groin area. Freckling usually appears by ages 3

to 5. Freckles are smaller than cafe au lait spots and tend to occur in clusters
in skin folds.

 Tiny bumps on the iris of the eye (Lisch nodules). These harmless

nodules can't easily be seen and don't affect vision.

 Soft, pea-sized bumps on or under the skin (neurofibromas). These

benign tumors usually develop in or under the skin, but can also grow inside
the body.

 Bone deformities. Abnormal bone development and a deficiency in bone

mineral density can cause bone deformities such as a curved spine (scoliosis)
or a bowed lower leg.

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  Tumor on the optic nerve (optic glioma). These tumors usually appear by
age 3, rarely in late childhood and adolescence, and almost never in adults.

 Learning disabilities. Impaired thinking skills are common in children who

have NF1 but are usually mild. Often there is a specific learning disability,
such as a problem with reading or mathematics. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD) and speech delay also are common.

 Larger than average head size. Children with NF1 tend to have a larger

than average head size due to increased brain volume.

 Short stature. Children who have NF1 often are below average in height.

Neurofibromatosis 2

Neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2) is much less common than NF1. Signs and symptoms

of NF2 usually result from the development of benign, slow-growing tumors in

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both ears (acoustic neuromas), which can cause hearing loss. Also known as
vestibular schwannomas, these tumors grow on the nerve that carries sound and
balance information from the inner ear to the brain.

Signs and symptoms can include:

 Gradual hearing loss

 Ringing in the ears

 Poor balance

 Headaches

Schwannomatosis

This rare type of neurofibromatosis usually affects people after age 20.
Symptoms usually appear between ages 25 and 30. Schwannomatosis causes
tumors to develop on the cranial, spinal and peripheral nerves — but rarely on

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the nerve that carries sound and balance information from the inner ear to the
brain. Tumors don't usually grow on both hearing nerves, so people who have
schwannomatosis don't experience the same hearing loss as people who
have NF2.

Symptoms:

 Chronic pain, which can occur anywhere in the body and can be disabling

 Numbness or weakness in various parts of the body

 Loss of muscle

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 10. SCIATICA

 Sciatica refers to pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, which
branches from your lower back through your hips and buttocks and down
each leg. Typically, sciatica affects only one side of your body.

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  Most commonly occurs when a herniated disk, bone spur on the spine or
narrowing of the spine (spinal stenosis) compresses part of the nerve. This
causes inflammation, pain and often some numbness in the affected leg.

Symptoms:

Pain that radiates from your lower (lumbar) spine to your buttock and down the
back of your leg is the hallmark of sciatica. You might feel the discomfort almost
anywhere along the nerve pathway, but it's especially likely to follow a path from
your low back to your buttock and the back of your thigh and calf.

The pain can vary widely, from a mild ache to a sharp, burning sensation or
excruciating pain. Sometimes it can feel like a jolt or electric shock. It can be
worse when you cough or sneeze, and prolonged sitting can aggravate
symptoms. Usually only one side of your body is affected.

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Some people also have numbness, tingling or muscle weakness in the affected
leg or foot. You might have pain in one part of your leg and numbness in another
part.

Causes:

Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve becomes pinched, usually by a herniated
disk in your spine or by an overgrowth of bone (bone spur) on your vertebrae.
More rarely, the nerve can be compressed by a tumor or damaged by a disease
such as diabetes.

Prevention

It's not always possible to prevent sciatica, and the condition may recur. The
following can play a key role in protecting your back:

 Exercise regularly. To keep your back strong, pay special attention to your
core muscles — the muscles in your abdomen and lower back that are
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 essential for proper posture and alignment. Ask your doctor to recommend
specific activities.

 Maintain proper posture when you sit. Choose a seat with good lower back
support, armrests and a swivel base. Consider placing a pillow or rolled towel
in the small of your back to maintain its normal curve. Keep your knees and
hips level.

 Use good body mechanics. If you stand for long periods, rest one foot on a
stool or small box from time to time. When you lift something heavy, let your
lower extremities do the work. Move straight up and down. Keep your back
straight and bend only at the knees. Hold the load close to your body. Avoid
lifting and twisting simultaneously. Find a lifting partner if the object is heavy
or awkward.

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