Condition Lookup

Tinnitus

Specialty: Senior Health and Geriatrics

Symptoms:
ringing, buzzing, or hissing sound in one or both ears; sensitivity to external noise; difficulty concentrating or sleeping due to the constant sound; feeling of fullness in the ear

Root Cause:
Tinnitus is often caused by damage to the hair cells in the inner ear, which disrupts normal sound processing. It may also be related to age-related hearing loss, ear infections, earwax buildup, or exposure to loud noises.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosis involves a physical examination and hearing tests by an audiologist or ENT specialist. Imaging tests (e.g., MRI or CT scans) may be ordered to rule out underlying structural causes.

Treatment:
Treatment focuses on symptom management and may include sound therapy (e.g., white noise machines), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), tinnitus retraining therapy, or medications to reduce anxiety and depression.

Medications:
No specific medications cure tinnitus, but some medications may help alleviate symptoms. These include antidepressants (e.g., nortriptyline , a tricyclic antidepressant), antianxiety drugs (e.g., buspirone , a non-benzodiazepine), and benzodiazepines (e.g., alprazolam ) for anxiety-related tinnitus. These medications fall under the classifications of antidepressants, anxiolytics, and sedatives.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Tinnitus affects around 10-15% of the general population, with increased prevalence among older adults and those with hearing loss.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Exposure to loud noises. Age-related hearing loss. Ear infections or ear damage. High blood pressure. Diabetes. Stress and anxiety.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
While tinnitus often cannot be cured, it can be managed effectively. The prognosis depends on the underlying cause and the individual’s response to treatment. In many cases, symptoms decrease over time.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Sleep disturbances. Anxiety and depression. Difficulty concentrating. Decreased quality of life due to constant noise perception.

Cataracts

Specialty: Senior Health and Geriatrics

Category: Sensory Disorders

Sub-category: Vision Disorders

Symptoms:
blurry vision; difficulty seeing at night; sensitivity to light; double vision; faded colors

Root Cause:
Clouding of the natural lens of the eye, leading to decreased vision.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Eye examination, including a slit-lamp exam, visual acuity test, and dilated eye exam to assess the extent of cloudiness in the lens.

Treatment:
Surgical removal of the clouded lens and replacement with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL).

Medications:
No specific medications for treatment; however, eye drops may be prescribed for post-surgical care to prevent infection or inflammation (e.g., corticosteroid drops or antibiotic drops).

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Cataracts are extremely common in older adults, affecting more than half of people over the age of 65.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Age, family history, prolonged exposure to UV light, smoking, diabetes, hypertension, prolonged use of corticosteroids.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Surgery is highly effective in restoring vision, and most patients experience significant improvement post-surgery.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Risk of infection, bleeding, retinal detachment, or secondary cataract formation (after surgery).

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)

Specialty: Senior Health and Geriatrics

Category: Sensory Disorders

Sub-category: Vision Disorders

Symptoms:
central vision loss; distorted vision; difficulty reading or recognizing faces; blurred or darkened central vision

Root Cause:
Deterioration of the macula, the central part of the retina, leading to loss of central vision.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Comprehensive eye exam, including fundus photography, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and fluorescein angiography.

Treatment:
For dry AMD, no cure exists, but vitamin supplements may slow progression. For wet AMD, anti-VEGF injections (such as Avastin, Lucentis, or Eylea) are used to reduce abnormal blood vessel growth.

Medications:
Anti-VEGF injections, such as Avastin (bevacizumab ), Lucentis (ranibizumab ), or Eylea (aflibercept ), are used for wet AMD to inhibit abnormal blood vessel growth.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects around 10-15% of people over the age of 65, with increasing rates as the population ages.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Age, family history, smoking, high blood pressure, obesity, light-colored eyes, and excessive sun exposure.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Can lead to permanent central vision loss, but treatments can slow progression, especially in wet AMD.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Severe vision impairment or blindness in severe cases, difficulty with tasks requiring central vision (reading, driving).

Glaucoma

Specialty: Senior Health and Geriatrics

Category: Sensory Disorders

Sub-category: Vision Disorders

Symptoms:
loss of peripheral vision; halo around lights; eye pain; nausea (in acute angle-closure glaucoma); blurry vision

Root Cause:
Increased intraocular pressure that damages the optic nerve, leading to vision loss.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Comprehensive eye examination, including tonometry (to measure intraocular pressure), optic nerve imaging, visual field testing, and dilated eye exam.

Treatment:
Medications (usually eye drops), laser treatment, and surgery to reduce intraocular pressure.

Medications:
Prostaglandin analogs (e.g., latanoprost ), beta-blockers (e.g., timolol ), alpha agonists (e.g., brimonidine ), and carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (e.g., dorzolamide ) are commonly prescribed to lower intraocular pressure.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects about 2-3% of people over the age of 40, with the risk increasing with age.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Family history, age, African or Hispanic ethnicity, high intraocular pressure, previous eye injuries.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
If untreated, glaucoma can lead to permanent blindness. With treatment, the progression can be controlled, preserving vision.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Permanent vision loss, optic nerve damage, and blindness in severe cases.

Diabetic retinopathy

Specialty: Senior Health and Geriatrics

Category: Sensory Disorders

Sub-category: Vision Disorders

Symptoms:
blurry vision; floaters; dark or empty areas in vision; difficulty seeing at night; sudden vision loss

Root Cause:
Damage to the blood vessels of the retina caused by prolonged high blood sugar levels, leading to leakage or blockage of blood vessels.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Comprehensive eye exam, including fundus photography, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and fluorescein angiography.

Treatment:
Laser therapy (laser photocoagulation), anti-VEGF injections, corticosteroid injections, and vitrectomy surgery for severe cases.

Medications:
Anti-VEGF injections (e.g., ranibizumab , aflibercept ), corticosteroid injections, and laser treatments.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects 28.5% of people with diabetes, with the prevalence increasing as the duration of diabetes increases.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Diabetes (type 1 or type 2), poor blood sugar control, hypertension, high cholesterol, smoking.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
With early diagnosis and effective blood sugar control, vision loss can be prevented. Advanced stages may lead to permanent vision impairment.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Retinal detachment, macular edema, blindness, and difficulty with daily activities such as reading and driving.

Presbycusis (Age-related Hearing Loss)

Specialty: Senior Health and Geriatrics

Category: Sensory Disorders

Sub-category: Hearing Disorders

Symptoms:
difficulty hearing high-pitched sounds; muffled or unclear speech; asking people to repeat themselves; tinnitus (ringing in the ears); difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments

Root Cause:
The gradual degeneration of the inner ear structures, especially the hair cells in the cochlea, or changes in the auditory nerve that occur due to aging.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosis typically involves a comprehensive hearing evaluation by an audiologist, which may include pure tone audiometry, speech discrimination tests, and tympanometry to assess ear function.

Treatment:
While presbycusis cannot be cured, it is managed with hearing aids, cochlear implants, and assistive listening devices. Speech therapy may also help improve communication.

Medications:
Medications are not typically used to treat presbycusis directly. However, some individuals with tinnitus may be prescribed medications like antidepressants (e.g., amitriptyline , a tricyclic antidepressant) or antianxiety drugs (e.g., diazepam , a benzodiazepine) to help manage the symptoms of tinnitus that often accompany presbycusis.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects approximately one-third of people over the age of 65, with prevalence increasing with age.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Age. Family history of hearing loss. Chronic exposure to loud noises. Smoking. Diabetes. Cardiovascular conditions.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Hearing loss is progressive and irreversible, but symptoms can be managed effectively with hearing aids and communication strategies.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Social isolation. Depression. Cognitive decline due to difficulty in communication. Increased risk of falls and accidents due to reduced auditory cues.

Periodontal disease

Specialty: Senior Health and Geriatrics

Category: Sensory Disorders

Sub-category: Oral and Dental Health

Symptoms:
red, swollen gums; bleeding gums when brushing or flossing; bad breath; receding gums; loose teeth; pain while chewing

Root Cause:
The primary cause of periodontal disease is the accumulation of plaque and tartar on the teeth, leading to inflammation and infection of the gums and supporting structures of the teeth.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
A dentist diagnoses periodontal disease through a clinical examination, reviewing medical history, and performing dental X-rays to assess bone loss.

Treatment:
Treatment includes professional cleaning (scaling and root planing), improved oral hygiene, and possibly surgery for advanced stages.

Medications:
Medications include oral antibiotics (e.g., doxycycline , minocycline ) to control infection, and sometimes antimicrobial mouth rinses (e.g., chlorhexidine ). These are classified as antibiotics and antimicrobial agents.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Periodontal disease affects up to 50% of adults globally, with higher prevalence in older adults.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Smoking, poor oral hygiene, diabetes, genetic factors, certain medications (e.g., calcium channel blockers), and a weakened immune system.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
If detected early and treated properly, the disease can be managed or reversed; untreated cases can lead to tooth loss and systemic health issues.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Untreated periodontal disease can lead to tooth loss, systemic infections, and may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and respiratory conditions.

Xerostomia (dry mouth)

Specialty: Senior Health and Geriatrics

Category: Sensory Disorders

Sub-category: Oral and Dental Health

Symptoms:
dryness in the mouth; difficulty swallowing; sore throat; cracked lips; difficulty speaking; bad breath; altered taste

Root Cause:
Xerostomia occurs due to a decrease in saliva production, often caused by medications, radiation therapy, dehydration, or autoimmune diseases like Sjögren's syndrome.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
A diagnosis is made through a clinical evaluation, including a physical examination, patient history, and sometimes sialography or salivary flow tests.

Treatment:
Treatment includes salivary substitutes, improving hydration, using medications to stimulate saliva production (e.g., pilocarpine), and managing underlying conditions like autoimmune diseases.

Medications:
Medications prescribed for xerostomia include pilocarpine (classified as a cholinergic agent) and cevimeline (also a cholinergic agent). These drugs stimulate saliva production. Saliva substitutes are also available over-the-counter.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Xerostomia affects 10-30% of the population, with higher prevalence in older adults.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Older age, certain medications (e.g., antihistamines, antidepressants, diuretics), radiation therapy to the head or neck, and autoimmune diseases like Sjögren's syndrome.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Prognosis can vary; while xerostomia may improve if the underlying cause is treated, it may become a chronic condition if not managed.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Complications include increased risk of dental decay, difficulty speaking and swallowing, oral infections, and discomfort.