Comprehensive Symptom Navigator

Giant Cell Arteritis (Temporal Arteritis)

Sub-category: Vasculitis

Symptoms:
headache; jaw claudication (pain while chewing); scalp tenderness; vision loss; fever; fatigue; weight loss

Root Cause:
Inflammation of large- and medium-sized arteries, especially the temporal arteries, due to an immune-mediated process.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical symptoms; elevated ESR and CRP; temporal artery biopsy (showing granulomatous inflammation); Doppler ultrasound of the temporal artery

Treatment:
High-dose corticosteroids to reduce inflammation and prevent complications, followed by a gradual tapering.

Medications:
Corticosteroids such as prednisone (anti-inflammatory), tocilizumab (an IL-6 receptor antagonist for refractory cases), and aspirin (antiplatelet therapy to reduce vascular complications).

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects approximately 200 per 100,000 people aged over 50; more common in women and people of Northern European descent.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Age >50 years; female sex; genetic predisposition (HLA-DR4); Northern European ancestry

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Good with early treatment; untreated cases risk permanent vision loss or aortic aneurysm.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Permanent vision loss; aortic aneurysm; stroke; vascular stenosis

Diabetic Retinopathy

Specialty: Ophthalmology

Category: Retinal Disorders

Symptoms:
blurry vision; seeing floaters; difficulty seeing at night; vision loss

Root Cause:
High blood sugar damages retinal blood vessels, causing leakage or blockages.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Dilated eye exam, OCT, and fluorescein angiography.

Treatment:
Anti-VEGF injections (Ranibizumab, Aflibercept), laser therapy, or vitrectomy.

Medications:
Anti-VEGF injections (e.g., Ranibizumab , Aflibercept ), corticosteroids (e.g., Dexamethasone implants), and laser therapy.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects 1 in 3 diabetics globally, with higher rates in uncontrolled diabetes.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Poor blood sugar control, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, longer diabetes duration.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Treatable if detected early; late stages may lead to permanent vision loss.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Blindness, retinal detachment, and macular edema.

Optic Nerve Atrophy

Specialty: Ophthalmology

Category: Optic Nerve Disorders

Symptoms:
vision loss; reduced peripheral vision; difficulty with color vision

Root Cause:
Damage to the optic nerve reduces its ability to transmit visual information.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Visual field testing, optic nerve imaging.

Treatment:
Managing underlying conditions; damage is often irreversible.

Medications:
No medications; management of the underlying cause.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare; typically associated with other optic nerve disorders or systemic conditions.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Trauma, glaucoma, ischemia, tumors, multiple sclerosis.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Vision loss is usually irreversible; management focuses on preventing further damage.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Severe vision impairment or blindness.

Non-functioning Pituitary Adenomas

Specialty: Neurology

Category: Pituitary Tumors

Symptoms:
headaches; vision loss; fatigue; hypopituitarism symptoms like weakness, infertility, low libido

Root Cause:
Benign adenomas of the pituitary gland that do not produce hormones but may compress surrounding structures.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
MRI of the pituitary, blood tests to assess pituitary hormone function.

Treatment:
Surgical resection for symptomatic or growing tumors, with hormone replacement as needed.

Medications:
Hormone replacement therapies for any deficiencies caused by tumor compression (e.g., levothyroxine , hydrocortisone ).

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Relatively common; comprise about 30% of all pituitary tumors.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
No specific risk factors; may occur sporadically.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Favorable with appropriate treatment; recurrence is rare after complete resection.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Vision loss, pituitary apoplexy, hypopituitarism.

Neuromyelitis Optica (Anti-Aquaporin-4 Antibody Syndrome)

Specialty: Oncology

Category: Sarcomas

Sub-category: Paraneoplastic Syndromes

Symptoms:
vision loss; optic neuritis; nausea; vomiting; paralysis; sensory disturbances; bladder dysfunction; extreme fatigue

Root Cause:
Autoimmune response against aquaporin-4 channels on astrocytes, causing inflammation of the optic nerve and spinal cord, often associated with malignancies.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Detection of anti-AQP4 antibodies in the blood, MRI showing spinal cord and optic nerve lesions, and clinical presentation.

Treatment:
High-dose corticosteroids, plasmapheresis, and rituximab (an immunosuppressive therapy).

Medications:
Corticosteroids (e.g., methylprednisolone ), rituximab (a monoclonal antibody), and plasmapheresis may be used to manage acute relapses.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare, with an estimated 2-4 cases per million people annually.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Associated with autoimmune diseases, and may be paraneoplastic in some cases linked to cancers such as breast, lung, and ovarian.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Relapsing-remitting course in some patients; poor prognosis with significant long-term disability if untreated.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Vision loss, paralysis, and in severe cases, respiratory failure due to spinal cord involvement.

Mitochondrial Encephalomyopathy, Lactic Acidosis, and Stroke-like Episodes (MELAS)

Specialty: Genetics

Category: Single-Gene Disorders (Mendelian Inheritance)

Sub-category: Mitochondrial Disorders

Symptoms:
muscle weakness; recurrent headaches; vomiting; seizures; stroke-like episodes before age 40; hearing loss; diabetes mellitus; vision loss; cognitive decline

Root Cause:
Mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) impair energy production in cells by affecting oxidative phosphorylation.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical assessment, brain MRI showing stroke-like lesions, muscle biopsy with ragged red fibers, and genetic testing for mtDNA mutations.

Treatment:
Symptomatic management with physical therapy, occupational therapy, and dietary supplementation (e.g., L-arginine, coenzyme Q10). Stroke prevention strategies may include arginine supplementation during acute episodes.

Medications:
No specific FDA-approved medications for MELAS; however, supplements like L-arginine and coenzyme Q10 (antioxidants and mitochondrial support therapies) are often recommended. Anticonvulsants may be prescribed for seizures (e.g., levetiracetam , a broad-spectrum anticonvulsant).

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare, with an estimated prevalence of 1 in 10,000 to 1 in 20,000 individuals worldwide.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Family history of mitochondrial disorders, maternally inherited mtDNA mutations.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Progressive disorder with varying severity; life expectancy depends on the severity of symptoms and complications.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Stroke-like episodes, seizures, hearing loss, progressive neurological decline, diabetes mellitus, and cardiomyopathy.

Rhinocerebral Mucormycosis

Specialty: Infectious Diseases

Category: HEENT Infections

Symptoms:
nasal congestion; facial pain; fever; black necrotic tissue in the nasal cavity; vision loss

Root Cause:
Fungal infection caused by Mucorales species, often in immunocompromised individuals or those with diabetes.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Histopathology and culture of tissue samples, supported by imaging (CT or MRI).

Treatment:
Aggressive surgical debridement and antifungal therapy.

Medications:
Antifungal agents such as amphotericin B and posaconazole .

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare, but more common in patients with diabetes, transplant recipients, or those receiving immunosuppressive therapy.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Uncontrolled diabetes, immunosuppression, trauma.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Poor without prompt treatment; mortality rates exceed 50% in severe cases.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Spread to the brain, blindness, and death.

Ocular Manifestations of HIV Infection

Specialty: Infectious Diseases

Category: HIV and Vision

Symptoms:
blurred vision; floaters; pain or redness in the eye; vision loss; light sensitivity; double vision

Root Cause:
Direct HIV effects, opportunistic infections (e.g., cytomegalovirus retinitis), or immune recovery uveitis causing inflammation or damage to the eye structures.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Comprehensive eye examination, including dilated fundoscopic examination, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and imaging studies. Laboratory tests to confirm opportunistic infections.

Treatment:
Treatment depends on the cause, including ART for HIV control, antiviral medications for infections (e.g., ganciclovir for CMV), corticosteroids for inflammation, and laser therapy for retinal detachment.

Medications:
Ganciclovir (antiviral) for CMV retinitis, valganciclovir (oral antiviral), and corticosteroid eye drops for immune-mediated inflammation.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Up to 50% of untreated HIV patients experience ocular complications, though rates are lower with effective ART.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Advanced HIV, low CD4 counts, untreated opportunistic infections, and lack of access to ART.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Effective ART reduces incidence; prompt diagnosis and treatment of infections improve outcomes, though some complications may lead to permanent vision loss.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Permanent vision impairment, blindness, retinal detachment, and decreased quality of life.