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ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. A-myo-trophic comes from the Greek language. "A" means no. "Myo" refers to muscle, and "Trophic" means nourishment – "No muscle nourishment."

CAUSES: Chemical imbalance. People with ALS generally have higher than normal levels of glutamate, a chemical messenger in the brain and in the spinal fluid around nerve cells. High levels of glutamate are toxic to some nerve cells and may cause ALS.

SYMPTOMS: Gradual onset, generally painless, progressive muscle weakness is the most common initial symptom in ALS. Other early symptoms vary but can include tripping, dropping things, abnormal fatigue of the arms and/or legs, slurred speech, muscle cramps and twitches, and/or uncontrollable periods of laughing or crying.

MOST COMMON AGE: Most people who develop ALS are between the ages of 40 and 70, with an average age of 55 at the time of diagnosis. However, cases of the disease do occur in persons in their twenties and thirties. Generally though, ALS occurs in greater percentages as men and women grow older.

TREATMENT: There are currently two drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of ALS. These are Rilutek (riluzole) and Radicava (edavarone). Medication and therapy can slow ALS and reduce discomfort, but there's no cure.

PROGNOSIS: About 1 person in 25,000 will be diagnosed with ALS. Most of them die within 2 to 5 years of being diagnosed, usually because of respiratory failure. However, a small group, about 5% of those with ALS, have been able to survive for 20 years or more.

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A disorder associated with episodes of mood swings ranging from depressive lows to manic highs.

CAUSES: Bipolar disorder does not appear to have a single cause but is more likely to result from a range of factors that interact.
Some studies have suggested that there may be a genetic component to bipolar disorder. It is more likely to emerge in a person who has a family member with the condition. Patients with bipolar disorder often show physical changes in their brains, but the link remains unclear.

Brain-chemical imbalances: Neurotransmitter imbalances appear to play a key role in many mood disorders, including bipolar disorder.

Hormonal problems: Hormonal imbalances might trigger or cause bipolar disorder.

Environmental factors: Abuse, mental stress, a "significant loss," or some other traumatic event may contribute to or trigger bipolar disorder.

One possibility is that some people with a genetic predisposition for bipolar disorder may not have noticeable symptoms until an environmental factor triggers a severe mood swing.

SYMPTOMS:
Mood: mood swings, sadness, elevated mood, anger, anxiety, apathy, apprehension, euphoria, general discontent, guilt, hopelessness, loss of interest, or loss of interest or pleasure in activities

Behavioral: irritability, risk taking behaviors, disorganized behavior, aggression, agitation, crying, excess desire for sex, hyperactivity, impulsivity, or self-harm

Cognitive: unwanted thoughts, delusion, lack of concentration, racing thoughts, slowness in activity, or false belief of superiority

Psychological: depression, manic episode, agitated depression, or paranoia

Sleep: difficulty falling asleep or excess sleepiness

Whole body: fatigue or restlessness

Weight: weight gain or weight loss

Also common: rapid and frenzied speaking

MOST COMMON AGE: The average age-of-onset is about 25, but it can occur in the teens, or more uncommonly, in childhood. The condition affects men and women equally, with about 2.6% of the U.S. population diagnosed with bipolar disorder and nearly 83% of cases classified as severe.

TREATMENT: Treatment is usually lifelong and often involves a combination of medications and psychotherapy.

Therapies Support group, Cognitive behavioral therapy, Psychoeducation, Family therapy, and Psychotherapy Medications Anticonvulsant, Antipsychotic, and Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI)Supportive care Hospitalization Specialists Psychiatrist, Clinical psychologist, and Primary care provider (PCP)

PROGNOSIS: Up to 50% of patients with bipolar disorder will attempt suicide and as many as 20% will complete suicide. ... Without treatment, more than 90% of patients will experience subsequent manic or depressive episodes. Even with treatment, relapse rates range from 40% to 60%.

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A contagious and fatal viral disease of dogs and other mammals that causes madness and convulsions, transmissible through the saliva to humans.

CAUSES: Rabies infection is caused by the rabies virus. The virus is spread through the saliva of infected animals. Infected animals can spread the virus by biting another animal or a person. In rare cases, rabies can be spread when infected saliva gets into an open wound or the mucous membranes,such as the mouth or eyes.

SYMPTOMS:
Pain areas: in the muscles

Whole body: dizziness, fatigue, fever, loss of appetite, or malaise

Psychological: delirium, fear, or hallucination

Gastrointestinal: nausea or vomiting

Muscular: muscle spasms or paralysis with weak muscles

Sensory: pins and needles or sensitivity to light

Behavioral: aggression or irritability

Also common: anxiety, brain death, coma, difficulty swallowing, dilated pupil, drooling, excess salivation, headache, mental confusion, seizures, or stiff neck

MOST COMMON AGE: Rabies can be contracted at any age as all it takes is to be infected by the rabies virus.

TREATMENT:
Preventative: Rabies vaccine, Medications: Blood transfusion and Antiviral drug, Medical procedure:

Milwaukee protocol, Specialists:

Emergency medicine doctor and Infectious disease doctor

PROGNOSIS: The first symptoms can appear from a few days to more than a year after the bite occurs. One of the most distinctive signs of a rabies infection is a tingling or twitching sensation around the area of the animal bite. It is often accompanied by a fever, headache, muscle aches, loss of appetite, nausea, and fatigue.

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Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental health disorder that affects people of all ages and walks of life, and occurs when a person gets caught in a cycle of obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are unwanted, intrusive thoughts, images or urges that trigger intensely distressing feelings.

CAUSES: Research has been unable to point to any definitive cause or causes of OCD.  It is believed that OCD likely is the result of a combination of neurological, genetic, behavioral, cognitive, and environmental factors that trigger the disorder in a specific individual at a particular point in time.

SYMPTOMS:
Behavioral: compulsive behavior, agitation, compulsive hoarding, hypervigilance, impulsivity, meaningless repetition of own words, repetitive movements, ritualistic behavior, social isolation, or persistent repetition of words or actions

Mood: anxiety, apprehension, guilt, or panic attack

Psychological: depression, fear, or repeatedly going over thoughts

Also common: food aversion or nightmares

MOST COMMON AGE: Children with OCD may have trouble expressing themselves. Most of the time, symptoms of OCD occur before age 25.

TREATMENT: Treatment includes talk therapy, medications, or both.

Medications Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI), Anxiolytic, and Antidepressant Therapies Support group, Cognitive behavioral therapy, Aversion therapy, Psychoeducation, Rational emotive behavior therapy, Exposure and response prevention, Psychotherapy, Systematic desensitization, and Group psychotherapy Specialists Clinical psychologist and Psychiatrist

PROGNOSIS: OCD patients tend to seek treatment from 3 to 4 doctors and spend 9 years in treatment before a correct diagnosis is made.  The average amount of time that lapses between onset of symptoms and appropriate treatment is 17 years. While controlled trials with serotonin reuptake inhibitors have demonstrated a selective efficacy in OCD, up to 40% to 60% of patients do not have a satisfactory outcome. These patients have significant disability and morbidity. The natural course is lifelong, and patients generally require lifelong treatment.

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Caused by the same virus behind chickenpox, shingles is a painful nerve root infection resulting in a skin rash.

CAUSES: Shingles is an infection of an individual nerve and the skin surface that is supplied by the nerve. It is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. Anyone who has recovered from chickenpox can develop shingles.

SYMPTOMS: Pain areas: in the skin

Skin: blister, scab, ulcers, or redness

Sensory: over sensitivity or pins and needles

Also common: painful red blister rash in linear distribution, burning sensation, fatigue, or itching
Shingles causes a painful rash that may appear as a stripe of blisters on the trunk of the body. Pain can persist even after the rash is gone (this is called prosthetic neuralgia).

MOST COMMON AGE: You have a greater chance of getting shingles as you age, which is why the shingles vaccine is recommended for everyone age 60 years and older. The shingles vaccine reduces the risk of shingles by half (51%) and reduces the risk of prolonged pain at the rash site by 67%.

TREATMENT: Treatments include pain relief and antiviral medications such as acyclovir or valacyclovir. A chickenpox vaccine in childhood or a shingles vaccine as an adult can minimize the risk of developing shingles.

Medications Antiviral drug, Anesthetic, Nonsteroidal anti-Inflammatory drug, Analgesic, and Nerve pain medication Self-care Aluminum acetate

PROGNOSIS: The rash and pain should be gone in two to three weeks. However, shingles may last longer and be more likely to recur if the person is older, especially older than 50 years of age, or if they have a serious medical problem. Pain may last after the rash is gone.