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Eyelid Disorders

Your eyelids help protect your eyes. When you blink, your eyelids spread moisture over your eyes. Blinking also helps move dirt or other particles off the surface of the eye. You close your eyelids when you see something coming toward your eyes. This can help protect against injuries.

Like most other parts of your body, your eyelids can get infected, inflamed, or even develop cancer. There are also specific eyelid problems, including:

Treatment of eyelid problems depends on the cause.

Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery

Surgeons can reshape the appearance of body parts through cosmetic surgery. Some of the most common body parts people want to improve through surgery include:

Eye Cancer

Cancer of the eye is uncommon. It can affect the outer parts of the eye, such as the eyelid, which are made up of muscles, skin and nerves. If the cancer starts inside the eyeball it's called intraocular cancer. The most common intraocular cancers in adults are melanoma and lymphoma. The most common eye cancer in children is retinoblastoma, which starts in the cells of the retina. Cancer can also spread to the eye from other parts of the body.

Treatment for eye cancer varies by the type and by how advanced it is. It may include surgery, radiation therapy, freezing or heat therapy, or laser therapy.

Myasthenia Gravis

What is myasthenia gravis?

Myasthenia gravis, sometimes called MG, is a chronic (long-lasting) disease that causes weakness in your voluntary muscles. The voluntary muscles are the ones that you can control. They include the muscles you use for:

You can also have weakness in other muscles. This weakness gets worse with activity, and better with rest.

Myasthenia gravis is a type of autoimmune disease. In autoimmune diseases, your immune system attacks the healthy cells of your organs and tissues by mistake.

What causes myasthenia gravis?

Myasthenia gravis is caused by an error in how nerve signals are sent to muscles. These signals get blocked at the nerve-muscle junction. This junction is the place where the nerve endings connect with the muscles they control.

Normally, this is how the signals work:

But in someone with myasthenia gravis, the body's own immune system makes antibodies that block the binding of acetylcholine to the muscle. This makes the muscles weaker.

The thymus gland, which is part of your immune system, may play a role in myasthenia gravis. Normally, your thymus gland is active and growing when you are a child. It makes white blood cells to fight infections. At puberty, it starts getting smaller and is replaced by fat. It is usually small by the time you are an adult. But in many adults with myasthenia gravis, the thymus gland stays large. And some people with myasthenia gravis can get thymomas, which are tumors of the thymus. The are usually benign (not cancer), but they can sometimes become cancerous.

Who is more likely to develop myasthenia gravis?

Although myasthenia gravis can affect people of any age, it is most common in young adult women (under age 40) and older men (over age 60). It is usually not inherited (passed down in families).

Myasthenia gravis normally does not affect infants. But it's possible for pregnant people who have myasthenia gravis to pass the antibodies to their unborn babies. The baby can then be born with neonatal myasthenia. This condition is usually temporary, and the symptoms typically go away within two to three months after birth.

What are the symptoms of myasthenia gravis?

The symptoms of myasthenia gravis will depend on which muscles are affected. The symptoms often include:

Different people have different levels of muscle weakness. And the weakness can vary from day to day. Some days it might be mild, and other days it might be worse. Physical activity often makes the muscle weakness worse.

Some people with myasthenia gravis can get severe weakness that affects the muscles that control breathing. This is called a myasthenic crisis, and it is a life-threatening emergency.

How is myasthenia gravis diagnosed?

There are many other conditions that can cause muscle weakness, so myasthenia gravis can be hard to diagnose. To find out if you have myasthenia gravis, your health care provider:

What are the treatments for myasthenia gravis?

There is no cure for myasthenia gravis, but treatments that can improve muscle weakness and help with symptoms. They include:

Lifestyle changes may be helpful for some people. The changes could include regular gentle exercise, getting enough rest, and eating healthy foods.

Some people with myasthenia gravis go into remission. This means that they do not have symptoms. The remission is usually temporary, but sometimes it can be permanent.

NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Acute Flaccid Myelitis

What is acute flaccid myelitis (AFM)?

Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) is a neurologic disease. It is rare, but serious. It affects an area of the spinal cord called gray matter. This can cause the muscles and reflexes in the body to become weak.

Because of these symptoms, some people call AFM a "polio-like" illness. But it is different from polio. AFM is not caused by polioviruses.

What causes acute flaccid myelitis (AFM)?

AFM can be caused by several different viruses. Researchers think that enteroviruses have been causing the recent increases in the number of children with AFM. AFM can also be caused by other viruses, including flaviviruses, herpesviruses, and adenoviruses.

Most people with AFM had a mild respiratory illness or fever (like you would get from a viral infection) before they got AFM.

Who is more likely to develop acute flaccid myelitis (AFM)?

Anyone can get AFM, but most cases (more than 90%) have been in young children.

What are the symptoms of acute flaccid myelitis (AFM)?

Most people with AFM will suddenly have:

Some people also have other symptoms, including:

Sometimes AFM can weaken the muscles that you need for breathing. This can lead to respiratory failure, which is very serious. If you get respiratory failure, you may need to use a ventilator (breathing machine) to help you breathe.

If you or your child develops any of these symptoms, get medical care right away.

How is acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) diagnosed?

AFM causes many of the same symptoms as other neurologic diseases, such as transverse myelitis and Guillain-Barre syndrome. This can make it difficult to diagnose. To find out if you have AFM, your doctor may use:

It is important that the tests are done as soon as possible after the symptoms start.

What are the treatments for acute flaccid myelitis (AFM)?

There is no specific treatment for AFM. A doctor who specializes in treating brain and spinal cord illnesses (neurologist) may recommend treatments for specific symptoms. For example, physical and/or occupational therapy may help with arm or leg weakness. Researchers do not know the long-term outcomes of people who get AFM.

Can acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) be prevented?

There is no specific way to prevent AFM. But you can take steps to prevent getting sick from a virus by:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Bell's Palsy

Bell's palsy is the most common cause of facial paralysis. It usually affects just one side of the face. Symptoms appear suddenly and are at their worst about 48 hours after they start. They can range from mild to severe and include:

Scientists think that a viral infection makes the facial nerve swell or become inflamed. You are most likely to get Bell's palsy if you are pregnant, diabetic or sick with a cold or flu.

Three out of four patients improve without treatment. With or without treatment, most people begin to get better within 2 weeks and recover completely within 3 to 6 months.

NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Botox

Botox is a drug made from a toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. It's the same toxin that causes a life-threatening type of food poisoning called botulism. Doctors use it in small doses to treat health problems, including:

Botox injections work by weakening or paralyzing certain muscles or by blocking certain nerves. The effects last about three to twelve months, depending on what you are treating. The most common side effects are pain, swelling, or bruising at the injection site. You could also have flu-like symptoms, headache, and upset stomach. Injections in the face may also cause temporary drooping eyelids. You should not use Botox if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Botulism

Botulism is a rare but serious illness. The cause is a toxin (poison) made by a bacterium called Clostridium botulinum. It occurs naturally in soil.

There are several kinds of botulism. Foodborne botulism comes from eating foods contaminated with the toxin. Wound botulism happens when a wound infected with the bacteria makes the toxin. It is more common in heroin users. Infant botulism happens when a baby consumes the spores of the bacteria from soil or honey. All forms can be deadly and are medical emergencies.

Symptoms include double or blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, and muscle weakness. Treatment may include antitoxins, intensive medical care, or surgery of infected wounds.

To prevent botulism:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Brain Aneurysm

A brain aneurysm is an abnormal bulge or "ballooning" in the wall of an artery in the brain. They are sometimes called berry aneurysms because they are often the size of a small berry. Most brain aneurysms produce no symptoms until they become large, begin to leak blood, or burst.

If a brain aneurysm presses on nerves in your brain, it can cause signs and symptoms. These can include:

Treatment depends on the size and location of the aneurysm, whether it is infected, and whether it has burst. If a brain aneurysm bursts, symptoms can include a sudden, severe headache, nausea and vomiting, stiff neck, loss of consciousness, and signs of a stroke. Any of these symptoms requires immediate medical attention.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Chagas Disease

What is Chagas disease?

Chagas disease, or American trypanosomiasis, is an illness that can cause serious heart and stomach problems. It is caused by a parasite. Chagas disease is common in Latin America, especially in poor, rural areas. It can also be found in the United States, most often in people who were infected before they moved to the U.S.

What causes Chagas disease?

Chagas disease is caused by the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite. It is usually spread by infected blood-sucking bugs called triatomine bugs. They are also known as "kissing bugs" because they often bite people's faces. When one of these bugs bites you, it leaves behind infected waste. You can become infected if you rub the waste in your eyes or nose, the bite wound, or a cut.

Chagas disease can also spread through contaminated food, a blood transfusion, a donated organ, or from the pregnant parent to the baby during pregnancy.

Who is more likely to develop Chagas disease?

Kissing bugs can be found throughout the Americas, but they are more common in certain areas. The people who are most at risk for Chagas disease:

What are the symptoms of Chagas disease?

In the beginning, there may be no symptoms. Some people do get mild symptoms, such as:

These early symptoms usually go away. However, if you don't treat the infection, it stays in your body. Later, it can cause serious intestinal and heart problems such as:

How is Chagas disease diagnosed?

To find out if you have Chagas disease, your health care provider:

What are the treatments for Chagas disease?

Medicines can kill the parasite, especially early on. You can also treat related problems. For example, a pacemaker can help with some heart complications.

Can Chagas disease be prevented?

There are no vaccines or medicines to prevent Chagas disease. If you travel to areas where it occurs, you are at higher risk if you sleep outdoors or are staying in poor housing conditions. It is important to use insecticides to prevent bites and practice food safety.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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