The Human Body and its Problems Quiz

Answer: The bowel

Crohn's is a disease of the bowel. It causes stomach pains, diarrhoea and nausea. This can lead to weight loss and extreme tiredness. There is, as yet, no cure for this condition but the symptoms can be eased with medication.

Answer: Bubonic plague

Bubonic plague is spread by rats, but not directly. It is their parasitic fleas which infect human beings. It is a disease of the lymphatic system and causes swelling of the lymph glands and red spots which later turn black. It spreads very swiftly and, before antibiotics, 90% of sufferers died within ten days.

Answer: Breathing

Emphysema is a lung disease often caused by smoking or exposure to pollution in which the air sacs in the lungs become damaged. This makes it difficult to breathe, which leads to less oxygen being absorbed into the blood stream. It is characterised by severe coughing, wheezing and fatigue.

Answer: The skin

Scleroderma is a rare auto immune disease which causes thickening of the skin and sometimes of the tissues of the internal organs. Its symptoms include hard patches on the skin, poor circulation and excessive tiredness, but they differ in individual patients. It is a chronic disease but the symptoms can be helped with medication.

Answer: Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis, or TB as it is often known, is spread by the inhalation of mycobacterium from the tiny droplets from the coughs or sneezes of infected persons. It can be treated by a long course of antibiotics. Before the discovery of antibiotics, it was fatal and people took a long time to die of TB.

It was often thought of as a romantic disease. For instance Verdi's 'La Traviata' and Puccini's 'La Bohème' both featured heroines who died of consumption.

Answer: Diabetes

There are two main types of diabetes. Type 1 normally begins in childhood and is nothing to do with lifestyle or diet. It can affect anyone. Sufferers can lead a normal life as long as they inject themselves with the required amount of insulin. Type 2 comes on later in life, usually after the age of 50.

It can often be controlled by diet but sometimes the injection of insulin is required.

Answer: Chest

Angina is a pain in the chest which occurs when not enough blood is reaching the heart. It can be a warning of possible heart attack or stroke. Medical advice should be sought, and it may be that changes in diet or an exercise regime are advised. Medication is also often prescribed.

Answer: Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis can be caused by either bacterial or viral infection, or it can be the result of an allergy such as hay fever. It usually clears up within a couple of weeks without treatment. However, although the other choices I have listed would not normally cause red eye there can be many reasons for it, so if it is not improving or is especially acute medical attention should be sought.

A moisturising eye drop may be soothing.

Answer: Hair

Losing the hair can happen for a variety of reasons. It may be inherited changes in hormones, the result of an infection or a reaction to medication. Male pattern baldness is the most common type, when the hairline recedes and the hair on the top of the head gradually thins on middle aged men. However baldness can happen to females too and can occur in any age group.

Answer: Back

Lumbago means pain in the lumbar region, which is in the lower back. Most of us have suffered from this at some time and, normally, some simple pain killers like aspirin or paracetamol from the pharmacy will deal with it. However, if symptoms persist or are severe it would be best to consult a doctor.