Common Health Ailments Trivia Quiz

Answer: Blackheads

In the medical fraternity, a blackhead is known as an open comedo. That explains nothing to the lay person. Blackheads are basically blocked hair follicles. If they're open (comedones), they are called such. If closed, however, they're known as whiteheads. Eeww, I just looked up comedo on the encyclopaedia.

It's a Latin word that means "the wormlike look of a blackhead that has been secreted". Just what you want on your face. During the difficult years of puberty, teens produce more oil on the face and scalp, and those hair follicles can become clogged up as a result. I wouldn't be a teenager again for quids. I was chubby, had pimples, and lacked the obligatory boyfriend on the arm. Sigh... nothing's changed.

Answer: Splitting headache

The medical term for a headache is cephalalgia, and these annoying occurrences can be caused by any number of things. This list includes medications, winter colds, tension and stress, infections, neck strain, poor vision, allergies, genetics, bright lights, alcohol, fatigue, head injuries, sinus problems, incredibly noisy grandchildren and many more. Pain from a headache can range from a dull background throb to such severity that it can lay you flat for several hours, or even days with the most severe ones which are known as migraines. Migraines also come with waves of dreadful nausea and subsequent vomiting.

A splitting headache is a somewhat dramatic description for a severe headache. It doesn't mean you have a machete buried in your unfortunate skull.

Answer: Kidney failure

Kidney failure in known as renal insufficiency in medical speak. (Pardon me while I snort). This is a serious condition not to be laughed at however. The kidneys fail to carry out their function of filtering various waste products properly. It can be life-threatening, so always follow your doctor's advice in this one.

There is a fairly lengthy list of various symptoms which can flag the onset of this medical problem. These include frequent urination, dark coloured urine, nausea, vomiting and quite a few others.

Answer: Fallen arches

Fallen arches is another and nicer name for plain old flat feet. In this condition, the arch of the foot has basically just collapsed, or wasn't present to begin with, so that the foot, instead of having a delicately arched instep (apparently a desirable trait for the ladies) rests on the one level with the floor instead.

This is interesting: The purpose of the foot arch is to split the weight coming down from above onto the front and back of the foot, so that the full force of that weight doesn't vibrate back up into the long bones of the leg. Treatment for this condition can involve going barefoot when possible (gives the feet a workout), wearing sandals instead of closed toe shoes (try telling that to school authorities), various exercises and wearing arch support inserts inside your shoes. My youngest daughter has long flat feet.

She looks like a kangaroo.

Answer: Broken nose

Doctors refer to a plain old broken nose as a nasal fracture. This is a painful condition in which one or more of the bones in the nose have snapped. It could have occurred in a fist fight, tripping over, in an accident, or in any of the various more violent sports that are played. Of all the facial injuries that take place, broken noses claim forty per cent of the statistics.

They can heal of their own accord, but there is usually a reminder that they have been assaulted. Treatment can be as simple as ice packs, pain medication, manual manipulation to put the nose back into alignment, or, in the worst cases, even surgery.

Answer: Blood in urine

Blood in the urine is one of the hallmarks of early onset kidney disease. It can also flag the onset on other illnesses as well, and be caused, to name a few culprits, by kidney stones, various medications, infection, diabetes, hypertension or even in rare cases, by cancer. If you ever see blood appearing in your urine then, you should consult your doctor as soon as possible.

It really is better to be safe than sorry. Ignoring the problem won't make it go away.

Answer: Separation anxiety

Separation anxiety is a condition in which an individual feels excessive anxiety if or when separated from a person to whom they are strongly attached. This condition can also occur if an individual is separated from a place or object that holds the same degree of attachment - such as the family home, or a favourite toy.

A normal degree of anxiety in these cases is not to be worried about, but if it moves into intense anxiety, panic attacks, inability to sleep, nausea or any of the other signs that mark it out of the normal range, then professional advice should be sought.

Answer: Irregular heartbeat

Irregular heartbeat is known by the medical professionals as cardiac arrhythmia. This disorder is the one of the leading causes of sudden death in the western world. Cardiac arrhythmia earns this name when the regular beating of the heart becomes erratic, or faster or slower than what is its normal condition.

A normal heart rate is often quoted as 72, but really, anything between 60 and 100 is considered normal. Too rapid a beat is known as tachycardia, while too slow a beat is named bradycardia. I knew a man called Brady A.R. Cardia - his mother was Irish and his father was Greek.

Then again, I could be pulling your leg.

Answer: Personality disorder

Sadly, personality disorders, one of the many disorders along the mental health spectrum, are almost impossible to alter. This is because they develop very early on in life, and become part of the individual's very thinking and personality itself. Imagine for one second how hard it would be for you to change, say, your sense of humour. It can't be done. What makes you laugh will always make you laugh. So it is for those who suffer from inflexible personality disorders. Within that umbrella condition are several others of the same family. These include the following which are listed in the definitive work "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders", a manual which is updated and published by the American Psychiatric Association from time to time:

1. "Histrionic personality disorder: including superficial charm, insincerity, egocentricity and manipulation
2. Narcissistic personality disorder: including grandiosity, self-focused lack of empathy for others, exploitativeness and independence.
3. Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder: including perfectionism, excessive devotion to work, rigidity, stubbornness and dictatorial tendencies".

Please be aware that these labels aren't placed on people without the most rigid of testing procedures by extremely well trained professionals. In no way should you attempt to do the same unless you have the necessary qualifications.

Answer: Change of life

Known by the medical profession as menopause, this is the time in a woman's life when her hard-working ovaries have announced their retirement. It can happen any time for a woman between her thirties to her sixties. It is not an overnight process, but a gradual one, and is a different experience for every woman.

Some sail through this time without a worry in the world, but others can experience uncomfortable symptoms such as hot flushes, mood swings, irritability and so on. If symptoms become too severe, then professional - and sympathetic - help should be sought. If an unsympathetic doctor informs you brusquely that it's a normal part of the condition and shouts out for his next patient, it would be perfectly understandable if you gave him an example of your irritability in action.

A woman's health clinic is perhaps a better choice in this case. Otherwise, don't worry, don't stress, have a cup of tea - and enjoy your new found freedom.