Glossary

A general term which describes heart disease which is a result of a blood clot or the artery’s being clogged up with fatty deposits – known as atherosclerosis.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) falls into four categories…

Stroke

Peripheral arterial disease

Aortic disease

Coronary heart disease

Cardiovascular disease, also known as CVD, is the collective name given to diseases which involve blood vessels or the heart.

Examples of CVD include coronary artery diseases such as anginas and heart attacks.

Carpal tunnel syndrome, also known as CTS is a nerve on the wrist which causes numbness, tingling and pain in the hand and fingers.

Symptoms include pins and needles, numb hands, difficulty gripping and aches in the fingers, arm or hand.

The condition could clean up within a few months.

People with cartilage hair hypoplasia are born with a short stature and small limbs, known as dwarfism.

Those with CHH also have very fine and sparse hair and an abnormal cartilage. In some cases the condition affects their immune system leaving them open to infections which can cause a severe course of chicken pox.

The condition can also affect white blood cells which can cause anaemia.

The term given to the sudden weakness of muscles triggered by emotions such as anger, laughter and surprise.

Seizures usually last for a couple of minutes or seconds but in extreme cases they can carry on for up to half an hour.

Statistics suggest about 75% of people with narcolepsy experience cataplexy.

Cataracts occurs when the eye lens develop cloudy patches which can enlarge over time causing misty vision and blindness.

The condition usually affects both eyes although the deteriorating may be quicker in one eye compared to the other.

A condition, also known as CES, which occurs when the nerves below the end of the spinal cord – known as the cauda equine - are damaged.

Symptoms include numbness around the anus, loss of bladder or bowel control as well as pain in down the leg and around the lower back.

A rare congenital disorder which causes an abnormality of the lower spine known as the “caudal” half which contains parts of the bones which form the tailbone, legs, hips and a number of organs in the lower body.

The condition affects around one in 25,000 babies.

A common bacterial skin infection that causes redness, swelling, and pain in the infected area of the skin. If untreated, it can spread and cause serious health problems.

A neurological condition caused by damage to the Central Nervous System which can spread pain around the whole body or a specific area.

The pain can intensify by movement, emotions, temperature changes and physical contact.

Symptoms can include a burning sensation and in some cases aching and excruciating pain.

A non-human neurological condition where the cerebellum is underdeveloped or smaller than usual in animals.

Also known as ‘wobbly animal syndrome’

Cerebellar hypoplasia is a neurological condition in which the cerebellum is smaller than usual or not completely developed

The condition has been reported in a wide range of animals.

In cats, this condition is also called "Wobbly Cat Syndrome."

Cerebellum Ataxia is a result from damage to the part of the brain and can affect walking, loss of balance, co-ordination, speech impairments and erratic eye movements.

Ataxia is usually cerebellum although in some cases it can affect the nerves and spinal cord.

CP is the general term for neurological conditions, caused by the brain and the nervous system, which affects co-ordination and movement.

Cerebral Palsy is caused by abnormal brain developments leading from a difficult or premature birth, changes in the genres which affect brain developments, bleeding from inside the baby’s brain or an infection caught during pregnancy.

In a small percentage of cases people with CP may have communication and learning difficulties although most are only affected with physical difficulties which can include seizures, drooling, walking and speaking.

Statistics show around 1 in 400 people are living with Cerebral Palsy in the UK.

A loss of blood flow to part of the brain, which damages brain tissue. Cerebrovascular accidents are caused by blood clots and broken blood vessels in the brain. 

Symptoms include dizziness, numbness, weakness on one side of the body, and problems with talking, writing, or understanding language.