Common Ailments and the Human Skeletal System

Posted on Jan 5, 2025 in Biology

Common Ailments

  • Backache: Pain in the back
  • Earache: Pain in the ear
  • Headache: Pain in the head
  • Stomachache: Pain in the stomach
  • Toothache: Pain in the teeth
  • Cough
  • Fever
  • Flu
  • Cold
  • Sore throat: Pain in the throat

Skin Diseases

The skin can suffer from some diseases; they can be serious and deadly, while others are just annoying. Some skin diseases are disfiguring, while others are barely visible.

Some Skin Diseases

  • Congenital skin condition
  • Bacterial skin condition
  • Viral skin condition
  • Fungal skin condition

Eczema

It is a common skin condition characterized by reddening and vesicle formation, which may lead to weeping and crusting. It is endogenous; this means that outside agents do not play a primary role.

  • Atopic eczema: It is associated with asthma and fever
  • Seborrhoeic eczema (Dermatitis): It affects the scalp, eyelids, nose, and lips
  • Discoid eczema: It is characterized by coin-shaped and only occurring in adults
  • Pompholyx: It affects only the hands and feet
  • Gravitational eczema: It is associated with poor venous circulation

Psoriasis

A chronic skin disease in which scaly pink patches form on the elbows, knees, and scalp, and other parts of the body. It sometimes occurs in association with arthritis; this disease may be very severe and can cause disability in the patient.

Dermatitis

It is an inflammatory condition of the skin caused by outside agents.

  • Primary irritant dermatitis: It can be caused by being in contact with irritant substances like acids, alkalis, solvents, and detergents. This is more frequent in hairdressers, nurses, cooks, and so on.
  • The most common example of allergic contact in women is nickel dermatitis, due to the metal nickel used in jewelry.

Bacterial Skin Conditions

Acne

It is a common inflammatory condition of the sebaceous glands; these glands are under androgen control. It involves the face, back, and chest. It is characterized by the presence of blackheads, in more severe cases, cysts and scars.

Impetigo

It is a superficial bacterial infection of the skin.

  • Nonbullous impetigo: It is caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus species, or both organisms. It affects principally young children and is highly contagious.
  • Bullous impetigo: It is caused by Staphylococcus aureus; it is characterized by blisters, it is less contagious than the nonbullous form, and occurs at any age.

Acne Rosacea

A chronic inflammatory disease of the face in which the skin becomes abnormally flushed. The disease occurs in both sexes and at all ages but is most common in women in their thirties.

Folliculitis

This is the inflammation of the hair follicles in the skin, commonly caused by infection.

Furuncle

This is the inflammation of skin areas that contain pus. The infection is usually caused by the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus entering through a hair follicle or a break in the skin.

Viral Skin Conditions

Warts

It is a benign growth of the skin caused by an infection with human papillomavirus.

  • Common warts: They normally are at the back of the hands.
  • Plantar warts: They can occur at the bottom of the feet.
  • Plane warts: They are flat, skin-colored, and difficult to see; they are usually located on the face.
  • Genital warts: They are associated with other genital infections and, in women, increase the risk of developing cervical cancer.

Herpes

It is the inflammation of the skin that is caused by herpes viruses and characterized by a set of small blisters.

  • Herpes simplex:
    • Type I causes the common cold sore, presented on or around the lips.
    • Type II is associated with genital herpes and it is sexually transmitted.
  • Herpes zoster: It is also known as “Shingles” and this is caused by the varicella-zoster virus.

Fungal Skin Conditions

Tinea Corporis, Manus, Pedis

It is also known as “ringworm”; this is a fungal infection that affects the skin, the scalps, or nails. It also affects animals, which also can be a source of infection for people.

  • Tinea pedis (athlete’s foot): This is the most common of the ringworm and affects the skin between the foot.
  • Tinea capitis: It affects the scalp.
  • Tinea cruris: It affects the groin and thighs.
  • Tinea barbae: It affects the skin under a beard.

Skeletal System

The skeletal system is the system of bones and this is associated with cartilages and joints of the human body; all these structures are the skeletal form the human skeleton. Joints are very important because they are responsible that the body, especially bones, can make different types of movements.

Functions of the Skeleton

  • Support: The skeleton is the framework of the body; it supports the softer tissues and provides points of joining for most skeletal muscles.
  • Protection: The skeleton provides mechanical protection for many of the body’s internal organs, reducing the risk of injury to them. For example, cranial bones protect the brain, vertebrae protect the spinal cord, and the rib cage protects the heart and lungs.
  • Assisting in Movement: Skeletal muscles are attached to bones; therefore, when the associated muscles contract, they cause bones to move.
  • Storage of Minerals: Bone tissues store several minerals, including calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P). When required, bone releases minerals into the blood – facilitating the balance of minerals in the body.
  • Production of Blood Cells: Blood cells are produced in the red bone marrow inside some larger bones.
  • Storage of Chemical Energy: With increasing age, some bone marrow changes from ‘red bone marrow’ to ‘yellow bone marrow’. Yellow bone marrow consists mainly of adipose cells and a few blood cells. It is an important chemical energy reserve.

Bones

The bones are a protective and supporting framework. Our body is composed of 206 bones. Because of its rigidity and hardness, it provides the strength and form necessary to keep the human body in its shape. It also protects the delicate organs vital for life; for example, the skull protects the brain and the rib cage protects the heart and lungs.

Cartilage

Cartilage is also a form of connective tissue but is not as tough and rigid as bone. The main difference between cartilage and bone is the mineralization factor. Bones are highly mineralized with calcium salts, while cartilages are not. Cartilage is a type of connective tissue composed of special cells known as chondrocytes along with collagen or yellow elastic fibers.

Joint

A joint is a junction between two or more bones or cartilages. Joints are important components of the human skeleton because they make the human skeleton mobile. A joint occurs between “two or more bones”, “bone and cartilage”, and “cartilage and cartilage”.

Divisions of the Human Skeleton

Axial Skeleton

It forms the axis of the human body. It consists of the skull, vertebral column, and thoracic cage.

  • Skull: The skull is that part of the human skeleton that forms the bony framework of the head. It consists of 22 different bones that are divided into two groups: bones of the cranium and bones of the face.
  • Vertebral Column: It is a flexible column of vertebrae, connecting the trunk of the human body to the skull and appendages. It is composed of 33 vertebrae which are divided into 5 regions: Cervical, Thoracic, Lumbar, Sacral, and Coccygeal.

Appendicular Skeleton

It is the skeleton of appendages of the human body. It consists of the Shoulder girdle, Skeleton of the upper limb, Pelvic girdle, and Skeleton of the lower limb.

  • Shoulder Girdle: It attaches the upper limb to the body trunk and is formed by two bones: clavicle and scapula. The clavicle is a modified long bone and is subcutaneous throughout its position.