Introduction to trigeminal neuralgia (TN) The brain is connected to the body by the spinal cord with spinal nerves sending and receiving impulses and messages to and from the brain. However, there are twelve cranial nerves that directly connect to the body. These nerves are involved with the muscle and sensory function of the head...
What is an ultrasound? Readers Comments 1 Share Your Story While the patient's history and physical examination are the initial steps of making a medical diagnosis, the ability to peer inside the body can be a powerful tool. Ultrasound is an imaging technique that provides that ability to medical practitioners. Ultrasound produces sound waves that...
What are sleep related breathing disorders? Readers Comments 3 Share Your Story Sleep related breathing disorders are a group of disorders that affect our breathing while we are asleep, and are characterized by disruptions of normal breathing patterns that only occur during sleep. Therefore, the person with the disorder may be the last to know...
What is dandruff? Share Your Story Dandruff (also known as seborrheic dermatitis) is a scalp condition, usually chronic, in which skin on the scalp forms flakes that are then shed from the scalp. These flakes consist of dead cells, and while it is normal for dead cells to be shed, with dandruff, a large number...
What is scarlet fever? Share Your Story Scarlet fever (also termed scarlatina) is an illness characterized by a bright red rash that can cover most of the body and is caused by a toxin secreted by group A streptococci, a type of gram-positive coccus-shaped (round) bacteria. Scarlet fever usually occurs in individuals that have had...
What is dandruff? Share Your Story Dandruff (also known as seborrheic dermatitis) is a scalp condition, usually chronic, in which skin on the scalp forms flakes that are then shed from the scalp. These flakes consist of dead cells, and while it is normal for dead cells to be shed, with dandruff, a large number...
What are sleep related breathing disorders? Readers Comments 3 Share Your Story Sleep related breathing disorders are a group of disorders that affect our breathing while we are asleep, and are characterized by disruptions of normal breathing patterns that only occur during sleep. Therefore, the person with the disorder may be the last to know...
What is the sweat chloride test? The sweat chloride test is a common and simple test used to evaluate a patient who is suspected of having cystic fibrosis (CF), the most common lethal genetic disease affecting Caucasians. Cystic fibrosis is often clinically suspected when there is poor growth during infancy or recurrent serious intestinal or...
Prolactinoma facts A prolactinoma is a benign tumor of the pituitary gland. Prolactinomas cause secretion of the hormone prolactin, which stimulates the breast to produce milk. The aims of treatment are the reduction of prolactin level to normal, reduction of tumor size, and restoration of normal pituitary function. Most prolactinomas occur sporadically with a low...
What is Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome? Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is a specific type of abnormality of the electrical system of the heart. This syndrome causes a specific pattern on an electrocardiogram (Wolff-Parkinson-White pattern) and is linked to an episode of rapid heart rates, such as supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) or atrial fibrillation. Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is a treatable medical condition....