What is ulcerative colitis? Readers Comments 5 Share Your Story The cause of ulcerative colitis is unknown. Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic condition that causes inflammation of the large intestine (colon) and the rectum and sores (ulcers) on the inner lining of the large intestine. Ulcerative colitis is thought to be an autoimmune disease, that is, one where the...
Corneal Ulcer Symptoms, Healing Time, Treatment & Causes
Corneal ulcer facts With prompt treatment, most corneal ulcers improve with minimal adverse effect on vision. A corneal ulcer is an open sore of the cornea. There are a wide variety of causes of corneal ulcers, including infection, physical and chemical trauma, corneal drying and exposure, and contact lens overwear and misuse. Corneal ulcers are a serious problem and may...
How to Stop Anal Itching: Treatment, Home Remedies & Constant Itch
Anal itching (pruritus ani) definition and facts Picture of Anus Anal itching is itching around the anus. Examples of possible causes of anal itching include hemorrhoids, anal fissures, pinworms (Enterobius vermicularis), spicy foods, and medications. Additional symptoms associated with anal itching include burning and pain if the anal skin is traumatized by scratching. The diagnosis of the cause of pruritis...
CT Scan vs. MRI Differences between Safety, Cost, and Uses
CT scan vs. MRI quick comparison of differences Readers Comments 2 Share Your Story Picture: A medical technician prepares a patient for an MRI to check for a possible brain tumor CT scans utilize X-rays to produce images of the inside of the body while MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) uses powerful magnetic fields and radio frequency pulses to produce detailed...
Pernicious Anemia Symptoms, Types, Causes & Treatment
Pernicious anemia definition and facts Pernicious anemia is a deficiency in red blood cells caused by lack of vitamin B12 in the blood. Pernicious anemia is defined as a type of vitamin B12 deficiency that results from impaired uptake of vitamin B-12 due to the lack of a substance known as intrinsic factor (IF) produced by the stomach lining. Pernicious...
What Causes Ovarian Cysts? Symptoms, Treatment, Types & Ruptured
What should I know about ovarian cysts? What Are the Different Types of Ovarian Cyst? Ovarian cysts are closed, sac-like structures within the ovary that are filled with a liquid or semisolid substance. Ovarian cysts may not cause signs or symptoms. Larger cysts are more likely to cause signs and symptoms such as: Pain in the abdomen, pelvis, sometimes radiating...
Urinalysis (Urine) Test: Types, Drugs, Alcohol, Results and Interpretation
What is a urinalysis? Readers Comments 19 Share Your Story Picture of urine dipstick and color box instructions; photo courtesy of iStock A urinalysis is simply an analysis of the urine. It is a very common test that can be performed in many health care settings, including doctors' offices, urgent care facilities, laboratories, hospitals, and even at home. A urinalysis...
Leukemia Treatment, Diagnosis, Causes, Symptoms & Prognosis
Leukemia facts Leukemia is a cancer of the blood and blood-forming cells, such as white blood cells. Leukemia is a cancer of blood or blood-forming cells (and therefore sometimes referred to as blood cancer). While the exact cause(s) of leukemia is not known, risk factors have been identified, including radiation exposure, certain chemotherapy for cancer, smoking, family history of leukemia,...
Blood in Semen (Hematospermia) Causes, Treatment & Prognosis
Blood in semen facts Hematospermia is another name for blood in semen. Blood in the semen is known as hematospermia. Prostate biopsy is the most common cause of blood in the semen. Blood in the semen can be caused by tumors, infections, anatomical abnormalities, stones, or inflammation in many sites throughout the genitourinary system. Usually blood in the semen is...
Shoulder and Neck Pain Relief, Causes, Symptoms & Treatment
What is shoulder and neck pain? Shoulder pain may be an issue with joints or muscle, or could indicate another systemic problem. Your neck and shoulders contain muscles, bones, nerves, arteries, and veins, as well as many ligaments and other supporting structures. Many conditions can cause pain in the neck and shoulder area. Some are life-threatening (such as heart attack...