During a pelvic exam, a woman's vulva, vagina, uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes are inspected. It involves a visual examination, palpation, and the use of a speculum. A pelvic exam is an examination of a woman's genital system. A pelvic exam examines organs including the vulva, vagina, uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes; the bladder and rectum are also usually included...
Pulmonary Edema (Fluid in Lungs) Treatment, Causes, Complications
What facts should I know about pulmonary edema? Picture of the alveoli and lungs What is the medical definition of pulmonary edema? Pulmonary edema is typically caused by filling of alveoli in the lungs by fluid leaking out of the blood. What causes pulmonary edema? Pulmonary edema may be caused by a number of cardiac or non-cardiac conditions. Breathing difficulty...
Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD): Symptoms, Treatment & Prognosis
Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) facts Readers Comments 2 Share Your Story Acute GVHD disease usually involves a distinct set of clinical symptoms and signs that include dermatitis, or skin inflammation, is characterized by an itchy, red, and possibly painful rash. Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is an immune condition that occurs in a patient after transplantation when immune cells present in donor tissue...
Fifth Disease Treatment, Symptoms & Contagious Period
Fifth disease (parvovirus, erythema infectiosum) facts A virus causes fifth disease. Symptoms include low fever, fatigue, a "slapped cheeks" rash, joint pains, and a whole body rash. Doctors make a diagnosis of fifth disease based on clinical features. Rarely, fifth disease can become complicated. Fifth disease can cause miscarriage in pregnant women. What is fifth disease? What causes fifth disease?...
16 Early Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Symptoms & Signs
A woman suffers hand pain due to rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Source: Getty Images What is rheumatoid arthritis (RA)? Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a type of inflammatory arthritis and autoimmune disease. RA disease is characterized by chronic joint inflammation. Rheumatoid arthritis in the knee, hands, fingers, and feet is common. RA may also be called rheumatoid disease because at times rheumatoid arthritis causes systemic...
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): Symptoms and Causes
Inflammatory bowel disease facts The two most common types of inflammatory bowel disease are Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). The intestinal complications of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis differ because of the characteristically dissimilar behaviors of the intestinal inflammation in these two diseases. The intestinal complications of...
What Is the Difference Between a Seizure and a Convulsion?
Uncontrollable shaking is a feature of seizures, but not all seizures are accompanied by convulsions. Seizures can produce confusion without a physical reaction. Seizure and convulsion are two medical terms that are often confused with one another. Most people use these two terms interchangeably without knowing which is which. Not all seizures are characterized by convulsions. Convulsions involve uncontrollable shaking,...
Gum Disease Treatment, Symptoms, Types, Home Remedies & Stages
What is gum disease (gingivitis)? Gums that bleed easily during flossing or brushing is a sign of gum disease (gingivitis). Gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease, is inflammation of the tissues surrounding and supporting the teeth and is most commonly a result of poor dental hygiene. Gingivitis is a very common condition and varies widely in severity. It is...
What Is the Difference Between Dermabrasion and Microdermabrasion?
What do dermabrasion and microdermabrasion mean? Dermabrasion treats deeper layers of skin compared to microdermabrasion. Dermabrasion is a skin-resurfacing procedure. In this procedure, your dermatologist (skin doctor) or plastic surgeon sands your skin with a special rotating instrument and removes the outer layer of your skin. The skin that grows back is usually smoother. It makes your skin look newer,...
Inflammatory Breast Cancer Causes, Diagnosis & Prognosis
Inflammatory breast cancer facts Inflammatory breast cancer (inflammatory breast carcinoma) is breast cancer that has spread to the lymphatic system, causing symptoms of inflammation (redness, swelling, tenderness) in the breast. Symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer include swelling, redness, skin changes, tenderness, dimpling of the skin of the breast or nipple, heaviness, and possibly a lump or mass in the breast....