Category: Health Problems

A punch biopsy is a type of skin biopsy. It is a diagnostic procedure that punches a hole in the skin to acquire tissue for laboratory examination, usually through microscopy or tissue culture. Skin biopsies, compared with biopsies of other organs, are relatively low-risk procedures that are conducted under local anesthesia, with very few associated

Essential tremor is a condition in which an individual develops a rhythmic, involuntary movement of the hands or other part of the body. It may be progressive or non-progressive. While often mild, it may become more severe as age advances. It is not associated with any neurological or other disease which could be the cause

Drug metabolism is the term used to describe the biotransformation of pharmaceutical substances in the body so that they can be eliminated more easily. The majority of metabolic processes that involve drugs occur in the liver, as the enzymes that facilitate the reactions are concentrated there. Diabetic patient injecting herself with insulin shot at home.

Traditional medical practice often applies the same treatments to all patients with the same disease, regardless of genetics and other contributing factors. However, this has many limitations as there are copious factors which contribute to disease, all which affect the effectiveness and safety of drugs. Personalized medicine is an emerging form of treatment which aims

Oligospermia is a condition in which the sperm count is below 15 million/ml semen. Many reproductive and non-reproductive causes have been reported, but the cause remains unexplained in most cases. It is the cause of infertility in approximately a third of couples seeking assisted reproductive techniques in order to conceive. Etiology Some common etiologies include:

Lymphadenopathy refers to the enlargement of one or more lymph nodes, the bean-shaped glands found in the neck, armpits, chest, groin, and abdomen. Lymphadenopathy may occur in just one part of the body, in which case it is referred to as “localized” or it may be present in two or more body areas, in which

Anxiety is an adaptive response that is of great benefit to all life forms. It triggers fear learning, i.e., survival instincts that alert an organism to its surroundings and the dangers that prevail in it. However, extreme anxiety that is inappropriate to a circumstance and is prolonged is a negative emotion, labeled as a social

Curettage is the term used to describe surgical scraping, which may be used to clean a body cavity of foreign matter, to remove diseased tissue such as tumors or growths or to obtain a biopsy that can be used for diagnosis. It involves the use of a small, spoon-shaped tool with a very sharp edge

Avocado refers to the fruit of the avocado tree (Persea americana), which is botanically a large berry containing a single large seed. The avocado (Persea americana) is a tree that is native to South Central Mexico, classified as a member of the flowering plant family Lauraceae. Image Credit: Ninja Artist / Shutterstock The following are

Even though patients can present clear bone scans at the time of diagnosis, it is believed that up to 60% of patients with early-stage cancer have circulating tumor cells. However, the presence of these cells may not always result in the development of additional tumors. Image Credit: Javier Regueiro / Shutterstock What is prostate cancer?

The appendix is a worm-shaped tube attached to the large intestine in the human body. It is an organ that is credited with very little significance and often removed indiscriminately to avoid complications due to infection. However, modern researchers believe that the appendix has many key functions in the human body and it protects the

Blood flows through the blood vessels to deliver the needed oxygen and nutrients to the different cells in the body. The blood clotting process or coagulation is an important process that prevents excessive building in case the blood vessel becomes injured. It plays a crucial role in repairing blood vessels. What is Blood Clotting? Otherwise

A counterfeit medication or drug is defined as a pharmaceutical product that is produced and sold with the intention to deceive the consumer about the origin, authenticity or efficacy of the product. This has the potential to be dangerous for consumers as the formulation may contain unusual ingredients or quantities of the ingredients, which can

Urine analysis, also known as urinalysis, encompasses all the analytical tests carried out on a urine sample. It usually involves three forms of analysis: Physical – Assessment of the color, cloudiness and concentration of the urine Chemical – Examination of the chemical constituents of the urine using a test strip Microscopic – this allows one

A quality team of employees working in a pharmacy is an important factor in providing the best medical care to patients and ensuring the pharmacy is able to run effectively. However, hiring the right people can be a stressful process for many pharmacy owners and managers because there are many different details about the candidates’

Cheilitis is a state of inflamed lips that happens due to three factors—infection of the lip and skin conditions, nutritional deficiency, or allergy, toxin, medication, and injury. The lip surface consists of hairy skin, vermilion border, oral mucosa, and vermilion. The vermilion part of the inferior or lower lip becomes dry, cracked, diffused, and inflamed

Aloe vera has been widely used as a potent natural remedy for a lot of conditions, including insect bites. What is Aloe vera? Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis miller) is a succulent plant used in alternative medicine. With a total of 420 various plant species of Aloe vera, it has been popular in Indian medicine for

The primary treatment for most eyelid tumors involves surgical excision or other forms of surgical removal. The type of surgical procedure chosen depends upon: The type of cancer (squamous cell carcinomas require a larger margin of excision and possibly adjuvant therapy, compared to basal cell carcinomas) The tumor characteristics: Size Location Stage Primary or recurrent

There are three main types of dental bridges: traditional fixed bridges, cantilever bridges and Maryland bonded bridges. Each of these is described in more detail below, as well as a section to uncover the differences between them and the indications for the use of each type of dental bridge. Traditional Fixed Bridges Traditional fixed bridges

Breastfeeding is still common and continues for a prolonged period in developing countries, whereas its rate has declined steeply in developed nations following the introduction of formula for babies. Women who immigrate to these regions tend to take on the lactational characteristics of their host countries around the beginning of the 19th century. Health Benefits