Health Problems News

Polydactyly is a condition in which a child has additional fingers or toes. It is quite common and most often, the extra digit is smaller than the usual fingers or toes. At times, the additional digit may not be well-formed and is just a nubbin connected to the fingers or toes by a thin tissue

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a common eye condition that affects the central area of vision. It most commonly affects people age 50 and over, and can affect one eye or both eyes. Credit: Image Point Fr/Shutterstock.com AMD affects the macula, the part of the eye that provides clear central vision, and the retina, the

Microarrays are a two-dimensional arrangement of biological samples, with samples placed in spots numbering in the thousands and organized into columns and rows. They allow for efficient analysis of genetic material and the most common type, DNA microarrays, have been utilized for large-scale studies of gene expression. The history of microarrays follows a path that

Radiotherapy, also known as radiation therapy, is sometimes used in the treatment of breast cancer, usually in addition to other treatment techniques such as surgery or chemotherapy. It uses high-energy X-rays or particles to destroy cells in a localized area to reduce or eradicate cancerous growth. There are various types of radiotherapy that may be

HIV can be transmitted through contact with certain bodily fluids infected with the virus including blood, semen, rectal fluid, breast milk, vaginal fluid, and pre-seminal fluid. Engaging in behavior that involves contact with these fluids such as unprotected vaginal or anal sex or sharing syringes with someone who is HIV positive increases the risk of

Calcium is found inside the joints in the synovial fluid, which is a viscous fluid with an egg-white consistency, vital for reducing friction between the articular cartilage of synovial joints when they are moved. The calcium contained in the fluid may crystallize and when this happens the crystals damage the articular surfaces. This results in

Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) has various definitions, but most specialists would define it as the loss of 3 or more clinically confirmed pregnancies. This criterion has been fixed on the basis of epidemiological studies. Credit: Piotr Adamowicz/ Shutterstock.com RPL itself is subdivided into primary and secondary types, depending on whether the woman has never carried

Antiandrogens are a group of medications which bind to intracellular androgen receptors (AR) to prevent androgen effects on organs such as the testes, the hair follicles, the hypothalamus, pituitary, ovaries and the prostate gland, which are targets of endogenous androgens. They are used to treat a variety of clinical conditions which are characterized by hyperandrogenism,

Skip to: What are coronaviruses? Why are coronaviruses dangerous? SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19 SARS-CoV MERS-CoV The rapid spread of the virus that causes the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has sparked alarm across the globe. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the condition a global pandemic, with many countries grappling with the rise of infections. The disease

A movement disorder is a condition characterized by the occurrence of involuntary abnormalities in movement. It may be classified as hyperkinetic or hypokinetic, depending upon whether there is an increase or decrease in overall movement. Hyperkinetic disorders include tremor, dystonia, myoclonus, and chorea. Alcohol is commonly used as a stimulant and a sedative, depending upon

Presbyopia is the term which denotes the medical condition whereby a person loses the ability to see objects at near distances clearly. It is a fairly predictable part of aging, because everyone will develop it at some point. It develops most commonly after the fifth decade of life and people typically find themselves having to

The human body is fuelled by the blood running through its circulatory system. Red blood cells (RBCs or erythrocytes) are an important component of blood responsible for the red colour associated with blood. RBCs also contain hemoglobin, which is responsible for the delivery of oxygen to every cell in the human body. What is Anemia?

By Jana Free HIE (hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy) is a birth injury that children obtain due to lack of oxygen and blood flow at, or near, the time of birth. The condition causes brain injuries, and often results in developmental and cognitive impairments – including cerebral palsy. HIE is also called birth asphyxia, neonatal encephalopathy and perinatal

Crohn’s disease is a condition that causes the lining of the gastrointestinal tract to become inflamed. Any part of the tract may be affected, although it usually occurs in the ileum (last part of small intestine) or the colon. The condition usually affects individuals between the ages of 15 and 40 and common symptoms include

Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) is a technique wherein two light-sensitive molecules transfer energy from a donor molecule to an acceptor molecule. The result is emittance of a fluorescent signal by the acceptor molecule which can then be detected. Credit: Caleb Foster/Shutterstock.com FRET has many applications in biology. It is widely used in the study

Trauma surgery is the specialization in surgery that focuses on the treatment and care of injuries, often life-threatening, that are caused by impact forces. The causes of impact forces are many, but some of the more common ones include traffic accidents, falls, sports and crush injuries, as well as gunshot or stabbing wounds. In catastrophic

Lead is a highly toxic metal. Children under the age of six years are particularly vulnerable to the effects of lead poisoning because it can affect the formation and connection of neurons while the nervous system is growing and developing. No level of lead in the blood has been found to be safe in children

The painless condition in which a nail separates from the nail bed is referred to as Onycholysis. This can occur due to a number of factors such as injury for someone with long fingernails, or as the consequence of a skin infection. It is also possible for the nail to separate due to excessive filing

Visceral fat is fatty tissue that surrounds the organs and is different from the subcutaneous fat that is often more visible around the arms or legs. Visceral fat tissue has been linked to metabolic and chronic inflammatory disorders, thereby earning it the reputation of being dangerous. Image Credit: Sebastian Kaulitzki / Shutterstock.com Visceral fat’s role

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a mental health condition associated with dementia (memory loss) and behavioral abnormalities. Image Credit: Lightspring / Shutterstock Overview of Alzheimer's Disease Alzheimer’s begins as mild forgetfulness and confusion, and may eventually lead to complete memory loss, difficulty in making decisions, and even in performing daily routine tasks. These changes are accompanied