By Jeyashree Sundaram, MBA The gastrointestinal (GI) tract plays an important role in digestion. Dyspepsia or indigestion is a common condition that occurs when the body has difficulty in digesting food. Dyspepsia can be an occasional or recurring problem. Modifications to the lifestyle can often provide significant relief from dyspepsia. Credit: 9nong/ Shutterstock.com Dietary changes A balanced diet can improve […]
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Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune illness. It is the result of the body’s immune system producing antibodies against its own antigens, causing damage to the target organs. Like most other autoimmune diseases, RA occurs three times more often in women as compared to men. Symptoms of RA include chronic progressive joint pain, severe joint inflammation and in many […]
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Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is a water-soluble vitamin which is found mostly in animal foods in fortified cereals. It cannot be synthesized in the human body. Dietary cobalamin is liberated from ingested animal protein by gastric hydrochloric acid. The free vitamin is then complexed with intrinsic factor, released from gastric parietal cells, and the complex is absorbed in […]
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A pyogenic granuloma is a vascular malformation also known as a lobular capillary hemangioma. It presents as a small bump on the skin, which is smooth or sometimes rough like a raspberry. It occurs most commonly on the head, neck, and chest, but may occur anywhere. photoJS | Shutterstock Pyogenic granulomas consist of abnormal blood vessels forming a hemangioma or […]
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Epidermal nevi are overgrowths or hamartomas of epidermal cells, which have a genetic basis. They are due to mosaic somatic mutations which lead to proliferation of one or other component of the epidermis. A hematoxylin and eosin stained slide of normal epidermis and dermis. Types of epidermal nevi Epidermal nevi are grouped by their clinical features, by the site of […]
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The International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) is a classification system that was established and maintained by the World Health Organization (WHO) along with ten other international centers. ICD-10 provides guidelines for universal comparability in the collection, processing, categorization, and presentation of mortality statistics. Credit: vectorfusionart/ Shutterstock.com History of ICD-10 Since 1979, all countries worldwide have adopted the […]
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Solar or actinic elastosis is a condition associated with chronic ultraviolet damage superimposed on aging skin. It presents as a yellowish thickened appearance to the skin which is bumpy and covered with furrows. The condition is due to the accumulation of disordered elastic tissue in the upper and middle layers of the dermis, which are most susceptible to sun exposure. […]
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There are two forms of hyperparathyroidism, primary hyperparathyroidism and secondary hyperparathyroidism. Mild cases of primary hyperparathyroidism may not require any treatment but secondary hyperparathyroidism is caused by another underlying problem that doctors will need to diagnose and treat. Treatment outline of primary hyperparathyroidism In cases of primary hyperparathyroidism, symptoms may not always be present and regular monitoring and a diet […]
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Fungal infections can affect skin, hair as well as nails. Nail infections are common especially in susceptible individuals. It leads to discoloured, ugly and misshapen nails that may even become painful. Usually the condition is treatable with medication but medication may be needed for several weeks, months or even years. (1-5) Who does fungal nail infection affect? Fungal nail infections […]
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Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a neurosurgical procedure that may be used in the treatment and management of Parkinson’s disease, chronic pain, depression, Tourette syndrome and some other health conditions. At this point in time, it is usually reserved for patients that have symptoms that are not adequately responsive to pharmacological treatment. The procedure involves the implantation of a battery-operated […]
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