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Migraines occur when blood vessels in the head contract and dilate in an abnormal manner. The arteries in the back of the head have been shown to go into spasm, reducing blood flow to the back part of the brain or the occipital lobe. This is thought to trigger the pulsating pain in the side of the head that is […]
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Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are infections that can be transmitted through sexual contact with an infected individual. These are also termed sexually transmitted infections or STIs. STDs can be transmitted during vaginal or other types of sexual intercourse including oral and anal sex, but some are acquired simply by skin-to-skin contact. Image Credit: Jarun Ontakrai/Shutterstock.com About 20 million new STDs […]
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Dyslexia is the general term used to describe a common learning disorder in which reading ability is impaired due to difficulty recognizing the sounds made in speech and how those sounds relate to letters and words. The condition is also referred to as specific reading disability. Children affected by dyslexia find it difficult to identify root words, which makes it […]
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A panic attack is an episode of unreasonable, overwhelming fear which strikes for no particular reason, and at no predictable time. Symptoms The features of a panic attack include feeling the sudden onset of four or more of the following symptoms: A sense of impending doom. Fear of insanity. Palpitations, felt as a racing or pounding heartbeat. Nausea with chest […]
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Thalassemia is a blood disorder that is caused by DNA mutations in cells that are responsible for producing haemoglobin. This leads to a reduction in the number and ability of the red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body and can cause sufferers to feel symptoms such as fatigue. Haemoglobin is made up of a heme ring of iron […]
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Immunity and the immune system starts its development much before birth in the fetus and this development continues even after reaching adulthood. The ability to respond to antigens and foreign invaders is thus dependent on: Age of the person Immunity is developing and still to reach maturity in babies and in children. In addition, with age the immune system loses […]
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The body requires a number of minerals in order to maintain its proper functioning. The minerals are used for a variety of physiological processes such as building blood and bone, making hormones, regulating heartbeat, and more. There are two types of minerals. Macrominerals are needed in large amounts. Trace minerals are needed in very small amounts. The macrominerals are calcium, […]
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Heparin is a naturally occurring anticoagulant that prevents blood clots from forming. It has several uses in medicine but there is controversy surrounding the use of heparin. Side effects One of the most serious side effects of using heparin is heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). This occurs as the result of an immune response that targets and attacks platelets in the blood. […]
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Nicotine and its association with several mental health disorders including schizophrenia is a widely studied area. The association, however, is not clearly understood. Studies have been carried out to isolate the nicotine metabolites present in both animal and human brains, but particularly in people with schizophrenia. Cognitive effects Certain studies have shown that nicotine could help improve the cognitive deficits […]
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Liver transplantation is a major operation that involves removal of a damaged or diseased liver from the body and replacing it with a healthy one from a donor. 1-7 Why is the liver important in the body? The liver is one of the largest organs of the body and is considered akin to a factory in the body as it […]
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