Learning About Median Nerve Injury

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Learning About Median Nerve Injury

The median nerve, is one of the major nerves in our body which runs down the length of the arms and through the carpal tunnel in the wrist.   The nerve connects the thumb and all fingers of the hand, except the little finger.  Because the median nerve starts out in the cervical spine by the neck, in runs through the arm and forearm as branches, until it gets to the wrists, where the nerve comes together and compresses to go through the carpal tunnel and reach the fingers. The median nerve controls sensations in the hand and fingers, nerve function in the inner side of the thumb, and general nerve function of the upper portion of the arm.

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What is mallet finger?

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What is mallet finger?

Mallet finger is a common injury that usually occurs as a result of an athletic injury. The condition occurs when the outermost joint of the finger is injured. Mallet finger is the most common closed tendon injury. Mallet finger is also known as baseball finger, drop finger, or hammer finger. With mallet finger, the tendon on the back of the finger is separated from the muscles it connects. There are three types of injuries that usually occur: the tendon is damaged, but no fractures (bone cracks or breaks) are present; the tendon ruptures with a small fracture caused by the force of the injury; or the tendon ruptures with a large fracture.

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What is sarcoidosis?

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What is sarcoidosis?

Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease and is characterized by the growth of tiny collections of inflammatory cells.  These patches of inflamed cells can occur in different parts of the body but are most common, or most likely to affect the lungs, lymph nodes, eyes and skin.  Most cases are only temporary, and over half heal without any treatment at all.  Of all the parts of the body which can be affected, the lungs are the most common organs to be hit by sarcoidosis.  This is known as pulmonary sarcoidosis, which specifically presents as small patches of inflamed cells on the breathing tubes of the lungs, known as the bronchioles, the tiny air sacs contained in the lungs, known as the alveoli, or on the lymph nodes.  

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Understanding Japanese Encephalitis

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Understanding Japanese Encephalitis

Generally speaking, encephalitis refers to an inflammation of the brain tissue.  Japanese encephalitis refers to a type of encephalitis that is caused by a virus and is the leading cause of encephalitis in Asia and the western Pacific. This type of encephalitis is vaccine-preventable, and the risk of contraction is low, but still a concern for those traveling to Asia.  The risk for exposure varies by destination, season and the types of activities someone is involved in.

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Symptoms of Kyphosis

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Symptoms of Kyphosis

Kyphosis is a condition that is characterized by a rounding or curving of the spine. It can lead to a permanent slouch in a person’s posture. Kyphosis may also be known as a roundback or a hunchback. While everyone has a slight curve in their spine, kyphosis causes the spine to be curved at an angle of fifty degrees or more. This is a significant difference. It is estimated that about four percent to eight percent of people have a type of kyphosis called Scheuermann’s kyphosis. The condition can occur among people of any age and in both men and women. However, older women are the most common group affected by this condition.

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What is Schizophrenia?

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What is Schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is type of mental illness. It is characterized by people being unable to perceive a normal reality. People often hear voices, see things that aren’t there, have hallucinations and delusions, and overall experience a very abnormal way of thinking or behaving. The condition may also be known as paranoid schizophrenia. It is estimated that about one percent of people in the world have schizophrenia.

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Important facts about obesity

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Important facts about obesity

Obesity is an extremely common problem in the United States, and all over the world. It is estimated that more than one-third of adults (72 million people) and 17 percent of children in the United States are obese. The most common causes of obesity include a lack of physical activity and eating an unhealthy diet. Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer. These are some of the leading causes of preventable death.

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Risk Factors For Labyrinthitis

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Risk Factors For Labyrinthitis

Labyrinthitis is a disorder that occurs in the inner ear. It is characterized by an infection or and swelling in the inner ear. The condition is usually caused by a type of virus. It may cause vertigo, dizziness, loss of balance, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes hearing loss. The inner ear has two nerves called vestibular nerves. They are responsible for sending information to your brain regarding the movement of your head. Labyrinthitis occurs when one of these nerves becomes inflamed. Labyrinthitis is also known as an inner ear infection or inner ear vertigo. It is estimated that about seventeen percent of people with chronic ear infections develop labyrinthitis. In addition, about one in every 10,000 people seek treatment for sudden labyrinthitis, which often occurs after a cold or the flu.

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What is Legg-Calves-Perthes Disease?

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What is Legg-Calves-Perthes Disease?

Legg-Calves-Perthes disease is a condition that often begins in childhood. It occurs when part of the hip joint does not receive an adequate amount of blood supply. When this happens, bone cells begin to die, and the joint deteriorates. As a result, a person may experience pain and gait problems. It can also increase the risk of a person developing osteoarthritis later in life. Legg-Calves-Perthes disease is also known as idiopathic osteonecrosis, ischemic necrosis of the hip, coxa plana, osteochondritis, or avascular necrosis of the femoral head. It is estimated that about one in every 1,200 children have Legg-Calves-Perthes disease.

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Sciatica and the Sciatic Nerve

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Sciatica and the Sciatic Nerve

Sciatica is a condition that causes pain which radiates along the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve extends from the lower back to the hips and buttocks and down each leg. The condition usually only affects one side of the body. Sciatica may also be known as Sciatic nerve pain, sciatic nerve dysfunction, or sciatic neuritis. There are millions of people who suffer from sciatica in the United States every year.

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Understanding Pleural Effusion

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Understanding Pleural Effusion

A pleural effusion is caused by fluid leaking into the pleural space.  This is the space between two membranes or layers around the lungs within the chest cavity.   To function normally, this space contains a small amount of fluid which prevents friction and help to ensure smooth movement and expansion of the lungs within the chest.  Unfortunately, under certain circumstances, abnormal amounts of fluid can find themselves in the pleural space and cause expansion of the space, crowding the lungs and causing the symptoms we mentioned earlier. 

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What is Amblyopia?

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What is Amblyopia?

mblyopia, known better as a condition referred to as ‘lazy eye’, is the result of abnormal development of the eye during infancy and early childhood.  The abnormal development is the fault of improper stimulation in the nerve pathways between the brain and the eye.  As a result, the brain favors one eye over the other, and the weaker or “lazy” eye will wander.  Untreated, the brain might start to ignore signals from the lazy eye all together. 

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Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)

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Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)

MERS or (Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome) is caused by a caronavirus which is the same family of viruses that cause the common cold. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, MERS tends to spread due to having close contact with an ill person. The outbreak in South Korea and deaths associated were mostly among people with preexisting conditions. Experts from the WHO are heading to South Korea to assess the pattern of the spread of the virus and evaluate public health response efforts.

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What Is Kawasaki Disease?

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What Is Kawasaki Disease?

Kawasaki disease is an uncommon but serious condition that usually occurs in children under the age of five years old. It is characterized by inflammation of the blood vessels. Kawasaki disease is also known as Kawasaki syndrome or Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome. It is unclear as to what the exact cause of the disease is. 

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Learn About Porphyria?

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Learn About Porphyria?

Porphyria is a rare hereditary disease where hemoglobin in the blood is not metabolized properly.  This causes a buildup of natural chemicals that produce porphyrin in your body, and at high levels this porphyrins can cause a wide array of issues in the body. 

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What Is Priapism?

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What Is Priapism?

Priapism is a condition in which a man experiences a prolonged erection. This prolonged erection usually lasts for four hours or more. The condition is not caused by sexual stimulation or arousal. It is usually painful as well. 

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What Is Pick’s Disease?

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What Is Pick’s Disease?

Pick’s disease is a type of dementia. It is very rare, and it is irreversible. Pick’s disease may also be known as frontotemporal dementia, semantic dementia, or Arnold Pick's disease. It is believed that Pick’s disease accounts for up to fifteen percent of all dementia cases. This condition can cause severe personality changes. 

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What Is Pericarditis?

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What Is Pericarditis?

Pericarditis is inflammation of the pericardium, the membrane that surrounds the heart muscle.  This swelling and irritation of the pericardium causes pain within the chest that is likened to that of a heart attack.  

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What Is Hypoglycemia?

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What Is Hypoglycemia?

Hypoglycemia is a condition that causes an abnormally low level of blood sugar, or blood glucose. This is the body's main source of energy. People with diabetes get hypoglycemia when their bodies do not have enough sugar to use as energy. There are a number of things that can cause people to develop hypoglycemia. Some people may develop it as a result of their diet, exercise regimen, or as a result of being on certain medications. The symptoms of hypoglycemia usually begin when people’s blood sugar drops to 70 milligrams per deciliter or lower.

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Learn About Gonorrhea

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Learn About Gonorrhea

One of the most common sexually transmitted diseases is gonorrhea.  The CDC estimates that there are 700,000 new cases of Gonorrhea each year.  This STD is also known by the nickname the “clap”.  By definition, an STD is a sexually transmitted disease, also known as an STI or sexually transmitted infection.  These diseases, of which gonorrhea is grouped into, are spread via sexual contact from one partner to the next.  This sexual contact can occur in many ways such as orally, vaginally, anally, or from hand to genital interaction. 

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