The gradual curves of the human spine allow the body to absorb many shocks and stresses in daily life. It’s a delicate balance, though, and if part of the spine curves too much, pain and limited mobility may result.

Your kidneys are two bean-shaped organs that lie just below your rib cage, on each side of your spine. They remove waste from your body, level out your blood pressure, and keep your bones strong. They also ensure that you have the right amount of chemicals, like potassium and sodium (salt), in your blood. Finally, they make the hormone that causes your body to create red blood cells.

When taking oral corticosteroids longer term, you may experience: Clouding of the lens in one or both eyes (cataracts) High blood sugar, which can trigger or worsen diabetes. Increased risk of infections. Thinning bones (osteoporosis) and fractures. Suppressed adrenal gland hormone production

The vast majority of glucocorticoid activity in most mammals is from cortisol, also known as hydrocortisone. Corticosterone, the major glucocorticoid in rodents, is another glucocorticoid. Cortisol binds to the glucocorticoid receptor in the cytoplasm and the hormone-receptor complex is then translocated into the nucleus, where it binds to its DNA response element and modulates transcription from a battery of genes, leading to changes in the cell's phenotype. Only about 10% of circulating cortisol is free. The remaining majority circulates bound to plasma proteins, particularly corticosteroid-binding globulin (transcortin). This protein binding likely decreases the metabolic clearance rate of glucocorticoids and, because the bound steroid is not biologically active, tends to act as a buffer and blunt wild fluctuations in cortisol concentration.

The biceps muscle is located in the front of your upper arm. It is attached to the bones of the shoulder and elbow by tendons — strong cords of fibrous tissue that attach muscles to bones. Tears of the biceps tendon at the elbow are uncommon. They are most often caused by a sudden injury and tend to result in greater arm weakness than injuries to the biceps tendon at the shoulder. Once torn, the biceps tendon at the elbow will not grow back to the bone and heal. Other arm muscles make it possible to bend the elbow fairly well without the biceps tendon. However, they cannot fulfill all the functions of the elbow, especially the motion of rotating the forearm from palm down to palm up. This motion is called supination. To return arm strength to near normal levels, surgery to repair the torn tendon is usually recommended. However, nonsurgical treatment is a reasonable option for patients who may not require full arm function.

How to Check Cervical Mucus

Posterior dislocations with associated fractures, also known as complex posterior dislocations, often require open reduction and fixation (ORIF). These dislocations are often associated with significant ligamentous injury. In some cases, complex posterior elbow dislocations may be managed with closed reduction. Posterior elbow dislocations that are neglected, as is not uncommon in developing countries, can often be effectively treated with open reduction. [9] Delayed vascular compromise is an important complication after reduction. All patients should be observed for a period of approximately 2-3 hours after reduction. If no evidence of vascular compromise arises, patients can be sent home with appropriate follow-up and instructions to watch for further problems.

a disease in which the body’s ability to produce or respond to the hormone insulin is impaired, resulting in abnormal metabolism of carbohydrates and elevated levels of glucose in the blood and urine.

CPAP, or continuous positive airway pressure, is a treatment that uses mild air pressure to keep the airways open. CPAP typically is used by people who have breathing problems, such as sleep apnea. CPAP also may be used to treat preterm infants whose lungs have not fully developed.

Direct Laryngoscopy: MICU Fellows Airway Course

How to place an NG tube in a baby,

High Resolution Upper Airway Anatomy

The superior sagittal sinus (also known as the superior longitudinal sinus), within the human head, is an unpaired area along the attached margin of falx cerebri. It allows blood to drain from the lateral aspects of anterior cerebral hemispheres to the confluence of sinuses.

-Korsakoff's syndrome is a common and preventable sequel of Wernicke's encephalopathy. Thiamine, if given during the stage of Wernicke's encephalopathy, can prevent the onset of Korsakoff's psychosis. The administration of glucose prior to thiamine can precipitate Korsakoff's syndrome, as seen in this case. In such patients, brain MRI frequently shows abnormal enhancement of the mammillary bodies & thallamus

The patient has spasticity in the lower extremities greater than the upper extremities. The hips and knees are flexed and adducted with the ankles extended and internally rotated. When the patient walks both lower extremities are circumducted and the upper extremities are held in a mid or low guard position. This type of gait is usually seen with bilateral periventricular lesions. The legs are more affected than the arms because the corticospinal tract axons that are going to the legs are closest to the ventricles.

Holter monitoring, electrocardiogram or echocardiogram are only recommended if a cardiac cause (e.g., arrhythmias, possible cardiac syncope, myocardial ischemia) is suspected.

Mitral Valve Prolapse and Mitral Regurgitation. Review of mitral valve anatomy and function, including papillary muscle structure and function, with severe mitral valve prolapse and mitral regurgitation due to a flail segment caused by ruptured papillary muscle and chorda tendinae attachment.

Indwelling urinary catheters are commonly used in hospitals and can lead to preventable catheter-associated UTI. How can rates of catheter-associated UTI be reduced in hospitals? New research findings are summarized in a new NEJM Quick Take. Learn more at http://nej.md/1WoeHdF SHOW MORE

Aspergillosis is the name given to a wide variety of diseases caused by infection by fungi of the genus Aspergillus. The majority of cases occur in people with underlying illnesses such as tuberculosis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but with otherwise healthy immune systems.