One of the most common parasites to infect human beings is the yeast-like Blastocystis hominis, a single-celled parasitic organism that causes abdominal cramping, bloating, gas, and sometimes anal itching. Other common parasites are: Tapeworms, which can grow as long as 60 feet while living in the human intestines.

Hearing loss can affect anyone at any age, due to heredity, medical conditions or loud noise exposure. However, as we get older, we naturally become more susceptible to hearing loss because of changes to the delicate mechanics of our ears.

A broken bone requires emergency medical care. Your child might have a broken (fractured) bone if he or she heard or felt a bone snap, has difficulty moving the injured part, or if the injured part moves in an unnatural way or is very painful to the touch. A sprain occurs when the ligaments, which hold bones together, are overstretched and partially torn. A strain is when a muscle or tendon is overstretched or torn. Sprains and strains generally cause swelling and pain, and there may be bruises around the injured area. Most sprains and strains, after proper medical evaluation, can be treated at home.

Enzymes, or digestive juices, produced by the pancreas are secreted into the small intestine to further break down food after it has left the stomach. The gland also produces the hormone insulin and secretes it into the bloodstream in order to regulate the body's glucose or sugar level.

Sepsis is a potentially life-threatening complication of an infection. Sepsis occurs when chemicals released into the bloodstream to fight the infection trigger inflammatory responses throughout the body. This inflammation can trigger a cascade of changes that can damage multiple organ systems, causing them to fail. If sepsis progresses to septic shock, blood pressure drops dramatically, which may lead to death. Anyone can develop sepsis, but it's most common and most dangerous in older adults or those with weakened immune systems. Early treatment of sepsis, usually with antibiotics and large amounts of intravenous fluids, improves chances for survival. Symptoms & causes Symptoms Many doctors view sepsis as a three-stage syndrome, starting with sepsis and progressing through severe sepsis to septic shock. The goal is to treat sepsis during its early stage, before it becomes more dangerous. Sepsis To be diagnosed with sepsis, you must exhibit at least two of the following symptoms, plus a probable or confirmed infection: Body temperature above 101 F (38.3 C) or below 96.8 F (36 C) Heart rate higher than 90 beats a minute Respiratory rate higher than 20 breaths a minute Severe sepsis Your diagnosis will be upgraded to severe sepsis if you also exhibit at least one of the following signs and symptoms, which indicate an organ may be failing: Significantly decreased urine output Abrupt change in mental status Decrease in platelet count Difficulty breathing Abnormal heart pumping function Abdominal pain Septic shock To be diagnosed with septic shock, you must have the signs and symptoms of severe sepsis — plus extremely low blood pressure that doesn't adequately respond to simple fluid replacement. When to see a doctor Most often sepsis occurs in people who are hospitalized. People in the intensive care unit are especially vulnerable to developing infections, which can then lead to sepsis. If you get an infection or if you develop signs and symptoms of sepsis after surgery, hospitalization or an infection, seek medical care immediately. Causes While any type of infection — bacterial, viral or fungal — can lead to sepsis, the most likely varieties include: Pneumonia Abdominal infection Kidney infection Bloodstream infection (bacteremia) The incidence of sepsis appears to be increasing in the United States. The causes of this increase may include: Aging population. Americans are living longer, which is swelling the ranks of the highest risk age group — people older than 65. Drug-resistant bacteria. Many types of bacteria can resist the effects of antibiotics that once killed them. These antibiotic-resistant bacteria are often the root cause of the infections that trigger sepsis. Weakened immune systems. More Americans are living with weakened immune systems, caused by HIV, cancer treatments or transplant drugs. Risk factors Sepsis is more common and more dangerous if you: Are very young or very old Have a compromised immune system Are already very sick, often in a hospital's intensive care unit Have wounds or injuries, such as burns Have invasive devices, such as intravenous catheters or breathing tubes Complications Sepsis ranges from less to more severe. As sepsis worsens, blood flow to vital organs, such as your brain, heart and kidneys, becomes impaired. Sepsis can also cause blood clots to form in your organs and in your arms, legs, fingers and toes — leading to varying degrees of organ failure and tissue death (gangrene). Most people recover from mild sepsis, but the mortality rate for septic shock is nearly 50 percent. Also, an episode of severe sepsis may place you at higher risk of future infections.

The long-standing answer has been that sneezing is a reflex. When irritants — such as germs, dust, pollen, animal dander, or pollutants, just to name just a few — infiltrate the nose lining, the brain sends out a signal to get rid of it. That triggers a deep breath, which gets held in the lungs.

The protein inside red blood cells (a) that carries oxygen to cells and carbon dioxide to the lungs is hemoglobin (b). Hemoglobin is made up of four symmetrical subunits and four heme groups. Iron associated with the heme binds oxygen.

The hepatic portal system is the system of veins comprising the hepatic portal vein and its tributaries. It is responsible for directing blood from the region of the gastrointestinal tract between the esophagus and rectum and also includes venous drainage from the supplementary organs such as the spleen and pancreas.

The cat's stomach is a sac-like structure designed to store large volumes of food and continue the digestive process. The esophagus carries food to the stomach, where it enters via a valve-like structure called the cardiac sphincter. On the interior surface of the stomach is a series of folds called gastric folds. These folds function to help grind and digest food. The inner stomach lining secretes acids and enzymes to break down food. Once the initial stomach digestive process is complete, the partially digested food exits the stomach through the pyloric sphincter area and then enters the duodenum (first segment of the small intestine). Once eaten, most food leaves the stomach within twelve hours after entering.

It then spreads down the bundle of his and then purkinje fibres to cause ventricular contraction. So when viewing the heart from the front, the direction of depolarisation is 11 o'clock to 5 o'clock. The general direction of depolarisation is known as the cardiac axis.

Rheum is made up of mucus, skin cells, oils and dust. The rheum that comes from the eyes and forms eye boogers is called gound, which you may know as eye sand, eye gunk, sleep dust, sleep sand, sleep in your eyes, or eye shnooters. When you're awake, gound doesn't cause any problems.

Sever's disease (also known as calcaneal apophysitis) is a type of bone injury in which the growth plate in the lower back of the heel, where the Achilles tendon (the heel cord that attaches to the growth plate) attaches, becomes inflamed and causes pain.

Thrombosis of the venous channels in the brain is an uncommon cause of cerebral infarction relative to arterial disease, but it is an important consideration because of its potential morbidity. (See Prognosis.) Knowledge of the anatomy of the venous system is essential in evaluating patients with cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT), since symptoms associated with the condition are related to the area of thrombosis. For example, cerebral infarction may occur with cortical vein or sagittal sinus thrombosis secondary to tissue congestion with obstruction. (See Presentation.) Lateral sinus thrombosis may be associated with headache and a pseudotumor cerebri–like picture. Extension into the jugular bulb may cause jugular foramen syndrome, while cranial nerve palsies may be seen in cavernous sinus thrombosis as a compressive phenomenon. Cerebral hemorrhage also may be a presenting feature in patients with venous sinus thrombosis. (See Presentation.) Imaging procedures have led to easier recognition of venous sinus thrombosis (see the images below), offering the opportunity for early therapeutic measures. (See Workup.) Left lateral sinus thrombosis demonstrated on magn Left lateral sinus thrombosis demonstrated on magnetic resonance venography (MRV). This 42-year-old woman presented with sudden onset of headache. Physical examination revealed no neurologic abnormalities. View Media Gallery Axial view of magnetic resonance (MR) venogram dem Axial view of magnetic resonance (MR) venogram demonstrating lack of flow in transverse sinus. View Media Gallery The following guidelines for CVT have been provided by the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association [1] : In patients with suspected CVT, routine blood studies consisting of a complete blood count, chemistry panel, prothrombin time, and activated partial thromboplastin time should be performed. Screening for potential prothrombotic conditions that may predispose a person to CVT (eg, use of contraceptives, underlying inflammatory disease, infectious process) is recommended in the initial clinical assessment. Testing for prothrombotic conditions (including protein C, protein S, or antithrombin deficiency), antiphospholipid syndrome, prothrombin G20210A mutation, and factor V Leiden can be beneficial for the management of patients with CVT. Testing for protein C, protein S, and antithrombin deficiency is generally indicated 2-4 weeks after completion of anticoagulation. There is a very limited value of testing in the acute setting or in patients taking warfarin. In patients with provoked CVT (associated with a transient risk factor), vitamin K antagonists may be continued for 3-6 months, with a target international normalized ratio of 2.0-3.0. In patients with unprovoked CVT, vitamin K antagonists may be continued for 6-12 months, with a target international normalized ratio of 2.0-3.0. For patients with recurrent CVT, venous thromboembolism (VTE) after CVT, or first CVT with severe thrombophilia (ie, homozygous prothrombin G20210A; homozygous factor V Leiden; deficiencies of protein C, protein S, or antithrombin; combined thrombophilia defects; or antiphospholipid syndrome), indefinite anticoagulation may be considered, with a target international normalized ratio of 2.0-3.0. For women with CVT during pregnancy, low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) in full anticoagulant doses should be continued throughout pregnancy, and LMWH or vitamin K antagonist with a target international normalized ratio of 2.0-3.0 should be continued for ≥6 weeks postpartum (for a total minimum duration of therapy of 6 months). It is reasonable to advise women with a history of CVT that future pregnancy is not contraindicated. Further investigations regarding the underlying cause and a formal consultation with a hematologist or maternal fetal medicine specialist are reasonable. It is reasonable to treat acute CVT during pregnancy with full-dose LMWH rather than unfractionated heparin. For women with a history of CVT, prophylaxis with LMWH during future pregnancies and the postpartum period is reasonable. Next: Etiology What to Read Next on Medscape Related Conditions and Diseases Quiz: Do You Know the Complications, Proper Workup, and Best Treatment Practices for Ischemic Stroke? Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Hypothyroidism? Quiz: Do You Know the Risk Factors, Symptoms, and Potential Treatments for Alzheimer Disease? Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Hypertension? 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Labyrinthitis is a mild, often self-limited condition characterized by vertigo, tinnitus, nausea, and a loss of balance. The disorder often follows a viral illness (eg, influenza). Labyrinthitis may also be caused by trauma, bacterial infection, allergies, benign tumors, and certain medications .

If you suspect that you have sleep apnea, the usual first step is to discuss your suspicions with your primary care physician. If you don’t have a primary care physician, you can go directly to a clinician who is a sleep specialist. But check your health care insurance coverage first. Some policies require you to see a primary care physician first, and some policies limit the sleep centers and testing facilities whose services they will pay for. Unfortunately, you may discover that your policy offers limited or no coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea, in which case you may wish to switch insurers if and when you can.

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.

Obesity is one of the most pervasive, chronic diseases in need of new strategies for medical treatment and prevention. As a leading cause of United States mortality, morbidity, disability, healthcare utilization and healthcare costs, the high prevalence of obesity continues to strain the United States healthcare system. Obesity is defined as excess adipose tissue. There are several different methods for determining excess adipose (fat) tissue; the most common being the Body Mass Index (BMI) (see below). A fat cell is an endocrine cell and adipose tissue is an endocrine organ. As such, adipose tissue secretes a number of products, including metabolites, cytokines, lipids, and coagulation factors among others. Significantly, excess adiposity or obesity causes increased levels of circulating fatty acids and inflammation. This can lead to insulin resistance, which in turn can lead to type 2 diabetes.

Testosterone treatment in adolescent boys with constitutional delay

all pregnant women be screened for Chlamydia at the first prenatal visit. Women under age 25 and those at increased risk for chlamydia! Infection should have repeat testing in the third trimester. Chlamydia endometritis during pregnancy can lead to chorioamnionitis and premature delivery of the fetus. Untreated infection during pregnancy can also lead to conjunctivitis (ophthalmia neonatorum) and pneumonia in the newborn baby

For both DCIS and invasive cancer, radiation therapy to the remaining breast tissue is generally recommended after surgery. A lumpectomy may also be called breast-conserving surgery, a partial mastectomy, quadrantectomy, or a segmental mastectomy. A mastectomy is the surgical removal of the entire breast.