Blood transfusions remain an important and potentially life-saving form of treatment for people suffering traumatic or chronic blood loss. Despite stringent protocols to ensure the safety of people receiving a blood transfusion, complications...
Cortisol is a hormone normally released during times of stress, to help regulate the body's stress response. The signal for cortisol secretion begins in the pituitary gland, a gland at the base of the brain. The pituitary secretes a hormone called...
Imagine you are in the labor and deliver ward of your local hospital. Contractions are severe and you eventually push a baby out with all your strength. As the doctor lays the baby on your chest, your husband cuts the umbilical cord. Instead of...
Systemic lupus erythematosus is the most widely seen form of lupus, an autoimmune disease affecting the body's tissues and organs. Lupus attacks any part of the body, producing inflammation and pain. Conventional medicine states that there is no...
Often it is easy to ignore the effect natural or common compounds can have on your health. Baking soda has been used in everything from cleaning products to baked goods and medicine. For most people, this natural compound is benign or even...
Stomach acid is primarily composed of a substance called hydrochloric acid, which is made by cells in the stomach called parietal cells. According to Colorado's State Pathology Department, stomach acid is notable for its high concentration of...
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, incurable and ultimately fatal form of dementia. The symptoms of Alzheimer's disease occur because of the loss of neurons. However, the exact form of cell disease that Alzheimer's causes is not yet known....
Health care professionals administer approximately 40,000 units of blood each day in hospitals around the United States, according to the professional blood banking organization AABB. Blood transfusions often prove life-saving. Serious side...
Signs of blood pressure problems are not always abundant or clear. According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, a division of the National Institutes of Health, elevated blood pressure or hypertension typically has no signs or...
A healthy diet is an important element for the treatment of high blood pressure, or hypertension. Herbs may also be beneficial, but they may interact with certain medications, so before using any herbal supplement it is important that you first...
Calcium is a mineral which plays a major role in the overall functioning of your body. It is regulated by substances such as parathyroid hormone, calcitonin, and vitamin D in your system but it can also be regulated through its absorption rate in...
Sebastian platelet syndrome, or SPS, is a rare disease similar to some other inherited giant platelet disorders. It is characterized by moderately enlarged platelets, malformations in some white blood cells and thrombocytopenia, which is a low...
The bone marrow, which is the spongy material inside of bones, is responsible for making many of the cells that circulate in the blood. The bone marrow contains special cells, called blood stem cells, which are able to produce these mature blood...
Exercise has many benefits including improving your health, both mentally and physically. If you suffer from depression, getting exercise on a regular basis may be able to help improve your moods and help curb depression symptoms. If you have not...
Massage therapists use deep tissue massage to produce changes in your posture, movement and flexibility. It increases your range of motion, reduces pain and stimulates blood flow. Because of all the beneficial effects of deep tissue massage, it...
Telangiectasias are caused by blood vessel growth and dilation near the surface of your skin. They can occur anywhere on the body and are often inconsequential. In some cases, however, they are signs of an underlying disease process and should be...
Coffee is a stimulating beverage enjoyed by many Americans throughout the day. Regular coffee consumption offers many health benefits that include lowering blood pressure, improving cholesterol levels and possibly protecting against Parkinson's...
A biopsy is the removal of tissue, blood, urine or other body fluids. Doctors order different types of tests depending on the types of information needed. Tissues are removed during surgery and must be tested for cancer. Blood and urine are tested...
Diabetes mellitus is the seventh most deadly disease in the U.S. as well as a suspect in major cardiovascular and kidney diseases. The financial burden of the disease has reached $116 billion annually directly; and indirectly, by hours lost and...
Cholesterol is a type of fat found in your blood, where it is combined with protein to form a compound called a lipoprotein. Cholesterol is needed by your cells to build cellular membranes and for many biochemical reactions. However, when...
The intense pain from a migraine headache can be debilitating. Migraine pain is the result of abnormal brain activity that leads to nerve, chemical and blood vessel changes. These headaches can be triggered by several different factors including...
Magnesium is a mineral essential to many bodily functions, one of which is the regulation of blood clots. Blood clots are particles of blood that congregate to form a plug that inhibits bleeding and promotes healing. The presence of magnesium...
People worldwide are experiencing an incredible increase in diabetes and metabolic syndrome. These diseases are a direct result of uncontrolled blood sugar and as more people become aware of this impending disaster, there is more concern about...
The deadlift is a weight training exercise that involves lifting a heavy barbell off the floor starting from a stabilized, bent-over position. It is considered a powerlifting exercise, along with the squat and bench press exercises. If done...
Numerous disorders are associated with headaches. MedlinePlus states that a person should seek medical help if a headache is accompanied by a stiff neck, fever, loss of consciousness, confusion and pain in the eye or ear. Although serious causes...
Blood pressure refers to the amount of force exerted on the walls of the blood vessels during the heart's pumping and resting stages. According to "The Fundamentals of Nursing," the pulse is a sensation that can be detected in various parts of the...
Warfarin is a medication doctors commonly prescribe to help prevent blood clotting. The effectiveness of warfarin hinges on its effects on vitamin K levels. Increasing the amount of vitamin K in your diet by eating more broccoli can make the...
The way blood clots is carefully regulated by the body. If the blood clots too easily, pathologic blood clotting may occur. If blood clots too slowly, the body is prone to rampant internal bleeding. People can develop low levels of a protein known...
Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, and psoriasis are both fairly common, chronic skin conditions that can cause patients physical discomfort and embarrassment. The diseases originate from an immune malfunction and share some common symptoms and...
Hypoglycemia, low blood sugar, can be a serious pathologic state leading to fatigue, coma, or death. Learn more about hypoglycemia in this health video.
