Dry eye occurs when the eye does not produce enough tears or the tears don't work properly to keep the eye lubricated, says the National Eye Institute. This can lead to serious problems including pain, ulcers, scarring and even vision loss....
Stricture is an abnormal narrowing of the esophagus or food pipe that extends from the mouth to the stomach. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, or GERD, is the back-flow of stomach acid in the esophagus and is a major risk factor for stricture....
Infection is the number one cause of cervicitis. Infections can be caused by sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) as well as non-sexually transmitted infections. The STDs that cause cervicitis fall into two categories--bacterial and viral....
According to the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons, cholecystectomies or gallbladder removal surgeries are among the most common surgeries done in the United States. When the gallbladder becomes inflamed and causes pain...
When the eyes don't produce enough tears or produce tears that don't have the proper chemical composition, dry eyes can be the result. While dry eye is usually a mild condition, some major complications such as pain and scarring may result. Dry...
Hemorrhoids are dilated, often bulging veins in the anus and lower rectum which can result in itching, pain and bleeding. According to the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, millions of Americans have hemorrhoids, with more than half...
Vaginal skin tags are small, benign skin growths that appear in a woman's vaginal area. The growths can range in color from flesh-colored to dark brown, and may be mostly flat or protrude out slightly from the skin, according to the Merck Manuals...
Nosebleeds, also known as epistaxis, are a common problem that mostly occurs as the result of nasal dryness and nose picking. Because your nose contains many blood vessels at the surface of your nasal passages, it is prone to injury. The Mayo...
Skin tags are a common, small, benign tumor of the skin. They are painless and have an irregular shape, often appearing like a small berry. Most skin tags can be removed with topically applied products or home remedies. Larger skin tags may...
Most ulcers are caused by a bacteria called Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). A majority of ulcers heal when medically treated. However, some ulcers do not. Instead, they grow large enough to cause bleeding. Bleeding from peptic ulcers is the most...
Human papillomaviruses, also known as HPV, are a group of viruses that commonly cause warts. The virus is commonly transmitted by sexual contact. In men, HPV can cause genital warts, common warts, plantar warts, flat warts and oral and pharyngeal...
Because most adenoidectomies are done on an out-patient basis, the pre-op preparation is typically fairly straightforward. Because these procedures are done using general anesthesia, an anesthesiologist will talk to the patient and/or his parents...
Nosebleeds are very common, as the nose is very rich with blood vessels. Bleeding from the nose is also called epistaxis. It affects 60 percent of the general population. Nosebleeds commonly occur due to cold, nose picking or blowing, injury to...
The adenoids are pads of tissue at the back of your nasal cavity and at the top of your mouth. The adenoids help trap harmful bacterial, thereby preventing some infections. Chronic or recurrent infection of the adenoids themselves, however, can...
A skin tag is basically a small outgrowth of skin. It may also be called an acrochordon or a fibroepithelial polyp. Skin tags are not harmful. They're neither cancerous nor precancerous, but because some skin conditions may indicate another...
In making decisions about planning a family, there are many different contraception choices available. You and your partner need to decide which method suits your needs as a couple. One of those methods is a vasectomy. A vasectomy is a fairly...
Nearly everyone has at least a few mole, also known as nevi, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). Moles actually are bunches of pigmented cells that form small, usually dark-colored spots that can be flat or raised. Moles are...
Brown spots on the skin generally do not indicate a cause for alarm. These naturally occurring features can appear as small brown blotches from exposure to ultraviolet light. Seborrheic keratoses also presents as brown spots on the skin. While...
A medical condition called dry eye syndrome occurs when the tear glands do not produce enough tears. Symptoms associated with dry eye syndrome include irritation in the eye and tired eyes. As an individual ages, the body naturally produces fewer...
Dry eye syndrome occurs when the eye does not create enough tears to properly lubricate and moisturize the eye or the tears are of poor quality. Oil, water and mucus make up the three components of tears. The most common type of dry eye syndrome...
Skin tags are benign, small fleshy growths that may appear anywhere on the body, but they typically develop on the face, in areas of skin folds or where skin rubs together, such as armpits. While they may present cosmetic issues, they usually are...
The integumentary system consists of the skin, hair, fingernails and toenails. According to the Franklin Institute, it supports the excretory or urinary system in removing waste from the body. Most diseases of the integumentary system affect the...
Skin tags, also called acrochordons or fibroepithelial polyps, are small, benign growths often found in places where the skin folds. Although they are not dangerous, some people find them unsightly or uncomfortable. The cause of skin tags is not...
Spinal surgery for narrowing of the spine or spinal stenosis should not be done until trials with medications and physical therapy have been exhausted or patients have weakness or pain in their extremities. Having surgery on the spine, according...
A small bowel resection may be done for cancer or obstruction. Some forms of gastric bypass surgery resect the bowel. Resection of the bowel can be done laparoscopically or through a large incision in the abdomen. Complications of small bowel...
Walking is an easy aerobic exercise that burns calories and helps keep the heart healthy. There are few drawbacks, but black toenail is a common problem. Regular walkers are most often afflicted with black toenail. If shoes do not fit right, the...
Moles are very common and under most circumstances they are not a cause of concern. Some moles you're born with, and others you harmlessly acquire throughout life. However, there are times moles can be indicators of dangerous skin cancer, and...
Skin tags, formally referred to as acrochordons, papillomas, fibroepithelial polyps, soft fibromas or cutaneous tags, are small noncancerous, lightly-colored skin growths. They occur in roughly half of the population, beginning in middle age....
Once they are certain that they do not want to have children, many people start looking for effective, long-term birth control solutions. Male sterilization, called vasectomy, is a permanent form of birth control. During a vasectomy, a man's vas...