During an eye examination, the doctor looks through the pupils to physically inspect the anterior chamber of the eyes. By use of dilating drops, he can temporarily paralyze the muscles that control the iris, roughly doubling the size of the...
Eye-dilating drops make it possible for a medical practitioner to examine the interior of the eye. While people often don't like getting them, it's impossible to do an adequate eye exam without them. Like all medications, dilating drops can cause...
The pupil, the black spot in the center of the eye, is essentially a hole that allows light into the eye. The pupil enlarges and constricts as the muscles attached to it respond to stimuli such as light, which shrinks pupils. Darkness and stress...
Anxiety is defined as the apprehensive feelings that result from a non-specific threat. An article in the April 2002 edition of "Outside Magazine" titled "At Home in the Discomfort Zone" provides a detailed distinction between fear and anxiety....
Opiates are a class of drugs used to treat moderate to severe pain. Drug formulations containing opiates often include another other pain medication, like acetaminophen, in order to achieve a synergistic effect. Commonly prescribed opiate...
Crack cocaine is an illegal, highly addictive stimulant drug. This form of cocaine is supplied as a rock crystal that is heated in order to release crack cocaine vapors that users smoke, explains the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). This...
Cocaine is a very potent stimulant of the central nervous system. It blocks the reabsorption of the chemical dopamine by neurons which causes increased pleasure signaling as a result of continuous activation of nerve cells in the brain.
What's the difference between a cocaine addiction and a caffeine addiction? Caffeine lasts longer. The "high" produced from cocaine only lasts from 5 to 30 minutes (depending on how it was administered), at which point another dose must be...
Depressant medications slow down your central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) to induce sleep and relieve anxiety or stress, according to the South Carolina Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services.
NuLev is Alaven Pharmaceutical's brand of the generic hyoscyamine sulfate, an antispasmodic medication used to treat irritable bowel syndrome, peptic ulcers, colic, and other gastric intestinal disorders. It is also used to lessen pain from...
Cogentin (benztropine) is an anticholinergic medication used to therapeutically manage parkinsonism as an adjunct treatment. It also helps control unintended muscular movements (extrapyramidal disorders) that arise as a side effect of...
There are three types of burns, according to MayoClinic.com. First degree burns are where the outer layer of skin is burned. Second degree burns are where the outer layer and the second layer of skin are burned all the way through and blisters...
Scopolamine, known under the brand names of Scopace, Transderm-Scop or Maldemar, is a medication that belongs to the drug category of anticholinergic medications, according to Drugs.com. It is used to treat motion sickness, irritable bowel...
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) defines an aneurysm of the brain as "a weakened area in the wall of a blood vessel." An estimated 5 percent of the population has a brain aneurysm. The symptoms depend on the location of the aneurysm,...
Methadone is a man-made narcotic that is similar to heroin in its effects upon the human body. This synthetic opiate may be used to treat people in severe pain, such as those who are recovering from major surgery. It also has been used to try to...
Serotonin is a substance naturally produced by the body that aids the function of nerve cells and a healthy brain. In addition, it helps the body regulate attention, behavior and temperature. According to the Mayo Clinic, too much serotonin in the...
Methadone is a long-acting opiate pain reliever that can also be used to help recovering opiate addicts by providing relief from withdrawal symptoms, according to PubMed Health. Methadone itself can be addictive, causing patients to experience...
The National Institute on Drug Abuse reported in 2008 that 20.1 million Americans age 12 and older were users of illicit substances. Drug addiction is a disease that, over time, alters the brain. Because of these brain changes, individuals cannot...
During an eye exam, the doctor may discover damage to the optic nerve that results from a high pressure inside the eye. The optic nerve has the responsibility of transmitting information to the brain, and if a high pressure damages the optic...
Heartworms are microscopic parasites affecting canines, and are transmitted by mosquitoes. Heartgard Plus is a once-a-month beef-flavored chewable tablet containing the drugs ivermectin and pyrantal pamoate to prevent heartworms, and treat and...
According to Narconon International, cocaine is a potent addictive stimulant that targets the brain. When cocaine enters the bloodstream, it stimulates the brain to provide pleasurable feelings. Long-term cocaine use can lead to addiction and...
Cocaine is a crystalline alkaloid obtained from leaves of the coca plant. It acts by stimulating the central nervous system. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health indicates that, as of 2008, over 5.3 Americans age 12 and older had abused...
Ketotifen is an antihistamine medication used in the eyes and orally to treat symptoms that often accompany allergies. Drugs.com explains that an antihistamine blocks the body's release of histamine, a chemical responsible for producing allergy...
The cerebellum is located in the posterior fossa along with the fourth ventricle and brain stem. Approximately 15 to 20 percent of tumors arise in the posterior fossa, according to New York Presbyterian Hospital. The cerebellum controls intricate...
While people who drink only occasionally will rarely have alcohol withdrawal symptoms, those who suffer from alcohol addiction can experience many unpleasant and potentially dangerous symptoms when they stop drinking. The American Academy of...
Acute angle closure glaucoma is known by several different name variations, including closed-angle and narrow angle glaucoma. The condition is a sudden blockage that does not allow the eye fluid to drain properly. While some forms of glaucoma are...
If one of the arteries in your brain develops a bulge, you may be diagnosed with a brain aneurysm. Brain aneurysms can exist for years without any warning signs until they leak, press on surrounding nerves or rupture. If the artery leaks or...
Sinusitis is the inflammation of the sinuses. Often, sinusitis is caused by a cold or other upper respiratory virus. Sometimes, however, it is caused by bacteria. Most cases of sinusitis will resolve themselves, but occasionally a patient may...
An aneurysm is a bulge in a blood vessel, the walls of which are stretched thin and at constant risk of rupturing. When an aneurysm ruptures in the brain, it can be fatal. Brain cells die when deprived of blood. They can also be destroyed by the...
Sugar levels in the blood, or blood sugar, are regulated in the body by insulin. Learn about blood sugar, including treatments and safe levels, in this health video.