In multiple sclerosis, the immune system attacks myelin, a substance that protects the nerves of the brain and spinal cord and allows signals from the brain to the body to move more quickly. As a result, individuals with multiple sclerosis often...
The ripe berries of the saw palmetto plant are used for medicinal purposes. The active ingredients, which contribute to the plant's medicinal properties, include fatty acids, flavonoids and plant sterols. Saw palmetto products are available as...
The urinary tract system functions to remove excess fluids and waste products from the body. Urine, produced by the kidneys, flows into the bladder where it is held until the bladder becomes full. Emptying the bladder requires interaction between...
Spina bifida is a neural tube defect that results in the malformation of the vertebrae that cover the spinal cord. This condition can cause life-threatening complications, which can make surgery or medications necessary. Learning about spina...
Benign prostate hyperplasia, or BPH, is the swelling or growth of the prostate gland. The prostate gland is a male organ that secretes a fluid that is crucial to the production of healthy sperm. The gland is situated between the bladder and...
As men age, it’s common for their prostate, a reproductive gland surrounding the urethra, to increase in size. By the age of 60, approximately half of men have enlarged prostates. By the time they reach 85, a full 95 percent of men...
Urinary tract infections, UTIs, occur when bacteria from the stomach and intestines stick to the walls of the urethra. Women suffering from recurrent urinary tract infections may lack proteins called immunoglobulins. These proteins resist...
Saw palmetto is a palm-like plant whose fruit is used to make herbal medicine that is most commonly used to treat prostate conditions. Researchers aren't sure how it works but saw palmetto may effect hormone levels and have anti-inflammatory...
The bladder is an organ that stores liquid waste---in the form of urine---until the body excretes it. If your child has difficulty urinating, urinates frequently or complains of urinary or stomach pain, speak with your pediatrician to have her...
The prostate is a small gland that helps make semen, the fluid that contains sperm. It surrounds the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the penis. The prostate gland of a young man is the size of a walnut. It slowly grows...
