Charcot joint--neurogenic arthropathy--is a condition that occurs when nerve injury leads to destruction of a joint. There is bilateral involvement in between 9 percent and 35 percent of cases according to the "AAOS Comprehensive Orthopaedic...
Manic depression is a term that is not used very often, as the medical community has renamed the condition bipolar disorder. Manic depression, or bipolar disorder, is a psychological impairment that, left untreated, can interfere with day-to-day...
Cancer is the abnormal growth of cells that divide to form lumps or tumors, according to the American Cancer Society. Malignant tumors can interfere with the nervous, digestive and circulatory systems. Most people are familiar with breast cancer,...
A herniated disc occurs when the gelatinous inner part of your intervertebral spinal disc -- known as your nucleus pulposus -- ruptures through the fibrous tissue encasing it and protrudes into your spinal canal or other parts of your spine. The...
Acromioclavicular arthritis, or AC joint arthrosis, is a condition affecting the acromioclavicular joint of the shoulder. It can be due to osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or post-traumatic arthritis. It tends to be more common with...
There are several common symptoms associated with lateral ankle fractures, including severe pain, an inability to bear weight and swelling and bruising. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons or AAOS, a fractured ankle can range...
Radiologists take X-rays and inject patients with solutions that show up on imaging X-rays. They must learn the rules and regulations in the state where they operate. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, radiology training ranges from...
A good exercise program helps patients with spinal stenosis slow the progress of the disorder. For many, spinal stenosis is acquired from or worsened by other medical conditions such as osteoporosis. Those with spinal stenosis have a spinal column...
Sacroiliitis is inflammation of the sacroiliac joint, where the hip bones are connected to the sacrum and spine. It causes low back pain, which sometimes is quite severe. It is linked to inflammatory arthritis of the spine but can also be due to...
The link between exercise and headaches has been documented since 300 BC., when Hippocrates first wrote about it. Also referred to as exertion headaches, they can cause severe throbbing pain that can last for up to six hours. When they're benign,...
Doctors perform a diagnostic procedure known as an angiography, also called an arteriography, to visualize the blood vessels in a particular area of the body. A cerebral angiography provides images of the blood vessels in and around the brain....
The cauda equine, the collection of nerves where the spinal cord ends, is named for its resemblance to a horse's tail. According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, cauda equine syndrome (CES) is often misdiagnosed because the...
Gadolinium (Gd) is one of the most abundant of the rare earth elements, first discovered in the late 1800s by the chemists Jean-Charles Galissard de Marignac and Paul-Emile Lecoq de Boisbaudran. Its physical and chemical properties give it...
Malignant mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer affecting tissue surrounding the lungs, chest cavity or abdomen. Symptoms of the cancer include difficulty breathing and pain under the rib cage. According to 2010 information from the National...
Uterine fibroids are growths that occur in the walls of the uterus. Pedunculated fibroids are connected to the walls of the uterus via a thin stalk of tissue. These fibroids can become twisted, leading to severe pain and heavy bleeding. There are...
Hydrogen, which is represented by the letter H on the periodic table, is a non-metallic element. It is scientifically known to be the lightest of all the elements. Hydrogen is one of water's major components, and in its various derivatives and...
Running is an aerobic activity that provides a multitude of health benefits, but certain foot conditions can lead to pain that derails your running routine. Several problems, such as fractures, stone bruises and arthritis may cause pain during or...
The aorta is the main blood vessel coming off of the heart to deliver blood to the rest of the body. It leaves the left side of the heart and travels up into the chest then curves down, enters the abdominal cavity, and continues on until splitting...
Bone spurs, also called osteophytes, are small projections that develop along the edge of a bone. All bones are susceptible to developing bone spurs, but they occur most often in joints, according to the Mayo Clinic. Other areas of the body that...
The breasts are made up of a number of cell types that grow and develop in response to a number of hormones. Dysregulation of signalling in breast cells, or breast cell mutation, can lead to the development of tumors within the breast. Once a...
The bronchus describes the tubes which direct air into and out of the rest of the lungs. Because cells in the bronchus have exposure to airborne toxins, many cases of lung cancer begin in the tissue of the bronchus. Carcinomas of the bronchus can...
Cancer develops from normal cells within the body that accumulate genetic mutations, allowing the cells to proliferate uncontrollably, evade cell death, and give rise to unlimited numbers of cells. There are a number of forms of cancer, which...
Osteoporosis is a common condition, especially among the elderly. A bone mineral density test can tell you whether or not you have this condition even before you break a bone. Those with low bone mineral density can take precautions and start...
Manual-muscle testing, known as MMT, is a form of muscle evaluation performed by a health-care provider -- most commonly a physician or physical therapist -- to evaluate muscle strength by isolating individual muscles. This is done manually...
Healthy bone is maintained by vitamin D, calcium and the sex hormones. Calcium is the major component of bone that confers strength. Low calcium can lead to osteoporosis. In osteoporosis, there is disruption of the architectural framework of bone...
Calcium is the major component of bone that confers strength. As such, low calcium levels can lead to osteoporosis, a disruption of the architectural framework of bone that weakens it. Osteoporosis can be prevented by increasing your dietary...
As the field of medicine advances, specialties such as interventional radiology have become more prominent. Interventional radiology is an integral part of the minimally invasive trend, which allows for treatments and operations that require very...
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease caused by the body's own cells attacking the cells that line the joints, known as the synovial cells. Patients suffering from RA experience inflammation of the joints causing stiffness and pain...
Located behind the thigh, the hamstrings are a group of muscles associated with the movement of the hip and knee joints. Athletes participating in sports such as soccer, basketball and tennis or other activities involving sprinting are more prone...
Runner's knee is associated with pain under or around the knee cap, or patella, and is caused by repeated use of the knee. Learn more about the causes, symptoms and treatments for runners in this health video.
Kidney stones or renal lithiasis are small, hard deposits of mineral and acid salts on the inner surfaces of your kidneys. Normally, the substances that make up kidney stones are diluted in the urine. When urine is concentrated, though, minerals...
Lateral talus fracture, or snowboarder's ankle is caused by a forceful twist of the ankle, such as by snowboards landing on an uneven surface. Learn more about the causes, diagnosis and treatment of lateral talus fracture in this health video.
Ankle sprains are extremely painful and can take a long time to heal. Get expert tips and advice on medical treatments in this video.
Bone infections are caused by bacteria and can be treated with antibiotics, get expert tips and advice on medical treatments in this video.
