…
Saturday, November 25, 2017
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
Menopause
The period that marks the permanent cessation of menstrual activity, normally occurring in the U.S. between the ages of 40 and 58. Menopause is said to have occurred once the woman has experienced 12 full months without any menstrual bleeding. The mean age of menopause in the U.S. is 51. The menses may stop suddenly, but this phenomenon is relatively rare. For most women there is first a menopausal transition often lasting a few years, during which ovulati…
Vaginitis
1. Inflammation of a sheath. 2. Inflammation of the vagina. ETIOLOGY Inflammation of the vagina may be caused by overgrowth or invasion of organisms such as gonococci, Chlamydiae, Gardnerella vaginalis, staphylococci, streptococci, spirochetes; viruses such as herpes; irritation from chemicals in douching, hygiene sprays, detergents, menstrual products, or toilet tissue; fungal infection (candidiasis) caused by overgrowth of Candida albicans or, less com…
Tuesday, August 23, 2016
Muscle A type of tissue composed of contractile cells. Each muscle cell is filled with parallel actin and myosin filaments. When activated by an internal release of calcium, the filaments use the energy in adenosine triphosphate to crawl along each other in opposite directions. This movement shortens the length of the cell, which then contracts. The three classes of myocytes (muscle cells) are skeletal (striated), cardiac (striated), and smooth; most human…
Saturday, August 20, 2016
Scoliosis
A lateral curvature of the spine. It usually consists of two curves, the original abnormal curve and a compensatory curve in the opposite direction. Scoliosis may be functional, structural, or idiopathic. Functional or postural scoliosis usually occurs as a result of a discrepancy in leg length and corrects when the patient bends toward the convex side. Structural scoliosis is related to vertebral bone deformities and thus does not correct with posture cha…
Sunday, June 5, 2016
Taber's Medical Dictionary:Care
Care (kar) In health care, the application of professional skill, support and concern, to provide health benefits to a person or a community. Acute care Health care delivered to patients who have experienced sudden illness or injury, or who are recovering from a procedure or operation. Acute care generally occurs in the prehospital or hospital setting or in the emergency department and is usually focused on the immediate, critical problems of the patient…