The Role of Vitamin D in the Human Body Vitamin D is essential for life.It enables absorption of calcium and phosphate from the small intestine and their incorporation into bones and teeth. Vitamin D enhances immunity and reduces inflammation. Calcium and phosphate are, among other, responsible for proper function of >> Read More ...
What Is the Calf? The calf is a back part of the lower leg – between the knee and ankle. Causes of Calf Pain Pain in the calf may arise from: Calf muscles: exercise, injury, mineral deficiencies, dermatomyositis Injury or inflammation of Achilles tendon Nerves: pinched sciatic nerve (read about sciatic nerve >> Read More ...
What Is Double Balloon Endoscopy? Double balloon endoscopy (enteroscopy) is an endoscopic investigation of the entire small intestine, using a gastroscope or colonoscope and a tube with two balloons that help to drag the intestine over the endoscope (1). Investigation is done to: Make biopsies of suspicious mucosal >> Read More ...
What Is Sciatica? Sciatic pain (sciatica) is a pain in the lower back, buttock, leg and/or foot, usually on one side at a time, caused by one of disorders affecting the sciatic nerve: Pinched nerve due to: Bulging or herniated disc Degeneration disc disease (DDD) Spinal stenosis (narrow spinal canal) Fracture of one or >> Read More ...
Bloating – stomach distension due to gas built in the stomach or bowel – may be caused by certain foods, intestinal disorders, bacterial overgrowth or food poisoning with bacteria or parasites. What Causes Bloating Shortly After Eating? Bloating in the upper abdomen appearing within minutes after starting a >> Read More ...
What Is Capsule Endoscopy? In capsule endoscopy, you swallow a pill-shaped camera (PillCam) that then travels through your gut and makes pictures of your small intestine (1). Picture 1. A capsule camera to swallow in capsule endoscopy (source: Wikipedia) A capsule camera is 28 mm (about an inch) long and 11 mm wide. It >> Read More ...
What Is Folliculitis? Folliculitis is an inflammation of the hair follicles, from which the hair grow. Folliculitis is not the same as acne (Picture 1). Acne primarily involve only oil (sebaceus) glands that are clogged with oil (sebum) and shed skin cells. Acne may subsequently get infected and affect the whole hair >> Read More ...
What is Leprosy? Leprosy is a chronic infection caused by bacterium Mycobacterium leprae that usually affects skin, peripheral nerves (usually in the limbs and face), upper airways and eyes. Another name for leprosy is Hansen’s disease (after Dr. G.A. Hansen who discovered it in 1873) (1). The first sign of a disease >> Read More ...
Characteristics of Gallbladder Pain Pain arising from the gallbladder or bile ducts usually appears below the right lower rib, 3-5 inches (7-12 cm) from the vertical mid-line. It may spread into the right lower or upper back, shoulder blade or shoulder. Other causes of right upper abdominal pain are liver, right kidney, >> Read More ...
Upper GI Endoscopy = Esophago-Gastro-Duodenoscopy (EGD) Upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy is a diagnostic procedure enabling your doctor to see inside your esophagus, stomach and duodenum (the first part of the small intestine), using a flexible viewing tube – gastroscope. Gastroscope has a light and camera on >> Read More ...
