The throat (pharynx) is the conduit for air, food and drinks to pass between the environment and the respiratory or gastrointestinal system. Problems in the throat may give rise to a number of signs or symptoms. In addition, given its close interaction with neighboring structures – the mouth, nasal cavity, larynx and >> Read More ...
The nose plays a significant role in respiration (breathing) and the nasal cavity contain the sensory organs for smell. Any disorder affecting the nose can affect both smell and breathing, although the latter may not be significantly impaired as air can pass through the mouth. Most nose problems will present with one or >> Read More ...
What are Statins? Statins are cholesterol lowering drugs and one of the most commonly prescribed drugs after antibiotics and pain killers. The group as a whole is known as “statins” as all of the drugs in this group have – statin as a suffix in the chemical name. Various studies of the last two decades have >> Read More ...
A runny nose, or leaky nose, are the common terms for rhinorrhea or nasal discharge. In most cases, nasal discharge is due to hypersecretion of mucus from the lining of the nasal passages. However, pus and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) may also exit through the nose. Nasal discharge is in most cases accompanied by sneezing, as >> Read More ...
What is rhinitis? Rhinitis is the term for inflammation of the lining of the nasal passages. This epithelial lining contains hairs to filter incoming air, produces mucus to trap dust and dirt and has sensory receptors which can trigger the sneeze reflex to expel any irritants. When inflamed or irritated, it triggers a >> Read More ...
What is a sneeze? A sneeze is a sudden and forceful expiration of air through the nose or sometimes partly through the mouth. Its function is to clear the nasal passages of any irritants. However, sneezing is a common feature of the various nasal disorders even though no irritant is present in the nasal passages. This is >> Read More ...
Any deformity of the nipples may be the cause of much anguish and embarrassment, however, the problem may extend beyond just the aesthetic aspect. An abnormal nipple or nipples may be linked to serious underlying disorders or structural defects that can affect the functioning of the nipple i.e. for breastfeeding. Normally >> Read More ...
What is the Endocrine System? The endocrine system comprises the multiple glands that secrete chemical messengers, known as hormones, into the bloodstream. These hormones may act on almost every cell of the body or it may be tissue-specific and only act on certain types of cells. The endocrine system is the body’s >> Read More ...
What is diplopia? Diplopia, or double vision, occurs when an individual sees two or more images of the same object. It should not be confused with blurred vision where a single object appears unclear. Vision in humans is single binocular vision. This means that the images from both eyes are recorded and processed by the >> Read More ...
What is Odynophagia? Odynophagia is the medical term for pain when swallowing. The pain may stem from the mouth, throat (pharynx) or esophagus (gullet). At times, odynophagia may also be related to pathology within the larynx. The mechanism of swallowing is both voluntary and involuntary and starts in the throat and >> Read More ...
