The female orgasm is defined, on a physiological level, as a reflex that is generated mainly by stimulation of sensory nerves located in the clitoris, but also by impulses from other areas, including the vaginal access and the nipples
Unlike astigmatism, nearsightedness, and farsightedness, presbyopia is not a refractive error. Instead, it is a physiological reduction of the accommodative amplitude and, therefore, of the maximum level of accommodation that an eye…
Coronary angioplasty is the procedure by which an obstructed blood vessel is dilated using a balloon placed where the problem arises; it is inflated to recreate the space needed for blood to flow
Congenital clubfoot is a malformation of the foot that occurs from birth. Its name derives from the fact that its main characteristic is a persistent foot deformity that prevents normal standing on the ground
If it is the patient's first time performing an electrocardiogram (ECG), the rescuer, doctor, or nurse should explain to the patient - in words appropriate to his/her level of understanding - the steps and usefulness of the…
Let's talk about hip replacement, and specifically the anterior access approach: in general, this procedure relieves pain and restores mobility in people whose joints have been damaged by trauma or degenerative diseases such as hip…
Among the most common typically male problems there is certainly prostatitis, an inflammatory disease of the prostate that mainly affects men under the age of fifty
In medical semeiotics various abdominal points are known, whose tenderness on palpation and pressure is more or less indicative of appendicitis, often appendicitis (inflammation of the vermiform appendix)
The skin of the abdomen is divided into 9 regions, called abdominals: 3 median (epigastrium, peri-umbilical region and hypogastrium) and 3 lateral (hypochondrium, flank and iliac fossa)
The cardiovascular objective test is an important step at the intensive care unit level, since many of the diseases that require admission to the ICU on a primary or secondary basis involve the cardiovascular system itself
Jaundice in medicine is a sign characterised by yellowish discolouration of the skin, sclerae and mucous membranes caused by excessively high levels of bilirubin, i.e. bilirubin in the blood
Premature Ejaculation is a common sexual dysfunction. "A persistent or recurrent mode of ejaculation that occurs during sexual intercourse, approximately one minute after vaginal penetration and before the individual desires it" (DSM-5,…
Acute abdomen (in English "acute abdomen") is a clinical picture with sudden and violent onset, characterized by very intense pain that appears in the abdomen in a specific or widespread point
What is the cortex made up of? Anyone who has had the bad experience of a bone fracture knows well that one of the worst aspects of the situation, in addition to pain and functional limitation, is having to wear an uncomfortable plaster…
Dissection, or dissection, of the aorta is a cause of acute chest pain; it is uncommon but represents severe severity with regard to the clinical picture
A branch block is an abnormality that causes impediments and/or delays in the electrical conduction system of the heart muscle, i.e. in the transmission of the electrical impulses that occur between the atria and ventricles causing the…
Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), or dysmorphophobia, is a mental disorder that provokes the individual to focus unduly on flaws in the personal appearance to an extent that it dominates thought, producing severe embarrassment, shame, and…
Hemoglobin is a protein in your red blood cells. Your red blood cells carry oxygen throughout your body. If you have a condition that affects your body’s ability to make red blood cells, your hemoglobin levels may drop
Posture problems? Working at the computer, from the office and especially working from home, can lead to the habit of spending many hours in incorrect postures that, in the long run, can be harmful to our backs
Among infections of the genital apparatus, orchitis is one of the most common. This pathology affects a large number of men and can cause a lot of discomfort and pain
Intestinal disorders: diarrhoea, constipation (constipation), constant bellyache, flank pain are some of the symptoms that can manifest an intestinal disorder
The extracorporeal circulation allows oxygenation and pumping of the circulating blood during cardiac surgery generally performed with a stopped heart; the heart will be stopped, for example, to repair or replace a valve or ascending aorta…
The fundamental characteristic of male erectile dysfunction (sexual impotence, also called erectile dysfunction) is a persistent or occasional inability to achieve an erection or to maintain it long enough for sexual intercourse
For one to…
Osteoarthrosis is a degenerative and chronic disease that affects the slow process of erosion and thinning of the articular cartilage, causing anatomical alterations also to the surrounding tissues and muscles, with negative effects on the…
Thyroid ophthalmopathy - also known by the medical term Basedownian ophthalmopathy - is one of the clinical manifestations of Basedow-Graves Disease, i.e. an autoimmune thyroid disease, easily recognisable by its distinctive sign or…
Osteochondrosis or osteochondritis refers to a degenerative syndrome of the bones: young people and sportsmen or those subject to frequent trauma to the joints are particularly affected
Nystagmus is the involuntary movement of the eyeballs. In practice, the eyes oscillate, move rhythmically, in different planes: horizontal, vertical or rotational
The obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome produces poor oxygenation of the blood; this will, over time, affect the entire body, particularly the heart, and cause the onset of diseases such as: hypertension, diabetes, obesity, heart attack and…
Decreased male and female sexual desire, or its absence, are symptoms of so-called sexual desire disorders: hypoactive sexual desire disorder and sexual aversion disorder
Otitis is an inflammation of the ear generally caused by a bacterial, viral or fungal infection. It can sometimes heal spontaneously within a few days without the need for antibiotic treatment
A Sexual Dysfunction (or sexual disorder) is characterized by an abnormality in the process underlying the sexual response cycle, or by pain associated with intercourse
Floaters, also known as "flying flies", consist of the vision of floating bodies caused by problems with the vitreous humor, the area of the eye between the retina and the lens
Sexually transmitted diseases are those diseases also known by the acronym STD. This group of diseases includes infections contracted as a result of sexual intercourse and activity
Mycosis is an infection caused by pathogenic fungi that can affect different areas of the body, such as the skin and nails. There are many types of mycoses, differing in the tissues affected or in the intensity of their manifestation
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common neurological disorder that occurs when the median nerve, which runs from your forearm into the palm of the hand, becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist
Basedow's disease or disease is an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid gland, and is most common among women, with a male/female ratio of 1:5-10
Although we tend to consider skin blemishes one of the main signs of the passage of time, i.e. skin ageing, contrary to popular belief they are not always caused by age, but can have different origins and nature
Schizophrenia is a severe psychotic disorder: those affected become completely indifferent to what is happening, react absurdly or incoherently to external events, lose touch with reality and isolate themselves in a world of their own,…
The key difference between Kussmaul and Cheyne Stokes is that kussmaul is an abnormal breathing pattern characterized by a deep repaid breathing pace, while cheyne stokes is an abnormal breathing pattern characterized by a gradual increase…
Haglund's disease is also called Haglund's syndrome or Haglund's exostosis. These terms are used to refer to the same disease, which is characterised by a bone growth that causes considerable pain
The generic term 'meniscopathy' refers to all injuries that can affect the menisci, also known as 'meniscus ruptures', and is the most common category of knee disorders
Cutaneous mycoses (or dermatomycosis) are infections of the skin and skin adnexa caused by pathogenic fungi (mycetes); they generally present as characteristic lesions in the affected area, of varying extent and severity; they are…
Let's talk about muscle injury: the calf is the anatomical area most frequently involved in muscle injuries during sports practice, even at amateur level
Pain in the lumbar spine, lumbosciatalgia (or lumbar radiculopathy) is the leading cause of disability worldwide (GBD 2015 Disease and Injury Incidence and Prevalence Collaborators. Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and…
The knee is one of the most complex joints in the human body: it is made up of four fundamental ligaments, including the cruciate ligaments, and in particular the anterior cruciate ligament
About obstetric emergencies: pregnancy can sometimes present life-threatening health problems for a mother and her baby. These problems are called obstetric emergencies
Let's talk about shoulder dislocation: the skeleton of the human body is made up of bones, all linked and connected to each other thanks to the joints which, based on their degree of mobility, are classified into fixed joints, mobile joints…
The term 'psychosis' was introduced in the 19th century with the meaning of mental illness or madness. A rescuer has to deal with patients in this state quite often, so some information on this is useful
Lumbago is a form of myalgia that affects the lower back and can be caused by several factors. These include an incorrect lifestyle characterized by lack of physical activity and excessive body weight
More often just called hidradenitis, hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic inflammation of the hair follicle with characteristics similar to acne, first described by Alfred Velpeau in the 19th century
Exercise addiction, although not yet included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM 5), has been defined as a behavioural addiction (Demetrovics and Griffiths, 2005) as it manifests itself with distinctive…
One in four women, between the ages of 30 and 60, develops uterine fibroma, a benign tumour that sometimes shows no signs of itself, while others may manifest itself with anaemia due to heavy bleeding, pelvic pain and infertility
A paediatric echocardiogram is an ultrasound scan of a child's heart. An echocardiogram, or ecg, uses sound waves to create images and videos of the heart
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition that can affect the brain and spinal cord, causing a wide range of potential symptoms, including problems with vision, arm or leg movement, sensation or balance
What are dislocations? The bones that make up the human skeleton are bound together by joints that, according to their degree of mobility, are classified into fixed joints, mobile joints and semi-mobile joints
When people commonly speak of an infarction, they are referring to the necrosis of cardiac muscle tissue, thus, medically speaking, we speak of a myocardial infarction
What is miosis? It is the decrease in the diameter of the pupil and is a completely physiological condition of the eye, the functioning of which involves a narrowing or dilation of the pupil depending on the light
Crohn's disease (or disease), also known as terminal ileitis or segmental ileitis, is an inflammatory bowel disease with similarities and differences from the other, more widespread inflammatory bowel disease, which is ulcerative colitis…
Hypermetropia is a very common and easily correctable visual defect. The ophthalmic term 'hypermetropia' refers to a spherical refractive defect in which - light rays produced by objects that appear close or medium close in the field of…
Aortic insufficiency, also known as aortic regurgitation, is a heart condition characterised by a reflux of blood from the aorta into the left ventricle due to an abnormality of the aortic valve
Living and vacationing in climates with high heat and humidity make us vulnerable to heat-related illnesses. Heat exhaustion is a precursor to heatstroke
Hyperhidrosis can be defined as an excessive production of sweat. This very copious sweating cannot be considered a true pathology but is rather a symptom of other diseases or particular organic conditions
Lipomas are a form of benign tumour that affects adipose tissue and is very common. It is caused by an overgrowth of lipid cells surrounded by fibrous capsules
Systemic lupus erythematosus, abbreviated to SLE and more simply known as lupus, is a chronic autoimmune and inflammatory disease which – depending on its severity – can affect various organs and/or tissues
Lagophthalmos is a condition that prevents the complete closure of one or both eyelids. It is a problem that can be linked to more serious conditions such as facial nerve palsy, congenital malformations or injury to the orbicularis…
Tendon injuries are events that affect tendons. Specifically, this term refers to conditions in which the tendons are overloaded and one or more small fibre ruptures occur
A splint is a support device used to hold any suspected arm or leg fracture in place. If you hear the term 'splint', therefore, do not be alarmed: rescuers are simply 'securing' an injured part - nothing more than that