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The pelvic floor or pelvic diaphragm is composed of muscle fibers of the levator ani, the coccygeus, and associated connective tissue which span the area underneath the pelvis. The pelvic diaphragm is a muscular partition formed by the levatores ani and coccygei, with which may be included the parietal pelvic fascia on their upper and lower aspects. The pelvic floor separates the pelvic cavity above from the perineal region (including perineum) below.
The right and left levator ani lie almost horizontally in the floor of the pelvis, separated by a narrow gap that transmits the urethra, vagina, and anal canal. The levator ani is usually considered in three parts: pubococcygeus, puborectalis, and iliococcygeus. The pubococcygeus, the main part of the levator, runs backward from the body of the pubis toward the coccyx and may be damaged during parturition. Some fibers are inserted into the prostate, urethra, and vagina. The right and left puborectalis unite behind the anorectal junction to form a muscular sling . Some regard them as a part of the sphincter ani externus. The iliococcygeus, the most posterior part of the levator ani, is often poorly developed.
The coccygeus, situated behind the levator ani and frequently tendinous as much as muscular, extends from the ischial spine to the lateral margin of the sacrum and coccyx.
The pelvic cavity of the true pelvis has the pelvic floor as its inferior border (and the pelvic brim as its superior border.) The perineum has the pelvic floor as its superior border.
Some sources do not consider “pelvic floor” and “pelvic diaphragm” to be identical, with the “diaphragm” consisting of only the levator ani and coccygeus, while the “floor” also includes the perineal membrane and deep perineal pouch. However, other sources include the fascia as part of the diaphragm. In practice, the two terms are often used interchangeably.
Inferiorly, the pelvic floor extends into the anal triangle.
A breech birth occurs when a baby is born bottom first instead of head first. Around 3-5% of pregnant women at term (37–40 weeks pregnant) will have a breech baby. Most babies in the breech position are born by a caesarean section because it is seen as safer than being born vaginally.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) affect millions of people each year. The most common STDs are gonorrhea, chlamydia and trichomoniasis. While even thinking about STDs and whether you may have one is scary, knowing the facts can make a big difference in your long-term health. Here is what you need to know:
People who are sexually active with multiple partners and are not using barrier protection are at most risk. Teenagers are a large part of this group, because they dont always practice safe sex and they are more likely to have multiple partners. It is recommended that women who are sexually active with multiple partners get screened yearly or immediately after they have engaged in unprotected sex. If you discover that you have an STD, both you and your partner would most likely be treated with antibiotics.
Gonorrhea
Approximately 350,000 cases of gonorrhea were reported to the CDC in 2006, but because not everyone is getting tested for STDs, experts believe the actual numbers are twice that.
The symptoms for gonorrhea are burning with urination, abnormal discharge or pelvic pain. Pelvic pain indicates a very severe infection. Untreated gonorrhea can lead to a serious infection as the disease may spread to a womans fallopian tubes and cause infertility.
Chlamydia
There were 1,000,000 cases of chlamydia reported to the CDC in 2006; experts think the actual rate of infection is as high as 2,000,000 cases.
Chlamydia is often called the silent disease because many people with chlamydia have no symptoms. Chlamydia can affect the urethra, the vagina, the cervix and the fallopian tubes. Symptoms include burring with urination, abnormal discharge and pelvic pain. If you are experiencing any of these systems you should see your doctor to determine if you have chlamydia. Women with chlamydia who arent treated are likely to develop pelvic inflammatory disease. Pelvic inflammatory disease occurs when the infection spreads and causes scarring to the uterus and fallopian tubes. Untreated chlamydia can result in infertility.
Trichomoniasis
Trichomoniasis is the most common STD. About 7 million women and men have trichomoniasis. Women who have trichomoniasis will often experience a frothy yellow or green discharge coming from their vagina. But some people wont have any symptoms.
Understanding STDs, what causes them, and how to treat them will help you stay in control of your health.
This educational explainer covers the physiology of the female sexual response, including the stages of arousal and orgasm, in clinical terms. It is intended for adult health education. Educational only — not medical advice.
The term chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) has been used to identify patients with a chronically progressive or relapsing symmetric sensorimotor disorder with cytoalbuminologic dissociation and interstitial and perivascular endoneurial infiltration by lymphocytes and macrophages. It can be considered the chronic equivalent of acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy, the most common form of Guillain-Barré syndrome. Signs and symptoms CIDP typically starts insidiously and evolves slowly, in either a slowly progressive or a relapsing manner, with partial or complete recovery between recurrences; periods of worsening and improvement usually last weeks or months. Most experts consider the necessary duration of symptoms to be greater than 8 weeks for the diagnosis of CIDP to be made. Symptoms reported include the following: Preceding infection (infrequent) Initial limb weakness, both proximal and distal Sensory symptoms (eg, tingling and numbness of hands and feet) Motor symptoms (usually predominant) In about 16% of patients, a relatively acute or subacute onset of symptoms In children, usually a more precipitous onset of symptoms Symptoms of autonomic system dysfunction (eg, orthostatic dizziness) Pertinent physical findings are limited to the nervous system, except when the condition is associated with other diseases. Such findings may include the following. Signs of cranial nerve (CN) involvement (eg, facial muscle paralysis or diplopia) Gait abnormalities Motor deficits (eg, symmetric weakness of both proximal and distal muscles in upper and lower extremities) Diminished or absent deep tendon reflexes Sensory deficits (typically in stocking-glove distribution) Impaired coordination See Clinical Presentation for more detail. Diagnosis Laboratory studies that may be helpful include the following: Cerebrospinal fluid analysis: Elevated protein levels are common (80% of patients); 10% of patients also have mild lymphocytic pleocytosis and increased gamma globulin Complete blood count (CBC), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), antinuclear antibody (ANA) level, biochemistry profile, and serum and urine immunoelectrophoresis (to exclude associated systemic disorders) In certain instances, genetic testing Other tests and procedures that may be warranted are as follows: MRI of the spine with gadolinium enhancement Electromyography (EMG) is a critical test to determine whether the disorder is truly a peripheral neuropathy and whether the neuropathy is demyelinating Peripheral (sural) nerve biopsy (see the image below): This is considered when the diagnosis is not completely clear, when other causes cannot be excluded, or when profound axonal involvement is observed on EMG; biopsy was once commonly recommended for most patients before immunosuppressive therapy, but current guidelines no longer recommend it
This urology video demonstrates Foley catheter insertion in both male and female patients. The recording shows the sterile technique used to place an indwelling urinary catheter, a routine procedure in hospital, surgical, and nursing care. Urinary catheters drain the bladder when a patient cannot pass urine normally.
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