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Multiple sclerosis causes many different symptoms, including vision loss, pain, fatigue, and impaired coordination. The symptoms, severity, and duration can vary from person to person. Some people may be symptom free most of their lives, while others can have severe chronic symptoms that never go away. Physical therapy and medications that suppress the immune system can help with symptoms and slow disease progression.
An intrauterine device (IUD), also known as intrauterine contraceptive device (IUCD or ICD) or coil, is a small, often T-shaped birth control device that is inserted into a woman's uterus to prevent pregnancy. IUDs are one form of long-acting reversible birth control (LARC).
Before Dr. Benjamin Carson became the first person to successfully separate twins conjoined at the head, before he had a TV movie made about his life, before he became known for his "gifted hands" and before he became head of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins, Ben Carson was headed down the wrong path in life.
Cobalamin (vitamin B12) deficiency is particularly common in the elderly (>65 years of age), but is often unrecognized because of its subtle clinical manifestations; although they can be potentially serious, particularly from a neuropsychiatric and hematological perspective.
Face transplant candidates go through an extensive screening process that is likely to last several months. This screening includes a psychiatric and social support evaluation and a series of imaging tests to help determine a patient’s physical and mental readiness for the procedure. If, upon completion of the screening process, it is determined that a patient is a suitable candidate, we will place the patient on a transplant waiting list. We will then begin working with the New England Organ Bank (NEOB) team to find a donor who matches the recipient’s tissue requirements – e.g., similar age, right blood type. This search could take many months, and, if a suitable donor is not found within one year, we will speak with the patient to determine whether they’re willing to continue waiting. When a donor is found, we will immediately inform the patient about when to arrive at the hospital for the operation. As the timing for this type of procedure is extremely important, patients are expected to be readily available, i.e., reside within a 12-hour travel radius of BWH.
External cephalic version is a process by which a breech baby can sometimes be turned from buttocks or foot first to head first. External cephalic version (ECV) is a manual procedure that is advocated by national guidelines for breech presentation singleton pregnancy, in order to enable vaginal delivery.
Most folks remember puberty – and not always in a good way. It can be an awkward stage of budding breasts, unwanted hair, acne and unexpected body odor. Puberty, when a child undergoes physical changes and becomes sexually mature, typically begins around age 8 in girls and age 9 in boys. But imagine, say, a 6- or 7-year-old undergoing such changes? Studies are showing that the onset of puberty for both boys and girls is occurring earlier and earlier, a phenomenon defined as precocious puberty. A study published in Pediatrics in 2010 found that among a population of 1,200 American girls, about 23 percent of African-Americans,15 percent of Latinas and 10 percent of Caucasian girls had begun puberty (marked by breast development) at age 7. In 2012, another study published in Pediatrics found that puberty in American boys – measured by testicular enlargement and pubic hair growth – was beginning six months to two years earlier than what research in previous decades had documented, particularly among African-American children.
If you're pregnant, you're likely paying extra close attention to your body. If you happen to feel a cramp you may worry that it is a sign of a miscarriage. While the first trimester is the most common time for miscarriages, there are other reasons for cramps. Whether it signals a miscarriage depends on when it occurs, the severity of the cramping, and whether you're experiencing other symptoms alongside it.
What is the spleen and what causes an enlarged spleen (splenomegaly)? The spleen sits under your rib cage in the upper left part of your abdomen toward your back. It is an organ that is part of the lymph system and works as a drainage network that defends your body against infection. White blood cells produced in the spleen engulf bacteria, dead tissue, and foreign matter, removing them from the blood as blood passes through it. The spleen also maintains healthy red and white blood cells and platelets; platelets help your blood clot. The spleen filters blood, removing abnormal blood cells from the bloodstream. A spleen is normally about the size of your fist. A doctor usually can't feel it during an exam. But diseases can cause it to swell and become many times its normal size. Because the spleen is involved in many functions, many conditions may affect it.