Sound waves enter the ear canal and make the ear drum vibrate. This action moves the tiny chain of bones (ossicles – malleus, incus, stapes) in the middle ear. The last bone in this chain 'knocks' on the membrane window of the cochlea and makes the fluid in the cochlea move.

If you’re thinking about going on the pill, you may have questions. What do birth control pills do? Are birth control pills safe? Here’s all the info on how to use birth control pills.

What is an Aneurysm? A cerebral or intracranial aneurysm is an abnormal focal dilation of an artery in the brain that results from a weakening of the inner muscular layer (the intima) of a blood vessel wall. The vessel develops a "blister-like" dilation that can become thin and rupture without warning. The resultant bleeding into the space around the brain is called a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). This kind of hemorrhage can lead to a stroke, coma, and/or death. Aneurysms are usually found at the base of the brain just inside the skull, in an area called the subarachnoid space. In fact, 90 percent of SAHs are attributed to ruptured cerebral aneurysms and the two terms are often used synonymously.

Sebaceous cysts are common noncancerous cysts of the skin. Cysts are abnormalities in the body that may contain liquid or semiliquid material. Sebaceous cysts are mostly found on the face, neck, or torso. They grow slowly and are not life-threatening, but they may become uncomfortable if they go unchecked. Doctors usually diagnose a cyst with only a physical examination and medical history. In some cases, a cyst will be examined more thoroughly for signs of cancer

An MRCP scan is a scan that uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to produce pictures of the liver, bile ducts, gallbladder and pancreas. Note: the information below is a general guide only. The arrangements,and the way tests are performed, may vary between different hospitals.

Dementia is the name for a group of symptoms that commonly include problems with memory, thinking, problem solving, language and perception. In a person with dementia, these symptoms are bad enough to affect daily life.

Vaginoplasty is a surgical procedure designed to rejuvenate and tighten a woman’s vagina, by removing excess lining and repairing the surrounding soft tissues. It is designed to decrease the diameter of the vagina, resulting in increased friction during intercourse to make the experience more pleasurable for both partners.

CIN is a rare disorder and occurs when kidney problems are caused by the use of certain contrast dyes. In most cases contrast dyes used in tests, such as CT (computerized tomography) and angiograms, have no reported problems. About 2 percent of people receiving dyes can develop CIN. However, the risk for CIN can increase for people with diabetes, a history of heart and blood diseases, and chronic kidney disease (CKD). For example, the risk of CIN in people with advanced CKD (glomerular filtration rate (GFR) below 30 mL/min/1.73m2), increases to 30 to 40 percent. The risk of CIN in people with both CKD and diabetes is 20 to 50 percent.

Modern treatment of seizures started in 1850 with the introduction of bromides, which was based on the theory that epilepsy was caused by an excessive sex drive. In 1910, phenobarbital (PHB), which then was used to induce sleep, was found to have antiseizure activity and became the drug of choice for many years. A number of medications similar to PHB were developed, including primidone.

An enlarged spleen can be caused by infections, cirrhosis and other liver diseases, blood diseases characterized by abnormal blood cells, problems with the lymph system, or other conditions. Other causes of an enlarged spleen include: Inflammatory diseases such as sarcoidosis, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis.

emergency c-section for acute fetal distress, Misgav Ladach - modified Joel Cohen technique

Oral sex can be an enjoyable, healthy part of an adult relationship. But there are some things that many people don't know about oral sex. Here are four facts that might surprise you. 1. Oral sex is linked to throat cancer. Cancer? Yes, you can get throat cancer from oral sex, says American Cancer Society Chief Medical Officer Otis Brawley, MD. It's not oral sex, per se, that causes cancer, but the human papillomavirus (HPV), which can be passed from person to person during sex, including oral sex.

What could cause a blockage in the stomach? Mechanical causes of intestinal obstruction may include: Adhesions or scar tissue that forms after surgery. Foreign bodies (objects that are swallowed and block the intestines) Gallstones (rare) Hernias. Impacted stool. Intussusception (telescoping of one segment of bowel into another) Tumors blocking the intestines. Less common radiologic signs are seen in specific circumstances. Most closed-loop obstructions (75%) are caused by adhesions. A closed-loop obstruction occurs when a loop of bowel is not decompressed by the caudal passage of gas and fluid.

Ankylosing spondylitis is an inflammatory disease that, over time, can cause some of the vertebrae in your spine to fuse. This fusing makes the spine less flexible and can result in a hunched-forward posture. If ribs are affected, it can be difficult to breathe deeply. Ankylosing spondylitis affects men more often than women. Signs and symptoms typically begin in early adulthood. Inflammation also can occur in other parts of your body — most commonly, your eyes. There is no cure for ankylosing spondylitis, but treatments can lessen your symptoms and possibly slow progression of the disease.

A surgical video showing Femoro-Popliteal Bypass with a Saphenous Vein Graft

If you have gestational diabetes, your baby may be at increased risk of: Excessive birth weight. Extra glucose in your bloodstream crosses the placenta, which triggers your baby's pancreas to make extra insulin. This can cause your baby to grow too large (macrosomia).

Vertigo is a sensation of spinning. If you have these dizzy spells, you might feel like you are spinning or that the world around you is spinning. Causes of Vertigo Vertigo is often caused by an inner ear problem. Some of the most common causes include: BPPV. These initials stand for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. BPPV occurs when tiny calcium particles (canaliths) clump up in canals of the inner ear. The inner ear sends signals to the brain about head and body movements relative to gravity. It helps you keep your balance. BPPV can occur for no known reason and may be associated with age. Meniere's disease. This is an inner ear disorder thought to be caused by a buildup of fluid and changing pressure in the ear. It can cause episodes of vertigo along with ringing in the ears (tinnitus) and hearing loss. Vestibular neuritis or labyrinthitis. This is an inner ear problem usually related to infection (usually viral). The infection causes inflammation in the inner ear around nerves that are important for helping the body sense balance

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.

Is it possible to prevent cytomegalovirus infection? Is there a CMV vaccine? Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection facts CMV is a common virus in the same family as herpesvirus, and it can infect anyone. CMV is spread by direct contact of body fluids, such as saliva, blood, urine, semen, vaginal fluids, and breast milk. Thus breastfeeding, blood transfusions, organ transplants, and sexual contact are possible modes of transmission. Most healthy people do not experience any symptoms when infected with CMV, and it does not pose a serious health concern. A majority of adults have antibodies consistent with past infection. Most healthy children and adults who do have symptoms will recover from CMV infection without complications and do not require antiviral treatment.

Genital warts are soft growths that appear on the genitals. Genital warts are a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by certain strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV). These skin growths can cause pain, discomfort, and itching. They are especially dangerous for women because some types of HPV can also cause cancer of the cervix and vulva.