Common Orthopaedic Conditions

Interesting facts Orthopaedic is a word derived from the Greek “Ortho” and “Pais” or “straight child”. This is because it was originally used as a word to describe children with spine and limb deformities. Nowadays, Orthopaedics is more commonly used to describe the study and medical treatment of the musculoskeletal system, namely the bones and muscles.  […]

Thyroid Disorders

The thyroid gland is a butterfly shaped organ located in the neck.  It is wrapped around the windpipe just below the Adam’s apple.   The thyroid gland secretes thyroid hormones that regulate metabolism and growth.  Thyroid disease occurs when there is an imbalance of thyroid hormones produced. This can be due to either dysfunction of the thyroid gland itself, or structures above the thyroid gland which regulate its function.  These structures are the pituitary gland which releases thyroid stimulating hormone, and the hypothalamus which regulates the pituitary gland.  The function of the thyroid gland is to convert iodine, an essential nutrient found in dairy products, seafood, kelp, bread and some vegetables, into the thyroid hormones, thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3).  The thyroid hormones are then released into the blood to regulate the metabolism of virtually every cell.

The Heart

A scientist found that horses’ heart rates mirror those of human subjects touching them. A study of 2,500 men aged 49 to 54 found that having an orgasm at least three times a week cut in half the likelihood of death from coronary heart disease. Over the course of a day, about 100,000 heart beats […]

Fatty Liver

We all realise when we have a bit too much fat around the midriff, it is plain for all to see. What about having too much fat in your liver? You cannot see it or feel it, so most people do not even know it is present. Fatty liver disease is common in westernised cultures, with as many as one in ten people being affected. Fatty liver can be associated with the use of alcohol. This may occur with as little as ten ounces of alcohol ingested per week.

Pneumonia

Pneumonia is a form of acute respiratory infection that affects the lungs. The lungs are made up of small sacs called alveoli, which fill with air when a healthy person breathes. When an individual has pneumonia, the alveoli are filled with pus and fluid, which makes breathing painful and limits oxygen intake. Pneumonia is the […]

Myocardial Infarction

This week in LexiMed Educates we are looking at a potentially fatal condition that is of an increasing danger to the westernised society; the heart attack. There were 22,983 deaths in 2006 due to coronary heart disease. This was 17% of total deaths of that year.  It is also worth knowing that women may have […]