Instument measurement used to diagnose neuromuscular disorders by means of placing small needle shaped electrodes through the skin into areas of affected muscles. It converts the electrical activity generated by voluntary muscles (skeletal type) into a visual record or sound ...

What Is Polymyositis? Polymyositis is a body-wide connective tissue disease resulting from autoimmune attack of skeletal muscles that is characterized by inflammatory and degeneratory changes. The course is unpredictable being marked by spontaneous flare-ups and remissions. Polymyositis can begin slowly or abruptly according ...

What Is Asthma? Asthma is a chronic immune respiratory condition characterized by narrowing and inflammation of the lung airways (large bronchi, bronchial tubes and small bronchioles) in response to an allergen as the trigger or stimulus. As such, asthma occurs ...

What Is Adenocarcinoma Of Small Intestine? Adenocarcinomas are malignant tumors, or cancer, of the small bowel arising out of glandular tissue. They fall in the category of rare neoplasm, comprising only 3% of all gastrointestinal malignancies. Primary adenocarcinoma is the ...

What Is Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis? Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a rheumatic disorder characterized by chronic, inflammatory disease of large and small synovial joints and other organs in children under age 16 years. Growth and development may be impaired in ...

What Are Abnormal Blood Values In Childhood? Abnormal blood studies in childhood are lab results showing blood abnormalities for blood cells and blood components. What Are Abnormal Blood Values In Childhood in Celiac Disease?

What Is Cerebral Vasculitis? Cerebral vasculitis, also called vasculitis of the central nervous system (CNS), is an autoimune attack against elastin fibers in the walls of arteries that bring blood to the head. Early recogniton may reduce poor outcomes.1 Cerebral ...

What Are Tremors? Tremors are repetitive patterns of involuntary muscle contraction and relaxation originating from disorder in the basal ganglia of the brain. See image of hand tremor (to left) courtesy of Antonio Piedade. Rythmic shaking may affect various parts of ...

What Is Tetany? Tetany is a painful feature of low blood calcium or low blood magnesium causing hyperexcitability of all nerves which in turn stimulates involuntary sudden, intermittent and repetitious tonic spasms of muscles. Tonic spasms are steady rather than jerky. Causes include ...

What Is Vitiligo? Vitiligo is a pigmentation disorder of the skin characterized by permanent loss of melanocytes in defined areas and, in some patients, antibodies to melanin. Vitiligo has significant psychological impact if occurring before adulthood.1 Q: What are melanocytes? A: ...

 What Is Psoriasis? Psoriasis is a chronic, autommune relapsing skin disorder characterized by scaling, erythema (redness), and less commonly, pustulation.1  The body surface area affected and the degree to which psoriasis is a problem varies considerably among patients and over time.2 Often ...

Glands which empty their hormone substances into the bloodsteam and from there to a targeted part of the body such as insulin produced by the pancreas and thyroxine produced by the thyroid gland. They are opposite exocrine glands of the ...

What Are Sperm Abnormalities? Sperm abnormalities are the result of gonadal dysfunction (testicles) characterized by inability to either produce sperm or to produce viable sperm or mobile sperm which results in prohibiting fertilization of the female ovum. Q: How are sperm ...

What Is Loss of Smell? Loss of smell is a disorder that is characterized by impaired olfactory sense, or olfaction. Partial or complete loss of smell can result from malnutrition, chronic rhinitis, polyps, chronic sinusitis, medications, old age, head trauma, ...

What Is Xerophthalmia? Xerophthalmia is a serious condition of extreme drying and thickening of the conjunctiva following chronic inflammation and failure to make tears, characterized by hazy, dry cornea. Vitamin A is obtained from the diet and is required in ...