Archives: Glossary

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Acute Laryngitis

Laryngitis is defined as any inflammatory process involving the larynx and can be caused by a variety of infectious and noninfectious processes. OR Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the voice box or larynx, usually accompanied by hoarseness, sore throat and coughing.

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Adenoids

Adenoids are a patch of tissue that is high up in the throat, just behind the nose. They, along with the tonsils, are part of the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system clears away infection and keeps body fluids in balance. The adenoids and tonsils work by trapping germs coming in…

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Asthma

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease in which your airways of the lungs become narrow and swell and produce extra mucus.

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Autism (Autism Spectrum Disorder) (ASD)

Autism is a complex neurobehavioral condition that includes impairments in social interaction and developmental language and communication skills combined with rigid, repetitive behaviors. Because of the range of symptoms, this condition is now called autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

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Child Development

Child development entails the biological, psychological and emotional changes that occur in human beings between birth and the end of adolescence, as the individual progresses from dependency to increasing autonomy. It is a continuous process with a predictable sequence, yet having a unique course for every child.

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Chronic Bronchitis

A clinical disorder characterized by productive cough due to excessive mucus secretion in the bronchial tree not caused by local Broncho-pulmonary disease, on most of the days for at least 3 months of the year for at least two consecutive years.

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Chronic Otitis Media

Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) is a chronic inflammation of the middle ear and mastoid cavity that is characterize by discharge from the middle ear through a perforated tympanic membrane for at least 6 weeks.

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Cocaine Use Disorder

It can  administer orally, intranasally, by smoking ( free basing) or parenterally, depending on the preparation available. Cocaine HCl is the commonest form use, follow by the free base alkaloid. Both intravenous use and free base inhalation produce a ‘rush’ of pleasurable sensations. Cocaine is a central stimulant which inhibits the reuptake of…

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Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a type of talking treatment which focuses on how your thoughts, beliefs and attitudes affect your feelings and behaviour, and teaches you coping skills for dealing with different problems.

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Coma

A coma is a state of prolonged unconsciousness that can be caused by a variety of problems; traumatic head injury, stroke, brain tumor, drug or alcohol intoxication, or even an underlying illness, such as diabetes or an infection.

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Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Coronaviruses (CoV) are a  group of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV) in humans.

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Cough

A cough is a voluntary or involuntary act that clears the throat and breathing passage of foreign particles, microbes, irritants, fluids, and mucus; it is a rapid expulsion of air from the lungs.

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Delirium

Delirium is the commonest organic mental disorder in clinical practice. Delirium is an acute generalize impairment of brain function, in which the most important feature is impairment of consciousness. The disturbance of brain function is generalized, and the primary cause is often outside the brain; for example, sepsis due to…

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Developmental Disorder

This condition can interfere with the acquisition, retention, or application of specific skills or sets of information. They may involve dysfunction in attention, memory, perception, language, problem-solving, or social interaction.

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Examination Of The Female Genitalia

The female genital examination is preceded by an in-depth history taking, including present complaints, past and personal history (previous medical, gynaecological and surgical illnesses and interventions), family history, marital and sexual history (when relevant), menstrual history and obstetric history (when relevant).

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Fatty Liver

Liver is the commonest site for accumulation of fat because it plays central role in fat metabolism. Additionally, Depending upon the cause and amount of accumulation, fatty change may be mild and reversible, or severe producing irreversible cell injury and cell death.

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Gout

Gout is an inflammatory disease caused by deposition of monosodium urate monohydrate crystals in and around synovial joints.

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Hypochondriasis

Hypochondriasis is defined as a persistent preoccupation with a fear (or belief) of having one (or more) serious disease(s), based on person’s own interpretation of normal body function or a minor physical abnormality.

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Insomnia

Insomnia is usually a symptom rather than a disorder, and refers to persistent problems falling asleep, maintaining sleep, or having a good quality of sleep.

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LSD Use Disorder

In LSD use disorder, Lysergic acid diethylamide, first synthesised by Albert Hoffman in 1938 and popularly known as ‘acid’, is a powerful hallucinogen Although tolerance as well as psychological dependence can occur with LSD use, no physical dependence or withdrawal syndrome is reported. A common pattern of LSD use is…

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Milia

Milia are deep seeded white bumps that form when skin cells become trapped rather than exfoliate naturally. The trapped cells become walled off into tiny cysts that appear like white beads below the surface of the skin.

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Obesity

Obesity is a condition characterised by an excess of body fat. In its simplest terms, obesity can be considered to result from an imbalance between the amount of energy consumed in the diet and the amount of energy expended through exercise and bodily functions.

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Opioid Use Disorder

Opioids are substances that mimic the effects of endogenous opioids (endorphins and enkephalins) by acting as agonists at the opioid receptors. Originally it was marketed as a less addictive form of morphine, but unfortunately this turned out to be completely wrong. Diamorphine is the mostly widely used opioid, as it produces the…

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Organic Mental Disorders

Only disorders with a known organic cause are called organic mental disorders. Thus, organic mental disorders are behavioural or psychological disorders associated with transient or permanent brain dysfunction and include only those mental and behavioural disorders that are due to demonstrable cerebral disease or disorder, either primary (primary brain pathology) or secondary (brain dysfunction due to systemic diseases).

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Osteoarthritis (OA)

Osteoarthritis is characterized by focal loss of articular cartilage, subchondral osteosclerosis, osteophyte formation at the joint margin, and remodeling of joint contour with enlargement of affected joints.

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Personality Disorders

A personality disorder is a type of mental disorder in which you have a rigid and unhealthy pattern of thinking, functioning and behaving. A person with a personality disorder has trouble perceiving and relating to situations and people. This causes significant problems and limitations in relationships, social activities, work and…

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Phobic Disorder

Phobia is defined as an irrational fear of a specific object, situation or activity, often leading to persistent avoidance of the feared object, situation or activity.

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Piles or Haemorrhoid

Piles or Haemorrhoid are swollen blood vessels in the lower rectum. Hemorrhoids, also spelled hemorrhoids, are vascular structures in the anal canal. In their normal state, they are cushions that help with  stool control. They become a disease when swollen or inflamed; the unqualified term “hemorrhoid” is often used to…

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Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder common among women of reproductive age. Women with PCOS may have infrequent or prolonged menstrual periods or excess male hormone (androgen) levels. The ovaries may develop numerous small collections of fluid (follicles) and fail to regularly release eggs.

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Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS also described as premenstrual tension PMT), is a symptom complex recognized primarily by cyclic changes associated with ovulatory cycles. It occurs 7–14 days prior to menstruation and spontaneously resolves after menses.

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Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory, auto immune, hyperproliferative skin disease, characterised by well-defined, erythematous scaly plaques, particularly affecting extensor surfaces and scalp, and usually follows a relapsing and remitting course.

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Recurrent abortion/ Habitual Abortion

Recurrent miscarriage is defined as a sequence of three or more consecutive spontaneous abortion before 20 weeks. Some, however, consider two or more as a standard. It may be primary or secondary (having previous viable birth). A woman procuring three consecutive induced abortions is not a habitual abortion.

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Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

Rheumatoid arthritis is a long-term, progressive, and disabling autoimmune disease. It causes inflammation, swelling, and pain in and around the joints and other body organs.

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Ringworm (Tinea)

Ringworm is a common infection of the skin that is caused by fungus & characterised by itchy red circular rash. Ringworm is also called “tinea” or “dermatophytosis.”

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Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia and related disorders  characterized by psychotic symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations. There is a spectrum of severity. In schizophrenia, the patient suffers from psychotic symptoms and functional impairment. In delusional disorders, the patient experiences delusions, but there is no evidence of hallucinations or any of the other symptoms…

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Urticaria (Hives)

Urticaria, also known as hives, is an outbreak of swollen, pale red bumps or plaques (wheals) on the skin that appear suddenly; either as a result of the body’s reaction to certain allergens, or for unknown reasons.

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Uterine Fibroid

Fibroid is the commonest benign tumour of the uterus and also the commonest benign solid tumour in female. Histologically, this tumour is composed of smooth muscle and fibrous connective tissue, so named as uterine leiomyoma, myoma or fibromyoma.

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What is Counselling ?

It is not a process of giving advice, but it is a process of helping your patient who is genuinely in need. It aims to help an individual to help himself to overcome his problem.

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