What is Pilonidal cyst? A pilonidal cyst is an abnormal pocket in the skin that usually contains hair and skin debris. A pilonidal cyst is almost always located near the tailbone at the top of the cleft of the buttocks. Pilonidal cysts usually occur when hair punctures the skin and …

Sweet syndrome – Overview Sweet syndrome is a rare condition that involves a painful rash, typically along with a fever. The rash erupts mostly on the skin of the arms, neck, head, and trunk. The cause of Sweet’s syndrome isn’t fully known, but there are several typical scenarios in which …

Herpetic Whitlow – Overview Herpetic whitlow is a painful hand infection or lesion that typically involves one or more fingers. It is usually caused by herpes simplex virus 1, but occasionally it is caused by the herpes simplex virus 2. It usually afflicts health care workers, such as dentists. The …

Definition of Retinitis Pigmentosa Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is the name given to a group of inherited eye diseases that affect the retina (the light-sensitive part of the eye). RP causes the breakdown of photoreceptor cells (cells in the retina that detect light). Photoreceptor cells capture and process light helping us …

Definition A pulmonary embolism (PE) is a blood clot that develops in a blood vessel in the body (often in the leg). It then travels to a lung artery where it suddenly blocks blood flow. A blood clot that forms in a blood vessel in one area of the body …

What is Acne vulgaris? Acne vulgaris is an inflammatory disorder of the pilosebaceous unit, which runs a chronic course and it is self-limiting. Acne vulgaris is triggered by Propionibacterium acne in adolescence, under the influence of normal circulating dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). It is a very common skin disorder which can present …

Definition- Biceps Tendonitis Biceps Tendonitis is caused by micro-tears in the tendon and it is called tendonitis (sometimes spelled “tendinitis”). Even though tendons are tough, if you overuse them they can become sore and painful. Tendonitis can occur because of repetitive motion. For instance, professional baseball players, swimmers, tennis players, …

Batten Disease – Definition Batten disease is the name for a group of inherited nervous system disorders that most often begin in childhood and interfere with a cell’s ability to recycle a cellular residue called lipofuscin. Batten is commonly being used to describe the many forms of the disease, called …