Articles by Dr. Chris
Prostate Pain Location and Symptoms
Prostate pain (prostatodynia) or discomfort may be seen in all three of the main conditions affecting the prostate gland – prostatitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer. The pain may vary in severity and nature radiating to surrounding structures and extending to the lower back or even the tip >> Read More ...
Prostatitis (Prostate Gland Infection)
What is prostatitis? Inflammation of the prostate gland is known as prostatitis. It may be caused by an infection but there are other non-infectious causes that may also be responsible. Infectious causes of prostatitis are less frequently seen. The non-infectious causes of prostatitis are often chronic and more complex >> Read More ...
Prostate Gland Function, Anatomy, Location, Diagram
The prostate gland is major component of male reproductive system. It is an accessory gland that is about the size of a walnut and plays a crucial role in fertilization as its secretions assist with sperm motility and function. The prostate is made up largely of glandular tissue and smaller quantities of fibromuscular >> Read More ...
Steatorrhea (Fatty Stool) – Causes of Greasy, Oily Bowel Movements
What is Steatorrhea? Steatorrhea or steatorrhoea (UK) is the presence of fat in the stool. While small amounts of fat in the stool may go by unnoticed, larger quantities can change the color, consistency, buoyancy and even size of the stool. Steatorrhea may present as stool that floats (‘floater’), stool that >> Read More ...
Incomplete Bowel Movement, Stool Evacuation Feeling (Tenesmus)
The persistent urge to pass stool despite having a bowel movement is known as tenesmus. At times this sensation may be due to incomplete emptying of the rectum. The stretched rectal walls coupled with mass movements in the colon is responsible for this sensation. It is influenced by other stimuli, apart from stretching of >> Read More ...
Hypercalcemia (High Blood Calcium Levels)
What is hypercalcemia? Hypercalcemia is the medical term for elevated calcium levels in the blood. Most patients with moderately elevated blood calcium levels are asymptomatic (without symptoms) and hypercalcemia is often detected upon routine blood tests. It can however lead to acute emergencies, often associated with >> Read More ...
Fecal Incontinence (Uncontrollable Bowel Movements)
What is fecal incontinence? Fecal incontinence is the impairment of bowel control leading to involuntary defecation. It is also referred to as bowel incontinence or anal incontinence. Normal continence depends on both voluntary and involuntary mechanisms. This is discussed further under defecation. Conscious control of the >> Read More ...
What is Heart Valve Disease? Types of Valvular Heart Diseases
Heart valve disease, also known as valvular heart disease, is a condition where the valves of the heart do not function properly thereby affecting the normal circulation through the heart ad great vessels. The normal function of the tricuspid, mitral, aortic and pulmonary valves are discussed further under Heart Valves >> Read More ...
Heart Valves (Mitral, Tricuspid, Aortic, Pulmonary) Function
The heart has four chambers – two atria (right and left) and two ventricles (right and left). Blood from the rest of the body or the lungs enters the right and left atrium respectively. The atria then pushes the blood into the ventricles. The more muscular ventricle wall contracts sending the blood into the pulmonary >> Read More ...