Firstly, what even is a tumour? So, a solid tumour is an abnormal mass of cells that grows on human tissue. We call these cells ‘neoplastic’, meaning ‘new growth’ – these growths are neither requested nor required. We usually distinguish between malignant and benign tumours. Cancerous tumours can be malignant, and so they can proliferate […]
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Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is one of the commonest conditions encountered in spinal surgery, frequently diagnosed when patients start encountering back or leg pain, weakness or changes in sensation. In this article, we shall give a brief overview of what LSS is, what causes it, and how spine surgery can help. What causes LSS? If […]
Toxoplasmosis
What is toxoplasmosis? Toxoplasmosis is caused by an infection with the Toxoplasma gondii parasite which usually occurs through eating undercooked contaminated meat, exposure from infected cat faeces, or mother-to-child transmission during pregnancy. For generally healthy people it doesn’t pose any significant danger, however, in individuals with weakened immune system, babies and pregnant women, it can […]
Types of Seizures
What is a seizure? Seizure is an uncontrolled burst of electrical activity in brain cells (nerves/neurons) that causes temporary abnormalities in movements, muscle activity/tone, behaviours, sensations, or states of awareness. Seizures are not alike as symptoms can vary between people depending on the causes and simply on the person experiencing it. A seizure can be […]
Viral Encephalitis
What is Viral Encephalitis? Viral encephalitis refers to acute, diffuse inflammation of the brain caused by a viral infection. Other microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi can trigger encephalitis, but here we will focus on viral causes, the most common of which is the herpes simplex virus. It is a relatively rare pathology affecting mainly infants […]