The function of the body's immune system is to recognise foreign elements and destroy them before they cause problems. In healthy individuals, specialised systems regulate the immune system to ensure...
There are four phases in a normal swallow (Table 1). Oropharyngeal dysphagia is described as difficulty initiating a swallow or passing food through the region of the mouth or throat. Oesophageal...
The experience of breathlessness is complex and influenced by a number of factors including emotional, environmental, cultural and social and requires a holistic approach to optimise its management...
Asthma is an inflammatory condition where the airways have become hyperreactive in response to a trigger (eg house dust mite, pollen, cats, viruses and temperature changes). The inflammatory cascade...
Urinary incontinence has been defined by the International Continence Society (ICS) as ‘any involuntary leakage of urine’ (Abrams et al, 2003; Haylen et al, 2010). NHS England (2018) estimate that, in...
Allergic rhinitis affects many children and young people in the UK causing significant symptoms and a reduction in quality of life. It can be poorly perceived by children, their families and health...
The Managing Adult Malnutrition in the Community panel has updated its guidance for community healthcare professionals. The updated guide reflects the latest evidence and best practice and is...
COPD prevalence is also associated with socioeconomic deprivation and high-risk occupational industrial areas, and environmental and metabolic risk factors have the highest impact on disease...
CES is documented as a rare and challenging neurological condition to diagnose (Greenhalgh et al, 2018). It is defined by Zusman et al (2020) as a significant compression of the nerve roots in the...
HPV is a group of viruses that most sexually active people come into contact with during their lifetime: it is estimated approximately 8 in 10 people will be infected with HPV at some point in their...
Taking a patient history is an essential element in establishing a diagnosis and is used to get a deeper understanding of the patient's symptoms. The purpose of a systematic health history is to...
The ‘breathing drive’ is responsive to the body's requirements detected by feedforward and feedback loops from the brain and receptors in the respiratory system, with underlying ‘background’ control...
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