Medical dictionary

What is vitreomacular traction? In the middle of your eye, there is a substance called vitreous. In a healthy eye, this substance is a clear gel - mainly made up of water and collagen - attached to the macula and the retina and helps maintain your eye’s shape. When we look at an object, light travels through the vitreous and focuses onto the retina at the back of the eye. As we age, th

What are vocal cord nodules? Vocal cord nodules are the growth of small lumps or bulges by the vocal cords. When these nodules appear, they affect the glottic closure of the vocal cords and cause a tone of voice change which normally sounds ‘broken’, and more intense. It's sometimes called singer's nodules, as frequent singing is one of the causes of this condition. Celeb

What are voice disorders? Voice disorders are medical conditions which affect the sounds that depend on the larynx (vocal cords), the pitch, volume, tone and other qualities of the voice. Voice disorders, therefore, affect speech production.  Your vocal cords are made of muscle, mucous membranes, and cartilage. Vocal cords are located at the top of your windpipe (tra

What is voice feminisation?Voice feminisation is a treatment for transgender or nonbinary individuals to modify their vocal tone in order to sound more feminine and aligned with their gender identity. Voice feminisation often involves the combination of vocal cord surgery and speech therapy, but patients may choose to undergo one or the other alone. Why would a patient undergo voice femi

What is voice masculinisation?Voice masculinisation is the process of aligning one’s voice and speech characteristics with a more masculine vocal presentation. This may involve changes in pitch, vocal resonance, speech patterns, and communication style.  Why is it done?Many people seek voice masculinisation as part of their gender-affirming journey to reduce gender dysphoria or discomfor

Vomiting involves the “throwing up” of the contents of your stomach. Rather than a condition in itself, vomiting is a symptom of a wide variety of illnesses. What can cause vomiting? There are many conditions which can cause vomiting, so it can be difficult to know for certain. In children, vomiting is commonly a reaction to motion sickness, over-eating, a milk allergy, food

What is being analysed? Von Willebrand factor (VWF) analysis involves assessing the levels of Von Willebrand factor in the blood. VWF is a protein crucial for blood clotting, as it helps platelets stick together and adhere to blood vessel walls. What does the result mean? The result of VWF analysis indicates the quantity of Von Willebrand factor present in the blood. Normal levels sug

What is vulval cancer? Vulval (or vulvar) cancer happens when tumour cells start developing in the vulva, a woman's external genitals. The vulva includes the labia minora and labia majora, the clitoris, the vaginal orifice and the urinary meatus (your waterworks opening). Vulval cancer tends to spread locally to the vagina, urethra, perineum and anus. It also spreads reg

What is precancer of the vulvar? Precancerous conditions of the vulva (the area of skin around the vagina, including the clitoris and labia) are the changes that occur to the vulvar cells, which makes them likely to develop into cancer if they are left undetected and unmanaged. The growth of these cells is called vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN), or dysplasia. It does not mean that the