Medical dictionary

What is indigestion?Indigestion, also medically referred to as dyspepsia, is a pain in the upper abdomen that occurs particularly after eating. It is normally a sign of an underlying problem.   How common is indigestion? It’s a very common condition. Most people experience it during their lifetime, having mild and infrequent symptoms. It is particularly common during pregnancy,

What is an induced abortion?An abortion, also sometimes known as the termination of pregnancy, is when an embryo or foetus and placenta are removed from the uterus either spontaneously or done by medicine or a surgical procedure.   What are the different types of abortion?There are six different types of abortion, depending on the circumstances and gestation period:Sp

What is infantile colic? The term ‘colic’ in babies refers to frequent and excessive crying with no obvious related symptoms, in children who appear to be otherwise healthy. Infantile colic is a condition which commonly occurs in newborns and young babies.   What are the symptoms of infantile colic? The signs of colic are generally as follows, although they may var

What is infant feeding? During the first years of a child’s life it is crucial that they have good nutrition, not only to ensure good physical growth but also to ensure intellectual development. The ability to learn, think, communicate with others, and adapt to different environments is influenced by good nutrition.     What conditions can be caused by poor nutrit

What are infectious diseases? Infectious diseases are caused by pathogenic microorganisms which include viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites, hence there are many different types. They can be spread from person to person or can be transmitted from animals (these are known as zoonotic diseases). They can also be transmitted by insect bites. It is also possible to become infected from comi

What is infectology?          Infectious disease, or infectology, is a branch of medicine that specialises in studying, diagnosing, and treating patients of all ages who have acute or chronic infectious diseases. The specialist who treats this is an infectologist. An infectious disease specialist has done three years specialisation during internal medicin

What is infertility?   Infertility is the inability of a couple to become pregnant through natural means. Infertility affects the couple, both the man and the woman, who cannot have a child naturally. There are two types of infertility: primary infertility (affecting couples who have not become pregnant after at least one year of unprotected sexual intercourse) and secondar

What is inflammatory arthritis? Inflammatory arthritis is one of the two major sub-categories of arthritis (the other being osteoarthritis), and, as its name suggests, it is characterised by the inflammation it causes in the joints and surrounding tissue. Most forms of inflammatory arthritis are thought to be autoimmune diseases. There are many di

What is inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)?Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) a medical term used to describe a group of diseases that cause chronic inflammation of the digestive tract. Our digestive tract is responsible for breaking down food, absorbing nutrients and removing waste products from the body. If any part of the digestive tract gets inflamed, it can disrupt the normal flow of digesti