Medical dictionary

What is liver cancer?Liver cancer can be of two kinds. Primary liver cancer is a form of cancer that starts in the liver, as opposed to secondary liver cancer which starts elsewhere in the body and travels to the liver. Most cancer that is found in the liver is secondary cancer, as cancer cells travelling around the body often end up in the liver.What are the symptoms of liver cancer?The usual sym

What is a liver cyst? Liver cysts are fluid-filled sacs of a mass of cells, which are benign (non-cancerous) and grow on the liver. More often than not, they do not require treatment and do not affect the function of the liver. If the liver cyst becomes large, you may experience pain and other symptoms, such as abdominal pain, which will pass by itself. In rare cases, surgery may be required

What is liver disease?   Hepatic or liver diseases are those which affect the liver tissue and disrupt the liver function. Loss of liver function can greatly impact the body. There are many different types of liver diseases that have various causes such as infections, genetic conditions, or substance misuse. Liver diseases can lead to more serious complications, that can be life threa

What is a liver function test?Liver functions tests help diagnose and monitor liver disease by testing the blood.The tests measure the level of certain proteins and enzymes in the blood. Certain enzymes are released by the liver when it is damaged or diseased, and therefore it is helpful to measure these as an indicator. The same can be said for measuring proteins, such as bilirubin, which is a bl

What is liver surgery? Liver surgery is the group of surgical procedures used to treat various liver problems, such as: Cirrhosis Liver cancer Hepatitis B and C Alcohol-related liver disease (ARLD)   The liver is the organ that is responsible for: Producing bile which helps the body to absorb fats and cholesterol. Removing toxins and bacteria from the blood. P

When is a liver transplant required? The liver is a major organ, with the main function of filtering the blood that goes around the body and producing bile that breaks down foods in the small intestine. If the liver becomes so diseased or damaged that it cannot heal, known as liver failure, then it may be necessary for it to be transplanted with a replacement healthy one. What are the ma

What is long COVID? Long COVID is the medical term given to the continuation of symptoms associated with the COVID-19 virus, that persist for 12 weeks or more. This can otherwise be known as post-COVID syndrome.  What are the main symptoms of long COVID? It has been medically proven that symptoms of long COVID include: tiredness/fatigue shortness of breath

What is it? Lumbalgia, commonly known as low back pain, mainly affects the lower area of your back. It could be a symptom associated with several different conditions which can in turn arise from several different causes. There are three main types of lower back pain, based on how long it lasts: acute: lasting less than one month; subacute: lasting between one and three

What is low blood pressure? Blood pressure is the amount that your blood presses against the walls of the blood vessels as it moves around the body during the active and resting phases of each heartbeat. When the blood presses hard, it causes strain on the arteries and is known as high blood pressure, or hypertension. Low blood pressure, or hypotension, on the other hand, is a sign that