Universal Medicine

Root resorption is a natural process in children that allows them to lose their baby teeth and have effective orthodontic treatment. The tissue that connects the baby tooth to the mouth is resorbed and the teeth can then fall out. However, it is concerning in adults. In adult teeth, root resorption is the loss of mineralised cementum (calcified substance that covers the roots of teeth) and/or dentine due to odontoclasts (type of bone cell) interacting with dental tissues. Basically, odontoclasts break down the tooth’s structure. It is an uncommon occurrence for adults as the roots are usually protected against internal and external root resorption. It is not fully understood as to what causes it but it is thought habits like teeth grinding and some dental procedures can make someone more susceptible.  It is a painless condition so it can go undetected until it shows up as a distinct dark spot on a routine x-ray examination. The longer it’s left undiagnosed the more affect...

Side Note: Recently, I have been asked to write a mini essay which argues against the statement written below. I understand that this is a rather unconventional post, nevertheless I hope you enjoy reading my response.  "Privatisation of the NHS would allow for the much needed investment to health care throughout the UK." Privatisation of the NHS does not have to be the only way in which investments are made to health care in the UK. The NHS can attract investments from the public and the government by rebuilding its reputation and improving its services. However, for this to happen, the NHS will need further investments in the form of hospital and care home beds, as well as improved community services to ensure that patients recover from surgery sooner and don’t end up back in hospital to use up beds that would otherwise be used by patients waiting for elective surgery. In light of the current political situation, with a lack of government spending on healthcare, it seem...

Cancer is a disease that we constantly hear people discuss however, what does it entail and what effect does it has on the body. Cancer is a class of diseases caused by an uncontrolled division of abnormal cells in a part of the body. It has now become a common word that we hear but how does it affect the body. It begins when our cells undergo genetic changes in their orderly process and cells begin to grow uncontrollably to form mass tissue called a tumour. Cancer spreads through the body in a variety of different ways such as growing into or invading nearby normal tissue, moving through walls of lymph nodes or blood vessels, travelling through the lymphatic system or blood vessels and stopping in distant blood vessels and moving into surrounding tissue. There are five main types of cancer: ·      Carcinomas. This begins in the skin or the tissue that covers the surface of internal organs and glands. Carcinomas usually form solid tumours ·   ...

Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinaemia (WM) or lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma is a type of Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma – It is a type of cancer that does not result in the production of Reed-Sternberg cells. It originates in B lymphocytes – the cells that respond to infection by becoming plasma cells (which produce antibodies) or becoming B memory cells (in case of a secondary attack by the same pathogen). The cancer cells have features of both plasma cells and lymphocytes and are called lymphoplasmacytoid cells. The antibodies produced by WM cells lead to a number of the symptoms, including excess bleeding, problems with vision and nervous system problems. The cancer itself spreads though the bone marrow, preventing blood stem cells from becoming blood cells essentially by taking up space – this can lead to a variety of problems, including anaemia, neutropenia (immunodeficiency) and thrombocytopenia. The lymphoma cells can also grow in organs such as the liver or spleen causing these o...