When one listens to music or hears someone speak, the brain must process what it has heard. In order to be understood, sounds must first be converted to vibrations in the middle ear and then to electrical impulses in the inner ear.
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Inflammation of the appendix, known as appendicitis, occurs when the appendix -- a long, thin, mobile tubular structure attached to the first part of the large intestine -- becomes blocked by debris. Appendicitis is the most common abdominal condition requiring emergency surgery.
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The trapezius, the large muscle of the back, is responsible for moving the shoulders and neck and supporting the arms. Overuse -- through weightlifting or carrying heavy objects -- may lead to muscle strain or a partial tear of the trapezius muscle, which may be mild -- first-degree -- or moderate -- second-degree.
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The consistency of a child's stool is related to how much water it contains. Loose stools occur when the water content in the stool is increased. A child's diet and a variety of illnesses -- including infections, inflammatory conditions and digestive disorders -- can lead to loose stools.
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When you eat a meal, your body gets to work digesting it using enzymes. The job of these substances is to break up the food into particles that can be absorbed by your body. Several of these enzymes -- amylase, lipase and proteases -- are produced in an inactive form in the pancreas, an organ in your abdomen.
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Five types of bones make up the human skeleton: flat bones, long bones, short bones, irregular bones and sesamoid bones. Flat bones, true to their name, are flat, thin, curved bones.
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When a child has a high fever and cough, parents and other caregivers are often understandably alarmed. A number of conditions can cause these symptoms, such as the flu, sinusitis, pneumonia and other airway infections.
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Creatinine comes from your body's everyday use of your muscles -- and also from eating meat. As blood flows through the kidneys, creatinine is excreted out into your urine along with other waste products.
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The body has two lines of natural defense to protect against infection. The first are physical barriers, such as the skin, body secretions and mucous membranes. The second line of defense is the immune system.
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Scarring of the kidneys, or glomerulosclerosis, has many causes, including diabetes -- the most common cause in the United States -- high blood pressure, drugs, infection and autoimmune processes such as lupus.
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