Diseases & conditions A-Z List
Diseases & Conditions A-Z List - «S»:
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Serum phenylalanine screening
Serum phenylalanine screening is a blood test to look for signs of the disease phenylketonuria (PKU). The test detects abnormally high levels of an amino acid called phenylalanine.
How the Test is Performed
The test is usually included in routine screening tests, which are done before the newborn l...
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Serum phosphorus
The serum phosphorus test measures the amount of phosphate in the blood.
How the Test is Performed
Blood is typically drawn from a vein, usually from the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. The site is cleaned with germ-killing medicine (antiseptic). The health care provider wraps an elast...
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Serum progesterone
Serum progesterone is a test to measure the amount of progesterone in the blood. Progesterone is a hormone produced mainly in the ovaries.
In women, progesterone plays a vital role in pregnancy. After an egg is released by the ovaries (ovulation), progesterone helps make the uterus ready for implant...
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Serum serotonin level
Serotonin is a chemical produced by nerve cells. The serum serotonin level is a blood test to measure the amount of serotonin in your body.
How the Test is Performed
Blood is typically drawn from a vein, usually from the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. The site is cleaned with germ-kil...
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Serum sickness
Serum sickness is a reaction similar to an allergy. Specifically, it is an immune system reaction to certain medications, injected proteins used to treat immune conditions, or antiserum, the liquid part of blood that contains antibodies that help protect against infectious or poisonous substances.
S...
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Serum TBG level
Serum TBG level is a blood test to measure the level of a protein that moves thyroid hormone throughout your body. The protein is called thyroxine binding globulin (TBG).
How the Test is Performed
Blood is drawn from a vein, usually from the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. The site is ...
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Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a serious form of pneumonia, caused by a virus isolated in 2003. Infection with the SARS virus results in acute respiratory distress (severe breathing diffculty) and sometimes death. It is a dramatic example of how quickly world travel can spread a disease...
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Sex-linked dominant
Sex-linked dominant is a rare way that a trait or disorder can be passed down through families. A single abnormal gene on the X chromosome can cause a sex-linked dominant disease.
Related terms and topics:
Autosomal dominant
Autosomal recessive
Chromosome
Gene
Genetic counseling and prenata...
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Sex-linked recessive
Sex-linked diseases are inherited through one of the "sex chromosomes" -- the X or Y chromosomes. Autosomally inherited diseases are inherited through the non-sex chromosomes (autosomes), pairs 1 through 22.
Dominant inheritance occurs when an abnormal gene from one parent is able to cause disease e...
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Sexual intercourse - painful
For both men and women, pain can occur in the pelvic area during or soon after sexual intercourse. It can happen at any time during sex -- for example, at the time of penetration, erection, or ejaculation -- or after sexual activity.
Eventually, ongoing pain may cause a person to lose interest in an...
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Sexual problems overview
Sexual problems are defined as difficulty during any stage (desire, arousal, orgasm, and resolution) of the sexual act, which prevents the individual or couple from enjoying sexual activity.
Information
Sexual difficulties may begin early in a person's life, or they may develop after an individual ...
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Shaken baby syndrome
Shaken baby syndrome is a severe form of child abuse caused by violently shaking an infant or child.
Considerations
Shaken baby syndrome can occur from as little as 5 seconds of shaking.
Shaken baby injuries usually occur in children younger than 2 years old but may be seen in children up to the ag...
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Sheehan syndrome
Sheehan syndrome is a condition that may occur in a woman who bleeds severely during childbirth.
See also: Hypopituitarism
Causes
Severe bleeding during childbirth can cause tissue death in the pituitary gland, which may cause the gland to lose its ability to function properly.
The pituitary gland...
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Shigellosis
Shigellosis is an acute bacterial infection of the lining of the intestines.
Causes
Shigellosis is caused by a group of bacteria called Shigella.
There are several types of Shigella.
Shigella sonnei, also called "group D" Shigella, is responsible for most cases of shigellosis in the United State...
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Shin splints
Shin splints refers to pain in the front of the lower legs. The pain is located along the inside edge of the tibia, the large bone in the lower part of the leg.
Pain most often occurs during or right after a change in activity level, such as running more often or increasing the number of miles.
Alth...
