Trachoma
A chronic inflammatory disease of the eye and the leading cause of blindness. Trachoma is due to infection with the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. Transmission occurs mainly among children and from children to women caring for them. Key risk factors include inadequate supplies of water and low socioeconomic status. Trachoma affects millions of people worldwide, primarily in rural communities of the developing world and in the arid areas of tropical and subtropical zones. Australia is the only developed country where trachoma is still a significant health problem. The disease goes by a number of names, such as sandy blight.
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In medicine, a procedure for manually pulling a part of the body to a beneficial effect. See traction, orthopedic.
- Traction, orthopedic
The use of a system of weights and pulleys to gradually change the position of a bone. It may be used in cases of congenital defect or bone and joint injury to prevent scar tissue from building up in ways to limit movement and to prevent contractures in disorders such as cerebral palsy and arthritis.
- Traditional Chinese medicine
The current name for an ancient system of health care from China. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is based on a concept of balanced qi (pronounced “chee”), or vital energy, that is believed to flow throughout the body. Qi is proposed to regulate a person’s spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical balance and to be influenced by […]
- Traditional midwife
A direct-entry midwife practicing within the confines of traditional folk medicine. Traditional midwives are now very rare in the US, but preside over the majority of births in many other countries. Most have no formal medical training, but instead learned as an apprentice or through direct experience.
- Traditional oriental medicine
cold/heat, interior/exterior, excess/deficiency, and yin/yang. The Five Elements – fire, earth metal, water, and wood each correspond to a particular organ or tissue in the body and explain how the body works. TCM emphasizes individualized treatment. Treatment modalities include acupuncture, herbal formulations, acupressure, qi gong, oriental massage, and tai chi. At the heart of TCM […]