P
Pain is usually the first sign that something is wrong with our health. It is part of the body’s defensive system to help us adjust our behaviour to avoid such pain in the future. It is a symptom of an underlying health problem.
Painful sexual intercourse is usually due to medical or psychological causes. It mainly affects women, and up to one-fifth of them can experience painful intercourse during their lives.
Parkinson's is a progressive neurological condition affecting movements such as walking, talking, and writing. It is named after Dr James Parkinson who first identified Parkinson's as a specific condition.
A pelvic infection (or pelvic inflammatory disease, or PID) refers to an inflammation in the organs and processes of a woman’s reproductive system. It can lead to scar formation which can, in turn, cause cellular tissues to die off and so symptoms of pelvic infection, for this reason, include abscesses and pus being released.
Peripheral oedema is the swelling of tissues usually in the lower limbs, i.e. feet and ankles, due to the accumulation and retention of fluids.
A phobia is a psychological condition that takes the form of a morbid or irrational fear of a thing or being whether or not that thing or being is essentially benign. When a phobia makes it impossible for us to carry on with our daily lives, then it is usually diagnosed as an anxiety disorder and treated accordingly.
Pneumonia refers to an inflammation of the lungs, which can be due to many different causes.
The term polycythaemia applies to several conditions where there are too many red blood cells in the blood. The number of red cells you have varies according to your age and sex. Men have higher levels than women and newborn babies often have more than adults.
Post-partum depression or post-natal depression is depression that occurs soon after having a baby. It is sometimes characterised as the “baby blues”.
Premature ejaculation was originally diagnosed when the male partner was unable to control the timing of his orgasm, and thus ejaculated sooner than his female partner could climax.
Psoriasis is a non-contagious, common skin complaint that occurs when the skin cells replace themselves too quickly — every few days, compared to the normal 21-28 day cycle.
A psychological problem or mental disorder is diagnosed when how a person thinks and acts does not fit in with society’s normal standards for behaviour and thus causes distress and/or disability to the sufferer and those in their immediate circle.
Psychosomatic disorders are those that are caused by the mind, and when, in fact, physical symptoms for any disease are absent. They are caused by a psychological disorder.
Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a natural emotional reaction to a deeply shocking and disturbing experience and is a normal reaction to an abnormal situation.
Pulmonary hypertension is increased pressure in the pulmonary arteries, which carry blood from the heart to the lungs to pick up oxygen.