Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

Transient episodes of pain that occur in patients with chronic pain that has been previously reduced to tolerable levels. The term is often used to describe painful episodes that disrupt the well-being of cancer or hospice patients who have been prescribed regular doses of narcotic analgesics. The painful episodes may occur as a previous dose…

Any disease that occurs in spite of adequate vaccination to prevent it, (e.g., “breakthrough varicella” or “breakthrough varicella” or “breakthrough influenza”)  

In orthodontics, a device to apply tension or force to a facebow.  

The disruption of a chromosome (e.g., by radiation or toxic chemicals). When this occurs, the two fragments may rejoin or a fragment may rejoin another broken chromosome. Unrepaired chromosome breaks are associated with many malignant and premalignant conditions.  

In orthopedics, a fracture.  

A scale for evaluating the behavior and responses of the newborn infant. It is based on four dimensions: interaction with the environment; motor processes, including motor responses, general activity level, and reflexes; control of physiological state as determined by reaction to a distinct stimulus such as a rattle, bell, light, or a pinprick; and response…

A burning sensation in the stomach sometimes accompanied by belching of sour fluid.  

A series of exercises for patients with refractory positional vertigo. Patients are repeatedly asked to assume the positions that typically trigger attacks. After multiple attempts, habituation to the vertigo occurs, and the symptoms are relieved. The maneuvers are effective in about 80% of patients.