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Information about Flushing (physiology)

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Name of Symptom/Sign:
Flushing
Classifications and external resources
ICD-10R23.2
ICD-9782.62
For a person to flush is to become markedly red in the face and often other areas of the skin, from various physiological conditions. Flushing is generally distinguished, despite a close physiological relation between them, from blushing, which is milder, generally restricted to the face or cheeks, and generally assumed to reflect embarrassment. Flushing is also a cardinal symptom of carcinoid syndrome – the syndrome that results from hormones (often serotonin or histamine) being secreted into systemic circulation.

Causes of flushing

This is an incomplete list. Please add to this list if you are aware of an omission.

Sex flush

Commonly referred to as the sex flush, vasocongestion (increased blood flow) of the skin can occur during all four phases of the human sexual response cycle. Studies show that the sex flush occurs in approximately 50-75% of females and 25% of males, yet not consistently. The sex flush tends to occur more often under warmer conditions and may not appear at all under cooler temperatures. It has also been commonly observed that the marked degree of the sex flush can predict the intensity of orgasm to follow.

During the female sex flush, pinkish spots develop under the breasts, then spread to the breasts, torso, face, hands, soles of the feet, and possibly over the entire body. Vasocongestion is also responsible for the darkening of the clitoris and the walls of the vagina during sexual arousal. During the male sex flush, the coloration of the skin develops less consistently than in the female, but typically starts with the epigastrium (upper abdomen), spreads across the chest, then continues to the neck, face, forehead, back, and sometimes, shoulders and forearms.

The sex flush typically disappears soon after orgasm occurs, but this may take up to two hours or so, and sometimes, intense sweating will occur simultaneously. The flush usually diminishes in reverse of which it appeared.

See also

External links

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Symptoms and signs (R00-R69, )
Circulatory and
respiratory systems		Tachycardia - Bradycardia - Palpitation - Heart murmur - Nosebleed - Hemoptysis - Cough - abnormalities of breathing (Dyspnea, Orthopnoea, Stridor, Wheeze, Cheyne-Stokes respiration, Hyperventilation, Mouth breathing, Hiccup, Bradypnea, Hypoventilation) - Chest pain - Asphyxia - Pleurisy - Respiratory arrest - Sputum - Bruit
Digestive system and abdomenAbdominal pain - Acute abdomen - Nausea - Vomiting - Heartburn - Dysphagia - Flatulence - Burping - Fecal incontinence - Encopresis - Hepatomegaly - Splenomegaly - Hepatosplenomegaly - Jaundice - Ascites - Fecal occult blood - Halitosis
Skin and subcutaneous tissuedisturbances of skin sensation (Hypoesthesia, Paresthesia, Hyperesthesia) - Rash - Cyanosis - Pallor - Flushing - Petechia - Desquamation - Induration
Nervous and
musculoskeletal systems		abnormal involuntary movements (Tremor, Spasm, Fasciculation, Athetosis) - Gait abnormality - lack of coordination (Ataxia, Dysmetria, Dysdiadochokinesia, Hypotonia) - Tetany - Meningism - Hyperreflexia
Urinary systemDysuria - Vesical tenesmus - Urinary incontinence - Urinary retention - Oliguria - Polyuria - Nocturia
Cognition, perception,
emotional state and behaviour		Anxiety - Somnolence - Coma - Amnesia (Anterograde amnesia, Retrograde amnesia) - Dizziness/Vertigo - smell and taste (Anosmia, Ageusia, Parosmia, Parageusia)
Speech and voicespeech disturbances (Dysphasia, Aphasia, Dysarthria) - symbolic dysfunctions (Dyslexia, Alexia, Agnosia, Apraxia, Acalculia, Agraphia) - voice disturbances (Dysphonia, Aphonia)
General symptoms and signsFever (Hyperpyrexia) - Headache - Chronic pain - Malaise - Fatigue - Fainting (Vasovagal syncope) - Febrile seizure - Shock (Cardiogenic shock) - Lymphadenopathy - Edema (Peripheral edema, Anasarca) - Hyperhidrosis (Sleep hyperhidrosis) - Delayed milestone - Failure to thrive - food and fluid intake (Anorexia, Polydipsia, Polyphagia) - Cachexia - Xerostomia - Clubbing
The term symptom (from the Greek σύμπτωμα meaning 'chance', 'mishap' or 'casualty', itself derived from συμπιπτω
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Simply, a sign is an indication of some fact or quality; and, in everyday English, a medical sign is an "objective" indication of some medical fact or quality that is detected by a physician during a physical examination of a patient—such as elevated
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For other uses of "ICD", see ICD (disambiguation).


The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (most commonly known by the abbreviation ICD
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List of ICD-10 codes. The version for 2007 is available online at [1]

Chapter Blocks Title
I Certain infectious and parasitic diseases
II Neoplasms
III Diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs and certain disorders involving the immune mechanism
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For other uses of "ICD", see ICD (disambiguation).


The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (most commonly known by the abbreviation ICD
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The following is a list of codes for International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems. These codes are in the public domain.

See also


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Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 625–750 nm.
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The face is the front part of the head, in humans from the forehead to chin including the hair, forehead, eyebrow, eyes, nose, cheeks, mouth, lips, philtrum, teeth, skin, and chin. The face is used for expression, appearance and identity amongst others.
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Physiology (from Greek: φυσις, physis, “nature, origin”; and λόγος, logos, "knowledge") is the study of the mechanical, physical, and biochemical functions of living organisms.
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For the cosmetic, see Rouge (cosmetics).
To blush is to display redness in one's face; the term is seldom applied except when the redness is construed as a result of embarrassment, shame, or modesty.
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Carcinoid
Classification & external resources

Picture of a carcinoid tumour that encroaches into lumen of the small bowel (centre of image). Pathology specimen. The prominent folds are plicae circulares, a characteristic of small bowel.
ICD-10 E 34.
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hormone (from Greek όρμή - "to set in motion") is a chemical messenger that carries a signal from one cell (or group of cells) to another. All multicellular organisms produce hormones (including plants - see phytohormone).
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Serotonin (pronounced IPA: /ˌsɛrəˈtoʊnən/) (5-hydroxytryptamine, or 5-HT) is a monoamine neurotransmitter synthesized in serotonergic neurons in the central nervous system (CNS) and
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Histamine is a biogenic amine involved in local immune responses as well as regulating physiological function in the gut and acting as a neurotransmitter.[1] New evidence also indicates that histamine plays a role in chemotaxis of white blood cells.
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Sexual arousal is the process and state of an animal being ready for sexual activity and feeling an urge for sexual contact.

Human sexual arousal

Unlike most animals, human beings of both sexes are potentially capable of sexual arousal throughout the year, therefore, there
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Physical exercise is manual activity that develops or maintains physical fitness and overall health. It is often practiced to strengthen muscles and the cardiovascular system, and to hone athletic skills.
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heart is a muscular organ responsible for pumping blood through the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions, or a similar structure in the annelids, mollusks, and arthropods.
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MUSCLE (multiple sequence comparison by log-expectation) is public domain, multiple sequence alignment software for protein and nucleotide sequences.
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Blood is a specialized biological fluid consisting of red blood cells (also called RBCs or erythrocytes), white blood cells (also called leukocytes) and platelets (also called thrombocytes) suspended in a complex fluid medium known as blood plasma.
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A vasodilator is a drug or chemical that relaxes the smooth muscle in blood vessels, which causes them to dilate. Dilation of arterial blood vessels (mainly arterioles) lead to a decrease in blood pressure.
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For the band, see Niacin (band).


Niacin, also known as nicotinic acid or vitamin B3, is a water-soluble vitamin whose derivatives such as NADH, NAD, NAD+
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Nitroglycerin (NG), also known as nitroglycerine, trinitroglycerin, and glyceryl trinitrate, is a chemical compound. It is a heavy, colorless, oily, explosive liquid obtained by nitrating glycerol.
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Calcium channel blockers are a class of drugs and natural substances with effects on many excitable cells of the body, like the muscle of the heart, smooth muscles of the vessels or neuron cells. The latter are used as antiepileptics and are not covered in this article.
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In mammals, the adrenal glands (also known as suprarenal glands) are the triangle-shaped endocrine glands that sit on top of the kidneys; their name indicates that position (ad-, "near" or "at" + -renes, "kidneys").
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hormone (from Greek όρμή - "to set in motion") is a chemical messenger that carries a signal from one cell (or group of cells) to another. All multicellular organisms produce hormones (including plants - see phytohormone).
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Stimulants are drugs that temporarily increase alertness and awareness. They usually have increased side-effects with increased effectiveness, and the more powerful variants are therefore often prescription medicines or illegal drugs.
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The word menopause literally means the permanent physiological, or natural, cessation of menstrual cycles, from the Greek roots 'meno-' (month) and 'pausis' (a pause, a cessation).
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MeSH D000707 Anaphylaxis is an acute systemic (multi-system) and severe Type I Hypersensitivity allergic reaction in humans and other mammals. The term comes from the Greek words ana (against) and phylaxis (protection).
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Carcinoid syndrome
Classification & external resources

ICD-10 E 34.0
ICD-9 259.2
ICD-O: M 8240/3 -8245

DiseasesDB 2040
MedlinePlus 000347
eMedicine med/271  
MeSH D008303 Carcinoid syndrome
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Pheochromocytoma
Classification & external resources

Medulla visible at bottom right.
ICD-10 C 74.1
ICD-9 255.6
ICD-O: M 8700/0
OMIM 171300
DiseasesDB 9912

eMedicine med/1816   radio/552 ped/1788
MeSH D010673 A
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