Find information about the most common medical conditions.
For the most accurate and up-to-date information on common medical conditions in your specific region, we recommend consulting your healthcare provider.
What are Abrasions? Abrasions, also known as scrapes or grazes, are injuries to the skin caused by scraping or rubbing against a rough surface. They are typically minor wounds that affect only the outermost layers of the skin (epidermis). Abrasions…
What is Acid Reflux? Acid reflux, also known as gastroesophageal reflux (GER), occurs when stomach acid flows back up into the tube that connects your mouth to your stomach (esophagus). This acid irritates the lining of the esophagus, causing a…
What is Acne? Acne vulgaris, or simply acne, is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that occurs when hair follicles become clogged with oil and dead skin cells. It often results in the formation of pimples, blackheads, or whiteheads, typically appearing…
What are Acne Scars? Acne scars are imperfections left on the skin after acne blemishes have healed. While not everyone who gets acne will develop scars, they are a common occurrence, affecting a significant portion of the global population. While…
What is Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome? Alcoholism, also known as alcohol use disorder (AUD), is a chronic and relapsing disease characterized by an impaired ability to control alcohol use despite negative consequences. People with AUD have an intense focus on alcohol…
What are Allergies ? Allergies are an overreaction by your body’s immune system to a typically harmless substance called an allergen. These allergens can be things like pollen, dust mites, pet dander, or certain foods. Prevalence of Allergies Estimates suggest…
What is Alzheimer’s Disease? Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disorder that gradually destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventually, the ability to carry out simple tasks. It is the most common cause of dementia, a general term for loss…
What is Anemia? Anemia is a medical condition characterized by a deficiency in the number or quality of red blood cells or hemoglobin in the blood. Hemoglobin is an essential protein found in red blood cells that binds to oxygen…
What is Angina? Angina is a chest pain or discomfort that occurs when your heart doesn’t get enough oxygen-rich blood. This can happen due to various reasons, but the most common cause is coronary artery disease (CAD). Coronary artery disease…
What is Anorexia? Anorexia nervosa, often simply referred to as anorexia, is a serious and potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by self-starvation and an abnormal obsession with weight loss. People with anorexia restrict their food intake to the point where…
What is Appendicitis? Appendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix, a small finger-like protrusion from your large intestine in the lower right abdomen. The exact reason for this inflammation is unknown, but it’s likely due to a blockage in the…
What are Asthma and COPD? Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition characterized by inflammation and narrowing of the airways, which makes breathing difficult. It is a common condition that affects people of all ages, from children to the elderly. The…
What is Athlete’s Foot? Athlete’s foot, also known as tinea pedis, is a common fungal infection that affects the skin on the feet. It is caused by a variety of fungi that thrive in warm, moist environments. Athlete’s foot is…
What is Atrial Fibrillation? Atrial fibrillation, often abbreviated as AFib or AF, is a type of irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) that starts in the upper chambers of your heart (atria). In a normal heart, electrical signals coordinate the beating of your…
What is Back Pain? Back pain is incredibly common, affecting a vast majority of people at some point in their lives. Statistics suggest around 70-80% of adults in the US experience it. That translates to roughly 1 in 2 working…
What is Benign Prostate Hyperplasia? Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), also referred to as prostate enlargement, is a condition in older men where the prostate gland enlarges. The prostate gland is a small, walnut-shaped gland that sits below the bladder and…
What are Blemishes? Blemishes are a general term for any kind of mark, spot, discoloration, or imperfection that appears on the skin. They can vary in size, shape, and color, and can appear anywhere on the body, and are often…
What is Breast Cancer? Breasts are made up of fatty tissue, connective tissue, lobes (milk-producing glands), ducts (tubes that carry milk to the nipple), and lymph nodes (part of the immune system). Breast cancer starts when normal cells in the…
What is Bronchitis? Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchial tubes, the airways that carry air to and from the lungs. These tubes become inflamed and irritated, producing mucus (phlegm) that can clog the airways and make breathing difficult. There…
What is Cholesterol? Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in all the cells in your body. It’s an essential part of healthy cells, but high levels of cholesterol can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. Your body…
What is Chronic Bronchitis? The bronchi are airways connected to the windpipe (trachea) with sacs of the lung (alveoli) where oxygen is consumed by the blood. Bronchitis is when the bronchi become inflamed causing excessive mucous production and swelling of…
What are Cold Sores? Cold sores are small, fluid-filled blisters that typically appear on your lip or around your mouth. They are caused by the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), a very contagious virus. Globally, an estimated two-thirds of…
Coronary Heart Disease Coronary heart disease (CHD), also known as coronary artery disease, is a condition where the heart’s blood supply is blocked or interrupted by a buildup of fatty substances in the coronary arteries. These fatty substances form a…
What is Crohn’s Disease? Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes inflammation of your digestive tract. Unlike ulcerative colitis, which only affects the inner lining of the large intestine (colon), Crohn’s disease can involve the entire…
What is Cystitis? Cystitis is a medical term that refers to inflammation of the bladder. It’s commonly caused by a bacterial infection, particularly by Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria which normally reside in the colon but can enter the urinary…
What is Depression? Depression is a widespread mental health disorder affecting a staggering number of people globally. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 5% of adults, roughly 280 million people, suffer from depression globally. While depression can…
What is Diabetes? Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects how your body regulates blood sugar. Blood sugar, or glucose, is an important source of energy for your body. It comes from the food you eat and circulates in your…
What is Emphysema? Emphysema is a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that causes shortness of breath. It is a progressive disease, which means it gets worse over time. Emphysema damages the air sacs in your lungs. These air…
What is Endometriosis? Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb (uterus) grows outside the uterus. This tissue responds to hormonal changes in the menstrual cycle, just like the lining inside the uterus. It can…
What is Epilepsy? Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent, unpredictable seizures. These seizures are caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Seizures can vary widely in their presentation and severity, ranging from brief lapses of attention or…
What is Erectile Dysfunction? Erectile dysfunction (ED), also sometimes referred to as impotence, is a sexual function problem in men characterized by the persistent inability to achieve or maintain an erection firm enough for satisfactory sexual intercourse. Occasional difficulty getting…
What is Fibromyalgia? Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that causes widespread pain and tenderness throughout the body, along with fatigue, sleep problems, and emotional and mental distress. People with fibromyalgia may also be more sensitive to pain than people without…
What is Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease? Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, is a digestive disorder that arises when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus. This acid reflux can irritate the esophageal lining, leading to heartburn, that burning feeling in your…
What is Generalized Anxiety Disorder? Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a common mental health disorder that causes chronic worry and anxiety. People with GAD may worry excessively about everyday things, such as health, money, work, family, or school. This worry…
What is Glaucoma? Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve, the nerve that carries signals from your eye to your brain. This damage can lead to vision loss and blindness. Glaucoma is quite prevalent worldwide.…
What is Hair Loss? Hair loss, also called alopecia, is a condition where people lose hair from their scalp or body. It can be a gradual thinning over time, or it can happen suddenly in patches. The severity of hair…
What are Heart Arrhythmias? A heart arrhythmia is an irregularity in the heartbeat. The heart normally beats in a regular rhythm, controlled by electrical signals that travel through the heart muscle. In people with arrhythmias, these electrical signals don’t work…
What is HIV/AIDS? HIV/AIDS, which stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, is one of the most significant public health challenges of our time. HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system, specifically targeting CD4 cells, which play a…
What is Hypertension? Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a chronic condition where the force of blood pushing against your blood vessel walls is consistently too high. Blood pressure is naturally higher when you’re active and lower when…
What is Benign Prostate Hypertrophy? Benign prostate hypertrophy, otherwise known as prostate cancer, occurs when the prostate gland grows and compresses the urethra, causing the partial blockage of urine flow. What are the symptoms of Benign Prostate Hypertrophy? Common symptoms of…
What is Hypothyroidism? Hypothyroidism, also referred to as an underactive thyroid, is a condition that develops when the thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormone. The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped gland situated at the base of your front throat.…
What is Inflammatory Bowel Disease? Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a term for a group of disorders that cause chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, also known as the digestive system. The two main forms of IBD are ulcerative…
What is Influenza? Influenza, also commonly known as the flu, is a respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. These viruses infect the respiratory tract, which includes the nose, throat, and lungs. Influenza is most prevalent during the flu season, which…
What is Insomnia? Insomnia, at its core, is a sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or both. It disrupts your ability to get the rest your body needs, and can even occur even when you have the…
What is Irritable Bowel Syndrome? Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic condition that affects the large intestine. It is a very common condition affecting the function of the large intestine. Estimates suggest IBS affects between 10% and 15% of…
What is Ischemic Heart Disease? Ischemic heart disease (IHD), also known as coronary heart disease (CHD), is a condition that arises when the blood supply to the heart muscle is limited. This limitation is usually caused by a buildup of…
What are Kidney Disease & Chronic Kidney Disease? Kidney disease is a general term for a condition that damages your kidneys’ filtering capacity. Kidneys are two bean-shaped organs located near your lower back. They perform essential functions in maintaining overall…
What are Kidney Stones? Kidney stones are hard deposits that form in the kidneys. They are made of minerals and salts that are normally found in urine. When these substances become too concentrated, they can crystallize and form stones. Globally,…
What is Menopause? Menopause is a natural part of aging that all women who menstruate will experience. It’s the point in time when a woman’s menstrual periods stop permanently, marking the end of her reproductive years. This typically happens between…
What is a Migraine Headache? A migraine headache is described as an intense pain that pulses or throbs in one area of the head, often accompanied by an extreme sensitivity to light and sound, followed by nausea and vomiting. Migraines are three…
Every person in the entire world has experienced neuralgia at some point in their lives. The singeing sensation of a paper cut, a painful headache after a stressful day at work, and muscle cramps after a long-needed workout are all indicative of the very…
What is Obesity? Obesity is widely acknowledged as the leading preventable illness and cause of death. Recently the rising numbers of obesity in developed nations have resulted in the World Health Organization classifying obesity as an epidemic. Obesity is a…
What is Osteoarthritis? Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis. It is a degenerative joint disease that can affect any joint in the body, but it most commonly affects the hands, hips, and knees. Osteoarthritis occurs when the…
What is Osteoporosis? Osteoporosis is a disease that weakens bones, making them more likely to break. It develops slowly over several years and is often only diagnosed when a fall or sudden impact causes a bone to break (fracture). Bones…
What is Pneumonia? Pneumonia is an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs. The air sacs may fill with fluid or pus (purulent material), causing cough with phlegm or pus, fever, chills, and difficulty breathing. Pneumonia…
What is Prostate Cancer? Prostate cancer is a type of cancer that develops in the prostate gland, a small walnut-shaped gland in men that sits below the bladder and surrounds the urethra (the tube that carries urine out of the…
What is Psoriasis? Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that causes skin cells to reproduce at an abnormally fast rate. This rapid turnover of skin cells leads to a buildup of dead skin cells on the surface of the skin, which…
What is Rheumatoid Arthritis? Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation in your joints [Mayo Clinic, rheumatoid arthritis – Symptoms and causes]. In other words, your immune system, which normally fights off germs, mistakenly attacks the…
What is Sinusitis? Sinusitis is an inflammation or swelling of the tissue lining your sinuses. Sinuses are air-filled cavities in your skull around your nose and cheekbones. When healthy, they produce mucus to keep them moist and trap dust an…
What is Smoking Cessation? Smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable death and disease in the United States. It harms nearly every organ in the body, including the lungs, heart, blood vessels, immune system, and reproductive system.…
What is a Sore Throat? Sore throat, also medically known as pharyngitis, is a scratchy, painful sensation in the back of your throat that often worsens when you swallow. It’s a very common discomfort and can be caused by a…
What is a Stroke? A stroke is a serious medical condition that happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off. Strokes are a medical emergency and urgent treatment is essential. The sooner a person receives…
