The macula is a tiny circle in the middle of the retina, a light-sensitive membrane that lines the inside of the back of the

Malaria is a mosquito-borne parasitic infection spread by Anopheles mosquitoes. The Plasmodium parasite that causes malaria is neither a virus nor a bacterium –

Marfan syndrome is a genetic disorder that affects the body’s connective tissue – the tissue that makes up our tendons, ligaments, joints, and muscles,

Mastitis, also known as breast infection, is an infection of the breast tissue. It is caused by bacteria that usually enter the breast through small

Measles (also called rubeola or morbilli) was once one of the most common childhood infections in North America. In the early 1960s, over half

Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer. In Canada, an estimated 7,800 people are diagnosed with melanoma each year, and approximately 1,300

Ménière’s disease is a condition that affects the inner ear. It causes attacks of dizziness (vertigo), nausea and vomiting, a feeling of fullness in the ear,

Meningitis means "inflammation of the meninges." The meninges (plural of meninx) are membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord. They can become inflamed

Menopause is the time when a woman’s menstrual periods stop and her ovaries stop releasing eggs. A woman is considered menopausal once she has

MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) is a severe pneumonia-like respiratory disease caused by a virus. It is different from SARS because MERS is caused

A person has metabolic syndrome when they have a combination of 3 or more certain health risks. These health risks include: high blood pressure

Metal hypersensitivity is a disorder of the immune system. It is a common condition that affects 10% to 15% of the population. It can

In North America, more than 1 in 10 people have migraine headaches. Most migraine sufferers are women. Migraines usually appear between the ages of

Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is a common condition that affects one of the heart’s valves. It occurs in about 1 out of every 50 people

Molluscum contagiosum is a common skin infection that is caused by a virus. The infection causes small, dimpled, skin-coloured bumps called papules to develop

Monkeypox is a viral infection that is related to the virus that causes smallpox. It was first discovered in 1958 after a pox-like disease

Many pregnant women (about 70% to 85%) experience a period of nausea and vomiting. In the vast majority of cases, it’s unpleasant but not

Some people feel very sick while travelling in an airplane, boat, train, or car. They may feel queasy or nauseous or may vomit, and

Multiple myeloma is a type of cancer that occurs when a specialized white blood cell, a plasma cell, begins to grow and divide in

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic condition that affects the central nervous system. This system includes the brain and spinal cord. It contains the

Mumps is a viral infection of the salivary glands, especially the parotid glands that run along the angle of the jaw in front of

Muscular dystrophy is a term that refers to a group of muscle disorders in which the face, arm, leg, spine, or heart muscles gradually

Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune disease of the neuromuscular junction, the contact point between nerves and muscles. For some unknown reason, the body’s immune