Search Medical Conditions
The medical conditions database is designed to help you and your loved ones learn about the cause, prevention, symptoms, and treatment of medical conditions to better understand various conditions.
Headaches
Headaches are extremely common – most people have a headache at some time in their life. Most headaches disappear on their own (with a
Hearing Loss and Deafness
Hearing loss is the reduced ability to hear sound. Deafness is the complete inability to hear sound. Deafness and hearing loss have many causes
Heart Attack
The heart is one of the largest muscles in the body. The wall of the heart is the muscle that does the pumping, and
Heat Stroke
Heat stroke is also known as sunstroke, thermic fever, or siriasis. It happens when the body’s mechanisms for controlling temperature fail. Heat stroke is
Hemochromatosis
Hemochromatosis is primarily an inherited (genetic) condition that allows too much iron to be absorbed and stored throughout the body. It’s one of the
Hemophilia
Hemophilia is a rare bleeding disorder in which the blood does not clot normally. People with hemophilia have little or no blood clotting factors,
Hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids, also called "piles," are swollen tissues that contain veins. They are located in the wall of the rectum and anus and may cause
Hepatitis A and B
Hepatitis is the medical term for inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis may be acute (lasting only for the short term, after which a person
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis is the medical term for inflammation of the liver. The hepatitis C virus is one of the many causes of inflammation of the
Hernia
A hernia occurs when a portion of tissue in your body bulges into or penetrates a weakened muscle area. Theoretically, hernias can happen anywhere
Herniated Disc
The spine is made up of cylindrical bones called vertebrae. Between the bones of the spine are small discs made of a thick layer
High Blood Pressure
Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and people who have abnormally high pressure in their arteries are far more
High Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a fatty substance your body needs to rebuild its cells and to make certain hormones. It’s carried throughout your body in your
HIV/AIDS
AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) was first recognized in North America in the early 1980s. It is caused by a virus known as HIV
Hives
Hives, called urticaria by doctors, is one of the most common causes of skin inflammation. Up to 20% of the population will suffer from
Hodgkin’s Disease
Hodgkin lymphoma is the name for a group of cancers that start in the lymph nodes and then spread to surrounding areas of the
HPV Infection
The human papillomavirus (HPV) is a virus that causes skin and mucous membrane (the moist lining of body cavities such as the mouth and
Huntington’s Disease
Huntington’s disease, also called Huntington’s chorea, is a hereditary condition that affects the brain, specifically an area called the basal ganglia (located deep in
Hyperhidrosis
Approximately 4 million sweat glands cover the body and produce the clear liquid that we know as sweat. The body produces sweat to help
Hyperthyroidism
The thyroid is a gland located in your neck, just beneath the Adam’s apple. It releases hormones – thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) –
Hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia occurs when the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood is too low. Normally, your body keeps your blood glucose within a concentration
Hypothermia and Frostbite
Hypothermiaoccurs when you have abnormally low body temperature. Normal body temperature is around 37°C (98.6°F), as measured by mouth. Hypothermia is defined as a
Hypothyroidism
The thyroid is a gland located in the neck below the Adam’s apple. It helps control the body’s metabolic rate by producing the hormones
IgA Nephropathy
IgA nephropathy, also called Berger’s disease, is a kidney disorder that causes inflammation of the glomeruli, the individual filtering units of the kidney that
Infectious Mononucleosis
Infectious mononucleosis (called "mono" for short) is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a virus that affects nearly everybody at some point. The disease
Infertility
Infertility is usually defined as the inability to become pregnant after one year of vaginal intercourse without birth control. Without contraception, frequent intercourse results
Influenza
The flu is a respiratory (i.e., nose, throat, and lung) infection that can be caused by a variety of influenza viruses. Many people use
Insect Bites and Stings
In North America, there are very few types of insects that carry venom or poison, and none whose venom is dangerous. However, it is
Insomnia
Insomnia can refer to difficulty getting to sleep, difficulty staying asleep, waking up early without being able to return to sleep, or a combination
Iron Deficiency Anemia
The blood that circulates throughout the body performs a number of critical functions. It delivers oxygen, removes carbon dioxide, and carries life-sustaining nutrients. By
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder of the intestine, causing abdominal pain with constipation, diarrhea, or alternating periods of both. IBS is
Jaundice
Jaundice is a symptom of many medical problems but it is most often associated with conditions of the liver or the gallbladder. Jaundice causes
Jet Lag
Jet lag occurs when there’s a mismatch between the time of a person’s internal clock and the events affecting that person as a result
Kaposi’s Sarcoma
Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) is a cancer caused by infection with human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8). It causes purple, brown, or bluish-red tumours that look like
Kawasaki Disease
Kawasaki disease, also called Kawasaki syndrome, is the leading cause of acquired heart disease in children in the developed world. It usually appears in
Keloids
Keloids are benign (noncancerous), fibrous skin tumours. They are most common in people with darker skin (e.g., people from West Africa or Southern India).
Kidney Disease
The kidneys, each about the size of a fist, play three major roles: removing waste products from the body, keeping toxins from building up
Kidney Stones
A kidney stone is formed when a small speck of mineral settles out of the urine into the kidney or the ureter, a tube
Labyrinthitis
Labyrinthitis is an inflammation of the inner ear. The labyrinth is a structure of fluid-filled sacs and tubes just inside the skull. It contains
Laryngitis
Laryngitis occurs when the part of the throat called the larynx becomes inflamed. When this happens, it causes a severe hoarseness that can make
Legionnaires’ Disease
Legionnaires’ disease, or legionellosis, is a lung infection (pneumonia) caused by bacteria of the species Legionella. This organism was first discovered in 1976, when
Leukemia
Leukemia is a type of cancer that results in the body making too many abnormal white blood cells. This uncontrolled production results in an
Lice
Lice are tiny parasitic insects that can take up residence in a number of different places on our body. They are not a serious
Listeriosis
Listeriosis is a foodborne illness. It most commonly affects newborns, people with weakened immune systems, seniors, and pregnant women. Pregnant women are at particular
Liver Cancer
The liver, the largest gland in the body, plays a vital role in keeping us alive. Its many functions include storing vitamins and nutrients,
Liver Disorders
The liver is the largest internal organ in the body. Its main functions are to: metabolize most of the nutrients that are absorbed by
Low Back Pain
Low back pain is one of the most common reasons for visiting a doctor. Most North Americans will experience low back pain at some
Low Blood Pressure
Given that people with high blood pressure (hypertension) are far more likely than others to die prematurely of heart disease and stroke, you might
Lung Cancer
In Canada, lung cancer is the leading cause of death from cancer for both men and women. The majority of lung cancers start in
Lupus
Lupus, also called systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), is a chronic inflammatory condition that can affect any part of the body, including the skin, joints,
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