Medical Conditions

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 is a symptom of many medical problems but it is most often associated with conditions of the liver or the gallbladder. Jaundice causes yellow skin and …

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 of rapid travel between …

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 sores on the …

Kawasaki disease, also called Kawasaki syndrome, is the leading cause of acquired heart disease in children in the developed world. It usually appears in children …

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). People …

The kidneys, each about the size of a fist, play three major roles: removing waste products from the body, keeping toxins from building up in the bloodstream …

A kidney stone is formed when a small speck of mineral settles out of the urine into the kidney or the ureter, a tube that links the kidney to the bladder. …

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 two important …

Laryngitis occurs when the part of the throat called the larynx becomes inflamed. When this happens, it causes a severe hoarseness that can make your voice …

Legionnaires' disease, or legionella pneumonia , is a serious lung infection caused by bacteria of the species Legionella. This organism was first discovered in …

Leukemia is a type of cancer that results in the body making too many abnormal white blood cells. This uncontrolled production results in an excessive amount …

Lice are tiny parasitic insects that can take up residence in a number of different places on our body. They are not a serious medical problem, but they can be …

Listeriosis is a foodborne illness. It most commonly affects newborns, people with weakened immune systems, seniors, and pregnant women. Pregnant women are at …

The liver, the largest gland in the body, plays a vital role in keeping us alive. Its many functions include storing vitamins and nutrients, producing proteins …

The liver is the largest internal organ in the body. Its main functions are to: metabolize most of the nutrients that are absorbed by the intestine store …

Low back pain is one of the most common reasons for visiting a doctor. Most North Americans will experience low back pain at some time in their lives. Back …

Given that people with high blood pressure (hypertension) are far more likely than others to die prematurely of heart disease and stroke, you might think that low …

In Canada, lung cancer is the leading cause of death from cancer for both men and women. The majority of lung cancers start in the bronchi, which are the airways …

Lupus, also called systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), is a chronic inflammatory condition that can affect any part of the body, including the skin, joints, …

Lyme disease is an illness caused by a bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi, which is transmitted by the bite of an infected tick. It is the most …

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 eye. In older people, it sometimes …

Malaria is a mosquito-borne parasitic infection spread by Anopheles mosquitoes. The Plasmodium parasite that causes malaria is neither a …

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 cracks in …

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

Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer. In Canada, an estimated 9,000 people are diagnosed with melanoma each year, and approximately 1,200 of them …

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

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

Menopause is the time when a person's menstrual periods stop and their ovaries stop releasing eggs. A person is considered menopausal once they have gone a …