Oct 16th, 2021 - Diagnosis Your health care provider might do a variety of tests: Pelvic exam. Your health care provider might check to see if your cervix has begun to dilate. Ultrasound. During an ultrasound, your health care provider will check for a fetal heartbeat and determine if the embryo is developing as it should be. If a diagnosis can't be made, you might need to have another ultrasound in about a wee...

Oct 16th, 2021 - Overview Miscarriage is the spontaneous loss of a pregnancy before the 20th week. About 10 to 20 percent of known pregnancies end in miscarriage. But the actual number is likely higher because many miscarriages occur very early in pregnancy — before you might even know about a pregnancy. The term "miscarriage" might suggest that something went wrong in the carrying of the pregnancy. But this is...

Oct 15th, 2021 - Overview Head and neck cancers are a broad category of cancers that occur in the head and neck region. Head and neck cancer treatment depends on the type, location and size of your cancer. Treatment for head and neck cancers often involves surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Treatments may be combined. After treatment, recovery from head and neck cancers may involve working with rehabi...

Oct 14th, 2021 - Overview Adrenal glands Open pop-up dialog box Close Adrenal glands Adrenal glands Perched atop each of your kidneys, your adrenal glands produce hormones that help regulate your metabolism, immune system, blood pressure and other essential functions. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) refers to a group of genetic disorders that affect the adrenal glands, a pair of walnut-sized organs above t...

Oct 12th, 2021 - Overview Hirsutism Open pop-up dialog box Close Hirsutism Hirsutism Hirsutism is excess hair most often noticeable around the mouth and chin. Hirsutism (HUR-soot-iz-um) is a condition in women that results in excessive growth of dark or coarse hair in a male-like pattern — face, chest and back. With hirsutism, extra hair growth often arises from excess male hormones (androgens), primarily testo...

Oct 12th, 2021 - Overview End-stage renal disease, also called end-stage kidney disease or kidney failure, occurs when chronic kidney disease — the gradual loss of kidney function — reaches an advanced state. In end-stage renal disease, your kidneys no longer work as they should to meet your body's needs. Your kidneys filter wastes and excess fluids from your blood, which are then excreted in your urine. When y...

Oct 8th, 2021 - Overview Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a contagious and sometimes fatal respiratory illness. SARS first appeared in China in November 2002. Within a few months, SARS spread worldwide, carried by unsuspecting travelers. SARS showed how quickly infection can spread in a highly mobile and interconnected world. On the other hand, a collaborative international effort allowed health exp...

Oct 8th, 2021 - Overview Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a contagious and sometimes fatal respiratory illness. SARS first appeared in China in November 2002. Within a few months, SARS spread worldwide, carried by unsuspecting travelers. SARS showed how quickly infection can spread in a highly mobile and interconnected world. On the other hand, a collaborative international effort allowed health exp...

Oct 2nd, 2021 - Overview Psoriasis Open pop-up dialog box Close Psoriasis Psoriasis Psoriasis causes cells to build up rapidly on the surface of the skin, forming thick, silvery scales and itchy, dry, red patches that are sometimes painful. Psoriatic arthritis is a form of arthritis that affects some people who have psoriasis — a disease that causes red patches of skin topped with silvery scales. Most people d...

Oct 2nd, 2021 - Diagnosis In the emergency room, a doctor may be able to rule out a spinal cord injury by examination, testing for sensory function and movement, and by asking some questions about the accident. But if the injured person complains of neck pain, isn't fully awake, or has obvious signs of weakness or neurological injury, emergency diagnostic tests may be needed. These tests can include: X-rays. X...

Oct 2nd, 2021 - Diagnosis During the exam, your doctor might: Examine your joints for signs of swelling or tenderness Check your fingernails for pitting, flaking and other abnormalities Press on the soles of your feet and around your heels for to check for tender areas No single test can confirm a diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis. But some types of tests can rule out other causes of joint pain, such as rheumat...

Oct 1st, 2021 - Overview Normal heartbeat Open pop-up dialog box Close Normal heartbeat Normal heartbeat In a typical heart rhythm, a tiny cluster of cells at the sinus node sends out an electrical signal. The signal then travels through the atria to the atrioventricular (AV) node and then passes into the ventricles, causing them to contract and pump out blood. A heart arrhythmia (uh-RITH-me-uh) is an irregula...

Sep 30th, 2021 - Diagnosis During the physical exam, your doctor will gently press on the affected area to determine the location of pain, tenderness or swelling. He or she will also evaluate the flexibility, alignment, range of motion and reflexes of your foot and ankle. Imaging tests Your doctor may order one or more of the following tests to assess your condition: X-rays. While X-rays can't visualize soft ti...

Sep 29th, 2021 - Diagnosis Early detection in boys can help prevent problems from delayed puberty. Early diagnosis and treatment in men offer better protection against osteoporosis and other related conditions. Your health care provider will conduct a physical exam and note whether your sexual development, such as your pubic hair, muscle mass and size of your testes, is consistent with your age. Your provider w...

Sep 29th, 2021 - Overview Optic nerve Open pop-up dialog box Close Optic nerve Optic nerve The optic nerve is a bundle of nerve fibers that serves as the communication cable between your eyes and your brain. The nerve fibers have a special coating called myelin. Optic neuritis occurs when swelling (inflammation) damages the optic nerve — a bundle of nerve fibers that transmits visual information from your eye t...

Sep 29th, 2021 - Overview In heart valve disease, one or more of the valves in your heart doesn't work properly. Your heart has four valves that keep blood flowing in the correct direction. In some cases, one or more of the valves don't open or close properly. This can cause the blood flow through your heart to your body to be disrupted. Your heart valve disease treatment depends on the heart valve affected and...

Sep 25th, 2021 - Overview Encopresis (en-ko-PREE-sis), sometimes called fecal incontinence or soiling, is the repeated passing of stool (usually involuntarily) into clothing. Typically it happens when impacted stool collects in the colon and rectum: The colon becomes too full and liquid stool leaks around the retained stool, staining underwear. Eventually, stool retention can cause stretching (distention) of th...

Sep 25th, 2021 - Diagnosis Your child may not need any testing for a diagnosis of growing pains. In some cases, your child's health care provider may recommend tests such as a blood test or X-ray. This helps exclude other possible causes for your child's signs and symptoms. Not all types of leg pain in children are growing pains. Sometimes leg pain may be caused by underlying conditions that can be treated. Mor...

Sep 25th, 2021 - Overview Nasal and paranasal tumors are abnormal growths that begin in and around the passageway within your nose (nasal cavity). Nasal tumors begin in the nasal cavity. Paranasal tumors begin in air-filled chambers around the nose called the paranasal sinuses. Nasal and paranasal tumors can be noncancerous (benign) or they can be cancerous (malignant). Several types of nasal and paranasal tumo...

Sep 24th, 2021 - Diagnosis To diagnose your condition, your doctor will review your medical history and symptoms and conduct a physical examination. Your doctor will also order imaging tests to diagnose your condition and determine its cause. Tests may include: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An MRI is often used to diagnose Chiari malformation. An MRI uses powerful radio waves and magnets to create a detaile...