Health A-Z Medical Reference

How can a C-reactive protein test help you find out if you have heart disease?

Jewish people from Central or Eastern Europe are at higher risk of some diseases. This blood test can show if you’ll pass one on to your children.

High or low testosterone can affect your health. Learn how testing works, what results mean, and when to talk to your doctor. Explore the full guide here.

Bone marrow aspiration and bone marrow biopsy are two procedures that often are done together. The whole process is pretty simple, takes about 30 minutes, and will give your doctor valuable information about your health.

Dercum's is a rare disease that causes painful, fatty growths to appear under the skin, sometimes all over the body. Obese, middle-aged women may be most at risk.

You may have urinalysis as part of a routine check, and it may find some diseases in their earlier stages. Learn more about what your health care professionals can find out by testing your pee.

When it’s cold outside, people may huddle together to stay warm. But when your red blood cells huddle, or clump, together when your temperature drops, that could mean you need to have a cold agglutinins test.

Sometimes called “rabbit fever,” tularemia is an infectious disease that you can get from a certain kind of bacteria. Learn how to prevent and treat the illness.

A lack of iron isn’t the only cause of anemia. If you’re feeling rundown and short of breath, you may have pernicious anemia, which means you aren't getting enough vitamin B12.

Many adults with Down syndrome live nearly on their own, and they have jobs, relationships, and fulfilling lives. Learn about options for work and living arrangements, as well as health issues to keep an eye on as adults with Down syndrome get older.

Rabson-Mendenhall syndrome is a very rare genetic disease that prevents your body from using insulin like it normally does. Learn about the causes, symptoms, and treatments.

It can be hard to know for sure that you have chikungunya virus because it can look like other viruses spread by mosquitoes. Learn more about this rare disease.

Rapp-Hodgkin syndrome is a rare genetic disease that doctors now call AEC syndrome. Learn about its causes, symptoms, and treatments.

Keeping a premature baby breathing can have its own complications. Learn more about bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), a condition that can develop if your newborn needs help breathing.

Eisenmenger syndrome is a life-changing diagnosis. Learn more about this condition and how to live with its challenges.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) can take a toll on your body and mind. Try these five tips to help you feel your best from day to day.

Nocardiosis is a disease caused by bacteria found in soil or standing water. Learn more about the signs and treatments of this potentially serious condition.

An X-ray takes a picture of the inside of your body, mainly your bones. These painless, common procedures use radiation but are considered generally safe.

Iodine is a basic nutrient our bodies need. In its radioactive form, it can treat thyroid ailments as well as prostate cancer, cervical cancer and certain types of eye cancer.

Concerned you might inherit a genetic condition or pass one along to your baby? Genetic counseling can help you deal with your worries by learning more about your genetic makeup.

There are many reasons you might need to get a blood transfusion. Learn how to prepare for the process and the potential risks.

Thyroid nodules are lumps on the thyroid gland, often harmless but should be checked by a doctor. Learn about symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment options.

If you or your child has been exposed to lead, you both should be tested. A lead blood test is simple, and it provides information that could save your life.

There are simple tests that can tell you whether you have a thyroid problem or not.

A thyroid storm or thyroid crisis is a rare but possibly life-threatening condition in which your body suddenly starts overproducing thyroid hormones. Here’s what you should know.

A small gland plays a big part in how your body runs.

If you manage your condition, you can live a full, active life with sickle cell disease. Follow tips for a healthy lifestyle that can help reduce your chances of pain.

Thyroiditis is an inflammation of the thyroid, the gland that regulates your body’s metabolism. Here’s what you should know about this condition.

If you have hyperthyroidism, it means your thyroid is overactive and produces too much of a hormone called thyroxine. Learn more about the symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment of hyperthyroidism.

Reasons you need an ear exam.

Rabies is a virus that attacks the central nervous system. This article explains how it’s transmitted, what it looks like, and what to do if you’re bitten by an animal that might be infected.

WebMD explains the diagnosis and treatment of bladder infections.

There’s no sure way to prevent a bladder infection, but there are some things you can do you lower your risk. WebMD explains.

Bladder infections can be painful, but they’re often easily treated. WebMD explains their causes in men and women.

A barium enema can help your doctor get a better look at what’s going on in your colon. Find out how the test works and the conditions it can find.

It’s important to treat bladder infections before they go to your kidneys. WebMD explains the symptoms of an infected bladder.

A kidney infection like pyelonephritis is a serious condition that’s treatable but can be life-threatening. Learn more about the signs and symptoms of a kidney infection, who gets them, & how they’re treated

Antibiotics are the medications doctors use to treat urinary tract infections (UTIs). Learn how they work, and how your doctor decides which meds and dose to give you.

When are your intestines like a telescope? When you have intussusception, a painful abdominal condition that needs immediate medical attention.

An antinuclear antibody test can help your doctor diagnose an autoimmune disease such as lupus. Find out how this blood test is done and what your results might mean.

Your glands could be swollen for a number of reasons. Find out what the cause might be, and what to do.

What’s in your pee says a lot about your health. Your doctor may order a uric acid urine test if he suspects problems like gout or kidney stones.

Your doctor says you need a urine culture. Here’s what you need to know about this test, which can spot a urinary tract infection (UTI).

This blood test is often ordered at routine exams. Here’s what it can tell about your health.

An overnight dexamethasone suppression test can help you find out whether you have Cushing syndrome and what’s causing it. Find out how the test works, how it’s done, and what your result means.

Your lymph nodes, along with your spleen, tonsils, and adenoids, help you fight off illness and infections. Learn more about your lymph nodes’ part in this first line of defense.

A phosphate blood test can diagnose everything from calcium deficiencies to kidney failure. Learn about what’s involved in getting the test done.

Having too much or too little sodium in your urine sample can be an indication of a kidney or other health issue. Learn more about how a urine sodium test works.

To figure out the source of your stomach problems, your doctor may order a stool sample culture test. Learn what you need to know before the test, how it's performed, and what the results mean.

A prolactin test measures the amount of a hormone called prolactin you have in your blood. The hormone usually rises if a woman is pregnant or has just given birth to help produce breast milk.