Since at least the 1950s, health experts have linked smoking to lung cancer. Research continues to pinpoint more ways tobacco harms your health, from cancers to chronic (long-term) diseases. Experts estimate that 16 million [...]

Pruritus is a medical term that means itching. It refers to a feeling or sensation on your skin that you want to scratch. Pruritus can be painful or irritating and could be localized to [...]

Erectile dysfunction is defined as the persistent inability to achieve or maintain penile erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual performance. The Massachusetts Male Aging Study surveyed 1,709 men aged 40–70 years between 1987 and 1989 and found [...]

Nonallergic rhinitis involves sneezing or a stuffy, drippy nose. It can be a long-term problem, and it has no clear cause. The symptoms are like those of hay fever, also called allergic rhinitis. But [...]

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a condition that causes a very strong urge to move the legs. The urge to move usually is caused by an uncomfortable feeling in the legs. It typically happens [...]

Mental illness, also called mental health disorders, refers to a wide range of mental health conditions — disorders that affect your mood, thinking and behavior. Examples of mental illness include depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, [...]

Psoriasis and eczema can both cause dry, scaly skin. Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition, while eczema often flares up in response to certain triggers. Psoriasis occurs when the immune system causes skin cells to grow [...]

The prostate is a gland that produces some of the fluid that carries sperm during ejaculation. The prostate gland surrounds the urethra, the tube through which urine passes out of the body. An enlarged [...]

Your rectum is the last segment of your large intestine before your anus. This is where poop prepares to exit your body. When poop arrives in your rectum, it triggers the urge to defecate (poop), and a network [...]

Polio, or poliomyelitis, is an infectious viral disease that can harm the nervous system. Post-polio syndrome (PPS) usually occurs 15-40 years after the infection and recovery. PPS is believed to be the result of [...]

Pancreatitis is the redness and swelling (inflammation) of the pancreas. This happens when digestive juices or enzymes attack the pancreas. The pancreas lies behind your stomach on the left side of your belly. It [...]

Obesity is a complex disease that occurs when an individual’s weight is higher than what is considered healthy for his or her height. Obesity affects children as well as adults. Many factors can contribute [...]

Nearsightedness is a refractive error that makes far-away objects look blurry. It happens when the shape of the eye makes light focus in front of the retina (a light sensitive layer of tissue in [...]

Mumps is a contagious disease caused by the mumps virus, which belongs to a group of viruses known as paramyxoviruses. The illness starts with mild symptoms such as headache, fever and fatigue. But then [...]

Most women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB) have menstrual periods that last four to seven days. Your period usually occurs every 28 days, but normal menstrual cycles can range from 21 days [...]

A hot flash is the sudden feeling of warmth in the upper body, which is usually most intense over the face, neck and chest. Your skin might redden, as if you're blushing. A hot [...]