Harvard Health Topics

These authoritative articles, sourced from Harvard Health Publications, provide comprehensive information about medical conditions, diseases, procedures, and devices. Each topic includes detailed definitions, descriptions, symptoms, diagnostic methods, treatment options, prognosis, and additional resources.
For more information on diseases and conditions, see: Micromedex CareNotes.
Browse A-Z
A
- Abdominal adhesions
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm
- Absence Seizures (Petit Mal Seizures)
- Achalasia
- Acne
- Acoustic neuroma
- Acute bronchitis
- Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) in Adults
- Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) in Children
- Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)
- Acute pancreatitis
- Acute prostatitis
- Acute sinusitis
- Adenocarcinoma of the lung
- Adrenocortical Carcinoma
- Age spots (solar lentigo, liver spots)
- Aging
- Alcohol use disorder (alcoholism)
- Alcohol withdrawal
- Allergy
- Alopecia areata
- Altitude sickness
- Alzheimer's disease
- Amenorrhea
- Amyloidosis
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- Anal disorders
- Anal itch (pruritus ani)
- Anaphylaxis
- Anemia
- Angina
- Ankle fracture
- Ankle sprain
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Anorexia nervosa
- Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries
- Antibiotic-associated diarrhea
- Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome
- Antisocial Personality Disorder
- Aplastic anemia
- Appendicitis
- Arm fracture
- Arthritis associated with inflammatory bowel disease
- Asthma
- Astigmatism
- Asymptomatic bacteriuria
- Atherosclerosis
- Athlete's foot (tinea pedis)
- Atrial fibrillation
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Autism (Autism Spectrum Disorder)
B
- Back pain
- Bacterial vaginosis (Gardnerella vaginitis)
- Balanitis
- Barotrauma
- Bartholin's gland cyst
- Basal cell carcinoma
- Bedsores (decubitus ulcers)
- Bedwetting (enuresis)
- Behcet's disease
- Bile duct diseases
- Biliary colic
- Bipolar disorder (manic depressive illness or manic depression)
- Black eye
- Bladder cancer
- Bladder infection (cystitis)
- Blepharitis
- Blisters
- Body lice
- Boils and carbuncles
- Borderline personality disorder
- Botulism
- Bowel obstruction
- Bradycardia
- Brain Abscess
- Brain tumor
- Breast cancer
- Broken jaw
- Broken nose (nasal fracture)
- Bulimia
- Bunion
- Bursitis
C
- Campylobacteriosis
- Cancer
- Candidiasis
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Carcinoid Tumors of the Lung
- Cardiac arrhythmias
- Cardiomyopathy
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Cataracts
- Celiac disease (non-tropical sprue)
- Cellulitis
- Cervical polyps
- Cervicitis
- Chemical Injury to the Eye
- Chickenpox (varicella)
- Chlamydia
- Cholecystitis
- Chondromalacia patella
- Chronic hepatitis
- Chronic laryngitis
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Chronic otitis media, cholesteatoma, and mastoiditis
- Chronic pancreatitis
- Chronic prostatitis
- Chronic sinusitis (in adults)
- Cirrhosis
- Cluster headache
- Cogan's syndrome
- Collarbone (clavicle) fracture
- Colon polyps
- Colorectal cancer
- Coma and Persistent Vegetative State
- Common cold (viral rhinitis)
- Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)
- Computed tomography (CT scan) for back problems
- Concussion
- Constipation and impaction
- Contact Dermatitis
- Corneal abrasion
- Corns and calluses
- Coronary artery disease
- Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD)
- Crohn's disease
- Croup
- Curvature of the Penis (Peyronie's Disease)
- Cysts
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
D
- Dandruff
- Decompression sickness
- Delusional disorder
- Dementia
- Depression
- Dermatofibroma
- Detached retina
- Developmental dysplasia of the hip
- Deviated septum
- Diabetes mellitus
- Diabetic ketoacidosis
- Diabetic nephropathy
- Diabetic neuropathies
- Diarrhea
- Dislocated lens
- Diverticulosis and diverticulitis
- Double vision (diplopia)
- Down syndrome
- Dry eye syndrome
- Dry skin
- Dysfunctional uterine bleeding
- Dyslexia
- Dysuria
E
- Earache
- Eczema
- Emphysema
- Encephalitis
- Encopresis (fecal soiling) in children
- End-stage renal disease
- Endocarditis
- Endometriosis
- Endophthalmitis
- Enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia)
- Epidemic pleurodynia
- Epidermoid cyst
- Epididymitis and orchitis
- Epiglottitis
- Epilepsy
- Esophageal cancer
- Esophageal rings and webs
- Esophageal varices
- Esophagitis
- Essential tremor
- Eye socket fracture (fracture of the orbit)
F
- Fallen arch
- Farsightedness (hyperopia)
- Febrile seizures
- Fecal incontinence
- Felon
- Female Infertility
- Fever
- Fibroids
- Fibromyalgia
- Fifth disease (erythema infectiosum)
- Finger dislocation
- Flu (influenza)
- Fluorescein angiography (test for diabetic retinopathy)
- Food allergy
- Food poisoning
- Foot sprain
- Foot ulcers
- Foreign body In eye
- Foreign objects in the ear
- Friction blisters
- Friedreich's ataxia
G
- Gallstones
- Gas (flatulence)
- Gastritis
- Gastroenteritis in adults
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Gastrointestinal amebiasis
- Generalized anxiety disorder
- Generalized seizures (grand mal seizures)
- Genital herpes
- Genital warts
- Gestational diabetes
- Giant cell arteritis (temporal arteritis)
- Giardiasis
- Glaucoma
- Glioblastoma multiforme
- Glomerulonephritis
- Gonorrhea
- Gout
- Granulomatosis with polyangiitis
- Graves' disease
- Graves' eye disease (Graves' ophthalmopathy)
- Guillain-Barre syndrome
H
- Hair loss
- Hammertoe
- Hay fever (allergic rhinitis)
- Head injury In adults
- Head lice
- Headache
- Hearing Loss in Adults
- Heart attack (myocardial infarction)
- Heart failure
- Heart Murmur
- Heart valve problems
- Heart valve replacement
- Heat stroke (hyperthermia)
- Heel pain
- Hematuria
- Hemochromatosis
- Hemophilia
- Hemorrhagic stroke
- Hemorrhoids
- Hepatitis
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Hepatitis C
- Hereditary-patterned baldness
- Hernia
- Hernia repair
- Herniated disc
- Hiatal hernia
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- High cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia)
- Hip fracture
- Hirsutism
- HIV/AIDS
- Hives (urticaria)
- Hot flashes
- Human papillomavirus (HPV)
- Huntington's disease (chorea)
- Hydrocephalus
- Hyperkeratosis
- Hyperthyroidism
- Hypoglycemia
- Hypoparathyroidism
- Hypothyroidism
I
- Ichthyosis
- Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)
- Impetigo
- Impotence (erectile dysfunction)
- Infectious arthritis
- Infectious Mononucleosis
- Ingrown toenail
- Inguinal hernia
- Insomnia
- Interstitial cystitis
- Intracranial aneurysms
- Iron deficiency
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
J
K
L
- Lactose intolerance
- Lacunar stroke
- Laryngitis
- Latex allergy
- Leg edema
- Leg fracture
- Leg strain
- Leukemia
- Liver cancer
- Long QT syndrome
- Lung cancer
- Lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus)
- Lyme disease
- Lymphedema
- Lymphoma
M
- Macular degeneration
- Major depression
- Malaria
- Malignant hyperthermia
- Marfan syndrome
- Maturity onset diabetes of the young (MODY)
- Measles (rubeola)
- Meckel's diverticulum
- Medication allergy
- Melanoma
- Melasma (chloasma)
- Menière's disease
- Meningitis
- Menopause and perimenopause
- Metastatic brain tumors
- Mid-menstrual cycle pain (mittelschmerz)
- Middle-ear infection (otitis media)
- Migraine
- Miscarriage
- Mitral Valve Prolapse
- Moles (nevi)
- Molluscum contagiosum
- Morton's neuroma
- MRSA skin infection
- Mumps
- Muscle strain
- Myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome
- Myasthenia gravis
- Myelodysplastic Syndromes
- Myocarditis
- Myositis
N
- Nabothian cysts
- Nail trauma
- Narcolepsy
- Nasal polyps
- Nausea
- Nearsightedness (myopia)
- Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
- Nosebleed (epistaxis)
O
- Obesity
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Onycholysis
- Optic nerve swelling (papilledema)
- Osgood-Schlatter disease
- Osteoarthritis
- Osteoporosis
P
- Paget's disease of bone
- Pain
- Painful sexual intercourse (dyspareunia)
- Pancreatitis
- Panic disorders
- Parkinson's Disease
- Paronychia
- Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
- Peptic ulcer
- Perforated eardrum
- Pericarditis
- Peripheral arterial disease
- Peritonsillar abscess
- Persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia)
- Pertussis (whooping cough)
- Phimosis and paraphimosis
- Phobia
- Pink eye (conjunctivitis)
- Pituitary tumors
- Pityriasis rosea
- Plague (Yersinia Pestis)
- Plantar fasciitis
- Pleurisy and pleural effusion
- Pneumoconiosis
- Pneumonia
- Pneumothorax
- Polio
- Polyarteritis nodosa
- Polychondritis
- Polycystic kidney disease
- Polycystic ovary syndrome
- Polymyalgia rheumatica
- Post-polio syndrome
- Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injuries
- Postpartum depression
- Prediabetes
- Preeclampsia and eclampsia
- Premature ejaculation
- Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
- Presbyopia
- Priapism
- Prostate Cancer
- Pseudogout (CPPD)
- Psoriasis
- Psoriatic arthritis
- Pubic lice or crab lice
- Pyelonephritis
R
- Rash
- Raynaud's phenomenon
- Reactive arthritis
- Rectocele
- Respiratory syncytial virus
- Restless legs syndrome
- Retinal vessel occlusion
- Retinitis pigmentosa
- Retinopathy
- Retrobulbar neuritis
- Retrograde Ejaculation
- Reye syndrome
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Ringworm (tinea)
- Rosacea
- Rotator cuff injury
S
- Salivary gland disorders
- Sarcoidosis
- Scabies
- Scarlet fever
- Schizophrenia
- Sciatica
- Scleritis
- Scleroderma
- Scoliosis
- Sebaceous cysts
- Seborrheic dermatitis
- Seborrheic keratoses
- Secondary hypertension
- Sedative, hypnotic, or anxiolytic drug use disorder
- Seizure
- Sexually transmitted diseases
- Shigellosis
- Shin splints
- Shingles (herpes zoster)
- Shoulder dislocation
- Shoulder sprain
- Sick sinus syndrome
- Sickle Cell Anemia
- Sjögren's syndrome
- Skin tags (acrochordon)
- Sleep apnea
- Sleepwalking and sleep terrors
- Smallpox
- Somatic Symptom Disorder
- Sore throat (pharyngitis)
- Spider veins
- Spina bifida
- Spinal Cord Trauma
- Spinal cord tumors
- Sprain
- Squamous cell carcinoma of the lung
- Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Skin
- Stroke
- Styes and chalazions
- Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
- Subdural hematoma
- Sun allergy (photosensitivity)
- Sun-damaged skin
- Superficial thrombophlebitis
- Swallowed object
- Swimmer's ear (otitis externa)
- Syphilis
T
- Tachycardia
- Takayasu's arteritis
- Tear duct infection (dacryocystitis)
- Telogen effluvium
- Tendonitis
- Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)
- Tension headache
- Testicular Cancer
- Testicular torsion
- Tetanus
- Throat cancer (larynx and pharynx)
- Thrombocytopenia
- Thromboembolism (deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism)
- Thrombotic stroke
- Thyroid cancer
- Tick bites
- Tics
- Tinea versicolor
- Tinnitus
- Toenail fungus (onychomycosis)
- Torn meniscus
- Torsional deformity
- Toxic shock syndrome
- Toxoplasmosis
- Transient ischemic attack (TIA)
- Traumatic dislocation of the hip
- Traveler's diarrhea
- Trichomoniasis
- Tropical sprue
- Tuberculosis
- Type 1 diabetes mellitus
- Type 2 diabetes mellitus
U
- Ulcerative colitis
- Undescended testicle (cryptorchidism)
- Urethritis
- Urinalysis
- Urinary health
- Urinary incontinence
- Urinary tract infection in men
- Urinary tract infection in women
- Uterine and bladder prolapse
- Uveitis
V
- Vaginal atrophy (atrophic vaginitis)
- Vaginal discharge
- Vaginal yeast infection
- Vaginitis
- Varicose veins
- Vascular birthmarks
- Vasculitis
- Vertigo
- Vitamin B12 deficiency
- Vitiligo
- Vocal cord disorders
W
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