Health Concerns: Head to Toe

Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease

Anatomy of the Brain
The brain is an important organ that controls thought, memory, emotion, touch, motor skills, vision, respiration, temperature, hunger, and every process that regulates your body.

Overview of Nervous System Disorders
Disorders of the nervous system include stroke, infections such as meningitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and functional disorders such as headache and epilepsy.

Neurology
Neurology is the branch of medicine that is concerned with the study and treatment of disorders of the nervous system.

Neurological Surgery
Neurological surgery is used to treat disorders of the brain, spine, and nerves. The doctor who specializes in neurological surgery is called a neurosurgeon or neurological surgeon.

Diagnostic Tests for Neurological Disorders
Evaluating and diagnosing damage to the nervous system is complicated and complex. Many of the same symptoms occur in different combinations among the different disorders.

Neurological Examination
A neurological exam may be performed with instruments, such as lights and reflex hammers, and usually does not cause any pain to the patient.

Rehabilitation for Neurological Disorders
The goals of a neurological rehab program include helping the patient return to the highest level of function and independence, and improving the overall quality of life—physically, emotionally, and socially.

Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia, a disorder in which mental functions deteriorate and break down.

Medications that Can Treat Alzheimer's Disease
Many people believe that Alzheimer’s disease can't be treated. The truth is that medications are available that may help slow the progression of symptoms.

Helping Someone with Memory Loss
In older people, it's easy to mistake memory problems for the everyday forgetfulness that some people experience as they grow older.

New Hope for Alzheimer’s Disease
Research is shedding light on ways to cut risk, and treatments can make life easier and more comfortable after a diagnosis.

Alzheimer's Disease Quiz
Find out more about this degenerative disease of the brain by taking this quiz.

Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's Disease (PD)
Parkinson's disease is the most common form of parkinsonism, a group of motor system disorders. PD is slowly progressing and degenerative.

Memory Loss

Memory Boosters
Most experts agree that there is no solid proof that memory-enhancing supplements work. These products may not even contain much of their "active herbal ingredients."

Remember This: Many Have Memory Lapses
Unpredictable, frustrating and, at times, embarrassing memory lapses can be common. So if frequent bouts of forgetfulness are causing you stress and worry, take note: there is most likely a simple explanation.

Five Steps to Better Memory
Aging can make it harder to remember some things. But by focusing on your potential and continuing to exercise your mind, you may be able to boost your memory power. Here are some strategies.

Helping Someone with Memory Loss
In older people, it's easy to mistake memory problems for the everyday forgetfulness that some people experience as they grow older.

Don't Forget to Remember
Your memory is built in three basic steps. Before you can remember something, you have to learn it.

Hearing Problems

Ear, Nose, and Throat Facts
The ear consists of three areas—the outer, middle, and inner ear. The nose is the organ of smell and is part of the peripheral nervous system. The throat is a ring-like muscular tube that acts as the passageway for air, food, and liquid.

Otolaryngology
Otolaryngology is the medical specialty that focuses on medical and surgical treatment for patients who have disorders of the ear, nose, throat, and related structures.

Audiology
Audiologists address hearing and balance problems in people of all ages. They also help with the fitting and management of hearing aids.

Hearing Loss
In some people, hearing loss can be surgically corrected. For others, medical devices and rehabilitation therapies often can help reduce hearing loss.

Presbycusis
Presbycusis is the gradual loss of hearing that occurs as people age. One in three older adults older than 60 has hearing loss. Half of people older than 75 have hearing loss.

Tinnitus
Tinnitus is the sound of ringing, roaring, buzzing, or clicking that occurs inside the head. The sounds may come and go, be continuous, occur in one or both ears, and vary in pitch.

Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
When the ears are exposed to extremely loud noises, or to prolonged loud noises, inner ear structures can be damaged, leading to noise-induced hearing loss.

Acoustic Neuroma
Acoustic neuroma is a noncancerous tumor that may develop from an overproduction of Schwann cells that press on the hearing and balance nerves in the inner ear.

Ménière's Disease
Meniere's disease is a balance disorder caused by an abnormality found in a section of the inner ear called the labyrinth.

Hearing Aids
Hearing aids are electronic or battery-operated devices that can amplify and change sound. A microphone receives the sound and converts it into sound waves. The sound waves are then converted into electrical signals.

What You Need to Know About Hearing Aids
If your doctor recommends a hearing aid, these suggestions can help you determine which kind will suit you best.

Hearing and Speech Communication Services and Devices
In addition to hearing aids, many other devices are available to help improve communication in daily life. These range from telephone amplifiers to visual alarm systems.

Vision Problems

Anatomy of the Eye
The structures of the eye include the cornea, iris, pupil, macula, retina, and the optic nerve.

Eye Care Specialists
An ophthalmologist is either a medical doctor (M.D.) or an osteopathic physician (D.O.). An optometrist is a doctor of optometry (O.D.) but is not a medical doctor. An optician is a technician who fits eyeglasses.

Eye Examinations
During an eye exam, an eye doctor reviews your medical history and completes a series of tests to determine the health of your eyes.

All About Aging Eyes
Do you know the difference between normal changes in vision that occur with age and abnormal changes caused by age-related eye disease? Here are some answers.

Eyeglasses and Contact Lenses
Eyeglasses are the most common form of eyewear used to correct or improve many types of vision problems. Contact lenses are worn directly on the cornea of the eye.

Aging Eyes and Glasses
As your eyes age, their lenses become less flexible, and they slowly lose their ability to focus. It's an ongoing, lifelong process called presbyopia, which you begin to notice between ages 40 and 45.

Low-Vision Devices
Low-vision devices are categorized as either optical or nonoptical. Optical devices are magnifying lenses or closed circuit TV. Nonoptical devices are large-print books and talking computers.

Common Eye Disorders
One common eye disorder is conjunctivitis, sometimes called pink eye. It's an inflammation of the blood vessels in the eye membrane. Another common disorder is a chalazion—a small bump that develops on the upper or lower eyelid.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
Age-related macular degeneration is a disease that affects an individual's central vision, making it difficult of read, drive, or perform other daily activities.

Why Doctors Remove Cataracts
A cataract is a clouding of the eye's lens, a clear, soft structure behind the pupil that works much like a camera lens. The top cause of cataracts is aging. In fact, more people over 70 have cataracts than not.

Cataracts and Cataract Surgery
A cataract is a clouding or opaque area over the lens of the eye—an area that's normally transparent. As less light reaches the retina, it becomes increasingly harder to see and vision may become dull and blurry.

Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy is the most common eye disease in people with diabetes and a leading cause of blindness in the United States. If you have diabetes, you can reduce your risk for this disorder by keeping your blood sugar levels under tight control.

Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a condition in which the normal fluid pressure inside the eyes slowly rises because the fluid aqueous humor is not able to drain properly. This pressure damages the optic nerve.

Refractive Errors
Astigmatism is one type of refractive error. It's a condition in which an abnormal curvature of the cornea can cause two focal points to fall in two different locations—making objects up close and at a distance appear blurry.

Planning Your Eye Surgery
Millions of people undergo surgery each year to treat a range of vision conditions. What should you consider before your procedure?

Heart Disease and Stroke

Heart Disease

Anatomy and Function of the Coronary Arteries
Coronary arteries supply blood to the heart muscle. There are two main coronary arteries: the right and the left.

Coronary Heart Disease
A person with coronary heart disease has an accumulation of fatty deposits in the coronary arteries. These deposits narrow the arteries and can decrease or block the flow of blood to the heart.

What You Can Do to Prevent Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis can be devastating, causing strokes, heart attacks and death. The good news is that you can take steps to protect yourself from this disease.

Angina Pectoris
Angina pectoris occurs when the heart muscle doesn't receive enough blood and oxygen for a given level of work.

A Woman's Guide to Beating Heart Disease
Surveys show fewer than one in 10 women perceive heart disease as their greatest health threat. But it's the nation's number one killer, and women are its prime target.

Aspirin and Your Heart: Should You or Shouldn’t You?
Although aspirin is a common over-the-counter medication, it’s not appropriate for everyone.

When You’re Taking Heart Medications
These medications are life-giving and powerful. It's important to take them just as your doctor has prescribed.

Making Changes to Avoid Heart Disease
Your heart is a vital organ that keeps your body functioning. Unfortunately, many people don't treat it that way. They may not realize that their daily habits and lifestyle can overwork and damage their heart. So, take care of your heart and yourself. Start by making the following lifestyle changes.

Twelve Weeks to a Heart-Healthy Lifestyle
Heart disease is a killer, but you can do plenty to reduce your risk and prolong your life. Research shows that making lifestyle changes can decrease your risk of cardiovascular heart disease and help you control it if you already have it.

Learning to Live with Heart Disease
Millions of people diagnosed with heart disease enjoy active, satisfying lives. Instead of looking on their diagnoses as sentences to be invalids, they have used them as catalysts to make positive changes in their lives.

High Blood Pressure/Hypertension
High blood pressure, or hypertension, increases the risk for coronary heart disease (heart attack) and stroke (brain attack).

Heart Attack
A heart attack occurs when the blood supply is cut off from the heart muscle, usually because of a blood clot. Without blood and oxygen, the muscle cells are damaged and die.

Stroke

Overview of Stroke
Stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is disrupted. The disruption is caused when either a blood clot or piece of plaque blocks one of the vital blood vessels in the brain or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts.

Evaluation Procedures for Stroke
Tests that may be used to help diagnose a stroke include a CT scan or MRI, and an electroencephalogram.

Stroke Recovery Begins with Rehabilitation
A stroke can cause problems with speech, vision, memory, balance or coordination. It can leave part of the body weakened or paralyzed, among other physical problems.

Ministrokes Deserve Maximum Attention
A ministroke, or transient ischemic attack (TIA), is a brief episode of stroke symptoms caused by temporary interruption of blood flow to the brain. Most people suffer TIAs without realizing it.

Treatment for Stroke
Although there is no cure for stroke, advanced medical and surgical treatments are now available, giving many stroke victims hope for optimal recovery.

Signs and Symptoms of Stroke
If you notice any of these symptoms, call 911 or your local emergency medical service immediately. Treatment for stroke is most effective when started as soon as possible.

Rehabilitation for Stroke
Stroke rehabilitation works best when the patient, family, and rehabilitation staff works together as a team. Family members must learn about impairments and disabilities caused by the stroke and how to help the patient achieve optimal function again.

Types of Stroke
Strokes are classified as either ischemic or hemorrhagic. Ischemic strokes are caused by blockage of an artery. Hemorrhagic strokes are caused by bleeding in the brain.

Risk Factors for Stroke
The most important controllable risk factor for stroke is controlling high blood pressure. Blood pressure of 140/90 or higher can damage the arteries that supply blood to the brain.

Effects of Stroke (Brain Attack)
When an area of the brain is damaged, which typically occurs with a stroke, an impairment may result. An impairment is the loss of normal function of part of the body. Sometimes, an impairment may result in a disability, or inability to perform an activity in a normal way.

Diabetes

Facts About Diabetes
Diabetes affects the way the body metabolizes, or uses, digested food to make glucose, the main source of fuel for the body.

Answers to Your Diabetes Questions
What causes diabetes? Scientists aren't sure, but heredity, obesity, lack of exercise and other factors play a part.

Type 2 Diabetes
A person with type 2 diabetes either can't make enough insulin or can't properly use it.

Pre-Diabetes

Metabolic Syndrome and Prediabetes
Metabolic syndrome is marked by higher levels of glucose in the blood. That's also a sign of pre-diabetes.

Diabetes Complications

Overview of Clinical Complications of Diabetes
Heart disease, high blood pressure, and kidney disease are some of the complications of diabetes.

Diabetic Retinopathy and Other Eye Problems
Diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of blindness in American adults. It is caused by changes in the blood vessels of the retina.

Diabetes and Heart Disease
Most of us know that diabetes can lead to severe complications, such as blindness, kidney disease and amputations. But did you know that diabetes also greatly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease?

Diabetes and Heart Disease
Diabetes affects the cardiovascular system, but many problems aren't apparent until a person has a heart attack or stroke.

Diabetes and High Blood Pressure
If you have diabetes, you are twice as likely to have high blood pressure. Untreated, high blood pressure can raise your risk for heart disease.

Diabetic Foot Problems
Diabetes can damage the nerves in your feet, as well as lead to blood vessel disease. These conditions make it more difficult to notice when you injure your foot or develop a sore.

Special Foot Care for Diabetes
It's not high blood sugar, heart disease, or stroke that most often puts people with diabetes in the hospital. It's their feet.

Breast Cancer

About Breast Cancer

General Information About Breast Cancer
Ductal carcinoma, lobular carcinoma, and Paget's disease are several types of breast cancer.

Signs and Symptoms of Breast Cancer
Early breast cancer usually does not cause pain and may cause no symptoms at all.

Breast Cancer Statistics
Breast cancer ranks second among cancer deaths in women after lung cancer.

Risk Factors for Breast Cancer
Factors that appear to raise a woman's risk for breast cancer include advancing age, family history, benign breast conditions, and a late menopause.

Diagnostic Procedures for Breast Cancer
It is important to remember that a lump or other changes in the breast, or an abnormal area on a mammogram, may be caused by cancer or by other, less serious problems.

Solving the Breast Cancer Puzzle
Investigators report headway against breast cancer, the disease that worries women more than any other.

Reducing Your Risk for Breast Cancer
Your health habits may play a role in helping to reduce your risk for this serious disease, and they're particularly important as you get older.

Stages of Breast Cancer
When breast cancer is diagnosed, your doctor will order tests to find out if the cancer has spread from the breast to other parts of the body. This is called staging and is an important step toward planning a treatment program.

Breast Cancer Treatment

What to Know About Your Treatment Choices for Breast Cancer
The good news is that breast cancer can be treated successfully. Treatments include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, or any combination of these. Here's a closer look at each.

Questions to Ask About Treatment for Breast Cancer

Surgery for Breast Cancer Treatment
Surgery to remove as much of the cancer as possible is the primary treatment for breast cancer. Today, women have many surgical options and choices.

Breast Reconstruction
Breast reconstruction surgery involves creating a breast mound that comes as close as possible to the form and appearance of the natural breast.

Lymphedema Following a Mastectomy
Whenever the normal drainage pattern in the lymph nodes is disturbed or damaged—often during surgery to remove the lymph nodes—the arm may swell. This swelling, caused by too much fluid, is called lymphedema.

Post-Mastectomy Prosthesis
A prosthesis can be worn against the skin, inside the pocket of a mastectomy bra, or attached to the chest wall. Prosthetic devices are designed to look feminine and be comfortable.

Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer Treatment
Radiation therapy is a process that precisely sends high levels of radiation directly to the cancer cells. Radiation done after surgery can kill cancer cells that may not be seen during surgery.

Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer Treatment
Your oncologist will determine how long and how often you will have chemotherapy treatments. Chemotherapy can be administered intravenously or by pill, and is usually a combination of drugs.

Other Treatments for Breast Cancer
Other treatments for breast cancer include hormone therapy, used to prevent the growth, spread, and recurrence of the cancer, adjuvant therapy, and biological therapy.

About Tamoxifen
Tamoxifen has been used to treat both advanced and early stage breast cancer. More recently, tamoxifen is being used as an additional therapy following primary treatment for early stage breast cancer.

About Taxol
Taxol, or paclitaxel, is a drug used for treating certain women who have advanced breast or ovarian cancer. Paclitaxel is a compound that is extracted from the bark of the Pacific yew tree.

About Clinical Trials: Information from the National Cancer Institute
Clinical trials are studies, managed by government agencies, educational institutions, private not-for-profit organizations, or commercial businesses, to develop, produce, and evaluate the effectiveness of new treatments and therapies for diseases.

Breast Cancer Prevention Trial (BCPT)
BCPT was a clinical trial that studied tamoxifen as a prevention therapy for those at high risk for breast cancer. Data showed the results of tamoxifen treatment to be "highly significant," with a 49 percent reduction in the number of invasive breast cancers seen across all age groups.

Study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene (STAR)
STAR was a clinical trial of the drug raloxifene that included more than 19,000 postmenopausal women at increased risk for breast cancer. The results showed that raloxifene worked as well as tamoxifen at reducing breast cancer risk.

Hope on the Horizon for Breast Cancer
In recent years, researchers have discovered new and better ways to detect and treat breast cancer—and to keep it from coming back.

Does Ageism Exist in Cancer Care?
Older adults are less likely to be screened for cancer in the first place. And if they are diagnosed with cancer, it's less likely that their doctors will recommend treatment to cure the cancer.

Arthritis

About Arthritis and Other Rheumatic Diseases
Arthritis, itself a group of more than 100 different diseases, is one category of rheumatic diseases.

Arthritis
Arthritis and other rheumatic diseases are characterized by pain, swelling, and limited movement in joints and connective tissues in the body.

Arthritis and Other Rheumatic Diseases Statistics
Rheumatic diseases are the leading cause of disability among people ages 65 and older.

Diagnosing Arthritis and Other Rheumatic Diseases
Diagnosing arthritis and other rheumatic diseases is often difficult, as many symptoms are similar among the different diseases.

Anatomy of a Joint
Joints are the areas where two or more bones meet. Most joints are mobile, allowing the bones to move.

Understanding Joint Pain
Sprained ankles and wrists, arthritic knees and hips and torn rotator cuffs all have one thing in common: They result in joint pain.

Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, is a chronic, degenerative, joint disease that affects mostly middle-aged and older adults.

Essential Self-Care for Arthritis
If you have arthritis, taking your medication and following your doctor's orders are essential. But self-care can be just as important in your daily and long-term management of the disease.

Seven Proven Treatments for Arthritis Pain
Although there's no cure for arthritis, the symptoms can be treated effectively in many cases. Here's a look at some proven treatments.

Managing Arthritis with Exercise
Exercise has important health benefits for everyone -- regardless of age and physical condition. But for people with arthritis, working out regularly, and within their limits, is critical.

Action Plan for Osteoarthritis
Taking arthritis medication is important, but what you do for yourself, including exercising, doing relaxation exercises and managing your emotions and attitudes, is just as crucial to your ability to lead an active, productive life.

Leg Pain: Arthritis or Peripheral Arterial Disease?
Is that pain in your leg the first sign of arthritis? Or is it peripheral arterial disease, a serious condition linked to an elevated risk for heart attack and stroke?

Gout: An Old Disease Flares Up Again
An especially painful form of arthritis—gout—is on the rise.

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis causes a loss of bone mass and destruction of bone tissue. The bones most often affected are the hips, spine, and wrists.

Osteoporosis: Evaluate Your Risk
Many people are unaware they have osteoporosis until they have advanced symptoms, which may include a broken hip or wrist, low back pain or a hunched back.

Hip Fracture
A hip fracture is classified by the specific area of the break and the type of break(s) in the bone. It is a serious injury and requires immediate medical attention.

Build Your Bones with Exercise
You can help prevent osteoporosis by including enough calcium in your diet and exercising regularly.

The Healthy-Bones Diet
The right amount of calcium in your diet helps maintain your bone strength, reducing your risk for osteoporosis.

Keeping an Eye on Your Bones

Among the Missing: Vitamin D
Just when you thought you had your summertime outdoors routine down -- plenty of sunscreen, a large hat, limited exposure between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. -- comes the news that Americans aren't getting enough of the "sunshine vitamin" -- vitamin D.

Kyphoplasty
Kyphoplasty is used to treat fractures in the bones of the spine in which the doctor first inflates a balloon-like device in the bone to make space which is filled with cement.

Vertebroplasty
Vertebroplasty is a procedure in which a special medical-grade cement mixture is injected into a fractured vertebra

Joint Replacement

Hip Fracture
A hip fracture is classified by the specific area of the break and the type of break(s) in the bone. It is a serious injury and requires immediate medical attention.

Evaluation Procedures
To help the orthopedist determine your treatment, you'll need a physical exam, a medical history profile, and a description of symptoms.

Treatment Plans
For most orthopedic disorders and injuries, more than one form of treatment may be appropriate.

Is It Time for a New Joint?
Millions of us struggle with pain and loss of motion because of joint damage caused by arthritis. If other treatments fail to offer relief, you may wonder about turning in your worn-out joints for new ones.

Arthroscopy
Orthopedic surgeons use arthroscopy to diagnose and treat joint problems. An arthroscope is a small, tube shaped instrument that is used to look inside a joint.

Joint Replacement Surgery
Joint replacement is a surgical procedure to remove and replace an arthritic or damaged joint with an artificial joint, called a prosthesis.

Knee Replacement Surgery
When a knee is severely damaged by disease or injury, an artificial knee replacement may be considered.

Hip Replacement Surgery
This surgery may be considered as treatment after a hip fracture or for someone who has severe arthritis.

Prostate Cancer

About Prostate Cancer

Anatomy of the Prostate Gland
The prostate gland is about the size of a walnut and surrounds the neck of a man’s bladder and urethra—the tube that carries urine from the bladder.

What Do You Know About Prostate Health?
Prostate cancer and other diseases of the prostate are common.

Men Over 50 Need Annual Prostate Exam
The best weapon against prostate cancer is catching it early.

Screening for Prostate Cancer
If you are a man, you are at risk for prostate cancer. The risk for prostate cancer increases with age. Your risk is also higher if you are African-American or have a family history of prostate cancer. The American Cancer Society recommends that men over age 50 get tested for prostate cancer once a year.

Prostate Cancer: Diet and Prevention

Prostate Cancer
In the past 30 years, the five-year survival rate for all stages of prostate cancer combined has increased from 73 percent to nearly 100 percent.

Prostate Cancer in African-American Men
African-American men may have the highest rate of prostate cancer incidence in the world, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Signs and Symptoms of Prostate Cancer
Early prostate cancer usually has no specific signs or symptoms—that's why prostate cancer screening is so important.

Staging of Prostate Cancer
When prostate cancer is diagnosed, tests are performed to determine how much cancer is present, and if the cancer has spread from the prostate to other parts of the body.

Grading of Prostate Cancer
The cancer grading system is based on a number range. The lower the number, the lower the grade, and the slower the cancer is growing.

Diagnostic and Evaluation Procedures for Prostate Cancer
Your doctor may evaluate possible prostate problems with an annual physical and a digital rectal exam or a test for prostate-specific antigen.

Prostate Cancer Treatment

Expectant Therapy
Expectant therapy is to "watch and wait" while carefully observing and monitoring the prostate cancer.

I've Just Been Told I Have Prostate Cancer

What to Know About Your Treatment Choices for Prostate Cancer

Questions to Ask About Treatment for Prostate Cancer

Surgery for Prostate Cancer
Long-term, serious side effects of prostate surgery are somewhat less common now than in the past, as new surgical methods continue to be introduced.

Tell Your Healthcare Team How You Feel During Treatment for Prostate Cancer

Radiation Therapy
Radiation is often used to treat prostate cancer that is still confined to the prostate gland, or has spread only to nearby tissue.

Hormone Therapy for Prostate Cancer
The goal of hormone therapy is to lower the level of male hormones in the body, particularly testosterone.

Chemotherapy for Prostate Cancer
Chemotherapy may be used when the cancer has spread outside of the prostate gland, or it may be used in combination with other therapies.

Angiogenesis Inhibitors
Sometimes called antiangiogenic therapy, this treatment may prevent the growth of cancer by blocking the formation of new blood vessels.

Herbal Remedies For Prostate Cancer
Talk with your health care provider before using any type of dietary or herbal supplements in the treatment or prevention of prostate cancer.

Clinical Trials for Prostate Cancer
Several clinical trials to evaluate prostate cancer have been completed or are currently underway.

Bladder Problems and Erectile Dysfunction

Incontinence: A Fairly Common Problem
Bladder and bowel control are complex processes that involve the brain, spinal cord and muscles of the bladder, bowel and pelvis. Loss of bladder or bowel control can be caused by problems with any of these components.

Benign Prostate Problems
The prostate gland can develop several conditions that are not cancerous. Pain, inflammation, and impotency are common problems.

Prostatitis
Prostatitis is the most common prostate problem in men younger than 50. Some estimates state that at least half of all men, at some point in their lives, will develop symptoms of prostatitis.

Interstitial Cystitis
Interstitial cystitis is a complex, chronic disorder marked by an inflamed or irritated bladder wall. It can lead to scarring and stiffening of the bladder and decreased bladder capacity.

What Is Erectile Dysfunction?
It is normal for men to experience changes in erectile function, such as taking longer to achieve an erection. When the problem becomes persistent, it can be a sign of a physical or emotional problem.

Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)
Urinary tract infections are a serious, but common, health problem that affects millions of people each year. Women are especially prone to urinary tract infections.

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)
BPH is a condition in which the prostate gland becomes very enlarged and may cause problems associated with urination.

Impotence/Erectile Dysfunction
For most men, erectile dysfunction is caused by physical problems, usually related to the blood supply of the penis. Many advances have occurred in both diagnosis and treatment of erectile dysfunction.

Urinary Incontinence
Urinary incontinence is the loss of urine control, or the inability to hold your urine until you can reach a bathroom.

Bladder and Bowel Dysfunction
Bladder dysfunction and bowel dysfunction refer to problems with urinating and passing stools. These may lead to the unwanted passage of urine or stool, called urinary or fecal incontinence.

Other Health Concerns

Artificial Teeth

Colorectal Cancer
Most people who have colorectal cancer are older than 50. This type of cancer is also associated with a diet high in fat and calories and low in fiber.

Constipation
Constipation is a condition in which a person has uncomfortable or infrequent bowel movements. Generally, a person is considered to be constipated when bowel movements result in passage of small amounts of hard, dry stool.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are the two most common conditions of COPD.

Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is longstanding pain that persists beyond the usual recovery period or occurs along with a chronic health condition, such as arthritis.

Dehydration and Heat Stroke
Dehydration and heat stroke are two very common heat-related diseases that can be life threatening if left untreated.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)/Heartburn
Gastroesophageal reflux is the return of acidic stomach juices, or food and fluids, back up into the esophagus.

Gout
Gout is marked by inflamed, painful joints because of the formation of crystal deposits in them.

Hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids are blood vessels normally present in and around the anus and lower rectum that have become swollen because of stretching under pressure. Hemorrhoids are very common in both men and women.

Hypothermia
Hypothermia is an abnormally low body temperature brought on by staying in cold temperatures for a long period of time. This lowered body temperature affects the brain, thus affecting a person's ability to think clearly or move well.

Indigestion
Although indigestion may be the result of a disease or an ulcer in the digestive tract, most often it is caused by eating too much, eating too quickly, eating high-fat foods, or eating during stressful situations.

Influenza (Flu)
How do you know if you have the flu? Symptoms: abrupt onset of fever, muscle aches, sore throat, and a nonproductive cough.

Pneumonia
Pneumonia is a serious inflammation of the lungs in which the air sacs fill with pus and other liquid.

Shingles: A Second Strike by the Chickenpox Virus
The varicella-zoster virus can get you twice. Its painful, long-delayed second strike is known as shingles.

Tracheal Tumor
A tracheal tumor is an abnormal growth that forms in your trachea, or windpipe.

Older Adults and the Common Cold
Cold and flu season is hard on everyone, but for older adults who may have chronic health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, it’s especially challenging.

Vestibular Balance Disorder
Dizziness and vertigo are classic symptoms of a vestibular balance disorder. Balance disorders can strike at any age but are most common as people get older.

Health Concerns: Head to Toe

Health Education