Health A-Z Medical Reference
- When Do I Need Dialysis?
If your kidneys stop working like they should, dialysis can help save your life. Learn how it works and what you can expect during your treatment.
- Kidney Transplant Surgery: What to Expect
Are you a good fit for a kidney transplant? Here’s how to tell.
- Acute Kidney Failure
Acute kidney failure happens when your kidneys suddenly stop working. Learn the symptoms, causes, and treatments for this serious medical condition.
- How Do I Know If I Have Kidney Disease?
Kidney disease is managed best when it’s caught early. These warning signs will give you a heads up.
- What Should I Know Before I Donate a Kidney?
There’s a lot involved in donating a kidney. Are you ready to start this process?
- Why Do I Need a Calcium Blood Test?
Calcium is one of the most important minerals in your body. Learn why your doctor might order a test to check your blood calcium levels.
- What Are the Symptoms of Kidney Disease?
WebMD explains the symptoms of kidney disease.
- Can You Prevent Kidney Disease?
Learn about kidney disease prevention from the experts at WebMD.
- Kidney Disease: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
Learn about the causes and symptoms of kidney disease from the experts at WebMD.
- How Should I Take Care of My Indwelling Urinary Catheter?
Proper cleaning and care of your indwelling urinary catheter helps keep it working and lowers your risk for infection. Learn how to take care of your catheter and drain bags, along with useful tips you can use every day.
- What Is a Chloride Test?
Maintaining chloride levels in your blood is critical to health. Learn more about how chloride levels in your blood are determined and what the results mean.
- What Is a Calcium Urine Test?
Do you have a chance of getting kidney stones or parathyroid disease? A calcium urine test can help your doctor diagnose the problem.
- Nuclear Bone Scan
Need a nuclear bone scan? Find out how to prepare and what to expect.
- What Are Calcium Deposits on Tendons?
Calcium deposits can form in several parts of your body, like your shoulders, wrists, or ankles. Learn what they are, their symptoms, and what treatments are available.
- What Are Facial Fractures?
Broken bones in the nose, cheeks, jaw, forehead, or around the eyes are called facial fractures. Learn more about symptoms, treatment, and when to seek medical attention.
- What Is an Aldosterone Test?
An aldosterone test measures the levels of a hormone that is important in keeping your blood pressure in check. Learn about how this blood test works.
- What Is a Blood Urea Nitrogen Test?
Your doctor may order a blood urea nitrogen test, also known as BUN test, to see how well your kidneys are working.
- What is Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome?
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is a rare but serious infection that can become life-threatening if it isn’t treated. It’s spread to people from rodents.
- Broken Nose
When you’ve been hit in the nose and it’s painful, bleeding and crooked, you may have a broken nose. Learn how to care for it at home and when to see a doctor.
- Clubfoot: Symptoms and Treatment
Babies who are born with a foot that’s twisted inward and downward have a birth defect called clubfoot. Find out what may cause it and how doctors fix it before babies learn to walk.
- Donating Blood
If you’ve decided to donate blood, you’ll want to know how to prepare and what to expect. Learn the facts about blood donation.
- Blood Types
Every person has a specific blood type. Learn what determines your blood type and why it’s important to know what it is.
- What is Hemoglobin Electrophoresis?
What is hemoglobin electrophoresis? Learn about this blood test and what it can reveal about your health.
- How Can I Prevent Urinary Tract Infections?
WebMD's guide to preventing urinary tract infections.
- Are Cranberries Good for UTI Prevention?
Do cranberries prevent urinary tract infections? WebMD looks at the research.
- What Are Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)?
WebMD's overview of urinary tract infections, including causes and risk factors.
- Hyponatremia: Low Sodium Levels in the Blood
If your blood sodium levels get too low, you might develop a condition called hyponatremia. Learn why it happens, how to spot the symptoms, and how to get the right treatment.
- How Do Doctors Diagnose and Treat UTIs?
Get information about the diagnosis and treatment of urinary tract infections from the experts at WebMD.
- Ear Barotrauma
You may not have heard of ear barotrauma, but you've probably had it. It's that stuffed-up feeling you get when flying or scuba diving. Here's why it happens and how to prevent it.
- Why You Have Tinnitus
There are many reasons you might have tinnitus. Medicines, infections, or loud noises might be some of the causes for the ringing in your ears.
- Tinnitus Treatment
Treatment for tinnitus depends on what's causing the ringing in your ears. From sound maskers to medication changes, there's a lot you can do to quiet the noise.
- Tinnitus: What’s That Noise?
Tinnitus is the name for ringing in your ears. There are many reasons why you hear the sounds and lots of ways to ease the noise or make it go away.
- What You Should Know About Your Drinking Water
Find out what you should know about your tap water.
- Do I Need an Ear Exam?
Kids often get hearing exams in school, but when do you need an ear exam as an adult? Learn when and why you might need to get your ears checked.
- Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura
A background on ITP, including demographics and number of cases.
- Tapeworms vs. Pinworms: Which Is More Dangerous?
Think you have a parasite? Here’s how to tell a pinworm from a tapeworm.
- Pinworm Infection
Pinworm infection is the most common type of intestinal worm infection in the United States. Luckily, it’s easy to treat and prevent.
- What Is Fanconi Anemia?
Fanconi anemia is a recessive gene disorder that causes anemia. Learn how it’s treated and if you can prevent it.
- Rare Types of Anemia
Anemia can make you tired, weak, and short of breath. Learn about some rare types of anemia, and how they're treated.
- Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia
Autoimmune hemolytic anemia is a rare form of anemia. Find out the symptoms and how it’s treated.
- Sideroblastic Anemia
What are the symptoms of sideroblastic anemia and how are they treated?
- Diamond-Blackfan Anemia
Diamond-Blackfan anemia is a rare type of anemia. Learn more about the symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment options of this condition.
- What Is My Medical History?
Do you know all of the details of your medical history? Learn what a personal and family medical history is, why you need to know it and how to gather the information.
- Buerger’s Disease (Thromboangiitis Obliterans)
Buerger’s disease is a rare illness that mostly affects smokers. It causes pain in the hands, feet, arms, and legs. Find out more about symptoms, tests, and treatments.
- Elephantiasis: What to Know
Mosquitoes in some tropical areas can spread the parasite that causes elephantiasis. Learn about the symptoms, treatment and how to avoid the disease.
- What Is Babesiosis?
Babesiosis is an infection of the red blood cells spread mostly by ticks. Find out about the causes, symptoms, treatment, and prevention of this potentially serious condition.
- Autopsies: When Are They Done?
Why is an autopsy needed, and when is it performed?
- What Is a Health Care Agent?
Health care agents play a key role in end-of-life planning. Find out what they are, how they can help, and how to choose one.
- Common Complications After Surgery
We all hope surgery goes smoothly, but sometimes the road to recovery has bumps. Find out what's most likely to happen afterward and how to speed up your healing.
- Medical Marijuana: Benefits and Side Effects
Learn how medical marijuana works, where it’s legal, what it’s used for, and what side effects it might cause.