The Achilles tendon connects the calf muscle to the heel bone. It lets you rise up on your toes and push off when you walk or run.
What are comm...
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An anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, injury is a tear in one of the knee ligaments that joins the upper leg bone with the lower leg bone. The ACL ke...
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Pain is defined as an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such d...
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Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, is a disease in which certain nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord slowly die. These nerve cells are called...
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At one time or another, everyone has had a minor toe, foot, or ankle injury that caused pain or swelling. Most of the time our body movements do not...
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Psoriatic arthritis is a rheumatoid-like arthritic condition characterized by pain and swelling of the joints that occurs in association with gray dis...
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Most people have back and neck pain from time to time. Some people have ongoing pain that gets in the way of their everyday activities. Either way, ou...
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Bronchitis means that the tubes that carry air to the lungs (the bronchial tubes) are inflamed and irritated. When this happens, the tubes swell and p...
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Facing cancer can be scary, and most people have lots of questions. Our cancer topics cover many types of cancer, including breast cancer, colon can...
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COPD is a lung disease that makes it hard to breathe. It is caused by damage to the lungs over many years, usually from smoking....
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Dizziness is a word that is often used to describe two different feelings. It is important to know exactly what you mean when you say "I feel d...
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Injuries from falls may be more likely among older adults and in people who have had a stroke or have multiple sclerosis or osteoporosis. ...
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Fibromyalgia is widespread pain in the muscles and soft tissues above and below the waist and on both sides of the body. Fibromyalgia is a syndrome—a ...
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Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) is stiffness, pain and limited range of movement in your shoulder that may follow an injury. The tissues a...
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Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rare nerve disorder that occurs when the body's own defenses (immune system) attack part of the peripheral nervou...
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Most injuries to the head are minor. Bumps, cuts, and scrapes on the head and face usually heal well and can be treated the same as injuries to other ...
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Headaches are one of the most common pain-related health problems in both children and adults. You may have a headache along with another minor heal...
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A hip fracture is more than a broken bone. If you are older, breaking your hip can mean a major change in your life. You will likely need surgery, and...
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Urinary incontinence is the inability to control the release of urine. It may be related to infection, problems with the nerves and muscles of the b...
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Urinary incontinence is the inability to control the release of urine. It may be related to infection, problems with the nerves and muscles of the b...
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Most people have had a minor knee problem at one time or another. Most of the time our body movements do not cause problems, but it's not surprising...
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Lymphedema is a collection of fluid that causes swelling (edema) in the arms and legs....
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A meniscus tear is a common injury that damages the rubbery cushion of the knee joint. This tissue is made of two disks, which are called the medial...
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Multiple sclerosis, often called MS, is a disease that affects the central nervous system—the brain and spinal cord. It can cause problems with muscle...
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Osteoarthritis is a condition in which the cartilage that protects and cushions the joints breaks down over time. Eventually, the bones—formerly sep...
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Osteoporosis is a progressive disease that causes bones to become thin and brittle, making them more likely to break. Both women and men are more apt ...
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Female pelvic pain is pain below a woman’s belly button. It is considered chronic, which means long-lasting, if you have had it for at least six mon...
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Plantar fasciitis occurs when the long, flat ligament on the bottom of the foot (plantar fascia) stretches irregularly and develops small tears that m...
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Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammation of the membranes or tissues lining the joints. Over time, rheumatoid arthritis may destroy the joint tiss...
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A torn rotator cuff tendon is damage to one or more of the four tendons that cover the shoulder joint. These tendons connect the rotator cuff muscles ...
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Patellofemoral pain syndrome is pain in the front of the knee. It may be caused by overuse, injury, excess weight, an improperly aligned kneecap, or c...
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Sciatica is pain caused by irritation or pressure against the nerve roots of the sciatic nerve. People with sciatica usually have a shooting pain down...
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A fractured shoulder may involve a broken collarbone (clavicle), shoulder blade (scapula), upper arm (humerus), or the shoulder cup (glenoid). This in...
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Minor shoulder problems, such as sore muscles and aches and pains, are common. Shoulder problems develop from everyday wear and tear, overuse, or an i...
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A spinal cord injury is damage to the spinal cord. The spinal cord is a soft bundle of nerves that extends from the base of the brain to the lower bac...
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Spinal stenosis is the narrowing of the spinal canal caused by excessive bone growth, thickening of tissue in the canal (such as ligaments or cartilag...
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Most people have twisted an ankle at some point in their life. If your ankle gets swollen and painful after you twist it, it may be sprained. This mea...
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An injury to the ligaments or muscles in the neck could be a sprain or strain. When neck pain is caused by muscle strain, you may have aches and stiff...
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Sprains are injuries to the tough ropelike fibers (ligaments) that connect bone to bone. If you have a severe sprain, your symptoms may not be much di...
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Sprains are injuries to the tough ropelike fibers (ligaments) that connect bone to bone. If you have a severe sprain, your symptoms may not be much di...
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A stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain is blocked or bursts. Without blood and the oxygen it carries, part of the brain starts to die. The...
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Synovitis is the inflammation of a synovial (joint-lining) membrane. It is usually painful, particularly on motion, and is characterized by swelling, ...
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Tendinopathy describes two conditions that are likely to occur together: tendon inflammation, known as tendinitis, and tiny tears in the connective ti...
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Tennis elbow is a condition in which tendon damage causes pain or soreness around the outside part of the elbow known as the lateral epicondyle. Sym...
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Some people call a transient ischemic attack (TIA) a mini-stroke, because the symptoms are like those of a stroke but do not last long. A TIA happens ...
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A concussion is a brain injury that is caused by a sudden blow to the head or to the body. The blow shakes the brain inside the skull, which tempora...
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Emphysema is a long-term (chronic), irreversible lung disease that occurs when the tiny air sacs in the lungs are damaged, usually as a result of lo...
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