Search Results

Smoking and Heart Disease The American Heart Association (AHA) says diseases caused by smoking kill more than 440,000 people in the U.S. each year. Most new smokers are children and teens. Smokers have a higher risk for lung disease and other respiratory problems, such as

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) What is generalized anxiety disorder? If you tend to worry a lot, even when there’s no reason, you may have generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). GAD means that you are worrying constantly and can’t control it. Healthcare providers diagnose GAD

Fibromyalgia What is fibromyalgia? Fibromyalgia is a condition that causes pain in muscles and soft tissues all over the body. It is an ongoing (chronic) condition. It can affect your neck, shoulders, back, chest, hips, buttocks, arms, and legs. The pain may be worse in the

Blood Donations and Blood Banking What is blood banking? A blood bank is a place where blood is collected and stored before it is used for transfusions. Blood banking takes place in the lab. This is to make sure that donated blood and blood products are safe before they are used

Heart Murmurs in Children What are heart murmurs in children? Heart murmurs are extra or abnormal sounds made by turbulent blood flowing through the heart. Murmurs are graded on a scale of 1 to 6, based on how loud they are. One means a very faint murmur. Six means a murmur that

Heart Transplant for Children What is a heart transplant for a child? A heart transplant is surgery to replace a heart that isn't able to work the way it needs to with a healthy one. The healthy heart comes from an organ donor. Heart donors are adults or children who are

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in Children What is posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in children? Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health problem. It can affect people of all ages. A child with PTSD keeps having scary thoughts and memories of a past event

Vulvitis What is vulvitis? Vulvitis is an inflammation of the vulva, the soft folds of skin outside the vagina. It’s a symptom that can result from an array of diseases. This can include infections, injuries, allergies, or irritants. Because it can be challenging to find the

Nutrition During Pregnancy The importance of good nutrition during pregnancy About 300 extra calories are needed every day to maintain a healthy pregnancy. These calories should come from a balanced diet of protein, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Sweets and fats should be

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) in Newborns What is CMV in newborns? CMV (cytomegalovirus) is a type of herpes virus. It's very common. It affects people of all ages and in all parts of the U.S. In most cases, CMV causes mild symptoms, or no symptoms at all. But it can cause serious