Explore conditions, well-being and medicine references. Choose your country for local pharmacy information.
What is high blood pressure?High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is when blood puts too much pressure against the walls of your arteries. Almost half of American adults have h…
What are cold and cough medicines?Cold and cough medicines can help relieve symptoms of a common cold. The symptoms of a cold can include a sore throat, stuffy or runny nose, sneezing, …
Many Americans use medical treatments that are not part of mainstream medicine. When you are using these types of care, it may be called complementary, integrative, or alternative medic…
Before any drug can be sold in the United States, it must be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This is true whether it's a prescription or an over-the-counter dru…
What is HIV?HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. It harms your immune system by destroying CD4 cells. These are a type of white blood cells that fight infection. The loss of the…
An herb is a plant or plant part used for its scent, flavor, or therapeutic properties. Herbal medicines are one type of dietary supplement. They are sold as tablets, capsules, powders,…
There are many new responsibilities when you have a baby. One of them is to make sure that your baby gets regular checkups, which are also called well-baby exams. These exams are import…
COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) is an illness caused by a virus. This virus is a coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2. Most people with COVID-19 have mild symptoms, but some people become …
What are vaccines?Vaccines are injections (shots), liquids, pills, or nasal sprays that you take to teach the immune system to recognize and defend against harmful germs. The germs coul…
Regular checkups with your health care provider are different from appointments for sickness or injury. These checkups include physical exams as well as preventive care. Preventative ca…
Screenings are tests that look for diseases before you have symptoms. Screening tests can find diseases early, when they're easier to treat. You can get some screenings in your doctor's…
Your newborn infant has screening tests before leaving the hospital. There may be different tests depending on the state where you live. They include: • Tests on a few drops of blood fr…