Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), also called acid reflux, can cause symptoms like heartburn, chest pain, regurgitation, and nausea. Learn about causes, diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

Heartburn is a symptom of a disease or condition, like acid reflux (GERD). Heartburn feels like a discomfort in the chest, or like a burning pain, around the heart area. Acid reflux symptoms include heartburn symptoms, in addition to a sore throat, upset stomach, problems swallowing, and nausea.

The buildup of uric acid crystals in a joint causes gout. Symptoms and signs include joint swelling (particularly the big toe), pain, redness, and heat. Read about gout diet, food to avoid, medication, treatment, diagnosis, and remedies.

Esophageal pH monitoring is used to measure the reflux (regurgitation or backwash) of acid from the stomach into the esophagus and to diagnose gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Side effects of the procedure are few but may include mild discomfort in the back of the throat while the catheter is placed, and swallowing.

Barrett's esophagus is a complication of chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Learn more about Barrett's estophagus, including symptoms, causes, treatment, cancer risk, related dysplasia, and survival rate.

GERD (acid reflux) and GER in infants and children have common symptoms that include frequent or recurring vomiting, cough, crying with feeding, heartburn, gas, abdominal pain, colic, feeding problems, and recurrent pneumonia.

Fundoplication is a surgery used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) by strengthening the barrier to acid reflux when the sphincter does not function normally.

Reflux laryngitis is a condition caused by GERD or acid backing up into the esophagus and vocal cords. The most common symptom of reflux laryngitis is heartburn. This type of laryngitis causes inflammation of the lining of the esophagus, which causes chronic hoarseness, cough, and throat clearing, difficulty swallowing, asthma, and sinusitis. Diet, home remedies, lifestyle changes, and OTC and prescription medication treat most cases of reflux laryngitis. Rarely, surgery is necessary.

Taking vitamins and calcium supplements can help you to meet your nutritional needs. Learn about vitamin deficiencies, drug interactions, food sources, health benefits, and overdose and absorption information.

Melasma is a patchy brown discoloration of the skin on the face. When it occurs in pregnancy, it's called chloasma. Read about causes, signs, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and prognosis.

Heartburn during pregnancy is common due to high levels of hormones. Certain foods can aggravate heartburn, such as chocolate, fatty foods, peppermint, and chocolate. There are natural, home remedies like avoiding tight clothing, bending and moving correctly, and even chewing gum!

Hiatal hernia is caused by obesity, being pregnant, age, or thinning of the phrenoesophageal membrane. There are generally no symptoms of hiatal hernia, and it is incidentally discovered when a person is having tests for other conditions such as GERD.

Esophagitis symptoms include difficult and painful swallowing, heartburn, mouth sores feeling something stuck in the throat, nausea, and vomiting. Learn how to recognize esophagitis symptoms, warning signs, and treatment.

Heartburn is a burning sensation in the throat from acid reflux. Symptoms of heartburn include chest pain, burning in the throat, and difficulty swallowing. Causes of heartburn include lifestyle habits or medical causes. Treatments for heartburn include OTC and prescription medication and lifestyle changes.

Indigestion (dyspepsia, upset stomach) can be caused by problems related to, or not related to the gastrointestinal tract. Signs and symptoms are upper abdominal pain, belching, nausea, vomiting, abdominal bloating, and abdominal distention. Treatment depends upon the cause.

Folic acid, B vitamins, homocysteine, antioxidants, and exercise can lower your risk factors for a heart attack. Exercise and vitamins play a key role in heart attack prevention, too.

There are many unusual symptoms of asthma, including sighing, difficulty sleeping, anxiety, chronic cough, recurrent walking pneumonia, and rapid breathing. These symptoms may vary from individual to individual. These asthma complexities make it difficult to accurately diagnose and treat asthma.

Dysphagia (swallowing problems) causes vary from physical obstructions, diseases of other organs or tissues, reduced saliva, and Alzheimer's disease. Dysphagia symptoms can be swallowing related and non-swallowing related.

Peptic or stomach ulcers are ulcers in the lining of the stomach, duodenum, or esophagus. Learn about symptoms, causes, diet, and treatment.

Consumer information about the types of type 2 diabetes medications. Read about the side effects of Precose, Diabinese, Amaryl, Glucophage, Actos, Avandia, Starlix, Prandin, and more. Drug interactions, dosing, storage, and breastfeeding and pregnancy safety information is provided.

Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) and bacterial infection. Learn about the contagious period and incubation period for chlamydia, find out how people transmit chlamydia and read about chlamydia symptoms and signs (discharge), treatments, and diagnosis.

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) treatment includes medications (for example, UDCA, corticosteroids, immunosuppressive drugs, and drugs to treat PBC symptoms) and sometimes surgery.

Read about causes of common warts (viral), types (flat, seed, hand, mosaic, filiform, plantar), removal, home remedies, and treatment (salicylic acid). Warts are considered to be contagious.

Leptospirosis is an infectious disease that causes symptoms such as fever, headache, and chills. Get information about vaccines, treatment, and prevention.

Read about toothache pain, relief, medicine, causes, symptoms, and treatments. Learn how to get rid of toothache pain, how to manage a toothache during pregnancy, and about home remedies that can provide emergency toothache relief.

Homocysteine is an amino acid produced by the body and also is in your blood. When the levels get too high, it increases your risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. Causes can be genetic (homocystinuria) or alcoholism. Treatments are individualized to each individual.

Find out if Lyme disease is contagious, learn how it's transmitted, and learn when to seek medical care for Lyme disease.

Drug-induced liver disease comes in many types, and has many potential causes. Find out about drug-induced liver disease treatment, signs, and symptoms like itching, easy bruising, and jaundice, and learn how certain drugs can cause liver disease.

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is considered "good" cholesterol because it actually works to keep the LDL or "bad" cholesterol from building up in your arteries. Foods like extra lean meats, skim milk, and vegetable-based "butter-like" substitutes may help decrease LDL levels in the bloodstream.

Keratosis pilaris (KP) is a skin condition in which white bumps appear on the upper arms, thighs, face and cheeks. Read about KP treatment, causes, diagnosis, home remedies, and prognosis.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a bacterium that causes symptoms of bloating, belching, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and fatigue. Learn if H. pylori is contagious and why half the world population has this gut infection.

Carcinoid tumors in the lungs or gut often have no symptoms, however, they may cause carcinoid syndrome. Signs and symptoms of carcinoid syndrome may include facial flushing, diarrhea, heart disease, and "carcinoid crisis." The prognosis and survival rate of a person with carcinoid tumors or syndrome depends upon the patient's medical condition.

Learn about colposcopy, a procedure used to determine and examine the cervical and vaginal area for cervical cancer and other conditions. We discuss colposcopy biopsy, side effects, results, and treatments that may result, including hysterectomy.

Heartburn is a symptom of a disease or medical problem such as GERD or diet (alcohol, fatty or spicy foods, coffee, and other acidic juices). Heart attack is caused by a blood clot completely blocking an artery, which causes lack of blood supply to that portion of the heart. Both conditions can cause symptoms of chest pain, nausea, vomiting, or pain radiating down an arm or down the back.

Wrinkles typically appear on the forehead and around the eyes, which are areas of the body that get a lot of sun exposure. Smoking, light skin type, hairstyle, the way you dress, your occupational and recreational habits, and heredity can cause wrinkles. Treatments for wrinkles include antioxidants, moisturizers, alpha-hydroxy acids, vitamin A acid, dermabrasion, microdermabrasion, glycolic acid peels, laser resurfacing, Botox, and fillers.

Chest pain can be caused by many diseases and conditions. Learn about 12 different causes, locations, symptoms, treatments, and diagnoses. If you have pain in the chest, see your doctor or other healthcare professional.

A chemical peel is a procedure that damages the skin in a controlled manner. Discover the benefits, risks, side effects, and dangers of the various types of chemical peels.

Corns and calluses (hyperkeratosis) are painful areas of thickened skin that appear on the hands, between the toes, and on the soles of the feet. Read about causes, treatment, home remedies, symptoms, signs, and removal, and see pictures.

Sinus infections (sinusitis) are infections or inflammation of the four sinus cavities. They can be caused by bacteria, viruses, allergies, smoking, and other environmental pollutants. Most sinus infections are not contagious and do not need treatment with antibiotics unless the infection is caused by bacteria or fungi. OTC, natural, and home remedies can help relieve symptoms like sinus headache and pressure. Complications are an infection that spreads to the brain, causing meningitis or brain abscess.

Everyone gets acne at some time, the right time to treat it is when it becomes bothersome or when the potential for scarring develops. Learn the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention tips for acne.

The kissing disease is a contagious sickness caused by the Epstein-Barr virus, which is transmitted in saliva. Read about Mono (infectious mononucleosis) treatment, symptoms, signs, rash, risks, and diagnosis.

Symptoms and signs of group A streptococcal infections include sore throat, fever, swollen lymph nodes, rash, low blood pressure, and tissue destruction. Read about treatment, contagious, diagnosis, and complications.

Learn about the inherited disease cystinuria, an excess of cystine/cystine kidney stones in the urine. Learn how you get kidney stones through inheritance, passing kidney stones, what causes kidney stones, symptoms of kidney stones, kidney stone pain, and kidney stone treatment.

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is an inflammation of the esophagus. Symptoms include heartburn, difficulty swallowing food, abdominal pain, and food getting stuck in the throat. Eosinophilic esophagitis treatment usually involves medications such as proton pump inhibitors and swallowed fluticasone propionate or budesonide.

Psoriasis is an incurable, chronic autoimmune disorder of the skin that causes patches of thick, flaky, scaly skin, mostly around the scalp, knees, and elbows, though any skin surface may be involved. Some people experience only small patches while others have red, inflamed skin and thick scaly patches all over the body. The exact cause of psoriasis is not clear, but it isn’t contagious.

Learn about diabetic home care and monitoring to keep your diabetes under control. Information includes: diet, exercise, medication therapy, blood glucose strips, glucose meters, urine glucose tests, and tests for urinary ketones.

Learn about aortic valve stenosis, an abnormal narrowing of the aortic valve in the heart. Symptoms include chest pain, fatigue, fainting, and shortness of breath. In some patients, the first symptom is sudden death. Read about the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of this condition.

Endocarditis is a serious bacterial infection of one of the four heart valves. Endocarditis symptoms include fever, fatigue, weakness, chills, aching muscles and joints, night sweats, edema in the legs, feet, or abdomen, malaise, shortness of breath and small skin lesions. Treatment for endocarditis usually involves antibiotics.

Read a comparison of formula feeding and breastfeeding benefits, and learn about homemade formulas and how to choose the healthiest infant formula for your baby.

Kidney stones form when there is a decrease in urine volume and/or an excess of stone-forming substances in the urine. Read about kidney stone (mephrolithiasis) pain, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, surgery, causes, types, diet, and more.

Lower triglycerides naturally with diet, remedies (fish oil, niacin, fiber, alpha-lipoic acid), exercise, weight loss, reducing alcohol and more. Lowering triglycerides helps reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, obesity, and other conditions.

An autoimmune response to a strep infection causes PANDAS. Symptoms mimic those of OCD and ADHD and include motor and verbal tics. Get information about PANDAS treatment and prognosis.

Get the facts on the different types of vegetarian and vegan diets, the benefits and disadvantages of each diet, and see the vegan and vegetarian food pyramid guides. Learn about vitamins and supplements and recipe resources.

Common warts are growths on the top of the epidermis (skin) and caused by the HPV virus. Home remedies to cure common warts like duct tape, hipnosis, or garlic haven't proven to be effective. Over-the-counter (OTC) products to freeze the wart (cryotherapy) and salicylic acid to chemically burn the wart off. Both of these products should be used carefully as not to burn the skin, face, or around the eyes. Dermatologists treat common and plantar warts.

Learn about melioidosis (Whitmore's disease) symptoms, causes (Burkholderia pseudomallei), diagnosis, treatment, prevention, prognosis and statistics. The bacteria that causes melioidosis may be found in contaminated soil and water.

How can you stop a cough naturally? Learn about 19 tips to stop nighttime and persistent cough. Causes of excessive coughing include prescription medications, allergies, cigarette smoke, heart disease, and infections. Home remedies include natural herbs and supplements like ginger, honey, turmeric, and mint.

Learn about healthy eating during pregnancy, what foods to avoid, staying on a vegetarian diet, dealing with lactose intolerance, pregnancy food cravings, and foods to eat when you are not feeling well during pregnancy.

Learn how to get rid of impetigo, a bacterial skin infection that causes a rash that forms blisters and can ooze pus, causing a crust. Impetigo can be caused by different kinds of bacteria, including strep and staph. Usually, impetigo is easy to treat and rarely leaves scarring.

Lyme disease (borreliosis) is transmitted by the bite of a tick infected with Borrelia burgdorferi. After a bite, an expanding bulls-eye rash develops. Get the facts on chronic Lyme disease tests, symptoms, treatment, diagnosis, stages, and prevention. Plus, see pictures of the Lyme disease rash.

Achalasia makes it difficult to swallow, can cause chest pain, and may lead to regurgitation. Learn about achalasia causes, symptoms, surgery, and treatment.

Chronic rhinitis (non allergic rhinitis) causes runny nose, sneezing, nasal itching and congestion. Post-nasal drip is drainage of mucus from the sinuses into the throat. Treatment includes over-the-counter (OTC) medications.

Learn about leprosy (Hansen's disease), a disfiguring disease caused by the Mycobacterium leprae bacteria. Read about symptoms and signs (skin lesions), history, treatment, medications, and transmission of this contagious disease. Plus, see pictures.

Omega-3 fatty acids are a class of essential fatty acids. Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids include certain types of fish, walnuts, and canola oil. Researchers believe that a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids can help reduce the risk of having a heart attack.

Planning to become pregnant can involve eating healthier foods, avoiding alcohol and certain medications, getting vaccinated against certain infections to prevent birth defects, taking prenatal vitamins, and knowing how soon you can conceive after stopping birth control.

Get information on cellulitis (noncontagious spreading bacterial skin infection) treatment, causes, symptoms (pain, redness, swelling), antibiotics, and complications. See a picture of cellulitis.

Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune skin disease. There are many types of psoriasis: guttate, plaque, inverse, erythrodermic, and pustular. Red dry flakes, silvery-white skin scales, and plaques of raised skin are common symptoms and signs. Read how diet impacts psoriasis, and learn if it's contagious.

Consumer information about hereditary spherocytosis, a condition in which a person's red blood cells are spherical rather than the normal concave disk shape of red blood cells. Symptoms of hereditary spherocytosis include jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes), enlarged spleen, gallbladder problems, and anemia.

Learn how to lower high cholesterol and manage it for optimal health. Understand what HDL, LDL, and triglycerides are, what test results and ratios mean, and where normal levels range. Read about food and dietary strategies, exercise, and medication treatments to balance cholesterol levels.

SIBO, or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth is a condition in which bacteria that lives in the large colon moves into the small colon causing symptoms of gas; and abdominal pain, bloating, and distention. SIBO is associated with diseases like IBS, Crohn's, liver disease, alcohol abuse, and fatty liver.

Strep throat is a contagious bacterial infection of the throat area. Symptoms and signs include fever, sore throat, headache, nausea, and vomiting. Strep throat is treated with antibiotics. OTC medications and home remedies can be used to soothe the symptoms caused by strep throat.

Learn about home allergy treatment and managing your environment to reduce allergies. Read about remedies and products to reduce allergens, including dust covers, carpet care items, and cleaning agents to reduce allergens.

Learn how to protect your teeth by avoiding these 19 bad dental habits. Grinding teeth, chewing on ice, and playing sports without a mouth guard are just a few things to avoid to keep your smile intact.

Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease or STD. Transmission of the infection occurs through oral, vaginal, or anal sex. Chlamydia often has no symptoms, but if left untreated, it can cause serious health problems, and it can increase your risk of getting an HIV infection.

Read about causes, symptoms, treatment, and prevention of dental cavities (caries, or tooth decay) in babies, toddlers, children, and adults, including in pregnant women.

Learn hernia symptoms, types, surgery and nonsurgical treatments, and causes (can you get a hernia from coughing). Discover which surgeons repair the most common abdominal hernias: inguinal hernia, hiatal hernia, umbilical hernia.

Read about menstrual cramps and PMS (premenstrual syndrome) over-the-counter and prescription medications to relieve menstrual cramps and PMS symptoms.

Pericoronitis (overlapping gum flap), a dental disorder in which the gum tissue around the wisdom teeth becomes swollen and infected. Get the facts on pericoronitis treatment, symptoms, home remedies, prevention, and pain.

Pernicious anemia is a type of blood disorder caused when the body does not make enough red blood cells due to lack of vitamin B12. Pernicious anemia causes a variety of symptoms and signs, for example, feelings of weakness, numbness, tingling, and personality changes. Treatment of pernicious anemia is an injection of vitamin B12 for life. Untreated pernicious anemia can be permanent and cause death.

Learn the symptoms, treatment, and diet for rosacea (adult acne), a skin condition that causes facial redness, dilated blood vessels, and ocular rosacea (in advanced cases). Rosacea dietary triggers include alcohol and chocolate.

Colon cancer is preventable and curable if it is detected early. Get information about risk factors, available screening procedures and tests, and genetic testing information for colon cancer.

Osteopenia is a bone condition characterized by bone loss that is not as severe as in osteoporosis. Read about treatment, symptoms, causes, diagnosis, medications, and prevention information.

Drug photosensitivity is caused by a phototoxic or photoallergic reaction to certain medications and sunlight. Symptoms include burning, itching, stinging, redness, blisters, and swelling of the affected areas. See pictures and sun-sensitive drugs list.

Information about antacids used to treat heartburn, gastritis, esophagitis, duodenitis, ulcers, calcium deficiencies, hyperphosphatemia, low phosphate levels, and postmenopausal osteoporosis. Including side effects, types, uses, and drug interactions.

Read about heartburn causes like alcohol, caffeine, medications, drinks (juice), food (fruits), smoking, pregnancy, obesity, and medical conditions. Treatment and prevention information is included.

Learn about seizure medications, their side effects, a list of common antiseizure medications and their uses.

Get information about the side effects of different type of sinus infection (sinusitis) medications like corticosteroids, antihistamines, decongestants, cough suppressants, and antibiotics.