Health Topics A-Z

Benefits and Financial Support

The financial help available to people with long-term conditions.

Bike and Helmet Safety

Wearing a properly fitted helmet and following the rules of the road on bikes, scooters and skateboards.

Bloating

A sensation of abdominal fullness or pressure, sometimes with visible distension.

Blood Clots

Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism: clots forming in veins and traveling to the lungs.

Blood Donation

Giving blood, platelets or plasma for transfusion.

Blood in Urine

Visible or microscopic blood in the urine, known as hematuria.

Blood Pressure

The pressure of blood against artery walls, reported as systolic over diastolic in mm Hg.

Blood Pressure Checks

Measuring blood pressure periodically in people without symptoms.

Blood Tests Explained

What the common blood tests measure and how to read the results sensibly.

Body Mass Index

A screening measure calculated from weight and height: weight in pounds divided by height in inches squared, times 703 (or kg/m²).

Bone Health in Women

Building and maintaining bone density, particularly around and after menopause.

Brain and Diet

The eating patterns linked to better brain health over time.

Breakfast

The first meal of the day, and the one where most people are shortest on protein.

Breast Awareness

Knowing what is normal for your breasts so that a change is noticeable.

Breast Cancer

Cancer of the breast tissue, the most common cancer in US women apart from skin cancer.

Breastfeeding Basics

Feeding a baby human milk directly from the breast or by bottle after pumping.

Breathing Exercises

Techniques that reduce the work of breathing or the sensation of breathlessness.

Breathlessness

Shortness of breath: an uncomfortable awareness of breathing, from many possible causes.

Bruising and Bleeding

Bruising or bleeding more easily than expected.

Bunions

A bony bump at the base of the big toe, with the toe angling inward.

Burnout

An occupational phenomenon of exhaustion, mental distance from work, and reduced effectiveness.

Burns and Scalds

Heat, chemical or electrical injury to the skin.

Buying Medicines Online

Obtaining medicines from internet pharmacies and websites.

Caffeine and Sleep

How caffeine blocks the chemical signal of sleep pressure, and how long it lasts.

Cancer and Family History

When a pattern of cancer in a family suggests an inherited risk.

Cancer Screening

Testing people without symptoms to find cancer or precancerous changes early.

Cancer Screening Recommendations

The tests recommended for people without symptoms to find cancer or precancer early.

Cancer Survivorship

Living with and beyond cancer: the physical and emotional effects that persist after treatment ends.

Cancer Treatment Side Effects

The common effects of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery and immunotherapy.

Cannabis Use

The health effects and risks of marijuana, including smoked, vaped and edible products.

Car Seats and Seat Belts

Using the right car seat, booster seat or seat belt for each person in the vehicle, every trip.

Carbohydrates and Blood Glucose

How different carbohydrate foods affect blood glucose, and how that is managed.

Carbon Monoxide During Power Outages

Poisoning from carbon monoxide (CO), an odorless, colorless gas released by generators, grills and fuel-burning heaters.

Cardiac Rehabilitation

A medically supervised program of exercise, education and support after a cardiac event or diagnosis.

Cardiovascular Risk

An estimate of your chance of a heart attack or stroke over the next ten years.

Caregiver Burnout

Physical and emotional exhaustion from sustained caregiving without enough recovery.

Caregivers and Work

Combining paid employment with unpaid caregiving.

Caring and Your Own Health

Maintaining your own health while responsible for someone else's.

Caring at a Distance

Supporting someone you do not live near.

Caring for Someone with Dementia

Supporting someone whose memory, reasoning and communication are changing.