Health Topics beginning with "H"
- Hay Fever - The name is confusing since hay does not cause an allergic reaction and there is no fever. Attacks flare up in pollen season and disappear when it is over.
- Headache, cluster - A very severe headache that typically causes pain on one side of the head, behind the head, or around one eye.
- Headache, migraine - is a severe and disabling headache that results from dilation of arteries in the head.
- Headache, tension - is the most common type of primary headache.
- Hepatic Coma - is loss of consciousness due to liver failure.
- Hepatitis, alcoholic - is an inflammation of the liver occurring after years of moderate to severe alcohol abuse.
- Hepatitis, type C - is an inflammation of the liver caused by a viral infection.
- Hepatitis, viral - inflammation of the liver caused by a virus.
- Herpes simplex infection - a virus infection of the genitals transmitted by sexual relations (intercourse or oral sex).
- Histoplasmosis - a fungus infection confined mostly to people who live in eastern and midwestern parts of the U.S.
- HIV/AIDS - A major failure of the body's immune system.
- Hives - An allergic disorder characterized by a skin rash with raised areas, redness and itching.
- Hodgkin's disease - malignant cancer of the lymph glands. This is a form of lymphoma.
- Huntington's Chorea - is a disease characterized by jerky, involuntary movements and mental deterioration, both intellectual and emotional.
- Hyperemesis gravidarum - severe nausea and vomiting in a pregnant woman, causing dehydration and drastic changes in body chemistry.
- Hyperkalemia - is a serious condition in which excess amount of potassium are in the bloodstream.
- Hyperlipidemia - above-normal levels of fat in the blood.
- Hyperparathyroidism - Excess parathyroid hormone circulating in the blood.
- Hypertension - is sometimes called "the silent killer" because it often has no symptoms until the late stages.
- Hypertensive heart disease - refers to heart conditions that develop as a result of hypertension.
- Hypotension - literally means diminished tension or a condition of low blood pressure.
- Hand, foot and mouth disease - Contagious infection caused by the coxsackievirus marked by small blistering oral lesions that progress to the hands, feet and other areas. Usually found in children, lesions due to this disease heal in about a week.
- Hearing impairment or loss - The gradual or sudden loss of the sense of sound. May be partial (hearing impairment) or complete (deafness).
- Heart block - The delayed or complete lack of electrical communication between the heart's upper chambers and lower chambers.
- Heart valve disease - Any fault or abnormality of one or more of the heart's valves: the pulmonic, mitral, aortic or tricuspid.
- Heartbeat - The contractions that occur as a result of the electrical impulses through the heart's chambers produce the sound and action commonly known as heartbeat.
- Heartburn - A burning sensation in the upper abdomen or chest area that is caused by acid reflux of stomach contents.
- Heatstroke or heat exhaustion - A heat-related illness that develops after days of repeated exposure to high temperatures coupled with not drinking enough fluids to replace what the body has lost through sweat.
- Heel spur - A painful condition in the sole portion of the foot (plantar) caused by excessive wear, inflammation or tearing of the fibrous connective tissue (fascia).
- Hemophilia - A genetic disorder of the blood that causes excessive bleeding due to an inability of the blood to properly clot.
- Hemorrhoids - Stretched, swollen veins in and around the anus and lower rectum that may cause itching, pain and sometimes bleeding.
- Hepatoma - Cancer of the liver, an organ in the abdomen that aids in digestion and regulates levels of vital substances in blood.
- Hernia - The protrusion of an organ through the wall of the cavity that normally contains it.
- Herpangina - A painful mouth infection caused by coxsackieviruses.
- Hiatal hernia - The protrusion of the stomach into the chest through a tear or weakness in the diaphragm.
- Hiccup - An involuntary spasm of the diaphragm resulting in a sudden intake of air, generally occurring repeatedly for a period of time.
- Hidradenitis suppurativa - Chronic disease marked by clogging of the apocrine glands, sweat glands found on certain parts of the body.
- Hirsutism - Excess hair on a woman in areas where hair growth usually does not appear in females.
- Hyperhidrosis - Excessive sweating that is either limited to a few problem areas (such as the armpits or palms) or that affects a person's entire body.
- Hyperthyroidism - A condition in which the thyroid gland produces too much of the hormone thyroxine.
- Hyperventilation - Abnormally rapid respiration, faster than the body requires, that causes loss of carbon dioxide from the blood and symptoms of dizziness, tingling in the extremities and sometimes fainting.
- Hypochondriasis - A fear of imagined symptom, illnesses or disorders typically resulting in the patient's belief that he or she is suffering from the given condition.
- Hypoglycemia - Abnormally low blood sugar. Mild cases may cause dizziness or weakness.
- Hypoparathyroidism - An uncommon condition in which the parathyroid glands produce insufficient parathyroid hormone.
- Hypothyroidism - A disorder in which the thyroid gland is not producing enough thyroid hormones to meet the body's needs.