Temporal arteritis (TA), or giant cell arteritis (GCA), is a form of vasculitis (inflammation of your blood vessels) that affects the arteries of your scalp, neck and arms. With this condition, most commonly your temporal arteries (the blood vessels near your temples) become inflamed (swollen) and constricted (narrowed). Your temporal arteries supply blood from your heart to your scalp, jaw muscles and optic (eye) …

Takayasu’s arteritis (also called Takayasu disease, pulseless disease or TAK) is an uncommon form of vasculitis or inflammation in your blood vessels. It affects your biggest arteries, like your aorta (the main blood vessel that leaves your heart) and arteries that branch off of your aorta and bring oxygenated blood from your heart to your body tissues. Affected arteries include the ones that supply …

Arthritis is a disease that causes damage in your joints. Joints are places in your body where two bones meet. Some joints naturally wear down as you age. Lots of people develop arthritis after that normal, lifelong wear and tear. Some types of arthritis happen after injuries that damage a joint. Certain health conditions also cause arthritis. Arthritis can affect any joint, but is …

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis (a condition that affects your joints). Healthcare providers sometimes refer to it as degenerative joint disease or OA. It happens when the cartilage that lines your joints is worn down over time and your bones rub against each other when you use your affected joints. Usually, the ends of bones in your joints are …

Canker sores — or aphthous ulcers — are small, shallow ulcers that occur in the lining of your mouth. A canker sore starts as a white or yellowish mouth sore with a red border. They’re usually very small (less than 1 millimeter) but may grow to 1/2 inch to 1 inch in diameter. You can get canker sores on your tongue, gums, …

Broken heart syndrome is a short-term condition where some of your heart muscle weakens rapidly. This typically happens after a sudden physical or emotional stressor. When part of your heart isn’t working well, the other parts may work harder. Weak heart muscle can disrupt your heart’s supply of blood and its ability to pump. If your heart isn’t pumping well, that harms your whole …

Aplastic anemia is a rare but serious blood disorder. It happens when your bone marrow can’t make enough blood cells and platelets. People with aplastic anemia have an increased risk of serious infections, bleeding issues, heart issues and other complications. There are treatments to manage aplastic anemia symptoms, but a stem cell transplantation is the only cure. How common is this condition? Each year, 300 to …

Appendicitis is an inflamed appendix. It can cause acute (sudden, intense) pain in your lower abdomen. Your appendix is a small, tubular pouch, about the size of a finger, that protrudes from the lower right end of your large intestine. Poop (feces) moving through your large intestine can block or infect your appendix, leading to inflammation. Inflammation causes your appendix to swell, and when …

Aphasia is a disorder that affects how you communicate and understand language. It makes it difficult to: Talk. Listen. Read. Write. You might think about the challenges you’d face trying to communicate when traveling to another country. But what if the language you use every day suddenly becomes foreign? You might not be able to ask for a glass of …

Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is a neurological disorder that affects a person’s ability to speak and communicate. Aphasia is a language disorder that results from damage to key parts of your brain that are responsible for understanding or producing speech and/or writing. When the aphasia is from a brain disease that gets worse over time (progressive neurodegenerative disease), healthcare providers call it …