Prostatitis is inflammation of your prostate gland. Your prostate gland sits below your bladder, in front of your rectum. Your urethra (the tube that carries pee and semen out of your body) runs through the center of your prostate. If you have one of the four types of prostatitis, the tissue in and around your prostate gland becomes swollen, tender and irritated. Urinary tract infections …

Prolactinoma is a generally benign (noncancerous) tumor that forms in your pituitary gland and makes more prolactin — a hormone — than you need. About 50% of pituitary tumor (pituitary adenoma) cases are prolactinomas, making them the most common type of pituitary tumor. Prolactin is mainly responsible for the development of mammary glands within breast tissue and lactation. It contributes to several other bodily processes as well. Prolactinomas cause higher-than-normal levels of …

Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a rare and chronic neurodegenerative disorder that damages certain areas of your brain. It affects how you walk, think, swallow and move your eyes. It may also cause other symptoms. PSP is also known as Steele-Richardson-Olszewski syndrome. “Progressive” means that the symptoms get worse over time from the underlying neurodegenerative condition. “Supranuclear” and “palsy” together mean …

Proctitis is inflammation inside your rectum, which is the lower end of your large intestine just before your anus. “Procto” means “rectum,” and “itis” means “inflammation”. Your rectum can become inflamed if bacteria or chemicals irritate the inner lining, or if it’s affected by inflammatory bowel disease. It can cause uncomfortable symptoms, such as pain, rectal bleeding and poop changes. What are the different types of …

Primary immunodeficiency refers to a group of more than 400 disorders that affect your immune system. These disorders prevent your immune system from functioning properly. This can make you more susceptible to infection and certain diseases, including autoimmune diseases and cancers. Other names for primary immunodeficiency include: Primary immunodeficiency disease. Primary immunodeficiency disorder (PIDD). Inborn errors of immunity (IEI). Genetic mutations …

Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a liver disease that affects the bile ducts that run through your liver. It slowly degrades those bile ducts, making it harder for bile to flow through. Bile backs up inside your liver, which damages the tissues. Scar tissue gradually replaces healthy tissue and your liver gradually loses its functionality. This is known as cirrhosis. PBC was formerly known as primary …

Preterm or premature labor is labor that begins early — before 37 weeks of pregnancy. A normal pregnancy period (fetal development) is about 40 weeks. A pregnancy is “at term” at 37 weeks — anything before 37 weeks is called preterm. Labor is the process your body goes through to prepare for childbirth. Common signs of labor include contractions (tightening …

Prescription drug abuse is the use of a prescription medicine in a way not intended by the prescriber. Prescription drug abuse, also called prescription drug misuse, includes everything from taking a friend’s prescription painkiller for your backache to snorting or injecting ground-up pills to get high. Prescription drug abuse may become ongoing and compulsive, despite the negative consequences. An increasing …

Presbyopia is the medical term for your eye losing the ability to change its focus. This affects how well you can see close-up objects. It occurs as your eye’s natural lens grows less flexible with aging. Presbyopia generally starts to develop around age 40 and gets worse until your mid-60s. You’ll notice that reading or other close-up tasks are harder than they …

Premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, describes symptoms that show up before your period. Symptoms can be based on emotions such as irritability or depression, or you may have physical symptoms like breast pain or bloating. These symptoms usually arise one to two weeks before you start your period and return at the same time each month. What is the difference between PMS and PMDD? Premenstrual …