A seizure is a sudden burst of electrical activity in the brain. It can cause changes in behavior, movements, feelings and levels of consciousness. Epilepsy is defined as having two or more seizures at least 24 hours apart that don’t have a known cause. But epilepsy doesn’t cause all seizures. There are many types of seizures. They have a range …

Sebaceous (pronounced “suh-BAY-shus”) carcinoma is a rare skin cancer that develops in your skin’s oil-producing glands. “Sebaceous” means oil-producing. The cancer most commonly affects your eyelids, but can develop almost anywhere on your body. That’s because you have sebaceous glands underneath most of your skin, especially where there’s hair. These glands secrete an oily substance called sebum that protects your body from …

Multiple endocrine neoplasia, type 2, also called MEN 2, is a rare condition. It causes tumors in the thyroid and parathyroid glands, adrenal glands, lips, mouth, eyes and digestive tract. Genetic testing can find the changed gene that causes MEN 2. Health care providers can treat the health issues that gene may cause. MEN 2 is an inherited disorder. This means people …

Infertility can concern both male and female individuals. Specifically, male infertility is a condition that affects people assigned male at birth (AMAB), and that interferes with the ability of their reproductive system to impregnate a person assigned female at birth (AFAB). What happens if a man is infertile? If you have male infertility, it means you have repeated unprotected sexual intercourse for over a …

Infertility is a condition of your reproductive system that causes people to be unable to get pregnant (conceive). Infertility can affect anyone and has many causes. Getting pregnant involves several steps: Your brain must produce reproductive hormones that control ovarian function. An egg must mature in your ovary. Your ovary must release an egg (ovulation). Your fallopian tube must pick up …

A hot flash is the sudden feeling of warmth in the upper body, which is usually most intense over the face, neck and chest. Your skin might redden, as if you’re blushing. A hot flash can also cause sweating. If you lose too much body heat, you might feel chilled afterward. Night sweats are hot flashes that happen at night, …

Hodgkin lymphoma is a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is part of the body’s germ-fighting and disease-fighting immune system. Hodgkin lymphoma begins when healthy cells in the lymphatic system change and grow out of control. The lymphatic system includes lymph nodes. They are found throughout the body. Most lymph nodes are in the abdomen, …

Dystonia is a nervous system disorder that causes uncontrollable muscle contractions, meaning a person’s muscles tense up without trying to make the muscles do so. Though it affects muscles, it’s actually an issue with your brain or another part of your nervous system. The name “dystonia” is a combination of the Latin prefix “dys-,” and the Greek word “-tonos,” which …

Drug allergies are an allergic reaction to medications. It’s when your body’s immune system overreacts to medications. Your body develops a sensitivity to one of the substances in the medication and “remembers” it as a harmful foreign invader, like bacteria or viruses. The next time you ingest that drug, your immune system releases antibodies to remove it from your body. A drug allergy can be deadly. If …

“Dermatitis” is a word used to describe a number of skin irritations and rashes caused by genetics, an overactive immune system, infections, allergies, irritating substances and more. Common symptoms include dry skin, redness and itchiness. In the word “dermatitis,” “derm” means “skin” and “itis” means “inflammation.” The word as a whole means “inflammation of the skin.” The rashes range from …