Delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS) is a condition that affects your ability to fall asleep and wake up on time. The delay in your sleep schedule is off by at least two hours. This condition affects your internal clock. As an example, rather than falling asleep at 10 p.m. and waking at 6:30 a.m., a person with delayed sleep phase …

Gastroparesis, which means stomach paralysis, is a condition affecting the nerves and muscles in your stomach. It interferes with the muscle activity (peristalsis) that moves food through your stomach and into your small intestine. When your stomach muscles and nerves can’t activate correctly, your stomach can’t process food or empty itself as it should. This holds up your whole digestive process. People with gastroparesis have uncomfortable symptoms …

It’s a warm summer day, and you’re feeling parched. Make sure you reach for a tall glass of water. You’re already beginning to feel the signs of dehydration. Dehydration is a condition in which you lose so much body fluid that your body can’t function normally. It occurs when you lose more fluids than you take in. Dehydration may happen …

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT, also called venous thrombosis) occurs when a thrombus (blood clot) develops in veins deep in your body because your veins are injured or the blood flowing through them is too sluggish. The blood clots may partially or completely block blood flow through your vein. Most DVTs happen in your lower leg, thigh or pelvis, but they …

Dry eye disease is a common condition that occurs when your tears aren’t able to provide adequate lubrication for your eyes. Tears can be inadequate and unstable for many reasons. For example, dry eyes may occur if you don’t produce enough tears or if you produce poor-quality tears. This tear instability leads to inflammation and damage of the eye’s surface. …

De Quervain’s tenosynovitis is painful inflammation around your thumb tendons. It’s also called de Quervain’s tendinosis or de Quervain’s tendinitis. Healthcare providers sometimes use these names interchangeably to refer to the same condition. Tendons link your muscles to your bones. They’re cords of strong, flexible tissue, similar to a rope. When you contract (squeeze) a muscle, tendons pull the bones they’re attached to …

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a type of very early breast cancer where cancer cells line your milk ducts within one or both breasts. Milk ducts are tubes that carry milk from the lobes of your breasts to your nipples so you can breastfeed (chestfeed). The cancer is “in situ,” or situated (contained) inside of your milk ducts. Healthcare providers may call …

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is an illness you get from a herpes virus (an organism that uses your cells to make more copies of itself). Many people will get infected in their lifetime, but most will have mild or no symptoms. CMV can cause serious complications in people living with a compromised immune system. People who are pregnant can pass CMV to …

Epidermoid (ep-ih-DUR-moid) cysts are harmless small bumps beneath the skin. They are most common on the face, neck and trunk. Epidermoid cysts are slow growing and often painless, so they rarely cause problems or need treatment. You might choose to have a cyst removed if it bothers you, breaks open, or is painful or infected.