Fecal incontinence — also called bowel incontinence — is when you can’t manage or control your bowel movements (pooping). Liquid or solid stool (poop) leaks out when you don’t want it to. Fecal incontinence may be as mild as having a little leakage when you pass gas or as severe as unintentionally passing solid stools. Several factors affect your ability …

Botulism is a serious illness caused by bacteria called Clostridium botulinum. The bacteria produce a poison (toxin) that can attack your body’s nervous system. If left untreated, botulism can be fatal. Botulism poisoning is rare. But because it can cause death, you should call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room if you or your child develop botulism symptoms. Symptoms may …

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a mental health condition marked by extreme mood fluctuations, instability in interpersonal relationships and impulsivity. People with BPD have an intense fear of abandonment and have trouble regulating their emotions, especially anger. They also tend to show impulsive and dangerous behaviors, such as reckless driving and threatening self-harm. All of these behaviors make it difficult …

Bone spurs, or osteophytes, are extra growths of bone tissue that appear like smooth lumps on the outsides of your bones. They’re common and they often don’t cause any problems. But they may cause symptoms if they irritate your soft tissues, interfere with the movement of a joint or put pressure on a nearby nerve. Bone spurs tend to occur on bones that take …

Bone metastasis is a symptom of metastatic cancer that happens when cancer from one place in your body spreads to your bones. It typically affects people with breast cancer, lung cancer and prostate cancer, but other types of cancer can also cause bone metastasis. There’s no cure for this condition, but there are treatments to ease symptoms and keep it from getting worse. Bone metastasis is increasingly …

Osteomyelitis is a bone infection. It happens when a bacterial infection or a fungal infection spreads to your bones. Osteomyelitis causes painful swelling in your bone marrow. It can affect any of your bones. Kids with osteomyelitis most commonly have it in their leg or arm bones. Adults usually develop it in their vertebrae (the bones that make up your spine) or hips. If it’s not …

“Bone cancer” is the term for several different cancers that develop in your bones. When cancer cells grow in a bone, they can harm normal bone tissue. Bone cancers can start in any bone, but they more commonly form in your thigh bone, shin bone or upper arm. Cancers that form in the bone itself are called primary bone cancers or bone sarcomas. …

A boil (or furuncle) is a pus-filled bump that develops in your skin. Carbuncles are clusters of several boils. Boils usually begin as red bumps, which quickly increase in size and fill with pus. Boils are usually caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (staph infection). These painful skin abscesses result from bacteria infecting a hair follicle. They commonly occur on the face, neck, …

Sweating and body odor are common when you exercise or you’re too warm. They’re also common when you’re feeling nervous, anxious or stressed. Unusual changes in sweating — either too much (hyperhidrosis) or too little (anhidrosis) — can be cause for concern. Changes in body odor also may signal a health problem. Otherwise, lifestyle and home treatments can usually help …

There are three types of lice that affect humans: body lice, head lice and pubic lice (crabs). Body lice are small, flat insects. They’re parasites, which means they live around your body and feed on your blood. They have a long abdomen, six legs, strong claws on the bottoms of their legs that allow them to hold onto a host …