Diseases and Conditions

We hear about whole grains and "the good kind of fat" all the time. But exactly what does this mean? What makes a grain "whole" and fat "good"?

By Charles W. Bryant

There are dozens of medications for treating breast cancer that one should be knowledgeable about if diagnosed with this form of cancer. Learn more about medications for treating breast cancer here.

Heart-healthy usually means eating right and exercising more. But a new study suggests drinking moderate amounts of alcohol to reduce the risk of heart disease. Could happy hour be heart-healthy?

By Julia Layton

The pulsing in your temples spreads to the rest of your aching head. You can't concentrate, and you snap at your co-workers before begging for ibuprofen. Why does your head feel like someone's crushing it?

By Isaac Perry Clements

You're probably already familiar with the warning signs of a heart attack. But do you know what's going on inside your body while your hearts cells are gasping for oxygen?

By Tom Scheve

A heart attack is no time to overanalyze your symptoms. Sections of your heart could be dying. So what heart attack symptoms should have you reaching for the phone?

By Julia Layton & Colleen Cancio

There's a special time of year when otherwise healthy people morph into stressed-out shoppers who overeat, overimbibe and forget to exercise. The result? A spike in heart attacks that's anything but merry.

By Julia Layton

Car accidents kill people every day, but fast food fats might be just as lethal. So which is deadlier: your french fry habit or a crash on your trek to the drive-through?

By Julia Layton

Parkinson's disease damages the brain cells that allow muscles to move smoothly. Who gets this neurodegenerative condition, and is there a cure on the horizon?

By Stephanie Watson

We all know that we're supposed to eat our vegetables. But why? What makes vegetables healthy, and could the solution for heart disease really be as close as the next salad?

By Julia Layton

Do you want to live a long and healthy life? Take a look at what we have gathered for you for maintaining your health and getting the most out of life.

By Jan Garavaglia, M.D.

Staving off seasonal sniffles with hot tea might be more effective than you realize, especially if you drizzle some honey in your cup. At least one study has shown that honey combats allergies.

By Josh Clark

Murder victims found clutching strands of their attacker's hair aren't the stuff of Hollywood -- rigor mortis is the cause. What makes muscles tighten and joints lock after someone dies?

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

Allergies and your immune system are closely related to one another. Find out how your immune system can make you more susceptible to contracting an allergy.

By Karen Serrano, MD

Sometimes simple lifestyle changes can cure allergy symptoms. Learn what you can do to your lifestyle to treat allergies.

By Karen Serrano, MD

What can you do if cockroaches are causing an allergy to appear on your body? Learn more about how cockroaches and allergies are related and what you can do to treat both of them.

By DiscoveryHealth.com writers

What you think might be an allergy could be a more serious medical condition. Find out what you can do if an allergy seems to be more than just an allergic reaction.

By Karen Serrano, MD

Seasonal allergies can affect people at different times of the year. Learn about the different types and causes of seasonal allergies.

By Karen Serrano, MD

Asthma treatment can help reduce the effects that asthma has on the body. Learn more about an asthma regimen that could be beneficial in healing your asthma symptoms.

A nebulizer is a common type of medication used to treat asthma. Check out what we have gathered for you here about nebulizers and how they can help you if you suffer from asthma.

Peak flow readings help to quantify the effects that asthma has on the human body. Learn more about peak flow readings what they mean to an ailment like asthma.

What if you were the only person in the world with a disease, and scientists used your name to classify it? How would doctors know what was wrong?

By Robert Lamb

Can you imagine a headache that lasts for days, months or even years? Millions of migraine sufferers can. It's a condition that affects many people -- so why are migraines still greatly underdiagnosed?

By Jennifer Pocock

Heart disease is more common in people with even mild to moderate kidney disease than in those of the same age and sex without kidney disease. Why is that? And what are the risks?

By Jill Ferguson

Diuretic drugs help remove excess fluid from the bodies of heart failure patients. But long-term use of diuretics may not be the best treatment for these patients.

By Jill Ferguson