Health Topics beginning with "C"

• Cancer - People tend to think of cancer as one particular disease but in fact there are more than 200 different kinds of cancer.
• Candidiasis - is an infection caused by Candida albicans.
• Cardiomyopathy Basics - An inflammatory disorder of the heart muscle. The heart muscle is weakened and cannot pump blood efficiently.
• Carpal tunnel syndrome - is the name given to a condition which results from pressure on a nerve called the median nerve which is in the wrist.
• Cat Scratch Disease - is an infection transmitted to humans from cats by a scratch or other injury.
• Cataracts - a clouding of the lens of the eye.
• Cerebral palsy - a group of muscular and nervous-system disorders that begins in infancy and causes varying degrees of disability.
• Cervical cancer - is the second most common cancer in women world-wide.
• Cervicitis - Inflammation or infection of the cervix.
• Chickenpox - is a common illness caused by the varicella zoster virus.
• Cholesterol - is a fatty substance that is found throughout the body and circulates in the bloodstream.
• Chronic fatigue syndrome - is characterized primarily by profound fatigue.
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - a term used to describe chronic airway obstruction that results from emphysema, chronic bronchitis, asthma, or any combination of these disorders.
• Cirrhosis - chronic scarring of the liver, leading to loss of normal liver function.
• Cocaine abuse - The social use of cocaine is generally termed abuse.
• Cold, Common - a contagious viral infection of the upper-respiratory passages including the nose, throat, sinuses, ears, eustachian tubes, trachea, larynx, bronchial tubes.
• Colitis - is one of a group of conditions which are inflammatory and auto-immune, affecting the tissue that lines the gastrointestinal system (the large and small intestine).
• Colitis, ulcerative - A type of inflammatory bowel disease that involves chronic inflammation of the large intestine that produces ulcers in its lining. It causes symptoms such as abdominal pain, cramps and loose discharge of pus, blood and mucus from the bowel.
• Congenital Heart Defects - is usually a structural malformation, but occasionally can be a disturbance in the rhythm or the pumping ability of the heart.
• Constipation - difficult, uncomfortable, or infrequent bowel movements that are hard and dry.
• Contraception - occurs when sperm are deposited in the vagina during intercourse.
• Cor pulmonale - congestive heart failure resulting from raised blood pressure in the lungs. This is a complication of disorders that slow or block blood flow in the lungs.
• Coronary artery bypass graft - is usually a structural malformation, but occasionally can be a disturbance in the rhythm or the pumping ability of the heart.
• Crohn's disease - is a condition which involves chronic inflammation of the bowel.
• Cushing's Syndrome - an endocrine disorder caused by excess corticosteroid hormones produced by the adrenal glands.
• Cystic fibrosis - is an inherited genetic condition which is first seen in children.
• Cystitis - The word cystitis means inflammation of the urinary bladder although it has often come to be used to describe the symptoms caused by a urinary infection.
• Cytomegalovirus - is a member of the Herpes virus family.
• Canker sores - Painful, round ulcers on the linings of the cheeks and lips, the tongue, or the base of the gums. This condition is often inherited.
• Carcinoid syndrome - A combination of symptoms caused by the release of chemicals (e.g., serotonin) from carcinoid tumors.
• Cardiac arrest - The abrupt, immediate stopping of the heart. Without immediate treatment with a defibrillator, sudden cardiac death is unavoidable.
• Celiac disease - Sensitivity to the protein gluten (found in grains such as wheat, oats, rye, and barley). It is an immune response, not an actual allergy.
• Cellulitis - Skin infection characterized by redness, swelling, and pain. It is an infection of the deeper layers of the skin.
• Cervical dysplasia - The presence of abnormal cells on the surface of the cervix. A precancerous condition that can lead to cervical cancer if untreated.
• Cervical spondylosis - Arthritis of the neck caused by abnormal wear on the cartilage and bones of the neck (cervical vertebrae).
• Chlamydia infection - A common sexually transmitted disease (STD) that can lead to urinary tract infection and pelvic infections in women. It can cause infertility in both men and women if untreated and often causes no symptoms.
• Cholecystitis - Inflammation or irritation of the gallbladder.
• Claudication - Pain or weakness in the limbs caused by restricted blood flow. It is a symptom of peripheral arterial disease.
• Cold sore - Tiny blisters on the lip or inside the mouth on the gums and palate. They are caused by the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1), which is transmitted through person-to-person contact.
• Colic in infants - Prolonged episodes of crying in infants that occur for no apparent reason, usually between the ages of 3 weeks and 3 months of age. Infants are often inconsolable.
• Conjunctivitis - Inflammation of the conjunctiva, the tissue lining the inside of the eyelid. It can be caused by an allergy or infection.
• Corn or callus - Hardening, thickening, swelling or blistering of the skin due to friction, pressure or other problems can lead to serious infections if untreated.
• Coronary artery disease - A chronic disease in which there is a "hardening" (atherosclerosis) of the coronary arteries.
• Costochondritis - Inflammation of the cartilage connecting a rib to the breastbone (sternum). It is the most common cause of chest pain that originates in the chest wall.
• Croup - A respiratory illness that causes the larynx (voice box) or trachea (windpipe) of infants and young children to become inflamed, resulting in a hoarse, barking cough and difficulty breathing.
• Cryptococcosis - A rare fungal infection caused by inhaling the fungus Cryptococcus neoformans.

Drugs listed by generic starting with C

• Ciprofloxacin - is used to treat infections.
• Clomiphene - used for the treatment of infertility in women caused by failure of the ovaries to produce egg cells.
• Clopidogrel - used to prevent strokes or heart attacks occurring in people at risk, particularly in those who have had a previous stroke or heart attack.
• Co-trimoxazole - is the drug of choice for treating pneumonia caused by Pneumocystis carinii, toxoplasmosis and nocardiasis.
• Co-amoxiclav - is used for the treatment of infections of the respiratory tract, sinus, ear, lung, skin, and bladder infections.