Health Topics

HbA1c (glycated haemoglobin) is a blood test that reflects your average blood sugar over the previous 2-3 months. Unlike a random or fasting sugar — which shows just that moment — HbA1c shows overall control.

Abdominal pain is one of the most common reasons people see a Health Expert. The cause can range from a passing indigestion to a surgical emergency.

An induced abortion is a medical procedure to end a pregnancy. In India, abortion is legal under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act.

An abscess is a painful, swollen collection of pus within a tissue — most commonly the skin, but abscesses can form anywhere in the body. They usually result from a bacterial infection that the body has walled off.

Acanthosis nigricans is a skin condition that causes patches of darker, thicker, and often velvety-feeling skin, usually in body folds — the neck, armpits, groin, elbows, and knees. It's not contagious and not harmful on its own, but it's often a visible sign of something worth checking: most commonly insulin resistance, prediabetes, or type 2 diabetes.

Acne is inflammation of the skin's oil glands and hair follicles. It is almost universal in Indian adolescents and common in adults.

Acromegaly is a rare hormonal condition in which the body produces too much growth hormone, usually because of a benign tumour of the pituitary gland. When it starts in adults, bones, cartilage, and soft tissues grow gradually — typically the hands, feet, and face.

Adenoids are lymphoid tissue at the back of the nose, above the roof of the mouth. Like the tonsils, they are part of the immune system in early childhood and usually shrink from about age 5-7.

After surgery, the first few days to weeks decide much of how well you recover. Good pain control, early movement, careful wound care, and knowing the red flags prevent most avoidable complications — wound infection, blood clots (DVT/PE), chest infections, constipation, and medication errors.

Air pollution is a mixture of solid particles and gases in the air. Vehicle emissions, factory chemicals, construction dust, crop-burning smoke, pollen, and mould spores can all be suspended as particles.

Many people drink alcohol at least occasionally. Current evidence from the WHO shows that no level of alcohol consumption is completely safe for health — if you drink, drinking less is better than drinking more, and some people should not drink at all.

What is alcohol use disorder (AUD)? For most adults, light drinking is probably not harmful — but evidence from the WHO shows that no level of alcohol is fully safe.

Allergic rhinitis (also called hay fever when seasonal) is inflammation of the inside of the nose caused by an allergic reaction to airborne allergens. It's extremely common in India — dust mites, air pollution, pollen, and mould spores are all frequent triggers.

What is an allergy? An allergy is the body's reaction to a substance (allergen) that is usually harmless — mistaking it for a threat.

Allergy is the immune system overreacting to something usually harmless — pollen, dust mites, mould, cockroaches, pet dander, certain foods, insect stings, drugs, latex. It causes rhinitis, asthma, eczema, hives, and (rarely) anaphylaxis.

What is Alzheimer's disease? Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia among older people.

Amblyopia ("lazy eye") is reduced vision in one (or rarely both) eyes because the brain ignored its input during childhood. It is usually treatable if caught before about age 7–8; after that window, the vision loss is largely permanent.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also called Motor Neuron Disease (MND), is a progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting the nerve cells that control voluntary muscles. It causes gradual weakness, muscle wasting, and eventually difficulty with speech, swallowing and breathing.

What are anabolic steroids? Anabolic steroids are synthetic versions of testosterone, the main sex hormone in men.

"Anal disorders" covers a group of conditions affecting the anus (the last part of the digestive tract) and the area around it. They are common, treatable, and often curable — but embarrassment keeps many people from seeking help for months or years.

An anal fissure is a small tear or crack in the lining of the anus. It's a common cause of pain and bleeding during and after passing stools.

An anal fistula is a small, abnormal tunnel that connects the anal canal or rectum to the skin around the anus. Most develop after an anal abscess — a pocket of pus — that drained incompletely and left a persistent tract.

"Anatomy" is the study of body structure — how organs are arranged and how parts fit together. Videos on this topic explain the parts of the digestive system in everyday language, so you know what a Health Expert is talking about when they mention the oesophagus, stomach, liver, pancreas or colon.

Anaemia means your blood has fewer red blood cells — or less haemoglobin in them — than normal. Haemoglobin carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body, so anaemia reduces oxygen delivery to your tissues.