Health A to Z

Miscarriage

Also called Early pregnancy loss, Recurrent miscarriage

Common, almost never anybody's fault, and treated as a medical event when it is usually a bereavement.

Molar pregnancy

Also called Hydatidiform mole, Gestational trophoblastic disease

A pregnancy that never develops normally, and a small number become cancerous. Follow-up is a national programme, and completing it matters.

Molluscum contagiosum

Small pearly bumps caused by a virus, common in children. They clear by themselves, and squeezing or freezing them usually makes things worse.

Motion sickness

Also called Travel sickness, Seasickness, Car sickness

A mismatch between what the eyes see and what the balance organs feel. Prevention works far better than treatment once it has started.

Motor neurone disease

Also called MND, ALS, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Nerves controlling movement die, while the mind usually remains. Roughly a third of people die within a year of diagnosis.

Mouth ulcers

Also called Aphthous ulcers, Canker sores

Almost always harmless. The one that does not heal in three weeks is the reason this entry exists.

MRSA

Also called Meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Superbug

A common skin bacterium resistant to some antibiotics. Carrying it is harmless; the problem is when it gets somewhere it should not.

Mucositis

Also called Oral mucositis, Mouth sores from treatment

The lining of the mouth and gut breaking down during cancer treatment. Painful enough to stop people eating, and largely preventable with mouth care.

Multiple sclerosis

Also called MS

The immune system attacking the coating around nerves. Around 150,000 people in the UK, and treatment has changed enormously.

Mumps

A viral infection causing swollen glands. Back in the UK because of a vaccination gap, and it can cause deafness and infertility.