Health A to Z

Most health pages tell you what a condition is. Very few tell you what it is like to sit beside somebody who has one. This library does both. Search by name, or by the name you know it under.

Important: This page is general information, not medical advice, and it is not a diagnosis. If you are worried about your health or someone else's, speak to a GP, pharmacist, or call 111. In an emergency, call 999.

500 conditions, showing 121–130 (page 13 of 50).

D

Delirium

Also called Acute confusional state

Sudden confusion caused by physical illness. A medical emergency that is constantly mistaken for dementia.

Dementia

Also called Major neurocognitive disorder

Not one disease and not part of normal ageing. Which type it is changes the treatment, the risks and what the family should expect.

Dental abscess

Also called Tooth abscess, Dental infection

Infection at the root of a tooth. Antibiotics are not the treatment; drainage and dental work are, and spreading facial swelling is an emergency.

Dental decay and gum disease

Also called Tooth decay, Periodontal disease, Gingivitis, Toothache

Almost entirely preventable, and the leading reason children in England are admitted to hospital.

Depression

Also called Clinical depression, Major depressive disorder

Not sadness. A condition that removes motivation, pleasure and energy, and then argues that it was always like this.

Detached retina

Also called Retinal detachment

Sudden floaters, flashes or a curtain across the vision. Same-day eye assessment saves sight; waiting until Monday loses it.

Developmental dysplasia of the hip

Also called DDH, Clicky hip, Hip dysplasia

A hip that has not formed properly in a baby. Caught early it is treated in a harness; caught late it needs surgery.

Developmental language disorder

Also called DLD, Specific language impairment

Language that does not develop as expected, with no other cause. Around two children in every classroom, and hardly anybody has heard of it.

Diabetes insipidus

Also called Arginine vasopressin deficiency, Water diabetes

Nothing to do with sugar diabetes. Passing enormous volumes of urine, and missing a dose of the treatment in hospital has killed people.

Diabetic ketoacidosis

Also called DKA

A life-threatening emergency in type 1 diabetes, and how many children are first diagnosed. Ketones, not glucose, are what to measure.

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