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 221–230 (page 23 of 50).

H

Hiatus hernia

Part of the stomach sliding up into the chest. Very common, usually causes reflux, and occasionally becomes an emergency.

Hidradenitis suppurativa

Also called HS, Acne inversa

Painful recurring lumps in the armpits, groin and under the breasts. Average time to diagnosis is around seven years, usually spent being treated for boils.

High blood pressure

Also called Hypertension

No symptoms, enormous consequences. Around one in four UK adults, and about half of them are not treated to target.

Hip fracture

Also called Broken hip, Fractured neck of femur

Around 70,000 a year in the UK. Roughly a third of people die within a year, and the first 36 hours shape the rest.

Hirschsprung's disease

A section of bowel born without nerve cells. A newborn who has not passed meconium in 48 hours needs assessing.

HIV

Also called Human immunodeficiency virus

A manageable long-term condition with a normal life expectancy. On effective treatment, it cannot be passed on.

Hives

Also called Urticaria, Nettle rash, Angioedema

Raised itchy weals that come and go within hours. Usually harmless, and occasionally the first sign of anaphylaxis.

Hoarding disorder

Persistent difficulty parting with possessions, to the point where living space stops working. A mental health condition, not a cleaning problem.

Huntington's disease

An inherited condition affecting movement, thinking and mood. Every child of an affected parent has a one in two chance.

Hydrocephalus

Also called Water on the brain, Normal pressure hydrocephalus, NPH

Fluid building up in the brain. In older people, one of the few treatable causes of a dementia-like picture.