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 271–280 (page 28 of 50).

L

Lichen planus

An itchy purple rash and white lacy patches in the mouth. The mouth form is long-term and carries a small cancer risk needing monitoring.

Lichen sclerosus

A long-term skin condition, usually genital, that is under-diagnosed for years. Strong steroid ointment controls it and reduces cancer risk.

Long COVID

Also called Post-COVID syndrome, Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19

Symptoms persisting months after COVID-19. Around 2 million people in the UK, and a lot of them are not believed.

Long QT syndrome

Also called Inherited heart rhythm conditions, Brugada syndrome, Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome

Inherited electrical faults that can cause sudden death in young people. A fainting episode during exercise or a startle is the warning nobody should dismiss.

Low blood pressure

Also called Hypotension, Postural hypotension, Orthostatic hypotension

Usually harmless in a young person and a major cause of falls in an older one. The important measurement is standing up, and it is rarely taken.

Lung cancer

The biggest cancer killer in the UK. Diagnosed late far too often, and targeted screening is changing that.

Lupus

Also called SLE, Systemic lupus erythematosus

The immune system attacking the body's own tissues, almost anywhere. Called the great imitator for good reason.

Lyme disease

A bacterial infection from a tick bite. Treated early it usually resolves completely; missed, it becomes far harder.

Lymphoedema

Swelling caused by a lymphatic system that cannot drain. Lifelong, manageable, and widely neglected.

Lymphoma

Also called Hodgkin lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Blood cancer

Cancer of the lymphatic system. The fifth commonest cancer in the UK, and the symptoms mimic ordinary illness for months.