Diseases & Conditions Archive

White spots on fingernails are common and have many possible causes. These include minor trauma to the fingers, wearing nail polish for prolonged periods, fungal infections, low iron levels, kidney disease, or liver cirrhosis.

Approximately 88 million Americans—more than one in three—have prediabetes, a condition in which the average amount of sugar in the blood (glucose) is high but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. Among people who develop prediabetes, older ones are less likely than younger ones to eventually develop full-blown diabetes. Still, they should have their glucose levels checked, as prediabetes can put them at high risk for heart attack and stroke.

Type 2 diabetes is a major cause of vision loss and blindness, kidney failure requiring dialysis, heart attacks, strokes, amputations, infections, and even early death. Research suggests that a healthy lifestyle can prevent diabetes from occurring in the first place, and even reverse its progress.

Sleep paralysis  interferes with restful sleep and impacts emotional health for many people. While there is still much to learn about the condition, understanding the  causes of sleep paralysis  can help with treatment and prevention.

Merkel cell cancer is a rare form of skin cancer that often spreads aggressively to other areas of the body. Here's what to know about it, including who is more likely to get it and how you can take steps to help prevent it.