A closer look at the structure of the breast.
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Breast development happens in certain stages during a woman's life: first before birth, and again at puberty and later during the childbearing years. Changes also happen to the breasts during menstruation and when a woman reaches menopause.
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A breast biopsy is a small piece of breast tissue that is removed and checked in a lab. This is done to see if cancer or other abnormal cells are present.
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A breast scan is an imaging test to look at your breasts. It is used when a mammogram has not given your health care provider enough information.
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The 2 most common types of benign breast lumps are cysts and fibroadenomas. A cyst is a fluid-filled sac that develops in the breast tissue. Fibroadenomas are solid, smooth, firm, benign lumps that are most commonly found in women in their late teens and early 20s.
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Nipple conditions are a common noncancer (benign) breast condition affecting many people assigned female at birth. Some problems are related to lactation, and others are not.
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A look at specific things that may increase your chance of having breast cancer.
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Breast cancer is 1 of the most common types of cancer in women in the U.S. Once breast cancer occurs, cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body, making it life-threatening. The good news is that breast cancer is often found early, before it has spread.
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People with this syndrome have dark moles around the mouth, nose, and eyes, as well as multiple polyps in the intestines.
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The good news is that breast cancer can be treated successfully. Treatments include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, or any combination of these. Here's a closer look at each.
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Surgery to remove as much of the cancer as possible is the main treatment for breast cancer. Today, women have many surgical options and choices.
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Uterine fibroids are tumors in a uterus. They are usually not cancer.
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Pelvic inflammatory disease or PID is an infection of a woman’s reproductive tract. Scar tissue grows between internal organs leading to ongoing pelvic pain. It can also lead to ectopic pregnancy.
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Cervical cancer develops from abnormal cells on the surface of the cervix that spread deeper or spread to other tissues or organs.
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Cancer of the endometrium is a disease in which cancer cells are found in the lining of the uterus. It is highly curable when found early.
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Hysterectomy is surgery to remove the uterus. Your healthcare provider may also remove one or both ovaries, and the fallopian tubes. In some cases, they may remove other parts of the reproductive system.
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A cervical biopsy is a procedure to remove tissue from the cervix to test for abnormal or precancerous conditions, or cervical cancer.
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Detailed information and illustrations about the 2 coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart muscle.
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A person with coronary heart disease has an accumulation of fatty deposits in the coronary arteries. These deposits narrow the arteries and can decrease or block the flow of blood to the heart.
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Tests that may be used to help diagnose a stroke include a CT scan or MRI, and an electroencephalogram.
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A helpful guide to understanding stroke rehab programs.
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An electrocardiogram (ECG) is one of the simplest and fastest tests used to evaluate the heart. Electrodes (small, plastic patches that stick to the skin) are placed at certain locations on the chest, arms, and legs. When the electrodes are connected to an ECG machine by lead wires, the electrical activity of the heart is measured, interpreted, and printed out.
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An electrocardiogram (ECG) is one of the simplest and fastest tests used to evaluate the heart. For this test, electrodes (small, plastic patches that stick to the skin) are placed at certain spots on the chest, arms, and legs. When the electrodes are connected to an ECG machine by wires, the electrical activity of the heart is measured, interpreted, and printed out.
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Obesity is a serious, chronic disease that can inflict substantial harm to a person’s health. Learn about obesity causes and obesity health effects.
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Your BMI gives a fairly accurate assessment of how much of your body is composed of fat.
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Metabolic syndrome is a condition that includes the presence of a cluster of risk factors specific for cardiovascular disease. Metabolic syndrome greatly raises the risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, stroke, or all three.
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When your body can't make enough insulin or can't use insulin, it is called type 2 diabetes. Insulin helps the cells in the body absorb glucose, or sugar, for energy. Without insulin, glucose builds up in the blood resulting in high blood sugar.
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Medical treatment can help with weight loss if your own efforts are unsuccessful—or if you have a medical condition that makes it crucial to lose weight.
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Keeping extra weight off needs effort and commitment, just as losing weight does.
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Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is a type of weight-loss surgery. Weight-loss surgery is also called bariatric surgery. It's often done as a laparoscopic surgery, with small incisions in the abdomen.
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Osteoporosis is a disease that causes weak, thinning bones. This leaves the bones at greater risk of breaking. The bones most often affected are the hips, spine, and wrists.
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A bone density test measures the strength and density of your bones as you approach menopause and, when the test is repeated sometime later, can help determine how quickly you are losing bone mass and density.
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A bone scan is an imaging test used to look at the skeleton. It is done to find areas of physical and chemical changes in bone. A bone scan may also be used to see if treatment of certain conditions is working.
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A bone density test is used to measure the bone mineral content and density. It may be done using X-rays, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA or DXA), or a special CT scan that uses computer software to determine bone density of the hip or spine.
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Breast augmentation surgery increases the size or the fullness of the breasts using sacs filled with fluid or gel. These sacs are called breast implants. Learn what to expect before, during, and after this surgery.
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Breast reconstruction surgery involves creating a breast mound that comes as close as possible to the form and appearance of the natural breast.
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Yeast is a fungus normally found inside your body and on your skin. When too much yeast grows, it can cause an infection. Antifungal creams or medicines taken by mouth are used to treat it.
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Hypothyroidism is the most common type of thyroid disorder. It means your thyroid gland is not active enough. This tiny gland is found in your neck. Its job is to make thyroid hormone. If the gland is underactive, it may not make enough thyroid hormone.
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Nearly everyone has suffered from a headache. This article discusses several types of headache, how they are diagnosed and treated.
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A look at what we know about how migraine pain starts.
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When the wall between the bladder and the vagina gets weak, the bladder may drop or sag into the vagina. This disorder in women is called cystocele.
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Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are infections in any part of the urinary tract. They are a common health problem that affects millions of people each year. Women are especially prone to UTIs.
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Physical activity is an important action that people can engage in to improve their health. Experts advise getting at least 150 minutes to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity, aerobic physical activity every week for major health benefits.
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Patellofemoral pain syndrome means that you have dull pain around the front of the knee (patella). This is where the knee connects with the lower end of the thighbone (femur).
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