External compression headaches

External compression headaches Definition: External compression headaches can occur when any head wear puts continuous pressure on your forehead or scalp. Common culprits of external compression headaches include tight hats, helmets, headbands and goggles. These headaches are sometimes known by other names that are specific to the type of equipment causing your headache, such as "swim-goggle headache" or "football-helmet headache." With...

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Exercise-induced asthma

Exercise-induced asthma Definition: If you cough, wheeze or feel out of breath during or after exercise, it may be more than exertion causing your symptoms. You might have exercise-induced asthma. As with asthma triggered by other things, exercise-induced asthma symptoms occur when your airways tighten and produce extra mucus. If you have exercise-induced asthma — also called exercise-induced bronchospasm (BRONG-ko-spaz-um) — physical...

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Exercise headaches

Exercise headaches Definition  : Exercise headaches occur during or after sustained, strenuous exercise. Activities associated with exercise headaches include running, rowing, tennis, swimming and weightlifting. Doctors divide exercise headaches into two categories. Primary exercise headaches are usually harmless, aren't connected to any underlying problems and can often be prevented with medication. Secondary exercise headaches,...

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Essential tremor

Essential tremor Definition  : Essential tremor is a disorder of the nervous system that causes a rhythmic shaking. Essential tremor can affect almost any part of your body, but the trembling occurs most often in your hands — especially when you try to do simple tasks, such as drinking from a glass, tying shoelaces, writing or shaving. Essential tremor also may affect your head, voice, arms or legs. Although usually not a dangerous...

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Essential thrombocythemia

Essential thrombocythemia Definition  : Essential thrombocythemia is an uncommon disorder in which your body produces too many blood platelets (thrombocytes). It's also known as primary thrombocythemia (throm-boe-sigh-THEE-me-uh). The most common symptoms of essential thrombocythemia include headache, lightheadedness, vision changes, and tingling, numbness or burning pain in the hands and feet. Essential thrombocythemia most often...

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Esophageal varices

Esophageal varices Definition: Esophageal varices are abnormal, enlarged veins in the lower part of the esophagus — the tube that connects the throat and stomach. Esophageal varices occur most often in people with serious liver diseases. Esophageal varices develop when normal blood flow to your liver is slowed. The blood then backs up into nearby smaller blood vessels, such as those in your esophagus, causing the vessels to swell. Sometimes,...

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Esophageal spasms

Esophageal spasms Definition: Esophageal spasms are painful muscle contractions that affect your esophagus, the hollow tube between your throat and your stomach. Esophageal spasms can feel like sudden, severe chest pain that lasts from a few minutes to hours. Esophageal spasms usually occur only occasionally. But for some people, the muscle contractions are frequent and can prevent food and liquids from traveling through the esophagus....

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Esophageal cancer

Esophageal cancer Definition: Esophageal cancer is cancer that occurs in the esophagus — a long, hollow tube that runs from your throat to your stomach. Your esophagus carries food you swallow to your stomach to be digested. Esophageal cancer usually begins in the cells that line the inside of the esophagus. Esophageal cancer can occur anywhere along the esophagus, but in people in the United States, it occurs most often in the lower...

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Epilepsy

Epilepsy Definition: Epilepsy is a disorder that results from the surges in electrical signals inside the brain, causing recurring seizures. Seizure symptoms vary. Some people with epilepsy simply stare blankly for a few seconds during a seizure, while others have full-fledged convulsions. About 2 in 100 people in the United States will experience an unprovoked seizure once in life. However, a solitary seizure doesn't mean you have epilepsy....

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Epiglottitis

Epiglottitis Definition: Epiglottitis is a potentially life-threatening condition that occurs when the epiglottis — a small cartilage "lid" that covers your windpipe — swells, blocking the flow of air into your lungs. A number of factors can cause the epiglottis to swell — burns from hot liquids, direct injury to your throat and various infections. The most common cause of epiglottitis in children in the past was infection with Haemophilus...

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Epididymitis

Epididymitis Definition: Epididymitis is an inflammation of the coiled tube (epididymis) at the back of the testicle that stores and carries sperm. Pain and swelling are the most common signs and symptoms of epididymitis. Males of any age can get epididymitis, but it's most common in men between the ages of 14 and 35. Epididymitis is most often caused by a bacterial infection or by a sexually transmitted infection (STI), such as gonorrhea...

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Epidermolysis bullosa

Epidermolysis bullosa Definition  : Epidermolysis bullosa (ep-ih-dur-MOL-uh-sis buhl-LO-sah) is a group of skin conditions whose hallmark is blistering in response to minor injury, heat, or friction from rubbing, scratching or adhesive tape. Four main types of epidermolysis bullosa exist, with numerous subtypes. Most are inherited. Most types of epidermolysis bullosa initially affect infants and young children, although some people...

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Epidermoid cysts (sebaceous cysts)

Epidermoid cysts (sebaceous cysts) Definition  : Epidermoid cysts (eh-peh-DER-moyd sists) are small bumps that develop beneath the skin on your face, neck, trunk and sometimes your genital area. Slow-growing and often painless, they rarely cause problems or need treatment. Although many people refer to epidermoid cysts as sebaceous cysts, they’re different. True sebaceous cysts are less common, and they arise from the glands that...

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