Guides you through the decision to use hormone therapy (HT) for menopause symptoms. Explains what menopause is and what to expect. Lists risks and benefits of HT and other treatments to try. Includes interactive tool to help you decide.

Guides you through the decision to have chorionic villus sampling. Explains what CVS is and how it is done. Discusses birth defects. Looks at the risks and benefits of CVS. Includes interactive tool to help you make your decision.

Guides through decision to have your child have a tonsillectomy for tonsillitis. Includes common reasons to have a tonsillectomy. Describes how this surgery is done. Covers benefits and risks. Includes an interactive tool to help you make your decision.

Experts do not agree on whether adults who don't have symptoms of thyroid problems should have a thyroid test. The American Thyroid Association and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists recommend that testing be considered for those older than age 60. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force makes no...

Guides you through decision to take medicines for Alzheimer's disease. Covers medicine choices and their side effects. Lists reasons for and against taking medicines. Includes interactive tool to help you make your decision.

Guides people who are at high risk for lung cancer through the decision on whether to have an annual low-dose CT screening. Discusses the benefits and risks of having screening and the risk for getting lung cancer. Includes an interactive tool to help you decide.

Early detection and treatment are the key to preventing HIV infection in newborns. Experts agree that all people should be screened for HIV during pregnancy. If you do have HIV, your baby could also become infected. The virus is usually passed on during labor and childbirth. Sometimes it's passed during pregnancy...

Recombinant zoster (shingles) vaccine can prevent shingles. Shingles (also called herpes zoster, or just zoster) is a painful skin rash, usually with blisters. In addition to the rash, shingles can cause fever, headache, chills, or upset stomach. Rarely, shingles can lead to complications...

Guides you through decision to treat low-risk basal cell skin cancer with surgery or nonsurgical treatments. Explains types of surgery and types of nonsurgical treatments. Covers benefits and risks of both. Includes interactive tool to help you make your decision.

Guides you through decision to have bypass surgery. Covers other treatment options. Includes interactive tool to help you make your decision.

Guides through decision to treat abnormal uterine bleeding. Explains symptoms that doctor would look for before recommending treatment. Covers benefits and risks. Includes an interactive tool to help you make your decision.

A hearing (audiometric) test is part of an ear exam that tests how well a person is able to hear. It is done by measuring how well sound can reach the brain. The sounds we hear start as vibrations in the air around us. The vibrations make sound waves, which vibrate at a certain speed (frequency) and have a certain...

Guides you through the decision to have an angiogram. Explains why the test is done and what it can show. Discusses why you might or might not want to have the test. Lists risks and benefits. Includes interactive tool to help you decide.

Guides through decision to have screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm. Includes pros such as finding aneurysms so that they can be treated. Also explains the possible harm that could come if the test leads to risky surgery. Includes interactive tool to help you decide.

Guides you through the decision to take an anticoagulant to prevent stroke. Explains atrial fibrillation and risk of stroke. Lists benefits and risks of anticoagulants. Includes interactive tool to help you decide.

Between 12 and 24 months of age, changes in the brain help your toddler learn and understand language. Most toddlers understand many more words than they are able to speak. For example, they are often able to point to their nose or eyes or other body parts when asked, even though they may not say the words for them. The...

Testicular cancer is not common. It is often first discovered by the person or a sex partner as a lump or an enlarged and swollen testicle. In the early stages of testicular cancer, the lump, which may be about the size of a pea, usually is not painful. Testicular cancer has a high cure rate. Experts don't recommend...

The Medicare hospice benefit covers care related to a terminal illness. Medicare is a health insurance program for people 65 years of age and older. It's also for some people younger than 65 who have disabilities. And it's for people with long-term (chronic) kidney failure treated with dialysis or a transplant. It's...

Talk to your doctor about whether you or your family is at risk for lead poisoning. During a routine health exam, the risk for lead exposure can be evaluated by answering questions about family members' living and working conditions. The doctor may then decide whether blood lead levels should be measured. Adults The...

Symptoms of a stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) happen quickly. A stroke or TIA may cause: Sudden numbness, tingling, weakness, or loss of movement in your face, arm, or leg, especially on only one side of your body. Sudden vision changes. Sudden trouble speaking. Sudden confusion or trouble understanding simple...

Topic guides reader through decision to get an ICD for heart rhythm problems. Provides general overview of what ICDs are and what heart rhythm problems can be helped with ICDs. Lists benefits and possible complications of getting an ICD.

Screening recommendations for an abdominal aortic aneurysm are different for men and women. Not all doctors agree on who should be screened for abdominal aortic aneurysm. Talk to your doctor about whether the benefits of screening would outweigh the risks in your case. For men The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force...

Guides through the decision to have surgery for plantar fasciitis to relieve foot and heel pain. Covers alternative treatments, including stretching exercises and orthotics. Discusses risks. Includes interactive tool to help you make your decision.

Guides you through decision to have surgery to treat uterine fibroids. Covers what happens during surgery. Lists reasons for and against surgery. Includes interactive tool to help you make your decision.

Guides you through the decision to take insulin for type 2 diabetes. Provides info on when insulin may be needed to control blood sugar levels. Covers benefits and risks of insulin. Includes interactive tool to help you make your decision.