Health Article description.Feeding a baby is an important concern for parents. Experts recommend feeding your baby only breast milk for about 6 months. They also support breastfeeding for 2 years or longer. But your baby benefits from any amount of time that you breastfeed. Try to breastfeed for as long as it works for you and your baby. If you...

Health Article description.Vital signs include heart rate, respiration (breathing rate), blood pressure, and temperature. Knowing the ranges for vital signs for your child can help you notice problems early or relieve concerns you may have about how your child is doing. 0 to 12 months old Vital signs for infants ages 0 to 12 months include the...

Health Article description.Guides through decision to use medicine to quit smoking. Lists benefits and risks. Discusses varenicline, bupropion SR, and nicotine replacement products. Includes interactive tool to help you decide.

Health Article description.Provides info on an initial diagnosis. Discusses diagnostic tests, including PSA test and digital rectal exam. Covers symptoms common to prostate cancer and other conditions. Discusses treatment with active surveillance, surgery, or radiation. Also offers prevention tips.

Health Article description.Topic guides you through the decision to get the shingles vaccine. Explains your chances of getting shingles and how well the vaccine works. Lists risks and benefits of getting the vaccine. Includes interactive tool to help you make your decision.

Health Article description.Discusses vitamin B12 deficiency anemia. Explains role of B12 in red blood cells, which carry oxygen through your body. Covers symptoms and tests used to diagnose. Includes info on treatment with diet and medicines.

Health Article description.Topic guides reader through decision to get a pacemaker for heart rate problems. Provides general overview of what pacemakers are and what heart problems can be helped with pacemakers. Lists benefits and possible complications of getting a pacemaker.

Health Article description.Guides you through the decision to use epidural corticosteroid shots to relieve back pain. Explains risks and benefits of epidural steroid shots. Compares steroid shots with other treatment for back pain.

Health Article description.Guides through decision to have surgery to treat chronic sinusitis. Discusses endoscopic and traditional surgery. Explains who is a good candidate for surgery. Lists reasons for and against surgery. Includes interactive tool to help you make your decision.

Health Article description.Guides you through decision to get an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). Gives information about ICDs and asks questions to help you learn if an ICD is right for you. Covers benefits and risks. Includes an interactive tool to help you decide.

Health Article description.Interactive tool to help you figure out whether you want treatment for urinary symptoms from benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Provides links to more detailed info on BPH and decision tools for treatment options.

Health Article description.A spinal tap (also called a lumbar puncture) is a procedure to collect and look at the fluid ( cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF) that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. During a spinal tap, a needle is carefully inserted into the spinal canal low in the back (lumbar area). Samples of CSF are collected. The samples are...

Health Article description.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...

Health Article description.Guides you through decision to take bisphosphonate medicines for osteoporosis. Lists medicine names like alendronate (Fosamax) and risedronate (Actonel). Lists risks and benefits. Includes interactive tool to help you make your decision.

Health Article description.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...

Health Article description.All children need early and regular dental care. During well-child visits the doctor will check your child's dental health. A visit to a dentist is recommended within 6 months of when your child's first tooth comes in but no later than your child's first birthday. Some parents may worry about their child's first visit...

Health Article description.An intrauterine device (IUD) is a method of birth control that is placed inside the uterus to prevent pregnancy. All IUDs have a plastic string that extends through the opening of the cervix into the vagina. The string allows a health professional to remove the device at your request or at the end of its effectiveness...

Health Article description.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.