Anaphylaxis is a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction. Common causes of anaphylaxis are allergies to penicillin, bee stings, aspirin, eggs, peanuts, and nuts. In this video, you'll find out other possible causes, what preventive steps you can take to avoid anaphylaxis, and why emergency treatment is needed.

Atherosclerosis refers to the hardening and narrowing of arteries caused by a slow buildup of plaque on the artery walls. Narrowed arteries restrict blood flow, and small clots can form and partially or completely block an artery. In this video, you'll find out how atherosclerosis develops and what you can do to prevent it.

To protect your back when lifting an object, keep your spine in proper alignment. One way to remember this is to keep your ears over your shoulders and your shoulders over your hips. This video discusses other ways you can avoid back injuries.

Monitoring your blood sugar level can help you control your diabetes and your risk for developing complications such as eye or kidney disease. View this video, and learn how and why checking your blood sugar regularly plays an important role in diabetes management.

The goal of breast cancer screening is to detect cancer at the earliest possible stage, when it is most treatable. This video takes a look at the three components of breast screening—a breast self-exam, a clinical exam by your doctor, and a mammogram.

Your body needs cholesterol to make hormones and to keep your cells healthy. Cholesterol comes from two sources: your liver and your diet. However, if your diet exceeds the body’s need for cholesterol or saturated fats, your cholesterol level in your blood will increase. This video discusses treatments and lifestyle changes that may be prescribed by your doctor.

Normal blood pressure is essential for a healthy pregnancy. If you have high blood pressure before you become pregnant, you are at higher risk for developing certain problems during pregnancy. This video explains how chronic high blood pressure can affect you and your growing baby and why special monitoring is important.

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in men and women in the US. A low-fiber, high-fat diet appears to increase the risk for this type of cancer. In this video, you'll learn how colon cancer can be detected early and therefore, treated more successfully.

Colonoscopy is a procedure that lets your doctor see directly inside your entire colon using a flexible tube. It can detect intestinal problems such as bleeding or early signs of colorectal cancer. In this video, you'll learn what you might experience during a colonoscopy and what to expect given your particular results.

If you have pain around the eyes, headaches, and blurred vision after using a computer for several hours, you may have computer vision syndrome. You can ease symptoms with special computer glasses. Watch this video for additional details about this condition and tips on computer use.

Everyone feels sad or "down" at one time or another, but this mood passes within a few days. If you have clinical depression, those feelings linger, interfering with daily life. This video discusses how a doctor or mental health professional screens patients for depression.

People with diabetes may develop eye problems such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. In this video, you'll find out more about these problems and what you can do to prevent them. The best approach is good control of your blood sugar levels. You should also have a yearly eye exam.

During your pregnancy, everything you eat, drink, and smoke can affect you and your baby. These substances—whether healthy or harmful—reach your baby by crossing your placenta. In this video, you'll learn how harmful substances can affect the health of your developing child and why it's important to avoid them.

There are benefits to getting regular exercise during pregnancy for most women. Work with your health care provider to develop a safe exercise program you can do throughout your pregnancy. This video discusses the benefits of exercise, as well as recommendations on how to exercise.

Sigmoidoscopy allows a doctor to examine the lower portion of your colon using a thin tube. It may be used to help diagnose certain intestinal problems that can cause symptoms such as constipation or diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Abnormal growths may also be detected. This video describes a sigmoidoscopy and how it may inform you about your colorectal health.

Women of childbearing age should make sure that they get enough folic acid every day. Folic acid, one of the B vitamins, helps prevent neural tube birth defects. Watch this video to learn more about this important vitamin and its role in health.

Maintaining normal blood sugar levels helps to prevent diabetic foot problems: nerve damage, poor circulation, and infection. This video demonstrates how to do daily foot care that can impact the development of these complications.

Hypertension is the medical term for high blood pressure. Blood pressure is the force at which blood flows through the large blood vessels from the heart. When blood pressure is high over a period of time, it can lead to health problems, including stroke. This video offers details about blood pressure, its importance to health, and what you can do to keep yours normal.

If you have an infection while pregnant, you can pass it on to your baby. Critical times are in the early part of pregnancy, when your baby’s organs are developing; during labor and delivery, and after childbirth. This video describes the steps you can take to prevent, find, and treat most infections.

Each winter, millions of people suffer from influenza—the flu. The flu virus infects the nose, throat, and lungs, and spreads from person to person through coughs and sneezes. The video explains why a flu shot is important to help prevent this illness, which can be life-threatening in older adults.

The delicate filtering network in your kidneys can be damaged over time by uncontrolled blood sugar, making it more difficult for your body to remove waste materials. This video explains why it's important to have your urine tested for protein if you have diabetes. It also offers other recommendations to help prevent kidney damage.

Lead can have harmful effects on health because it blocks one of the crucial steps in blood formation. This can cause severe anemia, especially in children. This video explains what a lead screening test is and when it is warranted.

A mammogram is an X-ray of the breasts used either to screen for or diagnose breast cancer. A screening mammogram is done for women who have no symptoms but are at risk for breast cancer. This video tells you what to expect when you have a mammogram.

What should you eat if you have diabetes? The same healthy foods that people without diabetes should eat. The secret to a healthy diet is eating a wide variety of foods, especially fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. This video offers advice on what foods to choose.

An MDI is the most commonly used inhaler in treating lung diseases such as asthma and COPD. Unfortunately, many people who need an inhaler do not use it correctly, so they don't receive the full benefit of the medication. Watch this video to learn the best way to use your inhaler.

People can become obese by taking in more calories than they burn. Obesity also appears to be influenced by genetics. This video discusses the health risks associated with obesity and what treatment and lifestyle changes are commonly recommended.

Pneumococcal disease is a serious infection that affects the lungs, as well as other parts of the body. You can protect yourself against this illness by getting a vaccination. This video talks about who should get this shot and why this illness can be life-threatening.

Thanks to medical advances, it is now safer and easier for women in their late 30s and 40s to have healthy pregnancies and healthy babies. Still, there are factors that older moms-to-be should keep in mind. This video offers details on possible risks of pregnancy at this age and how you can minimize them.

Normal blood pressure is important to good health. Some women develop high blood pressure during their pregnancy. Why this occurs isn't known, but certain factors put you at higher risk. This video explains the risk factors and symptoms, and how this condition is managed.

Pre-pregnancy counseling and a physical exam will help to identify any tests you should have done before you get pregnant. Once pregnant, you should have certain routine tests, as well as other tests that reflect your specific needs. This video offers details on the range of prenatal testing offered.

Wheelchair cushions are designed to prevent pressure sores, as well as to maintain pelvic and spinal alignment, and a stable posture. These cushions redistribute the pressure away from at-risk areas. This video explains how to choose a cushion that meets your specific needs.

If you use a wheelchair, it's important to take steps to prevent pressure sores. When you sit, blood flow is restricted because skin tissue is pressed between bone and a firm surface, and a pressure sore may develop. This video discusses preventive measures and symptoms to watch for.

A pressure ulcer is a sore that results from the death of the skin and its underlying tissue in areas of the body that receive pressure. This occurs when a patient sits or lies still for long periods. This video describes how pressure ulcers develop, what treatment is available, and how they can be prevented.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the United States. One in five men will have a diagnosis of prostate cancer in his lifetime. In this video, you'll find out about diagnostic tests available, as well as recommended treatments.

A relapse happens when you return to smoking after a period of quitting—usually after the first three months. Most people experience several relapses before quitting for good. This video discusses situations that can trigger a relapse and offers a range of coping skills and behavior changes to get you back on track.

Cigarette smoking is the single leading cause of preventable death and disease in the United States. But because of the physical and psychological addiction to nicotine, smokers find it quite difficult to quit. This video offers important reasons to stop smoking and a framework of change to help you achieve your goal.

Testicular cancer is cancer that begins in the testicles. Most testicular cancer patients are men 20 to 40 years old. This video offers details on who is at risk for this type of cancer and how this cancer is diagnosed.