DEFINITION Craniosynostosis (kray-nee-o-sin-os-TOE-sis) is a birth defect in which one or more of the joints between the bones of your baby’s skull close prematurely, before your baby’s brain is fully formed. When your baby has craniosynostosis, his or her brain…
DEFINITION Cystitis (sis-TIE-tis) is the medical term for inflammation of the bladder. Most of the time, the inflammation is caused by a bacterial infection, and it’s called a urinary tract infection (UTI). A bladder infection can be painful and annoying,…
DEFINITION Creutzfeldt-Jakob (KROITS-felt YAH-kobe) disease is a degenerative brain disorder that leads to dementia and, ultimately, death. Symptoms of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) sometimes resemble those of other dementia-like brain disorders, such as Alzheimer’s, but Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease usually progresses much more…
DEFINITION Conversion disorder, also called functional neurological symptom disorder, is a condition in which you show psychological stress in physical ways. The condition was so named to describe a health problem that starts as a mental or emotional crisis —…
DEFINITION Cryoglobulins are abnormal proteins in the blood. If you have cryoglobulinemia (kry-oh-glob-u-lih-NE-me-uh), these proteins clump together in the cold. This causes the plasma to become thick like maple syrup and deposit clumps in blood vessels. Cryoglobulinemia…
DEFINITION Cyclothymia (si-klo-THIGH-me-uh), also called cyclothymic disorder, is a mood disorder. Cyclothymia causes emotional ups and downs, but they’re not as extreme as in bipolar disorder type I or II. With cyclothymia, you experience periods when your mood noticeably…
DEFINITION Craniopharyngioma is a rare type of noncancerous (benign) brain tumor. Craniopharyngioma begins near the brain’s pituitary gland, which secretes hormones that control many body functions. As a craniopharyngioma slowly grows, it can affect the function of…
DEFINITION Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma is a rare type of cancer that begins in the white blood cells and attacks the skin. Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma is one of several types of lymphoma collectively called non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Cutaneous T-cell…
DEFINITION Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) refers to a group of lung diseases that block airflow and make breathing difficult. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are the two most common conditions that make up COPD. Chronic bronchitis is…
DEFINITION Cryptosporidium infection (cryptosporidiosis) is an illness caused by tiny cryptosporidium parasites. When cryptosporidia (krip-toe-spoe-RID-e-uh) enter your body, they travel to your small intestine and then burrow into the walls of your intestines. Later, cryptosporidia are shed in your feces.…
DEFINITION Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common virus that can infect almost anyone. Most people don’t know they have CMV because it rarely causes symptoms. However, if you’re pregnant or have a weakened immune system, CMV is cause for concern. …
DEFINITION Cough headaches are an unusual type of headache triggered by coughing and other types of straining — such as from sneezing, blowing your nose, laughing, crying, singing, bending over or having a bowel movement. Doctors divide…