The gaps between the toes provide a warm and moist environment – perfect conditions for fungi. Athlete's foot typically leads to redness and cracks in the skin. It usually doesn’t clear up on its own, but can often be effectively treated with creams, gels and sprays. Read about the different medications and how to prevent athlete’s foot.

Nail fungus is very common. Experts think that it often develops from untreated athlete's foot. It then takes a while to get rid of the brittle, discolored or thickened nails. Topical treatment with nail polish may take up to one year. Tablets work faster, but they have more side effects too.

Minor injuries to our skin usually heal quite quickly on their own. But some wounds close very slowly, keep on opening up, or don’t heal at all. Doctors consider a wound to be chronic if it doesn’t heal. This usually happens because of circulation problems or diabetes.

A migraine is very different from a “normal” headache: Migraines are typically associated with moderate to severe headaches that only affect one side of the head. Even small movements often make them worse. What medication helps relieve migraine attacks? How can they be prevented?

Tennis elbow is usually the result of repetitive movements or too much strain – for instance, during sports like tennis or when doing manual labor. The main symptom is pain in the outer elbow. Certain treatments can relieve the symptoms somewhat or speed up recovery.

Pain on the inside of the elbow is typical for golfer’s elbow. It’s usually caused by repetitive movements or too much strain – for instance, during sports like tennis or when doing manual labor. Golfer’s elbow is usually treated with stretching and strengthening exercises.

Diverticula are small, balloon-like pouches in the lining of the intestine. They are often harmless, but might cause pain and other symptoms – for instance, if the contents of the bowel get into them. Find out how these problems can be prevented, and when treatment is needed.

Gout is a metabolic disorder that causes inflammation in joints. An acute gout attack often begins at night or in the early morning with sudden, painful joint swelling. It’s a lot more common in men than in women. Read about what gout has to do with your diet, what treatments are available, and why it's important to seek medical advice early on.

It is normal for vision to gradually get worse with age. Some people also have medical conditions that further affect their vision. Age-related macular degeneration is one of these. It makes objects look blurry and distorted, especially when you look at them directly, and becomes increasingly difficult to do things like read or recognize faces.

Cervical cancer nearly always develops as a rare consequence of a long-term infection with particular types of sexually transmitted HPV viruses. HPV infections are probably equally common in men and women. But the possible consequences of the infection, like cancer, are even less likely in men.

Ankle sprains are one of the most common types of injury. When an ankle is twisted, the ligaments are overstretched. In the worst case, they might tear. Small blood vessels tear too, causing the swelling around the ankle. Read on to find out about first aid measures, the treatment options and what can help to stabilize the joint.

If you're unlucky, twisting your foot badly can result in a broken ankle. This is a more serious injury that may affect one or more bones. Is surgery always needed? And what types of rehabilitation best improve recovery from an ankle fracture?

The thyroid gland regulates a lot of functions in the body. It is said to be overactive if it produces too many thyroid hormones. This can lead to symptoms such as weight loss, sweating, nervous restlessness and a rapid heartbeat. An overactive thyroid increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Bedwetting is more common among children and teenagers than many people think. Regular nighttime “accidents” can be troubling for the entire family. But the problem usually goes away on its own over time. In the meantime, there are various things you can do to help your child.

Colorectal cancer is sometimes considered to be a disease only men have. But that is wrong: Although it affects men more commonly and often at an earlier age, women can also develop colorectal cancer. Here you can read about the risks and causes of colorectal cancer, and find information about the screening tests and living with the disease.

Pregnancy is a time of change, especially if it's your first. Parents-to-be may have feelings ranging from joy and hope to worries and anxiety: How will everything go? What will life with a baby be like?

Older people are especially prone to developing chronic kidney disease. The most common causes are diabetes and high blood pressure. The disease often goes unnoticed for a long time because poorly functioning kidneys don’t cause any problems at first. Certain treatments can delay further weakening of the kidneys.

The main symptom of fibromyalgia is chronic (long-term) deep muscle pain in different areas of the body. It is now known that fibromyalgia has something to do with the way that pain messages are processed in the brain. Different people find different things helpful, and cope very differently with the symptoms.

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed type of cancer in men. The good news is that prostate cancer is one of the types of cancer with the best chances of recovery. It often grows slowly so it is generally possible to treat it effectively. Read about the risk factors, screening tests, diagnosis and treatment options.

Erysipelas and cellulitis are skin infections that can develop if bacteria enter the skin through cuts or sores. Both infections make your skin swell, and become red and tender. If the right treatment is started early enough, they usually clear up without any lasting effects.

People who are preparing to have surgery usually have a lot of questions: What are the chances of success? What risks are associated with it? What can help relieve anxiety before surgery? What can you do about pain afterwards? We have put together useful information surrounding this topic here.

In Germany, it's usually not hard to find medical help if you become ill. There is an extensive network of easily accessible places to go for treatment. But it's still not that easy to navigate the German health care system. Our practical guide is aimed at people from other countries who are living and working in Germany.

Many middle-aged and older men will know what it's like to have to go to the toilet a lot at night and still feel like their bladder is never really empty. These problems are usually caused by a benign enlarged prostate. Read about the different treatment options.

Many people with heart failure avoid physical activity in order to prevent symptoms like shortness of breath and trouble breathing. But physical exercise is actually considered to be good for people with heart failure in the long term: Research has found that special exercise programs can improve their fitness and quality of life.

Many people who are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are completely taken by surprise – for instance, if high blood sugar levels are discovered during a routine blood test. Some can reduce their blood sugar by changing their diet and losing some weight. Others have to take medication over the long term.

Whether you are outside biking or doing DIY projects at home – it’s easy for small objects to get into your eye. There, they can injure the surface of the cornea. A superficial injury will usually heal within a few hours or days. What’s the right way to remove an object from your eye? And when do you need medical attention?

Amblyopia is a common vision problem in children. It is caused when one eye provides sharper images than the other eye does. Because the brain prefers to use the images from the "better" eye, the child's vision doesn’t develop normally.

In asthma, people's airways become so narrow (temporarily or permanently) that it's difficult for them to breathe. With the right treatment, though, they can usually live a mostly symptom-free life.

Outer ear infections are often referred to as “swimmer’s ear.” The ear may become blocked, feel uncomfortable or hurt. Swimmer’s ear is usually caused by bacteria or fungi. The risk is higher for people who swim a lot, children, and people with hearing aids.

Most people know what it's like to wake up in the night and realize that their hand has "fallen asleep." The hand then feels numb or tingly. Carpal tunnel syndrome causes similar symptoms – but they keep coming back again and are often painful. People who do a lot of physical labor are more likely to get it. Read about how you can relieve the symptoms.