Diseases & Conditions

Allergies & Asthma

CIGNA Well Aware for Better Health^® for Asthma This program is a proven way to give people coping with asthma the power to better their lives. read article

An Asthma Action Plan is a written plan that tells you what medication you need to use, based on the severity of the attack, and when you should call a health professional or seek emergency treatment. read article

How to Control Allergens in Your Home If you are allergic to indoor allergens, you can take some simple steps to get them out of your house. By taking these precautions, you may have fewer symptoms or less severe symptoms. read article

Back & Neck Pain

CIGNA Well Aware for Better Health^® for Low Back Pain This program is a proven way to give people coping with low back pain the power to better their lives. read article

Should You Consider Surgery for Low Back Pain? This tool will not diagnose a back problem, but it will tell you whether surgery might help decrease or eliminate symptoms related to your low back problem. try the tool

Blood & Lymph

High Cholesterol Cholesterol is a type of fat. Your body needs it for many things, such as making new cells. But too much in your blood increases your chances of having a heart attack and stroke. read article

Should I Bank Blood Before Surgery? Most people are able to safely bank 2 to 4 units of blood before surgery. If you are having major surgery that may require a greater amount of blood than this, you probably cannot bank enough blood before the surgery. read article

Bones, Joints & Muscles

Herniated Disc When discs are healthy, they act as shock absorbers for the spine and keep the spine flexible. When a disc bulges abnormally or ruptures, it is called a herniated disc. read article

Brain & Nerves

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a test that uses a magnetic field and pulses of radio wave energy to make pictures of organs and structures inside the body. read article

Migraine Headaches When you have a migraine, it may be so painful that you are not able to follow your normal routine or do your usual activities. But even though they make you feel bad, migraines do not cause long-term damage. read article

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder It is normal to be shocked or very scared when something horrible happens. But post-traumatic stress disorder can make you feel so fearful or uneasy that it is hard to live your life. read article

Cancer

Skin Cancer: Melanoma Melanoma often is caused by too much sun exposure. It can also be caused by factors such as family history and the presence of abnormal, or atypical, moles. read article

Breast & Ovarian Cancer Genetic Test The blood test for breast or ovarian cancer looks for changes, or mutations, in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Women who inherit these BRCA gene changes have a higher-than-average chance of getting breast or ovarian cancer. read article

Cholesterol

High Cholesterol may run in your family. The foods you eat also may cause high cholesterol. read article

What are your numbers? What do they mean? And what can you do to get your cholesterol at healthy levels? read article

Should I Take Statins for High Cholesterol? Guidelines from the U.S. National Cholesterol Education Panel recommend more intensive treatment with statins for people who are at moderate to very high risk of coronary artery disease. read article

Cold & Flu

Influenza (flu) is an illness caused by a virus that comes on suddenly, and causes symptoms such as fever, body aches, headache, fatigue, loss of appetite, a dry cough, and a sore or dry throat. read article

Hand Washing is a simple and effective way to help prevent certain diseases, and food poisoning. Often, especially during cold and flu season, you can reduce your risk of catching or spreading a cold or the flu. read article

Diabetes

CIGNA Well Aware for Better Health^® for Diabetes This program is a proven way to give people coping with diabetes the power to better their lives. read article

Type 1 Diabetes is a lifelong disease that develops when the pancreas stops producing insulin, which lets blood sugar enter your body's cells, where it is used for energy. read article

Home Blood Sugar Monitoring If you have diabetes, you need to know when your blood sugar level is outside the safe range. Fortunately, you can see what your blood sugar level is anywhere and anytime by using a home blood sugar meter. read article

Digestive Health

Heartburn is a feeling of burning, warmth, heat, or pain that often starts in the upper abdomen just beneath the lower breastbone (sternum). It is not caused by problems with your heart, although sometimes heart problems can feel like heartburn. read article

An Abdominal Ultrasound uses reflected sound waves to produce a picture of the organs and other structures in the upper abdomen. read article

Ear, Nose & Throat

Using Antibiotics Wisely Antibiotics are medicines that kill the bacteria that can cause infections. There are many types of antibiotics. Each works a little differently and acts on different types of bacteria. read article

Taking Safety Percautions for Vertigo The spinning sensation vertigo causes puts you at risk for falling and can also affect your quality of life if it interferes with your level of activity. Exercises you can do at home can help control your vertigo. read article

Eyes & Vision

Strabismus Normally, the muscles surrounding each eye work together to move both eyes in the same direction at the same time. Strabismus occurs when the eye muscles do not work properly to control eye movement. read article

Vision Tests check many different functions of the eye, including your ability to see details at near and far distances, gaps or defects in your field of vision, and your ability to see different colors. read article

Genetic Conditions

Genetics Genes, alone or in combination, determine what features a person inherits from his or her parents, including risks of developing certain diseases. Certain changes in genes may cause defects in various body processes or functions. read article

DNA fingerprinting is used to determine whether a family relationship exists between two people. It is called a "fingerprint" because it is very unlikely that any 2 people would have exactly the same cellular information, in the same way that it is very unlikely that any 2 people would have exactly the same physical fingerprint. read article

Headaches

Headaches are one of the most common pain-related health problems in both children and adults. The most common types of headaches usually are not serious but may occur again and again. read article

Managing a Headache Combining stress management therapies with drugs can be an effective way to manage most headaches, including migraines or tension headaches. read article

Heart & Vascular Health

CIGNA Well Aware for Better Health^® for Heart Disease This program is a proven way to give people coping with heart disease the power to better their lives. read article

Heart Failure means your heart muscle does not pump as much blood as your body needs. Failure does not mean that your heart has stopped. It means that your heart is not pumping as well as it should. read article

High Blood Pressure

Monitoring Your Blood Pressure at Home Home blood pressure monitors make it easy for people to measure their blood pressure at home. If you are concerned that you might have high blood pressure, you may want to consider one. read article

High Blood Pressure or Hypertension, is called a "silent killer'' because it does not cause symptoms unless it is severely high and, without your knowing, it causes major organ damage if not treated. read article

HIV/AIDS

HIV Test HIV causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a long-term chronic disease that cannot be cured. An HIV test detects antibodies to HIV in the blood. This determines whether an HIV infection is present. read article

Psychotherapy for HIV Infection During psychotherapy, a qualified counselor helps you cope with or change your thoughts, feelings, or behaviors regarding HIV infection. Your family and caregivers may also benefit from psychotherapy. read article

Hormones

Hypothyroidism is a lack of thyroid hormone. It develops when the thyroid gland does not produce enough of the hormone, which controls the way the body uses energy. read article

Gestational Diabetes If your blood sugar level is too high when you are pregnant, you have gestational diabetes. It usually goes away after the baby is born; however, women who have had gestational diabetes are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes later on. read article

Immune System

Immunizations, also called vaccinations, help protect you or your child from diseases. Some immunizations are given only once, while others require several doses over time. read article

Antibody Tests Normally, antibodies bind to foreign substances, such as bacteria and viruses, causing them to be destroyed. Certain conditions can result in the production of antibodies against red blood cells. read article

Lungs & Airways

CIGNA Well Aware for Better Health^® for Asthma This program is a proven way to give people coping with asthma the power to better their lives. read article

CIGNA Well Aware for Better Health^® for COPD This program is a proven way to give people coping with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) the power to better their lives. read article

Mental & Behavioral Issues

CIGNA Well Aware for Better Health^® for Depression This program is a proven way to give people coping with Depression the power to better their lives. read article

Mental Health Problems & Mind-Body Wellness Mental health problems are similar to other health problems: some can be prevented; others will go away on their own with home treatment; and some need professional attention. read article

Insomnia is a common problem that affects almost everyone at some point. You have problems falling asleep or staying asleep, and you may wake up during the night or wake up too early the next morning. read article

Mouth & Dental

Mouth & Dental Injuries Even a small cut or puncture inside the mouth may bleed a lot. Home treatment of minor mouth injuries can help stop bleeding, relieve pain, promote healing, and prevent infection. read article

Dental X-rays Dental X-ray pictures can show cavities, hidden dental structures (such as wisdom teeth), and bone loss that cannot be seen during a visual examination. read article

Pain Management

Chronic Pain While it is normal for your body to send pain signals when you are injured or ill, pain that lingers for 3 months or longer after an illness or injury is not normal. read article

Cognitive-behavioral therapy for pain management Cognitive-behavioral therapy teaches relaxation techniques, stress management, and other ways to help you cope with pain. read article

Sexual & Reproductive Organs

Pelvic Examination A pelvic exam is an important part of preventive health care for all adult women. It helps a doctor evaluate the size and position of the vagina, cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries. read article

Abnormal Pap Tests About 5% to 10% of women who have a yearly Pap test will have an abnormal result, but only a small percentage of these abnormal results indicate changes that may progress to cervical cancer. read article

Sexual Health

Birth Control There are many different kinds of birth control. Each has its own pros and cons. Learning about all the methods will help you find the one that is right for you. read article

Sexual Problems in Women There is no "normal" level of sexual response—it is different for every woman. Most women have a sexual problem at one time or another. For some women, the problem is long-term. read article

Skin, Hair & Nails

Physical Exam of the Skin for Skin Cancer During a physical exam for a skin problem, your health professional will examine the skin over your whole body, looking for suspicious growths, moles, or lesions. read article

Lyme Disease You may develop Lyme disease if you are bitten by an infected tick. Your risk of developing Lyme disease increases if an infected tick stays attached to your skin for 36 to 48 hours. read article

Sleep Disorders

Sleep Apnea can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the number of times in an hour that your breathing becomes very slow or stops. read article

Sleep Studies are tests that watch what happens to your body during sleep. The studies are done to find out what is causing your sleep problems. read article

Stroke

Stroke Rehabilitation The best way to get better after a stroke is to start stroke rehabilitation where a team of health professionals works with you to regain skills you lost as the result of a stroke. read article

What Is Your Risk for a Stroke if You Have Atrial Fibrillation? This tool measures the chance of having a stroke in the next 5 years for people with atrial fibrillation who are age 55 or older. try the tool

Substance Abuse

How to Stop Drinking Alcohol Your first step to stop drinking might be to see your doctor, contact a support group or set a date in the near future to stop. While some people can stop drinking on their own, others need medical help to manage the physical process of withdrawal. read article

Do You Have a Drinking Problem? Based on your answers, this tool can help you see if your drinking is dangerous or unhealthy or if you may be addicted to alcohol. try the tool

Urinary System

Urine Tests More than 100 different tests can be done on urine. A routine urine screening test can provide information about your overall health and clues to many conditions. read article

Chronic Kidney Disease When your kidneys do not work right, wastes build up in your blood and make you sick. Having chronic kidney disease means that for some time your kidneys have not been working the way they should. read article

Weight Complications

CIGNA Well Aware for Better Health^® for Weight Complications This program is a proven way to give people coping with Weight Complications the power to better their lives. read article

Obesity Being obese means having so much body fat that your health is in danger. It is hard to change eating habits and exercise habits. But you can do it if you make a plan. read article

Is Your Weight Increasing Your Health Risks? This tool estimates your risk of weight-related diseases by using your body mass index (BMI) and other factors. If your BMI shows that you may be at increased risk for weight-related disease, you will be asked additional questions about your health. try the tool