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Your ankle bone and the ends of your two lower leg bones make up the ankle joint. Your ligaments, which connect bones to one another, stabilize and support it. Your muscles and tendons move it.

The most common ankle problems are sprains and fractures (broken bones). A sprain is an injury to the ligaments. It may take a few weeks to many months to heal completely. A fracture is a break in a bone. You can also injure other parts of the ankle such as tendons, which join muscles to bone, and cartilage, which cushions your joints. Ankle sprains and fractures are common sports injuries.

Your blood is made up of liquid and solids. The liquid part, called plasma, is made of water, salts, and protein. Over half of your blood is plasma. The solid part of your blood contains red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.

Red blood cells (RBC) deliver oxygen from your lungs to your tissues and organs. White blood cells (WBC) fight infection and are part of your immune system. Platelets help blood to clot when you have a cut or wound. Bone marrow, the spongy material inside your bones, makes new blood cells. Blood cells constantly die and your body makes new ones. Red blood cells live about 120 days, and platelets live about 6 days. Some white blood cells live less than a day, but others live much longer.

There are four blood types: A, B, AB, or O. Also, blood is either Rh-positive or Rh-negative. So if you have type A blood, it's either A positive or A negative. Which type you are is important if you need a blood transfusion. And your Rh factor could be important if you become pregnant - an incompatibility between your type and the baby's could create problems.

Blood tests such as blood count tests help doctors check for certain diseases and conditions. They also help check the function of your organs and show how well treatments are working. Problems with your blood may include bleeding disorders, excessive clotting and platelet disorders. If you lose too much blood, you may need a transfusion.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Endocarditis is sometimes called infective endocarditis. It's a rare, but life-threatening inflammation of the lining inside your heart's chambers and valves (the endocardium).

Endocarditis is usually caused by germs that get into your bloodstream and travel to your heart. Once they get inside your heart, the germs can attach to the lining or get trapped in the valves. They start to grow, causing an infection. If not treated quickly, the infection can cause damage to the heart and lead to serious health problems.

Bacterial infections cause most endocarditis. Normally, many bacteria live in your mouth, on your skin, or in other parts of the body. Sometimes the bacteria can get into your bloodstream from injuries such cuts or scrapes. Dental work and certain surgeries can also allow small amounts of bacteria to enter your bloodstream.

In some cases, fungal infections cause endocarditis. The fungi, such as yeast, can live in parts of your body. Fungal infections generally happen in people who have weakened immune systems that can't stop the fungus from growing. This includes people who have HIV.

In general, endocarditis is rare. If you're healthy, your immune system usually destroys the germs in your bloodstream before they can cause harm.

But your chance of developing endocarditis may be higher than most people if you:

• Have certain heart conditions. Damaged or abnormal heart tissue and devices in your heart can trap germs more easily than healthy heart tissue. That means your risk of endocarditis is higher if you have:
  • Heart valve disease.
  • Certain congenital heart defects.
  • A pacemaker or an implantable defibrillator.
  • A heart valve replacement.
• Are older. Age-related changes to the heart valves, such as mitral valve prolapse or calcium deposits in the aortic valve, create places for germs to attach to the heart.
• Inject illegal drugs. Unclean needles may carry bacteria into the bloodstream.
• Have a condition that weakens your immune system.
• Don't take care of your teeth and gums. Poor dental health makes it easier for germs to get into your bloodstream through your gums and mouth.
• Have a long-term central venous line, a tube that stays in a large vein for weeks or months for medical treatment.
• Have already had endocarditis. Endocarditis can damage heart tissue, which increases your risk of getting it again.

Endocarditis symptoms may be severe or very mild. They may start suddenly or slowly. And they can vary from person to person. The possible symptoms of endocarditis include:

• Fever and chills
• New or worsening heart murmur (an unusual sound heard between heartbeats)
• Chest pain
• Cough
• Muscle, joint, and back pain
• Night sweats (heavy sweating during sleep)
• Shortness of breath (feeling like you can't get enough air)
• Skin changes, including:
  • Broken blood vessels
  • Painful red or purple bumps
  • Painless flat red spots on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet

When the germs are in your heart, they can clump together with blood cells. These clumps can break off and travel through your bloodstream. They may block blood flow, spread infection, or damage your organs, including your brain, lungs, kidneys, and spleen.

Endocarditis may sometimes lead to sepsis, a medical emergency that happens when your body has an extreme response to the infection.

Endocarditis can also cause serious heart problems including:

• Heart valve damage
• Heart failure
• Arrhythmia (a problem with the rate or rhythm of your heartbeat)

To find out if you have endocarditis, your doctor will:

• Ask about your medical history, including your symptoms, recent illnesses, and other health conditions that affect your chance of developing endocarditis.
• Do a physical exam.
• Likely order tests, such as:
  • Blood tests to check for signs of infection, bacteria, or fungi in your blood.
  • Chest x-rays.
  • Heart tests.

If you have endocarditis, it's important to get treatment quickly. Treatments may include:

• Medicines
  • Antibiotics to treat bacterial infections. Antibiotics are usually started through an intravenous (IV) line in the hospital.
  • Antifungal medicine to treat fungal infections. Your doctor may suggest taking antifungal medicine for the rest of your life to prevent the infection from coming back.
• Heart surgery may be needed to repair or replace damaged valves and heart tissue. Surgery may also be done to remove infected tissue.
• Dental care, especially cleanings, can help reduce the amount of bacteria that grows in your mouth.

Treatment may last weeks, and you may need tests to make sure it's working. Your doctor will also check you for problems that could develop from endocarditis, such as heart failure or an irregular heartbeat.

If you have a higher chance of developing endocarditis than most people, you can reduce your risk if you:

• Take good care of your teeth and gums every day
• Have dental exams and cleaning at your dentist's office every 6 months
• Make heart-healthy habits part of your daily life to help prevent heart disease
• Call your health care provider right away if you have symptoms that could be endocarditis

People with the highest risk for bacterial endocarditis need antibiotics before dental visits or certain medical or surgical procedures. Ask your provider if you're part of the highest risk group. If so, let all your providers know about your risk.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

There are four major blood types: A, B, O, and AB. The types are based on substances on the surface of the blood cells. Another blood type is called Rh. Rh factor is a protein on red blood cells. Most people are Rh-positive; they have Rh factor. Rh-negative people don't have it. Rh factor is inherited through genes.

When you're pregnant, blood from your baby can cross into your bloodstream, especially during delivery. If you're Rh-negative and your baby is Rh-positive, your body will react to the baby's blood as a foreign substance. It will create antibodies (proteins) against the baby's blood. These antibodies usually don't cause problems during a first pregnancy.

But Rh incompatibility may cause problems in later pregnancies, if the baby is Rh-positive. This is because the antibodies stay in your body once they have formed. The antibodies can cross the placenta and attack the baby's red blood cells. The baby could get Rh disease, a serious condition that can cause a serious type of anemia.

Blood tests can tell whether you have Rh factor and whether your body has made antibodies. Injections of a medicine called Rh immune globulin can keep your body from making Rh antibodies. It helps prevent the problems of Rh incompatibility. If treatment is needed for the baby, it can include supplements to help the body to make red blood cells and blood transfusions.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Strep is short for Streptococcus, a type of bacteria. There are several types. Two of them cause most of the strep infections in people: group A and group B.

Group A strep causes:

• Strep throat - a sore, red throat. Your tonsils may be swollen and have white spots on them.
• Scarlet fever - an illness that follows strep throat. It causes a red rash on the body.
• Impetigo - a skin infection
• Toxic shock syndrome
• Cellulitis and necrotizing fasciitis (flesh-eating disease)

Group B strep can cause blood infections, pneumonia and meningitis in newborns. A screening test during pregnancy can tell if you have it. If you do, intravenous (IV) antibiotics during labor can save your baby's life. Adults can also get group B strep infections, especially if they are 65 or older or already have health problems. Strep B can cause urinary tract infections, blood infections, skin infections and pneumonia in adults.

Antibiotics are used to treat strep infections.

We all want high-quality health care, but it's hard to know how to choose. There are many things to consider, including:

• What your insurance covers
• Whether a health care provider or service is accredited
• The location of a service
• Hours that the service is available
• Whether you like a health care provider's personality

On this page you'll find information to help you choose a health care provider or service.