Your Health Questions
Answered by Professionals

Fast relief in about five minutes: take 1 to 2 teaspoons of honey, use a menthol lozenge or chest rub, try a lidocaine throat spray, inhale warm steam, and practice slow, controlled breathing; combining two methods can work even faster. There are several factors and red flags that could change your next steps, including a cough lasting more than two weeks, fever, shortness of breath, chest pain, colored or bloody phlegm, or weight loss and night sweats, so see the complete guidance below for when to seek care and how to prevent future coughs.

Pneumonia happens when germs infect the air sacs in your lungs, most commonly after breathing in infected droplets, accidentally aspirating saliva or food, or less often when another infection spreads through the bloodstream. Risk is higher in young children, adults over 65, smokers, people with chronic heart, lung, or metabolic disease, weakened immunity, or recent viral illness like flu; there are several factors to consider. See below for key details on risks, prevention, symptoms, and when to seek care that could affect your next steps.

It depends on the cause: bacterial, viral, and atypical pneumonias can be contagious through respiratory droplets, while fungal pneumonia is usually not spread person to person. Contagious periods vary, such as bacterial often remaining contagious until 24 to 48 hours after starting antibiotics, viral from about a day before symptoms to 5 to 7 days or more, and atypical sometimes for weeks. There are several factors to consider for prevention, risk, symptoms, and when to seek care; see below to understand more.

Walking pneumonia is a milder lung infection that often lets you continue daily activities, most commonly caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae, with gradual symptoms like a persistent dry cough, mild fever, and fatigue. There are several factors to consider that can affect your next steps in care. See below for how it differs from typical pneumonia, how it spreads, who is most at risk, when to seek medical attention, and what diagnosis and treatment options like antibiotics and recovery timelines look like.

A dry cough most often comes from 10 causes, including viral infections, postnasal drip, asthma, GERD or silent reflux, ACE inhibitor medicines, environmental allergies or smoke, chronic bronchitis, pertussis, and cough hypersensitivity, and treatments range from rest, fluids, humidified air and lozenges to nasal sprays or antihistamines, inhalers, acid reducers, medication changes, antibiotics, and targeted therapies. There are several factors to consider. See below to match symptoms to likely causes, choose safe home care and medications, and recognize urgent warning signs like trouble breathing, chest pain, high fever, coughing up blood, rapid heartbeat, or weight loss that should prompt medical care.

Sleep apnea after age 65: there are several causes, key risks, and warning signs to consider. Age related muscle tone loss, anatomical narrowing, weight gain, certain illnesses and medications, and back sleeping raise risk, while consequences include daytime sleepiness and falls, high blood pressure and heart disease, diabetes, and memory or mood problems; see below for symptoms, diagnosis, and urgent red flags. Treatments that work include CPAP, oral appliances, weight and position changes, positional devices, selected surgeries, and addressing contributing conditions and medications, with adherence and follow up improving outcomes. For the complete step by step guidance and details that can shape your next healthcare steps, see below.

There are several factors to consider. Colitis is more likely when cramps and diarrhea are chronic or recurrent, include blood or mucus, urgency or nighttime stools, weight loss or joint/skin/eye symptoms, and show elevated fecal calprotectin or lactoferrin. An infection is more likely with sudden onset watery diarrhea, prominent fever, nausea or vomiting after a clear exposure, and improvement within days. See below for key exceptions like C. difficile, red flags that need urgent care, and the tests and treatments that can guide your next steps.

An uncontrollable urge to sleep can follow a specific night-day reversal pattern, with fragmented nights and irresistible mid-afternoon sleep attacks, often pointing to minimal hepatic encephalopathy from liver dysfunction that alters ammonia and melatonin handling. There are several factors to consider, since narcolepsy, sleep apnea, and circadian rhythm problems can also cause profound daytime sleepiness, and liver-linked clues like confusion, slowed thinking, tremor, or a history of liver disease raise concern. See below for key red flags, how to track symptoms, lifestyle steps that may help, and when to seek medical care, which can affect your next steps.

There are several factors to consider. Most bright red blood on the toilet paper is from hemorrhoids or an anal fissure, with fissures causing sharp pain during and after a bowel movement while hemorrhoids are often itchy or painless. Less common but more serious causes include colorectal polyps or cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, diverticular bleeding, and infections; warning signs are heavy or ongoing bleeding, black or tarry stools, new bowel habit changes, weight loss, fever, or severe pain. See the complete guidance below for specific clues, home treatments, and when to seek urgent care so you can choose the right next step.

A small smear of bright red blood on toilet paper is often from minor causes like hemorrhoids, anal fissures, or irritation and usually improves with fiber, fluids, gentle cleaning, and sitz baths. There are several factors to consider. See below for important details on causes, self care, tests your doctor may recommend, and red flags like heavier or persistent bleeding, blood mixed with stool, dizziness or fainting, abdominal pain, weight loss, bowel habit changes, a family history of colorectal cancer, or any bleeding if you have cirrhosis.

Bloody diarrhea most often results from infections such as Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter, toxigenic E. coli, C. difficile, or parasites like Entamoeba, but inflammatory bowel disease, ischemic colitis, medication or radiation injury, and colon polyps or cancer are also important, with hemorrhoids, fissures, and portal hypertensive colopathy less common. There are several factors to consider; see below to understand more. Typical next tests include stool studies for bacteria, Shiga toxin, C. difficile, and parasites, inflammatory stool markers, blood work for anemia and inflammation, and when needed imaging and endoscopy such as CT, flexible sigmoidoscopy, or colonoscopy with biopsy, with red flags and timing guidance detailed below.

Stress constricts blood vessels and lowers nitric oxide, which undermines erections, while slow nasal, diaphragmatic breathing activates the vagus nerve to lower cortisol and improve blood flow. There are several factors to consider; see below for specific techniques like diaphragmatic, box, and 4-7-8 breathing, how to time them before sex, and how to pair them with exercise, diet, sleep, pelvic floor work, and mindfulness. Breathing helps most with stress-related or mild to moderate ED, but persistent problems or red flags like sudden ED, genital pain or lumps, or chest symptoms during sex need medical care. Important details that can shape your next steps are below.

Yes, allergies can cause a sore, scratchy throat by triggering postnasal drip and throat inflammation, often alongside clear, watery nasal discharge, itchy eyes, and seasonal patterns. There are several factors to consider, including how to tell it from an infection, effective at home and medical treatments, and when to seek urgent care; see below for key details that could guide your next steps.

Yes, stress can cause diarrhea by activating the gut-brain axis; hormones like cortisol and CRF can speed intestinal transit, heighten gut sensitivity, and shift microbiota, leading to loose, urgent stools. There are several factors and red flags to consider; see the complete details below for who is more at risk, practical relief steps like stress reduction and diet changes, and when to seek medical care to guide your next steps.

It is extremely rare to die during sleep from acid reflux, but it can happen indirectly through aspiration with choking or pneumonia, severe respiratory compromise, or cardiac events, especially in people with advanced lung disease, neurologic impairment, poor airway protection, or untreated severe GERD. There are several factors to consider, see below to understand more. Know the red flags like sudden severe chest pain, breathing trouble on waking, blood in vomit, weight loss, or difficulty swallowing and seek urgent care if present, while others should review the prevention and treatment options outlined below and talk with a clinician if symptoms persist.

There are several factors to consider beyond sleep quantity, including sleep apnea, narcolepsy or idiopathic hypersomnia, circadian rhythm disorders, liver and electrolyte problems, thyroid dysfunction, anemia or nutrient deficiencies, mental health conditions, and medication side effects. See below for the key symptoms, tests, and treatments that can narrow the cause, plus red flags for when to call a doctor and practical next steps like keeping a sleep diary, trying light or melatonin at the right times, ordering blood work, and reviewing medications.

There are several factors to consider: infections, food intolerances, medications, and chronic conditions like IBS, celiac disease, IBD, or bile acid diarrhea can all push the gut into overdrive; see below for what counts as diarrhea, quick at home relief, and the tests and treatments that match the cause. Seek care promptly for dehydration, blood in stool, high fever, severe abdominal pain, or symptoms lasting beyond two weeks, and review the important details below that could change your next steps.

Nighttime dry cough often stems from postnasal drip, asthma, or GERD; dry air, bedroom irritants or allergens, and medications such as ACE inhibitors can contribute, and less commonly infections or heart failure are involved. See below for key red flags, targeted home remedies, and what testing and treatments to expect so you can decide when self care is reasonable and when to see a clinician.

Cinnamon may support erectile health by improving blood sugar, inflammation, and blood vessel function, but the evidence is indirect and no clinical trials show it directly treats ED. There are several factors to consider, including who might benefit most, safe dosing with Ceylon vs Cassia, potential side effects and drug interactions, and when to seek medical care. See below for complete guidance that could affect your next steps.

Cold exposure typically constricts blood vessels and activates the sympathetic system, which impairs penile blood flow, so current evidence does not support cold showers as a treatment for ED. In practice, avoid cold right before sexual activity. There are several factors to consider, including timing, safer stress relief options, and proven cardiovascular and medical approaches; see the complete guidance below for key details that could influence your next steps.

Insomnia is common, but when it persists or appears with red flags it can signal depression, cardiometabolic disease, dementia risk, thyroid issues, sleep apnea, chronic pain, or other mood and neurological conditions; there are several factors to consider, and full details are below. Seek care urgently if it lasts more than 3 months or causes daytime impairment, breathing problems at night, unexplained weight change, morning headaches, painful or uncontrollable leg movements, cognitive decline, or suicidal thoughts, and see below for practical sleep tips, when to get tests or CBT-I, and which next steps to take with your clinician.

There are several factors to consider, because cramping that eases after a bowel movement is common in IBS yet not specific, and can also stem from constipation, infections, inflammatory bowel disease, partial obstruction, motility problems, or extraintestinal issues like gallbladder, kidney, or gynecologic conditions. Watch for red flags such as weight loss, bleeding, fever, anemia, severe or persistent pain, onset after 50, or a family history, and know that proper diagnosis may require symptom tracking, labs, stool tests, imaging and endoscopy with tailored treatment, so for key details that can guide your next steps see the complete explanation below.

Cramps that peak right before a bowel movement and ease quickly afterward most often indicate an intestinal spasm; pain that begins well before you need to go and does not fully improve after can point to inflammation. There are several factors to consider, and important red flags, triggers, self-care options, and when to seek medical care are outlined below.

Short, early power naps of about 10 to 20 minutes can be healthy. Needing daily naps over 30 minutes or feeling unrefreshed, dangerously drowsy, or noticing signs like loud snoring, headaches, mood or memory changes, weight or skin changes, swelling, or jaundice is a red flag for sleep disorders or medical issues such as sleep apnea, narcolepsy, anemia, thyroid disease, diabetes, heart or liver disease, as well as medication or mental health factors. There are several factors to consider. The complete guidance below covers what to track, when to see a doctor or sleep specialist, basic tests to request, sleep and lifestyle fixes, medication reviews, and urgent red flags that need immediate care.

Diarrhea right after eating is often a normal gastrocolic reflex, especially if mild and linked to triggers like high fat or spicy foods, caffeine, artificial sweeteners, stress, or an exaggerated response in IBS-D. There are several factors to consider: persistent or severe diarrhea, or red flags like weight loss, blood, fever, severe pain, dehydration, or symptoms lasting more than 48 hours can indicate malabsorption, IBD, microscopic colitis, bile acid problems, infections, thyroid or liver disease, or medication effects; see below for important details on when to seek care and what tests and steps may help.

There are several factors to consider: diarrhea lasting 2 weeks is persistent and is most often due to lingering infection like Giardia or C. difficile or post-infectious changes, but also IBS-D, inflammatory bowel disease, malabsorption such as celiac or lactose intolerance, medication effects, bile acid diarrhea, thyroid disease, and microscopic colitis. See below for how clinicians sort this out with targeted stool and blood tests, which at-home steps may help, and the red flags like fever, blood in stool, weight loss, or dehydration that mean you should seek care promptly.

The most commonly considered causes include infectious colitis (such as Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, toxigenic E. coli, C. difficile, or Entamoeba), inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis or Crohn's), ischemic colitis, and medication or radiation related colitis, with less common but important possibilities like colorectal cancer, vascular malformations, and anorectal sources. There are several factors to consider. See below for key red flags, which exposures and medications matter, and how doctors test and treat these conditions so you can choose the right next steps and know when urgent care is needed.

There are several factors to consider: Crohn’s often causes ongoing abdominal pain, urgent diarrhea, weight loss, fatigue, fevers, mouth sores, or perianal issues; below you’ll find how to recognize patterns, what serious warning signs look like, and exactly how doctors test for Crohn’s. If symptoms persist over 4 weeks or include bleeding, significant weight loss, high fevers, severe pain, dehydration, or joint, skin, or eye inflammation, seek care promptly, since only proper testing with stool, blood, scopes, and imaging can confirm Crohn’s and early treatment prevents complications; see below for a free symptom check, self-care tips, and when to go to the ER.

Ulcerative colitis is more likely if you have blood in your stool, persistent diarrhea with urgency or a feeling of incomplete evacuation, crampy lower left abdominal pain that eases after a bowel movement, mucus in stool, and unintended weight loss or fatigue; joint pain, red painful eyes, or tender skin bumps together with bowel symptoms raise suspicion further. There are several factors to consider. See below for key risk factors like family history and age peaks, conditions that can mimic it, red flags that need urgent care, and the tests doctors use to confirm the diagnosis, plus a free online symptom check to guide next steps.

Yes, warm salt water gargles can temporarily soothe a sore throat by drawing out swelling, loosening mucus, and slightly discouraging germs, but they provide symptom relief rather than curing bacterial infections. There are several factors to consider, including the proper mixture and how often to gargle, other helpful treatments like hydration and pain relievers, and red flags that mean you should see a clinician. See the complete details below to guide your next steps.