Your Health Questions
Answered by Professionals

Yes—there are several factors to consider. Older adults face higher risk of side effects because aging can reduce liver and kidney clearance and polypharmacy raises interaction risks (e.g., with warfarin), so many should use lower daily limits (often 2–3 g vs 3–4 g), avoid duplicate cold/flu products, and watch for liver/kidney warning signs. Important dosing tips, interaction cautions, and when to seek care are outlined below and could influence your next steps.

There are several factors to consider—“long COVID” generally means new or ongoing symptoms (often fatigue, breathlessness, or brain fog) that last beyond 4–12 weeks after a COVID-19 infection and may flare with physical or mental effort. To know if this applies to you, check the timing, pattern, and impact on daily life, and have a clinician rule out other causes with basic labs and heart/lung evaluations (seek urgent care for severe chest pain, sudden shortness of breath, fainting, or signs of a blood clot). See below for a complete checklist, specific tests, self-care and rehab strategies, and red flags that can guide your next steps.

As of late 2025, there is no universal U.S. COVID vaccine mandate, but targeted requirements remain—most notably the federal CMS rule for staff at Medicare/Medicaid-participating hospitals, nursing homes, home health, and other long-term care facilities. Some states and cities (especially for health and long‑term care), certain colleges, and many private employers still require vaccination; domestic travel has no mandate, while international entry rules vary by country. There are several factors to consider depending on where you work, study, or travel—see the complete details below.

Yes—free COVID-19 tests are still available: you can order at-home kits from covidtests.gov, get tests covered by most insurance and Medicare, and find no-cost testing at community clinics, Test-to-Treat sites, and some workplaces/schools. There are several factors to consider (eligibility, quantity limits, reimbursement steps, uninsured options, and when to re-test or seek treatment)—see the complete guidance below to choose the right next step.

Yes—older adults can experience Tylenol side effects differently because age-related liver/kidney changes, other health conditions, and multiple medications increase the risks of liver injury, interactions, and sensitivity (like dizziness or confusion). There are several factors to consider, including a lower recommended daily maximum (≤3,000 mg) and higher risks with liver/kidney disease or alcohol use—see the complete guidance and key warning signs below.

Stop immediately, support the scrotum with a jockstrap or tight briefs, ice through a thin towel for 10–15 minutes (with breaks), gently elevate/compress, consider an NSAID, and once the pain eases, walk slowly while using pelvic-floor bracing and deep breathing for extra relief. Seek urgent care if pain is severe or worsening, there’s swelling/redness or a high-riding testicle, nausea/vomiting, fever, or lingering pain after a direct blow. There are several factors to consider—see below for complete step-by-step first aid, prevention tips, gear checks, and red-flag details that could change your next steps.

Cats can catch SARS‑CoV‑2 (usually from their owners) and most have mild or no symptoms; importantly, there are no confirmed cases of cats transmitting COVID to people, and CDC/WHO consider the risk low. There are several factors and precautions to consider if someone in your home is sick—see below for details on reducing risk, what symptoms in cats to watch for, and when to contact a vet or doctor.

Yes—an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) can lower alkaline phosphatase by slowing bone turnover, and levels often normalize after thyroid hormone treatment. There are several other potential causes (nutritional deficiencies, malabsorption, rare genetic disorders), so persistent low results merit repeat testing and checks like TSH/free T4 and nutrient levels—see the important details and next‑step guidance below.

Yes—sleeping in awkward positions can compress or stretch nerves and limit blood flow, causing left arm pain, numbness, or tingling that often eases after you get moving. There are several factors to consider, including which positions raise your risk, simple fixes to prevent it, and red-flag symptoms (like chest pain or sudden weakness) that require urgent care—see the complete details below.

Yes—side effects can happen after just one dose: mild nausea or headache are possible, and rarely allergic reactions like rash, facial/throat swelling, or trouble breathing may occur within hours; serious liver injury is uncommon at recommended doses and usually follows overdose, but risk is higher with liver disease, heavy alcohol use, fasting, certain medications, or age extremes. There are several factors and red‑flag symptoms to consider, including dosing limits and when to seek urgent care—see the complete details below.

Yes—workouts can trigger pain under the right armpit in females, most often from muscle strain (pectoralis/serratus/latissimus), pectoralis minor syndrome, or improper form and overuse. There are several factors to consider: other causes include swollen lymph nodes, breast or skin conditions, intercostal or cervical nerve issues, and thoracic outlet problems, with red flags like a hard lump, fever, numbness, or sudden severe pain needing prompt care. See below for how to tell if it’s workout-related, prevention steps, and guidance on when to see a clinician.

Yes—swollen axillary lymph nodes can cause pain under the right armpit in women, often tender and worse with arm movement, and most commonly linked to infections, recent vaccinations, or minor injuries. Seek prompt care if a lump is hard, fixed, rapidly enlarging, >2 cm, or accompanied by fever, night sweats, weight loss, or breast changes; imaging like ultrasound and mammography may be used. There are several factors to consider; see below for other possible causes, home assessment tips, supportive care, and when in-person evaluation or biopsy may be needed.

Current evidence shows COVID-19 vaccines do not cause infertility in men or women—large studies (including IVF), global pregnancy registries, and major medical organizations (ACOG, ASRM, WHO) all support their safety for fertility and pregnancy. If you’re trying to conceive or undergoing treatment, there’s no need to delay vaccination; infection itself poses more risk to reproductive health—there are several factors to consider, so see the details below for how this may affect your next steps and when to contact a clinician.

Yes—while acetaminophen is generally safe at recommended doses (no more than 3,000–4,000 mg/day), daily or long‑term use—especially near the upper limit—does increase the risk of side effects, most notably liver stress or injury. There are several factors to consider; see below for who’s at higher risk (e.g., alcohol use, liver disease, low body weight or interacting medicines), key warning signs, safer dosing tips, and when to get labs or contact a clinician.

Yes—exercise can trigger lower-left abdominal pain in females, often from gastrointestinal factors (side stitch, gas/bloating, IBS) or muscle strains, especially with poor meal timing, dehydration, or sudden intensity changes. But it can also signal gynecologic issues (ovarian cysts or rare torsion), UTIs/kidney stones, diverticulitis, or hernias that may need urgent care—watch for sudden severe pain, fever, vomiting, blood in urine/stool, or a growing groin bulge. There are several factors to consider, with prevention tips and specific red flags that can guide your next steps—see the complete details below.

Yes—most left eyelid twitching in women is benign and commonly linked to stress or lack of sleep. Other fixable triggers include eye strain from screens, caffeine or other stimulants, dry eyes/allergies, and occasionally low magnesium or potassium. There are several factors to consider—see below for simple self-care steps and the red flags (lasting >1–2 weeks, spreading to other facial muscles, vision changes, redness/swelling/discharge, after head injury, or with headaches/weakness) that mean you should seek medical care.

New COVID strains mainly differ in how easily they spread, how well they dodge parts of our immune defenses, and (to a lesser extent) how severe illness may be. Vaccines and boosters still provide strong protection against severe disease, so aim for informed vigilance rather than alarm, especially by updating shots and using layered precautions in higher-risk settings. There are several factors to consider—like your personal risks, local spread, and when to test or seek care—so see below for important details that could shape your next steps.

Fast relief steps you can try now include applying heat, taking appropriate OTC pain relievers (ibuprofen/naproxen or acetaminophen), hydrating, gentle movement or supportive positioning, and short‑term diet tweaks (smaller meals, limit gas‑producing foods; gentle self‑massage if gas/constipation). Because causes range from common cramps, gas, or constipation to UTIs, ovarian cysts, or diverticulitis, watch for red flags (sudden/severe or >24‑hour pain, fever, vomiting, bleeding, painful urination) and seek care promptly—key cautions, specific steps, and when to go to urgent care are outlined below.

There are several factors to consider: COVID-19 rashes can appear as measles-like red spots, hives, small blisters, chilblain-like “COVID toes,” or lace-like discoloration, often just before, during, or shortly after other symptoms (fever, cough, loss of smell); clues include toe/finger lesions without cold exposure, intense itch, painful vesicles, and rashes lasting 1–3 weeks. If you suspect this, note other symptoms, use a symptom checker, get tested and isolate, and seek urgent care for red flags like trouble breathing, chest pain, or widespread blistering—key differentiators from allergies/drug reactions and practical treatment/next steps are detailed below.

For fast relief right now: stop activity, lie down with knees bent, support the scrotum (jockstrap or towel), apply a cold pack wrapped in cloth for 10–15 minutes at a time with breaks, and take OTC pain relievers (ibuprofen/naproxen or acetaminophen) as directed. There are several factors to consider—red flags like severe or worsening pain/swelling, nausea/vomiting, fever, blood in urine, or dizziness need urgent care—and follow-up and prevention steps can affect your next move; see below for complete details.

For sudden testicle pain when torsion is a concern, treat it as an emergency—go to the ER now; while you head there or wait, elevate/support the scrotum, apply a cold pack 10–15 minutes at a time, rest on your back with knees bent, and consider ibuprofen as directed if safe (avoid warm baths until torsion is ruled out). Red flags include sudden severe one‑sided pain, rapid swelling/redness, a high‑riding testicle, and nausea/vomiting—torsion needs treatment within about 6 hours to prevent permanent damage. There are several factors to consider; see below for step‑by‑step pain relief, what not to do, and the exact urgent steps and evaluation to expect.

Yes—tonsillitis is contagious: viral cases start 1–2 days before symptoms and remain contagious while symptoms last (usually 5–7 days, sometimes a bit longer), and bacterial (strep) cases are contagious from symptom onset until about 24 hours after starting the right antibiotics—otherwise up to 2–3 weeks. There are several factors to consider that can affect return to school, how to reduce spread, and when to seek care; see the complete guidance below.

Yes—low alkaline phosphatase can signal nutrient deficiency, most often low zinc or magnesium and sometimes vitamin B6; vitamin D deficiency more commonly raises (not lowers) ALP. However, it’s not specific and can also reflect hypothyroidism, malnutrition/malabsorption, certain medications, or genetic hypophosphatasia—so repeating the test and checking zinc, magnesium, B6, and thyroid is often appropriate. There are several factors to consider; see below for key red flags, other causes, and step-by-step next tests and referrals that could change your next steps.

Not common—pregnancy usually raises alkaline phosphatase as the placenta grows, so a low result can be a red flag for placental insufficiency and is linked to risks like fetal growth restriction and preeclampsia (though nutritional deficiencies, certain medications, or rare genetic conditions can also lower it). There are several factors to consider; see below for how timing in pregnancy affects normal ranges, causes to rule out, symptoms to watch, and the next steps your care team may recommend (repeat labs, ultrasound/Doppler, closer monitoring, and targeted nutrition).

Left arm pain can be a heart attack warning—especially if it comes with chest pressure, shortness of breath, sweating, nausea/lightheadedness, or pain spreading to the jaw, back, or right arm; in those cases, call emergency services immediately. On its own, left arm pain is often from muscle, joint, or nerve issues, but there are several factors to consider; see below for how to tell heart-related symptoms from more common causes and the exact next steps. If the pain is sudden or severe, or you have heart risk factors, seek prompt medical care even without chest pain.

Yes—lower left abdominal pain can sometimes involve the ovary (torsion, cysts, endometriosis, infection), but it’s often due to non-ovarian problems like diverticulitis, IBS/constipation, UTIs or kidney stones, hernias, or ectopic pregnancy. There are several factors and urgent red flags to consider (e.g., sudden severe pain, fever, persistent vomiting, fainting); see the complete details below for the full list of causes, tests, and the right next steps, including when to seek emergency care.

Yes—baking soda can neutralize stomach acid and provide quick, short-term relief for occasional heartburn, aligning with guidelines that permit antacids for mild, infrequent symptoms. However, it’s not a long-term fix and carries important risks (very high sodium, gas/bloating, drug interactions, and rare alkalosis), and frequent reliance may mask GERD—there are several factors to consider; see the safe dosing tips, better OTC options, lifestyle changes, and red‑flag symptoms to act on below. If your symptoms occur more than twice weekly or are severe, seek medical evaluation.

Yes—tonsillitis in adults is contagious: viral infections typically spread from a day before symptoms through about 5–7 days (longer with mono), while strep (bacterial) remains contagious until 24 hours after starting the right antibiotic and can last much longer without treatment. It’s generally safe to return to work when you’re fever-free for 24 hours and symptoms are improving; for confirmed strep, wait at least 24 hours after the first antibiotic dose. There are several factors to consider (testing, symptom severity, workplace precautions)—see below for important details that could change your next steps.

Seek emergency care immediately if the pain is sudden or crushing, radiates to the chest/jaw/back/neck, or is accompanied by shortness of breath, cold sweat, nausea, lightheadedness, fainting, or a rapid/irregular heartbeat. Otherwise, see a doctor if it lasts more than a few days, worsens or limits activity/sleep, follows an injury, involves swelling/redness/warmth, numbness/tingling/weakness, or if you have heart risk factors (heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure). There are several factors to consider—see below for the full list of red flags, common causes, what tests to expect, and safe self-care steps that could affect your next move.

Yes—being open with your OBGYN about dildo use helps them check for irritation or injury, guide STI screening and infection prevention, recommend the right lubricants and cleaning methods, and tailor advice for comfort, anatomy, and pelvic floor needs. If you’ve had persistent pain, bleeding, unusual discharge, or other concerning symptoms, seek care; there are several factors to consider—see below for what details to share, how to bring it up, cleaning and sharing safety, and urgent red flags.