Your Health Questions
Answered by Professionals

Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas—an organ that makes digestive enzymes and insulin—caused when enzymes activate too early and begin digesting the pancreas itself, leading to pain, swelling, and sometimes life‑threatening complications. It can be acute (sudden, often resolves) or chronic (long‑term, irreversible damage with digestive problems and diabetes), commonly triggered by gallstones, alcohol, high triglycerides, or certain medications. There are several factors to consider, including symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and when to seek urgent care—see below for complete details that may affect your next steps.

Exercise is strongly linked to erectile function: regular aerobic, strength, and pelvic floor training improves blood flow and endothelial health, supports testosterone, aids weight loss, lowers cardiometabolic risks, and eases anxiety, with studies showing meaningful improvements and even restoration of erections in some men. There are several factors to consider, including which types and amounts of exercise help most and key safety steps or red flags that require medical care; see below for specific routines, precautions, and guidance on when to talk to a doctor.

Eating with Crohn’s is highly individualized: during flares, focus on low-residue, easily digested foods, small frequent meals, adequate protein, and hydration; in remission, gradually reintroduce fiber, whole foods, and fermented/probiotic options as tolerated. There are several factors to consider—macronutrient balance, fat and lactose tolerance, key vitamins/minerals (iron, B12, vitamin D/calcium), options like enteral nutrition, and lifestyle steps (stress, smoking, exercise, sleep); see below for specifics, red-flag symptoms, and how to work with your care team.

Endometriosis can often be diagnosed without immediate surgery by combining expert transvaginal ultrasound (adding MRI when needed) with symptom/risk questionnaires and limited biomarkers like CA-125, then integrating results to guide a trial of medical therapy. Accuracy depends on specialist interpretation and disease severity, and laparoscopy remains the gold standard when tests are inconclusive, pain is severe, or fertility is a priority. There are several factors to consider and a step-by-step workflow that can affect your next steps—see the complete guidance below.

Fast relief usually comes from treating early with OTC NSAIDs or acetaminophen, prescription triptans, anti-nausea meds, and non-drug steps (dark, quiet room; cold/warm compresses), while long-term control relies on consistent sleep, hydration and trigger management, regular exercise, stress-reduction techniques (relaxation, CBT, biofeedback, mindfulness), and preventive options like beta-blockers, topiramate, amitriptyline, CGRP antibodies, magnesium, riboflavin, CoQ10, and Botox for chronic cases. There are several factors to consider—including dosing, which triptan works fastest, when to start prevention, how to use a headache diary, and urgent red flags—so see the complete guidance below to choose the right next steps with your clinician.

Endometriosis happens when tissue like the uterine lining grows outside the uterus, causing varied symptoms (pelvic pain, heavy periods, painful sex, bowel/bladder pain, fatigue, and sometimes infertility); diagnosis can involve imaging, with laparoscopy as the gold standard. Management is individualized—ranging from hormonal therapies and surgery to pain strategies, pelvic floor PT, lifestyle changes, fertility planning, and mental health support—plus knowing urgent red flags like sudden severe pain or heavy bleeding. There are several factors to consider; see the complete guidance below to understand your options and next steps, including building a care team, tracking symptoms, workplace accommodations, and when to seek specialist care.

Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms include symmetrical pain, soft swelling, warmth, and reduced motion in small joints (hands, wrists, feet), with morning stiffness lasting 30–60 minutes or more, plus fatigue, low-grade fever, loss of appetite, and unintended weight loss. Some people also develop extra-articular issues like firm skin nodules, dry or inflamed eyes, lung or heart involvement, anemia, or nerve compression—there are several factors to consider; see below to understand more, including red flags and next steps for diagnosis and care.

Ringworm typically appears as circular or ring-shaped red patches with raised, well-defined edges and a clearer center, often scaly, itchy, and expanding outward. The look varies by location—scalp (scaly hair loss with broken hairs), feet (peeling/cracking between toes), groin (itchy rings with central clearing), nails (thick, discolored, crumbly)—so there are several factors to consider. See the complete details below, including early vs. advanced signs, how it spreads, treatment options, and when to seek care, as these can affect your next steps.

Brown discharge before a period is usually old menstrual blood or minor hormonal spotting, but it can occasionally be implantation bleeding (typically light brown/pink, brief, and about a week before your expected period). If you might be pregnant, take a home test after a missed period and seek care sooner for heavy/prolonged bleeding, severe pain, fever, or foul odor. There are several factors to consider (including birth control effects, infections, and fibroids/polyps)—see below for complete details that can guide your next steps.

Here are 20 key signs of endometriosis: painful periods and chronic pelvic pain; pain with sex, urination, bowel movements, or ovulation; heavy or irregular bleeding; infertility; fatigue/brain fog; GI upset (bloating, gas, nausea), low back or leg pain/sciatica; pain with exercise or pelvic exam; rectal bleeding or mucus; urinary frequency/urgency; constipation or diarrhea; mood changes; cramps between periods; and pelvic swelling/bloating. There are important nuances—like symptoms peaking around menstruation and poor response to typical pain relievers—that can guide your next steps (tracking symptoms, using a symptom checker, talking to a clinician); see the complete details below.

There are several factors to consider—see below to understand more. Narcissism exists on a spectrum; persistent patterns of grandiosity, entitlement, lack of empathy, and attention‑seeking that show up across settings and cause distress or impairment point toward Narcissistic Personality Disorder. The details below cover the two types (grandiose and vulnerable), validated ways to assess (NPI and clinical evaluation), practical next steps (journaling, feedback, symptom checks, therapy options), look‑alike conditions that can change your plan, and when to seek urgent help.

Fatal outcomes from Crohn’s are rare today, but possible—usually from complications like perforation, toxic megacolon, severe infections, or major bleeding if not recognized and treated promptly. Most people live a normal lifespan with modern therapies and close follow-up; there are several factors and warning signs to consider—see below for the details that could guide your next steps.

There are several factors to consider; see below to understand more. Clues include rare, cyclical and usually one-sided sciatica that flares around your period (buttock-to-back-of-thigh pain with numbness/tingling or weakness), overlap with pelvic endometriosis symptoms, and poor response to standard sciatica treatments. Below you’ll find when to suspect it, what tests confirm it (MRI/laparoscopy), how to track symptoms, treatment options, urgent red flags, and how to discuss next steps with your doctor.

Cyclic leg pain, numbness/tingling, or weakness that follows the sciatic nerve and worsens around your period—especially with pelvic pain, painful periods, or known endometriosis—can suggest sciatic endometriosis, though it’s rare and other sciatica causes are more common. Diagnosis often involves a focused history and neuro/pelvic exam, pelvic and lumbosacral MRI or ultrasound, and sometimes laparoscopy; treatment may include hormonal therapy, pain control, surgery, and physical therapy. There are several factors to consider and urgent symptoms to watch for—see below for key differences from typical sciatica, risk factors, testing steps, and what to do next.

There are several factors to consider: current evidence does not show a direct link, though one small study found DHT rose during a high‑dose loading phase in young men, and no trials have measured actual hair thinning. Genetics, dose (loading vs 3–5 g/day), and other common causes of shedding often matter more; if concerned, monitor your hair and talk with a clinician. See the complete answer below for key nuances, practical dosing tips, and when to seek care that could affect your next steps.

Yes—there are several factors to consider. Creatine often causes a small, early weight increase (about 1–2 kg) from water moving into muscles; with training, later increases are usually from added lean muscle rather than fat, and weight typically stabilizes on maintenance dosing. Important safety and strategy details (hydration, skipping the loading phase, and when to avoid use—e.g., kidney/liver disease or certain meds) are covered below.

By most definitions, using a dildo does not change your virginity status—it’s solo masturbation, not sexual intercourse with another person. There are several factors to consider, including that “virginity” is a social/personal concept that varies by culture and belief, plus important health and safety points (hymen myths, toy hygiene/lube, and when to seek care); see the complete details below to guide your next steps.

Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that can affect any part of the GI tract, causing diarrhea, abdominal pain, weight loss, fatigue, and sometimes complications like strictures, fistulas, and abscesses. Diagnosis typically uses blood and stool tests, imaging, and endoscopy, and treatment ranges from nutrition strategies and short-term steroids to immunomodulators and biologics, with surgery for complications. There are several factors to consider for diet, monitoring, vaccines, pregnancy, and when to seek urgent care—see the complete guidance below to inform your next steps.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes symmetrical joint pain, swelling, and morning stiffness and, without early treatment, can lead to permanent joint damage and other systemic complications. There are several factors to consider—how it’s diagnosed (RF/anti-CCP and imaging), evidence-based treatments (DMARDs, biologics, JAK inhibitors), lifestyle and monitoring plans, vaccine and safety guidance, and urgent red flags—see below for complete details and which next steps to take.

Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms: track them daily, try an online symptom check, and book a prompt medical visit—ideally with a rheumatologist—for evaluation with RF/anti‑CCP, ESR/CRP, and imaging. Early treat‑to‑target therapy (DMARDs like methotrexate, short‑term NSAIDs/steroids, or biologics) plus lifestyle measures can slow progression; seek urgent care for high fever, infection signs while on immunosuppressants, chest pain, or sudden severe joint pain. There are several factors that can change your next steps—diagnostic criteria, what to bring to your visit, monitoring frequency, and more—see below for the complete details.

Creatine works as an energy buffer: in muscle, brain, and heart the phosphocreatine–creatine kinase system rapidly regenerates ATP for short, high‑intensity demands and supports cellular hydration; its breakdown product, creatinine, is also used to assess kidney function and is a component of liver prognosis scores like MELD. Supplementation can boost strength and lean mass and is generally safe at standard doses, but those with kidney issues, on certain medications, or who are pregnant/breastfeeding should be cautious and may need monitoring. There are several factors to consider—dosing, timing, side effects, and when to talk to a doctor—see the complete details below to guide your next steps.

There are several factors to consider. I overcame vestibular migraine by tracking and avoiding personal triggers; stabilizing sleep, meals, and hydration; adding magnesium and riboflavin; doing vestibular rehabilitation; and, when lifestyle changes plateaued, using preventive meds (like propranolol/topiramate/amitriptyline) and rescue meds (triptans, anti-nausea), which cut attacks by over 80% and left only rare, mild episodes. For the exact routine, exercises, medication options and timelines—and how to tailor next steps with your clinician—see the complete guidance below.

Crohn’s disease is diagnosed with a stepwise evaluation that combines your medical history and exam, blood and stool markers (e.g., fecal calprotectin), colonoscopy with ileoscopy and biopsies (gold standard), and imaging such as MR/CT enterography, with capsule or advanced endoscopy when needed—because no single test confirms it and look‑alike conditions must be ruled out. There are several factors to consider that can change which tests are prioritized and what to do next; see the complete details below.

Endometriosis is diagnosed through a stepwise approach: clinicians assess symptoms and perform a pelvic exam, use imaging such as transvaginal ultrasound (first-line) and MRI when needed, and note that blood tests like CA‑125 are not definitive. Confirmation requires diagnostic laparoscopy with visual inspection and biopsy—often with treatment at the same time—while imaging can detect endometriomas and some deep disease but may miss small implants. There are several factors that can change next steps (e.g., when to refer, fertility considerations, and test limitations); see the complete details below.

Most bed bug bites heal within 7–10 days, but in people with sensitive skin or stronger allergic reactions they can persist for 2 weeks or longer, and residual discoloration may last for weeks. There are several factors to consider—individual sensitivity, number/location of bites, scratching or secondary infection, and whether you use treatments—see the complete guidance below for how to speed healing, when to seek care, and ways to prevent future bites.

Max dose is 2 Excedrin Migraine caplets in 24 hours, taken together at the first sign of migraine; do not take more unless your doctor tells you to. There are important caveats—liver disease, blood thinners or ulcers, other acetaminophen/caffeine sources, and rebound headaches can change what’s safe—so see the complete guidance below for interactions, who should avoid it, and when to seek care.

For healthy adults using creatine monohydrate, either load with 20 g/day (4 x 5 g) for 5–7 days then maintain 3–5 g/day, or skip loading and take 3–5 g/day from the start—timing is flexible, daily consistency matters most. There are several factors to consider (hydration, mild GI effects, and medical considerations like kidney/liver disease, certain meds, and youth); see the complete details below and consult a clinician if you have conditions or plan higher doses.

To safely clean sex toys and reduce infection/biofilm risk, first identify the material: for non‑porous silicone/glass/steel/ABS, rinse promptly with warm water and mild unscented soap, then disinfect (boil 3–5 minutes, 10% bleach for 2 minutes with thorough rinse, 70% isopropyl wipe, or top‑rack dishwasher if truly dishwasher‑safe); for porous or TPE/jelly toys, use a condom barrier when possible and clean carefully, and never submerge electronics—surface‑clean per manufacturer. Always air‑dry fully, store separately in clean pouches, inspect for damage, and use water‑based lube with silicone; there are several factors to consider (including partner switching, common mistakes, and when to seek medical care), so see the complete guidance below.

There’s currently no permanent cure for rheumatoid arthritis, but many people achieve sustained remission with early diagnosis (ideally within 12 weeks), a treat‑to‑target plan using DMARDs and, if needed, biologics or JAK inhibitors, plus exercise, diet, and smoking cessation. Ongoing safety monitoring, vaccinations, and timely therapy adjustments are key, with tapering only after stable remission. There are several factors to consider—see below for complete guidance that could influence your next steps and when to involve a rheumatologist.

Most skin cases clear with OTC antifungal creams (like terbinafine or clotrimazole) used twice daily for 2–4 weeks—continue 1–2 weeks after the rash looks gone—and strict hygiene (keep areas dry, wash clothes/towels hot, don’t share personal items, disinfect surfaces). Scalp or nail infections, widespread or persistent rashes, or spreading symptoms usually need a doctor and oral medication, and pets/household contacts may need checks. There are several factors to consider—including when to seek care and how to prevent recurrence—so see the complete guidance below.