Your Health Questions
Answered by Professionals

Lower left abdominal swelling or hardness is usually due to gas, constipation, or IBS causing lopsided bloating or pelvic pressure; in people with ovaries, ovarian cysts or ovulation are common too, with less common causes including diverticular disease, muscle strain, and bladder or pelvic floor issues. There are several factors to consider, and some are urgent such as sudden one sided pelvic pain with nausea that could indicate ovarian torsion, so see the complete details below for red flags, when to seek care, and practical relief strategies that may guide your next steps.

Vaginal dryness after 65 is common and treatable; effective options include immediate lubrication help with water or silicone-based lubricants, ongoing relief with vaginal moisturizers, and gold-standard low-dose vaginal estrogen with minimal systemic absorption. Non-estrogen choices like vaginal DHEA or oral SERMs, plus pelvic floor physical therapy and gentle sexual stimulation, can also improve comfort and desire. There are several factors to consider. See below to understand more. Know what to avoid and when to call a doctor: skip fragranced or numbing products and douching, and seek care for pain, bleeding after sex, persistent burning, or frequent UTIs; emotional factors and past trauma can also affect arousal. Important nuances, safety considerations, and step-by-step guidance on choosing treatments and next steps are explained below.

Black, sticky, tar-like stool usually means melena caused by digested blood from the upper digestive tract and needs prompt medical attention, while black stool that is not sticky and lacks a strong odor is often from iron, bismuth, charcoal, or dark foods and is usually harmless. Because causes, warning symptoms like dizziness or fatigue, medications such as NSAIDs or blood thinners, and a history of ulcers or liver disease can change what to do next, there are several factors to consider. See below for specific red flags, how doctors evaluate black stool, and the most appropriate next steps for your care.

Mucus in stool in females is often due to IBS, constipation, or normal hormonal shifts around periods, pregnancy, or menopause, but it can also follow infections, food reactions, or less commonly inflammatory bowel disease. There are several factors to consider. Seek care if you notice blood, persistent diarrhea, severe or worsening pain, fever, weight loss, or nighttime bowel movements. See below for a fuller list of causes, hormonal links, what mucus color can suggest, stress connections, and the exact warning signs that should guide your next steps.

Normal stool is smooth, soft, brown, and easy to pass, with frequency ranging from three times a day to three times a week. In IBS, stool often shifts to hard, lumpy pellets with constipation, loose or watery stools with diarrhea, or alternates between both, and may come with mucus, urgency, and a sense of incomplete evacuation. There are several factors to consider, including red flags like blood or black stools, weight loss, nighttime symptoms, fever, anemia, or sudden changes after age 50 that warrant prompt medical care. See below for important details that could affect your next steps.

Pale or clay-colored stool usually means too little bile reaches the intestines, most often due to problems with the liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, or pancreas; a single pale stool can be harmless, but repeated episodes with dark urine, yellow skin or eyes, itching, upper right abdominal pain, greasy stools, or weight loss deserve attention. See a doctor if it lasts more than a few days or keeps recurring, and seek urgent care for severe pain, sudden jaundice, or feeling very unwell; there are several factors to consider, and key details on causes, warning symptoms, evaluation, and treatment options are outlined below.

Pencil thin stools during anxiety are often from the gut brain connection altering bowel muscle tone and transit, so one off or stress linked changes that improve with relaxation, fiber, fluids, and a regular bathroom routine are usually not worrisome. Seek care if thin stools persist beyond 2 to 3 weeks, progressively narrow, or come with blood, weight loss, ongoing pain, anemia, or a family history of colorectal disease; there are several factors to consider, and important details about red flags, testing, and the right next steps are explained below.

Pencil-thin stools and blood in stool can be warning signs of colon cancer, especially if they last more than 2 to 3 weeks, worsen, or occur with other issues like black tarry stools, a feeling of incomplete emptying, weight loss, or fatigue, though common causes like hemorrhoids or IBS are also possible. There are several factors to consider. See complete details below for specific red flags, noncancer causes, who is at higher risk, how screening and stool tests fit in, and clear guidance on when to contact a doctor or seek urgent care.

Leg pain in older adults that starts with walking and improves with rest is often a sign of Peripheral Artery Disease caused by atherosclerosis narrowing the leg arteries and limiting oxygen to the muscles. This matters because PAD signals plaque elsewhere and raises heart attack and stroke risk, yet it is treatable with lifestyle changes, medications, and sometimes procedures when caught early. There are several factors to consider, including specific symptoms, tests, and warning signs that can change your next steps; see below for the complete details.

After gallbladder removal, loose or more frequent stools, urgency, and greasy or lighter-colored poop are common as bile flows continuously, and most people improve over weeks to a few months with smaller meals, moderate fat, and added soluble fiber. Persistent diarrhea beyond 6 to 8 weeks, nighttime bowel movements, weight loss, severe pain, blood, fever, black stools, persistent vomiting, or jaundice warrant medical care, and effective treatments like bile acid binding medicines can help; there are several factors to consider, so see the complete guidance below to understand important details that can shape your next steps.

After gallbladder removal, bile drips continuously into the intestines and fat is digested less efficiently, leading to looser, more frequent, urgent, pale or greasy stools, sometimes called bile acid diarrhea. Most people improve within weeks to months with smaller low fat meals, gradual fiber, and medications like bile acid binders when needed, but red flags like persistent diarrhea, weight loss, black or bloody stool, fever, severe pain, or dehydration require prompt evaluation; there are several factors to consider, so see the complete guidance below to decide your next steps.

While breastfeeding, water-based, pH-balanced, fragrance-free lubricants with low osmolality are generally safe for postpartum vaginal dryness. Silicone-based options can help if dryness is severe, but oil-based products are usually not recommended, especially with latex condoms. There are several factors to consider, and important details can affect your next steps. See below for ingredient cautions like glycerin, warming agents, and parabens, the difference between lubricants and vaginal moisturizers, toy and condom compatibility, practical use tips, medical options like low-dose vaginal estrogen, and when to speak to a clinician for persistent pain, bleeding, or infection signs.

Bright red streaks in stool usually come from hemorrhoids or anal fissures, but infections, inflammatory bowel disease, polyps, or colorectal cancer are also possible. Seek prompt care if bleeding is persistent, heavy, painless, or occurs with dizziness, weakness, fever, severe abdominal pain, black stools, large clots, or if you are over 45 without colon screening. There are several factors to consider. See below for practical home care tips, clear red flags, and how doctors evaluate and treat different causes so you can choose the right next step.

Learn how to communicate boundaries and needs with partners through clear consent and direct “I” statements, understand what anal sex is, and protect your physical health with lubrication, condoms, slow pacing, and stopping if there is pain or bleeding. It also covers emotional safety, red flags for pressure or disrespect, aftercare check-ins, and when to talk to a doctor for persistent pain, bleeding, infection signs, bowel changes, or ongoing distress. There are several factors to consider; see below for important details that could shape your next steps.

Medications often secretly cause constipation in seniors, more than diet or aging alone, with opioids and many common heart, mood, allergy, bladder, iron, and calcium drugs slowing the gut, drying stool, or altering nerve signals. There are several factors to consider, including reviewing your full medication and supplement list with a clinician, using safe lifestyle supports, being cautious with laxatives, and knowing red flags that need urgent care, so see below for specifics that could affect your next steps.

Sharp left under rib pain that worsens when you breathe is usually pleuritic pain or rib inflammation, not your heart, often after a recent infection, coughing, or physical strain. There are several factors to consider. See below for the red flags that need urgent care, how doctors evaluate this, and simple treatments that may guide your next steps.

With gastroenteritis, stool is usually watery or loose, often light brown to yellow with a strong odor, and bowel movements are frequent for 1 to 3 days before gradually firming as the gut heals. Blood or black stool, diarrhea lasting over 3 days in adults or 24 hours in infants and young children, fever, severe pain, or dehydration signs warrant medical care, while hydration and rest are key; there are several factors to consider, so see below for important details and guidance on next steps.

Stool clues can help you tell the difference: stomach flu usually brings large-volume watery diarrhea that is yellow or green and starts 12 to 48 hours after exposure, while food poisoning often hits within hours with more intense cramps and stools that may be very foul, greasy, or streaked with mucus or blood. There are several factors to consider. See below to understand timing, smell, frequency, what yellow stool can mean, simple home care, and red flags like blood, black stools, high fever, dehydration, or diarrhea over 3 days that should prompt you to speak to a doctor.

There are several factors to consider. Early evidence suggests clove water can add antioxidants and may modestly support circulation and metabolic balance, but human data for boosting libido or hormones are lacking, so it should not replace care for sexual or hormonal concerns. Safety matters too: avoid high doses, be cautious in pregnancy, liver disease, bleeding disorders, or when using blood thinners, and seek medical advice for persistent low libido, erectile dysfunction, pain with sex, irregular periods, or sudden changes; complete guidance and key next steps are detailed below.

Sudden, violent dizziness often comes from BPPV, where tiny inner ear crystals shift into the semicircular canals and trigger false spinning signals during head movements like rolling in bed or looking up; episodes are brief but intense and usually improve with canalith repositioning maneuvers rather than medication. There are several factors to consider, including common triggers, recurrence, and urgent red flags that change what you should do next. See below for the complete answer to guide your diagnosis, treatment options, and safety steps.

Feeling exhausted after eight hours is often due to poor sleep quality instead of lack of sleep time, especially if deep and REM sleep are cut short by micro-awakenings, sleep apnea, hormonal or iron issues, inflammation, mental health, or evening habits like caffeine, alcohol, blue light, and irregular schedules. There are several factors to consider. See below for the full list of causes, red flags and when to see a doctor, why wearables can miss problems, and proven steps to regain deeper sleep that may affect your next healthcare decisions.

Tingling hands with lightheadedness often occur together because the brain and peripheral nerves are sensitive to changes in blood flow, oxygen or carbon dioxide, and stress responses. Common causes include panic attack symptoms, low blood pressure, anemia, and breathing or sleep problems, with other contributors like low blood sugar, vitamin B12 deficiency, neck tension, and some medications. There are several factors to consider and important red flags that change next steps, such as symptoms that are new, severe, persistent, happen at rest, or occur with chest pain, shortness of breath, fainting, weakness on one side, or vision or speech changes. See below for the complete explanation, practical self-care tips, and when to talk to a doctor.

Bleeding twice in a month or a sudden heavy period after a gap is usually due to temporary hormonal shifts from stress, birth control changes, anovulatory or early ovulation cycles, or secondary amenorrhea, and many cycles settle within a few months. There are several factors to consider, and you should seek care if bleeding lasts more than 7 to 10 days, you soak pads hourly, pass large clots, have severe pain or dizziness, bleed after sex, notice sudden changes after 40, or pregnancy is possible; see below for other causes like thyroid disease, PCOS, fibroids, what to track, and how doctors evaluate this.

IUDs offer hidden benefits beyond birth control: hormonal IUDs can significantly lighten or stop heavy periods, may ease endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain, and are linked to lower endometrial cancer risk, while copper IUDs provide long lasting, hormone free stability; both can also reduce the mental load of contraception. There are important trade offs and safety notes, including initial heavier or more painful periods with copper IUDs, no STI protection, timing considerations, and rare complications, so there are several factors to consider. See the complete details below to understand what matters for you and which next steps to take with your healthcare provider.

Ice pick headaches, also called primary stabbing headaches, are sudden, sharp, seconds long jabs that may strike around the eye, temple, or scalp, often without other symptoms, and are usually benign. There are several factors to consider for your next steps, including how they differ from migraines or cluster headaches, common triggers, diagnosis and prevention strategies, and when to seek urgent care for red flags like fever, stiff neck, new neurologic symptoms, head injury, vision changes, or a thunderclap worst ever headache. For important details that could change what you do next, see the complete guidance below.

Restless legs at night often reflect Restless Legs Syndrome, commonly driven by low iron stores and sometimes vitamin B12 deficiency, with pregnancy and certain medications or conditions also contributing. Ask your clinician for ferritin and B12 testing before supplementing, and review meds plus sleep habits to reduce symptoms. There are several factors to consider; see below for how iron and B12 affect the brain, when the B12 fix helps, and the red flags that should guide your next steps.

Couples who have sex less often are often happier because quality, emotional safety, and respectful communication drive satisfaction far more than frequency, which commonly declines with time; many married couples have sex once a week or less and remain deeply fulfilled. There are several factors to consider. See below to understand more, including important details that can shape your next steps if low desire signals stress, pain, medication or hormonal changes, sleep or mental health issues, or unprocessed sexual trauma, along with practical ways to prioritize connection and when to talk with a clinician.

A persistent dry cough at night that disturbs sleep can be a silent form of asthma called cough variant asthma, driven by airway inflammation and amplified by normal nighttime changes, lying flat, and triggers like dust mites, pet dander, and cold dry air. There are several factors to consider. See below for how to distinguish it from colds, allergies, or reflux, what evaluations and treatments work, ways to reduce triggers, and when to seek urgent care.

Natural or anti-inflammatory diets can help with energy, stiffness, and heart health, but they cannot stop the autoimmune attack in rheumatoid arthritis, prevent silent joint damage, or replace DMARDs, biologics, or targeted therapies that actually modify disease. There are several factors to consider, including the harms of delaying medication and how to safely pair diet, exercise, and monitoring with treatment; see the complete guidance below to understand crucial details and next steps for your care.

Most baby poop changes are normal, with color, texture, and frequency shifting by age and diet; from tar-like meconium in the first days to looser yellow stools in breastfed babies and thicker tan stools in formula-fed babies, there are several factors to consider. See below to understand what’s typical and how solids can change stool color and smell. Seek care promptly for white, pale, or black stools, blood in the diaper, very watery diarrhea or hard pellets with pain, fever, vomiting, belly swelling, signs of dehydration, or lethargy, and see the complete details and next steps below.