Your Health Questions
Answered by Professionals

Before trying to conceive, get screened for key STIs that can be silent yet affect fertility and pregnancy, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, hepatitis B and C, and trichomoniasis, plus age based cervical screening for HPV; testing is recommended at least once preconception and more often if you are under 25 or have risk factors like new or multiple partners or past STIs. There are several factors to consider, like which tests are right for you, how often to repeat them, when to treat and when to try to conceive, and whether your partner should be tested, so see the complete guidance below for important details that can shape your next steps.

Pain with intimacy after 65 is common and usually due to genitourinary syndrome of menopause from low estrogen, which causes dryness, thinning, and tightness; comfort can often be restored with vaginal moisturizers and lubricants, low-dose local estrogen, non-estrogen prescriptions, and pelvic floor physical therapy. There are several factors and warning signs to consider, including infections, skin conditions, prolapse, or rare cancers; see a clinician promptly for bleeding, persistent pain, new or worsening symptoms, or discharge changes. See the complete guidance below to decide your safest next steps, including emotional supports, lifestyle tips, and how to talk with your partner.

Bleeding after sex often stems from common, treatable issues like cervicitis, cervical polyps, vaginal dryness, or minor tears, but it can also be due to STIs or PID, hormonal shifts, endometriosis, and less commonly cancers. Seek medical care if bleeding is recurrent, heavy, occurs after menopause, or comes with pain, fever, dizziness, or unusual discharge; see the complete guidance below for which symptoms matter, what tests doctors use, and what you can do now while awaiting care.

For adults 65+, postherpetic neuralgia is lingering nerve pain after shingles that can last months or years, and it is manageable with evidence-based options like nerve pain medicines, topical lidocaine or capsaicin, gentle movement, stress and sleep support, plus early antiviral treatment and vaccination to reduce risk. There are several factors to consider, including medication interactions, when to see a specialist, and urgent warning signs near the eyes or with infection. See the complete guidance below to understand more and choose the right next steps with your clinician.

Postpartum anxiety is common, real, and treatable, marked by persistent, hard to control worry that can begin during pregnancy or months after birth and often includes physical symptoms and sleep problems that disrupt bonding and daily life. There are several factors to consider, including how it differs from baby blues and depression, key risk factors, red flags that need urgent care, and proven treatments like CBT and safe medications, so see below for the complete guidance that can shape your next steps.

Breastfeeding can temporarily lower bone density, but for most people it rebounds within 6 to 12 months after weaning; pregnancy itself usually does not cause osteoporosis, though a rare condition called pregnancy and lactation associated osteoporosis can lead to fractures. There are several factors to consider, including nutrition, vitamin D, weight bearing activity, personal risk factors, and warning signs that should prompt medical care; see the complete details below to decide on the right next steps for your bone health.

Pregnancy and STIs: early detection and treatment protect both parent and baby; risks of untreated infections include preterm birth, low birth weight, newborn infections, and even miscarriage or stillbirth, so routine screening at the first prenatal visit for syphilis, HIV, hepatitis B, chlamydia, and gonorrhea, with repeat testing in the third trimester based on risk, is essential. There are several factors to consider, including that many STIs are silent, partners may need testing, some viral infections are managed rather than cured, and certain symptoms require urgent care. See below for full screening protocols, warning signs, and the next steps to take with your provider.

Premature ejaculation is common and treatable; clinical causes include heightened nerve sensitivity, low serotonin or other hormonal factors, erectile dysfunction, prostate or urinary issues, and psychological contributors, and it can be lifelong or acquired. Effective behavioral techniques and treatments include start stop and squeeze methods, pelvic floor training, mindful pacing, CBT and partner communication, topical anesthetics, on demand or daily antidepressants that delay ejaculation, lifestyle changes, and addressing underlying conditions; see a clinician if symptoms persist, are sudden, or involve pain or ED. There are several factors to consider for your next steps, so see the complete details below.

Reduce fall risk at home and protect aging bones with practical steps like clearing clutter and loose rugs, improving lighting and bathroom safety, staying active with weight-bearing and balance exercises, getting enough calcium and vitamin D, wearing stable shoes, and keeping vision, hearing, and medications up to date. There are several factors to consider, including when to seek medical care after a fall or new symptoms, how to tailor changes for osteoporosis, and specific room-by-room checklists that can shape your next healthcare decisions; see below for the complete guidance.

Most people with psoriasis can have healthy pregnancies, and the condition itself usually does not harm the baby, though symptoms can improve, worsen, or stay the same and postpartum flares are common. Safer options often include moisturizers, low to moderate topical steroids used sparingly, and UVB phototherapy, while methotrexate and oral retinoids should be avoided and some biologics require a careful discussion with your doctor. There are several factors to consider for your personal plan, including disease severity, breastfeeding plans, and when to seek urgent care for rapidly spreading lesions, infection, or severe joint pain. See the complete guidance below for specific medication choices, natural care tips, and how to prepare with your clinician during pregnancy and after delivery.

Short sex can be completely satisfying when you focus on quality, not minutes: penetrative sex often lasts 3 to 7 minutes and total activity 10 to 30, and connection, presence, and communication matter most; there are several factors to consider, so see below for key details that could shape your next steps. Below you will also find practical, time-saving strategies like redefining what counts as sex, starting arousal outside the bedroom, choosing one intention, and protecting time, plus signs to seek care such as pain, persistent arousal or erection difficulties, hormonal changes, mental health concerns, or medication side effects.

RSV spreads through droplets, close contact, and contaminated surfaces, causing mild cold-like illness for many but potentially severe disease in infants, older adults, and people with certain conditions. Prevention includes handwashing, cleaning high-touch surfaces, limiting exposure around high-risk people, and, when eligible, vaccines or preventive antibodies; care is mostly supportive at home, with urgent evaluation for breathing trouble, bluish lips, or dehydration. There are several factors to consider; see below for when symptoms start, how long people are contagious, who is highest risk, step-by-step prevention and home care, and the exact red flags that should change your next steps in seeking medical care.

You can resume sex after a yeast infection when treatment is finished and all symptoms have resolved, typically around 7 days (often 3 to 7 days after OTC therapy or up to 7 days after fluconazole, longer if infections are severe or recurrent). Having sex too soon can delay healing or trigger a recurrence. There are several factors to consider. See below for detailed timelines by treatment type, why waiting matters, signs you are ready, partner considerations, comfort tips to prevent irritation, and when to seek medical care.

For adults 60 and older, RSV often poses greater danger than the flu because immune aging weakens defenses, the virus more directly targets the lower lungs, and chronic conditions like COPD, heart disease, or diabetes raise the risk of pneumonia, breathing problems, and longer hospital stays. There are several factors to consider, including subtle early symptoms without high fever, when to seek urgent evaluation, and how vaccination and prevention can reduce severe illness; see below for complete details that can guide your next healthcare steps.

Scar sensitivity and lower libido after a C-section are common and usually improve; hormones, fatigue, body image, and nerve healing can make sex feel different, and though many are cleared around six weeks, comfort and emotional readiness vary. There are several factors to consider; see below for key details that may influence your timeline and care. Practical strategies to make intimacy safer and more comfortable, guidance on positions, lubrication and scar desensitization, support options like pelvic floor therapy, plus red flags that mean you should contact a clinician, are outlined below.

Schizophrenia symptoms include positive signs like hallucinations and delusions, negative symptoms such as reduced motivation and social withdrawal, and cognitive issues with attention and memory; diagnosis is clinical after ruling out substance, mood, or medical causes. There are several factors to consider in treatment, which commonly combines long term antipsychotic medication, psychotherapy and family or social supports, plus lifestyle strategies and early consistent care for better outcomes. Urgent help is needed for suicidal thoughts, danger to others, severe confusion, rapid worsening, or symptoms after substance use. See below for practical details, options like long acting injections, recovery expectations, and next steps to prepare for a visit, including a symptom check link.

Condoms are vital in retirement communities because STIs are rising among older adults, and condoms lower risk by blocking bodily fluids and limiting skin-to-skin contact, especially in new relationships. There are several factors to consider, including age-related health vulnerabilities, common myths that reduce condom use, and practical tips for correct use and talking with a doctor. See below for the complete guidance and next steps that could impact your personal healthcare decisions.

There are several factors to consider, as chlamydia is often overlooked in post-menopausal women because symptoms are subtle or mistaken for menopause or UTIs, estrogen-related tissue changes blur the picture, and screening practices and stigma skew toward younger ages. Testing still matters after menopause since untreated infection can cause pelvic pain, PID, and other complications, and diagnosis is simple with a urine test or vaginal swab. See below for specific symptoms to watch for, when to seek urgent care, and how to ask your clinician for STI screening that fits your situation.

Arousal in young women is an automatic mind body response to touch, thoughts, and emotions that varies widely from person to person and never equals desire or consent. There are several factors to consider, so see below to understand more. Below you will find practical guidance on safe self exploration, what body changes are normal, why pleasure may be uneven, red flags like pain or bleeding, when a free sexual trauma symptom check might help, and when to talk with a doctor to plan your next steps.

This guide gives parents a clear, calm roadmap for ongoing safe sex talks with teens, covering what safe sex is, how to prevent STIs and pregnancy, consent, emotional safety, and practical tools like condoms, dental dams, testing, birth control, and conversation starters. There are several factors to consider, including warning signs that need care, how to support a teen after possible sexual trauma, and when to involve a doctor; see the complete, step-by-step guidance below to understand more and choose the right next steps.

Sexual orientation is a normal spectrum of emotional, romantic, and sexual attraction that can evolve over time, described by the related parts of attraction, behavior, and identity, with common terms like heterosexual, gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, and queer, and it is distinct from gender identity. There are several factors to consider; see complete details below on how orientation develops, key myths and facts, mental and emotional health, trauma resources, and when to seek medical or counseling support, which may influence your next steps in care.

Media portrayals often get schizophrenia wrong, inflating the link to violence and nonstop hallucinations. In reality most people are nonviolent and more often victims of harm, and many can work, study, and maintain relationships when they receive early, consistent, evidence-based care for this brain-based condition. There are several factors to consider that may change your next steps, from understanding symptom types and side effects to knowing when to seek urgent care and how support improves outcomes; see the full guidance below.

There are several factors to consider. See below to understand more about sex positivity after 60, letting go of shame, and redefining intimacy on your terms while addressing normal body changes with compassion. The complete answer below also outlines when to talk with a partner or doctor, safer sex, options for pain or function changes, and tools like a free online symptom check for sexual trauma that could guide your next steps.

Shingles often begins with tingling, burning, or pain on one side, then a band-like red rash with fluid-filled blisters that scab and heal over several weeks, progressing through prodrome, active rash, scabbing, and recovery stages. Antivirals like acyclovir, valacyclovir, or famciclovir work best when started within 72 hours to shorten illness and reduce complications such as postherpetic neuralgia; there are several factors to consider, including urgent signs involving the eye or face, pain control options, contagion precautions, and vaccination, so see below for complete details that can guide your next steps.

Shingles is showing up more in busy professionals because chronic stress, poor or irregular sleep, long hours, frequent travel, and delayed self care weaken immunity and let the dormant chickenpox virus reactivate. Know the early signs like tingling or one sided pain and seek care quickly, since antivirals work best within 72 hours and vaccination may be recommended to lower risks like long term nerve pain and eye involvement. There are several factors to consider, plus practical prevention steps and when to seek urgent care; see below for the complete answer, which includes details that could change your next steps.

Bleeding after sex during pregnancy is common and often harmless, usually showing up as light spotting from a sensitive cervix, and sex itself does not hurt the baby. There are several factors to consider; seek prompt care for heavy or worsening bleeding, pain, cramping, dizziness, fever, or any third-trimester bleeding. See below for trimester-specific causes, what to do next, when to avoid sex, and how doctors evaluate bleeding.

On average, married couples report sex about once per week under 40, 2 to 3 times per month at 40 to 59, and once or twice per month over 60, with an overall average of roughly 50 to 60 times per year; many satisfied couples are well above or below these ranges. There are several factors to consider, and satisfaction and health matter more than hitting a number; stress, hormones, medical conditions or medications, and relationship dynamics all influence desire, and you should speak with a clinician if there is pain, sudden change, or distress. See below for key details that can shape your next steps.

Common STI symptoms include unusual discharge, burning with urination, genital sores or blisters, rashes on the palms or soles, pelvic or testicular pain, itching or odor, rectal symptoms, and flu-like illness after exposure, but there are several factors to consider. Because symptoms overlap and many STIs are silent, only testing can confirm and early treatment protects you and partners; seek urgent care for severe pelvic pain, high fever, rapidly spreading rash, neurological changes, or sudden testicular swelling, and find the fuller visual guide with condition-specific details and next steps below.

Consent is a clear, voluntary, informed, ongoing, mutual yes that applies to touch, relationships, and online life, and teaching it helps teens set boundaries, communicate clearly, respect others, and identify red flags. There are several factors to consider. See below to understand more, including practical scripts for saying no and asking permission, digital safety and sharing guidelines, how to recognize pressure or threats, and what to do if consent is violated, including confidential screening options and when to contact a healthcare professional.

Teaching your teen how to put on a condom before they are sexually active builds confidence and reduces risk, since condoms protect against pregnancy and many STIs only when used correctly every time. There are several factors to consider. See below to understand more, including step by step practice, common mistakes to avoid, consent and boundaries, and when to talk with a doctor about STI testing, contraception, symptoms, or other concerns.