Your Health Questions
Answered by Professionals

It does not detox your body; your liver and kidneys do that, while lymphatic drainage massage simply supports lymph flow and can reduce swelling in conditions like lymphedema, improving comfort but not flushing toxins from organs. There are several factors to consider, including when it actually helps, who should avoid it, and better ways to support real detox such as hydration, nutrition, movement, and sleep; see the complete details below to guide your next steps.

Sudafed usually does not cause drowsiness, but some people feel sleepy due to individual nervous system responses, rebound fatigue, being sick, medication or alcohol interactions, or taking combination products with sedating antihistamines. There are several factors to consider; see below to understand more. Important details below include how to lower your risk by checking labels, using the lowest effective dose, staying hydrated, taking it earlier in the day, avoiding alcohol, and when to contact a doctor if drowsiness is severe or you have warning symptoms that could change your next steps.

Sudafed can keep you awake, especially products with pseudoephedrine, because it has stimulant-like effects that may cause alertness, restlessness, a faster heart rate, and insomnia. Immediate-release effects typically last 4 to 6 hours with a 5 to 8 hour half-life, extended-release can disrupt sleep if taken late, and phenylephrine is shorter and usually less stimulating. There are several factors to consider, including dose, timing, caffeine, your sensitivity, and medical conditions or medications; practical ways to reduce sleep disruption, who should be cautious, warning signs, and alternatives are detailed below to help you decide next steps and when to speak with a doctor.

Healing times vary by piercing site: earlobes usually need 6 to 8 weeks for initial healing and up to 3 months total, while cartilage often takes 3 to 6 months and inner cartilage 6 to 12 months; early, mild redness, swelling, itching, and clear crusting that improves are normal. Worsening pain, redness that spreads, thick yellow or green discharge with odor, heat, swelling after week one, or fever signal possible infection and need prompt care; there are several factors to consider, so see the detailed week by week expectations, care tips, and red flags below.

Farxiga 10 mg is an SGLT2 inhibitor taken once daily to help control type 2 diabetes and to reduce hospitalizations and protect kidneys in heart failure and chronic kidney disease, even without diabetes; there are several factors to consider, so see below for who should avoid it and how to use it safely. You may notice more urination, thirst, and mild dizziness, while urgent care is needed for signs of ketoacidosis, serious infection, allergic reaction, little or no urination, or fainting; important red flags, sick-day rules, and next steps for your situation are detailed below.

Farxiga is now used not only for type 2 diabetes, but also for heart failure (HFrEF and HFpEF) and chronic kidney disease, with strong studies showing fewer hospitalizations and cardiovascular deaths and slower kidney decline, even in people without diabetes. There are several factors to consider, including who should not use it and potential side effects like increased urination, genital yeast infections, dehydration, and rare ketoacidosis; see below for key precautions, guideline updates, and the next steps to discuss with your doctor.

Farxiga treats type 2 diabetes, heart failure with reduced or preserved ejection fraction, and chronic kidney disease, including in many people without diabetes. It is an SGLT2 inhibitor that helps the kidneys excrete extra sugar and fluid, which improves blood sugar, modestly reduces weight and blood pressure, lowers heart failure hospitalizations and cardiovascular death, and slows CKD progression and the need for dialysis. There are several factors to consider, including who should avoid it and safety issues like genital or urinary infections, dehydration, and rare ketoacidosis, as well as how and when to take it; see the important details below to guide your next steps.

Gabapentin can relieve certain nerve pain, with about 30 to 50 percent of people getting meaningful but partial relief, usually after 1 to 4 weeks when doses are increased gradually, and it is generally not helpful for non-nerve pain. There are several factors to consider, including side effects, interactions with opioids or alcohol, and who should be cautious, as well as what to do if it does not work. See the complete details below to understand who benefits most, how to start and stop safely, and which alternatives might better guide your next steps with a clinician.

Common gabapentin side effects like drowsiness, dizziness or unsteadiness, blurred vision, mild stomach upset, and leg swelling are usually temporary; serious ones to act on include rash or swelling with trouble breathing, blistering skin, severe confusion or weakness, breathing problems, and new or worsening depression or suicidal thoughts. There are several factors to consider, including higher doses, interactions with opioids, benzodiazepines, or alcohol, older age or kidney disease, and the risk of seizures if you stop suddenly; see the detailed guidance below for what’s normal, when to call your doctor, and when to seek emergency care.

Gabapentin is used for nerve-related conditions such as partial seizures and postherpetic neuralgia, and is often prescribed off label for neuropathic pain, restless legs, hot flashes, and sometimes fibromyalgia, but it is not a general painkiller, antidepressant, or first-line anxiety medicine. There are several factors to consider, including side effects, the need to taper rather than stop suddenly, interactions with opioids, alcohol, and sedatives, misuse risk, and who should be extra cautious such as older adults or people with kidney disease, breathing problems, mood disorders, or pregnancy; see the complete details below to understand more and when to talk to a doctor.

Most people with contagious pneumonia stop being contagious within 24 to 48 hours after starting effective treatment, even though cough and fatigue can linger. For viral cases, contagiousness often ends once fever has been gone for 24 hours and symptoms are improving, which for many adults is around 3 to 7 days from symptom start. There are several factors to consider, including the cause, correct treatment, immune status, close-contact settings, and that most fungal pneumonia is not contagious; see the complete details below to understand exceptions and the safest next steps.

Common causes of a high BUN include dehydration, kidney disease or acute injury, high protein intake, gastrointestinal bleeding, reduced kidney blood flow, certain medications, and age-related changes. There are several factors to consider, and BUN is best interpreted with creatinine, urine tests, symptoms, and trends; see the complete details below to know when it is urgent, when it is likely reversible, and what next steps to take.

High TSH usually signals an underactive thyroid and low TSH suggests an overactive thyroid. Doctors interpret results with your symptoms and other labs like Free T4 and T3 because the typical range of about 0.4 to 4.0 mIU/L can vary with age, pregnancy, medications, and health conditions. There are several factors to consider, including subclinical results that may only need monitoring, common causes and treatments, when to repeat testing, and urgent warning signs like chest pain, severe weakness, or a very fast or irregular heartbeat that need prompt care. See complete details below to guide your next steps and what to discuss with your clinician.

Hip dips are a common, normal anatomical variation shaped mostly by your pelvic and femur bone structure, with muscle attachments and fat distribution making them more or less visible; they are not caused by fitness level or weight and do not need to be fixed. There are several factors to consider about appearance changes with exercise, myths, mental well-being, and when hip or groin symptoms warrant medical care or a symptom check, so see the complete details below to guide next steps.

Pneumonia can be contagious depending on the cause: viral and some bacterial or atypical infections can spread through close, repeated contact in households, while aspiration and other non infectious pneumonias do not. Risk of catching it rises with prolonged indoor exposure and in higher risk people like older adults, infants, smokers, and those with chronic conditions, and bacterial cases are usually less contagious after 24 to 48 hours of antibiotics; there are several factors to consider, including how long someone is contagious and practical steps to prevent spread, which are detailed below.

Cellulitis can get worse quickly, often progressing within 24 to 48 hours if untreated, starting with spreading redness, warmth, swelling, and tenderness, and potentially escalating by 2 to 3 days to fever, significant pain, red streaks, and sometimes serious complications. Antibiotics usually stop the spread and bring improvement within 24 to 48 hours, but seek urgent care for rapidly spreading redness, high fever, severe pain, facial or eye involvement, or if symptoms worsen after 48 hours; there are several factors that can change the timeline and your next steps, like diabetes, poor circulation, or immune problems. See the detailed timeline, red flags, and what to do next below.

Contagiousness depends on the cause: viral pneumonia usually spreads from 1 to 2 days before symptoms through about 5 to 7 days after they begin, bacterial pneumonia is typically contagious until 24 to 48 hours after starting the right antibiotics, walking pneumonia can remain contagious for several days to weeks, fungal pneumonia is not contagious, and Pneumocystis spreads person to person only rarely. There are several factors to consider, like age, immune status, and whether fever and cough are improving, which affect when you are no longer contagious and safe to return to normal activities; see below for the full timelines by type, prevention steps, and when to contact a doctor.

Key safety warnings and watch-outs include getting clear, ongoing consent and protecting your airway so you can always pull away. Use condoms or other barriers to lower STI risk, avoid oral contact if you have mouth sores or bleeding gums, and stop if there is pain, breathing trouble, or bleeding. There are several factors to consider, from hygiene and positioning to communication, aftercare, and when to seek medical help; see below for essential details that can affect next steps like using barriers, STI screening, or getting support for distress.

Best berberine dose and timing: 1,000 to 1,500 mg per day split into 2 or 3 doses of 500 mg, taken just before or with meals; start at 500 mg once daily and increase as tolerated. Avoid combining with diabetes, blood pressure, blood thinner, or liver-metabolized medicines without medical advice, avoid during pregnancy or breastfeeding, and watch for GI upset or low blood sugar symptoms. There are several factors to consider that can affect your next steps; full details on timing, interactions, side effects, and who should not take it are below.

Sometimes contagious: bacterial pneumonia itself does not spread, but the bacteria that can cause it do via respiratory droplets, while forms like aspiration or chemical pneumonia are not contagious. Risk and prevention vary by age, immune status, recent viral infections, and exposure settings, and steps like hand hygiene, vaccines, and brief masking around high risk people matter; see below for key nuances, what spreads vs what does not, and when to seek medical care.

Gabapentin is not addictive in the traditional sense and is not federally scheduled, but it can cause physical dependence and withdrawal if stopped abruptly, and misuse can occur at high doses or in people with substance use risk. There are several factors to consider, including added risks when combined with opioids, benzodiazepines, or alcohol and the importance of a gradual taper; see below for complete details and next steps to discuss with your clinician.

Gabapentin can be safe and effective for adults 65+ when used thoughtfully at the lowest effective dose with adjustments for kidney function, but it carries higher risks like drowsiness, dizziness, balance problems, confusion, falls, and rare breathing issues when combined with opioids, sleep or anxiety medicines. There are several factors to consider, including why it is prescribed, what other medicines you take, and kidney health, so close monitoring and not stopping suddenly without medical guidance are important. See below for key details on safe dosing, interactions, red flag symptoms, and the right next steps to discuss with your doctor.

Key differences you can spot in 60 seconds: restless legs feels like an irresistible urge to move that starts or worsens at rest and eases with movement, especially at night, while leg cramps are sudden, sharp, hard muscle contractions that last seconds to minutes and may leave soreness. There are several factors to consider. See below to understand more, including common triggers like low iron or dehydration, what to try now, and warning signs such as one leg swelling, severe unexplained pain, or weakness that mean you should contact a doctor.

Pneumonia can be contagious depending on the cause: viruses and some bacteria can spread through cough and close contact, while fungal, aspiration, and hypersensitivity pneumonitis are not contagious. Viral pneumonia often becomes contagious 1 to 2 days before symptoms and stays contagious while symptoms last, and bacterial pneumonia is usually contagious until 24 to 48 hours after starting antibiotics; there are several factors to consider, including who is at higher risk and how to prevent spread. For timing nuances, precautions, vaccines, and when to seek urgent care, see the complete details below.

Cellulitis is a bacterial skin infection that typically causes spreading redness, warmth, swelling, and pain; seek urgent care today if the redness spreads quickly, the pain is severe, fever reaches 101 F or higher, you see red streaks, or there is pus, blackened skin, numbness, facial or eye swelling, confusion, or a fast heartbeat. There are several factors to consider; the complete checklist and what to expect from treatment are below. Do not wait if you have diabetes or poor circulation, are immunocompromised, the area involves the face genitals or near the eyes, it followed an animal or human bite, or you recently had surgery. For crucial details that can change your next steps, including diagnosis tips, lookalikes that are not cellulitis, and prevention advice, see below.

Lemon health: five unexpected benefits include digestive support from pectin in the pulp and zest, heart health from vitamin C and flavonoids, improved absorption of plant iron, skin support via vitamin C, and a lower kidney stone risk from citrate. There are several factors to consider, including enamel protection, reflux triggers, safe dilution, and when to talk to a doctor; see below for practical how-to guidance and important details that can shape your next healthcare steps.

There are several factors to consider. For adults 65 and older, a satisfying experience centers on comfort, consent, and communication, adapting to common changes like dry mouth, dentures, jaw fatigue, and lower energy by using lubrication, taking breaks, and gentle pacing. Prioritize safety, hygiene, and emotional wellbeing, be mindful of medication effects, and stop to seek care for red flags such as chest pain, breathlessness, dizziness, mouth pain, or distress. See below for more practical tips, health considerations, and next-step guidance that can affect your care.

Low BUN is usually not dangerous, but the cause and your overall picture matter; it is often due to low protein intake, overhydration, or normal pregnancy changes, and less often to liver or hormone-related problems. Be more concerned if it is persistent or occurs with symptoms like fatigue, confusion, swelling, jaundice, or electrolyte abnormalities and review with your clinician to plan next steps; there are several factors and red flags to consider, so see the complete guidance below.

Lymphatic drainage massage is a very gentle, light-pressure technique that helps guide lymph flow and may reduce swelling, support lymphedema care and post-surgical recovery, and promote relaxation when done by trained professionals; it is a supportive therapy, not a cure. It is not appropriate for everyone, especially with active infection, uncontrolled heart failure, recent or active blood clots, active cancer without oncologist approval, severe kidney disease, or fever. There are several factors to consider; see below for important details that could shape your next steps and talk with a clinician about whether it is safe for you.

Taking Metamucil before bed is usually safe for healthy adults, but it is not ideal because the risk of choking, reflux, and overnight bloating rises if you take it right before lying down or without enough water. For most people, better timing is morning, midday, or early evening with a full glass of water, staying upright for at least 30 minutes, and spacing it 2 hours from medications. There are several factors and exceptions to consider, including swallowing problems, reflux, gut narrowing, and active IBD, so see the complete guidance below for dosing tips, ways to reduce bloating, and warning symptoms that mean you should seek care.