Your Health Questions
Answered by Professionals

It most often begins in young adulthood, typically between ages 15 and 30, with a smaller second peak between 50 and 70, though it can start at any age. Symptoms usually start gradually over weeks to months, but some people have a sudden onset with diarrhea, urgency, and blood or mucus in the stool. There are several factors to consider, including early signs, triggers, and when to seek care; see below for the complete answer and guidance on next steps.

There are several factors to consider; call a doctor if symptoms begin suddenly or worsen quickly, severely disrupt sleep or daytime function, spread beyond the legs or are no longer relieved by movement, cause pain, numbness, or weakness, occur during pregnancy, follow a new medication, affect your mood, or coexist with conditions like iron deficiency, kidney disease, diabetes, or neuropathy. See the complete list of triggers, what a doctor may evaluate, and next steps below. Seek urgent care for sudden weakness or paralysis, loss of bladder or bowel control, severe unexplained pain, or confusion, as these are not typical of RLS.

There are several factors to consider. Be more concerned if bleeding is repeated or increasing, dark maroon or black, has no clear cause, or comes with weakness, dizziness, weight loss, ongoing belly pain, changes in bowel habits, fever, or signs of anemia, especially if you are over 45 or have a family history. Seek urgent care for large amounts of blood, black tarry stools, fainting, or severe abdominal pain. See the complete guidance below for what stool color means, which symptoms matter most, who is higher risk, and which next steps to take.

Ulcerative colitis occurs in the large intestine, always starting in the rectum and spreading continuously upward along the colon’s inner lining without skipping areas. It does not involve the small intestine, stomach, esophagus, or mouth, and the exact extent can influence symptoms, testing, and treatment options. There are several factors to consider, see below for important details that may affect your next steps in care.

Most often on the lower left side of the abdomen, because ulcerative colitis usually starts in the rectum and sigmoid colon; pain may also occur deep in the pelvis or near the anus when only the rectum is involved, along the left side with left-sided colitis, or across the whole abdomen in extensive disease. There are several factors to consider, including cramping that improves after bowel movements, occasional rectal or lower back pain, and warning signs that need urgent care; see below for complete details that could affect your next steps in care.

There are several factors to consider; see below to understand more. A thin, even white coating that improves with brushing or hydration and causes no pain is usually normal, while thick or clumpy patches that do not wipe off, leave red areas or bleed when scraped, and come with soreness or burning suggest thrush, especially in infants, older adults, people with diabetes, recent antibiotic use, or anyone on steroids or immunocompromised. If it lasts more than 1 to 2 weeks, spreads, or comes with pain or trouble swallowing, see a clinician as antifungal treatment may be needed; full details on look-alike conditions, prevention, and next steps are below.

Gastroenterologists are the primary specialists who diagnose and manage IBD long term, with pediatric gastroenterologists for children; primary care doctors help coordinate care, and colorectal surgeons step in when complications or refractory disease require surgery. Care teams often also include registered dietitians, mental health professionals, and IBD‑trained nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants; there are several factors to consider about who to see first and when to add specialists, so see the complete details below to guide your next steps.

Inflammatory bowel disease causes diarrhea for several reasons. See below to understand more. Active inflammation injures the intestinal lining and speeds transit, so less water and electrolytes are absorbed while the gut secretes extra fluid; ulcers, bile acid malabsorption, microbiome shifts, prior bowel surgery, and some medications can further trigger watery, urgent stools, and these details can influence which treatments and next steps are right for you.

Inflammatory bowel disease occurs when a genetically susceptible person’s immune system misfires against normal gut microbes after environmental triggers, causing chronic inflammation of the digestive tract. There are several factors to consider, including specific genes, shifts in the gut microbiome, and exposures such as smoking, diet, and antibiotics. Stress does not cause IBD but can worsen flares; see below for the complete explanation and how these details can influence testing, treatment choices, and when to seek care.

There are several factors to consider: in ulcerative colitis, inflammation injures the colon’s lining so it cannot absorb water, ulcers add fluid and mucus, and faster transit reduces absorption, together causing frequent, urgent, watery stools that may include blood. Important details about triggers, dehydration, and when to seek urgent care can influence your next steps, so see the complete explanation below to understand more.

Yes, inflammatory bowel disease usually shows on colonoscopy, which can reveal visible inflammation, ulcers, bleeding, and patterns typical of ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease; biopsies taken during the procedure help confirm the diagnosis. However, there are exceptions such as remission, early disease, or Crohn’s limited to the small intestine where colonoscopy may appear normal, so additional tests may be needed. There are several factors to consider that can influence next steps; see below for important details.

Farxiga 10 mg can raise the chance of UTIs and vaginal yeast infections, with yeast infections more common, because it increases sugar in urine. Lower your risk with steady hydration and not holding urine, gentle fragrance free hygiene, keeping the area dry with breathable cotton underwear, tight glucose control, and cautious antibiotic use; know early symptoms, when to seek urgent care, and do not stop Farxiga without medical advice. There are several factors to consider and options if infections recur; see below to understand more.

Hip dips are a normal, harmless body contour shaped mostly by pelvic bone structure, muscle placement, and fat distribution; exercise and posture can modestly smooth their look, but they cannot change bone anatomy, and weight changes can affect visibility unpredictably. There are several factors to consider, including when hip pain needs medical evaluation and the real risks and limits of cosmetic procedures; see below for specific exercises that can help with shape, posture tips, red flags for pain, and mental health support to guide your next steps.

For bloating, gentle lymphatic drainage can help when puffiness is due to fluid retention, hormones, or long sitting, and it works best alongside walking, deep breathing, and good hydration. It does not burn fat, detox the body, cure digestive disorders, or fix gas or constipation, and any slimming is usually a short-lived fluid shift. There are several factors to consider, including when to try at-home techniques, when to see a certified therapist, and which warning signs mean you should see a doctor. See the complete, step-by-step details below to guide your next steps.

Sudafed can trigger anxiety, jitteriness, and a racing heart by stimulating the sympathetic nervous system, and women may be more sensitive due to body size, hormonal shifts, underlying anxiety, or medication interactions. There are several factors to consider, and milder restlessness or a slight heart rate increase often fades as the dose wears off; see important details below. Stop Sudafed and speak to a doctor if your heart races and does not slow, you have chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness or faintness, irregular beats, or overwhelming anxiety; be especially cautious if you have high blood pressure, heart or thyroid disease, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or take interacting medicines, and consider safer alternatives listed below.

Mucinex contains guaifenesin, an expectorant that thins thick chest mucus so you can cough it up; it is not a cough suppressant and will not treat infection, sore throat, fever, or body aches. There are several factors to consider: use it for productive congestion only, take it with plenty of water, avoid crushing extended-release tablets, choose the right single vs combination formula, and know the safety issues and red flags that require medical care, since combo versions and certain conditions can change your next steps; see the complete guidance and next steps below.

These seven warning signs mean your ear piercing needs attention: pain that worsens, spreading redness, swelling that tightens jewelry, yellow or green discharge, a growing bump, fever or feeling unwell, and healing that lags beyond normal timelines. There are several factors to consider, including proper aftercare, safe cleaning, metal allergies, and when to seek urgent medical help or use a symptom checker, so see below for complete guidance that could affect your next steps.

Five symptoms that may indicate inflammatory bowel disease are persistent diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramping, blood or mucus in the stool, ongoing fatigue, and unintended weight loss or poor appetite. There are several factors to consider. See below for important details that can influence what to do next, including how these signs differ from IBS, when to call a clinician or seek urgent care, and considerations such as nighttime symptoms, anemia, and growth delays in children.

There are several factors to consider: digestive symptoms often worsen with age due to slower gut motility, shifts in gut bacteria, reduced digestive secretions, medication effects, and immune changes, and may reflect IBS or, in some people, IBD. See below for the red flags that need prompt care such as blood in stool, unexplained weight loss, persistent pain, weeks of diarrhea or constipation, or new symptoms after age 50, and for practical next steps on evaluation, diet, medication review, and monitoring. These details can influence which actions you take with your clinician.

Yes, several foods commonly trigger IBS symptoms, including high FODMAP foods, fatty or fried meals, dairy if lactose intolerant, sugar alcohol sweeteners, caffeine, alcohol, and spicy foods. Triggers vary widely by person, so you do not need to avoid everything. There are several factors to consider; see below for how to identify your own triggers, which gentler foods may help, and when to seek medical advice about red flag symptoms and broader contributors like stress and medications.

There are several factors to consider. See below to understand more. Blood in stool with fatigue in women can be IBD such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s, but it also occurs with hemorrhoids or fissures, infections, iron-deficiency anemia, celiac disease, endometriosis, colon polyps, or colorectal cancer; persistent bleeding, worsening tiredness, dizziness, severe abdominal pain, fever, or a family history should prompt timely medical evaluation with blood and stool tests and possibly colonoscopy, with key details on next steps outlined below.

There are several causes to consider: blood in stool for several days can come from hemorrhoids or fissures, but also from infections, inflammatory bowel disease, diverticular bleeding, ulcers, or colorectal cancer, and the color and pattern provide important clues. Do not ignore ongoing bleeding; seek prompt care, especially with red flags like dizziness or fainting, black tarry stools, heavy bleeding or clots, severe abdominal pain, fever, dehydration, shortness of breath, or chest discomfort. What to do right now, when to go urgent, and how doctors evaluate and treat this are explained below.

Blood in stool may or may not occur in Crohn’s disease; it depends on where the inflammation is, how deep it goes, and how active the disease is at the time. There are several factors to consider. See below to understand more. Because bleeding can also come from conditions other than Crohn’s and heavy or persistent bleeding needs prompt medical care, the complete details below can help you decide on the right next steps and when to contact a clinician.

Bloody diarrhea in older adults can be caused by ulcerative colitis, but infections (including C. difficile), ischemic colitis, diverticular disease, medication effects, hemorrhoids or fissures, and colorectal cancer are also common possibilities. There are several factors to consider, and self-diagnosis is risky. Proper evaluation often includes blood and stool tests and sometimes a colonoscopy; seek urgent care if there is severe pain, fever, black stools, dehydration, dizziness, or a history of heart disease. See below for key signs that point toward UC versus other causes, safe at-home steps while awaiting care, and when to act immediately.

Bowel inflammation in people 60 and older is common and can stem from IBD like Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis, infections, reduced blood flow, medications, or microscopic colitis, and symptoms may be milder or atypical. There are several factors to consider to decide next steps. See below for key differences between IBD and IBS, red flags that need urgent care, the tests doctors use to diagnose it and rule out cancer, and treatment options tailored to older adults.

Yes, bowel diseases can cause full-body exhaustion, commonly from ongoing inflammation, anemia due to blood loss or poor iron absorption, nutrient deficiencies like low B12 or folate, disrupted sleep, and gut-brain effects. There are several factors to consider that can change your next steps, including fatigue that lingers even in remission and warning signs that need prompt medical care; see below for key details on causes, red flags, and tests and treatments to discuss with your doctor.

Yes, bowel diseases can cause low iron in women, most often with inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn's and ulcerative colitis through chronic bleeding, poor absorption, and inflammation; celiac disease can also reduce iron, IBS does not directly cause it, and women are at higher risk due to menstrual loss and increased needs. There are several factors to consider, including which symptoms should prompt testing, when to see a doctor, and treatment choices like oral or IV iron and controlling the underlying condition, so see below for important details that could shape your next steps.

Yes, bowel inflammation can cause brain fog, especially in IBD, through gut brain immune signaling that can slow thinking and worsen during flares. There are several factors to consider; anemia or low B12 or iron, sleep disruption, medication effects, and microbiome changes can all contribute, and some people with IBS may notice fog for different reasons, so see below for red flags, what labs and treatments to discuss, and when to speak to a doctor since these details can change your next steps.

Yes, Crohn’s can cause blood in stool even when there is little or no pain, often due to mild or early inflammation, slow bleeding, or involvement of the rectum or colon. There are several factors to consider. See below to understand more. Any blood in stool deserves medical attention; track what you see and speak to a doctor promptly, especially if it recurs or is accompanied by fatigue, dizziness, anemia, weight loss, or changes in bowel habits, since pain is not a reliable gauge and tests may be needed.

Yes, Crohn’s disease can cause pain after meals, even after most or every meal, especially during flares or when strictures, ulcers, gas, or spasms are present. There are several factors to consider; see below for how timing after eating points to causes, common triggers, and what evaluations can help. Because persistent post-meal pain can mean active disease or complications, it should be addressed rather than “lived with”; see below for warning signs that need urgent care and the treatments that often relieve this pain.