Your Health Questions
Answered by Professionals

A typical headache causes dull, pressing pain (often on both sides) and rarely nausea or light/sound sensitivity, while a migraine is a neurological attack with moderate–severe throbbing pain (often one-sided) lasting 4–72 hours, commonly with nausea, light/sound sensitivity, and sometimes aura. Because treatments and next steps differ—OTC measures often help tension headaches, whereas migraines may need prescription therapy, prevention, and trigger management—there are several factors to consider; see below for detailed differences, red flags, and when to seek care.

Effective at-home treatments include strict hand hygiene and not sharing towels, warm compresses for viral/bacterial cases or cool compresses for allergic cases, lubricating or antihistamine drops (avoid prolonged use of redness‑relief drops), removing contact lenses, and gentle eyelid cleaning; most cases improve within 1–2 weeks, and mild bacterial conjunctivitis often gets better without antibiotics after a short watch‑and‑wait period. There are several factors to consider—pinkeye type, which drops and compresses to use, and red flags like severe pain, vision changes, swelling, fever, or no improvement by 7–10 days—see the complete guidance below to decide your next steps.

Over-the-counter options include artificial tears/lubricants, ketotifen antihistamine/mast‑cell stabilizer drops for allergies, short‑term redness relievers like naphazoline or tetrahydrozoline (limit to 3–4 days), sterile saline eyewash, bedtime lubricating gels/ointments, oral pain relievers, plus warm/cool compresses and gentle eyelid hygiene. There are several factors to consider—antibiotic drops require a prescription and often aren’t necessary, and you should seek care for severe pain, vision changes, or persistent thick discharge; see the complete guidance below to choose the safest next step.

Build a healthy breakfast by combining 25–35 g protein (eggs, Greek yogurt, tofu or a protein smoothie), 5–10 g fiber from whole grains, fruits and vegetables, a small amount of unsaturated fat (nuts, seeds, avocado or olive oil), and fluids. Easy examples include a veggie omelet with whole-grain toast and fruit, oatmeal with nuts and berries, or Greek yogurt with berries and chia. There are several factors to consider—including blood sugar control, heart health, weight goals, digestive comfort, and cirrhosis—plus foods to limit and portion targets; see the complete guidance below.

There are several factors to consider—see below for full guidance. Seek urgent care now for severe breathing difficulty, chest pain, high fever (over 102°F/39°C), confusion or fainting, swelling of the face/lips/tongue, signs of dehydration, or coughing up blood; make a routine appointment if the cough lasts more than 3 weeks (especially >8 weeks), is worsening, causes wheeze or noisy breathing, wakes you at night, recurs, or comes with weight loss or night sweats, or if you smoke or have harmful exposures. Mild, short‑lived coughs can be managed at home, but if you’re not improving after 1–2 weeks or have any red flags, see a clinician—complete details and age‑specific warnings are below.

See a doctor if spotting is heavy (soaking a pad/tampon in under 2 hours), lasts longer than 7–10 days, recurs for more than two cycles or is continuous/after sex, or comes with anemia symptoms, severe pelvic pain/cramps, fever or foul discharge, large clots, a sudden pattern change, a new pelvic/abdominal mass, or a positive pregnancy test. Seek emergency care for heavy bleeding with dizziness/fainting or chest pain, severe abdominal pain with vomiting or high fever, or signs of shock—there are several factors to consider; key causes, red flags, and what to expect at an evaluation are explained below.

Mild hemorrhoids often improve with home care, but see a doctor if you have heavy or recurrent bleeding, severe pain that doesn’t respond to treatment, a non‑reducible or very tender lump, fever or pus, dizziness/shortness of breath, a change in bowel habits, or symptoms lasting more than 7–10 days. People over 40–50 or with anemia, unexplained weight loss, a family history of colon cancer, liver disease, use of blood thinners, or immunosuppression should be evaluated sooner—there are several factors to consider; see details below to guide your next steps.

The appendix is a small, finger-like pouch attached to the cecum (the first part of the large intestine) in the right lower abdomen. Because its position can vary—often behind the cecum or hanging into the pelvis—the location of pain and the best tests or treatments can differ; there are several factors to consider, and important details that may guide your next steps are explained below.

Bloodshot eyes have many causes—from minor dryness, allergies, irritants, eye strain, contact lens issues, or a small subconjunctival bleed to infections and urgent problems like uveitis, corneal ulcers, or acute glaucoma, and sometimes even systemic conditions such as high blood pressure or autoimmune disease. There are several factors to consider; see below for the full list of causes, home relief tips, and key red flags (severe pain, vision changes, light sensitivity, discharge, injury) that guide whether to self-care or seek urgent medical attention.

A white tongue is common and often harmless—there are several factors to consider, and key details are below. Common causes include debris buildup from poor oral hygiene or dryness (mouth breathing, dehydration, tobacco/coffee/alcohol, “hairy tongue”); other causes include thrush, inflammatory conditions (oral lichen planus/geographic tongue), nutritional deficiencies, and less commonly precancerous leukoplakia. Start with hydration and gentle tongue cleaning and cut irritants, but see a dentist/doctor if patches can’t be wiped off, pain/ulcers last >2 weeks, you have trouble swallowing, weight loss/bleeding, or a weakened immune system—full guidance on treatments and next steps is provided below.

There are several factors to consider: infections (yeast, bacterial vaginosis, STIs), irritants/allergies, skin conditions, hormonal dryness, tight or damp clothing/douching, parasites, and systemic illnesses like diabetes or liver disease. Seek prompt care for new or foul discharge, sores, severe pain or swelling, fever, blood, or STI risk; otherwise, targeted OTC options and avoiding triggers may help until you’re seen. See the complete guidance below for key signs to tell causes apart, evidence-based treatments, and the right next steps.

People with alopecia areata are more likely to develop other autoimmune conditions: about 10–25% (up to 28% in some studies) will develop another autoimmune disease versus roughly 3–5% in the general population, most commonly autoimmune thyroid disease and vitiligo. There are several factors to consider—genetics, immune dysregulation, and shared triggers—so see below for key warning symptoms, recommended screening (e.g., thyroid tests), and next steps to discuss with your doctor.

There are specific considerations: overall cancer risk with alopecia areata isn’t higher than average, but studies show a small increase in thyroid cancer (especially in women) and a modest, less consistent uptick in non-Hodgkin lymphoma; absolute risks remain low. No clear links have been found with breast, lung, colon, prostate, or skin cancers. You usually don’t need extra screening beyond standard guidelines, but know the warning signs and discuss personal/family history with your doctor—see the important details below to guide next steps.

Yes, alopecia areata can affect beards differently than scalp hair: beard follicles are more androgen sensitive and have a shorter growth phase, so facial patches may appear and regrow unpredictably, look different on exam (e.g., broken hairs close to the skin), and carry unique psychosocial impacts. Evaluation and treatment can also differ (e.g., steroid injections are often preferred on the face and topical immunotherapy is used less), and there are important diagnostic clues and prognosis considerations—see the complete details below to understand options and the right next steps.

Yes—alopecia areata can affect nails even when hair loss is mild; up to 30–50% of people develop nail changes like pitting, Beau’s lines, trachyonychia, onycholysis, or discoloration due to autoimmune attack on the nail matrix. There are several factors to consider, including look‑alike conditions (psoriasis, fungus, nutritional deficiencies) and when to seek care—see below for specific signs, diagnostic tips, and treatment options that could shape your next steps.

Yes—individual alopecia areata patches can expand and connect into larger areas; while most people have only a few small patches that regrow, about 10–20% see coalescence and ~5% progress to extensive scalp or body hair loss. Merging is more likely with early-age onset, multiple tiny patches, nail changes, family/autoimmune history, or recent stress/illness; early dermatology care, active treatment (e.g., corticosteroids, topical immunotherapy, minoxidil, and in select cases JAK inhibitors), and regular monitoring may increase regrowth and help limit spread. There are several important factors, timelines, patterns, and red flags to consider—see below for details and guidance on next steps and when to seek urgent care.

Yes—while alopecia areata is autoimmune, emotional trauma and major life stressors can trigger episodes and, in at-risk people, contribute to a chronic or recurrent course by disrupting neuroendocrine and immune balance. There are several factors to consider (genetics, age of onset, severity, other autoimmune disease), and combining medical treatment with stress-management often helps; see below for mechanisms, risk factors, and practical next steps.

Yes—scalp injuries and chronic irritation (tight hairstyles/pressure, harsh chemicals or heat, burns, radiation, infections, or inflammatory skin conditions) can increase hair-loss risk, which may be reversible if addressed early or permanent if scarring destroys follicles. There are several factors and prevention steps to consider—including who’s at higher risk and when to seek care—see details below to guide your next steps.

Yes—after alopecia areata, regrown hair often starts finer, lighter, and sometimes curlier/straighter or drier, and the scalp can feel itchy, tender, dry, or more reactive; these changes usually improve over months but can occasionally persist. There are several factors and important next steps to consider (gentle care, nutrition, treatments like topical steroids or minoxidil, and red flags for seeing a doctor)—see the complete details below.

Current evidence shows alopecia areata itself does not increase overall cancer risk, and most topical treatments are not linked to cancer. There are several factors to consider—some systemic immunosuppressants (e.g., methotrexate, cyclosporine, JAK inhibitors) may carry a small increased risk in certain settings and need monitoring, and coexisting autoimmune conditions (especially thyroid disease) can affect screening needs. For guidance on safe treatment options, routine screenings, and when to seek care, see the complete details below.

Current evidence does not show that Rick Simpson Oil cures or reliably treats cancer in humans; while cannabinoids in RSO have anti-cancer activity in lab and animal studies, there are no robust clinical trials and most reported benefits are symptom relief. There are several important risks and caveats—including variable dosing and purity, psychoactive effects, liver strain, and serious drug interactions—so it should never replace proven treatments; discuss any use with your oncologist. See the complete details below to understand potential benefits, risks, quality-control steps, and how these factors could affect your next steps.

Current evidence shows that neither the severity nor the duration of alopecia areata increases cancer risk, even in extensive or long‑standing cases. The bigger consideration is treatment: systemic steroids, immunosuppressants (like methotrexate or cyclosporine), and newer JAK inhibitors can carry small or still‑uncertain cancer risks with long‑term use. There are several factors to consider—see below for details on which medicines matter, what monitoring and screenings are recommended, and how to discuss benefits versus risks with your clinician.

There are several factors to consider: active disease shows exclamation-point hairs, black/yellow dots, broken hairs, and enlarging or new patches, while stability is suggested by fine vellus then darker terminal regrowth, no new/expanding areas, and fewer abnormal dots/hairs. For how to track this (photos, measurements, symptom diary, trichoscopy), key prognostic clues (age, nail changes, extent), when to see a doctor, and how treatment choices differ by phase, see the complete details below.

Normal shedding vs. alopecia recurrence: shedding is typically 50–100 hairs/day lost evenly as full strands (often after a stressor and improving within months), while recurrence shows new patchy bald spots, short tapered “exclamation-mark” or broken hairs, possible nail pitting/itching, and more hairs pulled from one area. There are several factors to consider—pattern, hair-shaft look, pull test results, timeline, and red flags for seeing a dermatologist—see below for the complete guidance and next steps that could affect your care.

Most people with flu are contagious from about 1 day before symptoms start through roughly 5–7 days after, with peak spread during days 1–3; children and people with weakened immunity may remain contagious for 10–14 days. There are several factors that can change this window (age, immune status, strain, and early antivirals) and important guidance on isolation, reducing spread, and when to seek care—see the complete details below.

For most new bald spots, you can monitor for up to 4–6 weeks if the patch is small, smooth, and symptom‑free, reassessing every 2–4 weeks. Seek care sooner if it’s spreading or multiplying, or if you notice itching, pain, scaling, redness/crusting/oozing, fever or swollen nodes, nail changes, eyebrow/eyelash involvement, or an autoimmune history. There are several factors to consider—see the complete guidance below for the full red‑flag list, what to expect at the visit, and treatments that could change your next steps.

Childhood alopecia areata itself is not linked to a higher cancer risk later in life, as current studies don’t show increased overall malignancy rates. There are several factors to consider—especially any past systemic treatments (steroids, methotrexate/cyclosporine, JAK inhibitors) and your family history and lifestyle—which can affect monitoring and screening; see the details below to understand important nuances and the best next steps to discuss with your doctor.

No—alopecia areata isn’t associated with an increased cancer risk, so extra or specialized cancer screening isn’t recommended; follow the standard age-, sex-, and risk-based screenings used for the general population. There are several factors to consider that could change your screening plan (family history, smoking history, symptoms, or other medical conditions)—see the complete guidance and recommended intervals below. If your risks or symptoms change, discuss personalized screening with your clinician.

Common, preventable tongue issues include a coated/white tongue, black hairy tongue, oral thrush, geographic tongue flares, canker sores/ulcers, fissured tongue irritation, traumatic burns or bites, and soreness from vitamin deficiencies or product/food allergies. Simple habits—daily tongue cleaning and good oral hygiene, staying hydrated, quitting tobacco, moderating coffee/alcohol, proper denture and inhaler care, eating a balanced diet, and fixing sharp dental edges—reduce risk; there are several factors to consider, so see below for specific triggers, prevention steps, and red flags that should prompt medical or dental care.

Cloves are a nutrient-dense spice (notably high in manganese) packed with eugenol and other antioxidants, offering anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits that support oral and digestive health, with early research suggesting possible blood sugar and liver-protective effects. There are several factors to consider—including safe amounts, potential side effects, and medication interactions (e.g., blood thinners, diabetes drugs)—so see the complete details below to inform your next steps.