False awakenings occur when you dream that you have woken up, but you are actually still asleep. These dreams feel intensely real, which can be confusing and sometimes unsettling. The main causes include disrupted sleep, stress, and irregular sleep schedules. To reduce false awakenings, focus on consistent sleep routines and managing daily stress. Keeping a … Read more

A high MCV (mean corpuscular volume) means your red blood cells are larger than normal. Treatment depends entirely on what is causing the enlargement. In most cases, you treat the underlying problem — whether that is a vitamin B12 deficiency, a folate deficiency, alcohol use, or a medication. There is no direct treatment to shrink … Read more

A tortuous colon is a colon that is longer than normal and has extra twists and turns. For most people, it causes no health problems. It is not a disease and does not increase your risk of colon cancer. The condition is simply a variation in how your colon is shaped. What Is a Tortuous … Read more

Capsule endoscopy is a procedure that uses a tiny wireless camera inside a pill-sized capsule to take pictures of your digestive tract. It is mainly used to examine the small intestine, which is hard to reach with traditional endoscopy. The capsule is swallowed, passes through your system naturally, and is then excreted. It is generally … Read more

Many people want whiter teeth. Whitening strips are a popular choice because they are cheap and easy to use. The short answer is: whitening strips are generally safe for your teeth when used correctly, but they do come with risks like tooth sensitivity and gum irritation. Overusing them or using them improperly can damage your … Read more

You sit down to have a bowel movement, and suddenly you feel nauseous—sometimes to the point of vomiting. It is not a typical experience for most people, but it does happen. The short answer is that vomiting while pooping is usually caused by a strong reaction from your vagus nerve, which gets overstimulated when you … Read more

The short answer is that for most people, sucralose is not worse than sugar when used in moderation, but it is not a health food either. Sugar has well-documented links to obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and tooth decay. Sucralose provides sweetness with no calories and does not raise blood sugar. However, some research … Read more

Bed bug bites often look like small, red, itchy welts that appear in a line or cluster on skin that was exposed during sleep. They are most commonly found on the face, neck, arms, and hands. However, bites alone are not a reliable way to confirm bed bugs because many other insects cause similar reactions. … Read more

Heavy periods, known medically as menorrhagia, affect many women at some point in their lives. If you want to manage heavy bleeding without using hormonal birth control, several options exist that have clinical evidence behind them. The most well-supported medical treatments are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and tranexamic acid, which work by different mechanisms to … Read more