A scorpion sting usually causes immediate pain, and in most cases in the United States that is the worst of it. The vast majority of scorpion stings cause local pain, redness, and swelling that resolve on their own. A small number of species — most notably the bark scorpion in the American Southwest — can … Read more

Garlic keeps best in a cool, dark, dry, and well-ventilated spot with plenty of air moving around it. Leave bulbs whole and unpeeled, keep them out of the refrigerator, and never seal them in plastic. Stored this way, most garlic holds for several months, though the exact time depends on whether you are working with … Read more

Eye movements can reveal measurable differences in how some autistic people look at faces, follow another person’s gaze, and shift attention between objects. These differences are real and have been documented in research for decades. But they are not a diagnostic test, they do not appear in every autistic person, and they cannot tell you … Read more

You cannot get rid of a cystic pimple overnight. A cyst forms deep under the skin, and no cream, spot treatment, or home remedy can dissolve it in a few hours. What you can realistically do is reduce the swelling, ease the pain, and stop it from getting worse while your body does the slow … Read more

Stress can kill you, but not the way most people imagine. It rarely strikes as a single dramatic event. Instead, chronic stress keeps the body’s alarm system switched on for months or years, and that sustained activation is linked to higher risks of heart disease, stroke, and other serious conditions. The damage happens quietly, through … Read more

Bananas do not typically cause diarrhea in healthy adults. In fact, they are more often recommended as part of a bland diet during recovery from diarrhea. But bananas can contribute to loose stools in certain situations — particularly when eaten in large amounts, when they are unripe, or in people with specific digestive conditions. The … Read more

An itchy bald spot is usually caused by inflammation in the skin or hair follicles, not by the hair loss itself. The most common reason is a condition called seborrheic dermatitis, which causes flaking and itching on oily areas of the scalp. Other causes include fungal infections, psoriasis, and scarring forms of hair loss that … Read more

Shar Peis are wrinkly because of a specific gene variant that increases the production of hyaluronic acid, a molecule that holds water in the skin. This extra hyaluronic acid builds up under the skin and creates the deep folds the breed is known for. The same genetic change that causes the wrinkles also causes a … Read more