HowStuffWorks Newsletter
Know how to prevent, treat and control the symptoms of various diseases and medical conditions. We explain what's happening in your body when disease strikes, and what you can do to feel better faster.
Topics to Explore:
More than a year has passed since a new strain — SARS-CoV-2 — emerged in China and rapidly spread across the globe, infecting more than 90 million and killing more than 2 million. What has — and hasn't — changed since then?
By Sarah Gleim
A study from the National Institutes of Health found women who regularly use permanent hair dye and chemical hair straighteners are at a higher risk of breast cancer. The risk increases significantly — more than six times — for black women.
It's called auto-brewery syndrome and, for some folks, it's a fact of life.
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A bland diet consisting of bananas, rice, applesauce and toast was a standard remedy for children with diarrhea and other stomach issues. But not any more. What happened to the BRAT diet?
By Alia Hoyt
Just 10 percent of Americans with pancreatic cancer survive for at least five years. Why is the outlook so grim and what can be done about it?
By Alia Hoyt
Although it's far more common in women, men get breast cancer too. And they have a much higher fatality rate. Why is this and what can be done?
By Alia Hoyt
We know science rarely says anything good about sitting all day. But did you know that if spend too much time on your bum, you could end up killing it?
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Although the disease is associated with sailors of yore, it can affect anyone lacking vitamin C. And it still impacts some people today.
By Mark Mancini
The EPA deemed ethylene oxide a carcinogen in 2016, yet there are many cities across the country being polluted with the invisible gas.
If you have a gut feeling something is off in your physical or mental well-being, a parasite could be the culprit.
There's been a steady uptick in Lyme disease across the United States since 1997, but the news isn't all bad.
By John Donovan
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Spring is here, your pollen allergies have kicked in and you feel tired and sleepy. Could pollen have something to do with it? Or is it just the meds?
Spring may be beautiful, but it's a tough time of year for anybody with allergies. That's why they rely on the daily pollen count for relief.
Ever had that sinking feeling when you bite down on a sandwich and accidentally encounter a foreign object like a toothpick or a piece of plastic? If you spot it in time, you can spit it out. But what if you don't?
By Alia Hoyt
A new study showed that about 10 percent of Americans who thought they had food allergies actually had food intolerance issues. So what's the difference?
By Dave Roos
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The Spanish flu was the deadliest disease outbreak in modern history. How did it start and despite all our healthcare advances, why could it happen again?
By Alia Hoyt
If you have to carry an EpiPen, you might leave one in your car. But what if it freezes during the colder months? Is it still good in case of emergency?
Thinking about eating one? Think twice.
Weather-driven sickness is a thing, but it isn't always the temperature that is the direct cause of the resulting illness.
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Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) affects the nervous system and can cause paralysis. The Centers for Disease Control has seen an increase in cases since 2014 but aren't sure why.
Your body never freaked out before when you were stung by a bee. And yet one day, you have an anaphylactic reaction to a bee sting. What's the deal?
The long-standing cultural belief that milk products generate phlegm is a myth, according to a 2018 literature review.
Influenza can jump from pigs to dogs and is becoming more diverse in canines, increasing the possibility that it could eventually evolve to endanger humans.
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People who consume massive quantities of animal protein report experiencing the meat sweats, a sensation of feeling flushed and fatigued, accompanied by profuse perspiration.
Since 2004, cases of diseases spread by ticks and mosquitoes have tripled in the U.S.