Health questions, answered simply
Plain-English articles by department and system of medicine. Every article lists the official sources it is based on, such as the WHO, NIH, CDC, NHS and the Ministry of Ayush.
Educational information only, not medical advice. Always ask a qualified doctor about your own health. In an emergency call 112 (India) or 911 (US). Disclaimer.
All articles
281 sourced articles · page 2 of 12Getting ready for surgery: checklist and wound infection prevention
Good preparation can make an operation and recovery go more smoothly. This review explains what to tell your surgeon, how to get ready, how to help prevent a surgical wound infect…
5 min read · 20 Oct 2026General surgeryAnaesthesia: types, safety and what to expect on surgery day
Anaesthesia stops you feeling pain during surgery and other procedures. This review explains local, regional and general anaesthesia, preparation, recovery, side effects and rare …
5 min read · 20 Oct 2026General surgeryHernia: types, symptoms, when it is an emergency and repair, a review
A hernia happens when part of an organ pushes through a weak spot in muscle, most often in the belly or groin. This review covers types, symptoms, repair surgery, recovery and eme…
5 min read · 20 Oct 2026General surgeryPiles (haemorrhoids): symptoms, self-care and treatment, a review
Piles are swollen veins in and around the back passage. This review explains the symptoms, causes, self-care, hospital treatments and why bleeding from the bottom should always be…
5 min read · 20 Oct 2026General surgeryGallstones: symptoms, risk factors and gallbladder surgery, a review
Gallstones are hard pieces that form in the gallbladder and often cause no symptoms. This review explains risk factors, gallbladder attacks, tests, treatment including surgery and…
5 min read · 20 Oct 2026General surgeryAppendicitis: symptoms, tests and surgery explained, a review
Appendicitis is swelling and infection of the appendix and needs urgent hospital care. This review explains the symptoms, tests, usual surgery, recovery and the warning signs that…
6 min read · 20 Oct 2026Sowa-RigpaChoosing a Sowa-Rigpa practitioner and telling your doctor
Choosing carefully and talking openly protect you when you use traditional care. This review covers questions to ask a Sowa-Rigpa practitioner, red flags in claims, and how to tel…
5 min read · 20 Oct 2026Sowa-RigpaSowa-Rigpa medicines: safety, quality and interactions
Traditional and herbal products are not automatically safe. This review combines Ministry of Ayush, WHO and NIH information on quality, interactions, special groups and why to tel…
5 min read · 20 Oct 2026Sowa-RigpaAmchi training: how Sowa-Rigpa practitioners are educated
Amchi practitioners have traditionally trained with a teacher or in a family lineage, and now also through degree courses. This review explains the training routes, institutes and…
5 min read · 20 Oct 2026Sowa-RigpaSowa-Rigpa in India: regulation, registration and practice
Sowa-Rigpa sits within India's Ayush framework. This review explains the role of the Ministry and the NCISM, how many registered practitioners, colleges and clinics are counted, a…
5 min read · 20 Oct 2026Sowa-RigpaSowa-Rigpa principles: five elements and three humours
Sowa-Rigpa explains health through five elements, three humours, seven bodily constituents and three excretions. This review sets out those ideas as the Ministry of Ayush describe…
5 min read · 20 Oct 2026Sowa-RigpaSowa-Rigpa explained: Himalayan medicine and its history
Sowa-Rigpa, also called Amchi medicine, is one of the seven systems recognised by India's Ministry of Ayush. This review covers its name, Himalayan history, where it is practised …
6 min read · 20 Oct 2026Skin and hairRingworm and athlete's foot: fungal skin infections, a review
Ringworm and athlete's foot are common fungal infections, not worms. This article explains symptoms, how they spread, treatment groups, prevention habits and when to see a pharmac…
5 min read · 20 Oct 2026Skin and hairSkin cancer: warning signs, sun safety and when to get checked
Most skin cancers are linked to ultraviolet light from the sun and sunbeds. This article explains warning signs of moles and skin growths, risk factors, treatment groups, sun safe…
5 min read · 20 Oct 2026Skin and hairHair loss: causes, types, treatment options and when to get help
Losing some hair daily is normal, but thinning or patches can have many causes. This article explains the main types, how doctors find the cause, treatment groups, coping support …
5 min read · 20 Oct 2026Skin and hairPsoriasis: symptoms, types, triggers and treatment options, a review
Psoriasis is a long-term immune-related skin condition that causes scaly patches. This article covers symptoms, types, triggers, treatment groups, joint problems and when to seek …
5 min read · 20 Oct 2026Skin and hairEczema (atopic dermatitis): triggers, skin care and treatment
Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, causes dry, itchy, inflamed skin that flares and settles. This article explains triggers, daily moisturising, treatment groups, warning signs of infe…
5 min read · 20 Oct 2026Skin and hairAcne: causes, types of spots, treatment and self-care, a review
Acne is a common skin condition caused by blocked hair follicles. This article explains the types of spots, causes, myths, self-care, the treatment groups doctors use and when to …
5 min read · 20 Oct 2026SiddhaChoosing a registered Siddha practitioner and telling your doctor
Registration, training and open talk with your doctor make Siddha care safer. This article explains how practitioners are registered in India, what to ask and how to share informa…
5 min read · 20 Oct 2026SiddhaSiddha medicine safety: quality checks, heavy metals and warning signs
Siddha uses metals and minerals as well as plants, so quality matters. This article explains the heavy metal warning, India's licensing and testing system, symptoms to watch and q…
5 min read · 20 Oct 2026SiddhaSiddha in India: education, research and practice in Tamil Nadu
Official Ministry of Ayush figures show where Siddha is taught and practised, with Tamil Nadu at the centre. This article explains the institutions, rules and numbers for patients.
5 min read · 20 Oct 2026SiddhaSiddha medicines and external therapies: sources, forms, standards
Siddha medicines come from plants, metals and minerals, and animal products, in many forms. This article explains the official description, the external therapies and the quality …
5 min read · 20 Oct 2026SiddhaSiddha diagnosis: the eight examinations (Ennvagai Thervu) explained
Siddha practitioners use a traditional set of eight examinations to assess a person. This article explains them as the Ministry of Ayush describes them and how they fit with moder…
5 min read · 20 Oct 2026SiddhaSiddha medicine: what it is, its history and its principles
Siddha is one of the traditional systems of medicine recognised by the Ministry of Ayush in India. This article explains how it is described officially, its main ideas and its lim…
5 min read · 20 Oct 2026Departments
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