Eyes, ears, dizziness & throat

Dizziness · the room spinning

⚠️ Vertigo with double vision, slurred speech, weakness or numbness on one side, a severe headache, being unable to stand or walk straight, or sudden hearing loss can be a stroke — get emergency care now.

• The Vestibular System · why the room spins, and why it's rarely your neckDizzy and spinning aren't the same; spinning when you roll over is usually a loose ear crystalYou stay upright not because of one organ, but because three streams of information vote in your brain: the vestibular system of the inner ear (the…Body Systems · Nerves & senses7 stations
• Iron-Deficiency Anemia · when blood can't carry oxygenTiredness plus light-headedness is worth checking for anemiaAnemia does not mean less blood.Metabolism & weight · Urate, kidneys & anaemia7 stations

Car and sea sickness

• The Vestibular System · why the room spins, and why it's rarely your neckYour eyes say still, your inner ear says moving; look at the horizon, and take medicine before you set offYou stay upright not because of one organ, but because three streams of information vote in your brain: the vestibular system of the inner ear (the…Body Systems · Nerves & senses7 stations

Dry, tired eyes from screens

• Eyes · Myopia · ScreensScreen eye strain and blue-light glasses — what the evidence saysThink of the eye as a camera.Organ conditions · Nerves & senses5 stations

Ringing in the ears

⚠️ One ear suddenly feeling blocked and muffled while it starts ringing can be sudden hearing loss — see an ear doctor promptly; don't wait at home.

• Tinnitus · mostly not the ear ringingTinnitus is mostly the brain turning up a quiet inputTinnitus sounds like the ear ringing, but the sound is mostly not produced by the ear.Organ conditions · Nerves & senses3 stations
• Hearing & the CochleaHow the ear turns sound into nerve signalsThe cochlea lays sound out by pitch: high notes land at one end, low notes at the other, and each pitch has its own place along a single membrane.Body Systems · Nerves & senses5 stations

Sore throat · a cold

⚠️ Trouble breathing or blue lips — go to the emergency department now. A high fever that won't come down, chest pain, or symptoms past 10 days or suddenly worse after getting better — see a doctor.

• Cold, Flu & AllergyCold, flu or allergy — and what fever and a runny nose are doingA blocked, runny nose can come from three completely different mechanisms: rhinoviruses slowly copying themselves in the lining of the nose; influenza…Organ conditions · Immunity & airways6 stations

Bleeding, swollen gums

• PeriodontiumAn unbalanced community of bacteria in the gum pocket keeps inflammation goingPeriodontitis is not just a matter of teeth that were not brushed clean enough.Organ conditions · Skin, hair & mouth5 stations

Bad breath

• Periodontium80 to 90% starts in the mouth: bacteria on the tongue and gums make sulfur gasesPeriodontitis is not just a matter of teeth that were not brushed clean enough.Organ conditions · Skin, hair & mouth5 stations
• H. pylori · a cause of cancer you can clearBad breath doesn't mean H. pylori; check the teeth and tongue firstStomach acid kills almost every bacterium swallowed with food.Organ conditions · Gut & liver6 stations

Sneezing and itchy nose: allergic rhinitis

• Cold, Flu & AllergyImmunity treats pollen or dust mites as a threat and releases histamine within minutes on the next encounterA blocked, runny nose can come from three completely different mechanisms: rhinoviruses slowly copying themselves in the lining of the nose; influenza…Organ conditions · Immunity & airways6 stations
• Cold, Flu & AllergyAllergic rhinitis is not an infection: bouts of sneezing, clear runny nose, itchy eyes and nose, no feverA blocked, runny nose can come from three completely different mechanisms: rhinoviruses slowly copying themselves in the lining of the nose; influenza…Organ conditions · Immunity & airways6 stations

A cough that won't go away

⚠️ Coughing up blood or labored breathing: see a doctor soon; a lot of blood, no breath or chest pain: go to the emergency department now. A lingering cough with fever, night sweats or weight loss needs a tuberculosis test. A toddler who suddenly starts choking and coughing may have inhaled something: seek care now, and go to the emergency department now if breathing is labored or the lips turn blue.

• Chronic coughA long cough is usually a cough reflex set too sensitive; the question is what turned it upCough is a protective reflex that can be turned up. In adults it is chronic only after 8 weeks; then the question is what turned the reflex up.Organ conditions · Immunity & airways7 stations
• Chronic coughA post-cold cough usually stops on its own within 8 weeks; antibiotics don't helpCough is a protective reflex that can be turned up. In adults it is chronic only after 8 weeks; then the question is what turned the reflex up.Organ conditions · Immunity & airways7 stations
• Chronic coughBlood pressure drugs ending in -pril can cause a dry cough, sometimes months after startingCough is a protective reflex that can be turned up. In adults it is chronic only after 8 weeks; then the question is what turned the reflex up.Organ conditions · Immunity & airways7 stations
• Cold, Flu & AllergyHow to tell a cold, flu and allergic rhinitis apartA blocked, runny nose can come from three completely different mechanisms: rhinoviruses slowly copying themselves in the lining of the nose; influenza…Organ conditions · Immunity & airways6 stations

Mouth ulcers

⚠️ An ulcer that hasn't healed after 3 weeks needs a dentist or doctor; one that won't heal is occasionally a sign of mouth cancer. Recurring ulcers with genital ulcers: see a doctor soon; a red, painful eye, light sensitivity or blurred vision: the same day, and loss of vision: the emergency department now.

• Mouth ulcersRecurring mouth ulcers are a local immune reaction, not contagious, and most heal in 7 to 10 daysRecurring mouth ulcers are a local immune reaction in the lining of the mouth and are not contagious. Most are under 1 cm and heal in 7 to 10 days…Organ conditions · Skin, hair & mouth6 stations
• Mouth ulcersBites, stress and quitting smoking set it off; SLS-free toothpaste is worth a tryRecurring mouth ulcers are a local immune reaction in the lining of the mouth and are not contagious. Most are under 1 cm and heal in 7 to 10 days…Organ conditions · Skin, hair & mouth6 stations
• Mouth ulcersIf they keep coming back, check iron, folate and B12; they can also be a clue to coeliac or Behçet's diseaseRecurring mouth ulcers are a local immune reaction in the lining of the mouth and are not contagious. Most are under 1 cm and heal in 7 to 10 days…Organ conditions · Skin, hair & mouth6 stations