Hypertension: Quick Facts

Q1: What is hypertension?
High blood pressure that strains the heart and blood vessels.

Q2: Why is it called the “silent killer”?
Because it often has no symptoms but causes serious damage over time.

Q3: What causes it?
Genetics, aging, diet, weight, inactivity, stress, and other health problems.

Q4: What are the risks?
Heart attack, stroke, kidney damage, and vision loss.

Q5: How is it treated?
Lifestyle changes, medications, and regular monitoring.

Diabetes: Quick Facts

Q1: What is diabetes?
A disease where the body cannot properly use or make insulin, causing high blood sugar.

Q2: What are the main types?
Type 1, Type 2, and gestational diabetes.

Q3: What are common symptoms?
Thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, weight changes, and blurred vision.

Q4: What health risks come with diabetes?
Heart, kidney, eye, nerve, and foot problems.

Q5: How is it treated?
Healthy lifestyle, medications, insulin, and regular medical care.

High Cholesterol: Quick Facts

Q1: What is cholesterol?
A fatty substance in the blood that the body needs in small amounts.

Q2: What does “high cholesterol” mean?
Too much LDL (“bad”) cholesterol or too little HDL (“good”) cholesterol.

Q3: What causes it?
Genetics, unhealthy diet, inactivity, weight, smoking, or other health conditions.

Q4: What are the risks?
Heart attack, stroke, and artery disease.

Q5: How is it treated?
Healthy lifestyle changes, medications if needed, and regular blood tests.

Depression: Quick Facts

Q1: What is depression?
A medical condition that causes persistent sadness and loss of interest.

Q2: What are symptoms?
Sadness, loss of interest, sleep or appetite changes, fatigue, poor focus.

Q3: What causes it?
Genetics, brain chemistry, stress, trauma, or social difficulties.

Q4: Why is it serious?
It can harm health, relationships, and may lead to suicide if untreated.

Q5: How is it treated?
Therapy, medications, lifestyle changes, and supportive care.

Insomnia: Quick Facts

Q1: What is it?
Difficulty falling or staying asleep, or waking too early.

Q2: Symptoms?
Poor sleep, fatigue, irritability, poor focus.

Q3: Causes?
Stress, poor sleep habits, medical conditions, medications.

Q4: Is it dangerous?
Yes—chronic insomnia raises risks of depression, heart disease, accidents.

Q5: Treatment?
Good sleep habits, CBT-I, short-term medications, treating underlying causes.

Marijuana: Quick Facts

Q1: What is it?
A plant containing THC (causes a high) and CBD (non-intoxicating).

Q2: How is it used?
Smoked, vaped, eaten, or used as oils.

Q3: Short-term effects?
Relaxation, altered senses, munchies, poor focus, slowed reflexes.

Q4: Long-term risks?
Addiction, memory problems, lung issues, and mental health risks.

Q5: Is it safe/legal?
Laws differ by state; even where legal, risks remain.

Smoking: Quick Facts

Q1: Why is smoking harmful?
It damages nearly every organ and raises the risk of cancer, heart disease, and lung disease.

Q2: What health problems does it cause?
Cancers, COPD, heart disease, stroke, infertility, and faster aging.

Q3: Why is it addictive?
Nicotine changes the brain, creating dependence and withdrawal.

Q4: Are vaping or light cigarettes safe?
No—while possibly less harmful than smoking, they are not risk-free.

Q5: How can I quit?
Counseling, medications, support programs, and healthy lifestyle changes.

Alcohol Use Disorder: Quick Facts

Q1: What is AUD?
A medical condition where a person cannot control alcohol use.

Q2: What are symptoms?
Cravings, tolerance, withdrawal, failed attempts to cut down, and drinking despite problems.

Q3: What causes it?
A mix of genetics, brain chemistry, stress, trauma, and social factors.

Q4: Why is it serious?
It leads to liver disease, heart disease, cancer, mental health issues, and accidents.

Q5: How is it treated?
Therapy, support groups, medications, detox, and lifestyle changes.

Medication Abuse: Quick Facts

Q1: What is it?
Misusing prescription or OTC medicines in unsafe ways.

Q2: Which drugs are misused?
Opioids, sedatives, stimulants, and cough medicines.

Q3: Why do people misuse them?
For pain relief, stress, focus, energy, or to get high.

Q4: Why is it dangerous?
It can cause addiction, overdose, organ damage, and death.

Q5: How is it treated?
Therapy, support groups, medications, and medical supervision.

Cancer Screening for Women: Quick Facts

Q1: Why screen?
Find cancers early when treatment works best.

Q2: Which cancers?
Breast (40–45+), cervical (21–65), colorectal (45+), lung (if smoker), skin.

Q3: Extra screening?
Bone density at 65+, genetic testing for strong family history.

Q4: Risks?
False positives, overdiagnosis, test discomfort or comlications.

Q5: What else helps?
healthy lifestyle and routine health checks.

Cancer Screening for Men: Quick Facts

Q1: Why screen?
Detect cancers early when treatment works best.

Q2: Which cancers?
Colorectal (45+), prostate (discuss PSA at 50+), lung (if smoker), skin.

Q3: High-risk groups?
African American men or those with family history → earlier prostate screening.

Q4: Risks of screening?
False positives, overdiagnosis, test discomfort or complications.

Q5: What else helps?
Healthy lifestyle and routine health checks.

Headache: Quick Facts

Q1: What is a headache?
Pain or pressure in the head or face, very common.

Q2: What types are there?
Tension, migraine, cluster, and sinus headaches.

Q3: What causes them?
Stress, poor sleep, dehydration, posture, hormones, or medical issues.

Q4: When is it serious?
Sudden, severe, or with fever, confusion, vision, or speech problems.

Q5: How is it treated?
Rest, hydration, pain relievers, lifestyle changes, and medical care if needed.

Migraine: Quick Facts

Q1: What is a migraine?
A neurological condition causing severe head pain with other symptoms.

Q2: What are symptoms?
Throbbing pain, nausea, sensitivity to light/sound, sometimes visual aura.

Q3: What triggers it?
Stress, poor sleep, hormones, certain foods, alcohol, weather changes.

Q4: When is it serious?
If sudden, very severe, or with confusion, weakness, or speech problems.

Q5: How is it treated?
Medications, lifestyle changes, and sometimes preventive therapy

Low Back Pain: Quick Facts

Q1: What is it?
Pain in the lower back, common and usually short-term.

Q2: What causes it?
Muscle strain, poor posture, herniated disk, arthritis, or osteoporosis.

Q3: What are symptoms?
Aching or sharp pain, stiffness, muscle spasms, or leg pain.

Q4: When to see a doctor?
If pain is severe, lasts weeks, or comes with weakness, numbness, or bladder/bowel issues.

Q5: How is it treated?
Self-care, therapy, medications, injections, and rarely surgery.

Sciatica: Quick Facts

Q1: What is it?
Pain along the sciatic nerve, usually one-sided.

Q2: Symptoms?
Shooting leg pain, tingling, numbness, weakness.

Q3: Causes?
Herniated disc, bone spur, spinal stenosis, injury.

Q4: Dangerous?
Usually not, but seek urgent care for weakness or bladder/bowel issues.

Q5: Treatment?
Self-care, physical therapy, medicines, sometimes surgery
Medications, lifestyle changes, and sometimes preventive therapy

Knee Pain: Quick Facts

Q1: What is it?
Pain in or around the knee joint that may limit movement.

Q2: What causes it?
Injuries, arthritis, overuse, mechanical problems, or infection.

Q3: What are symptoms?
Swelling, stiffness, popping, weakness, or difficulty walking.

Q4: When to see a doctor?
If pain is severe, after an injury, with fever, or lasts weeks.

Q5: How is it treated?
Rest, ice, therapy, medications, injections, or surgery if needed

Arthritis: Quick Facts

Q1: What is arthritis?
Joint disease that causes pain, stiffness, and swelling.

Q2: What are common symptoms?
Joint pain, stiffness, swelling, and limited movement.

Q3: What causes it?
Wear-and-tear, autoimmune disease, gout, or genetic factors.

Q4: Why is it serious?
It can cause chronic pain, joint damage, and loss of mobility.

Q5: How is it treated?
Exercise, weight control, medications, therapy, or sometimes surgery.

Acid Reflux: Quick Facts

Q1: What is it?
A condition where stomach acid backs up into the esophagus; frequent reflux is GERD.

Q2: What are symptoms?
Heartburn, sour taste, regurgitation, cough, or hoarseness.

Q3: What causes it?
Weak esophageal valve, obesity, late meals, trigger foods, smoking, pregnancy.

Q4: Why is it serious?
It can damage the esophagus, cause strictures, Barrett’s esophagus, or cancer risk.

Q5: How is it treated?
Lifestyle changes, acid-reducing medicines, and sometimes surgery.

IBS: Quick Facts

Q1: What is it?
A digestive disorder causing abdominal pain with diarrhea, constipation, or both.

Q2: What are symptoms?
Pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, and mucus in stool.

Q3: What causes it?
Gut sensitivity, abnormal gut movement, stress, infections, or diet triggers.

Q4: Is it dangerous?
No—it doesn’t damage the intestines, but affects quality of life.

Q5: How is it treated?
Diet changes, stress management, medications, and lifestyle adjustments.

Constipation: Quick Facts

Q1: What is it?
Difficulty passing stools or fewer than 3 bowel movements per week.

Q2: What are symptoms?
Hard stools, straining, incomplete emptying, bloating.

Q3: What causes it?
Low fiber, dehydration, inactivity, medications, or medical conditions.

Q4: Is it dangerous?
Usually not, but chronic constipation can cause complications or signal serious disease.

Q5: How is it treated?
Fiber, fluids, exercise, laxatives if needed, and medical care if persistent.

Diarrhea: Quick Facts

Q1: What is it?
Loose, watery stools three or more times per day.

Q2: What causes it?
Infections, food intolerance, medications, or digestive disorders.

Q3: What are symptoms?
Cramps, bloating, nausea, fever, dehydration, urgency.

Q4: When to see a doctor?
If lasting >3 days, with blood, high fever, or dehydration.

Q5: How is it treated?
Fluids, rehydration, bland diet, medications, or antibiotics if bacterial.

STD Quick Facts by Condition

Chlamydia

• Often silent; may cause discharge, pelvic pain, or painful urination

• Can cause infertility if untreated

• Easily cured with antibiotics

Gonorrhea

• Causes discharge, burning urination, pelvic pain

• May spread to joints or blood if untreated

• Treated with specific antibiotics (resistance is rising)

Syphilis

• Stages: painless sore → rash → hidden phase → organ/nerve damage

• Serious but curable with penicillin if caught early

• Untreated, can cause heart, brain, or nerve damage

HIV

• Weakens the immune system, leading to AIDS if untreated

• Symptoms may be flu-like early, then silent for years

• Not curable, but daily medicines (ART) allow long, healthy lives

HPV

• Very common virus; often clears on its own

• Some types cause genital warts; others cause cancers

• Vaccine available and highly effective at prevention

Trichomoniasis

• Parasitic infection, often with frothy discharge, itching, or burning

• More common in women, but men can carry it silently

• Cured with a single course of antibiotics (metronidazole)