Yes, injectable lidocaine can be used topically, but with major caveats that change how well it works. The plain 1% or 2% solution sold for injection will numb mucus membranes and broken or very thin skin reasonably well.
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Yes, an infection can raise blood sugar levels in non-diabetics, typically by 20 to 60 mg/dL during the acute illness, and occasionally higher.
Consider the explanationYes, an inguinal hernia can cause back pain, but usually indirectly.
Consider the explanationYes, iliotibial (IT) band syndrome can contribute to lower back pain, but almost never by direct referral from the band itself.
Consider the explanationNo, ice cannot get rid of eye bags permanently. Cold therapy constricts blood vessels and reduces fluid pooling, so it can shrink visible puffiness by roughly 10 to 30 percent for 30 to 90 minutes.
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Yes, telehealth is an appropriate and effective way to treat most uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women, and major guidelines support remote diagnosis and treatment without a physical exam or urine culture in typical cases.
Consider the explanationYes, you can use a steroid nasal spray for a cold, but it helps with only part of the problem.
Consider the explanationYes, you can use lidocaine before waxing, and it is the most effective topical option for reducing pain. Apply a 4% to 5% lidocaine cream to the treatment area, cover it with plastic wrap, and leave it on for 20 to 30 minutes before waxing.
Consider the explanationYes, you can usually walk immediately after a cortisone injection in your knee, and most doctors encourage it. The injection does not weaken the joint or require bed rest.
Consider the explanationNo. You should not use rubbing alcohol, ethanol, or any alcohol-based product on a dog wound.
Consider the explanationNo, you should not use a breast pump to induce labor on your own.
Consider the explanationYes, you can take a pregnancy test 12 days after conception, and it will likely give a positive result if you are pregnant — but not guaranteed.
Consider the explanationYes, you can take prednisone at night, but for most people it is not the ideal time. Prednisone is a synthetic glucocorticoid that mimics cortisol, the hormone your adrenal glands release in a surge roughly 30 to 60 minutes after you wake.
Consider the explanationYes, you can usually keep taking Wegovy (semaglutide) during a mild COVID-19 infection, but most clinicians advise pausing your weekly injection for one to two weeks if you have fever, vomiting, or diarrhea.
Consider the explanationNo. You should not use boric acid with a tampon. Boric acid suppositories are designed to dissolve in the vagina without any absorbent material present, and a tampon radically changes that environment.
Consider the explanationYes, you can take nifedipine at night, and for many people it is a reasonable or even preferred choice.
Consider the explanationYes, you can substitute cinnamon powder for a stick, but the conversion is not one-to-one: use 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon for every 1 stick (roughly 2.5 to 3 grams of powder replacing a 5 to 7 cm quill).
Consider the explanationYes, you can take oxycodone with acetaminophen safely, and in fact the two drugs are combined on purpose in products like Percocet because they relieve pain through different mechanisms and often work better together than either alone.
Consider the explanationYes, you can generally use boric acid suppositories while taking antibiotics. There is no known drug interaction between boric acid and common antibiotics such as amoxicillin, doxycycline, metronidazole, or fluconazole.
Consider the explanationYes, you can take nifedipine twice a day, but only with the extended-release formulation your prescriber has specified, because the immediate-release form was abandoned for chronic use decades ago.
Consider the explanationYes, you can take magnesium before a DEXA scan, and in most cases you should keep taking it exactly as usual.
Consider the explanationYes, you can usually take gabapentin the night before surgery, and many anesthesiology protocols deliberately prescribe it that way.
Consider the explanationYes, you can take magnesium while on birth control, and most people should. Combined hormonal contraceptives do not deplete magnesium in any clinically meaningful way, and no major guideline advises against combining them.
Consider the explanationYes, naproxen and gabapentin can usually be taken together. No clinically significant pharmacokinetic interaction exists between them, and the combination is common in practice: naproxen for inflammation and gabapentin for nerve pain.
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