You might look down at your coffee and think, “there is no way there is mold and bacteria in that cup, my kitchen is too clean”. However, a National Science Foundation (NSF) study might convince you otherwise.

Heat and cold therapies are very common types of home treatments to relieve pain, but have you ever wondered whether you should use heat or cold therapy when suffering from sore muscle, injury or joint pain?

In this article I will explain the purpose of heat and cold therapies, and when to apply each one of them.

Stomach pain and diarrhea can cause a lot of intestinal discomfort, not to mention embarrassment. Acute bouts of abdominal pain and loose, watery stool could be due to viral infections, food poisoning, or indigestion. Other digestive conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease, or inflammatory bowel disorders can cause chronic stomach aches and diarrhea.

Clay or pale colored stool can be a cause for alarm as it can indicate a medical issue. Clay stool is usually a sign that there is a problem with your gallbladder, liver, pancreas, or bile ducts (biliary system). Whitish, clay or gray stool usually happens when digestive bile can’t get to your small intestine to help with the digestion of food, as bile gives poop its brown color. Acholic stool is another name for pale, clay or whitish colored stool due to a lack of bile.

Petechiae look like flat small red, brown, or purple spots on the skin. Petechiae spots form when tiny capillaries break and cause slight bleeding under the skin. The tiny darkened spots usually form in clusters and are called a petechial rash.

Urine usually has a light odor, but bad smelling urine can be due to dehydration or an infection in your urinary tract. Certain foods that you consume such as asparagus or protein-rich foods can also cause strong smelling urine like ammonia or sulfur. Other conditions can cause your pee to smell musty or have a sweet aroma. Thankfully, smelly urine is not always a cause for concern, especially if it only occurs occasionally.

Stomach pain and nausea are very unpleasant conditions that happen to most of us from time to time. Digestive issues are often the cause of achy stomach cramps, pain, and feeling like you want to throw up. But other issues such as kidney stones, appendicitis, or even stress and anxiety, can all result in nausea and cramp-like dull stomach aches or sharp, burning abdominal pain.

Experiencing pain in your right armpit can mean anything from a strained muscle to a skin infection or sore lymph nodes. Because there are many nerves, ligaments, muscles, and joints in your right arm, finding the cause of pain in the right armpit can be a challenge. Right armpit pain can also interfere with daily activities because we generally use our right arm so much.

Passing white or pale colored stool is a sign that something is not right with your biliary system. The biliary system is composed of the organs and ducts that produce, store and transport bile. Issues with your gallbladder, bile ducts, pancreas, or liver can cause your poop to turn a clay or pale color. Stool can turn from its usual brown color to a whitish-gray or light gray if there is not enough bile in your digestive system.