Tap water and bottled water are generally comparable in terms of safety. So the choice of tap or bottled is mostly a matter of personal preference.

In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees bottled water, while the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates tap water. However, they use similar standards for ensuring safety.

The EPA mandates that water utilities provide annual quality reports to customers. These customer confidence reports provide information, such as source (river, lake, aquifer or other source), contaminant levels and potential health effects. However, the EPA doesn't regulate private wells. So if your tap water comes from a private well, you should test your water every year for contaminants, more frequently if needed.

The FDA has good manufacturing practices specifically for bottled water. They require bottled water producers to:

• Process, bottle, hold and transport bottled water under sanitary conditions
• Protect water sources from bacteria, chemicals and other contaminants
• Use quality control processes to ensure the bacteriological and chemical safety of the water
• Sample and test both source water and the final product for contaminants

It's important to note that some people are more vulnerable to getting sick from contaminants in drinking water. You may be in this group if you are undergoing chemotherapy, living with HIV/AIDS or have received a transplant. Pregnant women, older adults and children also may be at greater risk. Talk with your doctor about whether you should take additional precautions, such as boiling tap water or drinking bottled water.

It's possible. However, Tarlov cysts are an uncommon cause of back pain.

Tarlov cysts are fluid-filled sacs that most often affect nerve roots at the lower end of the spine. Such cysts typically cause no symptoms and are found incidentally on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies done for other reasons.

However, in some cases, the cysts expand, putting pressure on the affected nerve root. The results may include sharp, burning pain in the hip and down the back of the thigh, possibly with weakness and reduced sensation all along the affected leg and foot. Tarlov cysts sometimes enlarge enough to cause erosion of the surrounding bone, which is another way they may cause back pain.

In most cases, Tarlov cysts require no treatment. For those that do, some surgical treatments — such as draining the cyst — have had promising results. Because symptomatic Tarlov cysts are uncommon, studies have been too small and too dissimilar to identify the most effective treatment procedure.

There's no evidence that tattoo removal creams work. At best, tattoo removal cream might fade or lighten a tattoo. The tattoo will remain visible, however, and skin irritation and other reactions are possible.

Remember, tattoos are meant to be permanent. Because the ink is placed beneath the top layer of the skin, complete removal of a tattoo is difficult.

If you're interested in tattoo removal, don't attempt it on your own. Ask your dermatologist about laser surgery or other options for tattoo removal.

Taurine, an amino acid important in several of the body's metabolic processes, is thought to have antioxidant properties. But little is known about the effects of long-term supplemental taurine use.

Taurine is found naturally in meat, fish, dairy products and human milk, and it's also available as a dietary supplement. While research is mixed, some studies suggest that taurine supplementation might improve athletic performance. And, in one study, people with congestive heart failure who took taurine supplements three times a day for two weeks showed improvement in their exercise capacity.

Other studies suggest that taurine combined with caffeine improves mental performance. However, further research is needed and this finding remains controversial, as does the use of taurine in energy drinks. Keep in mind that there might be high amounts of other ingredients in energy drinks, such as herbal stimulants, caffeine or sugar. Too much caffeine can increase your heart rate and blood pressure, interrupt your sleep, and cause anxiety. Added sugar might provide unwanted added calories.

When you're first injured, ice is a better choice than heat — especially for about the first three days or so. Ice numbs pain and causes blood vessels to constrict, which helps reduce swelling. Stick to icing the area for just 15 to 20 minutes every four to six hours — and make sure that you put a towel or cloth in between the ice pack and your skin.

After the first three days, heat may provide better benefit for chronic tendinitis pain. Heat can increase blood flow to an injury, which may help promote healing. Heat also relaxes muscles, which promotes pain relief.

Tendons are bands of fibrous tissue that connect muscles to bones. Tendons help muscles initiate and control movement in your joints. Tendinitis usually occurs when repetitive motions, stress or repeat injuries irritate a tendon over time. The result is pain and swelling in the tendons around a joint, such as your ankle, elbow or shoulder. Your tendons become less flexible with age, so tendinitis is more common as you get older.

Possibly. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a therapy sometimes used to treat localized or regional pain. During TENS therapy, electrodes deliver electrical impulses to nearby nerve pathways — which can help control or relieve some types of pain.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized by widespread pain, sleep problems and fatigue.

Some research has shown that TENS therapy may be effective for reducing pain in people who have fibromyalgia, especially in combination with other treatments, such as exercise. However, these studies were small and the quality of the evidence was very low.

Exercise appears to be one of the most effective treatments for fibromyalgia, along with stress reduction and healthy sleep habits. Your doctor may also recommend cognitive behavioral therapy — working with a mental health professional to learn effective ways of thinking about and dealing with your condition.

Medications to relieve pain and improve sleep also can be helpful. Options may include medicines used to treat other disorders, such as antidepressants and anti-seizure drugs.

The term "terrible twos" has long been used to describe the changes that parents often observe in 2-year-old children. A parent may perceive this age as terrible because of the rapid shifts in a child's mood and behaviors — and the difficulty of dealing with them. One minute your child might be clinging to you, and the next he or she is running in the opposite direction.

These changes, however challenging, are a normal part of child development. Two-year-olds undergo major motor, intellectual, social and emotional changes. Also, children at this age can understand much more speech than they can express — a factor that contributes to emotions and behaviors that are difficult for parents to interpret.

Two-year-olds are struggling with their reliance on their parents and their desire for independence. They're eager to do things on their own, but they're beginning to discover that they're expected to follow certain rules. The difficulty of this normal development can lead to inappropriate behavior, frustration, out-of-control feelings and tantrums.

During this time, expect that you and your child will occasionally lose patience with each other. Try to stay calm. When your child begins to get worked up, try to redirect his or her attention. If you can't distract your child, ignore him or her.

If you're in public, take your child aside without discussion or fuss and wait until he or she has calmed down before continuing with your activity. Also, consider avoiding challenging situations — such as going shopping during your child's nap time — and be sure to praise your child for appropriate behavior.

By accepting the changes your child is going through and showing him or her love and respect, you'll help your child make it through this difficult stage with confidence.

Several strategies can reduce test anxiety and increase your performance on test day.

A little nervousness before a test is normal and can help sharpen your mind and focus your attention. But with test anxiety, feelings of worry and self-doubt can interfere with your test-taking performance and make you miserable. Test anxiety can affect anyone, whether you're a primary or secondary school student, a college student, or an employee who has to take tests for career advancement or certification.

Here are some strategies that may help reduce your test anxiety:

• Learn how to study efficiently. Your school may offer study-skills classes or other resources that can help you learn study techniques and test-taking strategies. You'll feel more relaxed if you systematically study and practice the material that will be on a test.
• Study early and in similar places. It's much better to study a little bit over time than cramming your studying all at once. Also, spending your time studying in the same or similar places that you take your test can help you recall the information you need at test time.
• Establish a consistent pretest routine. Learn what works for you, and follow the same steps each time you get ready to take a test. This will ease your stress level and help ensure that you're well-prepared.
• Talk to your teacher. Make sure you understand what's going to be on each test and know how to prepare. In addition, let your teacher know that you feel anxious when you take tests. He or she may have suggestions to help you succeed.
• Learn relaxation techniques. To help you stay calm and confident right before and during the test, perform relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, relaxing your muscles one at a time, or closing your eyes and imagining a positive outcome.
• Don't forget to eat and drink. Your brain needs fuel to function. Eat the day of the test and drink plenty of water. Avoid sugary drinks such as soda pop, which can cause your blood sugar to peak and then drop, or caffeinated beverages such as energy drinks or coffee, which can increase anxiety.
• Get some exercise. Regular aerobic exercise, and exercising on exam day, can release tension.
• Get plenty of sleep. Sleep is directly related to academic performance. Preteens and teenagers especially need to get regular, solid sleep. But adults need a good night's sleep, too, for optimal work performance.
• Don't ignore a learning disability. Test anxiety may improve by addressing an underlying condition that interferes with the ability to learn, focus or concentrate — for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or dyslexia. In many cases, a student diagnosed with a learning disability is entitled to assistance with test taking, such as extra time to complete a test, testing in a less distracting room or having questions read aloud.
• See a professional counselor, if necessary. Talk therapy (psychotherapy) with a psychologist or other mental health professional can help you work through feelings, thoughts and behaviors that cause or worsen anxiety. Ask if your school has counseling services or ask if your employer offers counseling through an employee assistance program.

Testicular microlithiasis (tes-TIK-yoo-lur my-kroh-lih-THIE-uh-sis) is an uncommon condition — diagnosed during a testicular ultrasound — in which small clusters of calcium form in the testicles.

A number of studies show a relationship between testicular microlithiasis and testicular cancer. However, it remains unclear whether having testicular microlithiasis is an independent risk factor for testicular cancer.

Most studies of testicular microlithiasis involve men who had testicular ultrasounds done for some other reason, such as swelling, pain or infertility. In these studies, there appears to be a relative association between testicular microlithiasis and testicular cancer.

However, studies of healthy men with no symptoms show that testicular microlithiasis is much more common than is testicular cancer. As a result, researchers believe that testicular microlithiasis is unlikely to increase an otherwise healthy man's risk of testicular cancer.

If you have testicular microlithiasis, your medical history will likely affect your doctor's follow-up recommendations. For example:

• You are healthy and have no symptoms or risk factors for testicular cancer. No other testing is needed. However, your doctor might recommend that you do regular testicular self-exams and make an appointment if you find any unusual lumps.
• You have other risk factors for testicular cancer. If you have other risk factors for testicular cancer, such as a previously undescended testicle, your doctor might recommend close follow-up with annual testicular ultrasound scans.

Aside from making healthy lifestyle choices and addressing medication side effects or untreated medical conditions, there's little you can do to naturally boost your testosterone level.

Testosterone levels vary greatly among men. In general, however, older men tend to have lower testosterone levels than do younger men. Testosterone levels gradually decline throughout adulthood — about 1 percent a year after age 30 on average.

A blood test is the only way to diagnose a low testosterone level or a reduction in the bioavailability of testosterone. Some men have a lower than normal testosterone level without signs or symptoms. For most men, no treatment is needed. But for some others, very low testosterone levels lead to a condition in which bones become weak and brittle (osteoporosis). For others, low testosterone might cause changes in sexual function, sleep patterns, emotions and the body.

However, some of these signs and symptoms can be caused by factors other than low testosterone, including medication side effects, thyroid problems, depression and excessive alcohol use. There are also conditions, such as obstructive sleep apnea, that might affect testosterone levels. Once these conditions are identified and treated, testosterone typically will return to a normal level.

If you are experiencing signs and symptoms that might be the result of a low testosterone level, consult your doctor. He or she can evaluate possible causes for the way you feel and explain possible treatment options. In addition, these steps might help:

• Be honest with your doctor. Work with your doctor to identify and treat any health issues that might be causing or contributing to your signs and symptoms — from medication side effects to erectile dysfunction and other sexual issues.
• Make healthy lifestyle choices. Eat a healthy diet and include physical activity in your daily routine. Healthy lifestyle choices will help you maintain your strength, energy and lean muscle mass. Regular physical activity can even improve your mood and promote better sleep.
• Seek help if you feel down. Depression in men doesn't always mean having the blues. Depression can cause men to suppress their feelings and become more aggressive or irritable. Men also might try to self-medicate by abusing alcohol or other substances.
• Be wary of herbal supplements. Herbal supplements haven't been proved safe and effective for aging-related low testosterone. Some supplements might even be dangerous.