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"Take two aspirin and call me in the morning" may have worked 20 years ago, but with the advent of the Web, medical advice is just a modem away. Before we delve into the wonders of online advice though, a word of caution. As with any information received online, users are strongly encouraged to use their best judgment. There generally are two types of forums for advice and they differ in their structure and purpose. Moderated chats usually have medical experts as guests or hosts, and are sponsored by sites with considerable experience in the medical field.

Examples include Ask Dr. Weil, ABC News's Health and Living and Concerned Counseling.The other type of forum is unmoderated chats and bulletin boards, where visitors share their own personal experiences in an effort to provide support and understanding during difficult times. An excellent example of this system is WBS's Health and Support Plaza. One area of medical advice that has seen tremendous growth over the last few years is parenting. Growing babies and children are a constant source of anxiety, and the Web has responded with a wealth of resources for nervous nannies and parents alike. Parent Soup, the Stork Site, Canadian Parents Online and ParentTime are great places to start your online inquires.Babies aren't the only cause for concern these days. Headaches, backaches and stress certainly are worthy of attention. Two of the better sites for general health issues are TalkCity's health and recovery section and iVillage's better health department.Seniors also can find advice online. Third Age, a site dedicated to "grownups," hosts a weekly chat with Dr. Walter M. Bortz, the past president of the American Geriatrics Society and the co-chairman of the American Medical Association's Task Force on Aging. So whether you're trying to shed a few pounds, or a few tears, the Web has more than platitudes to offer.