Cerebral palsy refers to conditions that affect co-ordination and movement. It is caused by a problem in the brain usually occurring before, during or soon after birth. In the UK one in 400 children are affected with life expectancy the same as anyone else. Most often, it is down to abnormal...

What is the menopause? Menopause is the point in a woman's life at which she is no longer fertile, and menstrual periods have ceased, for a period of 12 months. Periods usually start to become less frequent over a few months or years before they stop altogether. Sometimes they can stop...

All children experience common illnesses like coughs, colds and chickenpox; they are all part of growing up. Antibiotics are not needed for every illness and using them unnecessarily means they are less likely to work when needed. Most childhood illnesses can be treated yourself or with...

Accessing Health Information by Rina Patel Whenever you visit an NHS service in England a medical/health record is created. A health record is any record which consists of information relating to the physical or mental health or condition of an individual made by a health professional in...

Drinking alcohol is seen as a socially acceptable part of life. It features heavily in our culture and this is shown to be the norm in TV programmes such as Coronation Street and EastEnders where pubs are the central feature. Drinking alcohol has some benefit, as it helps to lower the risk of...

What is Raynaud's disease Raynaud’s disease is a common condition. It affects up to 20% of the adult population worldwide. There may be as many as 10 million people with the condition in the UK. Raynaud's disease causes some areas of your body such as your fingers and toes to feel numb...

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an umbrella term used to describe a group of lung diseases that cause breathing difficulties; these include emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Emphysema causes damage to the air sacs within the lungs and chronic bronchitis leads to inflammation in...

Men are notorious for not speaking up about their health; not speaking up, can have a significant impact on your quality of life. Heart Disease Although cardiovascular disease affects both genders, men are more susceptible to having a heart attack, with around 110,000 men having a heart...

Men are notorious for not speaking up about their health; not speaking up, can have a significant impact on your quality of life. Heart Disease Although cardiovascular disease affects both genders, men are more susceptible to having a heart attack, with around 110,000 men having a heart...

Flu is a short term for influenza. It can occur all year round, however, it most commonly occurs in the winter months between October and March. Unlike the common cold, flu is caused by a different set of viruses known as the influenza virus. The symptoms are usually more severe and last longer....

Definition and Prognosis Travellers’ Diarrhoea occurs whilst on or shortly after travelling abroad. It is caused by consuming contaminated food/drink which contains bacteria, viruses and parasites. Other symptoms include sickness, nausea, abdominal cramps, bloating and fever. Diagnosis...

The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis (OA), the technical term is osteoarthrosis. The characteristics include: the joint space reducing due to thinning of the cartilage, osteophytes (bony outgrowths), sclerosis (hardening of the bone next to the joint) and inflammation. OA is...

There can be many reasons why back pain can strike; some of which are listed below: minor physical injury pregnancy whiplash injury chronic disease such as ankylosing spondylitis pain from sciatica (inflammation of the sciatic nerve). I remember when my wife was pregnant; she...

Breastmilk is the best food for your baby In the UK, more than 73% of mothers start breastfeeding. These are some of the reasons why: your breast milk is perfectly designed for your baby breast milk protects your baby from infections and diseases breastfeeding provides health benefits...

Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes a person's blood sugar level to become too high. The hormone insulin is produced by the pancreas and is responsible for controlling the amount of glucose in the blood. There are two main types of diabetes: Type 1 is where the pancreas doesn't...

A stroke is a serious, life-threatening medical condition that occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off. Like all organs, the brain needs the oxygen and nutrients provided by blood to function properly. If the supply of blood is restricted or stopped, brain cells begin to...

Although not prevelant in the UK, malaria is something most people are aware of. For many people going abroad to exotic climates, as well as sun lotion and beach wear, they also need to think about malaria prevention. Customers often ask me, 'Do I need tablets?' The simple answer is, if it is...

Did you know bowel cancer is the UK's second biggest cancer killer? In women it is the third most common cancer and in the UK there are around 40,000 new cases diagnosed every year. However, if it is diagnosed early it can be treatable. Bowel cancer may also be known as colon cancer,...

Cardiovascular (CV) disease is a general term that refers to any disorder(s) regarding the heart or blood vessels. Causes The main causes of CV disease are: by the build-up of fatty deposits (atheroma) within the inner layer of an artery resulting in the hardening and narrowing of the...

This page includes information on alcohol including what units are and how to calculate how many units you drink, how many calories common drinks contain, common health problems associated with alcohol and tips on cutting down on how much you drink Units Alcohol is measured in units (one...