Asthma

Asthma is a common condition that causes coughing, wheezing, tightness of the chest and breathlessness. Most people with asthma who take the appropriate treatment can live normal lives, but left untreated, asthma can cause permanent damage to the airways

Useful Links

Asthma UK

This website has been revamped to meet the needs of the thousands of people with asthma who visit the site each day, either to find important information about asthma and how to control it

Asthma

An excellent resource with useful video, audio, images and references relating to asthma.

NHS Choices - Asthma

Further information about symptoms, treatment, causes and prevention of Asthma.

These links all come from trusted resources but if you are unsure about these or any other medical matters please contact your doctor or pharmacist for advice.

Cancer

Cancer is a condition where cells in a specific part of the body grow and reproduce uncontrollably. The cancerous cells can invade and destroy surrounding healthy tissue, including organs.

Cancer sometimes begins in one part of the body before spreading to other areas. This process is known as metastasis.

1 in 2 people will develop some form of cancer during their lifetime. In the UK, the 4 most common types of cancer are:

There are more than 200 different types of cancer, and each is diagnosed and treated in a particular way. You can find links on this page to information about other types of cancer.

Spotting signs of cancer

Changes to your body's normal processes or unusual, unexplained symptoms can sometimes be an early sign of cancer.

Symptoms that need to be checked by a doctor include:

a lump that suddenly appears on your body
unexplained bleeding
changes to your bowel habits

But in many cases your symptoms will not be related to cancer and will be caused by other, non-cancerous health conditions.

Read more about the signs and symptoms of cancer.

Reducing your risk of cancer

Making some simple changes to your lifestyle can significantly reduce your risk of developing cancer.

For example:

The Macmillan Cancer Support website has more information about how a healthy lifestyle can help reduce your chances of developing cancer.

Cancer treatment

Surgery is the first treatment to try for most types of cancer, as solid tumours can usually be surgically removed.

2 other commonly used treatment methods are:

chemotherapy – powerful cancer-killing medicines
radiotherapy – the controlled use of high-energy X-rays

Waiting times

Accurately diagnosing cancer can take weeks or months. As cancer often develops slowly over several years, waiting for a few weeks will not usually impact on the effectiveness of treatment.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has produced referral guidelines for suspected cancer.

You should not have to wait more than 2 weeks to see a specialist if your GP suspects you have cancer and urgently refers you.

In cases where cancer has been confirmed, you should not have to wait more than 31 days from the decision to treat to the start of treatment.

Cancer services

Find local cancer support services

Find specialist cancer hospitals

Find cancer support services for women

Other cancer pages

The Health A-Z covers many different types of cancer:

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

Acute myeloid leukaemia

Brain tumour (high-grade)

Brain tumour (low-grade/mixed)

Breast cancer (female)

Breast cancer (male)

Carcinoid tumours

Cervical cancer

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

Chronic myeloid leukaemia

Nasopharyngeal cancer

Neuroendocrine tumours

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Nose and sinus cancer

Skin cancer (malignant melanoma)

Skin cancer (non-melanoma)

Signs and symptoms

It's important to be aware of any unexplained changes to your body, such as the sudden appearance of a lump, blood in your urine, or a change to your usual bowel habits.

These symptoms are often caused by other, non-cancerous illnesses, but it's important to see your GP so they can investigate.

If your GP suspects cancer, they'll refer you to a specialist – usually within 2 weeks.

The specialist will carry out further tests, such as a biopsy or X-ray, and plan any necessary treatment.

Lump in your breast

See your GP if you notice a lump in your breast or if you have a lump that's rapidly increasing in size elsewhere on your body.

Your GP will refer you to a specialist for tests if they think you may have cancer.

Coughing, chest pain and breathlessness

Visit your GP if you've had a cough for more than 3 weeks.

Symptoms such as shortness of breath or chest pain may be a sign of a severe (acute) condition, such as pneumonia. See your GP straight away if you experience these types of symptoms.

Changes in bowel habits

See your GP if you've experienced one of the changes listed below and it's lasted for more than a few weeks:

blood in your poo
diarrhoea or constipation for no obvious reason
a feeling of not having fully emptied your bowels after going to the toilet
pain in your stomach (abdomen) or back passage (anus)
persistent bloating

Bleeding

You should also see your GP if you have any unexplained bleeding, such as:

Moles

See your GP if you have a mole that:

changes shape or looks uneven
changes colour, gets darker or has more than 2 colours
starts itching, crusting, flaking or bleeding
gets larger or more raised from the skin

Any of the above changes means there's a chance you have malignant melanoma, a form of skin cancer.

Unexplained weight loss

You should also see your GP if you've lost a lot of weight over the last couple of months that cannot be explained by changes to your diet, exercise or stress.

Read about unintentional weight loss.

More information

The following links have more useful information about cancer.

Cancer Research UK: cancer symptom checker

Macmillan: signs and symptoms of cancer

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE): referral for suspected cancer

Coronary Heart Disease

Audio MP3 Downloads

Now you can download and listen to podcasts free from the BHF - either on the move or in the comfort of your own home. We have a few examples below.

Controlling Cholesterol

Giving Up Smoking

Risk Factors & Heart Disease

"The British Heart Foundation is Britain’s leading charity fighting heart and circulatory disease – the UK’s biggest killer. The BHF funds research, education and life-saving equipment and helps heart patients return to a full and active way of life. The charity relies on donations to continue its vital work."

Useful Links

CHD

An excellent resource with useful video, audio, images and references relating to CHD.

NHS Choices

Further information about symptoms, treatment, causes and prevention of CHD.

British Heart Foundation

Our vision is of a world in which people do not die prematurely of heart disease. We will achieve this through our pioneering research, our vital prevention activity and by ensuring quality care and support for people living with heart disease.

These links all come from trusted resources but if you are unsure about these or any other medical matters please contact your doctor or pharmacist for advice.

COPD

Diabetes

Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes a person's blood sugar level to become too high.

There are 2 main types of diabetes:

type 1 diabetes – where the body's immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin
type 2 diabetes – where the body does not produce enough insulin, or the body's cells do not react to insulin

Type 2 diabetes is far more common than type 1. In the UK, around 90% of all adults with diabetes have type 2.

During pregnancy, some women have such high levels of blood glucose that their body is unable to produce enough insulin to absorb it all. This is known as gestational diabetes.

Pre-diabetes

Many more people have blood sugar levels above the normal range, but not high enough to be diagnosed as having diabetes.

This is sometimes known as pre-diabetes. If your blood sugar level is above the normal range, your risk of developing full-blown diabetes is increased.

It's very important for diabetes to be diagnosed as early as possible because it will get progressively worse if left untreated.

When to see a doctor

Visit your GP as soon as possible if you experience the main symptoms of diabetes, which include:

feeling very thirsty
peeing more frequently than usual, particularly at night
feeling very tired
weight loss and loss of muscle bulk
itching around the penis or vagina, or frequent episodes of thrush
cuts or wounds that heal slowly
blurred vision

Type 1 diabetes can develop quickly over weeks or even days.

Many people have type 2 diabetes for years without realising because the early symptoms tend to be general.

Causes of diabetes

The amount of sugar in the blood is controlled by a hormone called insulin, which is produced by the pancreas (a gland behind the stomach).

When food is digested and enters your bloodstream, insulin moves glucose out of the blood and into cells, where it's broken down to produce energy.

However, if you have diabetes, your body is unable to break down glucose into energy. This is because there's either not enough insulin to move the glucose, or the insulin produced does not work properly.

There are no lifestyle changes you can make to lower your risk of type 1 diabetes.

You can help manage type 2 diabetes through healthy eating, regular exercise and achieving a healthy body weight.

Read about how to reduce your diabetes risk.

Living with diabetes

If you're diagnosed with diabetes, you'll need to eat healthily, take regular exercise and carry out regular blood tests to ensure your blood glucose levels stay balanced.

You can use the BMI healthy weight calculator to check whether you're a healthy weight.

You can find apps and tools in the NHS Apps Library to help you manage your diabetes and have a healthier lifestyle.

People diagnosed with type 1 diabetes also require regular insulin injections for the rest of their life.

As type 2 diabetes is a progressive condition, medicine may eventually be required, usually in the form of tablets.

Read about:

Diabetic eye screening

Everyone with diabetes aged 12 or over should be invited to have their eyes screened once a year.

If you have diabetes, your eyes are at risk from diabetic retinopathy, a condition that can lead to sight loss if it's not treated.

Screening, which involves a 30-minute check to examine the back of the eyes, is a way of detecting the condition early so it can be treated more effectively.

Mental health and wellbeing

If you're feeling stressed, anxious or depressed, or just want to feel happier, we're here to help.

There's separate information on dealing with a mental health crisis or emergency.

How are you feeling?

Help with stress, anxiety or depression

Help with other common feelings

I'm not sure how I feel

Mood self-assessment

More self-help and support

Your mental wellbeing

Improve low mood

Reduce stress

Depression support

Mental health at work

Therapy and counselling

Talking therapies and counselling

Helplines and support groups

Support for children and young people

Children's mental health

Teen mental health

Osteoarthritis

Useful Links

Arthritis Research UK

Arthritis Research UK is the charity leading the fight against arthritis. Everything we do is underpinned by research

NHS Choices

Guide to the symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and risks of Ostearthritis from the NHS

Osteoarthritis Factsheet

This factsheet is for people who have osteoarthritis or who would like information about it.

Arthritis Care

Arthritis Care exists to support people with arthritis. They are the UK’s largest organisation working with and for all people who have arthritis.

https://www.drugscience.org/arthritis/

These links all come from trusted resources but if you are unsure about these or any other medical matters please contact your doctor or pharmacist for advice.

10 ways to reduce pain - Healthy body

Whether your pain has just come on or you've lived with it for years, these tried-and-tested self-help steps can bring you relief.

Get some gentle exercise

Simple, everyday activities like walking, swimming, gardening and dancing can ease some of the pain directly by blocking pain signals to the brain.

Activity also helps lessen pain by stretching stiff and tense muscles, ligaments and joints.

It's natural to be hesitant if exercise is painful and you're worried about doing more damage. But if you become more active gradually, it's unlikely you will cause any damage or harm. The pain you feel when you start gentle exercise is because the muscles and joints are getting fitter.

In the long term, the benefits of exercise far outweigh any increase in pain.

Read our articles on getting exercise.

Breathe right to ease pain

Concentrating on your breathing when you're in pain can help.

When the pain is intense it's very easy to start taking shallow, rapid breaths which can make you feel dizzy, anxious or panicked. Instead, breathe slowly and deeply. This will help you to feel more in control of the situation and will keep you relaxed and prevent any muscle tension or anxiety from worsening your pain.

Read books and leaflets on pain

The Pain Toolkit is a booklet packed with simple practical advice on how to live better with long-term pain.

There is also a list of suggested self-help books and leaflets on The British Pain Society's website.

Counselling can help with pain

Pain can make you tired, anxious, depressed and grumpy. This can make the pain even worse, making you fall into a downward spiral. Be kinder to yourself. Living with pain isn't easy and you can be your own worst enemy by being stubborn, not pacing your activities every day and not accepting your limitations.

Some people find it useful to seek help from a counsellor, psychologist or hypnotherapist to discover how to deal with their emotions in relation to their pain. Ask your GP for advice and a referral, or read this article on getting access to counselling.

Distract yourself

Shift your attention on to something else so the pain isn't the only thing on your mind. Get stuck into an activity that you enjoy or find stimulating. Many hobbies, like photography, sewing or knitting, are possible even when your mobility is restricted.

The sleep cure for pain

"Many people with chronic pain dread going to bed as that's when the pain is worst," says Heather Wallace from Pain Concern. But it's important to try to stick to a normal sleep routine so you've got the best chance of sleeping through the night.

Also, "sleep deprivation can worsen pain", says Heather. Go to bed at the same time each evening, and get up at a regular time in the morning and avoid taking naps in the day. If sleep problems persist, see your GP.

Read 10 tips to get a good night's sleep.

Pain Concern has produced a useful leaflet on getting a good night's sleep.

Take a course

Self management courses are free NHS-based training programmes for people who live with long-term chronic conditions such as arthritis and diabetes to develop new skills to manage their condition (and any related pain) better on a day-to-day basis.

Many people who have been on a self-management course say they take fewer painkillers afterwards.

The best examples are:

Pain Management Programmes (PDF, 734kb)
Self Management UK – offers support to people with long term conditions
Pain Toolkit workshops

Keep in touch with friends and family

Don't let pain mean that you lose contact with people.

Keeping in touch with friends and family is good for your health and can help you feel much better. Try shorter visits, maybe more often, and if you can't get out to visit people, phone a friend, invite a family member round for a tea or have a chat with your neighbour.

Aim to talk about anything other than your pain, even if other people want to talk about it.

Relax to beat pain

Practising relaxation techniques regularly can help to reduce persistent pain.

There are many types of relaxation techniques, varying from breathing exercises to types of meditation.

Ask your GP for advice in the first instance. There may be classes available locally or at your local hospital's pain clinic.

Read about the top 10 stressbusters.

Stroke

A stroke is a serious 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 die. This can lead to brain damage and possibly death.

Strokes are a medical emergency and prompt treatment is essential because the sooner a person receives treatment for a stroke, the less damage is likely to happen.

The NHS Stroke Act FAST pages offer a great deal of information about stroke, including how to recognise the signs, some real stories of stroke sufferers and advice on how to live your life after a stroke.

NHS UK

Chest Heart & Stroke Charity (N.Ireland)

Chest Heart & Stroke Charity (Scotland)

Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA)

A transient ischaemic attack (TIA), or 'mini-stroke', is caused by a temporary fall in the blood supply to part of the brain, leading to a lack of oxygen to the brain. This can cause symptoms that are similar to a stroke, although they don’t last as long. A TIA lasts only a few minutes and is usually resolved within 24 hours

As TIAs are serious, it is important that they are always investigated so that appropriate treatment can be given quickly. With treatment, the risk of a further TIA or a full stroke can be greatly reduced.

These links all come from trusted resources but if you are unsure about these or any other medical matters please contact your doctor or pharmacist for advice.

Long Term Conditions

Asthma

Symptoms of asthma

Treatment of asthma

Living with asthma

Useful Links

Cancer

Cancer

Spotting signs of cancer

Reducing your risk of cancer

Cancer treatment

Waiting times

Cancer services

Other cancer pages

Signs and symptoms

Lump in your breast

Coughing, chest pain and breathlessness

Changes in bowel habits

Bleeding

Moles

Unexplained weight loss

More information

Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)

Coronary Heart Disease

Audio MP3 Downloads

Home Blood Pressure Monitoring

Useful Links

COPD

COPD

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Useful Links

Diabetes

Diabetes

Pre-diabetes

When to see a doctor

Causes of diabetes

Living with diabetes

Diabetic eye screening

Mental Health

Mental health and wellbeing

Mood self-assessment

Mental wellbeing audio guides

How are you feeling?

Help with stress, anxiety or depression

Help with other common feelings

I'm not sure how I feel

More self-help and support

Your mental wellbeing

Improve low mood

Reduce stress

Depression support

Mental health at work

Therapy and counselling

Talking therapies and counselling

Helplines and support groups

Support for children and young people

Children's mental health

Teen mental health

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis

Who develops osteoarthritis?

Useful Links

Pain

10 ways to reduce pain - Healthy body

Secondary navigation

Get some gentle exercise

Breathe right to ease pain

Read books and leaflets on pain

Counselling can help with pain

Distract yourself

Share your story about pain

The sleep cure for pain

Take a course

Keep in touch with friends and family

Relax to beat pain

Stroke

Stroke

Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA)