Dr Rachel Hudson, MRCGP

The heart is a muscle pump located in the chest, which pumps blood around the body. It keeps pumping from a few weeks after conception until we die. There are a number of different conditions that can affect how the heart works.

Urinary incontinence is a common problem, affecting women more commonly than men. Stress incontinence and urge incontinence are the most common types of incontinence. Many people are embarrassed by the problem but, importantly, incontinence is often treatable so you should see your GP for help. This leaflet provides a general overview of urinary incontinence. It may help you to understand the bladder and why incontinence occurs.

Most stings from bees, wasps and hornets cause pain and slight swelling but have little other effect. However, some people are allergic to stings and can develop reactions that can be life-threatening. Call an ambulance immediately if you suspect an allergic reaction soon after being stung. If you are stung by a bee and the stinger remains in the skin, scrape out the stinger as quickly as possible. Do not pluck it out as this may squeeze more venom into the skin. Insect bites (not stings) rarely cause serious allergic reactions but can cause small itchy lumps to appear on the skin. Itch may be eased by a soothing ointment, antihistamine tablets, or steroid cream. Some insects infest pets, furniture, etc, and can cause repeated bites.

Thiazide diuretics are mainly used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). They are occasionally also used for heart failure.

A goitre (pronounced goy-ter, sometimes spelt as 'goiter') is an enlarged thyroid gland. This gives you a lump at the front of your neck. Some people with a goitre have an underactive or overactive thyroid gland. This means that they make too much or too little thyroid hormone. There are various causes of goitre and treatment depends on the cause.