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Spotlight
How to stay cool indoors this summer
The UK is not exactly renowned for its blazing hot summers, so most of us welcome with open arms a rise in mercury levels. Others find warmer weather uncomfortable and, for some people, the heat can even pose a health hazard.
Plastic free July: should we be worried about microplastics?
What do testicles, clouds, beer and arctic ice all have in common? These are all places you might find microplastics, if you were a scientist with the right equipment to detect these tiny pieces of plastic, measuring below 5 millimetres. Over the last 20 years, microplastics have been discovered all around us, and now inside us too. It's thought we consume around 5 grams of microplastic particles every week - equivalent to the weight of a credit card. But what does this mean for our health? Here's what we currently know.
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Health topics
Advice and clinical information on a wide variety of healthcare topics
Signs and symptoms
It's often difficult to tell the difference between a symptom and a medical condition - do you just have indigestion or is it a stomach ulcer? Does your blurred vision have a simple explanation or should you get checked out for type 2 diabetes? Take a look through the expert information below covering some of the most common medical symptoms, to understand more about the cause of your problem.
Signs and symptoms
Tiredness
by Dr Rachel Hudson, MRCGP
Bones, joints and muscles
Muscle weakness
by Dr Philippa Vincent, MRCGP
Digestive health
Left upper quadrant pain
by Dr Caroline Wiggins, MRCGP
Signs and symptoms
Lumps in the groin
by Dr Colin Tidy, MRCGP
Managing conditions
From ACE inhibitors for high blood pressure, to steroids for eczema, find out what options are available, how they work and the possible side effects.
Digestive health
Stretching from your head to your bottom, the digestive system (made up of the gut, bowel and stomach) breaks down all that delicious food and drink, absorbing the useful nutrients and energy, whilst getting rid of the waste. It's a complex system that comes with various health concerns, from simple problems like constipation to disorders which may be lifelong, such as Crohn's disease.
Signs and symptoms
Trapped wind, gas and bloating
by Dr Colin Tidy, MRCGP
Digestive health
Irritable bowel syndrome
by Dr Rachel Hudson, MRCGP
Digestive health
Gastroenteritis
by Dr Colin Tidy, MRCGP
Digestive health
Piles
by Dr Colin Tidy, MRCGP