The human gut contains billions of bacteria, most of which are beneficial to our digestive and immune systems. They help us to digest our food, absorb nutrients, metabolise drugs, prevent inflammation, and provide a barrier to disease-causing pathogens into the body. These ‘good’ bacteria balance out the more toxic and damaging bacteria which are also present in the gut. Sometimes this balance may be lost (such as after a course of antibiotics), causing a range of symptoms. Knowing your gut type, taking probiotics and making dietary changes are steps you can take to maintain a healthy gut bacteria balance.
Acne is where pores in the skin become blocked. Often, this is due to a substance called sebum which is produced by glands in the hair follicles. Sebum normally helps keep the skin moisturised and water-proof. But too much sebum can cause acne. When pores get blocked they may become inflamed or infected, creating red bumps in the skin. Whilst getting spots is normal, acne involves a lot of spots on the face, back and sometimes the chest. The types of spots include black and whiteheads, pustules and even cysts. Acne is triggered by hormonal changes at puberty or the menstrual cycle but also during pregnancy. At best acne is embarrassing, especially when you are young, but it can also cause scarring.
Asthma is a common condition that affects your lungs. Asthma can cause your airways to become irritated and swollen and this can affect how well you can breathe. The causes of asthma are not fully understood. But asthma symptoms can be made worse many triggers such as household dust or cleaning products, pet dander or air pollutants. There is no cure for asthma. However, there are several treatments as well as simple advice on how to manage this long term condition.
In the UK, Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections. It is particularly common in sexually active teenagers and young adults, and is passed through sex without a condom. Most people with chlamydia do not know they have it and do not notice any symptoms, and left untreated, chlamydia can cause serious complications.
Dermatitis, also know as skin irritation, is a common condition that has many causes and occurs in many forms. It usually involves itchy, dry skin or a rash on swollen, reddened skin. It may also cause the skin to blister, ooze, crust or flake off.
Ear infections can be extremely painful. The main symptoms of an ear infection include an earache, difficulty hearing and a feeling of pressure or fullness in your ear.
If you have had unprotected sex within the last 3-5 days, we offer the emergency contraceptive pill to help prevent pregnancy when other forms of contraception have failed.
Erectile dysfunction is a common condition. It occurs more frequently with age, affecting up to 50% of men aged between 40-70, and up to 70% of men over the age of 70. In the UK there are several treatment options available to treat erectile dysfunction. These treatments have been found to be effective in up to 80% of men, and are considered safe and cost-effective.
Hayfever is an allergic response to plant and tree pollen. The condition is seasonal and has links to the time of the year when trees and plants release their pollen, most notably in the summer. Your body’s immune reaction is a defence against a potentially dangerous substance. However, when the substance is not dangerous, such as pollen, we call this response an allergy. So, an allergy is not an auto-immune disease. It is an immune response.
Hives are characterised as a raised rash usually caused by a reaction to things like food, pollen, insect bites or chemicals. The main symptom of hives is a blotchy, raised red rash. It's often very itchy. You can usually treat hives with antihistamines from a pharmacy, however in some cases stronger medication is required.
Male pattern baldness is a common, genetic condition that leads to permanent hair loss. Male pattern baldness affects 50% of men over 50 years of age but can also affect men in their 20s. The hair loss in male pattern baldness starts as a thinning of the hair at the sides and on the top of the head. So it’s this “pattern” that defines the condition and separates it from other types of hair loss. While this form of hair loss in men isn’t serious and doesn’t need treatment, it is permanent and can be distressing. The loss of hair can affect your confidence and self-esteem. However, there are several treatment options available to stop your hair loss and even regrow new hair.
A migraine or migraine attack is a severe headache that often comes with nausea and aversion to light. Your migraine attack might last a few hours or a few days. When suffering from a migraine, you may feel like you need to lie down in a dark and quiet room and not move until it passes. The causes of migraine are not exactly understood but they may be linked to dilating blood vessels in the head swelling and causing pressure in the brain. Individuals who suffer from migraines may become aware of what triggers their attacks.
Nausea is the feeling of stomach discomfort and the sensation of wanting to vomit and can lead to being sick. Nausea has many causes and can often be prevented. The main causes for feeling sick are Pregnancy (morning sickness), motion sickness, anxiety, alcohol, medicines, recent surgery.
There are many reasons why you may choose to delay your period. Maybe you have a wedding or holiday planned and you want to delay your period until after the event. Likewise, you may wish to avoid the stress or discomfort of a period during a house move, job change or another stressful event such as exams. If you have a big event planned, consider taking period delay tablets, also known as Utovlan or Norethisterone, and you could delay your period by up to 17 days
Premature ejaculation is the most common ejaculation problem and is characterised by the male ejaculating too quickly during sexual intercourse. Occasional episodes of premature ejaculation are common and are not a cause for concern. However, if you're finding that around half of your attempts at sex result in premature ejaculation, it might help to get treatment.
Quitting Smoking can be hard but there are several different treatments available from shops, pharmacies and on prescription to help you beat your addiction and reduce withdrawal symptoms.
Different parts of your urinary tract, including your bladder (cystitis), urethra (urethritis), or kidneys (kidney infection) can be affected by urinary tract infections (UTIs). Bladder infections are very common and not normally serious if treated quickly. However, the infection can cause more serious issues if it spreads to the kidneys. Most UTIs though can be easily treated with antibiotics.
Losing weight can be difficult and demotivating if your hard work isn’t being reflected on your bathroom scales. But losing weight and improving your health can significantly increase your quality of life. And this is especially true for people who are clinically obese.
