CONDITIONS AND SYMPTOMS

Understand common health concerns with more context

A friendly educational guide to symptoms, self-care questions, treatment conversations, and when to seek professional help.

Important: This guide is not a diagnosis or a substitute for your doctor, pharmacist, dentist, or urgent-care service. Product pages cannot determine what is right for you.

How to use this conditions guide

This guide is an educational starting point for common symptoms and conditions. A symptom can have several causes, and a medicine that helps one person may be unsuitable for another. Use the information to prepare questions for a doctor, pharmacist, dentist, or other qualified professional. Do not use this page to diagnose yourself, choose a prescription, or delay urgent care. Product availability and treatment rules vary by age, health history, location, pregnancy, allergies, other medicines, and the exact diagnosis.

Bad breath and oral health

Bad breath, or halitosis, is common and can be linked to food, dry mouth, smoking, gum disease, tooth decay, mouth infection, tonsillitis, reflux, or some medicines. Brushing teeth and gums with fluoride toothpaste, cleaning between teeth, gently cleaning the tongue, keeping dentures clean, and attending dental checks can help. Avoid brushing so hard that the gums bleed. If the problem persists for weeks, or there is painful or bleeding gum, toothache, swelling, or a loose adult tooth, arrange a dental assessment rather than repeatedly masking the smell with mints.

Haemorrhoids or piles

Haemorrhoids are swollen blood vessels around the anus or lower rectum. They can cause itching, soreness, a lump, or bright-red bleeding after passing stool. Straining, constipation, pregnancy, and prolonged sitting on the toilet can contribute. Fibre, fluids, gentle movement, and avoiding straining may help some people. A pharmacist can discuss suitable short-term products, but rectal bleeding should not automatically be assumed to be piles. Seek medical advice for persistent bleeding, severe pain, black stool, unexplained weight loss, a change in bowel habit, or symptoms that keep returning.

Fungal skin infections

Fungal infections can affect skin, feet, nails, scalp, or other areas. Ringworm, athlete foot, and some types of thrush are examples, but eczema, psoriasis, contact dermatitis, and bacterial infection can look similar. Keeping affected skin clean and dry, not sharing towels, and following the product instructions can reduce spread. Antifungal medicines differ by site and formulation, and scalp or nail infections may need professional assessment. Get advice sooner if the infection is widespread, painful, recurrent, affecting the face or genitals, or occurring with a weakened immune system.

Diarrhoea and vomiting

Short episodes are often caused by infection or food-related illness, but diarrhoea can also relate to medicines, intolerance, anxiety, irritable bowel syndrome, or inflammatory disease. Fluids are important; small frequent sips may be easier if nausea is present. Oral rehydration products can replace fluid and salts when a pharmacist recommends them. Avoid using anti-diarrhoeal medicines for children without professional advice. Seek urgent help for blood, severe pain, confusion, inability to keep fluids down, signs of dehydration, or diarrhoea lasting more than several days.

Dandruff and itchy scalp

Dandruff commonly causes flakes and an itchy or dry scalp. It is not usually caused by poor hygiene and is not normally contagious. Pharmacy anti-dandruff shampoos may contain ingredients such as ketoconazole, coal tar, or salicylic acid; follow the label and ask a pharmacist how to use them. Persistent severe itch, redness, swelling, painful areas, facial scaling, patchy hair loss, or no improvement after a reasonable trial deserves a medical review because eczema, psoriasis, seborrhoeic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, or scalp ringworm may need different care.

Acne and spots

Acne can include blackheads, whiteheads, inflamed spots, and deeper painful nodules. It can affect confidence as well as skin. Avoid squeezing, harsh scrubbing, or using several new products at once. A pharmacist can explain options for mild acne, while persistent, painful, scarring, or emotionally distressing acne may need a GP or dermatology assessment. Treatment choice depends on skin type, severity, age, pregnancy, and other medicines. Never assume a steroid cream is an acne treatment; inappropriate use can worsen some facial rashes.

Constipation and bowel changes

Constipation can mean passing stools less often than usual, hard stools, straining, or a feeling of incomplete emptying. Changes in fibre, fluid, movement, routine, stress, illness, and medicines can contribute. Gradual fibre increases, enough fluid, regular movement, and responding to the urge may help. A pharmacist can discuss short-term options. Get advice for persistent constipation, repeated vomiting, severe abdominal pain, blood, black stool, unexplained weight loss, or an inability to pass stool or gas.

Indigestion and reflux

Indigestion and reflux can cause burning, discomfort, belching, nausea, or an unpleasant taste. Large meals, alcohol, smoking, some foods, lying down soon after eating, and certain medicines can contribute. A pharmacist can advise on suitable options and warning signs. Do not assume chest pain is indigestion: sudden pressure, breathlessness, sweating, collapse, or pain spreading to the arm, jaw, back, or neck needs emergency help. Persistent swallowing problems, repeated vomiting, bleeding, or unexplained weight loss needs medical assessment.

Eczema, dermatitis, and dry skin

Eczema and dermatitis can cause dry, itchy, inflamed, cracked, or sore skin. Triggers may include soaps, detergents, fragrances, weather, stress, allergens, or repeated wet work. Gentle washing, emollients, and avoiding known irritants may help, but the right product and frequency depend on the person and body area. Do not use a potent steroid or someone elses prescription without advice. Seek help for infection signs such as spreading redness, warmth, pus, fever, or rapidly worsening pain.

Headaches and migraine symptoms

Headaches have many causes, including dehydration, sleep disruption, infection, tension, eyesight problems, migraine, and medicine overuse. Rest, fluids, regular meals, and limiting triggers can help some uncomplicated headaches. A pharmacist can discuss safe options, but repeated use of painkillers can itself contribute to headaches. Seek emergency help for a sudden extremely severe headache, weakness, confusion, stiff neck, seizure, new speech or vision problems, head injury, or a headache with serious illness.

Cold, allergy, and nasal symptoms

Blocked or runny noses, sneezing, and itchy eyes can result from viral infections, allergic rhinitis, irritants, or sinus problems. Hand hygiene, avoiding known triggers, fluids, rest, and pharmacist advice may help. Decongestant sprays and oral products have restrictions and are not suitable for everyone, especially with some heart conditions, pregnancy, or other medicines. Persistent one-sided symptoms, facial swelling, severe pain, high fever, breathing difficulty, or symptoms that do not improve should be assessed.

Weight, appetite, and metabolic concerns

Weight changes and appetite concerns can relate to eating patterns, sleep, stress, medicines, hormones, mobility, genetics, or underlying illness. A product marketed for weight loss is not automatically appropriate or safe. A clinician may consider history, measurements, blood pressure, blood tests, mental health, eating patterns, and other medicines. Be cautious of guaranteed results, extreme restriction, unverified injections, and advice that discourages professional care. Sustainable nutrition, movement, sleep, and support are part of a wider conversation.

When a medicine may need review

Contact a pharmacist or prescriber when a new symptom follows a new medicine, dose change, missed doses, or an interaction with another product. Keep a current list of prescription medicines, over-the-counter products, supplements, allergies, and previous reactions. Do not share medicines, double a dose without advice, or stop a long-term treatment abruptly. Bring the package and leaflet to a consultation when possible.

Urgent and emergency symptoms

Call emergency services for severe breathing difficulty, collapse, chest pain, signs of stroke, a severe allergic reaction, confusion, seizure, uncontrolled bleeding, or sudden severe pain. Use local urgent-care services for symptoms that cannot wait but are not immediately life-threatening. In England, NHS 111 can help direct people to appropriate care, but this website is not an NHS service and cannot assess an emergency.

A safer question to take to a professional

Write down when symptoms began, what makes them better or worse, what you have tried, relevant conditions, allergies, medicines, pregnancy or breastfeeding status, and your main concern. Ask what the likely causes are, what warning signs matter, how long to wait, what treatment alternatives exist, and what follow-up is needed. This turns online reading into a useful conversation rather than a self-diagnosis.

Preparing for a better health conversation

The safest use of an online conditions guide is to identify questions, not to reach a final diagnosis. If the same problem continues, keeps returning, affects daily life, causes distress, or does not respond to sensible self-care, arrange a review. Children, older adults, pregnant or breastfeeding people, and people with weakened immunity or complex conditions may need tailored advice sooner. Keep medicines in their original packaging, check expiry dates, and use only the dose and duration explained by the label or a qualified professional. Do not combine products that contain the same ingredient, and do not assume a topical product is safe for the face, eyes, broken skin, or sensitive areas. If you are unsure, pause and ask.