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SHORTNESS OF BREATH
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- CAUSES: Being unfit or overweight. If you're feeling short of breath after doing only mild exercise, it's time to look at your lifestyle.
TREATMENT: Start exercising and take another look at your diet. Start small and build up gradually - otherwise you'll end up with pulled muscles and strain injuries. Aim to do three half-hour sessions of strenuous exercise a week.
- ASTHMA: Wheezing and shortness of breath as small airways in the lungs get clogged up. It can run in families and is linked to allergies.
TREATMENT: Have a word with your GP. There isn't much you can do to prevent attacks but inhalers can provide relief and steroid treatments help. Finding out what triggers allergies - things like pollen and stress - will help prevent attacks. Exercise, especially swimming helps too.
- SMOKING: Sure-fire way of damaging your health. Smoking clogs lungs, causes cancer and lowers oxygen levels in the blood so the sooner you give up, the sooner you'll start feeling better.
TREATMENT: Quit. Set a day when you know you won't be too stressed, then go for it. Stay away from situations that prompt to have a cigarette. Ask your doctor or chemist for patches.
- CHEST INFECTIONS: Caused by germs, the most common form is bronchitis, the worse, pneumonia.
TREATMENT: Antibiotics or a stay in hospital. If a nasty cough shows no signs of getting better after a few days, see your doctor.
- HYPERVENTILATION: Caused by breathing in too fast - usually during a panic attack.
TREATMENT: Keep calm and breathe into a paper bag. Cut out stress with relaxation techniques or physical exercise. Attacks could be a sign you are depressed, so ask your doctor about medication. Make sure friends know what's happening so they don't make things worse by getting you stressed.
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VOMITING
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- CAUSES: Too much boozing or eating the wrong foods. Over indulging makes people throw up for two reasons - either your stomach is too full to take any more or it's rejecting what's gone in.
TREATMENT: Any of the usual hangover cures - paracetamol, plenty of fluids and antacids.
- GASTRO-ENTERITIS: Food poisoning with vomiting and diarrhoea.
TREATMENT: Will usually sort itself out after anything from a few hours to ten days but drinking plenty of fluids will help. Let bacteria work their way out of your system, so even if you've got severe diarrhoea, avoid medicines that "bung you up". If you're still suffering after ten days, give your GP a call.
- ONE-OFF ABDOMINAL PAIN: Could be a symptonm of conditions including appendicitis, ulcers, renal colic, gallstones, pancreatitus and bowel obstruction.
TREATMENT: If you are suffering severe belly ache and vomiting, see your GP.
- MIGRAINE: Blood vessels to the brain open wider than usual causing pounding headache, dizziness and sickness. Tiredness, stress and diet - especially chocolate, red wine and caffiene - can all cause attacks.
TREATMENT: Peace, quiet and painkillers. Speak to your GP if it's happening regularly.
- DUODENAL ULCERS: Caused when acid burns a hole in the tube carrying food away from the stomach. Aggravated by alcohol and spicy food.
TREATMENT: Avoid anything acidic. Over-the-counter painkillers are out. See your GP for antacids or long term treatment.
- EATING DISORDERS: If you're deliberately making yourself sick, you're probably suffering from an eating disorder like bulimia or anorexia.
TREATMENT: The most straightforward answer is to start eating properly, but obviously that's easier said than done. Speak to friends, family and your GP who can get you help.
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BACK PAIN
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- CAUSES: Mechanical back pain is the term doctors use to cover general pain in back bones, muscles, joints, discs, ligaments or tendons.
TREATMENT: Comes in two main areas - pain relief and movement. Anti-inflammatories, painkillers and heat or massage treatments will give immediate relief. In the long term, careful exercise and swimming will help, even if it feels uncomfortable at first.
If things are not any better after that, an osteopath could speed things up.
- SCIATICA: Slipped disc or irritation of the nerve running down the back of your leg - caused by discs shifting or leaking fluid.
TREATMENT: Similar to mechanical back pain but you might need stronger painkillers. If the nerve is badly damaged, your GP might refer you to a specialist.
- RENAL COLIC: Excrutiatingly painful condition, caused by your body trying to force a small calcium deposit through the narrow tube joining your kidney and bladder.
TREATMENT: Get treatment. You'll need strong painkillers and lots of fluids.
- RARE SERIOUS CAUSES: Cancers and bone infections can cause back pain but are rare.
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GROIN RASH
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- FUNGAL INFECTIONS: Patches of itchy, dry, red skin, similar to athlete's foot, thrives in moist areas like the groin.
Commonly known as "crutch rot" sufferers are often nervous about seeing their GP because of worries they've picked up a sexually transmitted disease.
TREATMENT: Keep clean and ask your doctor or chemist for an anti-fungal cream.
- ALLERGIES: If the rash is over the rest of your body it could be an allergy. Check with your GP.
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COUGHING
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- EAR, NOSE, THROAT and WINDPIPE INFECTIONS: Can all cause coughs and colds.
TREATMENT: Paracetamol, drinking plenty of fluids, inhaling steam and propping yourself up at night will help more than taking cough mixture.
- ACID REFLUX: Coughing caused by stomach acid leaking into the throat because the valve that usually keeps it out isn't working. The associated pain is often referred to as HEARTBURN, but has nothing whatsoever to do with the heart.
TREATMENT: Lose weight, cut out late-night snacks, prop yourself up in bed and try antacids from the chemist.
- RARE SERIOUS CAUSES: Lung cancer, although unlikely if you're under 45 and a non-smoker, and Tuberculosis.
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TESTICULAR PAIN
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- EPIDIDYMOORCHITIS: Painful infection of a coiled tube attached to the testes - usually because of sexually transmitted germs.
TREATMENT: See you GP for antibiotics. Icepacks, painkillers and lying down with your feet raised.
- ORCHITIS: Inflammed testicles because of mumps, flu or other viruses.
TREATMENT: Bed rest and painkillers. Check with your GP to make sure it isn't epididymoorchitis.
- TORSION: Twisted spermatic cord, cutting off blood supplies to the testicle and causing severe pain.
TREATMENT: Urgent - without blood, the testicle will die within four hours. It's hard to tell the difference between torsion and epididymoorchitis so if in doubt, go straight to hospital casualty.
- REFERRED PAIN: Pain in other parts of the body "transferred" to the testicles, usually from kidney stone or the prostrate gland.
TREATMENT: See your GP for tests.
- TESTICULAR CANCER: Usually swelling, not pain, attracts your attention but sudden pain or nagging aches are also early warning signs. Still rare, but if you're worried, see your GP.
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CHEST PAIN
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- MUSCULOSKELETAL PAIN: Bad knock, muscle strain or virus can all cause chest pain.
TREATMENT: Painkillers, anti-inflammatories, or heat treatments all help but it should settle down after a few weeks anyway.
- ANXIETY: If you feel on edge, your ribcage can tighten and feel painful. The more you worry about it, the worse it will get, and it's easy to get carried away and think you're having a heart attack.
TREATMENT: Try not to panic and remember, the physical pains will go away as soon as you relax. Talk to your GP about what's stressing you out in the first place.
- TRACHEITIS: Windpipe infection brought on by cold or flu.
TREATMENT: Antibiotics are no use but it will clear on its own in a few days. Until then, try painkillers with steam treatments and avoid cigarette smoke.
- RELEUX ORSOPHAGITIS or DIAPHRAGM CATCH: No-one is sure why, but the diaphragm can get inflammed.
TREATMENT: Ignore it and wait for the pain to go away.
- ANGINA ATTACKS: If clogged vessels are stopping oxygen getting through to your heart, it will respond by producing tight chest pains - unlikely if you're under 35.
- HEART ATTACKS: Sudden and severe chest pains caused by completely blocked blood vessels. As they get older, men are particularly at risk, but you're more likely to suffer if you smoke, eat a high cholesterol diet, have high blood pressure or don't do exercise.
Dr Cutting, author of Stop That Heart Attack! writes: "Cardiovascularproblems are top of the list for British men - they're the biggest killer, with men over 40 at most risk.
"If we could make a window into the arteries we'd be able to see what was going on but we don't.
"People often talk about heart attacks as being 'out of the blue' but if people talk to doctors, there' a lot more we can do to identify potential problems, lifestyle factors and prevent more serious illness."
(N.B: Although the article mentions men being more at risk, in reality, more women are die from heart attacks than from breast, ovarian and uterine cancers put together, Axiompc.)
TREATMENT: If you think it's angina, see your GP for heart tests and medication, and take another look at your lifestyle.
With heart attacks, there's no time to mess about. Call an ambulance straight away and chew an aspirin to thin the blood while you're waiting.
- PERICARDITIS: Inflammation of the heart lining, the fluid sack your heart beats inside , causing a dull chest ache and sometimes triggered by a virus.
TREATMENT: See your GP who might send you to hospital.
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PALPITATIONS
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- ANXIETY: If you are nervous, you'll feel your heart beat louder and faster than usual and although this is normal, it can be scary.
TREATMENT: Address stress problems - try relaxation techniques, doing more exercise and cutting out caffeine. If you're desperate. ask your GP to prescribe something to calm you down.
- SINUS TACHYCARDIA: If your heart speeds up after exercise, don't panic - it's just your body's way of absorbing more oxygen.
- ETOPIC BEATS: Hearts can miss beats, especially if you're stressed, producing that 'butterflies in the stomach' feeling. You don't need treatment but if it bothers you try relaxation techniques and cutting down on alcohol, caffeine and smoking.
- SUPERVENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA: A short circuit in the heart's normal system, making it beat much faster than usual but not linked to heart disease.
TREATMENT: Most attacks only last half an hour - if it goes on longer, get someone to take you for a hospital check up. Otherwise, making youself gag, eating something cold or tablets from your GP can stop it. But if it keeps happening, let your doctor know.
- SIDE EFFECTS of MEDICATION: Several prescription treatments cause palpitations - most commonly, asthma inhalers and blood pressure tablets.
TREATMENT: Ask your GP's advice.
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HEADACHES
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- VIRUSES: If you're suffering with cold or flu, chances are you'll have a headache as well.
TREATMENT: Painkillers and plenty of fluids.
- TENSION HEADACHES: Getting stressed will tense muscles and make you feel tender round the head and neck.
TREATMENT: Relax but avoid painkillers which can make things worse.
- HANGOVERS: What do you expect?
TREATMENT: Painkillers washed down with lots of fluids and fruit juices. In future, cut out drinking binges or drink plenty of water before crashing out.
- MIGRAINE: See VOMITING.
- SINUSITIS: Pockets of air in your cheeks and forehead which are common if you're prone to colds.
TREATMENT: Painkillers and inhaling steam will relieve symptoms. If it doesn't clear after a few days, see your GP for nose sprays or surgery.
- EYESTRAIN: Straining to see properly will give you a headache.
TREATMENT: Get your eyes tested.
- RARE SERIOUS CAUSES: Brain tumours and extremely high blood pressure will both cause headaches - if in doubt, see your GP.
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RECTAL BLEEDING
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- PILES: These are varicous veins in the anus, usually caused by constipation. They might leak blood, but aren't usually painful unless they're strangled by muscle.
TREATMENT: Will usually sort themselves out but you can buy creams from the chemist to soothe irritations. Ask your GP about surgery if they keep coming back.
- ANAL FISSURE: A painful tear in the anus, usually caused by constipation or a bad diahrroea attack.
TREATMENT: Most clear themselves quickly but try not to put off going to the toilet - it will only make things worse. Creams from the chemist can ease the pain or your GP might suggest a small operation.
- GASTRO-ENTERITIS: The campylobacter germ can inflame your bowel so much it causes bleeding.
TREATMENT: If it happens more than once, see your GP. He might prescribe antibiotics.
- INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE: Several conditions irritate the gut lining - including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis - and cause weight loss and bloody diahrroea.
TREATMENT: See your GP.
- CANCER: Rare in anyone under 40.
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