Understanding your symptoms

Anxiety causes persistent worry alongside physical symptoms such as palpitations and breathlessness; NHS talking therapies and medicines can help.

What causes back pain, what actually helps recovery, and the red flags that need urgent attention.

Causes of bleeding after sex or between periods, STI and cervical checks, and why postmenopausal bleeding needs assessment.

What spotting or bleeding during pregnancy can mean, who to contact by stage, and emergency signs such as severe pain or collapse.

Bloating is a swollen, tight feeling in the tummy, usually caused by swallowed air, certain foods, constipation or IBS, and often eases with diet changes.

Blood in poo is often caused by piles or anal fissures, but it can be a sign of bowel cancer — any unexplained rectal bleeding needs GP assessment.

Blood in urine (haematuria) can be caused by infection, kidney stones or, rarely, bladder or kidney cancer — see a GP the same day, even if it stops.

Blurred vision is often caused by needing new glasses, dry eyes, migraine or diabetes — sudden blurring with pain or vision loss needs emergency care.

Most breast lumps are benign — cysts and fibroadenomas are common — but any new breast lump, thickening or nipple change needs GP assessment within two weeks.

Common causes of breast pain, measures that may help, and breast changes that need urgent GP or NHS 111 assessment.

Easy bruising is often caused by ageing skin or blood-thinning medicines; unexplained bruises, bleeding gums or prolonged bleeding need GP blood tests.

What chest pain can mean, the emergency signs to act on immediately, and common non-serious causes.

Constipation is usually caused by low fibre, inactivity or medicines and often improves with diet changes; a new change in bowel habit over 50 needs a GP check.

What a cough can mean, how to ease it, and when a cough needs medical advice.

What blood in phlegm can mean, why even small streaks need checking, and when heavy bleeding or breathlessness needs 999.

Dehydration signs in adults, children and babies, how to replace fluids safely, and when reduced urine or drowsiness is urgent.

Causes of loose or frequent stools, how to prevent dehydration, and when diarrhoea needs medical attention.

Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) can be caused by reflux, stroke or oesophageal cancer; progressive symptoms or weight loss need urgent assessment.

Dizziness is usually caused by dehydration, standing up quickly, low blood sugar or an inner-ear problem; persistent or recurrent dizziness needs a GP check.

Dry mouth (xerostomia) is often caused by medicines, dehydration or mouth breathing; it raises the risk of tooth decay, and persistent cases need a GP review.

Earache is often caused by ear infections, earwax build-up or a cold and usually settles in a few days with pain relief; see a GP if pain lasts over three days.

Why you sweat so much — everyday causes, hyperhidrosis, treatments that actually help, and the warning signs that mean sweating needs a GP check.

Why your eye keeps twitching — the everyday triggers behind eyelid twitches, how to stop them, and the rare signs that need a GP or optician.

Fainting (syncope) is a brief loss of consciousness caused by reduced blood flow to the brain — most faints are vasovagal and harmless, but some need checks.

Feeling sick (nausea) is usually short-lived, caused by stomach bugs, motion sickness, anxiety, pregnancy or medicines — see a GP if it lasts days.

A fever in children is a temperature of 38°C or higher — most settle in a few days, but any fever in a baby under 3 months needs prompt medical assessment.

Frequent urination is commonly caused by urine infections, diabetes, an overactive bladder or an enlarged prostate — persistent symptoms need a GP review.

Hair loss is most often due to genetic pattern baldness or temporary shedding after stress or illness — patchy loss or a scarring scalp needs GP assessment.

What different headaches can mean, common causes, and the warning signs that need urgent medical help.

Heartburn is a burning chest discomfort caused by acid reflux — smaller meals and antacids usually help, but daily symptoms or weight loss need a GP review.

What a fever in adults can mean, how to manage it at home, and when to get medical help.

Hip pain in adults is often caused by osteoarthritis or bursitis. Where it is felt helps find the cause, and being unable to bear weight after a fall needs A&E.

A hoarse voice is usually caused by laryngitis, reflux or vocal strain and clears within two weeks, but persistent hoarseness needs a GP assessment.

Hot flushes are sudden heat and sweating driven by falling oestrogen in the menopause — what triggers them, how HRT helps, and non-hormonal options.

Itchy eyes are usually caused by hay fever, dry eye or blepharitis, but a painful red eye with any vision change needs same-day eye assessment.

Itchy skin is usually caused by dry skin, eczema or hives, but persistent whole-body itching can signal liver, kidney or thyroid problems needing tests.

Jaundice is yellowing of the skin and eyes from high bilirubin, with causes ranging from Gilbert's syndrome to liver disease and gallstones needing urgent care.

Joint pain is usually caused by injury, overuse or osteoarthritis and often eases with rest and simple painkillers. Persistent or swollen joints need a GP.

Knee pain is often caused by overuse, sports injury or osteoarthritis. Learn the common causes, self-care that helps, and when locking or swelling needs a GP.

Leg pain is usually caused by muscle strain or cramps, but one-sided swelling can signal DVT. Learn the common causes, self-care and when to get urgent help.

Loss of smell (anosmia) is often caused by colds, COVID-19 or sinus problems and usually returns as you recover. Find out what helps and when to see a GP.

Loss of taste is often really a loss of smell from a cold or COVID-19 — other causes include medicines and thrush. Know what helps and when to see a GP.

Low mood is common after stress and usually lifts, but feeling down most days for two weeks may be depression. Learn self-help steps and when to see a GP.

A neck lump is most often a swollen gland after infection, but a painless lump lasting over two weeks needs GP assessment, especially in smokers.

Memory problems are often caused by stress, depression or normal ageing, but persistent decline that affects daily life needs a GP cognitive assessment.

A missed period is most often caused by pregnancy, stress, weight change, PCOS or thyroid disease — see a GP after three missed periods in a row.

A changing mole can be a sign of melanoma — use the ABCDE guide and see a GP urgently for any mole that changes shape, colour or size, or bleeds.

Muscle pain (myalgia) is usually caused by overuse, tension or viral illness and eases with rest — severe pain with dark urine needs urgent review.

Neck pain is usually caused by muscle strain or poor posture and settles within a few weeks — a stiff neck with fever needs urgent assessment for meningitis.

Night sweats are drenching sweats that soak your bedding, most often caused by menopause or infection; see a GP if they persist or come with weight loss.

How to stop a nosebleed correctly, what to avoid afterwards, and when heavy or persistent bleeding needs emergency care.

Numbness and tingling are usually caused by pressure on a nerve and pass quickly, but persistent or one-sided symptoms with weakness need a GP assessment.

Pain when peeing (dysuria) is most often caused by a urinary tract infection and needs same-day GP review, as most bacterial UTIs require antibiotics.

Palpitations are the feeling of your heart pounding, racing or fluttering; they are usually harmless, but chest pain or fainting needs urgent help.

Pelvic pain is pain in the lower tummy with many causes, from period pain and UTIs to endometriosis; sudden severe pain with fever needs emergency care.

Pins and needles is a tingling feeling that is usually harmless after pressure on a nerve, but persistent tingling or sudden one-sided numbness needs help.

Any vaginal bleeding more than 12 months after periods stop needs checking, even once or only as spotting.

What a rash can mean — common causes, how to soothe itchy skin, and when to seek urgent medical help.

Most rashes in babies and children are caused by viral infections, eczema or irritation and clear on their own. Call 999 if a rash does not fade when pressed.

What to do if your baby is moving less or the usual pattern changes, and why you should call maternity services immediately.

A runny nose is usually caused by a cold, hay fever or sinusitis and clears on its own. See a GP if it lasts over three weeks, is one-sided or has blood in it.

Sciatica is pain that travels from the lower back down the leg, usually caused by a bulging disc pressing on a nerve. Most cases improve in four to six weeks.

Shortness of breath can be caused by being unfit, anxiety or a chest infection, but can also signal a heart or lung problem. Call 999 if it is sudden or severe.

Shoulder pain is often caused by rotator cuff problems or frozen shoulder and usually improves with physiotherapy over weeks. See a GP after an injury.

Snoring happens when relaxed throat tissues vibrate during sleep and is often harmless, but breathing pauses and daytime sleepiness can mean sleep apnoea.

Sudden confusion or delirium is an emergency symptom—how to recognise it, common causes, and what to do while waiting for help.

Sudden loss or severe change of vision needs urgent assessment—recognise retinal, stroke and painful-eye warning signs.

Swollen ankles are often caused by standing, hot weather or pregnancy, but heart or kidney disease and a DVT can also cause swelling that needs GP review.

Facial swelling is often due to allergy, dental infection or sinusitis; allergic swelling with breathing difficulty is anaphylaxis — call 999.

Swollen glands (lymph nodes) are usually a normal reaction to infection, but painless, hard, growing or persistent lumps need GP assessment.

When babies start teething, symptoms that fit teething, safe soothing measures, and why high fever or diarrhoea needs another explanation.

A testicular lump usually is not cancer, but any new lump needs same-day GP assessment, since testicular cancer is highly treatable when caught early.

Sudden testicle pain can be torsion and needs emergency treatment—other causes, self-checks and when to seek help.

Tiredness is usually caused by poor sleep, stress or diet and improves with lifestyle changes, but constant fatigue needs a GP check for medical causes.

Toothache self-care, finding urgent NHS dental treatment, and red flags such as facial swelling or difficulty breathing.

Tremor is rhythmic, involuntary shaking, most often essential tremor or worsened by caffeine and anxiety; tremor at rest with slowness needs GP review.

Most tummy pain is caused by minor problems like trapped wind, indigestion or constipation and settles quickly. Severe or sudden pain needs urgent help.

Unexplained weight gain usually reflects calorie balance, but thyroid problems, medicines and fluid retention matter too; rapid gain with swelling needs a GP.

Unexplained weight loss means losing 5% or more of body weight without trying, and it always needs prompt GP assessment to rule out serious causes.

Vaginal bleeding between periods, after sex or after the menopause needs GP review; common causes like fibroids and polyps are usually treatable.

Vaginal discharge is normal fluid from the cervix and vagina, but a change in colour, smell or amount can signal thrush, BV or an STI needing a GP check.

Vaginal dryness causes, lubricants and moisturisers, local oestrogen, and symptoms such as bleeding or discharge that need checking.

Common causes of vomiting, what to drink and eat, how long it usually lasts, and red flags such as blood or green vomit.

How to give fluids to a vomiting child, dehydration signs, school exclusion, and red flags such as green vomit or unusual sleepiness.

Why red or coffee-ground vomit is an emergency, possible causes, and what to do while waiting for medical help.

Wheezing is a whistling sound caused by narrowed airways, usually from asthma, chest infections or allergies. Severe or sudden wheezing needs urgent treatment.