Blood pressure looks wonderfully straightforward: cuff on, button pressed, two numbers appear. But the numbers are surprisingly sensitive to what happens in the few minutes before and during the measurement. The size of the cuff, the position of your feet, whether you have just rushed upstairs and even whether you are chatting can influence a reading. When blood-pressure decisions are based on relatively small differences, technique matters. On this page 1. The cuff is wrong for your arm 2. You skipped the quiet five minutes 3. Coffee, smoking or exercise was too recent 4. Your bladder is full 5. Your sitting position is working against you 6. Your arm is hanging below heart level 7. You are talking, scrolling or watching something How to get a more useful home record 1. The cuff is wrong for your arm ...

Imagine feeling as though the room has shifted, the supermarket aisle is moving beneath you, or a short car journey suddenly makes you nauseous — yet your head does not hurt. Migraine may not be the first thing that comes to mind, but head pain is not compulsory in every migraine disorder. One important example is vestibular migraine, where dizziness, vertigo, imbalance and motion sensitivity can take centre stage. There is also a recognised form of migraine aura that can occur without a subsequent headache. On this page Migraine is bigger than headache What vestibular migraine can feel like How doctors recognise it Why assessment matters What can help vestibular migraine? Migraine is bigger than headache Migraine is a neurological disorder, not simply a particularly bad headache. Head pain is common, but migraine...

Arthritis is usually discussed in terms of painful, stiff or swollen joints. Yet for many people, another symptom can be just as disruptive: a level of exhaustion that does not always disappear after a good night's sleep. Fatigue can occur with inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis, but it can also affect people living with osteoarthritis. It may make ordinary tasks feel unexpectedly demanding and can be difficult to explain when, from the outside, you appear perfectly well. On this page Arthritis fatigue is more than ordinary tiredness Why arthritis can drain your energy The problem with the boom-and-bust cycle What may actually help? When fatigue deserves a medical review Arthritis fatigue is more than ordinary tiredness Ordinary tiredness usually has an obvious explanation: a bus...

When people picture eczema, they often imagine a bright red, inflamed rash. But on brown and black skin, inflammation may tell a different visual story. It may look purple, grey, deep brown or simply darker than the surrounding skin. Sometimes the biggest clues are not colour at all, but itch, dryness, tiny bumps or a change in texture. That matters because eczema can be missed or underestimated when we rely too heavily on redness. Knowing what else to look for can help you recognise a flare earlier and get the right treatment for uncomfortable or recurring skin changes. On this page Why eczema may look different on darker skin Six changes worth noticing When the rash is gone but the colour remains What helps calm eczema When to have your skin assessed Why eczema may look different on darker skin Eczema, particula...

Pneumonia is an infection that affects the lungs and can make breathing feel harder than usual. It may start after a cold, flu, COVID-19 or another respiratory infection, but it can also appear more suddenly. Some people recover at home with the right treatment and rest, while others need urgent care, especially babies, older adults and people with chronic medical conditions. Knowing the symptoms and warning signs can help you act early and prevent complications. On this page What is pneumonia? Common symptoms to watch for Who is more at risk? How pneumonia is diagnosed Treatment and recovery How to reduce your risk When to seek help What is pneumonia? An infection inside the lungs Pneumonia happens when infection causes inflammation in the air sacs of the lungs. These air sacs can fill with fluid or pus, which makes it harder for oxygen to move into the blood...

Being told that you or your child has a heart murmur can sound frightening, but a murmur is not always a sign of heart disease. In many people, especially children, a murmur is harmless and simply reflects normal blood flow through a healthy heart. In other cases, it may be a clue that the heart valves, heart muscle or heart structure need further assessment. The most important thing is to understand what a murmur means, which symptoms matter and when a check-up is needed. On this page What is a heart murmur? When a murmur may be harmless When a murmur may need further investigation Heart murmurs in children Heart murmurs in adults How doctors check a heart murmur When to seek medical help What is a heart murmur? An extra sound heard through a stethoscope A heart murmur is an extra sound heard during a heartbeat. Instead of the usual “lub-dub” sound, a doctor ...

Fungal skin infections are very common and, in most cases, treatable. They often appear in warm, moist areas of the body, such as between the toes, in the groin, under the breasts, in skin folds or on the scalp. Although they are usually not dangerous, they can be uncomfortable, itchy, persistent and contagious. The key is to recognise the signs early, use the correct treatment and avoid quick fixes that may make the infection worse. On this page What causes fungal skin infections? How to spot common fungal infections Why fungal infections are sometimes mistaken for other rashes How fungal skin infections are treated Common treatment mistakes to avoid How to prevent spreading or recurrence When to see a doctor What causes fungal skin infections? Fungi like warm, damp environments Many fungal skin infections are caused by dermatophytes, a group of fungi that li...

  Sepsis can start from something that looks “ordinary” - a chest infection, a urinary tract infection, a skin wound, even a stomach bug. The danger is not the infection itself, but the way the body can sometimes overreact to it. In sepsis, the immune response becomes dysregulated and can begin to damage the body’s own organs. This is why sepsis is treated as a medical emergency: it can worsen quickly, and early treatment truly can be life-saving. What is sepsis? Normally, your immune system fights infection and then settles down. With sepsis, that “fight response” becomes intense and widespread. Blood flow and oxygen delivery to vital organs can be affected, and the body can begin to show signs of organ strain - such as confusion, very fast breathing, or passing little to no urine. The most important takeaway is this: sepsis is time-critical, and it’s always better to be checked early than to wait and hope it passes. The red-flag signs you should treat as urgent If an ad...