UK health information
Clear health answers, a clearer next step.
Plain-English guidance on conditions, symptoms, treatments and tests — to help you understand your health and prepare for care. Speak to your own GP, pharmacist or NHS team for personal advice and tests.
Start here
What do you need right now?
Choose the kind of help you need, for yourself or someone you care about.
I need help now
999, NHS 111, GP or pharmacist — match the urgency, not the building.
SymptomSomething does not feel right
What a symptom can mean, and when it needs a GP rather than a wait.
ConditionI want a clear explanation
Plain-English guides to conditions, treatments and tests, with sources and review status on each page.
Friends and familyI’m supporting someone
Mental health guidance for friends, family, carers and young people.
Find what you need
Start with a category, or search for anything that is on your mind.
Health A–Z
202 conditions explained, A to Z.
Symptoms
86 guides to what a symptom might mean.
Treatments
59 treatments and medicines in plain terms.
Tests
24 blood tests, scans and screening guides.
Mental health
Anxiety, depression, stress, therapy and crisis help.
Men's health
Prostate, testicular lumps, heart risk and checks many men delay.
Women's health
Periods, menopause, contraception and screening.
Children's health
Fever, rashes, common infections and when to call 111.
Sexual health
STIs, contraception and free confidential NHS testing.
Health tools
999 vs 111 vs GP, BMI, and appointment checklists.
Practical guides
13 guides to NHS services and healthcare decisions.
Start with a decision
Tools and guides that say what to do next
Interactive helpers with a readable fallback, plus the practical NHS-service guides behind them.
When to get help
999, NHS 111, GP or pharmacist — match the urgency, not the building.
Pharmacy, GP, 111 or A&E?
The full decision guide, including who should skip A&E.
Cold, flu or COVID-19?
A pattern helper — not a test — plus when to call 999.
NHS Health Check
Who the midlife heart-risk check is for, and who should skip the invitation.
Questions for your GP
A short printable list so a 10-minute slot covers what actually matters.
Waiting for NHS care
What to do while you wait, and when a waiting list is not a safety net.
Why trust us
How every answer is made
See who reviewed a guide, the sources behind it, and how review bylines are recorded across the site.
- 1
Written in plain English
Our editorial team turns trusted clinical guidance into clear, calm, jargon-free answers.
- 2
Clear about review status
Medical articles identify a named UK clinician or doctor review panel. Practical editorial guides show their source-check status separately.
- 3
Dated, sourced & updated
Each guide links its sources and shows its clinical review or editorial source-check date.
Latest guides and reviews
New practical guides and recently reviewed health articles. Check each page for its review status.
- Antihistamines
Antihistamines are medicines that relieve allergy symptoms such as sneezing and itching by blocking histamine, with drowsy and non-drowsy types available.
- Decongestants
Decongestants relieve a blocked nose by shrinking swollen nasal blood vessels; sprays should only be used short-term to avoid rebound congestion.
- Diazepam
Diazepam is a benzodiazepine used short-term for severe anxiety, muscle spasm and seizures, with dependence risk if used beyond a few weeks.
- Ibuprofen and anti-inflammatory painkillers
Ibuprofen eases pain, swelling and fever for some people. Take it with food, at the lowest dose, for the shortest time. Skip it if a pharmacist says it is unsafe for you.
- Laxatives
Laxatives treat constipation by softening, bulking or stimulating the bowel, usually working within 1 to 3 days, alongside fluids, fibre and exercise.
- Loratadine
Loratadine is a once-daily non-drowsy antihistamine used for hay fever, pet allergies and hives, available over the counter or on prescription.