Most common conditions

Acne is a common skin condition that affects most people at some point. It causes spots, oily skin and sometimes skin that's hot or painful to touch.



An allergy is a reaction the body has to a particular food or substance. Having an allergy can be a nuisance and affect your everyday activities, but most allergic reactions are mild and can be largely kept under control.



Anxiety is a feeling of unease, such as worry or fear, that can be mild or severe. Everyone has feelings of anxiety at some point in their life. For example, you may feel worried and anxious about sitting an exam, or having a medical test or job interview.



Bad breath (sometimes called halitosis) is very common. You can usually treat it yourself. The best way of making sure you do not have bad breath is to keep your teeth, tongue and mouth clean.


Blepharitis causes red, swollen and itchy eyelids. It can normally be treated by washing your eyelids every day. The condition is not usually serious, but can lead to other problems, such as dry eyes, cysts and conjunctivitis, especially if it's not treated.


Bronchitis is an infection of the main airways of the lungs (bronchi), causing them to become irritated and inflamed.



Cellulitis is a skin infection that's treated with antibiotics. It can be serious if it's not treated quickly.


Chickenpox is common and mostly affects children, although you can get it at any age. It usually gets better by itself within a week without needing to see a GP.



Diarrhoea and vomiting are common in adults, children and babies. They're often caused by a stomach bug and should stop in a few days. The advice is the same if you have diarrhoea and vomiting together or separately.


Most people have indigestion at some point. Usually, it's not a sign of anything more serious and you can treat it yourself.


Ear infections are very common, particularly in children. You do not always need to see a GP for an ear infection as they often get better on their own within 3 days.


Ear infections are very common, particularly in children. You do not always need to see a GP for an ear infection as they often get better on their own within 3 days.


Atopic eczema (atopic dermatitis) is the most common form of eczema, a condition that causes the skin to become itchy, dry and cracked.


Food poisoning is rarely serious and usually gets better within a week. You can normally treat yourself or your child at home.



Diarrhoea and vomiting are common in adults, children and babies. They're often caused by a stomach bug and should stop in a few days. The advice is the same if you have diarrhoea and vomiting together or separately.


Glandular fever mostly affects teenagers and young adults. It gets better without treatment, but it can make you feel very ill and last for weeks.


Losing your hair isn't usually anything to be worried about, but it can be upsetting. Treatment may help with some types of hair loss.


Most headaches will go away on their own and are not a sign of something more serious. Headaches can last between 30 minutes and several hours.


Most people have indigestion at some point. Usually, it's not a sign of anything more serious and you can treat it yourself.


A migraine is usually a moderate or severe headache felt as a throbbing pain on 1 side of the head. Many people also have symptoms such as feeling sick, being sick and increased sensitivity to light or sound. Migraine is a common health condition, affecting around 1 in every 5 women and around 1 in every 15 men. They usually begin in early adulthood.


Ringworm is a common fungal infection. It's not caused by worms. You can usually buy medicine from a pharmacy to make it go away.


Stomach ulcers, also known as gastric ulcers, are open sores that develop on the lining of the stomach.


Urinary tract infections (UTIs) can affect different parts of your urinary tract, including your bladder (cystitis), urethra (urethritis) or kidneys (kidney infection). Most UTIs can be easily treated with antibiotics.