Health Advice
- Weight Management
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- Acne
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- Aneurysm, abdominal aortic
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- First aid
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- Leukaemia, acute lymphoblastic
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- Addiction
- Addison's disease
- Adenoids and adenoidectomy
- Frozen shoulder
- Agoraphobia
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- Alcohol misuse
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- Alexander technique
- Rhinitis, allergic
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- Mountain sickness
- Alzheimer's disease
- Lazy eye
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- Amniocentesis
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- Iron deficiency anaemia
- Vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia
- Anaesthesia
- Anal fissure
- Brain aneurysm
- Angelman syndrome
- Anger management
- Angina
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- Arteriography
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- Dog bites
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- Smell sense, loss of
- Antacid medicines
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- Antidepressants
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- Wrist, broken
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- Hearing tests
- Bird flu
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- Skin rashes in babies
- Weaning
- Lumbago (low back pain)
- Septic arthritis
- Halitosis (bad breath)
- Weight loss surgery
- Barium enema
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- Bedbugs
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- Behçet’s disease
- Facial paralysis
- Tongue pain or soreness
- Prostate enlargement
- Beta-blockers
- Bicarbonate test
- Binge eating
- Biopsy
- Bipolar disorder
- Spider bite
- Eye, black
- Bladder cancer
- Cystitis
- Bladder stones
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- Blood donation
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- Blood groups
- Coughing up blood
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- Urine, blood in the
- Vomiting blood
- Septicaemia
- Hypertension
- Low blood pressure
- Blood tests
- Blood transfusion
- Blushing
- Bromhidrosis (body odour)
- Bone cyst
- DXA scan
- Bone marrow donation
- Stem cell transplant
- Borderline personality disorder
- Bottle feeding
- Botulism
- Rectal cancer
- Polyps, bowel
- Leaky gut syndrome
- Orthodontics
- Brain abscess
- Head injury, severe
- Brain tumour, benign (non-cancerous)
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- Brain tumours
- Breast abscess
- Breast cancer
- Male breast cancer
- Screening for breast cancer
- Nipple discharge
- Mastitis
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- Breastfeeding
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- Osteoporosis
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- Leg, broken
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- Smelly feet (bromodosis)
- Bronchitis
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- Thyroid eye disease
- Bulimia
- Burns and scalds
- Heart bypass
- Caesarean section
- Food poisoning
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- Thrush, oral - adults
- Thrush, oral - babies
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Cardiovascular disease
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- Rib, cervical
- Smear test
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- Chest pain
- Herpes zoster virus
- Statins
- Kidney disease, chronic
- Leukaemia, chronic lymphocytic
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- Cirrhosis
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- Combined contraceptive pill
- Pneumonia
- CT scan
- Concussion
- Hole in the heart
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- Vegetative state
- Topical corticosteroids
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- Undescended testicles
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- Thyroiditis
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- Depression
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- Rectal examination
- Double vision
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- Lightheadedness
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- Ebola virus disease
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- Epidural
- Epilepsy
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- Ocular cancer
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- Seasonal flu
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- Tendon repair, hand
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- Nits
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- Hearing and vision tests for children
- Myocardial infarction
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- Heart transplant
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- Heat exhaustion and heatstroke
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- Hernia, femoral
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- Painkillers, ibuprofen
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- Natural family planning
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- Type 2 diabetes
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- Obesity
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- Physiotherapy
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- Poisoning
- Reflux in babies
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- Sexual health clinics
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- Vomiting in children and babies
- Sinus headache
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- Sleep paralysis
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- Tension-type headaches
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- Total iron-binding capacity (TIBC or transferrin) test
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- Traction
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- Warfarin
- Weight loss (unexpected and unplanned)
- Whiplash
- Wisdom tooth removal
- X-ray
- Yellow fever
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Read moreNHS Choices - Introduction
(18/02/2015)
Sepsis is a common and potentially life-threatening condition triggered by an infection.
In sepsis, the body’s immune system goes into overdrive, setting off a series of reactions including widespread inflammation, swelling and blood clotting. This can lead to a significant decrease in blood pressure, which can mean the blood supply to vital organs such as the brain, heart and kidneys is reduced.
If not treated quickly, sepsis can eventually lead to multiple organ failure and death.
Each year in the UK, it is estimated that more than 100,000 people are admitted to hospital with sepsis and around 37,000 people will die as a result of the condition.
Signs and symptoms of sepsis
Early symptoms of sepsis usually develop quickly and can include:
- a high temperature (fever)
- chills and shivering
- a fast heartbeat
- fast breathing
In some cases, symptoms of more severe sepsis or septic shock (when your blood pressure drops to a dangerously low level) develop soon after. These can include:
- feeling dizzy or faint
- confusion or disorientation
- nausea and vomiting
- diarrhoea
- cold, clammy and pale or mottled skin
Read more about the symptoms of sepsis.
When to seek medical advice
See your GP immediately if you have recently had an infection or injury and you have possible early signs of sepsis.
Severe sepsis and septic shock are medical emergencies. If you think that you or someone in your care has one of these conditions, call 999 and ask for an ambulance.
Read more about diagnosing sepsis.
Who's at risk?
Anyone can develop sepsis after an injury or minor infection, although some people are more vulnerable. People most at risk of sepsis include those:
- with a medical condition or receiving medical treatment that weakens their immune system
- who are already in hospital with a serious illness
- who are very young or very old
- who have just had surgery or who have wounds or injuries as a result of an accident
Read more about the causes of sepsis.
How sepsis is treated
If sepsis is detected early and has not yet affected vital organs, it may be possible to treat the infection at home with antibiotics. Most people who have sepsis detected at this stage will make a full recovery.
Some people with severe sepsis and most people with septic shock require admission to an intensive care unit (ICU), where the body’s organs can be supported while the infection is treated.
As a result of problems with vital organs, people with severe sepsis are likely to be very ill and the condition can be fatal. However, if identified and treated quickly, sepsis is treatable and in most cases leads to full recovery with no lasting problems.
Read more about treating sepsis.