Health Advice
- Weight Management
- Quit Smoking
- Acne
- Child Health
- Pain
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- Aneurysm, abdominal aortic
- Tummy ache
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- First aid
- Reflux
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- Acupuncture
- Gallbladder, inflammation
- Leukaemia, acute lymphoblastic
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- Addiction
- Addison's disease
- Adenoids and adenoidectomy
- Frozen shoulder
- Agoraphobia
- Air embolism
- Alcohol misuse
- Alcohol poisoning
- Alexander technique
- Rhinitis, allergic
- Indoor allergy
- Mountain sickness
- Alzheimer's disease
- Lazy eye
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- Memory loss
- Amniocentesis
- Amputation
- Motor neurone disease
- Steroid misuse
- Iron deficiency anaemia
- Vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia
- Anaesthesia
- Anal fissure
- Brain aneurysm
- Angelman syndrome
- Anger management
- Angina
- Angioedema
- Arteriography
- Stent insertion
- Dog bites
- Fractured ankle
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Anorexia nervosa
- Smell sense, loss of
- Antacid medicines
- Penicillin
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- Antidepressants
- Antifungal medicines
- Antihistamines
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- Antisocial personality disorder
- Hypochondria
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- Stress
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- Wrist, broken
- Arterial thrombosis
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- Asthma
- Astigmatism
- Eczema
- Atrial fibrillation
- Hearing tests
- Bird flu
- B12 vitamin deficiency
- Skin rashes in babies
- Weaning
- Lumbago (low back pain)
- Septic arthritis
- Halitosis (bad breath)
- Weight loss surgery
- Barium enema
- Bartholin's cyst
- Pressure ulcers
- Bedbugs
- Nocturnal enuresis
- 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
- Blisters
- Blood donation
- Blood gases test
- Blood groups
- Coughing up blood
- Semen, bloody
- 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)
- Brain tumour, malignant (cancerous)
- Brain tumours
- Breast abscess
- Breast cancer
- Male breast cancer
- Screening for breast cancer
- Nipple discharge
- Mastitis
- Breast lump
- Breastfeeding
- Shortness of breath
- Osteoporosis
- Fractured collarbone
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- Leg, broken
- Fractured nose
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- Toe, broken
- Tooth, broken or knocked out
- Smelly feet (bromodosis)
- Bronchitis
- Teeth grinding
- Thyroid eye disease
- Bulimia
- Burns and scalds
- Heart bypass
- Caesarean section
- Food poisoning
- Cancer
- Thrush
- Thrush, men
- Thrush, oral - adults
- Thrush, oral - babies
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Cardiovascular disease
- Cartilage damage
- Nasal congestion
- Rib, cervical
- Smear test
- Sore lips
- Chemotherapy
- Chest infection, adult
- Chest pain
- Herpes zoster virus
- Statins
- Kidney disease, chronic
- Leukaemia, chronic lymphocytic
- Leukaemia, chronic myeloid
- Cirrhosis
- Claustrophobia
- Cluster headaches
- White coated tongue
- Gluten intolerance
- Herpes simplex virus
- Cold
- Colic
- Colostomy
- Coma
- Combined contraceptive pill
- Pneumonia
- CT scan
- Concussion
- Hole in the heart
- Heart failure
- Conjunctivitis
- Constipation
- Contact dermatitis
- Corns and calluses
- Coronary heart disease
- Vegetative state
- Topical corticosteroids
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- Cosmetic surgery
- Cough
- Counselling
- Leg cramps
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- Undescended testicles
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- Cystic fibrosis
- Psoriatic arthritis
- Dandruff
- Date rape drugs
- Thyroiditis
- Hearing impairment
- Dehydration
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- Teething
- Tooth decay
- Fluoride
- False teeth (dentures)
- Depression
- Dyspraxia in children
- Diabetes insipidus
- Diabetes
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- Dialysis
- Traveller's diarrhoea
- Nutrition
- Rectal examination
- Double vision
- Nummular eczema
- Shoulder dislocation
- Diverticular disease and diverticulitis
- Lightheadedness
- Down's syndrome
- Dry eye syndrome
- Thirst
- Dyslexia
- Periods, painful
- Indigestion
- Swallowing problems
- Dyspraxia (adults)
- Swimmer's ear
- Earache
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- Eating disorders
- Ebola virus disease
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- Endoscopy
- Threadworms
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- Epidural
- Epilepsy
- Watering eyes
- Nosebleed
- Impotence
- Tremor (essential)
- Ocular cancer
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- Falls
- Family planning
- Fever, childhood
- Fibromyalgia
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- Wind
- Seasonal flu
- Nail patella syndrome
- Food allergy
- Foot pain
- Frostbite
- Gallstones
- Stomach removal surgery
- Gastroenteritis
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- General anaesthetic
- Genetics
- Herpes, genital
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- Iron overload disorder
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- Haemophilus influenzae type b
- Piles (haemorrhoids)
- Ingrown hairs
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- Hallucinations
- Hamstring injury
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- Tendon repair, hand
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- Hangover
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- Head and neck cancer
- Head injury, minor
- Nits
- Headaches
- 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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- Periods, heavy
- Hepatitis A
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- Herbal medicines
- Hernia, femoral
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- HIV and AIDS
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- Sweating, excessive (hyperhidrosis)
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- Sleepiness in the day (severe and unexplained)
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- Hypnotherapy
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- Underactive thyroid
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Painkillers, ibuprofen
- Shoulder tendon, trapped
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- Inquest
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- Mumps
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- Selective mutism
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- Nose and sinus cancer
- Polyps, nose
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- Natural family planning
- Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Night sweats
- Nightmares
- Rhinitis, non-allergic
- Type 2 diabetes
- Winter vomiting disease
- Obesity
- OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder)
- Sleep apnoea
- Occupational therapy
- Swollen ankles
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- Organ donation
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- Paracetamol
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- Physiotherapy
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- Poisoning
- Reflux in babies
- Potassium test
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- Slipped disc
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- Radiation
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- Roundworm
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- Sexual health clinics
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- Social anxiety disorder (social phobia)
- Vomiting in children and babies
- Sinus headache
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- Sleep paralysis
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- Urine, smelly
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- Spina bifida
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- Squint
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- Swollen glands
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- Tuberculosis (TB)
- Tension-type headaches
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- Thyroid cancer
- Tics
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- Tongue-tie
- Tonsillitis
- Toothache
- Total iron-binding capacity (TIBC or transferrin) test
- Total protein test
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- Traction
- Travel vaccines
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- Urinary tract infection, children
- Urinary tract infection
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- Vitamins, minerals and supplements
- Vomiting in adults
- Warfarin
- Weight loss (unexpected and unplanned)
- Whiplash
- Wisdom tooth removal
- X-ray
- Yellow fever
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Read moreNHS Choices - Introduction
(07/08/2014)
A slipped disc – known as a prolapsed or herniated disc – occurs when one of the discs that sit between the bones of the spine (the vertebrae) is damaged and presses on the nerves.
This can cause back pain and neck pain, as well as symptoms such as numbness, a tingling sensation, or weakness in other areas of the body.
The sciatic nerve is often affected in cases of slipped disc. It is the longest nerve in the body and runs from the back of the pelvis, through the buttocks and down both legs to the feet.
If pressure is placed on the sciatic nerve (sciatica), it can cause mild to severe pain in the leg, hip or buttocks.
Read more about the symptoms of a slipped disc.
The spine
The spine consists of 24 individual bones called vertebrae that are stacked on top of each other.
In between each vertebra there are protective circular pads of cartilage (connective tissue) called discs, which have a tough, fibrous case that contains a softer gel-like substance. The discs help maintain your back's flexibility and wide range of movement.
The spinal cord is highly sensitive and passes through the middle of the vertebral column. It contains nerve cells and bundles of nerve fibres that connect all parts of the body to the brain.
What causes a slipped disc?
A slipped disc occurs when the outer case of the disc splits, resulting in the gel inside bulging out of the disc.
The damaged disc can put pressure on the whole spinal cord or on a single nerve root (where a nerve leaves the spinal cord).
This means a slipped disc can cause pain both in the area of the protruding disc and in the area of the body controlled by the nerve that the disc is pressing on.
It is not always clear what causes a disc to break down, although age is a common factor in many cases. As you get older, your spinal discs start to lose their water content, making them less flexible and more likely to rupture.
Smoking also plays a role as it causes the discs to lose their natural flexibility.
It's important to note not all slipped discs cause symptoms such as pain, weakness or tingling. Many people will go their whole life and not know they have a slipped disc, even though they have one.
Read more about what causes a slipped disc.
Diagnosing a slipped disc
Your GP will usually be able to diagnose a slipped disc from your symptoms and medical history. They may also carry out a physical examination to test your:
- posture
- reflexes
- muscle strength
- walking ability
- sensation in your limbs
Read more about how a slipped disc is diagnosed.
Treating a slipped disc
It can take about four to six weeks to recover from a slipped disc. Treatment usually involves a combination of physical therapy, such as massage and exercise, and medication to relieve the pain.
Surgery to release the compressed nerve and remove part of the disc may be considered in severe cases, or if the pain continues for longer than six weeks.
In many cases, a slipped disc will eventually shrink back away from the nerve and the pain will ease as the disc stops pressing on the affected nerve.
Often the slipped disc will stay pressing on the nerve, but the pain goes away because the brain learns to "turn down the volume" on the pain messages coming from the nerve.
If you have a slipped disc, it is very important to keep active. Initially moving may be difficult, but after resting for a couple of days you should start to move around.
This will help keep your back mobile and stop the joints becoming stiff and the muscles that support the spine becoming weak. Keeping moving will speed up your recovery.
Any exercise you do should be gentle and not put too much strain on your back. Exercises that involve high impact, such as running, jumping or twisting, should be avoided at first as they may cause a flare-up of the pain.
Read more about treating a slipped disc.
Preventing a slipped disc
Taking a few sensible precautions, such as leading a healthy lifestyle, can help prevent back pain and lower your risk of getting a slipped disc. For example, you should:
- take regular exercise
- use a safe technique when lifting heavy objects
- always maintain a good posture when sitting and standing
- quit smoking if you smoke
Read more about preventing a slipped disc.