Brain and nerve conditions affect the brain, nerves and spinal cord. This includes Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy and headaches.

If you’re trying to get pregnant it’s important to know how the menstrual cycle works. Find out when you can get pregnant and how to increase your chances. 

getting-pregnant

How to improve your chances of getting pregnant

You can become ill from touching surfaces contaminated with bacteria and viruses – but how long do these germs live on surfaces? Read on to find out.

home-health

How long do viruses and bacteria live on surfaces?

During perimenopause, you may find your periods are closer together or irregular in other ways. Find out how your periods may change. 

menopause

Perimenopause periods: Why your periods are more frequent or irregular

Find out about the symptoms of ingrown hairs, what causes it to happen, how to get rid of them and stop them from coming back.

skin-changes

Ingrown hairs: Symptoms, causes and how to get rid of them

Losing weight during menopause can sometimes feel impossible. Discover why you gain weight and how to lose it safely – and keep it off. 

How to lose weight in menopause

Healthily conducted a survey that showed many are in the dark about their fertility. Read to find out the truth behind some of the most common myths.

9 Fertility Myths

Find out about the symptoms of an itchy bottom in adults and children, what causes it, how to treat it and when to speak to a doctor.

anal-problems

Itchy bottom: Symptoms, causes and treatment

Perimenopause is the stage before menopause, but it can cause symptoms that disrupt your life. Discover how to manage perimenopause symptoms.

Perimenopause: Symptoms, treatment and outlook

If you’re a woman who has sex with other women, you can pass on STIs.  Find out how to have safe sex and when to see a doctor about your sexual health. 

lgbtq-sexual-health

How to have safer lesbian sex

Several symptoms point towards the time when we reach menopause, but is there a way of testing to make sure?


Is there a test for menopause?

A stroke happens when the blood supply to part of your brain is cut off - usually by a blood clot or bleeding in the brain. Common symptoms include sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arms or legs, confusion, trouble speaking, loss of vision and trouble walking.  


conditions

Woman lying on the floor at home (credit - bymuratdeniz)

A stroke is a life-threatening medical condition that occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off, for example, due to a blood clot or bleed.

Stroke

stroke

Human brain in top view isolated on blue pastel BG stock photo

brain-nerve-conditions

A headache is pain felt in your head. Most headaches are not serious and should pass within a few hours. If you develop a headache, stay hydrated, exercise if you feel able to and otherwise try to relax.


headaches

Dizziness may make you feel like the world is spinning or that you can’t find your balance. Fainting is when you lose consciousness for a while (or pass out). Both dizziness and fainting may not be cause for concern, but see a doctor if you’re worried or it happens regularly. 


dizziness-fainting

Woman looking stressed out with a headache while working in an office

Most headaches aren’t serious and can be treated with pharmacy remedies and lifestyle changes, such as getting more rest and drinking enough fluids.

Headaches

Young adult businesswoman after heavy use of smartphone feels dizzy at night on a busy road

Dizziness (lightheadedness) is a common symptom that’s not usually a sign of anything serious, but should be checked out by a doctor.

Dizziness

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a disorder that can cause impulsive and restless behaviour. Someone with ADHD may find it difficult to concentrate, make mistakes easily and find it hard to get along with other people. ADHD is usually noticed in childhood, but may not be diagnosed until adulthood. 


Woman Covering Her Face With Her Hands
Photo by Andy Barbour from Pexels

pexels-andy-barbour-5500958 (2)

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a group of behavioural symptoms that include inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness.

Mum having problem with noisy naughty daughter jumping on couch and screaming

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) 

adhd

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a disorder that can cause impulsive and restless behaviour. Someone with ADHD may find it difficult to concentrate, make mistakes easily and find it hard to get along with other people. 

ADHD is usually noticed in childhood, but may not be diagnosed until adulthood. 


Aneurysms are balloon-like bulges in the wall of an artery. They're caused by a weakness in an artery wall. Aneurysms can happen in any artery, but they're most common in the artery that takes blood from the heart and brain. 


Torn vein on a blue background with blood. The concept of medical diseases. Vein aneurysm, stroke and heart attack, blue background, copy space stock photo

 A brain aneurysm is a swelling along a weak part of a blood vessel in your brain. 

MRA Brain scan, brain aneurysm

Brain aneurysm

aneurysm

If you have a brain injury or sustain damage to the brain, this can cause inflammation in the brain, which can make any injury or damage to the brain worse

 Woman in pain stock photo

brain-damage-inflammation

A brain tumour is a cluster of abnormal cells in the brain. The tumour can be cancerous or non-cancerous. Symptoms include bad headaches, fits (seizures), vision changes, and feeling or being sick.


Brain disease diagnosis with medical doctor diagnosing elderly ageing patient neurodegenerative illness problem seeing Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) film for neurological medical treatment stock photo

A brain tumour is a growth of cells in the brain that multiply in an abnormal, uncontrollable way. However, it is not always cancerous.

Pink floating brain model on a blue background

Brain tumours

brain-tumour

Charles Bonnet syndrome affects people who are losing or have lost their vision. The condition causes you to see things that aren't actually there (hallucinations). You may see shapes, patterns, or images of places or people. 


Blue eye of elderly woman with Charles Bonnet syndrome

NHS Choices information on Charles Bonnet syndrome, with links to other useful resources

Charles Bonnet syndrome

charles-bonnet-syndrome

Dementia is a group of symptoms that are caused by different conditions that lead to brain damage. It's more commonly seen later in life, but it's not a natural part of the ageing process.


Helping to people with dementia

dementia

Epilepsy is a brain condition that causes fits (seizures). There are many types, and they affect different people differently. Epilepsy usually starts either in childhood or in people over 60, but it can begin at any age. It tends to be a lifelong condition, but its symptoms can be managed with treatment.

Close up of eeg test

Epilepsy is a condition that affects the brain and causes repeated seizures, also known as fits.

Epilepsy

epilepsy-seizures

A head injury is any sort of trauma to the scalp, skull or brain. It may be caused by falling and hitting your head or through playing sports. Most head injuries are not serious and you should recover within 2 weeks. But there are times when you may need to call an ambulance or seek care immediately.


Young girl being helped while lying on ground with head injury

A minor head injury is a knock, bump or blow to the head that doesn’t cause serious injury. 

Minor head injury

head-injury

A head injury is any sort of trauma to the scalp, skull or brain. It may be caused by falling and hitting your head or through playing sports. Most head injuries are not serious and you should recover within 2 weeks. But there are times when you may need to call an ambulance or seek care immediately.

A learning disability is when a person isn't able to understand new or complex information, learn new skills or cope on their own as well as expected. Someone with a learning disability may need specialist care and support.  


Woman with young boy with learning disability

Find out what a learning disability is and what it means for the estimated 1.5m people who have one.

What is a learning disability?

learning-disability

Memory loss, also known as amnesia, is when you can't remember things. Different types of memory loss exist. Sometimes it's a natural part of the ageing process, but it can also be a sign of a condition like dementia. 


Brain from wooden puzzles. Memory loss concept

Mild cognitive impairment is when you have mild problems with mental processes, like thinking and remembering – but these problems are worse than expected for your age. 

Mild cognitive impairment

memory-loss

Meningitis is an infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord (meninges). It can be caused by a virus or bacterial infection. Meningitis is a medical emergency that should be treated urgently. Symptoms include a fever, headache, a stiff neck and being sick. 


Doctor disinfects skin of patient before vaccination

Meningitis is an infection of the meninges (protective membranes) that surround the brain and spinal cord. It can be bacterial or viral.

Meningitis

meningitis

A migraine is a type of headache that can cause intense, throbbing pain on 1 side of your head. They can also make you feel sick or more sensitive to sound and light. There's no cure for migraines, but treatments can help reduce the symptoms.


Woman sitting on couch with headache (credit - fizkes)

A migraine is a moderate-to-severe headache that comes in episodes that last 4 to 72 hours. It is often accompanied by other symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting and increased sensitivity to light or sound.

When there are specific symptoms, such as seeing zig zag lines or flashing lights,  just before or during the migraine, it is called a migraine with aura.

When such symptoms do not occur before or during the migraine, it is known as a migraine without aura.

Migraine

migraines

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a long-term illness that affects the brain and spinal cord. It can lead to symptoms, like blurred vision, problems walking, numbness or a tingling sensation, and tiredness. 


Brain made of pills on pink background, multiple sclerosis day concept

Brain made of pills on pink background, multiple sclerosis day concept (credit - Liliia Lysenko)

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease affecting nerves in the brain and spinal cord, causing problems with muscle movement, balance and vision.

Multiple sclerosis

multiple-sclerosis

While some conditions affect a single organ or part of the body, others can affect several different organs or body parts at the same time. These are known as multisystem diseases.  

Syndrome multi-system disease

multisystem-disease

Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder that gets worse over time. It's caused by a loss of nerve cells in the brain, and its symptoms include shaking and muscle stiffness. Parkinson's can't be cured, but its symptoms can be managed with treatment.

Woman carer talking with elderly woman sitting on armchair in living room

Woman carer talking with elderly woman sitting on armchair in living room (credit - izusek)

Parkinson’s disease is a condition in which part of the brain becomes progressively more damaged over many years (a progressive neurological condition).

Parkinson's disease

parkinsons

Severe brain damage happens when the brain is seriously injured. It stops the brain working normally, and this change may be permanent. Brain damage can be caused by a physical injury to the head or a condition, like an infection or inflammation, that damages the brain's cells.


3D illustration of brain with an injury (credit - peterschreiber.media)

severe-brain-damage

Cavernous sinus thrombosis is a blood clot in the area behind the eye sockets (cavernous sinuses). It can happen when an infection in the skull or brain spreads to the cavernous sinus.  


X-ray image showing carotid arteries and cerebral arteries

Cerebral (cavernous sinus) thrombosis is a rare and life-threatening condition in which a blood clot develops in the series of hollow spaces that lie under the brain, behind each eye socket. 

Cavernous sinus thrombosis

sinus-thrombosis

Smell and taste disorders affect how well you can taste and smell. They can be caused by a medical condition, medicines you may be taking or a problem with your teeth. Some people are born with smell and taste disorders.

Woman holding half a lemon under her nose, loss of smell concept

Woman holding half a lemon under her nose, loss of smell concept (credit - microgen)

smell-and-taste-disorders

Ear, nose and throat (ENT) conditions affect the ear, nose or throat. They include sinusitis, allergic rhinitis and earache. 


Female doctor examining woman's ear with otoscope stock photo- stockstudioX

Female doctor examining woman's ear with otoscope stock photo

ear-nose-throat

Tics are sudden, fast twitches or movements you make repeatedly without meaning to do so (motor tics). They can also be sounds you make unintentionally (vocal tics). Tics are often harmless and short-lived, but they can also be caused by a tic disorder, like Tourette's syndrome. 

Person with tic biting nails

Tics are rapid, repetitive, involuntary contractions of a group of muscles.

Tics

tics

Tics are sudden, fast twitches or movements you make repeatedly without meaning to do so (motor tics). They can also be sounds you make unintentionally (vocal tics). Tics are often harmless and short-lived, but they can also be caused by a tic disorder, like Tourette's syndrome.  

Brain and nervous system