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

There’s no cure for osteoarthritis, but some people have noticed an improvement in symptoms when eating certain foods and avoiding others. Find out what can help. 


Osteoarthritis diet: What to eat and foods to avoid

Listeria (listeriosis) is a foodborne illness that usually develops when you eat contaminated food. It can be dangerous, so how should you avoid it?


What is listeriosis — and what are the symptoms?

Are you hoping to see family and friends over the holiday season but not sure if you can celebrate with them safely? Here’s what to keep in mind and how to celebrate the holidays safely this year. 


Can you celebrate the holidays with others safely during the coronavirus pandemic?

If you’re experiencing chest and back pain at the same time there are many reasons this could be happening. Find out what might be causing your chest and back pain, and if you need to see a doctor. 

Why am I having chest and back pain?

The holiday season can be a difficult time for families, and this year, relationships may be more strained than usual as a result of the pandemic. Here’s 5 tips on how to manage your family relationships over the holidays. 


6 ways to manage family relationships over the holidays this year

It’s common to have back pain during pregnancy. Here's what causes back pain while you're pregnant, and how to relieve it. 

How to relieve back pain in pregnancy

Sometimes, constipation and low back pain can strike at or around the same time. But does constipation cause low back pain?

Does constipation cause lower back pain?

Upper back pain: All you need to know

Lower back pain: All you need to know

If you’re dealing with back pain, there are a range of products available that may help support your recovery. Find out what physiotherapists, chiropractors and doctors recommend you try for back pain. 


Ask an expert: What are the best back pain relief products?

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. 


conditions

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

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

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) 

adhd

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

brain-nerve-conditions

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.  


stroke

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

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

An aneurysm is a bulge in a blood vessel that's caused by a weakness in the blood vessel wall, usually where it branches.

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.

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 

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

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

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

 Minor head injuries are common in people of all ages and usually don’t cause permanent damage. But you need to make sure it’s not more serious.

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.

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

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

Memory loss, also called amnesia, occurs when a person loses the ability to remember events and information they would normally be able to recall.

Memory loss (amnesia)

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

X-ray image showing carotid arteries and cerebral arteries (credit - Sutthaburawonk)

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

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.

Looking for something?

Brain and nervous system

Brain and nervous system

Adhd

Aneurysm

Brain damage and inflammation

Brain tumour

Charles bonnet syndrome

Dementia

Dizziness and fainting

Epilepsy and seizures

Head injury

Headaches

Learning disability

Memory loss

Meningitis

Migraines

Multiple sclerosis

Multi-system disease

Parkinsons

Severe brain damage

Sinus thrombosis

Smell and taste disorders

Stroke

Brain and nervous system

Brain and nervous system

Adhd

Aneurysm

Brain damage and inflammation

Brain tumour

Charles bonnet syndrome

Dementia

Dizziness and fainting

Epilepsy and seizures

Head injury

Headaches

Learning disability

Memory loss

Meningitis

Migraines

Multiple sclerosis

Multi-system disease

Parkinsons

Severe brain damage

Sinus thrombosis

Smell and taste disorders

Stroke

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