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- Treatment and medication – articles and advice
Treatment and medication – articles and advice
Cosmetic surgery
Features on treatments and medicines, with advice on choices and patient experiences. For detailed reference, see our Patient Information Leaflets on treatment and medications.
Treatment and medication
Wegovy pill: how does the new weight-loss tablet work?
by Thomas Andrew Porteus, MBCS
Treatment and medication
How does Mounjaro work for weight loss?
by Dr Nienke Lees
Treatment and medication
How to manage Mounjaro and Wegovy side effects
by Dr Nienke Lees
Treatment and medication
How does Wegovy work for weight loss?
by Dr Nienke Lees
Cosmetic surgery
Cosmetic surgery is an elective medical operation chosen to change physical appearance for aesthetic reasons, rather than to treat a disease or fix a physical health problem.
End of life care
End of life care is about comfort and dignity. Discover how services support patients and families through symptom control, emotional care, and decision making.
- End of life care: medical, emotional and spiritual support
- LGBTQI+: what are the barriers and challenges in end of life care?
- How to cope with a terminal illness at Christmas
- What are the options for end of life care?
- How to talk about your end of life care wishes
- What not to say to someone who is dying
- What you need to know about end of life care
First aid
Accidents happen anywhere. Learn essential first aid skills that can help you treat common injuries and potentially save a life in an emergency.
- The importance of learning CPR
- 4 first aid tips for a safe and merry Christmas
- Empowering the next generation: St John Ambulance and the Young Responders campaign
- The importance of learning CPR: Emma tells her story
- What should you do if someone goes into cardiac arrest?
- How to teach yourself first aid
- What supplies do you need for a sports first aid kit?
- Essential first aid items for your home
- Holiday first aid kit essentials
Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy is a type of complementary mind-body therapy that uses guided relaxation and focused concentration—known as hypnosis—to help people change habits, ease stress, and manage medical symptoms.
Medicine information
Medicines help manage or cure many conditions. Learn about how they work, common side effects, and why taking them as prescribed matters.
- NewPuberty blockers: what the evidence says, and why scientists are still studying them
- UpdatedSteroid side effects you should know about
- UpdatedDoes herbal medicine really work?
- Antibiotic resistance: a hidden health crisis
- Is it really reflux? Why you might be mis-prescribed PPIs
- What to do if your medication isn't available
- Making sure your medicine is safe at home
- What is #MedSafetyWeek and MHRA Yellow Card scheme?
- Should you worry about painkiller addiction?
- Practical ways to manage your medicines at home
- Earache relief: medicine and remedies
- Do beta blockers help with anxiety symptoms?
- Are you too reliant on painkillers?
- What factors are causing antimicrobial resistance?
- How does paracetamol know where our pain is?
- Prescriptions: your questions answered
- Where to get medication in an emergency
- What you need to know about stopping medication
- The dangers of fake drugs
- One in four adults prescribed addictive medications
- Chemical found in cannabis could be more effective than painkillers
- Should you give painkillers to children?
- What you need to know before you take erectile dysfunction medication
- Is it safe to take opioid painkillers?
- Should you worry about side effects with malaria tablets?
- Can your skin really get addicted to steroid creams?
- What happens when medicines interact
- Why antibiotics shouldn't be overused
- Why wasn't I prescribed antibiotics?
Mental health medicines
Antidepressants are medications that treat symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other conditions by affecting brain chemicals called neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and norepinephrine.
- What is serotonin syndrome and what causes it?
- How to switch antidepressants safely
- Should I switch antidepressants?
- Can antidepressants cause vivid dreams?
- How to avoid antidepressant withdrawal symptoms
- Will taking antidepressants really lead to weight gain?
- What is CBD oil and does it work?
- Why is there still stigma around antidepressants?
- When should you stop taking antidepressants?
Mental health therapy
Mental health therapy, also called talking therapies or psychological therapies, involves working with a trained professional to talk through thoughts, feelings, and behaviours to improve mental and emotional well-being.
- Could you benefit from music therapy?
- The Stranger Things effect: why nostalgia builds connection and improves our mood
- Art therapy: creative ways to boost your mental health
- Is ASMR the secret to sensory bliss?
- Unconventional healing: the rise of alternative therapies
- Pets as therapy: benefits for all ages
- How remote mental health services have helped the LGBTQ+ community
- CBT for insomnia: how does it work?
- Can you have therapy if you don't have a mental health problem?
- What is transactional analysis therapy?
- What is psychodynamic therapy?
- Can deaf people have therapy?
- What therapies can treat PTSD?
- How to decide between different types of therapy
- Why is therapy so exhausting?
- What is dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT)?
- What to expect when your child starts talking therapy
- How to choose a therapist
- Why do so many of us struggle with meditation?
- Do mental health apps really work?
Pharmacy services
Pharmacies provide services such as dispensing prescription and over-the-counter medications, offering clinical advice for minor illnesses, and conducting health checks like blood sugar and blood pressure testing.
- How social media helps you stay connected to your GP Practice or Pharmacy
- What to expect from your pharmacy consultation
- Can a pharmacist prescribe antibiotics?
- Pharmacy First - getting the most from your pharmacist
- Hay fever: how your pharmacist can help
- Can your pharmacist help you with your sexual health?
- Health problems you don't need to see your doctor about
- Getting malaria tablets from your pharmacist
Physiotherapy
A physiotherapist is a healthcare professional who helps people affected by injury, illness, or disability through movement, exercise, manual therapy, education, and advice.
- Is getting a massage a substitute for physiotherapy?
- What is video physiotherapy and who can it help?
- How to get the most out of video physiotherapy
- Do you need physiotherapy after joint replacement?
- Signs you might need physiotherapy
- Can physiotherapy prevent falls in older people?
- How physiotherapy can help people with lung conditions
- What does a women's health physiotherapist do?
Surgery and procedures
Surgery can range from minor outpatient procedures to major operations. Learn what to expect, how to prepare, and what recovery involves.
- UpdatedHow to prepare for surgery: pre-op checklist
- What are the risks of a lung transplant?
- Labiaplasties – what are they and are they ever medically necessary?
- 15 questions to ask before having surgery
- What it's like to have a vasectomy
- What it's like to be on the organ transplant waiting list
- Should vaginal mesh surgery be banned?
- Video: Hip replacement recovery exercises
- Having sex after a vasectomy
- The experiences of a vasectomised vasectomy surgeon
Therapy
Therapies include physical, psychological, and occupational approaches. Learn how therapy can help you recover, manage pain, or improve mental wellbeing.
- Understanding EMDR: how can eye movements help process trauma?
- What is red light therapy? Benefits and risks
- The power of nostalgia: what is Reminiscence Therapy?
- Are facial workouts good for sleep, speech and oral health?
- Don't sweat it: 5 sauna health benefits in the hot seat
- What is peer support and how can it help you?
- Which therapies can ease Parkinson's disease symptoms?
- LGBTQ+ people share their personal conversion therapy stories
- What harm can conversion therapy cause and why isn't it banned?
- Is retail therapy actually a thing?
Weight loss treatments and surgery
When diet and exercise aren’t enough, treatments or surgery may help. Learn about weight loss options and what to expect from each approach.
- NewWegovy pill: how does the new weight-loss tablet work?
- How does Mounjaro work for weight loss?
- How to manage Mounjaro and Wegovy side effects
- How does Wegovy work for weight loss?
- How to prevent muscle loss on Mounjaro
- Wegovy FAQs: Common weight loss questions answered
- Mounjaro weight loss injections: FAQs
- How weight loss surgery changed my life: Gemma's story
- What is bariatric surgery?
- How to stop taking Mounjaro or switch to an alternative
- What happens when you stop taking weight loss injections?
- Who is eligible for weight loss injections?
- What are weight loss injections and are they safe?
- What is gastric sleeve surgery?
- Are protein shakes good for weight loss?
- Do diet pills really work – and are they safe?
- Orlistat healthy eating guide
- Can hypnotherapy help you lose weight?