Sneezing, a runny nose and a scratchy throat could be a cold or an allergy. They feel similar, but they have different causes and respond to different treatments, so it’s worth knowing which one you have.

The key differences

• Itchy eyes, nose or throat: very common with allergies, uncommon with colds.
• Fever and body aches: possible with a cold (usually mild), never caused by allergies.
• Mucus: allergies usually cause clear, watery mucus. With a cold it often thickens and may turn yellow or green.
• How it starts: allergy symptoms start soon after contact with a trigger like pollen or pets. A cold builds over a day or two.
• How long it lasts: a cold usually clears in 7 to 10 days. Allergies last as long as you’re exposed, which can be weeks during pollen season.
• Timing: allergies often follow a pattern, such as every spring, outdoors, or around a pet. Colds are more common in autumn and winter.

Treating allergies

Non-drowsy antihistamines such as Zyrtec, Claritin and Allegra block the histamine behind allergy symptoms. They work best taken daily through the season. See which one to choose.

Treating a cold

Colds are caused by viruses, so antihistamines and antibiotics won’t cure them. Rest, fluids and time are the main treatment. Pain relievers can ease aches and a sore throat, and saline sprays or steam can help a blocked nose.

See a doctor if

• Symptoms last more than 10 days, or get better then worse again
• You have a high fever, severe headache or facial pain
• You have wheezing or shortness of breath
• Allergy symptoms aren’t controlled by antihistamines

More in our Allergies guide: all our articles and products on this topic in one place.

This article is for general information only and isn’t a substitute for advice from a doctor or pharmacist. Always read the label before using any medicine.

Travellers’ diarrhoea is the most common illness people get abroad. It’s usually caused by bacteria in contaminated food or water, starts within the first week of a trip, and lasts 3 to 5 days. Most cases are mild, but it can spoil a holiday, so prevention is worth the effort.

Prevention: food and water

• Drink bottled or treated water where tap water isn’t safe, and use it for brushing your teeth too.
• Skip ice unless you know it’s made from safe water.
• Eat food that’s cooked and served hot. Be careful with buffets where food sits out.
• Peel fruit yourself, and avoid salads and raw vegetables washed in tap water.
• Avoid unpasteurised milk and dairy, and undercooked meat, fish and shellfish.
• Wash your hands before eating, or use hand sanitiser with at least 60% alcohol.

If you get it

• Rehydrate first. Sip safe water and use oral rehydration salts, especially in hot climates.
• Eat plain food as you feel able: rice, bread, bananas, crackers.
• An anti-diarrhoeal such as loperamide (Imodium) can reduce trips to the toilet for adults and children 12+. Take 4 mg after the first loose stool, then 2 mg after each loose stool, no more than 8 mg in 24 hours.
• Don’t use loperamide if you have a fever or blood or mucus in your stool.

For full details, see our guide to stopping diarrhoea fast.

See a doctor if you have

• Blood in your stool or a high fever
• Diarrhoea lasting more than 3 days, or severe stomach pain
• Signs of dehydration: dizziness, very little or dark urine, a very dry mouth
• Symptoms in a young child, an older person, someone pregnant, or someone with a long-term illness
• Diarrhoea that starts after you get home

Pack before you go

Oral rehydration salts, an anti-diarrhoeal and hand sanitiser belong in every travel health kit.

More in our Travel Health guide: all our articles and products on this topic in one place.

This article is for general information only and isn’t a substitute for advice from a doctor or pharmacist. Always read the label before using any medicine.

Hives (urticaria) are raised, itchy welts on the skin. They can be pink or red on lighter skin and harder to see on darker skin, and they often move around, fading in one place and appearing in another within hours. Hives are very common and usually harmless, but occasionally they are part of a serious allergic reaction.

Common causes

• Allergies to foods (such as nuts, shellfish, eggs), medicines, insect stings or latex
• Infections, especially colds and other viral illnesses. This is a common cause in children.
• Physical triggers: heat, cold, pressure on the skin, sweating, exercise or sunlight
• Stress
• In many cases, especially hives that keep coming back, no cause is ever found.

How long do hives last?

Each individual welt usually fades within 24 hours. Acute hives clear within 6 weeks, and most clear within days. Hives that keep coming back for more than 6 weeks are called chronic hives and should be checked by a doctor.

How to relieve hives

• Take a non-drowsy antihistamine. Cetirizine (Zyrtec), loratadine (Claritin) and fexofenadine (Allegra) all relieve itching from hives. Compare them in our Zyrtec vs Claritin vs Allegra guide.
• Cool the skin. A cool shower or a cold, damp cloth eases itching.
• Wear loose, soft clothing to avoid rubbing.
• Avoid triggers you’ve noticed, and avoid hot baths, alcohol and tight clothes, which can make hives worse.
• Try not to scratch. It can make the welts spread.

Call emergency services if hives come with

• Swelling of the lips, tongue, throat or face
• Difficulty breathing or swallowing, or wheezing
• Dizziness, fainting or a fast heartbeat
• Vomiting or severe stomach pain after eating or a sting

These can be signs of anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction. If you have a prescribed adrenaline (epinephrine) auto-injector, use it and call for help.

See a doctor if

• Hives last more than a few days despite antihistamines, or keep coming back
• You also have a fever, joint pain or feel unwell
• Welts leave bruises, or each one lasts longer than 24 hours
• You think a medicine you’re taking caused them

More in our Allergies guide: all our articles and products on this topic in one place.

This article is for general information only and isn’t a substitute for advice from a doctor or pharmacist. Always read the label before using any medicine.

Minoxidil, sold as Rogaine, is one of the few hair-loss treatments you can buy without a prescription. Most people tolerate it well, but it helps to know what’s normal, what you can manage, and what means you should stop.

Common side effects

• Extra shedding in the first weeks. Many people notice more hair falling out 2 to 8 weeks after starting. This is usually a good sign: older hairs are being pushed out to make way for new growth. It normally settles within a few weeks, so keep going.
• Scalp itching, dryness or flaking. This is more common with the liquid solution, often because of the propylene glycol it contains, and slightly more common with 5% than 2%.
• Unwanted hair growth on the forehead or face, usually from the product running or being transferred on pillows or hands. It’s more common in women and with higher strengths.

How to manage them

• Apply only to a dry scalp, and only the recommended 1 mL. More doesn’t work better and increases irritation.
• Let it dry fully (2 to 4 hours) before bed so it doesn’t transfer to your face.
• Wash your hands well after applying.
• For itching, a gentle, fragrance-free shampoo can help. If irritation continues, a foam formula without propylene glycol may suit you better. Ask a pharmacist.
• Women: use the strength made for women, such as Rogaine 2%, unless a doctor advises otherwise. See Rogaine 2% vs 5%.

Rare but serious: stop and see a doctor if you get

• Chest pain or a fast or irregular heartbeat
• Dizziness or fainting
• Sudden, unexplained weight gain, or swelling of the hands or feet
• Severe scalp redness, burning or blistering

These happen because a small amount of minoxidil can be absorbed into the body, where it lowers blood pressure.

Other things to know

• Results take 2 to 4 months. If there’s no regrowth after 4 months, stop and talk to a doctor.
• Hair regrown with minoxidil is usually lost within a few months of stopping.
• Don’t use it if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, or under 18.
• Keep it away from cats. Even small amounts of minoxidil are highly toxic to cats.

More in our Hair Loss guide: all our articles and products on this topic in one place.

This article is for general information only and isn’t a substitute for advice from a doctor or pharmacist. Always read the label before using any medicine.

Heartburn is a burning feeling behind the breastbone, often after eating or when lying down. It happens when stomach acid flows back up into the food pipe (oesophagus). Occasional heartburn is very common and usually easy to manage.

Common triggers

• Large or late meals
• Fatty, fried or spicy food, chocolate, mint, citrus and tomatoes
• Coffee, alcohol and fizzy drinks
• Smoking
• Being overweight, pregnancy, and tight clothing around the waist

Quick fixes

• Stay upright after eating. Don’t lie down for 2 to 3 hours after a meal.
• Raise the head of your bed by 10 to 20 cm (4 to 8 inches) if heartburn hits at night.
• Eat smaller meals, and finish eating 3 hours before bed.
• Notice your own triggers and cut back on them.

Medicines compared

• Antacids (such as calcium carbonate): work within minutes by neutralising acid. Good for occasional heartburn. Relief is short.
• H2 blockers (such as famotidine 10 or 20 mg): reduce acid production. Take 15 to 60 minutes before a meal to prevent heartburn. They last several hours.
• Proton pump inhibitors (such as omeprazole 20 mg): the strongest acid reducers, for frequent heartburn (2 or more days a week). Over the counter, they’re taken once a day as a 14-day course, no more than 3 courses a year without seeing a doctor. They take 1 to 4 days to work fully.

Ask a pharmacist which suits you, especially if you take other medicines.

See a doctor if you have

• Heartburn most days, or for more than 3 weeks
• Trouble or pain swallowing, or food getting stuck
• Unexplained weight loss
• Vomiting blood, or black, tarry stools
• Heartburn and you’re over 55, or it’s new

Call emergency services for chest pain that spreads to your arm, neck or jaw, or comes with breathlessness or sweating. It may be a heart attack, not heartburn.

Also see: constipation relief and how to stop diarrhoea fast.

More in our Digestive Health guide: all our articles and products on this topic in one place.

This article is for general information only and isn’t a substitute for advice from a doctor or pharmacist. Always read the label before using any medicine.