Diarrhoea is usually caused by a stomach bug, food that didn’t agree with you, or something you ate while travelling. Most cases clear up on their own within 2 to 3 days. The goals are to stay hydrated, ease symptoms, and know when it’s time to get help.

1. Replace lost fluids first

The biggest risk with diarrhoea is dehydration, especially for children and older adults.

• Sip water regularly through the day.
• Use an oral rehydration solution (ORS) to replace lost salts and sugar, especially if diarrhoea is frequent.
• Clear broths and diluted fruit juice can also help.
• Avoid alcohol, and limit caffeine and very sugary drinks, which can make diarrhoea worse.

2. Eat simple foods

You don’t need to stop eating. Start with small portions of plain foods such as rice, bananas, toast, crackers, plain pasta, potatoes and boiled chicken. Avoid fatty, fried, spicy and very sugary foods until you feel better. Some people find dairy harder to digest for a few days.

3. Anti-diarrhoeal medicine

For adults and children 12 and over, loperamide (Imodium) slows the gut so more water is absorbed, reducing the number of loose stools:

• Take 4 mg (2 tablets) after the first loose stool, then 2 mg (1 tablet) after each loose stool that follows.
• Don’t take more than 8 mg (4 tablets) in 24 hours. Higher doses can cause serious heart rhythm problems.
• Don’t use it if you have a fever, or blood or mucus in your stool. These can be signs of an infection that needs to clear naturally or be treated by a doctor.
• Stop and see a doctor if diarrhoea lasts more than 2 days.

4. Probiotics

Probiotics such as Lactic acid bacillus (Vizylac) may help restore healthy gut bacteria, particularly when diarrhoea follows a course of antibiotics.

When to see a doctor

Get medical advice if you have:

• Diarrhoea lasting more than 2 days (adults) or 24 hours (young children)
• Blood or black, tarry stools
• A high fever (over 102°F / 39°C)
• Severe stomach pain
• Signs of dehydration: very little urine, dark urine, dizziness, a very dry mouth, or in children, no wet nappies for 6 hours or more
• Diarrhoea after travel abroad, recent hospital stay, or a course of antibiotics
• A weakened immune system, or diarrhoea in a baby under 6 months

Travelling soon?

See our guide to preventing motion sickness, and pack an anti-diarrhoeal and rehydration salts in your travel kit.

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.

Minoxidil, best known under the brand name Rogaine, is one of the few hair-loss treatments you can buy without a prescription. It comes in two main strengths, 2% and 5%. Choosing the right one depends mostly on who you are and how you’ll use it.

The short answer

• Rogaine 5% is designed for men with hereditary hair loss at the crown (top) of the head.
• Rogaine 2% is the strength approved for women, and men can use it too.

How minoxidil works

Minoxidil is thought to widen blood vessels around the hair follicles and lengthen the hair’s growth phase. Over time, shrunken follicles can produce thicker, longer hairs. It works best for hereditary thinning (male- or female-pattern hair loss), not for sudden, patchy or unexplained hair loss.

2% vs 5% compared

• Strength: 5% contains more than twice the minoxidil. In studies in men, 5% regrew more hair, and faster, than 2%.
• Who it’s for: 5% solution is labelled for men. Women should use 2% solution (or a 5% foam labelled for women) unless a doctor advises otherwise, because higher strengths are more likely to cause unwanted facial hair.
• Side effects: both can cause scalp itching, dryness or flaking. These are a little more common with 5%.
• How to use: both solutions are applied as 1 mL twice a day to a dry scalp.

How long until you see results?

Be patient. Most people need 2 to 4 months of twice-daily use to notice a difference, and full results can take up to a year. Many people see extra shedding in the first few weeks. That’s normal, and usually a sign that older hairs are making way for new growth. If you see no improvement after 4 months, stop and talk to a doctor.

Minoxidil only works while you use it. If you stop, the regrown hair usually falls out within a few months.

Tips for the best results

• Apply to a dry scalp, directly onto the thinning area, not just the hair.
• Use it every day, twice a day. Missing doses slows results.
• Let it dry fully before styling or going to bed.
• Don’t use more than 1 mL per dose. More product won’t work faster.
• Wash your hands after applying.

Who shouldn’t use minoxidil

• Anyone under 18
• People whose hair loss is sudden, patchy, or linked to childbirth, illness or medication
• Anyone with a red, irritated, infected or sunburned scalp
• People with heart disease should ask a doctor first
• Pregnant or breastfeeding women

Stop using it and see a doctor if you get chest pain, a fast heartbeat, dizziness, or sudden weight gain or swelling of your hands or feet.

Pet warning: minoxidil is very toxic to cats. Keep the bottle out of reach, and don’t let pets lick treated skin or hair.

Shop hair regrowth

• Rogaine 5% Minoxidil Solution (men)
• Rogaine 2% Minoxidil Solution (women and men)

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.

Motion sickness happens when your eyes, inner ear and body send your brain conflicting signals about movement. Reading in a car, for example, tells your eyes you’re still while your inner ear feels every bump. The result can be nausea, dizziness, cold sweats and vomiting. It’s common in cars, boats, planes, trains and even VR headsets, and children aged 2 to 12 are especially prone to it.

Prevention tips that work

• Pick the steadiest seat. Front seat in a car, over the wing on a plane, the middle of a boat near the waterline, or a forward-facing seat on a train.
• Look at the horizon. Fixing your eyes on a stable, distant point helps your eyes and inner ear agree.
• Avoid screens and reading while moving.
• Get fresh air. Open a window or point an air vent at your face.
• Eat light. Have a small, bland meal before travelling. Avoid heavy, greasy or spicy food and alcohol.
• Stay hydrated with small sips of water.
• Take breaks on long car journeys.

Medicines for motion sickness

Over-the-counter antihistamines like dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) are the most common treatment. They work best when taken before symptoms start:

• Take the first dose 30 to 60 minutes before you set off.
• Adults and children 12+: 1 to 2 tablets (50 to 100 mg) every 4 to 6 hours, no more than 8 tablets in 24 hours.
• Children 6 to 11: ½ to 1 tablet every 6 to 8 hours, no more than 3 tablets in 24 hours.

Dramamine causes drowsiness. Don’t take it if you’re the one driving, and avoid alcohol while using it. Ask a doctor first if you have glaucoma, breathing problems, or trouble urinating due to an enlarged prostate.

If you already feel sick

• Stop reading or using your phone, and close your eyes or look at the horizon.
• Recline your seat and keep your head still.
• Sip cold water or nibble a plain cracker.
• If possible, stop and get out for a few minutes of fresh air.

When to see a doctor

See a doctor if you have dizziness or vertigo when you’re not travelling, symptoms that continue for long after the journey ends, or if you’re pregnant and need motion sickness treatment.

Shop travel essentials

• Dramamine (Dimenhydrinate) 50 mg
• Imodium (Loperamide) 2 mg for travellers’ diarrhoea

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.

Athlete’s foot (tinea pedis) is a fungal skin infection that usually starts between the toes. It’s very common, it spreads easily in warm, damp places like changing rooms and pool areas, and you don’t have to be an athlete to get it. The good news: it usually clears up with an over-the-counter antifungal cream.

Symptoms

• Itching, stinging or burning between the toes or on the soles
• Red, scaly, peeling or cracked skin
• Skin that looks white and soggy between the toes
• Small blisters, in some cases

How to treat it

Antifungal creams kill the fungus causing the infection. Butenafine (the ingredient in Mentax) is one of the fastest-acting options:

• Between the toes: apply twice a day for 1 week, or once a day for 4 weeks.
• Bottom or sides of the foot: apply twice a day for 4 weeks.

Wash and dry your feet thoroughly before each application. Keep using the cream for the full course, even if your skin looks better sooner, or the infection is likely to come back.

How to stop it coming back

• Dry your feet carefully after washing, especially between the toes.
• Wear breathable cotton or moisture-wicking socks and change them every day.
• Alternate shoes so each pair dries out fully between wears.
• Wear sandals or flip-flops in shared showers, gyms and pool areas.
• Don’t share towels, socks or shoes.
• Wash socks and towels at 60°C (140°F) to kill the fungus.

Related fungal infections

The same fungus can cause jock itch (in the groin) and ringworm (a red, ring-shaped rash on the body). Butenafine cream treats both, applied once a day for 2 weeks. To avoid spreading athlete’s foot to the groin, put your socks on before your underwear.

When to see a doctor

• No improvement after 2 weeks of treatment, or it’s not gone after the full course
• The infection has spread to your toenails (thick, yellow or crumbly nails need different treatment)
• The skin is very red, swollen, hot, painful or leaking pus, which may be a bacterial infection
• You have diabetes or a weakened immune system. Foot infections need extra care.

Shop antifungal treatment

• Mentax (Butenafine) Cream

More in our Skin and Fungal Infections 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.

When hay fever or hives strike, most people reach for one of three over-the-counter antihistamines: Zyrtec, Claritin or Allegra. All three are “second-generation” antihistamines, which means they cause much less drowsiness than older ones like Benadryl, and one dose lasts 24 hours. But they aren’t identical. Here’s how they compare.

The quick comparison

• Zyrtec (cetirizine 10 mg): often works fastest, usually within an hour. It’s the most likely of the three to cause drowsiness, though most people feel fine.
• Claritin (loratadine 10 mg): the least likely to cause drowsiness. It may take a little longer to kick in, typically 1 to 3 hours.
• Allegra (fexofenadine 180 mg): also very unlikely to cause drowsiness, and works within about an hour. Take it with water only. Fruit juices like grapefruit, orange and apple can stop it being absorbed properly.

What they all treat

All three relieve the same symptoms of hay fever and other upper respiratory allergies:

• Sneezing
• Runny nose
• Itchy, watery eyes
• Itchy nose or throat

All three also relieve itching from hives.

Which one should you choose?

• You need to stay sharp (driving, studying, operating machinery): Claritin or Allegra are the safest bets for avoiding drowsiness.
• You want the fastest relief: Zyrtec or Allegra.
• One didn’t work well for you: it’s worth trying another. People respond differently, and switching often helps.
• You drink a lot of fruit juice in the morning: Zyrtec or Claritin may be easier than Allegra.

Tips for getting the most out of allergy tablets

• Take it before symptoms peak. If you know pollen season is coming, start a daily tablet a few days before. Antihistamines work best at preventing symptoms.
• Take one at the same time each day during allergy season.
• Don’t double up. Never take two of these antihistamines together, or more than one dose in 24 hours.
• Cut your exposure. Keep windows closed on high-pollen days, shower and change clothes after being outdoors, and wash bedding weekly in hot water.

When to see a doctor

• Your symptoms don’t improve after a few days of treatment
• You have wheezing, shortness of breath or chest tightness, which may be asthma
• You have liver or kidney disease, or you’re pregnant or breastfeeding
• You’re 65 or older (for Zyrtec), or buying for a child under 6

Get emergency help if hives come with swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, trouble breathing, or dizziness.

Shop allergy relief

• Zyrtec (Cetirizine) 10 mg
• Claritin (Loratadine) 10 mg
• Alavert (Loratadine) 10 mg
• Allegra (Fexofenadine)

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.