Constipation means having fewer than three bowel movements a week, or stools that are hard, dry and difficult to pass. It’s very common and usually caused by too little fibre or fluid, inactivity, changes in routine, or some medicines. The good news is that simple changes fix most cases.

Quick ways to get relief

• Drink more water. A warm drink in the morning can help get things moving.
• Move your body. A brisk 10 to 15 minute walk stimulates the bowel.
• Don’t ignore the urge. Go when you feel the need, and give yourself time.
• Try a footstool. Raising your feet so your knees are above your hips makes it easier to pass a stool.
• Eat prunes or kiwi fruit. Both have a gentle natural laxative effect.

When a laxative helps

If lifestyle changes aren’t enough, a short course of laxative can help. Stimulant laxatives like bisacodyl (Dulcolax) make the bowel muscles contract and usually work within 6 to 12 hours, so many people take them at bedtime.

• Adults and children 12+: 1 to 3 tablets (5 to 15 mg) once a day.
• Swallow tablets whole. Don’t take them within an hour of milk or antacids.
• Don’t use a laxative for more than 1 week without talking to a doctor.

Stimulant laxatives can cause cramps. Bulk-forming laxatives (fibre supplements) and osmotic laxatives work more gently and are often tried first for ongoing constipation. A pharmacist can help you choose.

Long-term habits for regular bowels

• Increase fibre gradually to about 25 to 30 g a day: whole grains, beans, lentils, fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Add it slowly to avoid bloating.
• Drink enough fluid, especially as you eat more fibre.
• Stay active most days of the week.
• Keep a routine. Many people find the bowel is most active after breakfast.
• Check your medicines. Iron supplements, some painkillers, antacids and other medicines can cause constipation. Ask your pharmacist.

When to see a doctor

• Blood in your stool or bleeding from the bottom
• Unexplained weight loss, or severe or ongoing stomach pain
• Constipation that lasts more than 3 weeks despite changes
• A sudden change in bowel habits that lasts more than 2 weeks, especially if you’re over 50
• You can’t pass wind, and your stomach is swollen, or you’re vomiting

Also see: 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.

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.