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Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic condition that affects the digestive system. It causes abdominal discomfort or pain along with bloating or changes to the bowel habit. In IBS, opening the bowels typically relieves abdominal pain. Certain symptoms like bloating, trapped wind and abdominal cramps can prove embarrassing, particularly if you have diarrhoea or need to rush to the loo several times a day. Many suffer in silence, reluctant to go to their doctor or pharmacist to discuss such personal issues. There is no specific test to confirm IBS. Doctors make a firm diagnosis with defined criteria of symptoms, persisting for at least 6 months, and in the absence of other digestive conditions that could account for symptoms. IBS is a common condition that isn’t life-threatening and that doesn’t put you at higher risk of serious conditions like bowel cancer. But it’s a long-term condition that can be debilitating and cause a significant impact on work, study, enjoyable social activities and daily tasks. It can take its toll on your mood and quality of life. Symptoms may be continuous or intermittent, and this chronic waxing-and-waning picture can last for years. It’s very common, with 1 to 2 people in every 10 suffering in the UK, and that’s likely to be an underestimate, as many don’t seek medical help. Symptoms usually start when people are in their 20s and 30s and it’s more often found in women.

When wandering around the pharmacy and faced with a multitude of choices, how do we know what tablet is going to hit the spot? Here at Healthwords, we'd usually say the right painkiller is the lowest strength painkiller that can solve the pain problem, hopefully reducing the risk of side effects from stronger medications. However, we've also all been there with a nasty toothache and just wanting to get it gone so go for the strongest one! Below we'll discuss options from strongest to weakest, although normally we'd say it is always best to start with the mildest pain relief (paracetamol) and work your way upwards to the strongest. It's also worth knowing the different classes of painkiller, as some treat certain pains better than others. Within each class there are options in how you take your pain relief, from a cream or gel to tablets or dispersible solutions. If you're worried about taking pain relief for a long time or have other health conditions, it might be safest to start with a cream or gel, as less is absorbed into the system and therefore there are less side effects and risks.

Wegovy is the first and only prescription weight-management medicine taken once weekly. It’s taken on the same day each week, any time of day, with or without food. Wegovy is available in 5 different dose strengths, ranging from 0.25 mg to 2.4 mg. Each dose comes in a different colour pen. Your healthcare provider will increase your dose over time until you reach your maintenance dose.