Sweating is a normal healthy process to help us regulate our body temperature. However, sometimes this system can go into overdrive, causing an excess, or hyperhidrosis. People feel extremely embarassed about this and it can create great anxiety and lack of confidence in social settings. It can be localised, such as just under the armpits, the back or on the face, or affect all over the body. There are some medical conditions that can cause this, but often there is no particular cause found.

Failure to thrive describes when a child is not growing or developing as they should. It is commonly diagnosed in babies and toddlers, when they haven’t met the height or weight we would expect for their age, compared to the national average. It’s more of a symptom than a condition, and requires a bit of investigation to work out what the underlying reason might be.

Stress is an important and often overlooked cause of hair loss. Everyone sheds hairs on a daily basis as part of a normal hair growth cycle, but at certain times in people's lives, the rate of hair loss can pick up momentum, becoming more noticeable. Stress-induced hair loss is common and may result in hair loss from a certain area of the head or from all over the head. It can happen in both men and women of any age. The good news is that once the stressful event has passed, or you have recovered from a significant illness that caused physical stress, or even from pregnancy, hair will usually grow back.

High blood sugar is called hyperglycaemia. This is when the blood sugar level goes above the normal range. It mainly affects people with diabetes, or is used to diagnose diabetes. Normal blood sugar (glucose) levels are between 4 and 7 mmol/l before eating a meal, or above 8.5 mmol/l 2 hours after eating. It will go up after eating, and you produce insulin to reduce it so glucose can be stored and released gradually for a constant source of energy. Diabetics do not produce enough insulin to counteract this, therefore they require medication and diet restrictions to avoid high blood glucose levels. If it reaches very high levels, such as above 15 mmol/l, or stays high for a sustained period, this can cause health problems, and if extremely high, in the mid-20's this can lead to an emergency that requires urgent hospital attention.

Insomnia means low-quality sleep. It is very common with around one-third of people in the UK suffering from it. Insomnia can occur in many different forms, from difficulties falling to sleep, staying asleep, waking up too early without being able to get back to sleep, or not feeling refreshed from sleep. It leads to significant symptoms in the daytime such as tiredness, difficulties concentrating, and sometimes problems controlling your emotions. Because everyone is unique, the amount of sleep someone requires to function their best varies from person to person and also tends to decrease with age, so there is no set criteria to diagnose insomnia. The diagnosis is made from what a patient describes, the symptoms they experience, and their doctor’s expertise and opinion. The majority of adults need between 6 and 9 hours of sleep per night in order to function well in the daytime, and the average range of time taken to fall asleep is between 10 to 30 minutes. It is normal to wake up from time to time at night so don’t worry if you do and try not to look at a clock as worrying and clock-watching can make getting back to sleep harder. Insomnia is more common in women and older people. The main causes are poor sleep routine or habits (known as sleep hygiene), a loud or light sleeping environment, stress, substance abuse, caffeine or alcohol use, and certain mental health or physical health conditions that can affect sleep.

Low blood sugar is known medically as hypoglycaemia, and commonly referred to as “a hypo”. This is when the level of glucose in your blood drops below the normal range. It can be a condition in people with diabetes, especially if you take insulin, but it can be related to medication and other medical conditions. Healthy blood glucose is somewhere in the range of 4 to 7 mmol/l before a meal. You get hypoglycaemia if your blood glucose goes below 4mmol/l. It's the higher risk the lower it goes, and the longer it goes on. If you are diagnosed as diabetic and either taking insulin or at risk of hypo's, either your doctor will provide you with a blood glucose monitor machine or sensor patch or you can buy one, to keep an eye on your levels.

Panic attacks are actually quite common with around 1 in 10 people experiencing them. They can be a scary experience. Here at Healthwords we believe that knowledge is power, so understanding more about these panic attacks and how to tackle them can hopefully help. We’ll explain when it’s time to see your doctor and what treatment paths are out there.

Vitamin D is essential for your body to form strong bones and teeth, along with many other benefits. It helps your gut absorb calcium and phosphate which form part of your bones. It also helps muscles function correctly and can help boost your immune system. If you do not get enough vitamin D, you may have no symptoms at first, or you might just feel a bit tired and achy. As vitamin D deficiency becomes severe or prolonged, bone pain or bone deformities can develop. For children, over time the long leg bones can permanently bend, making the legs look bowed, in a condition known as rickets. Bones are already set in adults, but prolonged severe vitamin D deficiency can cause osteomalacia, where sufferers complain of bone pain and muscle weakness. This is different to osteoporosis; Osteoporosis is a condition characterized by a decrease in bone mass and density, leading to bones becoming fragile and more prone to fractures. Whereas, osteomalacia is a condition characterized by softening of the bones due to a deficiency of vitamin D or problems with its metabolism. This leads to impaired mineralization of the bone matrix.

It’s common to experience a lack of appetite at various points in life, and this often leads to shedding a few pounds. Times of extreme emotional stress or bereavement, or illnesses such as flu or gastroenteritis are common prompts. But it can cause alarm if you can’t see a reason for it and it can be distressing to feel clothes becoming baggy or people commenting. Worries can be parked in two camps: firstly, how much weight you’ve lost and the risk of malnutrition, and secondly, whether there is any serious medical condition causing the weight loss.

There are many possible symptoms of vitamin D deficiency, although it is also possible to have no symptoms at all. Here in this article, Healthwords will walk you through both what Vitamin D does, why it is so important and what the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency are so that you can be on the lookout.

Sweaty palms are also known as palmar hyperhidrosis. Hyperhidrosis, a condition characterised by excessive sweating beyond what is necessary for thermoregulation, can significantly impact the quality of life physically, emotionally and psychologically. Sweating is one of the key ways our body regulates its temperature and effectively cools down. Overactive sweat glands cause individuals to sweat more than needed - this can lead to the experience of sweaty palms. Sweaty palms do not usually indicate a serious problem but on occasion, it can be caused by an underlying condition.

Snoring is often described as a loud sound that occurs when you sleep. As you breathe in and out, air flows past the relaxed tissues in your throat. These relaxed tissues can partially block the airway and cause vibrations. Snoring is very common and not often related to anything more serious. The biggest complaint from snoring is often from the person’s partner. Snoring is more common in men than women and occurs commonly in people who are overweight. Being overweight or having larger tonsils can cause narrowing of the airways which also can lead to snoring. If you have any nasal problems like congestion or a family history of the medical condition obstructive sleep apnoea or you drink alcohol, you are also at higher risk of snoring.