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Arthritis What is arthritis? Arthritis is not one disease alone, but an umbrella term for more than 100 conditions that affect the joints of the body. Joints are points where 2 or more bones meet, such as in the wrist, knuckles, hips, knees and ankles. If you have arthritis, the joints are inflamed, causing discomfort and pain. It can range from mild to severe and can affect people of all ages. It affects nearly 4 million Australians, including at least 6,000 children. The 3 most common types of arthritis found in Australians are: osteoarthritis rheumatoid arthritis gout Other types of arthritis

Running tips for beginners What are the health benefits of running? Mental health Many people run to clear their mind, reduce stress or improve their mood. When you run, your body releases endorphins. Known as the ‘feel-good’ chemicals, endorphins can improve your mood and reduce pain. Heart health Your heart is a muscle and the more you exercise it the stronger your heart gets. When you run your heart rate goes up, and over time your heart becomes more efficient at pumping blood. Running for as little as 10 minutes per day can improve your health. If you can safely increase this

Tinea What is tinea? Tinea is a common and contagious fungal skin or nail infection. The tinea fungus thrives in warm, moist environments, so areas like the feet, the groin, the scalp, under the breasts and sometimes the toe and fingernails are ideal places for the fungus to grow. Most tinea infections are mild. What are the types of tinea? Tinea can affect many areas of the skin/nails and the infection will have a different name depending on the location and type of fungus. These different types include: nail infection (onychomycosis) — a fungal infection of the toe or fingernails athlete’s foot (tinea pedis) —

What is Japanese encephalitis? Japanese encephalitis is an infection that can affect the central nervous system and cause serious complications and even death. It is endemic (regularly found) in parts of Asia and the Torres Strait region of Australia. Before 2021, only five cases of Japanese encephalitis had been seen in mainland Australia. However, between January 2021 and February 2023, 45 people on mainland Australia were diagnosed with Japanese encephalitis. During this outbreak, 7 people died. An emergency response to this outbreak involved: vaccination of at-risk people raising public awareness of Japanese encephalitis As of June 2023, the emergence response to Japanese

What is jet lag? Jet lag happens when your sleep rhythms are disturbed after you’ve been on a long flight and travelled quickly through multiple time zones. Jet lag affects everybody, but it can become more of a problem as you get older because you take longer to recover. It can be worse the more time zones you travel through, especially if you travel east. As a general rule, it takes about a day to recover for each time zone you go through. What are the symptoms of jet lag? The main symptom of jet lag is that you feel

Are all jellyfish stings dangerous? Jellyfish stings are common and most of them are painful but not dangerous. However, some jellyfish stings are dangerous and can cause a severe reaction or even death. It’s important to know what to look out for. How does a jellyfish sting happen? A sting occurs when a jellyfish’s tentacle touches a person’s skin. Stinging cells on the tentacle (called nematocysts) shoot poisonous venom into the skin. How severe the sting is depends on the species of jellyfish and how much of the tentacle touched the skin. What types of jellyfish are there in Australia?

What is jaw dislocation? Jaw dislocation is when the lower part of the jaw (mandible) moves out of its normal position. It usually heals well, but it can cause problems in future. If you dislocate your jaw, seek medical help as soon as possible and never try to put a dislocation back in place yourself. The lower part of the jaw is connected to the skull by joints just in front of each ear, called the temporomandibular joints (TMJ). A dislocated jaw occurs when the lower part of the jaw is pulled away from one or both of the TMJs.

What is jaundice? Jaundice is the yellow discolouration of your skin, the whites of your eyes and body fluids. Jaundice is not a disease in itself but is a sign of an underlying health problem. Jaundice is also common in babies. For information on jaundice in babies, visit the Pregnancy, Birth and Baby website. Jaundice can be a sign of a more serious underlying condition. What are the symptoms of jaundice? Jaundice causes your skin and the whites of your eyes to appear yellow. Other symptoms can also occur with jaundice. These include: itching dark urine pale stools loss of appetite weight loss