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What are wounds, cuts and grazes? A wound is a break or damage to the skin surface. Minor wounds do not usually need medical attention and can usually be treated with first aid. What causes wounds, cuts and grazes? Wounds can be caused by something sudden, such as a cut, a fall or a bad knock. Cuts, grazes and lacerations are all examples of wounds. Cuts are usually caused by a sharp object like a knife or glass, or even a sheet of paper. Lacerations are a deep cut or tear of the skin – they usually have irregular jagged

What is memory loss? If you are getting forgetful or confused, you might be worried it’s dementia. Everyone forgets things from time to time, but memory loss (amnesia) is linked with many conditions, including dementia. Some memory loss can happen as a part of normal ageing. Memory change with healthy ageing doesn’t interfere with your everyday life. But everyone is different and the effect of getting older on memory will be different for everyone. However, major changes in your memory are not normal at any age. What causes memory loss? There are many causes of memory loss, such as: dementia depression, stress and anxiety traumatic

Worms in humans What is worm infection in humans? Many types of worm can cause problems in humans. In Australia, worms that may infect people include: threadworms tapeworms whipworms hookworms Strongyloides These intestinal worms are parasites – they survive by living in another living thing (the host) and getting their food from it. What are the symptoms of a worm infection? A person with intestinal worms may not have any symptoms, but threadworms (Enterobius vermicularis), the most common worm infection in Australia, often do cause symptoms. A person with threadworms (also known as pinworms) may have an itchy bottom or

What is ‘workplace health’? Australians spend, on average, about one-third of their time working. Having a safe and healthy workspace is an important part of looking after your physical and mental health. Learning how to work safely and maintain a proper work environment can help prevent injury and illness, help you stay healthy and improve your wellbeing. How can your workplace affect your mental health? An unhealthy workplace can cause stress. Sometimes a little bit of stress can be a good thing, since it can push you to complete tasks and help you to reach your work goals. Seeing how much

What is workplace bullying Workplace bullying is repeated unreasonable behaviour directed towards a worker in the workplace, creating a risk to health and safety. Bullying can involve just one person or groups of people. Workplace bullying can be physical, verbal or psychological, and can include victimisation, humiliation, intimidation or threatening behaviour. Bullying can take place in any workplace, including offices, shops, factories, cafes, restaurants, workshops, and within community and government organisations. Anyone can be bullied, including casuals, temps, subcontractors, work experience students, interns, volunteers, permanent employees and managers. Bullies can be managers, bosses, or co-workers. What are examples of workplace bullying?

What is workers’ compensation? Workers’ compensation is a compulsory insurance for employees who are injured or get sick at or because of their work. Most employers are required by law to take out this insurance, however there are some exceptions depending on the size of the business and the state or territory it’s in. Further information on the Commonwealth and state and territory workers’ compensation schemes is available below. What does workers’ compensation cover? Workers’ compensation schemes are designed to compensate you if you need medical treatment, rehabilitation or time off to recover after being injured at work. It also covers

What is work-related stress? In general, work is good for your mental health. It can give your life a sense of meaning and help you connect to other people. Having some stress at work from time to time can be good too — it can motivate you to do your job better. If you have too much stress at work, it can harm you both professionally and personally. You may feel stressed if there’s a mismatch between what’s expected of you at work and what you’re able to do. You might feel you’re under too much pressure, or that you

What is work-life balance? Work-life balance refers to the juggle between the demands of work and your home and family life. If you struggle with work-life balance, you might find that you are often rushing to manage different commitments, often left feeling like you are doing no areas well. If you work long hours, it can be more difficult to achieve a healthy balance between work and your personal life. Working long hours may impact your health, make your work unsafe, increase your stress levels and cut into time for leisure activities. A good work-life balance means you have harmony

What is Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome? Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW) is a condition that causes episodes of tachycardia (fast heartbeat). These episodes usually last between a few seconds and a few hours. They might be frequent (for example, every day) or occasional (for example, a few times per year). They can happen when you are exercising or resting. WPW is a common cause of tachycardia in infants and children. What are the symptoms of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome? As well as extremely fast heartbeat, symptoms of WPW include: palpitations (being aware of your heart beating) dizziness or light-headedness fainting feeling short of breath chest pain sweating a feeling of anxiety fatigue,

Addiction withdrawal symptoms What is addiction? Addiction, also known as dependence, is when someone finds it hard to stop doing something that makes them feel good. You can have a physical or psychological addiction, or both. Physical dependence means that withdrawal symptoms appear if you stop the addictive substance or behaviour. Psychological addiction occurs when you believe you need the addictive substance or behaviour to function. You might think you need the substance at certain times. For instance, to be social at a party or to unwind after work. Or you might think you need it all the time. What

Opioid withdrawal symptoms What is an opioid? Opioids are a group of strong medicines your doctor may prescribe to help you manage your pain. Your doctor might prescribe an opioid for the short-term treatment of moderately severe or severe pain, such as pain after surgery or an injury. They also help people manage pain caused by cancer and terminal illness. What are opioid withdrawal symptoms? Opioid withdrawal symptoms are unpleasant effects that can occur if you suddenly stop or suddenly reduce your dose of opioid medicines. They can also happen if you take another medicine that blocks the opioid from working. Opioid withdrawal symptoms can make

What are wisdom teeth? Wisdom teeth are the teeth at the back of your mouth (the third molar teeth). They tend to come through (erupt) in the late teens or twenties. Some wisdom teeth do not come through fully (partly erupt) and get stuck (or impacted) against nearby teeth or bone. This often leaves a flap of gum over your tooth. Others grow too long (over erupt). A wisdom tooth may need to be removed for one or more of the following reasons. repeated or serious infection of the gum tooth decay a wisdom tooth can grow out too far and

Keeping warm and safe during colder months of the year also means being alert to indoor health hazards. These simple tips should help to keep you safe and healthy at home this winter. Winter injuries and risks Winter products such as hot water bottles, electric blankets and heaters can cause burns and other injuries. Other winter risks come from faulty electrical products that can overheat, give you an electric shock or could potentially cause a fire. Fire safety About half of all fires in the home start in the kitchen, and more than 4 in 10 of all deaths from fire happen during winter.

What is Williams syndrome? Williams syndrome is a genetic condition present from birth that occurs because a small piece of chromosome 7 does not form properly after conception. Williams syndrome can’t be cured, but treatment can help manage the symptoms, especially if started early. What are the symptoms of Williams syndrome? Williams syndrome can cause delays in a child’s development and learning. They can have problems with: speech, with the first word coming as late as 3 years of age motor skills such as walking and toilet training doing activities such as drawing or puzzles However, children with Williams syndrome

What is a wide local excision? A wide local excision involves removing the cancer with a rim of breast tissue around the cancer. Your surgeon will tell you if your nipple needs to be removed. As well as removing your breast tissue, your surgeon may remove lymph nodes in your armpit to find out if there are any cancer cells in them. What are the benefits of surgery? Removing the cancer by surgery gives you the best chance of being free of early breast cancer. The breast tissue and lymph nodes that your surgeon removes will be examined under a microscope to help

What is whooping cough? Whooping cough is a bacterial infection that spreads from one person to another. It causes severe bouts of coughing. The ‘whoop’ refers to the sound you may make if you take a quick breath between coughs. Pertussis, or the ‘hundred-day cough’, are other names for whooping cough. Whooping cough can feel uncomfortable and last for a long time. After one to 2 weeks, the cold symptoms get better, but the cough gets worse. After 2 to 6 weeks, the cough begins to get better. But it can take weeks to months for the cough to go

What are white blood cells? White blood cells are also called leucocytes. They are one of 4 main components of your blood, along with: red blood cells platelets plasma What do white blood cells do? White blood cells are an important part of your immune system. Your immune system detects and deals with infections or foreign molecules that enter your body. Things that cause infection are called pathogens (germs). What are the types of white blood cells? There are many different types of white blood cells. Each type has a different role in your immune system. The main types of white blood

What is whiplash? Whiplash is an injury to your muscles, tendons or other soft tissues of your neck. It is caused by a sudden and vigorous movement of the head in one direction, then back again quickly, most commonly during a car accident. When your neck is forced beyond its usual range of movement, the soft tissues (tendons, muscles and ligaments) may be overstretched or sprained. This causes pain and discomfort in your neck and shoulders and may also cause back pain. How do I know if I have whiplash? Sometimes you can have no symptoms after a whiplash injury, but

What is a diet? A diet involves eating a certain selection of food, usually to improve your health, regulate your weight or cure a disease. New diets, programs and books on losing weight appear every day. While many Australians need to lose a few kilos, it’s important to follow an eating and exercise plan that you can maintain. The plan needs to help you stay healthy for the long term. Nearly 2 in 3 Australians are overweight or obese. Carrying extra weight increases your risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. If you are above a healthy weight,

What to do if you are underweight What does underweight mean? Being underweight means that your weight is below the healthy weight range — the weight that research has shown you need to be if your body is to work properly. Being outside this range, whether overweight or underweight, can affect your immunity, fertility, mental wellbeing and other aspects of health. How do I know if I am underweight? A good measure of whether you are a healthy weight is the body mass index (BMI). This is calculated using your weight (in kilograms) and your height (in meters squared). For most adults, a healthy weight

Diarrhoea What is diarrhoea? Diarrhoea is having 3 or more loose or liquid stools (poos) in one day, or more frequently than normal. If you have diarrhoea, you will experience an increase in the volume, wateriness or frequency of your bowel movements. Diarrhoea episodes are often caused by a stomach bug (gastroenteritis) and clear up on their own in a few days. However, there are many other causes of diarrhoea. Most diarrhoea is mild, but it can also be severe — even needing admission to hospital. This article covers diarrhoea in adults and children over 12 years. See diarrhoea in children for

Water safety for babies and children What is drowning? Drowning is when liquid (usually water) is inhaled into the lungs and prevents a person from breathing. Drowning can either be fatal (drowning resulting in death) or non-fatal, when the person survives. Previously, a non-fatal drowning was referred to as a near-drowning. Other terms, such as delayed drowning, wet drowning, dry drowning, passive/silent drowning or secondary drowning, were used to describe any illness or injury after a drowning. These terms are no longer used. Anyone who has non-fatal drowning should be seen by a healthcare professional for a medical assessment. What

Why is good hand hygiene important? Germs collect on your hands as you go about everyday life. When you touch your eyes, nose or mouth, the germs can spread to these vulnerable areas. So one of the best ways to avoid getting sick and spreading illness is to frequently wash your hands. Hand washing helps prevent the spread of infections such as common colds, flu, COVID-19 and gastroenteritis. This is important, especially if you care for babies, older people or sick people who are more vulnerable to these illnesses. Babies and children need to wash their hands too. They’re more vulnerable to getting

What are genital warts? Genital warts are lumps on genital areas, such as the vagina, vulva, penis and scrotum. They are sexually transmitted and very common. The warts can also appear on your cervix, around your anus and rectum (back passage), in your urethra (the tube that carries urine out of your body) or around your mouth. What are the symptoms of genital warts? Genital warts are usually painless, but they may be itchy. They can be bumpy, flat or appear in clusters. If you have genital warts, you might also notice: differences in your stream of urine blood in

What are warts? Warts are small, harmless lumps of skin caused by a virus known as the human papillomavirus (HPV). A wart will usually have a flesh coloured appearance and the skin forming the wart will be rough. Warts are common in school-aged children but can happen at any age. What are the symptoms of warts? The appearance of a wart depends on its type. There are several different types of warts: Common warts (verruca vulgaris) — these are small, raised areas of skin, usually round, with a rough surface of skin often looking like the top of a cauliflower. These

Suicide warning signs What is suicide? Suicide is the act of deliberately ending your own life.  Australians attempt suicide each year, and 3,139 Australians died by suicide in 2020. In Australia, suicide is the leading cause of death among people aged between 15 and 49 years old. Suicidal behaviour can range from thinking about suicide (often referred to as ‘suicide ideation’), to making plans then attempting suicide and, in the most tragic cases, death by suicide. What are the risk factors for suicide? Suicide is complex, and there are many factors that might lead a person to experience suicidal thoughts or behaviours.

Warning signs during pregnancy How can I tell if there is a problem with my pregnancy? Pregnancy is a time of great change for your body as you get ready for your baby to arrive. You may be worried about some of the changes you are experiencing, and want to know when you should seek help. Many changes in your body are likely to be a normal part of pregnancy. It’s a good idea to be familiar with common pregnancy health issues that you might experience. However, some signs could point to a more serious pregnancy complication. Some of these symptoms may happen

Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference What is body mass index (BMI)? Body mass index (BMI) is calculated from your weight and height. BMI is calculated by dividing your weight by the square of your height as follows: BMI = Weight in kilos/Height in metres x Height in metres You can find your BMI using the healthdirect BMI calculator. The calculator can give you an idea of any health risks related to your BMI or waist circumference. It also offers information based on your personal results. Once you know your BMI, you can find your weight classification. For adults, the

What is addiction? Addiction is when you have a strong physical or psychological need or urge to do something or use something. It is a dependence on a substance or activity even if you know that it causes you harm. It can impact your daily life. This article describes the types, causes and signs of addiction, and where to get help. Many people have heard of addiction to: smoking drinking alcohol gambling taking drugs prescription medicines Addiction to drugs can include cannabis, ice and amphetamines. Alcohol and nicotine are also drugs. It’s possible to be addicted to anything, such as: Computers — computer addiction is increasing. You may

What is addiction? Addiction is when you have a strong physical or psychological need or urge to do something or use something. It is a dependence on a substance or activity even if you know that it causes you harm. It can impact your daily life. This article describes the types, causes and signs of addiction, and where to get help. Many people have heard of addiction to: smoking drinking alcohol gambling taking drugs prescription medicines Addiction to drugs can include cannabis, ice and amphetamines. Alcohol and nicotine are also drugs. It’s possible to be addicted to anything, such as: Computers — computer addiction is increasing. You may