Most of us have incorporated technology into almost every aspect of our lives

Keeping your blood sugar under control is key to preventing complications in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes - and the new Patient UK Diabetes Manager app, available to download free onto iPhones, uses all the advantages of the technological age to help people with either type 1 or type 2 do just that.

A fast heart rate often means your body's trying to cope when you're stressed

You're lying in bed trying to drift off to sleep and suddenly your heart starts thumping away nineteen to the dozen. Should you panic? Usually not, but it's worth checking with your doctor if your symptoms 'tick any of the boxes' below.

Over 10 million prescriptions are written a year for ibuprofen and diclofenac in England

A new study suggests that taking ibuprofen, the common non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (or NSAID), increases your risk of heart attack or stroke by more than a third. But before you rush to the bathroom cabinet to throw out every painkiller you've ever owned, read on for the whole picture.

Persisent coughs can be exhausting, especially if they disturb our sleep

Doctors describe a persistent, or 'chronic' cough as one lasting more than eight weeks. Three to eight weeks is 'sub-acute' and less than three weeks is 'acute'. The time your cough lasts is important because chronic coughs usually have different causes (and treatments) to others.

Department of Health figures show that attendances at A&E have only increased in recent years in line with the population

The endless stream of headlines about GPs being to blame for the current 'crisis' in A&E departments seems, to me and my fellow doctors, to be something of a bad dream. Far from slacking, we all feel we're working harder than ever - and the evidence backs this up.

Keeping salts in the blood in balance is one of the vital functions of kidneys

They're the most commonly transplanted organ, but we're more likely to think of them in the context of a traditional British steak pie. What are they? Your kidneys, of course. Looking after them is easy if you just know how.

It's estimated that over half a million UK children between five and 16-years-old regularly wet the bed

Contrary to popular belief, bedwetting is nothing to do with being lazy and it's rarely due to psychological problems, especially in children who have never been dry at night.

Viral meningitis is more common in summer and autumn

This week is viral meningitis awareness week. There are about 2,500 cases of bacterial meningitis every year in the UK, but viral meningitis is much more common.