Some questions get asked all the time. Here are some of the most popular with their answers.

If you have a question you think might be important email us and we might include it on our pages.

What is arthritis?
It is a name given to painful joints, like knees or wrists. Arthritis has many causes such as infection or wear and tear.

How do doctors know which medicines to give?
Lots of learning, five years as a medical student and another five as a "Junior doctor"

Why do we need to brush our teeth?
If we don't brush our teeth food builds up on them and helps bacteria grow that then attack the teeth and make them rot. See our teeth page.

What is my temperature?
Your temperature tells you how hot your body is. We measure it with a thermometer. We should be about 36.5 degrees Celsius (or 98.2 degrees in Fahrenheit). It can be a little higher or lower than this without being ill, but if you are ill it may change and this is why doctors and nurses take your temperature.

How fast should my heart beat?
The heart pumps blood around the body. It sucks blood in then squeezes it out again. We call this a heart beat, and we call the rate our hearts beat our PULSE. You can feel it by touching your body in certain places, your wrist or your neck. Try and find it and count how many times your heart beats every minute. Your pulse gets faster if you take exercise. Find your pulse and take it while you are sitting down. Now run around and take it again. See the difference? Our hearts beat about 10 million times during your life!

What is an antibiotic?
Antibiotics are a sort of medicine that kill bacteria. You are given them by a doctor for illnesses caused by bacteria like runny ears or gungy eyes.

What is a virus?
Viruses are small germs that cause illnesses. They are often passed from one person to another.
There are no medicines that can stop viruses, but you can prevent many of the virus diseases, like measles, through immunisation.

Why do we vomit?
Vomiting, or being sick, is when food comes up from your stomach and shoots out your mouth. The body does this if you have eaten something that is bad for it, or if you have eaten or drunk too much. Vomiting is a part of many illnesses. Some people find travelling in cars or boats difficult; it upsets their balance and they vomit too.

What are warts?
Warts are not dangerous. They are little scabby things caused by a virus which generally disappear without treatment. Warts on the feet are called Verrucaes.

What is a mole?
Many people are born with moles. They are small dark patches of skin, sometimes with hair in. They should be completely harmless, but if they change in any way or hurt go and check them with a doctor or nurse.

What is cancer?
Cancer is a sort of disease where your body grows in ways it should not. Sometimes this causes lumps called tumours, but can also be in your blood. Doctors have many ways of treating cancers and like to start treatment as quickly as possible. If you are worried go and see your doctor. We do not know everything about cancer but we do know that some things cause it, smoking for example.

What is acne?
Acne is a group of spots on your body, but often on your face, caused when your skin gets blocked up. It happens to a lot of teenagers. Doctors and nurses can suggest special creams to help clear it up.

What is mental illness?
Mental illness is when someone has an illness of the brain, is born with something wrong with their brain, or is finding life so difficult that it interferes with their normal behaviour. Doctors specialising in treating this are called Psychiatrists.

Why do we hurt?
Pain, like when we have an accident or toothache, is a message from our nerves and brain that something is wrong with our bodies. Medicines like aspirin or paracetamol help ease pain. There are special types for children, like Calpol.