Health Information Notice

Everything on AVR Nottingham is general information about health and wellbeing. It is written to help you understand a topic and prepare better questions, not to replace the people who can examine you and know your history. Please read this notice before relying on any article.

Not personal advice

Our writers are not doctors, nurses, dentists, dietitians, pharmacists or therapists. We do not diagnose conditions, assess symptoms, recommend doses or suggest changes to treatment. An article that fits one person may be wrong for another, depending on age, pregnancy, existing conditions and medicines.

Talk to a professional before you change things

Before starting a supplement, changing your diet significantly, trying a new device or stopping any medicine, speak to a doctor or pharmacist. This matters most if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a long-term condition, are caring for a child, or already take prescribed medicines. Supplements and herbal products in particular can interact with medication.

When to get help quickly

Do not wait for an article to reassure you if something feels seriously wrong. Contact emergency services straight away for chest pain, severe breathlessness, signs of a stroke such as a drooping face, arm weakness or slurred speech, a sudden and extremely severe headache, heavy bleeding, collapse or thoughts of harming yourself. For worries that are urgent but not an emergency, contact your doctor, dentist or a local health advice line.

Nicotine and vaping content

Some of our articles discuss vaping and switching away from cigarettes. They are written for adult smokers and are not an encouragement for non-smokers or young people to start. Nicotine is addictive. If you want to stop smoking, local stop-smoking support services can offer proven help.

Products and brands

A few articles mention specific products, practices or providers. A mention is not a recommendation that it suits you, nor any guarantee about the quality of the provider behind it. Always follow the instructions that come with a product and ask a professional if in doubt.

Information changes

Guidance is updated as understanding improves. We review articles and correct mistakes, but a page may not reflect the very latest advice. Check the date on a post and confirm anything important with a professional. If you find an error, our page on how we fix mistakes explains what to do.

Using our articles well

• Use them to understand the basics and to write down questions before an appointment.
• Treat any "see a doctor if" note as a real prompt, not small print.
• Remember that feeling unsure is a perfectly good reason to ask for help.

For more on how we choose what to read and write, see where our information comes from.