Your GP or General Practitioner is usually your first point of call for when you get sick. They are typically easy to organise an appointment with, which can be done by phoning up the doctor’s surgery you’re registered with and arranging to be seen at the next convenient time.

What many people don’t know is that GPs aren’t just there for diagnosing the common cold. They have been specially trained to recognise the symptoms for hundreds of things that can affect us.

Everyone knows that most illnesses are easier to treat when caught in the earlier stages, so it’s important to get yourself checked out if you notice that something’s not quite right…

1. Skin Lesions

Skin lesions such as moles, warts, bites, skin tags, and eczema can seem relatively harmless…and most of the time they are. But if you start to notice any unusual changes in them, you may need to visit your GP.

Look out for moles that don’t look like any of your other moles, unusual colouring, continued growth, uneven or uncertain borders, and odd shapes.

1. A Cough Lasting For More Than 3 Weeks

Coughs and colds are so common these days that many simply shrug them off and try to carry on with daily life as normal.

However, when a cough has been troubling you for more than 3 weeks, you may have cause to make an appointment with your GP. This is standard for most minor illnesses that shouldn’t last more than 2-3 weeks.

1. Unexplained Weight Loss

Although losing weight is commonly thought of as a positive thing, it can be negative when you are downsizing quickly through no real effort. It’s always worth getting yourself checked out as sudden dramatic weight loss can be caused by a number of things.

1. Unusual Bleeding

Blood has a clever way of telling us when something isn’t right in our bodies. You should visit your GP if:

• You find blood in your urine/stool
• You’re menstruating more often/for longer than usual
• Cuts are taking much longer to stop bleeding/heal

1. Unprotected Sex

Sometimes visiting a clinic can be an intimidating experience when you need to have your sexual health checked. If you’d like to be tested by someone you know personally and feel comfortable with, your GP can provide you with tests.

It’s important to remember that your GP is not there for emergencies. In extreme cases, always visit your nearest hospital A&E department or call 999 for an ambulance if required.

Similarly, it’s important to remember that the A&E department is for emergencies only and any minor sickness can be looked at by your GP who will refer you to a specialist if further action is needed.