ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE If you have memory or other problems with your thinking, you may have Alzheimer's disease or one of the other neurological conditions associated with memory problems. These days there are medications which may help you with this. www.alzheimers.org.au

CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME Carpal tunnel syndrome is due to pressure on one of the major nerves at the wrist. Symptoms include pins and needles, pain or numbness in the hand, typically but not always present at night or first thing in the morning when you wake up.

EPILEPSY There are many causes of blackouts including simple faints, abnormalities in the heart rhythm and seizures. Epilepsy is a neurological condition where patients have seizures without any obvious cause. If you have blackouts and want to find out more about them and epilepsy, please click here. www.epilepsy.com.au

HEADACHE There are many causes for headache. Most are not serious but some are, for example the headache associated with meningococcal disease. If you have an unusual headache you should see your family doctor straight away of go to the nearest hospital accident and emergency department. If you have had the same headache many times before, the situation is usually less urgent and you should plan to see your family doctor. www.headacheaustralia.org.au

MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS Multiple sclerosis (MS) gets its name from the complaints people have with this condition where they have multiple (many) attacks of impaired neurological function in multiple (many) parts of the brain and spinal cord. The attacks are extremely varied depending on what part of the nervous system is involved. Typically they may consist of reduced vision in an eye, numbness down one side of the body or face, weakness or difficulty with coordination down one side or dizziness, but there are almost endless possibilities. To find out more, click here. www.msnsw.org.au

MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY AND OTHER MUSCLE DISEASE If you have muscle pain, weakness, cramps or spasms you may have a primary problem with your muscles. These may be genetic in origin (muscular dystrophy) or acquired. The acquired muscle diseases seen in Australians usually have an immune basis and can be treated. www.mda.org.au

PARKINSON'S DISEASE If you have had a slow onset (typically over months or years) of shaking you may have Parkinson's disease. Patients with this condition may have slowed walking and may be slow to do things with their upper limbs, for instance dressing and doing up buttons. There are several conditions which look like Parkinson's disease but which are not. These are sometimes known as parkinsonian syndrome. Also, there are many other causes of tremor which are not Parkinson's disease or syndrome and which may be treatable. To find out more, please click here. www.parkinsonsnsw.org.au

PINCHED NERVES If you have pins and needles, pain, numbness or weakness you may have a "pinched nerve". This can happen in the arms or the legs but it may also affect the face or trunk.

RESTLESS LEGS SYNDROME Patients with restless legs syndrome have an uncomfortable sensation in the legs and/or an irresistible urge to move the legs. This usually happens when the sufferer is trying to go to sleep but may happen any time at rest, for instance when sitting watching TV. To find out more, please click here. www.rls.org

STROKE A stroke is sudden onset of weakness, numbness, speech difficulty, vision problem or incoordination due to a blocked blood vessel or bleed from a blood vessel into the brain. This needs prompt assessment from your doctor or hospital Accident and Emergency department. If you have had these symptoms over the last week or so go there now because prompt assessment may prevent a much worse stroke which could happen at any time. To find out more, please click here. www.strokensw.org.au

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