The Consumer Health Information Centre (CHIC) is an advice service set up to help you understand more about health, including hints and tips to stay healthy and ways to get back on your feet when illness strikes.

There are many minor illnesses which, although unpleasant, don't require a visit to the doctor. So who do you ask for speedy advice on what to do and if the bottle you have in the bathroom medicine cabinet is still OK? How do you know if the illness is pressing normally and if the old wives' tales are really myths or useful tips?

Well, you can now get all this information from the Consumer Health Information Centre. The Centre gives you access to independent professional advice through an expert panel of doctors, nurses, pharmacists and consumer information experts.

This site will also give you advice on what over-the-counter medicines are available to treat common ailments.

CHIC is run by the Proprietary Association of Great Britain (PAGB) which is the UK trade association representing manufacturers of over-the-counter medicines and food supplements.

How to get advice

If you are suffering from a common illness e.g. a cold, this website enables you to search under your symptoms and will give you advice on how best to treat them. Read the Feeling Unwell section for more. If you would like to know what over-the-counter medicines are available to help relieve your symptoms go to Treat Your Symptoms section.

Sometimes you might want more in-depth information to take away and read about common ailments which can affect you and your family. The Health Information section of this site has detailed articles written by CHIC's professional panel on the most common conditions which affect us all day to day.

To get the best from over-the-counter medicines it is very important they are used properly. Using Medicines Correctly section of this site gives useful information and reminders about safety, and also gives practical advice about how to use these medicines if you may be pregnant or taking other medicines prescribed by your doctor.