Coughy Break

And now, time for a Coughy Break! Welcome back to Coughy Break! When a small brown envelope arrives in the post, many people put it off—but doing this simple check could genuinely save your life. In this episode, Dr Geoff Hamp and Dr Sam McGinley dive into lower GI bowel cancer screening and the Faecal Immunochemical Test, better known as the FIT test. Dr Geoff and Dr Sam explain exactly how to do...

And now, time for a Coughy Break! Welcomeback to Coughy Break! Managing type 2 diabetes can often feel overwhelming, especially with the wide variety of tablets, injections, and treatments available today. In this special episode, Dr Geoff Hamp and Dr Sam McGinley are joined by two fantastic Diabetes Specialist Nurses, Sue and Hayley, to take a deep dive into type 2 diabetes medications. Together,...

And now, time for a Coughy Break! Welcome back to Coughy Break! Loud snoring, daytime tiredness, or waking up gasping for air? Sleep apnoea is far more than just a noisy night's sleep—it's a condition that can seriously impact your health and daily life. In this episode, Dr Geoff Hamp and Dr Sam McGinley look into obstructive sleep apnoea. Dr Geoff and Dr Sam explain what actually happens...

And now, time for a Coughy Break! Welcome back to Coughy Break! We are back for Season 2! In this season premiere, Dr Geoff Hamp and Dr Sam McGinley kick things off by diving into the world of blood pressure medications. High blood pressure is one of the most common medical conditions out there, but with so many different blood pressure medications available, how do they actually work? Dr Geoff an...

And now, time for a Coughy Break!   Welcome back to Coughy Break!   It's the end of season one already!   In this episode Dr Geoff Hamp and Dr Sam McGinley look back at the last 27 episodes of season one, and look forward to what comes in season two. And, as always, we've got some myths to bust. So, what do the doctors think of ice baths, oil wrapping, powder swallowing, and jaw taping? Li...

And now, time for a Coughy Break! Welcome back to Coughy Break! You join us for the penultimate episode of Season 1 and for this special occasion, Dr Geoff Hamp and Dr Sam McGinley have stepped out of the studio to discuss the proven health benefits of a healthy walk. It doesn't have to be a hike, a marathon, or even more than 5 minutes, but there's good evidence for the health benefits of...

And now, time for a Coughy Break!   Welcome back to Coughy Break!   Urinary tract infections- common, annoying, painful, and can be very serious if not treated.   In this episode Dr Geoff Hamp and Dr Sam McGinley discuss urinary tract infections, UTIs, or cystitis.   Dr Geoff and Dr Sam look at how these come about, why ladies are more likely to get them compared to men, how to treat them, and doe...

And now, time for a Coughy Break!   Welcome back to Coughy Break!   Nose bleeds, or epistaxis as they're known medically, are very common. And always seem to happen at just the wrong time.   In this episode Dr Geoff Hamp and Dr Sam McGinley discuss nose bleeds.   Dr Geoff and Dr Sam look at how exactly to stop a nose bleed, what causes them, what not to do, and when can you safely blow your no...

And now, time for a Coughy Break! Welcome back to Coughy Break! Sick day rules. Sounds unusual, sounds like it should be common sense, but what are they really and why are they important? In this episode Dr Geoff Hamp and Dr Sam McGinley discuss sick day rules. Dr Geoff and Dr Sam look at which medications you can safely pause if you are sick, why you need to pause them, and when to restart them a...

And now, time for a Coughy Break! Welcome back to Coughy Break! It's the test that people avoid. But should you avoid it, and what exactly happens when you have a smear test? In this episode Dr Geoff Hamp and Dr Sam McGinley are joined by Dr Helen Speakman to discuss cervical screening.   Dr Geoff, Dr Sam and Dr Helen look at the facts and give you information about what happens, why it is imp...

And now, time for a Coughy Break!   Welcome back to Coughy Break! We are definitely well into hayfever season and if you are a sufferer then this is the episode for you. And if you don't suffer, firstly you are very lucky, but you might find this episode interesting- as any hayfever sufferer will tell you, it's more than just a sneeze now and again. So what causes hayfever? How do you trea...

And now, time for a Coughy Break!   Welcome back to Coughy Break!   You might have heard the term "Chronic Kidney Disease". You might havebeen diagnosed with it. It sounds horrendous, right?   And it is important, but what does it mean, and should you be worried?   In this episode Dr Geoff Hamp and Dr Sam McGinley discuss the topic of CKD.   Dr Geoff and Dr Sam look at the facts and give you infor...

And now, time for a Coughy Break!   Welcome back to Coughy Break!   Skin moles - we all have them. But what's a worrying mole? What does one look like. What does one feel like? And how do we know that that really large irritating mole isn't a bad one? And what actually is a mole? In this episode Dr Geoff Hamp and Dr Sam McGinley discuss the topic of moles.   Dr Geoff and Dr Sam look at the...

And now, time for a Coughy Break! Welcome back to Coughy Break!   In this episode Dr Geoff Hamp and Dr Sam McGinley discuss the topic of pre-payment certificates. If you pay for one or more NHS prescription items a month, this has to be an episode to listen to! How to save money on your prescriptions can only be a good thing. And if you are on HRT medications, you also need to listen to this episp...

And now, time for a Coughy Break!   Welcome back to Coughy Break!   This episode is about meningitis, what causes it, how its spread, what the symptoms of meningitis are, how it's diagnosed, how it's treated, and what you can do to try and prevent it.   Meningitis is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition that affects babies, infants, children and young adults, as well as older peopl...

And now, time for a Coughy Break!  Welcome back to Coughy Break!   We've all been there, nasal congestion, not able to breathe, not able to sleep and feeling miserable. So, what about those nasal decongestant sprays? They promise fast action and being able to breathe again within seconds. And, they do work!   So, what's the problem? Well in this episode Dr Geoff Hamp and Dr Sam McGinley di...

And now, time for a Coughy Break! Welcome back to Coughy Break! Painful, swollen toe. Must be gout. But how can it be? You don't drink port and you don't eat cheese, well not that much anyway! And when was the last pheasant or grouse you ate? Never. So, can't be gout then surely! In this episode Dr Geoff Hamp and Dr Sam McGinley discuss the topic of gout. It is surprisingly common, sur...

And now, time for a Coughy Break! Welcome back to Coughy Break. In this episode Dr Geoff Hamp and Dr Sam McGinley are joined by a very special guest. Gareth Hall is the Microsoft global health and lifesciences solutions team lead based in Seattle, Washington. He has experience of working in the NHS and healthcare as well as working at Microsoft HQ in Washington. Dr Geoff and Dr Sam speak with Gare...

Welcome back to Coughy Break! Sometimes the help we need isn't in a blister pack, a medicine bottle, or a cardboard box with a chemist label on. Sometimes we need the expert help of others, those who work alongside our GPs. In this episode Dr Geoff Hamp and Dr Sam McGinley are joined by two of our experts, Xanthe Grace, a Health Coach, and Chris Shuter, a Social Prescriber. Dr Geoff and Dr Sam...

And now, time for a Coughy Break! Welcome back to Coughy Break! We hope you have all had a very Merry Christmas and would like to wish you a Happy New Year! Have you made your New Year's Resolutions yet? Any thoughts about dusting off those running shoes and getting a gym membership? Or maybe what about those GLP1s we keep hearing about? Can Mounjaro melt the fat away, can Wegocy make you slim...

And now, time for a Coughy Break! Welcome back to Coughy Break, the new show from the team that brought you the popular "Penny's Hill Practice Podcast". In this episode Dr Geoff Hamp and Dr Sam McGinley discuss internet searching your symptoms, turning to AI to diagnose your aches and pains, and relying on a chatbot to tell you the best course of action for your headache. AI and the...

And now, time for a Coughy Break! Welcome back to Coughy Break, the new show from the team that brought you the popular "Penny's Hill Practice Podcast". In this festive Christmas morning episode Dr Geoff Hamp and Dr Sam McGinley talk about hangovers! You might have one this morning, or might be wondering how to avoid one in the next few days, and this show tells you all the secrets b...

And now, time for a Coughy Break! Welcome back to Coughy Break, the new show from the team that brought you the popular "Penny's Hill Practice Podcast". In this episode Dr Geoff Hamp and Dr Sam McGinley discuss the topic of sore throats. What causes them, what to look out for, how to treat them, and what to be careful of. Dr Geoff and Dr Sam look at the facts and give you the latest...

And now, time for a Coughy Break! Welcome back to Coughy Break, the new show from the team that brought you the popular "Penny's Hill Practice Podcast". In this episode Dr Geoff Hamp and Dr Sam McGinley discuss the topic of Norovirus, what is is, how you get it, how to look after yourself, and how to stop it spreading. Dr Geoff and Dr Sam look at the facts and explode some incorrect...

And now, time for a Coughy Break! Welcome back to Coughy Break, the new show from the team that brought you the popular "Penny's Hill Practice Podcast". In this episode Dr Geoff Hamp and Dr Sam McGinley discuss the topic of Winter Health now that summer has truly up and left us. Listen and thaw out as Dr Geoff and Dr Sam defrost some common Winter Health topics and look at the some w...