Health Resource Directory
Arm injuries
(4 items)Shoulder dislocations and instability
A shoulder dislocation is when the upper arm bone comes out of the shoulder blade socket. Shoulder...
Blood-related conditions
(7 items)Myeloma
Myeloma, also called multiple myeloma, is a type of blood cancer affecting plasma cells. Plasma cells are...
Septic Arthritis
Septic arthritis is an infection in a joint. Somehow bacteria has spread to the joint or bones...
Cancer
(17 items)Acute leukaemia
Acute leukaemia is a type of blood cancer that develops quickly. If you have acute leukaemia, your...
Breast cancer follow up
Follow up with your care team is recommended after treatment for breast cancer. They will check whether...
Breast cancer survivorship
Breast cancer survival rates are improving. This means that are more and more women who are...
Cervical screening
Cervical screening is a test that checks for early signs of cervical cancer. When cervical cancer is...
Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL)
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL) is a type of blood and bone marrow cancer. The bone marrow is...
Familial cancer syndromes
When a gene changes, it increases the risk of cancer in a family. This is called a...
Head and neck cancer
Head and neck cancer is a general term used for different types of cancers that develop in...
Life after cancer
After treatment for cancer ends, you will have regular appointments with your GP to monitor your health....
Lymphoma
Lymphoma is a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system helps the body...
Oesophageal cancer
Oesophageal cancer is a type of cancer that forms in the cells that line the oesophagus. The...
Child development
(18 items)Developmental milestones
GPs use milestones to track your child’s development. Milestones are the skills and tasks children can do...
Enuresis
Enuresis is involuntary bedwetting during sleep in a child under 5 years old. It is a common...
Eye problems in children
Eye problems are common in children. These problems can happen because of injury, infection or begin at...
Inguinal hernia (Lumps or Swelling in Children)
An inguinal hernia is a lump that occurs in the groin. Lumps in the groin area in...
Newborn checks
Newborn checks are routine assessments of all infants at 1 to 4 weeks of life, and 6...
Penis and Foreskin in Children
The foreskin is the loose skin at the head of the penis. The foreskin usually won’t pull...
Plagiocephaly
Plagiocephaly (misshapen or flat head) is when a baby has an uneven or flat spot on their...
Preterm and low birth weight in infants
Preterm infants are born before 37 weeks of gestation. Low-birth-weight infants are babies weighing under 2500g at...
Short stature in children
A child with short stature is much shorter than other children of the same age. When a...
Temper tantrums
Temper tantrums, also known as tantrums, are emotional outbursts. If your child is having a tantrum, they...
Torticollis
Torticollis is a when a baby has its head is tilted to one side. It is usually...
Tounge-tie
Tongue-tie is a condition which is present at birth. It is when the band which connects the...
Undescended Testes
Undescended testes is when a testicle hasn’t moved into the bag of skin below the penis (the...
Child physical health
(14 items)BCG vaccination
The BCG vaccine is the vaccine for tuberculosis, also known as TB. Tuberculosis is a serious bacterial...
Bronchiolitis
Bronchiolitis is a common type of viral chest infection. It usually happens in babies under 12 months...
Diabetes in children
Diabetes is a chronic (long-term) disease. It happens when there is a high level of glucose (sugar)...
Ear Infections
Ear infection happens when fluid builds up behind the ear drum. They are very common in children...
Eczema in children
Eczema, also called atopic dermatitis, is a common skin condition causing dry, itchy skin that can become...
Foreign objects inhaled
It is very common for small children to put items in their mouths, and then potentially inhale...
Headaches in children
Headaches are a common pain syndrome seen in children, along with recurrent abdominal and leg pains. The...
Neck lumps in children
It is very common for children to develop lumps in their necks. The most common cause is...
Pain Relief for Children with Acute Pain
Acute pain is pain that has been present for under 6 weeks. Acute pain usually comes on...
Physical activity in children
Regular physical activity is essential for your child’s health, growth and development. Kids need to be active...
Covid-19
(5 items)Coronavirus and aged care facilities
A COVID-19 outbreak is a serious health risk for people who live in residential aged care facilities....
Stopping the spread of COVID-19
A new type of coronavirus was detected in late 2019. This virus can cause a severe respiratory illness called coronavirus...
Culturally and linguistically diverse communities
(2 items)Refugee Health Assessment for Adults
A refugee health assessment is a detailed check of a person who has arrived in Australia as...
Refugee Health Assessment for Children and Adolescents
The refugee health assessment is a detailed check of a child or adolescent who has arrived in...
Diabetes
(14 items)Self-monitoring blood glucose
Self-monitoring of blood glucose is recommended for all people with type 1 diabetes. It is also recommended...
Diet and lifestyle
(7 items)Nutrition resources
Scroll down for recommended resources to guide you towards eating a healthier diet.
Weight management in adults
Managing your weight can lower your risk of developing health conditions. Overweight and obesity is associated with conditions...
Drug and alcohol
(11 items)Cocaine, Ecstasy, and Other Drugs
Cocaine and ecstasy are two commonly used illegal drugs. These drugs are damaging to your health and...
Opioid dependence treatment
Opioid dependence treatment is treatment for people who are dependent on opioids. Opioids are pain-relieving medications. There...
Foot and ankle injuries
(5 items)Foot and toe injuries
There are many different types of foot and toe injuries, including fractures. A fracture is a broken...
Foot pain
Foot pain can affect the toes, midfoot, ankles, arches and heel. There are many types and causes...
Gastrointestinal conditions
(8 items)Bowel cancer screening
Early diagnosis helps reduce the number of Australians who die each year from bowel cancer. The National...
Coeliac Disease
Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disease. It happens when the immune system reacts badly to gluten. Gluten...
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is the name for two conditions. They are both caused by a problem...
Iron therapy
Iron therapy is when you receive iron through an injection into a vein. This is also called...
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is when your gut is irritated. Around one in five Australian experience IBS...
Splenomegaly
The spleen is on the left side of the belly. It filters the blood and removes abnormal...
Vitamin B12 deficiency
Vitamin B12 deficiency occurs when you don’t have enough vitamin B12 in your body. Our bodies need...
Genetic conditions
(4 items)Mitochondrial disease
Mitochondrial disease is caused by a problem with one or more of the genes that make up...
Hand and wrist injuries
(7 items)Dislocated finger
A dislocated finger is a common hand injury. It happens when the bones in the finger are...
Dupuytren’s contracture
Dupuytren’s contracture is a condition that occurs when the skin under your hand gradually becomes thick and...
Ganglia
Ganglia are small cysts. They contain a thick jelly-like material called synovial fluid. Ganglia are also called...
Trigger finger
If you have trigger finger, your finger may get stuck or locked after flexing. Trigger finger is...
Heart health
(5 items)Heart murmur in children and adolescents
A heart murmur is when the blood makes an extra noise in the heart. Normal heart sounds...
Reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease
Cardiovascular disease is a term for a range of diseases that affect the heart and blood vessels....
Immunisation
(5 items)Adverse events following immunisation
Adverse Events Following Immunisation (AEFIs) is the term used to describe certain medical issues that people may...
Travel vaccination
Travel vaccinations are vaccines that protect against the serious diseases you may encounter when travelling overseas. Overseas...
Infectious diseases
(5 items)Meningitis
Meningitis can be caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. It is very rare but serious. If...
Osteomyelitis
Osteomyelitis is swelling of the bone. It happens when germs (bacteria) spreads from the blood stream to...
Rabies and bat lyssavirus
Rabies and Australian bat lyssavirus are viruses that spread through bites or scratches from infected animals. These...
Staphylococcal (Staph) Infections
Staphylococcus aureus (or ‘staph’) and Group A streptococcus (GAS) are kinds of bacteria which can be found...
Zika virus
Zika is a virus that spreads through infected mosquito bites. It can also be sexually transmitted. In...
Kidney and bladder conditions
(6 items)Urinary incontinence
Urinary incontinence is the involuntary or accidental leakage of urine. This affects 30% to 50% of...
Liver conditions
(4 items)Jaundice in babies
Jaundice in babies is common. Signs of jaundice in a baby include yellow skin, yellow eyes, fatigue...
Local health services
(6 items)Community health centres
South Western Sydney Local Health District has 18 community health services across the district providing a range of services:
Emergency care
Note: For emergencies, dial 000 and ask for AMBULANCE.
Multicultural services and translated resources
This page lists resources on many health conditions with translations for non-English speakers. Scroll down to find information from children’s...
Triple I (Hub)
Triple I is SWSLHD’s centralised intake, information and intervention centre for primary and community health services within...
Lung conditions
(8 items)Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is a genetic condition that mostly affects your lungs, pancreas and sweat glands. It causes...
Pertussis
Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a life-threatening infection in vulnerable people. Symptoms are similar to...
Medical procedures
(3 items)Vaginal pessaries
A vaginal pessary is a removable device that is put into the vagina. It is used to...
Medical tests
(24 items)Myocardial perfusion scan
A Myocardial Perfusion Scan (also known as a Sestamibi Scan) is a test to examine the blood...
Mental health
(19 items)Antipsychotic medication
Antipsychotic medications help manage symptoms of psychosis, a serious mental health condition affecting the mind. People with...
Anxiety
Anxiety is the most common mental health issue. It can be a normal and healthy response to stress. It can...
Depression
Depression is when feel people feel low or down for at least two weeks. Depression can...
Eating disorders
Eating disorders are mental health conditions that cause a person to develop disordered or extreme eating habits....
Psychosis
Psychosis is a serious mental health condition affecting the mind. People with psychosis can experience an altered...
Nervous system
(4 items)Medicinal Cannabis
Cannabis is a type of flowering plant in the family Cannabacae. This plant has been used as...
Respiratory compromise in neuromuscular conditions
People with neuromuscular conditions have a high risk of developing respiratory compromise or failure. Respiratory failure means...
Older person's health
(13 items)Before entering a Residential Aged Care Home (RACH)
Before entering a Residential Aged Care Home (RACH) it is important for your GP to look at...
Cataracts
A cataract is when the lens in your eye becomes cloudy. Inside our eyes, we have a...
Elder abuse
Elder abuse is defined by the World Health Organization as “a single or repeated act, or lack...
Older person’s health assessment
An over 75s health assessment is a yearly test that helps your GP to: identify any health...
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a disease of the bone that makes it weaker and more likely to fracture. There...
Urinary incontinence
Urinary incontinence is the involuntary or accidental leakage of urine. This affects 30% to 50% of...
Pain management
(5 items)Headaches in adults
Headaches are very common and usually not concerning. Many people can treat their headache with over-the-counter pain...
Whiplash injuries
Whiplash happens when your head moves very quickly one way and then back again. It can happen...
Pregnancy
(26 items)Foetal movements
Foetal movements is a term that refers to the baby’s movements in the womb during pregnancy. If...
Hyperemesis gravidarum
Around 72% of pregnant women experience nausea with or without vomiting during pregnancy. Usually it starts between...
Hypertension in pregnancy and pre-eclampsia
Hypertension in pregnancy and pre-eclampsia are two serious medical conditions that can occur at any stage during...
Medication during pregnancy and breastfeeding
Most medicines are safe to take at the recommended dose while breast feeding. Tell your doctor if...
Mental health and pregnancy
Pregnancy can be an emotional time for many women. It’s not uncommon for pregnant women to experience...
Pregnancy and weight gain
During pregnancy, some weight gain is normal. How much weight you gain depends on what you weighed...
Routine antenatal care
Routine antenatal care refers to the regular appointments and tests you have during your pregnancy. You’ll need...
Umbilical Hernia
An umbilical hernia is a lump under the belly button. You might find it after the baby...
Sexual health
(18 items)Abnormal vaginal discharge
If you are having more vaginal discharge than usual, it may be a sign that something is...
Epididymo-orchitis
Epididymo-orchitis is inflammation of the testes and epididymides (tubes attached to each testicle). Epididymo-orchitis can be mild...
Genital Ulcers
Genital ulcers are small sores on your penis, vagina or anus. They can be caused by infections...
Permanent Contraception (Steralisation)
Sterilisation is a method that permanently prevents pregnancies. This can be done in both males and females....
Thrush (Vulvovaginal candidiasis)
Vulvovaginal candidiasis is a fungal infection in the vagina. It is caused by a growth of candida...
Urethritis in males
Urethritis is an inflammation of the urethra. In males, the urethra is the tube that carries urine...
Skin conditions
(11 items)Corns and calluses
Corns and calluses are areas of thick, hard skin. They mostly form on the feet and toes....
Warts and verrucas
Warts and verrucas are small, hard lumps on the skin. They are caused by different strains of...
Supporting your health
(34 items)ADHD in Adults
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a developmental disorder that affects how people behave. People with ADHD...
Anaphylaxis
Anaphylaxis is sometimes life threatening and is always a medical emergency. It is the worst kind of...
Bowel polyps
A bowel polyp is an abnormal growth on the inside of the large bowel. Approximately 50% of...
Carer supports
Caring for a friend or family member can be a difficult, challenging task. Many people provide informal...
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome (myalgic encephalitis) is a chronic disease that can affect many of the bodies systems....
Constipation
Constipation is when you find it hard to empty your bowel (have a bowel movement). It will...
Department of Veterans’ Affairs
The Department of Veterans’ Affairs is a government department that offers support for people who have served...
Disability support services
Disability support services are services that help people with disabilities, their families and carers. The Australian government...
Driving and vehicle assessment
If you have a medical condition that could affect your ability to drive safely, you will need...
Energy rebates for medical equipment and low income households
Low Income Household Energy Rebate The NSW Government provides assistance measures to help households with their energy costs. Eligibility for...
Epistaxis
Epistaxis is another name for nose bleeds. It is a common problem in both children and adults....
Gastroenteritis
Acute gastroenteritis or gastro is the sudden onset of loose poo known as diarrhoea. Some people may...
Hand hygiene
Hand hygiene is the process of cleaning your hands with soap and water to prevent spreading diseases....
Hyperthyroidism
Hyperthyroidism is due to an overactive thyroid. The thyroid is a gland in the neck. It makes...
Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is when you have an underactive thyroid, causing it to produce lower than normal amounts of...
Make the GP part of your family
What is a GP? GPs, or general practitioners, play a central role in the delivery of general health treatment and...
Measles
Measles is a viral disease that spreads easy and can cause severe problems. It remains a common...
My Health Record
My Health Record is a secure online summary of your health information. The record keeps information about...
National Disability Insurance Scheme
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) offers financial support for Australians who have permanent and significant disability....
Organ and tissue donation
Organ and tissue donation is the process of donating your organs and tissues to people who are...
Polypharmacy
Polypharmacy is when people are taking five or more medications each day. These can be prescribed, over...
Positive FOBT result
A Faecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) looks for blood in your bowel motion (poo). A positive result...
Red Eye
Redness of the eye is common. It can occur in one or both eyes. It happens when...
Return to work
Returning to work after an illness can be challenging, but your GP is here to help. Returning...
Self-care for people with cancer
Living with cancer impacts your physical and emotional health in many ways. It’s normal to face challenges...
Self-monitoring blood glucose
Self-monitoring of blood glucose is recommended for all people with type 1 diabetes. It is also recommended...
Sinusitis
Sinusitis means infection or inflammation of the sinuses. Your sinuses are in your cheeks, forehead and around...
Vitamin D Deficiency
Vitamin D deficiency means you don’t have enough vitamin D in your body. Vitamin D helps our...
Your Healthcare Journey
You are the centre of your healthcare journey You are the best person to be in charge of your own...
Surgical procedures
(5 items)Bariatric surgery options
Weight management surgery refers to a surgical intervention designed to reduce the size of the stomach to...
Women's health
(30 items)Breast cancer survivorship
Breast cancer survival rates are improving. This means that are more and more women who are...
Breast engorgement
Breast engorgement is swelling of the breast. It may happen when you start breastfeeding and can also...
Chronic pelvic pain
Chronic pelvic pain is abdominal and/or pelvic pain that has lasted for at least 6 months. It...
Endometriosis
Endometriosis is an inflammatory illness with lesions of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterus. It can cause pelvic...
Female genital mutilation
Female genital mutilation, or cutting, is any procedure that involves partial or total removal of, or injury...
Heavy menstrual bleeding
Heavy menstrual bleeding means a heavy period. This can affect a woman’s quality of life. Most menstrual...
Intermenstrual and post-coital bleeding
Intermenstrual bleeding is bleeding from the vagina that happens when not having a period. Bleeding that happens...
Mastitis and breast abscess
Mastitis is swelling in the breast. Most times, it is caused by an infection. It usually happens...
Menopause
Menopause is defined as not having a period for more than a year in a non-pregnant woman....
Pelvic organ prolapse
Pelvic organ prolapse is when one or more pelvic organs bulge into the vagina. This happens when...
Period pain (dysmenorrhoea)
Dysmenorrhoea means a painful period. It is common but often under-diagnosed or treated. It can make life...
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder. It often affects young women’s metabolism and...
Postmenopausal bleeding
Postmenopausal bleeding is any bleeding from the vagina that happens after menopause. Around one in ten women...
Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is the physical and psychological symptoms that happen each menstrual cycle. They happen during the...
Sore, Tender and Damaged Nipples
Nipple pain is common in the early days of breastfeeding. It generally improves after the first few...
Subfertility
Fertility means how easy it is for someone to have a baby. Subfertility is when a person...
Thrush (Vulvovaginal candidiasis)
Vulvovaginal candidiasis is a fungal infection in the vagina. It is caused by a growth of candida...
Urinary incontinence
Urinary incontinence is the involuntary or accidental leakage of urine. This affects 30% to 50% of...
Vaginal pessaries
A vaginal pessary is a removable device that is put into the vagina. It is used to...
Vulvodynia
Vulvodynia is long lasting pain of the vulva without an obvious cause. It can include burning, stinging,...
Wounds
(3 items)Burns injuries
A burn injury occurs when skin is injured by heat. Common causes of a burn injury include...