9. Stress An erection starts in your brain. It sends a signal down, the muscles in your penis relax, blood rushes in, and the veins close to keep it there. Stress and anxiety jam that signal. Your body releases cortisol, the stress hormone, and switches to fight-or-flight mode, where an erection is the last thing it cares about.

6. Burning when you pee Hot pepper didn't cause that sting. A burning feeling when you urinate is a classic sign of gonorrhoea or chlamydia, two of the most common STIs. Left untreated, they narrow your urine pipe and cause infertility later in life. When a symptom fades, the infection often hasn't. It has moved deeper and turned into something worse. Use protection, ask your partner about their status, and get a general STI screening whether you have signs or not.

5. Pain that comes in waves A normal stomach ache isn't the concern. These two patterns are: • Your belly swells, gurgles like air forcing through, and hurts for 2 to 3 days, then you pass a lot of gas, feel relief, and it all comes back later. A growing tumour narrows the bowel and causes a partial blockage. • A constant urge to empty your bowels, even with nothing there, plus pressure and a need to rush. The rectum keeps trying to push out the tumour, so going to the toilet never brings relief. Book a doctor quickly. Sometimes it turns out to be irritable bowel or something else, but let the doctor decide.