Minor Illness

Get the Right Treatment

Every year, millions of us visit our GP with minor health problems that can be easily resolved without a doctor’s appointment.

It is estimated that every year, 50 million visits to the GP are made for minor ailments such as coughs and colds, mild eczema, and athlete’s foot. By visiting your pharmacy instead, you could save yourself time and trouble.

Self-care

Keeping a well-stocked medicine cabinet at home can help you treat many minor ailments. Colds, coughs, indigestion and many other minor complaints can all be treated with medicines that are available over the counter.

Your pharmacist can advise on what you might find useful to keep in your medicine cabinet. Always follow the instructions on the medicine label and consult your doctor if the illness continues or becomes more severe.

Your Local Pharmacist

Pharmacists offer professional free health advice at any time – you don’t need an appointment. From coughs and colds to aches and pains, they can give you expert help on everyday illnesses. They can answer questions about prescribed and over-the-counter medicines. Your local Pharmacist can also advise on healthy eating. 

Pharmacists can also advise on healthy eating, obesity and giving up smoking. Some pharmacists have private areas where you can talk in confidence. They may suggest you visit your GP for more serious symptoms. It is possible to purchase many medicines from a chemist without a prescription. Watch this short video on how you can get the most out of your local pharmacy.

NHS Walk-In Centres

NHS Walk-In Centres offer convenient access to a range of NHS services for patients based in England only. You can receive treatment for many ailments including:

  • Infection and rashes,
  • Fractures and lacerations,
  • Emergency contraception and advice,
  • Stomach upsets,
  • Cuts and bruises, or
  • Burns and strains.

NHS Walk In Centres treat around 3m patients a year and have proved to be a successful complementary service to traditional GP and A&E services. Some centres offer access to doctors as well as nurses. However, they are not designed for treating long-term conditions or immediately life-threatening problems.

Accident & Emergency (A&E)

Major A&E departments assess and treat patients who have serious injuries or illnesses. Generally, you should visit A&E or call 999 for emergencies, such as:

  • Loss of consciousness,
  • Pain that is not relieved by simple analgesia,
  • Acute confused state,
  • Persistent, severe chest pain, or
  • Breathing difficulties.

If you’re injured or seriously ill, you should go, or be taken, to A&E. If an ambulance is needed you can call 999, the emergency phone number in the UK. You can also dial 112, which is the equivalent for the European Union.

Major A&E departments offer access 365 days a year and are usually open 24 hours a day. Be aware that not all hospitals have an A&E department.

Diarrhoea

Acute diarrhoea is usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection and affects almost everyone from time to time.  A common cause in both children and adults is gastroenteritis, an infection of the bowel.

Bouts of diarrhoea in adults may also be brought on by anxiety or drinking too much coffee or alcohol. Diarrhoea may also be a side effect of a medication.

NHS
Symptoms, causes, treatment and information.

Macmillan Cancer Support
Diarrhoea as a result of cancer treatments.

These links all come from trusted resources but if you are unsure about these or any other medical matters please contact your doctor or pharmacist for advice.

First Aid

First Aid – MP3 Downloads

To save them on your computer, right-click on any of the links below and then click ‘Save Target As…”. Click on any of the links below to play the audio files: 

Burns – Explains the immediate treatment for burns and scalds.

Fits  – How to deal with fits (convulsions/seizures) in adults and young children.

Wounds   – Immediate actions for wounds, bleeding, and bleeding associated with fractures.

Unconscious patient who is breathing – How to deal with an unrousable patient who IS breathing (includes recovery position).

CPR for adults –  Adults who have collapsed, are unrousable and NOT breathing.

CPR for babies – Babies who are unrousable and NOT breathing.

Collapsed patient in detail –  Explains the complete scenario including checks for breathing, circulation, etc.

These files have been prepared by Sussex Ambulance Service and comply with European Resuscitation Council Guidelines.

British Red Cross – First Aid Tips
Simple, straightforward and easy to understand first aid tips.

St Johns Ambulance
St John Ambulance believes that everyone should learn at least the basic first aid techniques.

These links all come from trusted resources but if you are unsure about these or any other medical matters please contact your doctor or pharmacist for advice.

Coughs & Colds

A cold is a mild viral infection of the nose, throat, sinuses and upper airways. It can cause nasal stuffiness, a runny nose, sneezing, a sore throat and a cough. Usually, it’s a self-limiting infection – this means it gets better by itself without the need for treatment.

On average, adults have two to five colds each year and school-age children can have up to eight colds a year. Adults who come into contact with children tend to get more colds. This is because children usually carry more of the virus, for longer.

In the UK, you’re more likely to get a cold during the winter months although the reasons why aren’t fully understood at present.

Treatment of a cold

For most people, a cold will get better on its own within a week of the symptoms starting without any specific treatment. However, there are treatments that can help to ease your symptoms and make you feel more comfortable. These are available from your pharmacy, which means that you can treat yourself, rather than needing to see your GP.

There is no cure for colds. Antibiotics, which treat infections caused by bacteria, don’t work on cold viruses.

Self-Help

There are a number of self-help measures that may help to ease the symptoms of a cold.

  • Drinking enough fluids to prevent dehydration.
  • Steam inhalations with menthol, salt water nasal sprays or drops may be helpful.
  • Vapour rubs may help relieve symptoms for children.
  • Hot drinks (particularly with lemon), hot soups and spicy foods can help to ease irritation and pain in your throat.
  • Sucking sweets or lozenges which contain menthol or eucalyptus may sooth your throat.
  • Gargling with salt water may help a sore throat.

You should try to make sure you get enough rest if you have a cold. It’s not usually necessary to stay off work or school.

Colds & Flu
A factsheet on the causes, symptoms, treatment & prevention of colds & the flu.

NHS – is it the common cold or the flu?
Colds and flu can share some of the same symptoms (sneezing, coughing, sore throat) but are caused by different viruses, and flu can be much more serious. Find out.

Factsheet – Common Cold
Information about the diagnosis, treatment and symptoms of the common cold.

Allergies

An allergy is where your body reacts to something that’s normally harmless like pollen, dust or animal fur. The symptoms can be mild, but for some people they can be very serious.

Things that cause allergic reactions are called allergens.

Common allergens include:

  • tree and grass pollen (hay fever)
  • house dust mites
  • foods, such as peanuts, milk and eggs (food allergy)
  • animal fur, particularly from pets like cats and dogs
  • insect stings, such as bee and wasp stings
  • certain medicines

Symptoms of an allergic reaction can include:

  • a runny nose or sneezing
  • pain or tenderness around your cheeks, eyes or forehead
  • coughing, wheezing or breathlessness
  • itchy skin or a raised rash (hives)
  • diarrhoea
  • feeling or being sick
  • swollen eyes, lips, mouth or throat

A GP may arrange some allergy tests or refer you to a specialist allergy clinic to have them.

Tests you may have include:

  • a skin prick or patch test – where a small amount of the allergen is put on your skin to see if it reacts
  • blood tests – to check for allergens that may be causing your symptoms
  • a special diet where you avoid or eat less of a food you might be allergic to, to see if your symptoms get better

Treatments for allergies include:

  • trying to avoid the thing you’re allergic to whenever possible
  • medicines for mild allergic reactions like antihistamines, steroid tablets and steroid creams
  • emergency medicines called adrenaline auto-injectors, such as an EpiPen, for severe allergic reactions
  • desensitisation (immunotherapy) for severe allergic reactions – this involves carefully exposing you to the thing you’re allergic to over time, so your body gradually gets used to it and does not react so badly (this should only be done by a medical professional)

Your specialist will give you an allergy management plan that will explain how to manage your allergy.

Bites and stings

Animal and human bites

Most animal bites are not serious, but you may need to get medical help if the bite is severe or there are signs of infection.

This page is about human bites and bites from animals, such as cats and dogs, that have broken the skin. There’s a separate page about snake bites.

There are some things you can do after being bitten by an animal or a person.

If you’ve been bitten by an animal or person, a doctor or nurse will check the wound.

They may:

  • clean the bite thoroughly – if the wound is very dirty, some of the affected area may need to be removed to reduce the risk of infection
  • close the wound with stitches, sticky strips or special glue, or leave it open to heal
  • give you antibiotics to stop the wound becoming infected
  • check your risk of getting tetanus and rabies – you’ll be given treatment to prevent these serious infections if needed

If you’ve been bitten by a person, you may also be offered a blood test to check for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV.

Back Health

Back pain

Back pain, particularly lower back pain, is very common. It usually improves within a few weeks but can sometimes last longer or keep coming back. There are things you can do to help ease the pain.

Back pain can have many causes. It’s not always obvious what causes it, and it often gets better on its own.

A common cause of back pain is an injury like a pulled muscle (strain).

Sometimes, medical conditions like a slipped disc, sciatica (a trapped nerve) or ankylosing spondylitis can cause back pain.

Very rarely, back pain can be a sign of a serious problem such as a broken bone, cancer or an infection.

Back pain often improves on its own within a few weeks. There are things you can do to help speed up your recovery.

There are specific exercises and stretches you can do to help with back pain. But stop if your pain gets worse and see a GP for advice.

If your back pain is severe or not getting better, a GP may prescribe painkillers or medicines to relax the muscles in your back.

Other treatments may be recommended if your pain does not get better after a few weeks.

These include:

  • group exercise sessions and physiotherapy
  • manual therapy – where a trained therapist massages and moves the muscles, bones and joints in your back
  • cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to help you cope with the pain
  • a procedure to seal off some of the nerves in your back so they stop sending pain signals (only for long-term lower back pain)

If your back pain is caused by a medical condition like a slipped disc and other treatments have not helped, surgery may be an option.