The Quarter Jack Surgery

Self Treatment of Common Illnesses and Accidents

Colds and Flu

These usually start with a runny nose, temperature, aches and pains.  Antibiotics will not help as these illnesses are caused by viruses.  Rest and drink plenty of fluid.  Paracetamol taken every 6 hours will relieve the worst of the symptoms.

Sore Throats

Again these are mainly caused by viruses.  Unless the patient is really unwell or had spots at the back of the throat, antibiotics are unlikely to help.  Keep drinking fluids and take Aspirin (not under 12 years) or Paracetamol every 6 hours.

Diarrhoea and Vomitting

These symptoms are usually self-limiting.  Avoid food for at least 24 hours or until the symptoms ease.  Drink plenty of water or electrolyte solutions (eg Dioralyte or Elecrolade, available from the chemist) and avoid milk and dairy produce for several days after you are better.

In small children and babies, you may need to telephone for advice if the symptoms persist.

Headlice and Worms

Both these problems are easily dealt with by treatment available from the chemist. Headlice prefer clean hair and are not always a sign of poor hygiene!

You should not swim for two weeks after treating your head for headlice.

Burns

Soak in cold water and leave in water for at least 8 minutes.  Apply a clean, dry, non-fluffy dressing, or clingfilm, or encase in a clean polythene bag to stop air reaching the site of the burn.

Back Pain

The best answer is prevention - learn to sit, bend and lift correctly and keep generally fit.  If you do have pain, regular analgesics eg. Paracetamol or Ibuprofen, will help.

Consult the doctor if the pain is severe, fails to ease or causes problems with numbness in the legs or bowel and bladder disturbances.

Nose Bleeds

Sit in a chair, bend forward slightly and squeeze the nose firmly below the bone for 10 minutes.  Avoid the temptation to blow the nose or sneeze for 24 hours.  If symptoms recur, consult the doctor.

Insect Bites and Stings

Wasp - Apply vinegar to neutralise the sting as soon as possible.

Bees - Scrape away the sting and apply a little bicarbonate of soda solution as soon as possible.

Blandford Fly Bites

Symptoms - irritation, inflammation, swelling, blisters, DO NOT SCRATCH!

Treatment - apply cold compress or calamine lotion; anti-histamine tablets, if taken as soon as possible, may relieve inflammation; cover large blisters with dry dressing.

Sunburn

Avoid exposure to strong sun and use a high-factor sunscreen, especially for children.  Otherwise treat as burns and drink plenty of fluid. Remember to cover up with long sleeves and hats and wear sunglasses, prevention is better than treatment. There is no such thing as a safe or healthy tan!

Fever in Children

These are mostly caused by viruses especially in toddlers.  Keep the child cool, give regular paracetamol syrup (eg Calpol) according to the dosage instructions on the bottle and drink plenty of fluid.  Children often lose their appetite so do not worry about meals if they are not interested.  Consult the doctor if the child seems particularly unwell, or is not improving within 48hours.

Cystitis

Drink as much water as possible to flush out the bladder and kidneys.  A teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda in a tumbler of water can be helpful, as can cranberry juice.  A warm bottle against the stomach and taking painkillers can provide some relief.  Contact the surgery if there is no improvement after 24 hours, or if you have a high temperature or pain in your side.  Try to take a urine sample with you.

Toothache

Contact your  dentist.  If you are registered with an NHS dentist then you are entitled to emergency treatment.  If you are not, contact NHS Direct on 0845 4647 for advice during normal office hours.  To help relieve the pain, take soluble painkillers.