Hanham Surgery: Minor injury and Illness Advice

MINOR ILLNESSES & HEALTH ADVICE
Chickenpox The rash of chickenpox starts as small, itchy, red spots, which progress into clear blisters and then scab over. The spots and blisters are very itchy and can cause distress when they are numerous in the mouth and around the genitals. It is infectious from about five days before the rash and until the last spot has scabbed over. Treatment is with paracetamol mixture and calamine lotion. Adults are particularly prone to a more severe form of the illness. Pregnant women are at an increased risk. Both these groups should consult their doctor. Coughs Most coughs are the result of a viral infection and as such cannot be treated with antibiotics. The best treatment is with steam inhalations. Removing the pillows at night will also prevent mucus (phlegm) from running down the back of the throat. Do not smoke in the presence of children. Even better, do not smoke at all. You should see the doctor if the cough continues for more than a week or if it is accompanied by pain in the chest, shortness of breath or if you are coughing up blood. Diarrhoea Most diarrhoeal illnesses are short lasting and do not need any specific treatment. Just drink plenty of clear fluids. There is no strict rule about starvation, but eating may be accompanied by intermittent cramping pains. Antidiarrhoea tablets should never be used for children - they make the illness worse. Sugar/salt replacement sachets (eg Dioralyte or Rehidrat) are specially made for use in diarrhoea and vomiting. They are available from the chemist. You should see the doctor if the diarrhoea does not begin to settle within 48 hours, if the pain is continuous rather than intermittent or if the motions are blood-stained. Severe diarrhoea in infants under 6 months, or if a child is vomiting as well, are also reasons to consult your doctor. Vomiting Fluid replacement is vital (see above) but it is best not to drink anything for about the first hour after vomiting, and then sip small quantities of water, frequently. Eat nothing initially. As the stomach settles, take semisolid food, such as soups, before returning to a normal diet. WHEN TO SEE THE DOCTOR: If vomiting is accompanied by continuous stomach pain If vomiting lasts for more than 24 hours If a vomiting child has a persistent temperature of more than 38˚C If there are symptoms of another infection eg earache or pain on passing water Earache Earache is a common symptom in children. It is frequently the result of an ordinary cold and often starts at night. If caused by catarrh it will usually settle within 48 hours. The treatment is paracetamol every four hours. Persistent earache may require antibiotics and a visit to the doctor is indicated if earache has not settled after 48 hours. Back to top Fractures If a child gets up at once after a fall and moves about normally, it is unlikely that a bone has been broken. If a limb is difficult to move, or unable to bear weight, it may be broken and it is sensible to ring the surgery for advice. You may be told to come and get assessed or you may be advised to attend casualty depending on the circumstances. German Measles The rash appears during the first day and usually covers the body, arms and legs in small pink patches about 2-4 millimetres across and doesn’t itch. There are usually no other symptoms apart from occasional aching joints. It is infectious from two days before the rash appears until the rash disappears in about four or five days. The only danger is to unborn babies and therefore it is important that all contacts are informed in order that anyone who may be pregnant can contact their doctor. IMMUNISATION CAN PREVENT THIS DISEASE. Head Lice These creatures are very common and are not a sign of poor personal hygiene. The mainstay of treatment is wet combing using shampoo. Your pharmacist will advise about this. Medicated head lotions can be obtained from the chemist without prescription. Other members of the family should be checked, especially looking in the hairs behind the ears and at the nape of the neck, but only the affected person needs to be treated. For further advice contact your Health Visitor. High Temperatures Children, especially babies, can get a high temperature very quickly. You should bring down a temperature by: Giving your child plenty of drinks like water and squash, preferably small quantities frequently. Giving paracetamol mixture every four hours. Taking most of the child’s clothes off so he/she can lose heat through the skin and put him/her in a room without additional heating. Tepid sponging: wash the child with luke-warm water and let the water dry on the skin. If the temperature remains high in spite of all the above then telephone the doctor for further advice. Influenza If you have long lasting chest, heart or kidney disease then a ‘flu vaccination (usually done in October) is recommended. The best remedy for ‘flu’ is to remain indoors, rest and drink plenty. Itching Itching can be relieved by calamine lotion or an antihistamine tablet, eg Piriton or Semprex (available from Chemist). Back to top Minor cuts and Grazes Wash the wound thoroughly with water and a little soap. To stop bleeding apply a clean handkerchief or dressing firmly to the wound for about five minutes. Cover with a clean dry dressing. Mumps Symptoms are swelling of the glands in front of one or other ear, often followed after a couple of days by swelling in front of the other ear. It is infectious from two to three days before the swelling appears until eight or ten days after that date. If the pain Is severe you should consult your doctor. *IMMUNISATION CAN PREVENT THIS DISEASE.* Nose Bleeds Sit forward and squeeze the base of the nose over the hard and soft parts for fifteen minutes, repeat the procedure if necessary. Ring the doctor for advice if you are unable to control heavy bleeding. Sore throats Five out of six sore throats are caused by viral infections which antibiotics cannot cure. The throat will settle on its own. The temperature and pain will be helped with paracetamol and/or gargling with soluble aspirin. CHILDREN UNDER 16 YEARS OF AGE SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN ASPIRIN Sprains Remember R.I.C.E Rest: The affected joint should be rested. Gradually build up to normal activities. Ice:Apply cold compress (eg bag of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel). Compression: A firm crepe bandage or Tubigrip will give the sprained joint adequate rest. Elevation: Elevate the joint where possible. Stomach Ache Most attacks are not serious and are usually caused by indigestion or wind. A hot water bottle helps, as may a teaspoon of Bicarbonate of Soda in a half glass of water. If the pain lasts longer than six hours, or increases in intensity, consult your doctor. The stuffy runny nose The common cold often starts with a dry throat and the patient feels generally unwell and achey. After a day or two the nose starts running with clear liquid and after three or four days a yellow green discharge. There may be a slight temperature and the whole illness lasts seven to ten days. There is no magical cure for the common cold and antibiotics are of no help. Steam and Menthol inhalations may help relieve nasal congestion. The Chemist can give advice concerning relief of symptoms. Children and babies may be troubled by coughing when they lie down at night. This is caused by the discharge from the nose running down the back of the throat. The child or infant should be put on its side and the pillow removed. Karvol capsules on bedding, or Vic’s rub on the chest can help relieve congestion. Back to top Sunburn Care should be taken to minimise exposure to the sun particularly between 10.00 am - 2.00 pm and by the use of appropriate clothing, especially hats. Prevention of sunburn in children is extremely important. Creams with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 are ideal. Beware the Midday Sun The sun is most powerful when it is overhead (say between 11am and 3pm) because the UV radiation has less atmosphere to travel through to your skin. Cover up especially at these times – long sleeve shirts and also hats are ideal. Also the intensity increases by about 4% for every 1000 feet in altitude so be careful in the mountains. Do use a Sunscreen The frequent and liberal use of sunscreens can help a lot. Broad-spectrum action is needed, protecting against ultraviolet A (UVA) and B (UVB). UVB causes most of the sunburn but both UVA and UVB are probably responsible for causing melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer. The commonest mistake (after not covering up or no using sunscreen) is not using enough of the sunscreen product. You really have to put plenty on and re-apply it every 2-3 hours. It is best to use a product with at least SPF 15. Worms This is a very common problem in school children and is not a sign of poor personal hygiene. Treatment may be obtained from the Chemist without prescription. The whole household must be treated. Keeping hands clean and the nails scrubbed helps prevent recurrence.



Home First Aid Kit It is useful to have some basic home remedies and first aid items at home, kept together in a secure place – out of reach of children. Here is a list of simple things to consider keeping: Paracetamol for pain or fever (liquid for children) Ibuprofen – an alternative for pain and fever Decongestant eg Otrivine nasal spray or drops Steam inhalation decongestant eg Olbas Oil, Vick, etc Mild laxative for constipation eg Lactulose Anti-diarrhoea medication – eg Loperamide Oral rehydration solution (eg Dioralyte) for diarrhoea Antacid tablet or medicine for simple indigestion Antiseptic solution for cleaning minor cuts & grazes Sunscreen to prevent sunburn – at least SPF 15 Assorted plasters Cotton wool Antihistamine for allergic rashes, hay fever or insect bites Antifungal cream for treating athletes foot Thermometer Support bandage for sprains Moisturising cream for dry skin 1% hydrocortisone cream for mild eczema Back to top
SOME TOP HEALTH TIPS We would like to regularly bring you some advice on looking after your own health, based upon the latest evidence. Many health problems are caused or influenced by our own experience or behaviour. There is growing evidence that our western lifestyle contributes hugely to the kind of health problems that we suffer and that there are many things that we can do to prevent or improve our health problems. Of course, some health problems are unavoidable and we can't live forever! But there is much that we can do in the area of 'Self Care' to reduce the risk of us or our children developing serious illnesses and prolonging life and the quality of life. (See bandolier medical magazine). 1. Reduce your risk of cancer by 40% by eating whole grain cereals at least four times a week. These include wholemeal bread, cereals, rice and pasta. 2. Don't smoke. If you do smoke, plan to stop! You know this is the best thing you can do for your future health - and we are here to help you. Arrange to see our trained nurses for their Support to Stop programme. 3. Eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, especially red ones! These can significantly reduce the incidence of stroke (by more than 50%) heart disease (by about 15%), diabetes (more than 50%), and breast cancer (by about 20%) 4. Now be sensible with this one! If you are not alcoholic, drinking moderate amounts of alcohol can improve your health, reducing heart disease and cancer. But it can increase it if you drink too much. So stick within the limit of 21 units per week for men and 14 units for women (1 unit = half pint of beer, small glass of wine, single shot of spirits). 5. Eat fish. Eating a small amount of oily fish every week (say 4oz) reduces death from heart disease by about 30%. Tuna, salmon, mackerel, trout etc. 6. Taking a multivitamin a day may be of value, especially if it contains at least 200mcg of folic acid (which can substantially reduce heart disease and cancer). Of course you can get folic acid from fruit, greens, beans and peas. 7. Small increases in fitness dramatically reduce risk of death from heart disease (among other things). Try to get breathless with exercise most days - walking will do. Why not walk your child to school or walk to work (a mile or so is enough). 8. If you are overweight, lose it. It's not that easy, true, but losing a little helps, especially if you are diabetic. There are many benefits from losing excess weight.