Minor Illness

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 health 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 the chemist without a prescription. 

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 usually open 24 hours a day. Be aware that not all hospitals have an A&E department.

Lower back pain affects 8 out of 10 people in the UK at some time in their life. One in five of all primary care consultations are for non-specific lower back pain.

We will all likely suffer a sprain at some point in our lives. For help to manage sprains or sports injuries, speak to a pharmacist in the first instance.

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.

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

Fact sheet – Common Cold – information about the diagnosis, treatment and symptoms of the common cold

Constipation is common and it affects people of all ages. You can usually treat it at home with simple changes to your diet and lifestyle. In most circumstances it’s not necessary to see a doctor, but if symptoms last longer than a week or two, speak to your GP. There’s more information about self-help techniques on the NHS website. There’s also information on the patient.info website 

Video: Poo and You

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.

Earache and ear pain is common, particularly in young children. It can be painful, but is not usually a sign of anything serious.

How long earache lasts

It depends on what’s causing it. Most earaches in children are caused by an ear infection, which usually start to improve after a few days.

Spotting earache in babies and young children

A young child might have earache if they:

• rub or pull their ear
• do not react to some sounds
• have a temperature of 38C or above
• are irritable or restless
• are off their food
• keep losing their balance

Earache and ear pain can affect 1 or both ears.

How to treat earache yourself

There are some things you can do to help relieve earache and ear pain.

Do

• use painkillers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen (children under 16 should not take aspirin)
• place a warm or cold flannel on the ear

Don’t

• do not put anything inside your ear, such as cotton buds
• do not try to remove earwax
• do not let water get inside your ear

Information:

Some painkillers are not safe for everyone (for example, if you’re pregnant). Always check the leaflet or get medical advice before taking them.

A pharmacist can help with earaches

A pharmacist can tell you:

• what you can do to treat earache yourself
• if you can buy anything to help (for example, eardrops)
• if you need to see a GP

They can also provide treatment if you need it, without you seeing a GP.

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

St Johns Ambulance – St Johns 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.

Haemorrhoids, also known as piles, are swellings containing enlarged blood vessels found inside or around the bottom (the rectum and anus). In many cases, haemorrhoids don’t cause symptoms and some people don’t even realise they have them. There’s more self-help advice on the NHS website, along with advice about when to seek medical advice. You can also visit patient.info for more.

Hay fever is usually worse between late March and September, especially when it’s warm, humid and windy. This is when the pollen count is at its highest. Find out how a pharmacist can help treat hay fever and allergies on the NHS website.

Head lice and nits are very common in young children. They don’t have anything to do with dirty hair and are usually picked up from head-to-head contact. You can treat lice without seeing a GP – find out more on the NHS website.

Most headaches go away on their own and are not a sign of something more serious.

How you can ease headaches yourself

Headaches can last 30 minutes, several hours, or sometimes several days.

Do

• drink plenty of water
• get plenty of rest if you also have a cold or the flu
• try to relax – stress can make headaches worse
• take paracetamol or ibuprofen
• try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people if you also have a high temperature or you do not feel well enough to do your normal activities

Don’t

• do not drink alcohol
• do not skip meals (even if you might not feel like eating anything)
• do not sleep more than you usually would – it can make the headache worse
• do not strain your eyes for a long time – for example, by looking at a screen

Non-urgent advice:See a GP if:

• your headache keeps coming back
• painkillers do not help and your headache gets worse
• you have a bad throbbing pain at the front or side of your head – it could be a migraine or, more rarely, a cluster headache
• you feel sick, vomit and find light or noise painful
• you regularly get headaches before or during your period

Urgent advice:Get an urgent GP appointment or call 111 if:

You or your child has a severe headache and:

• jaw pain when eating
• blurred or double vision
• a sore scalp
• other symptoms, such as numbness or weakness in the arms or legs

Also get an urgent GP appointment or call 111 if your child is under 12 and has any 1 of the following:

• a headache that wakes them at night
• a headache when they wake up in the morning
• a headache that gets progressively worse
• a headache triggered or made worse by coughing, sneezing or bending down
• a headache with vomiting
• a headache with a squint (where the eyes point in different directions) or an inability to look upward

You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.

Immediate action required:Call 999 or go to A&E if you or your child:

• has a head injury – for example, from a fall or accident
• has a headache that came on suddenly and is extremely painful

You or your child has an extremely painful headache and:

• sudden problems speaking or remembering things
• loss of vision
• feel drowsy or confused
• has a very high temperature and symptoms of meningitis
• the white part of the eye is red

Also call 999 or go to A&E if your child is under 12 and has any 1 of the following:

• a headache with vision problems or difficulty speaking, swallowing, balancing or walking
• a headache with drowsiness or a persistent lack of energy
• a headache that starts within 5 days of a head injury

Most people have indigestion at some point. Usually, it’s not a sign of anything more serious and you can treat it yourself. There’s more information on the NHS website. You can also find out more at patient.info

Insect bites or stings are not usually serious and get better in a few days. But sometimes they can become infected or cause a serious allergic reaction.

Bites from some insects can also cause illnesses, such as Lyme disease from ticks, scabies from mites, and malaria from mosquitoes in certain parts of the world.

Find out more

Eczema is a dry skin condition that can persist or seem to go away and then come back again. It affects about two out of ten children and two to ten out of every 100 adults in the UK.

Find out more

Antifungal medicines are used to treat fungal infections, which most commonly affect your skin, hair and nails.

You can get some antifungal medicines from a pharmacy without needing a GP prescription.

Find out more

Mouth ulcers are common and should clear up on their own within a week or two. They’re rarely a sign of anything serious but may be uncomfortable to live with. Mouthwashes and lozenges may ease the pain and may help the ulcers to heal more quickly. There’s more information about how you can treat mouth ulcers yourself on the NHS website. You can also find out more at patient.info.

If you have an ulcer in your mouth or on your lip that does not heal within three weeks, a persistent or unexplained lump in the neck or a persistent red or white area in the mouth, then these are “red flag” symptoms and you must see your GP for assessment as these symptoms may indicate a more severe problem.

Up to a third of babies and toddlers in nappies have nappy rash at any one time. It doesn’t usually develop in newborns, but all babies can get nappy rash. Find out what causes nappy rash, how you can treat it yourself and how to prevent it on the NHS website.

Sore throats are very common and usually nothing to worry about. They normally get better by themselves within a week.

There’s more information on the NHS website.

When it comes to teething, all babies are different. But your baby will probably get their first tooth some time during their first year. Find out how to spot when your baby is teething and what order your baby’s teeth are likely to appear in, with guidance on the NHS website.

Threadworms (pinworms) are tiny worms in your poo. They’re common in children and spread easily. You can treat them without seeing your GP. There’s more information on the NHS website and at patient.info.

Thrush is a common yeast infection that affects men and women. It’s usually harmless but it can be uncomfortable and keep coming back. Thrush can be confused with other infections, including STIs. If recurrent, or there is no improvement with simple treatment, speak to your GP. Read more on the NHS website or visit patient.info.

It’s common to have pain or discomfort before or during your period. There are things you can do to help ease the pain.

There’s more information on the NHS website

Itchy skin is not usually a sign of anything serious. You can often treat it yourself and it will usually go away after a few weeks.

There’s more information on the NHS website