Vomiting may be caused by a virus infection of the stomach, food poisoning or by eating and drinking too much. It normally stops within 24 hours and may be followed by diarrhoea. Some children will vomit when they have a temperature.
TREATMENT: Rest. Eat nothing for 24 hours. Drink small sips of water regularly. As the stomach settles, try boiled rice or clear soup before gradually returning to a normal diet.
Children and Infants: Try water, juice or Dioralyte sachets made up with boiled water to replace body fluids
Make an appointment to see your doctor if vomiting is accompanied by continuous stomach pain, if vomiting lasts for longer than 24 hours, or if the child is vomiting clear fluid or has a high temperature. Ask your doctor for advice.
SELF-HELP
Most sore throats are caused by a virus infection which antibiotics cannot cure. With simple treatment the patient normally gets better in 4 to 5 days. Tonsillitis usually starts with a sore throat, which causes pain on swallowing. There may be a fever, it might be possible to see white spots on the tonsils, and glands in the neck may be swollen and painful. A hoarse voice, dry cough and sore throat indicates a viral laryngitis.
TREATMENT: Adults: Soluble Aspirin—2x300mg, gargle and swallow four times a day. Drink plenty and take steam inhalations.
Children: Paracetamol liquid (Calpol or Disprol) and plenty of drinks.
Make an appointment to see your doctor if the sore throat is getting worse after 2 days, or if the patient complains of earache.
If dust or food enters the air passages, coughing acts as a protector. It also prevents mucus from causing infection in the chest. To suppress this action with cough mixtures can cause more harm than good.
TREATMENT: The best treatment is steam inhalation and avoiding cigarette smoke.
Make an appointment to see your doctor if coughing continues for more than a week or two after a common cold has cleared up, if coughing produces a yellow or green sputum—it may mean the lower air passages are infected, if breathing is accompanied by a pain in the chest or shortness of breath, or if coughing produces blood.
Diarrhoea is unpleasant but rarely dangerous. It may be due to change in diet, food poisoning or travel abroad. It is often accompanied by colicky (cramp-like) pains and usually begins to get better in 48 hours.
TREATMENT: Rest. Eat nothing for 24 hours. Drink small sips of water regularly. As the stomach settles, try boiled rice, plain mashed potato or clear soup before gradually returning to a normal diet.
Children and Infants: Try Dioralyte sachets made up with boiled water to replace body fluids.
Make an appointment to see your doctor if it does not start to settle after 48 hours, if an attack comes shortly after a visit abroad, or if there is continuous pain.
The common cold usually starts with a hot feeling in the back of the throat. The patient feels unwell and aches, and the nose starts running with a clear liquid which becomes a thick and yellow discharge after 3 to 4 days. ANTIBIOTICS DO NOT HELP.
TREATMENT: Adults: Add menthol or Friar’s Balsam to the steam inhalations. Inhale for 10 minutes three times a day.
Babies and Children often have repeated colds. This helps them build up their resistance to infection on the chest. They cough because of the discharge running from the nose down the back of the throat. Do not give linctuses. Try normal saline nose drops from the chemist, two drops in each nostril before bed.
Children often develop feverish illness which settles spontaneously in 24-48 hours. Give liquid paracetamol (Calpol or Disprol). Remove the child’s clothing and offer sips of cool water. Sponging with tepid water may also help to reduce the temperature. Do not give aspirin to children under 12.
Make an appointment to see your doctor if the temperature does not fall after the paracetamol (although it may rise again later) or if the child becomes drowsy or obviously unwell. Seek your doctor’s advice.
IF YOU ARE UNSURE ABOUT THESE OR ANY OTHER MEDICAL MATTERS DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT YOUR DOCTOR FOR ADVICE
REMEMBER
The Pharmacist can give on-the-spot advice on your medication and possible side effects.
If you are buying over-the-counter remedies for self-help in minor illness, always tell the pharmacist what prescribed medication you are taking.
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