Wylcwm Street Surgery |
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BBC | Health News 2.0RSSBBC News | Health | UK EditionUpdated every minute of every day.NHS translation bill 'tops £23m'The NHS in England spends £59,000 a day on translating documents and providing interpreters, according to a health think tank.Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:33:12 GMThttp://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/health-16905491Campaign to cut smoking in carsA campaign to stop people smoking in cars when carrying children - and which could pave the way for a ban - is launched by the Welsh government.Mon, 06 Feb 2012 02:17:10 GMThttp://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-wales-16872587Transplant jaw made by 3D printerAn 83-year-old woman is fitted with a jaw made by a 3D printer in what doctors say is the first operation of its kind.Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:07:11 GMThttp://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/technology-16907104
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THE FAMILY MEDICINE CHESTHere is a list of useful medicines and dressings with a description of their uses. All are quite cheap and worth stocking at home in readiness for minor illnesses. Keep them in a box or cupboard with a lock - or store them well out of the reach of children. Soluble Aspirin Tablets For adults (not to be used for children under 18). Good for headaches, colds, sore throats, painful bruises. Also useful to take immediately if you suspect a heart attack. Paracetamol Mixture For relief of pain or fever in young children. Sedative Cough Linctus For dry or painful coughs - but not coughs caused by common colds. Menthol Crystals Add to hot water to make steam inhalations for treating catarrh and dry or painful coughs. Vapour Rub Again, for steam inhalations. Also useful for children with stuffy noses or dry coughs. Rub on the chest and nose. Antiseptic Solution One teaspoon diluted in warm water for cleaning cuts and grazes. Antiseptic Cream For treating septic spots, sores in the nose and grazes. Calamine Lotion For dabbing (not rubbing) on insect bites, stings and sunburn. Dressing Strips For minor cuts. 3” Wide Crepe Bandage To keep dressings in place. To support sprained or bruised joints. Cotton Wool For cleaning cuts and grazes. Thermometer For fevers. Self Treatment Of Common IllnessesBack Pain Back pain causes 13 million lost working days in Britain each year. Usually too much or inappropriate lifting or gardening is the cause. Be sensible, take things easy, prevention is better than cure. Keeping active is the key to a speedy recovery. Your doctor will not mind if you approach a qualified physiotherapist, chiropractor or osteopath directly. Burns And Scalds Apply large quantities of cold water to the burn as soon as possible and maintain this for several minutes. A loose dressing is suitable for unbroken or mildly blistered skin. Larger burns and burns in children should be seen by a nurse or doctor. Coughs, Colds And Sore Throats No magic cure has been found for these common ailments. Viruses cannot be treated with antibiotics. Aspirin or paracetamol, soothing drinks and other remedies help relieve the symptoms until they pass naturally in a few days or so. Diarrhoea And Vomiting Again normally caused by viruses. Even holiday diarrhoea can be treated with small amounts of clear fluids, not milk, taken frequently to rest the stomach and prevent dehydration. In children, mixtures of glucose and salts (Rehidrat/ Dioralyte) can be used. If the patient appears very ill, or in babies who can become dehydrated more quickly, consult the doctor if symptoms persist. Earache Usually earache accompanies coughs and colds. Paracetamol will relieve the pain. If symptoms persist, for three days or the child is very ill for example with vomiting, consult the doctor at the next surgery session. Head Lice Very common in children, head lice prefer clean hair and are not a sign of poor hygiene. Lotions are available from the chemist for all the family. Threadworms Many children will get these at some stage. An itching bottom, especially at night, is the most common complaint. Threadworms resemble small pieces of white cotton. Your chemist can advise you about treatment, again for all of the family. Head Injuries/Concussion Most bumps on the head cause no damage. A slight headache can be helped with paracetamol. If the patient is knocked out for more than a few seconds, consult your doctor. He may advise that the patient is taken to hospital if a more serious injury is suspected even though the patient can at first appear well. Spots Most childhood spotty illnesses are minor and often cause little upset. Measles is more serious, but is rare now that all children are immunised. Your doctor will not mind you attending the surgery with a spotty child to confirm diagnosis. All of these illnesses are contagious before the spots appear. It is often helpful to perform the glass test on a new rash, particularly when the patient is very unwell. Using a clear glass beaker, press firmly over the rash. If the rash does not disappear with pressure, it is best to contact the doctor straight away. Insect Bites/Stings Antihistamine tablets from the chemist relieve itches as can calamine lotion. Antihistamine creams are not recommended. Nosebleeds Pinch the nose between thumb and forefinger gently for five to ten minutes below the nasal bone. Persistent bleeding or a clot of blood down the throat may need further medical intervention. If heavy bleeding continues for more than 20 minutes you should go to A & E. Sprains R.I.C.E. - Rest, ice, compression, elevation. A cold compress with ice (a bag of frozen peas) applied over the strain for 30 minutes reduces and prevents swelling. A crepe bandage can be used and elevation continued until all swelling subsides. Gradual resumption of movements and exercise over a few days is recommended. Sunburn Prevention is better than cure. Treat as other burns. Calamine lotion and paracetamol will help. Avoidance, especially in children is most important. High factor sunblock and hats etc are advisable in all but the mildest of exposure to the harmful effects of the sun. IN TIME OF BEREAVEMENTWhen death occurs at home... 1. Telephone the doctor. He will visit to confirm that death has taken place. 2. If death is unexpected or the patient has not been seen recently, the doctor is obliged to contact the Coroner, who may require a post-mortem. 3. Contact the funeral director. When death occurs in hospital... 1. Contact the funeral director to inform him that his services will be required. 2. Collect the doctor’s death certificate from the hospital. 3. Take the certificate to the registrar for the area in which the death took place together with the deceased’s medical card and birth certificate if available. 4. Take the green form to the funeral director who will take over complete responsibility for arranging the funeral. |
