Health Advice

HEALTH ADVICE

Here you can find advice on contraception and minor ailments
and for tips on what to keep in the family first aid box, click here:

Contraception:
You can consult your doctor or practice nurse for advice on contraception. Alternatively you can visit the local Family Planning Clinic.

Emergency Contraception:
Emergency contraception (the morning-after pill) is available from either your general practitioner or can be obtained directly from the pharmacist. It is effective only if taken as soon as possible after unprotected sex (within 72 hours). If over 72 hours has passed consult your doctor or the Family Planning Clinic.

For clinic times ring them on the folowing:
Roath Clinic, Albany Road - 02920 461177
Gabalfa Clinic, 213 North Road - 02920 619504
University Hospital (Heath), Suite 2 Outpatients - 02920 747747
University College (Term time only), Student’s Health Centre, 47 Park Place - 02920 874810

Minor Ailments

Some conditions can be easily treated at home and do not require an appointment. You can also ask your local pharmacist for advice.
However, if the following suggestions do not work, or you are worried in any way, or children, the elderly or those with other diseases are affected then contact the surgery.

Common Cold:
There is still no magic cure for the Common Cold. It is due to viruses and therefore there is point in taking an antibiotic for it. Symptoms often improve on there own within a few days. If feeling unwell then it would be advisable to rest and take regular paracetamol or aspirin ( avoid aspirin if under 16 years).

Sore throat / Tonsillitis:
These are often due to viruses and therefore do not usually respond to antibiotics. They usually improve after a few days on there own.
Symptoms can be treated with cool drinks (icecream or icepops often sooth!)
Paractemol, salt water gargles, aspirin gargles (avoid aspirin in those under 16 years old) and throat lozenges can also help to relieve the discomfort. Your pharmacist can provide you with suitable treatments.

Flu:
Influenza is caused by a virus and antibiotics are not effective against viruses. Symptoms include fever, aches and coughing. Treatment with rest, regular paracetamol and drinking plenty of fluids are usually all that is required. Symptoms will usually subside within 4-5 days. Elderly patients, those with diabetes and those with chronic chest diseases should consider yearly flu vaccination.

Diarrhoea and vomiting:
In adults, diarrhoea is usually caused by a viral infection and is therefore unable to be treated directly. The symptoms can usually be eased by dietry measures, simple fluids only initially, then graduating to simple food like soup and dry toast or plain rice before returning to a normal diet.
If the diarrhoea needs to be stopped urgently (for example if traveling) then traditional kaolin and morphine mixture or medicines containing codeine or loperamide can be obtained from a pharmacist.
Holiday diarrhoea is often due to bacteria. Again, kaolin and morphine can be taken.
Consult your doctor if the symptoms persist for more than a few days.

Diarrhoea in very young children and babies needs careful attention. Most babies have loose bowel action during their first six months due to their predominantly liquid diet. Sudden bouts of unusually watery diarrhoea should be treated by taking the baby off solids and feeding them a cooled solution of boiled water. If the symptoms persist for more than 24 hours, or are accompanied by vomiting or weakness, consult your doctor.

Chicken Pox:
This is due to an infectious virus. It can take 11-20 days to develop symptoms which often begin with a fever and general lethargy. The rash develops as small reddish spots that are often itchy and soon develop into small blisters. Children are infective from 2-3 days before the rash starts to about 5 days after the rash starts, or until the last blister crusts up.
Treatment: plenty of fluids, regular paracetamol to ease fever headache and aches and the itchy rash can be treated with calamine lotion and antihistamines.

Measles:
This is due to an infectious virus. Symptoms consist of a fever, sore throat, cough and sore eyes that often develop two days before the rash appears. A red blotchy rash may be found on the face and body. Treatment: drink plenty of fluids, regular paracetamol . The cough may be helped with warm drinks or cough linctus.
Measles is preventable by vaccination.

Mumps:
This infectious virus causes painful swelling of the glands in front of the ears and is associated with fever. Complications can follow this condition and are preventable by vaccination. Symptoms should be treated with regular paracetamol.
From 2004 onwards there has been a ‘mini-epidemic’ of mumps amongst young adults aged between around 18 and 28 years who missed out on the MMR vaccination programme as children.
Adult males may suffer from swollen painful testes with mumps.

German Measles (Rubella):
This is due to an infectious virus. The symptoms are of fever, sore throat and a rash, consisting of small, pink patches that cover the body and limbs. It is usually a mild illness but it can be harmful to the unborn child. All women are checked for their immunity to German measles during pregnancy. This is preventable with vaccination
Measles, Mumps and Rubella can make children very unwell and so the MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) vaccine is strongly recommended to prevent these diseases. It is usually given at between 12 - 15 months of age. Consult your doctors surgery if you want any more advice on this vaccination.

Backache/Backstrain:
Backache is a common problem and is usually due to muscular strains. It usually settles within a few days with rest and regular paracetamol or ibuprofen. Massage and heat also eases symptoms. After 1-2 days rest, gentle exercise can be helpful.
X-rays are not usually indicated for backache from strains.
If the back pain is not settling or is getting worse despite rest and painkillers then consult your doctor.

Burns:
Burns should be held under cold running water for as long as the pain persists. This may be up to 15 minutes. The area should then be covered with a dry gauze bandage and kept clean. Medical attention should be sought for burns larger than 8cm (4 inches).

Sunburn:
Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. Aftersun creams can soothe. Rest and try Paracetamol if painful.
Sunburn damages the skin accelerating skin aging and can predispose to skin cancers.
Try and avoid sun exposure by keeping to the shade, wearing a hat and covering up. A high sun protection factor (SPF) cream ( factor 35 or greater) is also recommended. Extra special care should be taken with children to avoid sun exposure and use a high SPF cream.

Bites and Stings:
Generally these do not cause anything other than mild discomfort and can be treated with specific creams. Also antihistamines may be effective and can be obtained directly from the pharmacist.
Bee stings should be scraped away rather than ‘plucked’ in order to avoid squeezing the contents of the venom sac into the wound.

Nose Bleeds:
Nose bleeds are often caused by mild irritation to fragile blood vessels in the nose.
To stop the bleeding sit on a chair leaning forwards, pinch the fleshy part of the nose, below the bone for approximately 10 minutes. If the bleeding continues then you may need to consult the hospital casualty department.