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How To Contact Us Surgery Opening Times Appointments Practice Survey Minor Ailments Advice Patient Information Home Visits Registering Change Details Prescriptions Out Of Hours Local Services About Us Practice Charter Confidentiality Suggestions/Complaints Help Us To Help You Useful Information Neighbourhood Professionals Click to Download our Surgery Booklet (PDF Format)	MINOR AILMENTS Do I need to be seen? For a lot of common illnesses and ailments there is no specific cure and they will be relieved with time and simple remedies available without prescription. Therefore, please do not expect your doctor to prescribe a drug for every problem. Discussion and advice may be far more useful and free from side effects. We feel it is important that all households should keep a reasonably stocked medical cabinet at home to deal with minor ailments. Remember all medicines should be stored in a box or cupboard with a lock and kept well out of the reach of children. Always check the expiry date on medicines and do not keep them for future use, as they lose their effect or become dangerous. Back painRest for two days. Take paracetamol and/or Ibuprofen. Apply heat in the form of a hot water bottle or electric pad to the painful area for 30 minutes at a time. BurnsAllow cold water to run over the wound for 3 minutes. If the burn looks severe, go to the Minor Injuries Unit at Horsham Hospital (between 9.00am & 5.00pm Monday to Friday). Colds and FluRest, drink plenty of fluids and take Paracetamol every six hours to relieve the worst of the symptons. Inhale steam from menthol crystals or vapour rub dissolved in hot water. Apply vapour rub to chest. CoughsInhale steam from menthol crystals or vapour rub dissolved in hot water. See doctor if there is a shortness of breath, a wheeze, pain on coughing, or blood stained sputum. Also see the doctor if prolonged temperature, prolonged cough, or prolonged loss of appetite. CystitisIf you are passing urine frequently which stings or burns, you may have cysititis which is sometimes caused by infection. Drink plenty of water or ask the chemist for Cymalon. If the symptoms do not settle in a couple of days, consult the doctor. Diarrhoea and/or vomiting Drink plenty of fluids. If more than 24 hours, purchase Dioralyte or Rehidrate from chemist. Anyone showing signs of dehydration, (baby dry nappies) or decreased skin elasticity (squeeze skin, it should flop back quickly if normal) should see a doctor that day. Fever in childrenGive them Paracetamol or Ibuprofen (if not asthmatic) and plenty of cold fluids. Sponge them down with tepid water in the armpits, the forehead, the neck and the groin. If using other medicines, check with the pharmacist that it is ok to use paracetamol and Ibuprofen. Head lice These insects prefer clean hair and are not therefore a sign of poor personal hygiene. The hair should be washed and a good hair conditioner applied. While still wet the hair should be combed with a fine toothed comb. This should be repeated two or three times over a week or two. If the lice remain after this treatment it may be necessary to use a medicated lotion which can be obtained from the chemist without prescription. Insect bitesAntihistamine tablets or syrup are available from the chemist. Wasp stings, apply vinegar. Bee stings, scrape away the sting but do not squeeze the venom sac. Apply sodium bicarbonate to the sting. Minor cuts and grazesWash the wound thoroughly with water and a little soap or antiseptic. Apply direct pressure to any bleeding point. Apply a clean firm dressing. Nose bleedsSit in a chair, leaning forward with your mouth open. Squeeze the nose below the bone for 10 minutes. Avoid the temptation to blow your nose for 24 hours. Sore throatDrink plenty of fluids and suck lozenges and sweets. Children should be given a paracetamol syrup. Those over 16 years can gargle with aspirin dissolved in water if not asthamatic. See the doctor after three days if the throat is still painful and the glands are swollen. SunburnTake paracetamol or aspirin. Apply calamine lotion or emollient cream. ..Remember that your chemist can give advice about medicines..
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MINOR AILMENTS

Do I need to be seen?

For a lot of common illnesses and ailments there is no specific cure and they will be relieved with time and simple remedies available without prescription. Therefore, please do not expect your doctor to prescribe a drug for every problem. Discussion and advice may be far more useful and free from side effects. We feel it is important that all households should keep a reasonably stocked medical cabinet at home to deal with minor ailments. Remember all medicines should be stored in a box or cupboard with a lock and kept well out of the reach of children. Always check the expiry date on medicines and do not keep them for future use, as they lose their effect or become dangerous.

Back painRest for two days. Take paracetamol and/or Ibuprofen. Apply heat in the form of a hot water bottle or electric pad to the painful area for 30 minutes at a time.
BurnsAllow cold water to run over the wound for 3 minutes. If the burn looks severe, go to the Minor Injuries Unit at Horsham Hospital (between 9.00am & 5.00pm Monday to Friday).
Colds and FluRest, drink plenty of fluids and take Paracetamol every six hours to relieve the worst of the symptons.
Inhale steam from menthol crystals or vapour rub dissolved in hot water. Apply vapour rub to chest.
CoughsInhale steam from menthol crystals or vapour rub dissolved in hot water. See doctor if there is a shortness of breath, a wheeze, pain on coughing, or blood stained sputum. Also see the doctor if prolonged temperature, prolonged cough, or prolonged loss of appetite.
CystitisIf you are passing urine frequently which stings or burns, you may have cysititis which is sometimes caused by infection. Drink plenty of water or ask the chemist for Cymalon. If the symptoms do not settle in a couple of days, consult the doctor.
Diarrhoea and/or vomiting
Drink plenty of fluids. If more than 24 hours, purchase Dioralyte or Rehidrate from chemist. Anyone showing signs of dehydration, (baby dry nappies) or decreased skin elasticity (squeeze skin, it should flop back quickly if normal) should see a doctor that day.
Fever in childrenGive them Paracetamol or Ibuprofen (if not asthmatic) and plenty of cold fluids. Sponge them down with tepid water in the armpits, the forehead, the neck and the groin. If using other medicines, check with the pharmacist that it is ok to use paracetamol and Ibuprofen.
Head lice These insects prefer clean hair and are not therefore a sign of poor personal hygiene. The hair should be washed and a good hair conditioner applied. While still wet the hair should be combed with a fine toothed comb. This should be repeated two or three times over a week or two. If the lice remain after this treatment it may be necessary to use a medicated lotion which can be obtained from the chemist without prescription.
Insect bitesAntihistamine tablets or syrup are available from the chemist. Wasp stings, apply vinegar. Bee stings, scrape away the sting but do not squeeze the venom sac. Apply sodium bicarbonate to the sting.
Minor cuts and grazesWash the wound thoroughly with water and a little soap or antiseptic. Apply direct pressure to any bleeding point. Apply a clean firm dressing.
Nose bleedsSit in a chair, leaning forward with your mouth open. Squeeze the nose below the bone for 10 minutes. Avoid the temptation to blow your nose for 24 hours.
Sore throatDrink plenty of fluids and suck lozenges and sweets. Children should be given a paracetamol syrup. Those over 16 years can gargle with aspirin dissolved in water if not asthamatic. See the doctor after three days if the throat is still painful and the glands are swollen.
SunburnTake paracetamol or aspirin. Apply calamine lotion or emollient cream.

..Remember that your chemist can give advice about medicines..