Crystal Pharmacy

11/03/2015

10/03/2015

Stress and how to deal with it
In the period 2011/12 the HSE (Health and Safety Executive) reported that 428,000 people felt work related stress was making them ill. That is 40% of all work related illnesses and is probably an under estimate as many people either don’t recognise it or don’t report it.

What is stress?
Stress is defined as the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures and demands placed on them and the main reasons for people feeling stressed at work are work pressure, lack of support from managers and work related violence and bullying.
If you are not sure whether you are suffering from stress the usual symptoms are pounding heart, dry mouth, odd aches and pains and loss of appetite for food and s*x. If you have these symptoms you need to pinpoint the cause.
One of the main ways to relieve stress at work is to learn to say “no” when you know you haven’t got time to do whatever is being asked of you. Outline your reasons in a specific measurable way but always offer a solution.

03/03/2015

Common Cold Quiz Answers

1. What causes the common cold? Viruses.
2. How many different types are there? 200.
3. How do colds spread? Direct contact e.g. sneezing or indirect contact e.g. sharing towels, cups etc.
4. How can I prevent a cold spreading? Wash your hands, use tissues, clean surfaces regularly, don’t share cups, cutlery and use paper towels.
5. What are the usual symptoms? Blocked or runny nose, sneezing, coughing, generally feeling unwell.
6. How can I treat a cold? Get plenty of rest, drink lots and eat healthily.
7. What over the counter remedies are there? Use painkillers, decongestants, zinc supplements, steam inhalation.
8. What medicines should I avoid? Antihistamines, cough syrups (there is no evidence they work) and antibiotics as the cause is viral not bacterial.
9. When should I visit my GP? If your cold lasts longer than 3 weeks, your temperature is over 39C, your phlegm is blood stained, you have chest pain or breathing difficulties, you have severe swelling of your lymph nodes.
10. How can I help my child if they get a cold? Encourage them to rest and drink lots, give paracetamol or ibuprofen, keep the atmosphere warm and moist.

18/02/2015

Common Cold Quiz Questions
1. What causes the common cold?
2. How many different types are there?
3. How do colds spread?
4. How can I prevent a cold spreading?
5. What are the usual symptoms?
6. How can I treat a cold?
7. What over the counter remedies are there?
8. What medicines should I avoid?
9. When should I visit my GP?
10. How can I help my child if they get a cold?

12/02/2015

Common Colds: When should I see my GP?
You only really need to see your GP if:
• Your symptoms last longer than 3 weeks.
• You have a high temperature of 39°C.
• You cough up blood stained phlegm.
• You feel chest pain.
• You have breathing difficulties.
• You experience severe swelling of your lymph nodes in your neck or armpits.

Top tips for parents:
• Encourage your child to rest and drink plenty of fluids.
• Raise the head of their bed by putting books under the legs if they are struggling to breathe because of a blocked nose.
• Give them paracetamol OR ibuprofen and follow the dosage instructions on the packet.
• A warm moist atmosphere can ease their breathing so use a vaporiser to humidify the air.
• Keep the room at a comfortable temperature and don’t let them get too hot.

07/02/2015

Treating a common cold.
You should be able to treat cold symptoms yourself using over the counter medicines with some simple advice from our pharmacy team.
These treatments include:
• Painkillers such as ibuprofen and paracetamol which are the only type of medication known to be effective in treating colds.
• Decongestants which are designed to help relieve congestion but don’t use them for more than seven days because overuse can make the congestion worse
• Zinc supplements, taken within a day of the symptoms starting, will speed up recovery and lessen the severity of the symptoms but long term use can cause side effects.
• Drink plenty of fluids to replace what is lost through sweating
• Get plenty of rest
• Eat a healthy diet including plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables.
• Use of steam inhalation, gargling with salt water, vapour rubs, menthol sweets and saline drops may all help.

You should avoid antihistamines and cough syrups, as there is no evidence they work for a cold, and antibiotics, because the cause is viral and not bacterial, they may cause side effects and increase antibiotic resistance leading to MRSA etc spreading.

04/02/2015

How does a cold spread and how can I stop it?
A cold spreads through:
1. Direct contact when you sneeze or cough. Tiny droplets of fluid containing the cold virus are lunched into the air and can be breathed in by others.
2. By indirect contact when you sneeze on to a door handle and someone else touches it a few minutes later and then they touch their nose or mouth.

You can help to stop the spread by washing your hands regularly and properly, particularly after touching your nose and mouth and before handling food – for instructions on the best way to wash your hands, ask a member of our staff.

Always sneeze and cough into tissues as this will help prevent virus containing droplets entering the air, throw away tissues immediately and wash your hands. Clean surfaces regularly to keep them free of germs. Use your own cup, plates, cutlery and kitchen utensils and use disposable paper towels to dry your hands and face rather than shared towels.