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Health Advice: A-Z

Breast Cancer Awareness Month – October 2023

CoppaFeel! | Check Your Chest | Breast Cancer Awareness Charity Learn the signs of breast cancer | Breast Cancer Now   Advice from NHS Choices: Breast lumps are common and have a number of different causes. Although most lumps aren’t breast cancer, any unusual changes to the breasts should be checked by a GP as

MSK – First Contact Practitioners

MSK—first contact practitioners Increasing numbers of people now have the opportunity to see a musculoskeletal (MSK) practitioner as their first point of contact. Practitioners can come from a range of allied health profession (AHP) disciplines including physiotherapy, osteopathy and podiatry. FCPs offer a musculoskeletal assessment clinic where patients conditions are assessed and diagnosed. They offer guidance on

Fear of Flying

 (Flying Phobia) Benzodiazepines (e.g. Diazepam/ Lorazepam/Temazepam/Alprazolam/ Clonazepam) are drugs which have been in use since the 1960s for treatment of a wide range of conditions including alcohol withdrawal, agitation and restlessness, anxiety, epilepsy and seizures, neurological disorders. muscle spasms, psychiatric disorders and sleep disturbance Initially benzodiazepines were hailed as a wonder drug. However, it became

INHALERS, LET’S GO GREEN

INHALERS, LET’S GO  GREEN    Some inhalers have a higher Carbon Footprint than others, and can have a large impact on our environment. With that in mind, and as Healthcare Professionals, we have a duty of care to our patients. We believe all aspects of health need to be considered, including looking after our environment

Emollients and Fire Risk

Emollients are creams and ointments used commonly for a number of dry skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. Some dressings and bandages may come with ointment already on them. We are reminding all patients of the fire risks of emollients. This is because flammable ingredients from the emollient can build up on things like

Looking after your mental health

Staying at home and self-isolating for a prolonged period can be difficult, frustrating and lonely for some people and you or other household members may feel low. It is important to take care of your mind as well as your body and get support if you need it. There are many sources of support and

Adrenaline Injector Pens

We are writing to patients who have recently been prescribed an adrenaline injector pen in case of anaphylaxis (a severe allergic reaction). It may be that we have just issued this for the first time, that your previous pen has been used/expired, or that supply issues have meant we have had to prescribe you a

The Living Well Programme

The Living Well Programme is a free self-management course for adults living with long term health conditions – physical and/or mental – to learn the skills of self-management of a long term health condition.  The courses are led by volunteer tutors, all of whom have long term conditions and are therefore have lived experience of

Chicken Pox

Chickenpox is common and mostly affects children, although you can get it at any age. It usually gets better by itself within a week without needing to see a GP. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/chickenpox/  

Problems Sleeping

Insomnia Insomnia is a type of sleep disorder. Individuals with insomnia find it difficult to fall asleep, stay asleep, or both. People with insomnia often don’t feel refreshed when they wake up from sleeping, either. This can lead to fatigue and other symptoms. Insomnia is the most common of all sleep disorders. About one-third of

Contraception

You can see any GP at the practice to discuss contraception whether you’re starting a new, because you wish to make a change or need to have your annual review. It is worthwhile to have a look at this website link prior to an appointment so you know the options that are available and this

NHS Self Management

We are keen to help patients improve on self help to ensure you know where to access the information but feels comfortable in managing common ailments that will not always require seeing a GP. Here are a list of common ailments that can be self managed: Back Pain https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/back-pain/ Cold Sores https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cold-sores/ Common Cold https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/common-cold/

Missed Pill Guidance

When prescribed the Combined Contraceptive Pill or Progesterone Only Pill it is important to make sure you take your tablets as prescribed and at the same time every day. If you do every miss a pill please review the advice below as it is different for the different preparations Combined Contraceptive Pill https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/contraception/miss-combined-pill/ Progesterone Only

Emergency Contraception

If you think you need to consider emergency contraception then the sooner you act on this the more options you will have but most importantly this choice will be most effective. Please see the following link to review the options and if you need to consider this. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/contraception/emergency-contraception/ In hours you can talk to a

Emollient safety information

Skin products containing paraffin based products, for example White Soft Paraffin, White Soft Paraffin plus 50% Liquid Paraffin or Emulsifying ointment, in contact with dressings and clothing are easily ignited with a naked flame or a cigarette. If you are being treated with a paraffin based product, for example, White Soft Paraffin, White Soft Paraffin

Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome

Greater Trochanteric pain syndrome information can be found at https://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/resources/patient-information/therapies/physiotherapy/greater-trochanteric-pain-syndrome.pdf http://www.nwbh.nhs.uk/greater-trochanteric-pain-syndrome

Ganglion Cysts

Ganglion cysts information can be found at http://www.bssh.ac.uk/patients/conditions/20/ganglion_cysts

Trigger Finger

Trigger finger information can be found at http://www.bssh.ac.uk/patients/conditions/18/trigger_fingerthumb

Carpal Tunnel

Carpal tunnel information can be found at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/carpal-tunnel-syndrome/ http://www.bssh.ac.uk/patients/conditions/21/carpal_tunnel_syndrome

Golfers Elbow

Golfers elbow information can be found at http://physio.hey.nhs.uk/common-injuries/upper-limb-injuries/golfers-elbow

Tendonitis

Useful information about the management of tendonitis can be found at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/tendonitis/

Arm and Elbow Pain

Useful general information about arm and elbow pain can be found at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/elbow-and-arm-pain/

Back Pain and Sciatica

Lower back pain is common affecting about 80% of people at some point in their lives. Acute back pain resolves within 6 weeks but chronic back pain, by definition, lasts longer. Sciatica implies entrapment of the sciatic nerve into the leg causing numbness and/or pain and in more severe cases weakness. The following weblink is

Cortisone/Steroid Injections

A Cortisone/steroid injection can be useful in certain Musculoskeletal conditions and may be suggested as a treatment by your GP. The following advice sheet is useful for patients who have Cortisone/ steroid injections and has been produced by our local hospital service. http://sussexmskpartnershipcentral.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Local-Steroid-Injections.pdf

Physiotherapy Self Treatment

Physiotherapy self treatment sheets Here are some leaflets to help you manage your condition, these have been reviewed and approved by our clinical staff to be the best information for patients. Achilles Tendon Pain – Advice and Exercises Ankle Sprain – Advice and Exercises Frozen Shoulder – Advice and Exercises Knee Pain – Advice and

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis of the hip or knee in early stages, when it is restricting rather than debilitating can be managed by weight loss, if overweight and occasional paracetamol and a trial of glucosamine and chondroitin (available from most chemists) which have both been shown to be of benefit in mild to moderate arthritis. To help decide

Sprains and Strains

Sprains and strains are common and it can be difficult to decide whether to consult the GP or the A and E department for advice and further assessment. The following website can be useful in the initial assessment stage after injury. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sprains-and-strains/ If you have a sprain or strain, you may be wondering about the

Help my NHS to give me the best care

Help your local NHS to free up millions of pounds for frontline services by buying your own medicines for short term ailments, over the counter at a pharmacy. With many common ailments you can care for yourself using medicines bought over the counter at a pharmacy – and you won’t need a prescription. It’s easier,

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)

What is CKD? This is usually diagnosed by a blood test.  It is a long term condition where, in some cases, the function of the kidneys very slowly reduces. This means the kidneys are not as able to do their usual jobs, such as removing excess water and waste from the body. It means we

Medication and Dehydration: Sick day rules

What is the potential problem? Taking certain medicines when you are dehydrated can result in you developing a more serious illness. The ‘Medicine Sick Day Rules’  lists medicines that should be temporarily stopped during a dehydrating illness. ACE inhibitors: a medicine for high blood pressure and heart conditions. If you are dehydrated, these medicines can

Physiotherapy

You can self refer to the local NHS physiotherapy service. This service provides NHS rehabilitation services in Brighton, Mid Sussex, Crawley, Horsham and East Grinstead. Their team comprises of physiotherapists and support administrative staff with osteopaths and physiotherapy assistants available on some sites. Musculoskeletal physiotherapy helps to restore movement and function when someone is affected

Wasted Medication

The cost of wasted medication Unused prescription medicines cost the NHS in the UK an estimated £300million every year. This could pay for: 11,778 MORE community nurses or 80,906 MORE hip replacements or 19,799 MORE drug treatment courses for breast cancer or 300,000 MORE drug treatment courses for Alzheimer’s or 312,175 MORE cataract operations How Can You Help? 1. Only order the medicines that

What can I do to help if my child is ill?

A child’s immune system is very powerful, and will clear up most common infections by itself. You can help your child fight the infection by making sure they get plenty of rest and offering them healthy food (like fruit). Give your child plenty to drink. This will help prevent dehydration, loosen phlegm, and lubricate the

Earache

There is normally no need to treat ear infections with antibiotics. Pain control with Paracetamol and / or Ibuprofen is all that is normally needed. If your child is having hearing problems, or the ear is draining, they should see a GP. How long will it last? A sore throat typically lasts around 1 week

Sore Throat

A sore throat does not need any treatment to make it go away. It will get better by itself If your child seems very unwell or has a sore throat and temperature, but no cough, for more than 3 days, he or she should see a doctor or nurse. You do not need to look

Common Cold

Colds are very common. Normal, healthy children can sometimes have 8 or more colds in a year! How long will it last? A cold typically lasts around 1 week Do antibiotics help? There is no evidence that antibiotics help with colds This information comes from the “When should I worry leaflet?” http://www.whenshouldiworry.com/resources/When%20should%20I%20worry-Booklet_Scotland.pdf

Cough/Chesty Cough

When young children catch a cold they often develop a ‘noisy chest’ or a ‘chesty cough’. This can be worrying for parents who believe that a chesty cough is a sign of a ‘chest infection’. Young children often get noisy chests. This is because they have smaller airways and thinner rib cages than adults. A

Testosterone Replacement Treatment (TRT)

What is testosterone? Testosterone is a hormone produced by the testicles. It can be given to men as replacement therapy when the body’s natural testosterone levels fall too low. The aim of treatment is to restore testosterone levels to the normal state without any adverse effects. How to take or use testosterone A doctor has

Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT)

What is the faecal immunochemical test? The Faecal immunochemical test detects tiny amounts of blood in your faeces (poo / stool), which you would not normally see or be aware of. You should complete the test as soon as possible. What is the purpose of the test? The test helps to diagnose bleeding disorders of

Mid Sussex Wellbeing

Mid-Sussex Wellbeing are a great resource and can provide excellent information regarding advice and supports on how to make small changes for big differences to your health and well being. They can provide support with exercise, weight loss, wellbeing coaches, sociability and have access to a whole host of organisations accessing as a gateway to

Quit Smoking

Stopping smoking can make a drastic improvement to your lifestyle and health in ways you might not expect. Once you stop smoking, some of the benefits are immediate and some are longer-term. Most smokers want to stop but quitting is hard. Many people make several attempts before they succeed. It’s even harder when people are

COPD

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a long-term condition, which leads to narrowing of the airways and difficulty breathing. It is usually progressive but deterioration of the symptoms can be slowed with appropriate management. Currently approximately 1.2million people in the UK are diagnosed with COPD. Usually COPD is a condition of older adults and one of

Asthma

  Asthma is one of the UK’s most common long-term respiratory (airways) diseases with approximately 5.4million people currently receiving treatment for it. It is caused by inflammation of the airways, which can be triggered in multiple situations and leads to restricted breathing. This may present as a wheeze or chronic cough.   It is a

High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)

Hypertension   Worldwide hypertension is the leading risk factor for premature death, stroke and heart disease and over 25% of adults in the UK have hypertension. The challenge with hypertension is that often patients remain without symptoms for a significant period of time so the only way to know if you have hypertension is to

PSA

Have you been thinking about getting a PSA test? In the last few weeks there has been lots of media attention focussed on prostate cancer.  Several celebrities have shared their experiences and data has been published showing deaths from prostate cancer have overtaken the number from breast cancer for the first time in the UK.

Diabetes

Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes a person’s blood sugar level to become too high. There are 2 main types of diabetes: type 1 diabetes – where the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin type 2 diabetes – where the body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or the body’s cells don’t react to insulin

Diarrhoea and Vomiting

Diarrhoea and vomiting are common in adults, children and babies. They’re often caused by a stomach bug and should stop in a few days. The advice is the same if you have diarrhoea and vomiting together or separately. How to treat diarrhoea and vomiting yourself You can usually treat yourself or your child at home.

Flu

You can often treat the flu without seeing your GP and should begin to feel better in about a week. Check if you have flu Flu symptoms come on very quickly and can include: a sudden fever – a temperature of 38C or above an aching body feeling tired or exhausted a dry cough a

Youth emotional support service

The Youth Emotional Support (YES) team provides a free service for young people aged 11-18 looking for support for their wellbeing. They can support you with mood, anxiety, relationship issues, self-injury, self esteem and significant live events. They provide this in a one-one support and group working capacity. You can self refer to their services

Online psychological Self Help

Here are some self help links to websites that some patients find useful: https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/ http://www.moodjuice.scot.nhs.uk/ https://moodgym.com.au/ Information for parents/carers https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/improve-mental-wellbeing/ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/free-therapy-or- counselling/ https://moodcafe.co.uk/ https://web.ntw.nhs.uk/selfhelp/ This is an Australian site that has some useful resources which may be helpful: https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/ This is a recommended YouTube channel that says it in simple ways and isn’t trying