{"id":1128,"date":"2026-08-06T16:04:47","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T15:04:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/surgerywebtemp.com\/c82021\/?page_id=1128"},"modified":"2026-08-06T16:04:47","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T15:04:47","slug":"self-care","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/surgerywebtemp.com\/c82021\/self-care\/","title":{"rendered":"Self Care"},"content":{"rendered":"

Did you know that 10 of the most minor ailments seen by GPs can also be treated by you at home?<\/p>\n

By treating yourself at home you could save a trip to the surgery and free up time for the GPs to see patients with more serious health problems.<\/p>\n

Read about some of the most effective home treatments on the NHS Choices website for:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Back pain<\/li>\n
  2. Dermatitis<\/li>\n
  3. Heartburn and indigestion<\/li>\n
  4. Nasal congestion (blocked nose)<\/li>\n
  5. Constipation<\/li>\n
  6. Migraines<\/li>\n
  7. Coughs<\/li>\n
  8. Acne<\/li>\n
  9. Sprains and strains<\/li>\n
  10. Headaches<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Visit the NHS website<\/a><\/p>\n

    Antibiotics<\/h3>\n

    Each year 25% of the population visit their GP for a respiratory tract infection (eg sinus, throat or chest infection). These are usually caused by viruses.<\/p>\n

    For patients who are otherwise healthy, antibiotics are not necessary for viral infections.<\/p>\n

    These infections will normally clear up by looking after yourself at home with rest, plenty of fluids and paracetamol.<\/p>\n

    Ear infections typically last 4 days<\/strong><\/p>\n

    89% of cases clear up on their own<\/p>\n

    A sore throat typically lasts 7 days<\/strong><\/p>\n

    40% of cases clear up after 3 days and 90% after 7 days without antibiotics<\/p>\n

    Sinusitis typically lasts 17 days<\/strong><\/p>\n

    80% clear up in 14 days without antibiotics<\/p>\n

    Cough\/bronchitis typically lasts 21 days<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Antibiotics reduce symptoms by only 1 day<\/p>\n

    Antibiotics only work for infections caused by bacteria.<\/p>\n

    Taking unnecessary antibiotics for viral infections should be avoided because they may not be effective next time you have a bacterial infection.<\/p>\n

    Patients with long-term conditions such as asthma, diabetes and COPD are eligible for flu and pneumococcal vaccinations. Ask at reception for more information.<\/p>\n

    Medicine cabinet<\/h3>\n

    You can treat many minor ailments such as colds, coughs and indigestion by keeping a well-stocked medicine cabinet at home.<\/p>\n

    We suggest you keep the following:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • Paracetamol and aspirin (children under 16 and people with asthma should not take aspirin)<\/li>\n
    • Mild laxatives<\/li>\n
    • Anti-diarrhoeal medicines<\/li>\n
    • Rehydration mixture<\/li>\n
    • Indigestion remedy (for example, antacids)<\/li>\n
    • Travel sickness tablets<\/li>\n
    • Sunscreen \u2013 SPF15 or higher<\/li>\n
    • Sunburn treatment (for example, calamine)<\/li>\n
    • Tweezers and sharp scissors<\/li>\n
    • A thermometer<\/li>\n
    • A selection of plasters, non-absorbent cotton wool, elastic bandages and dressings<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Remember:<\/strong><\/p>\n

        \n
      • Keep the medicine chest in a secure, locked place out of reach of small children<\/li>\n
      • Always read the instructions and use the suggested dose<\/li>\n
      • Watch expiry dates \u2013 don\u2019t keep or use medicines past their sell-by date<\/li>\n
      • Take all unwanted and out-of-date medicines back to the pharmacy<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Other NHS services<\/h3>\n

        As well as our practice, there are many other local NHS services you can contact for health advice, information or treatment.<\/p>\n

        You can ask your local pharmacist about lots of health issues, including when to visit your GP. And there\u2019s no need for an appointment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        Did you know that 10 of the most minor ailments seen by GPs can also be treated by you at […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1128","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/surgerywebtemp.com\/c82021\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1128","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/surgerywebtemp.com\/c82021\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/surgerywebtemp.com\/c82021\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/surgerywebtemp.com\/c82021\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/surgerywebtemp.com\/c82021\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1128"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/surgerywebtemp.com\/c82021\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1128\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/surgerywebtemp.com\/c82021\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1128"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}