21st December 2023
Top tips for a healthy festive time and good start to 2024
As we rush around preparing for the festive period please remember to put over-the-counter medicines on your final shopping list. There are some simple things we can all do to help us look after ourselves.
We have asked our urgent treatment team to name their top tips to help us all manage seasonal ailments and to offer advice about when you should seek professional help.
These are your top tips:
- Stock up your medicine cabinet with over-the-counter remedies – paracetamol will help to bring down temperatures as well as ease aches and pains. Plasters and simple dressings that can be purchased from the pharmacy are also useful to have at home.
- Check the use-by date of any medicines you already have at home and replace any that are out of date.
- If you have children at home, remember to stock up on medicines such as Calpol to give your child if they are injured or unwell.
- Steristrips can be bought from the pharmacy and can be used to close simple wounds at home
- Earache, sore throats and coughs are often caused by a viral illness rather than bacterial. Make sure you take paracetamol (if able) as per manufacturers instruction, maintain a high fluid intake and rest at home
- If you are experiencing a persistent cough, headache, sore throat or muscle aches and pains this could be caused by Covid 19 - please carry out a lateral flow test which can be purchased from the supermarket or pharmacy. Covid 19 is still prevalent in our communities and unfortunately has not gone away.
- If you feel you need some advice about your injury or illness ring 111 who are able to give health advice and if required book an appointment at one of our Urgent Treatment Centres.
- Get your flu jab if eligible and haven’t already been vaccinated this winter.
- Choking, chest pain, collapse, signs of a stroke, serious blood loss and serious fractures are all considered emergencies and anyone with these symptoms should go to their nearest Emergency Department.
- More details about Derbyshire’s four urgent treatment centres and the urgent treatment centre in Derby can be found here.