As winter settles in with its inevitable seasonal viruses, Lanarkshire residents are reminded that sometimes, the road to recovery begins right at home.
For those experiencing minor illnesses or less serious injuries, self-care can be the key to a swift recovery.
Self-care advice is available via NHS Lanarkshire’s new online Winter Health Hub, an online resource designed to help Lanarkshire residents access a wide range of healthcare services this winter.
Dr Chris Deighan for NHS Lanarkshire, said: “In many cases, minor illnesses can be effectively managed at home.
“By understanding your symptoms and having the right medications in your medicine cabinet, you can enable yourself to recover comfortably at home, without the need for a GP or Out of Hours appointment.
“NHS Inform has a lots of handy resources in the form of self-help guides. These guides use a set of questions similar to those posed by GP or NHS 24 call handlers to gauge the severity of health concerns.
“It has guides on a range of common ailments, including sore throats, cold, cough, flu, earache, abdominal pain, rashes, backache and headaches.”
A well-stocked medicine cabinet is helpful in managing minor illnesses. Advice can also be sought from Community Pharmacies, which can be a great first port of call for healthcare advice and treatments for many common minor clinical conditions, without the need for a prescription.
The Pharmacy First Service can also see your pharmacist support you with minor conditions such as coughs and colds, sore throats, upset stomachs, constipation and diarrhoea.
Details of all pharmacies open throughout the festive period can be found on NHS Lanarkshire’s Winter Health Hub.
Items to include in your medicine cabinet include paracetamol, hydration sachets for managing diarrhoea, sickness tablets to alleviate vomiting and indigestion remedies such as antacids.
Other useful over the counter medications include mild laxatives for constipation and medications suitable for children.
Dr Deighan added: “While self-care is effective for many minor illnesses, it’s crucial to recognise when additional health care is needed.
“If symptoms persist without improvement or worsen over time, consider seeking further advice by consulting your community pharmacist, contacting your GP or calling NHS24 on 111 when your GP practice is closed.”
To access the Winter Health Hub and view GP and Pharmacy opening times, visit: https://www.nhslanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk/your-health/winter-health/
