Self-care for Diarrhoea & Vomiting Caused By Norovirus

Feeling sick? Having watery diarrhoea and projectile vomiting? Well, you might have catch norovirus infection!

It’s winter and the incidence of norovirus is high. Norovirus, also called “winter vomiting bug” is one of the common stomach flus in the UK. Usually, it is a self-limiting infection and clears up within a few days, but the symptoms are very unpleasant.

Fortunately, with proper self-care, you can overcome the symptoms of norovirus, such as diarrhoea and vomiting. Experts often advise people to avoid going to a GP, as the infection is contagious and can spread very easily. However, if the symptoms persist for more than two days, immediately seek medical attention.

To help ease the signs and symptoms:

• Drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration. You may need to drink fluids more than usual to correct the electrolyte imbalance caused by profuse diarrhoea and vomiting. You can also try fruit juices and soups. Make sure you avoid fizzy drinks that can aggravate the diarrhoea.
• Get plenty of bed rest.
• If you want to eat, try plain foods such as rice, bread, pasta or soup. Do not eat junk or fatty foods that are not easy to digest.
• Take Paracetamol to bring down fever or pains and aches.
• You can use anti-diarrhoeal and/or anti-emetic (for vomiting) medicine. You should check with your doctor before using vomiting or diarrhoea medicines, as they are not suitable for everyone.
• If you notice signs of dehydration such as dry mouth, scanty and dark urine with fatigue, use special rehydration fluids.

When to see your GP?

If you notice bloody or black stools with severe abdominal pain, visit your doctor right away. If both vomiting and diarrhoea persist for more than an hour, call your healthcare provider. Severe diarrhoea with signs of dehydration needs proper medical care. Diarrhoea and vomiting in babies should be treated under the supervision of a GP.

Head Lice Treatment

Head lice are tiny brown or grey insects that cling to hairs but adhere to scalp where they feed off. They lay eggs that hatch after seven to 10 days. It takes some time for new lice to hatch louse and grow into adult. Nits are an empty white egg shells that are left on scalp. They are often mistake with dandruff. Nits adhere strongly to your hair, which are not easy to brush off.
Checking head lice is not easy. They are difficult to notice just by looking in the hair or scalp. The best way to check is comb the hair with a detection comb. Experts advise people to do this at least once in a week. This can be helpful if you are in contact with people who have head lice or if you experience it recurrently.

Detection Comb Method

For Wet Hair

Usually, it takes 10 to 15 minutes to check the head, depending on the hair thickness and length. Before using the detection comb, wash your hair with a quality shampoo, rinse and apply conditioner, and then comb your hair with a normal comb to overcome tangles. Detection comb is a special fine-teethed comb that is available at any online pharmacy store. Use it carefully; make sure the teeth of the detection comb touches the scalp. Now, draw the comb toward the tips of the hair.
After each stroke, just check for any lice with the help of a magnifying glass. If you notice any lice, wipe the detection comb with a tissue to rinse it. After completing with whole head, wash out the conditioner and repeat the procedure to check for any remaining lice.

For Dry Hair

Untangle the hair with an ordinary comb or brush. Once your hair gets free, use detection comb and follow the procedure mentioned in wet hair. Comb every section at least three to four times. If you notice any nits, just trap it with your thumb. This prevents the risk of louse being repulsed. Continue combing until your whole scalp is completely combed.

Head Lice Treatment

If you have frequent head lice problem, see a GP or pharmacist who can advise you hair and scalp treatment. The treatment usually depends on your personal preferences and the kind of treatment you tried before. Effective medicines are available in the form of topical solutions and spray gels. They help clear head lice if used aptly. Head lice are highly communicable and one should always look for them with a detection comb. If detected, one should immediately go for head lice treatment. At the same time, other family members should be treated; this helps prevent spreading.

Understanding Torticollis

Torticollis is a health condition characterized by the chronic neck pain with stiffens. It means twisted neck, which is commonly called wry neck. Many people often wake up with wry neck or acute torticollis. Usually, the pain and stiffness stay for a few days and subside without any specific treatment. Pain relief medications are helpful. Mild neck exercises relieve the pain and stiffness.

The cause of acute torticollis or wry neck is idiopathic. It may happen to people with no previous history of neck symptoms. Mostly, it is experienced due to a mild sprain or strain of a neck muscle or ligament. Some of the potential causes include:

·         Sleeping or sitting in an awkward position without proper neck support

·         Improper posture while using a computer

·         Lifting heavy objects or carrying heavy loads improperly

·         Exposure to extreme cold weather

It is very common to go to bed feeling good and to wake up in the morning with a wry neck. The awkward twisting of neck occurs when your muscles or ligament supporting the neck experience sprain or strain, which can be painful. Usually, the pain is on the either side of the neck. The pain aggravates when you try to straighten or move the neck. Sometimes, the pain may radiate to your head or shoulder. The affected muscles become tender and undergo spasm on pressure, because of which the movement is restricted.

Wry Neck Treatment

The aim is to relieve the pain and reduce the stiffness. Gentle neck exercises help relieve the pain as well as stiffness. Gradually try to enhance the range of movements. Do not to put more strain while performing neck exercises. Avoid driving until your neck pain subsides and you can move your neck freely.

Pain relief medications are often helpful, such as Paracetamol and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like Ibuprofen, Diclofenac or Naproxen. Unfortunately, people with history of liver or kidney disease cannot use painkillers. In severe cases, a stronger painkiller (codeine) or a muscle relaxant (diaxepam) is beneficial. Heat wraps or heat & pain relief patches can help reduce the neck stiffness.

You can prevent acute torticollis by sitting and sleeping in a proper position. A firm supporting pillow is of great help when sleeping.

Probiotics May Help People With Dementia

A recent study has found that probiotics in yoghurt or supplements may help improve memory in people with history of Alzheimer’s disease. The report has suggested that people who were under good bacterial supplement had significant improvement in there brain function tests.

Probiotics are good bacteria and yeasts that are known to have certain health benefits. The natural source of probiotics is yoghurt. Probiotics are also available in the form of supplements.

A medical research team advised people with serious Alzheimer’s to have probiotic drink on a daily basis for 12 weeks. They measured the alterations in the brain function test before and after the supplementation. Eventually, they found mild improvement in people who took probiotics than people who did not. However, it is not clear whether the improvement is sufficient to approve it clinically or therapeutically.

While the findings are not so conclusive, researchers opine that there should be some association between the gut health and the brain function. Exploring the association between these bodily systems could help draw out new insights and plausible treatments for Alzheimer’s disease or other types of dementia.

At present, there are no possible safety concerns about the use of probiotics. More studies are required to claim that probiotics are an evidence-based treatment for Alzheimer’s.

The current study concluded that the probiotic supplementation for 12 weeks has favourable effect on the brain function. It may also help improve cognitive function in people with dementia after 12 weeks of therapy. In addition, probiotics are known to have effects on metabolism and inflammation in the body.

Apart from improving brain function, probiotics have beneficial effect on a person’s gastrointestinal system, as they improve bacterial intestinal flora that enhances digestion.

Dietary recommendation for people with Alzheimer’s disease is exactly the same as for other people, such as eating a well-balanced diet.

Stay Healthy In Cold Weather

In England, the health department officials have alarmed the probability of severe cold weather, heavy snow and icy conditions. Extreme cold weather can make you vulnerable to certain health issues. It is important that you take utmost care of your health during extreme cold weather conditions, especially if you are old.

People with pre-existing cardiac issues, chronic respiratory illness, seasonal allergies and rheumatic disorders are advised to take special precautions during icy cold conditions. Also, infants and young children are at the risk of developing health issues caused by cold weather. Hence, it is important to care of yourself and your family members to prevent medical issues that are aggravated by icy conditions, such as cold and cough, sore throat, allergies, asthma, etc.

How to stay healthy in icy cold weather?

Dress heavily and cover the exposed part

Cover your skin as much as possible, as frostbites may develop within a shorter duration of exposure to icy weather. Wear warm, waterproof jackets, waterproof gloves/boots and hat. Choose silk or wool inner layers, as they retain more heat than cotton.

Keep yourself dry

Do not wear wet clothing, as you are more prone to hypothermia in cold and wet conditions. If you get wet, make sure you change into dry clothing.

Be aware of outdoor conditions

Before going outdoors, make sure you check the weather report. This will help you take necessary precautions so that you can prevent health issues caused by extremely cold conditions. If possible, reschedule your outdoor activities or spend little amount of time.

If you experience any kind of sickness during extreme cold weather conditions, immediately see your GP. Meanwhile, you can follow the above mentioned safety tips. If you experience cough, cold, allergy or frostbites, you can use over-the-counter cough and cold treatment, allergy medicines or skin care medications, but after consulting your medical advisor.

At PharmacyOutlet, you can buy OTC medicines online that are useful in treating common health issues caused by extreme cold weather.

Overcome Allergic Rhinitis With Galpharm Tablets

Allergic rhinitis, also called hay fever, is one of the most common allergic conditions in the UK. It usually affects people with weak, poor or underdeveloped immune system. An allergy is an exaggerated response between a sensitive immune system and an allergen. Allergic rhinitis is an inflammation of the nose caused by the invasion of pollen.

When an allergic reaction takes place, the body releases chemical called histamine. Histamine plays a great role in giving rise to inflammation and irritation, producing excess mucus in the nasal passages and allergy symptoms such as:

• Frequent sneezing
• Nasal congestion
• Nasal blockage
• Post-nasal discharge
• Nasal itching
• Red, watery and itchy eyes
• Mild fever with cough and dry throat

How to overcome allergic rhinitis?

There are various medicines effective in treating hay fever, while Cetirizine is one of them. Galpharm Hayfever and Allergy Relief Tablets contain 10mg Cetirizine, which is an ideal dose for adults with allergic rhinitis. Cetirizine is an antihistamine drug that looks after inhibiting the histamine receptor cells in order to stop the body from releasing histamine. Once histamine is reduced, the inflammation and irritation subside, relieving the symptoms of hay fever.

You need to take one pill once a day for seven consecutive days to achieve cure. Physicians often advise patients to take the dose before going to bed. That’s because the drug has the ability to produce mild to moderate dizziness. Although Cetirizine is available over-the-counter, it is important to see your GP before using it.

Do not give Galpharm Hayfever and Allergy Tablets to children, as they need this allergy medicine in lower potencies and in syrup form. Keep this allergy medicine away from direct heat and sunlight; otherwise, the drug may lose its efficacy. More importantly, store this allergy relief medicine out of the reach and sight of children.

Contact your GP if you experience any unwanted side effects such as skin rashes, breathlessness, headache, swelling of face of extreme dizziness.

Use Galpharm Hayfever and Allergy Tablets to get relief from allergic rhinitis! 

Get Rid of Bloating Or Trapped Wind

Stomach or abdominal bloating is a common problem. Most of us often experience the feeling of bloating or gaseous distension, making our tummy puffy, uncomfortable and stretched. It is usually experienced after a big weekend or during a festive season, as we tend to overeat such times. However, for some people, it is just an occasional problem.

Following are the causes of bloating or trapped wind:

• Excess wind
• Indigestion
• Constipation
• Swallowing too much air while eating or talking
• Food intolerance
• Coeliac disease
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

How to get rid of bloating?

Treating and correcting the underlying condition can help overcome trapped wind or bloating. For instance, cutting out fizzy foods and drinks can help you get rid of trapped wind. Eat healthy and perform regular exercise to overcome bloating.

Cut down foods that cause bloating, such as onions, beans, cabbage, sprouts, cauliflower and broccoli. Make sure you eat fresh fruits and vegetables that are rich in dietary fibre. If you have chronic constipation, eat fibre-rich diet, drink plenty of water and do regular exercise. Brisk walking for 20 minutes daily would help improve bowel function.

Do not swallow too much of air while talking and eating. Sit down to eat and chew the food thoroughly before gulping. Reduce or avoid the intake of fizzy drinks and stop chewing gum.

When your bowel fails to empty properly or the food produces gas, you experience trapped wind due to food intolerance. Wheat (gluten) and dairy products are the main culprits. The best way to get rid of bloating caused by these foodstuffs is to avoid or reduce the intake of such foods.

Coeliac disease is a digestive condition where the intestines fail to absorb gluten. Apart from trapped wind, you may experience diarrhoea, abdominal discomfort and weakness. Gluten-free diet is the best way in such cases. IBS causes bloating with alternate diarrhoea and constipation.

If bloating persists even after following the aforementioned steps, make sure you see your GP, because it may indicate some serious medical issues. Over-the-counter medicines containing calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate may help reduce trapped wind or bloating.