Patient Newsletter

Christmas Opening Hours

• 24th December: Normal Hours
• 25th December: Closed
• 26th Decemeber: Closed
• 27th December: Normal Hours
• 28th December: Closed
• 29th December: Closed
• 30th December: Normal Hours
• 31st December: Normal Hours
• 1st January: Closed
• 2nd January: Normal Hours

Winter is here...

Treating your respiratory tract infections

Colds, most coughs, sinusitis, ear infections, sore throats, and other infections often get better without antibiotics, as your body can usually fight these infections on its own. Taking any antibiotics makes bacteria that live inside your body more resistant. This means that antibiotics may not work when you really need them. Antibiotics can cause side effects such as rashes, thrush, stomach pains, diarrhoea, reactions to sunlight, other symptoms, or being sick if you drink alcohol with metronidazole.

• Have plenty of rest.
• Drink enough fluids to avoid feeling thirsty.
• Ask your local pharmacist to recommend medicines to help your symptoms or pain (or both).
• Fever is a sign the body is fighting the infection and usually gets better by itself in most cases. You can use paracetamol if you or your child are uncomfortable because of a fever.

Most patients will be feeling better within these timescales

• Middle-ear infection: 8 days
• Sore throat: 7 to 8 days
• Sinusitis: 14 to 21 days
• Common cold: 14 days
• Cough or bronchitis: 21 days

When to seek help for your condition

If you or your child has any of these symptoms, are getting worse or are sicker than you would expect (even if your/their temperature falls), trust your instincts and seek medical advice urgently from NHS 111 or your GP Practice. If a child under the age of 5 has any of symptoms 1 to 3 go to A&E immediately or call 999.

1. if your skin is very cold or has a strange colour or you develop an unusual rash
2. If you have new feelings of confusion or drowsiness or have slurred speech
3. If you have difficulty breathing. Signs that suggest breathing problems can be:
   1. Breathing quickly
   2. Turning blue around the lips and the skin below the mouth
4. if you develop a severe headache and are sick
5. if you develop chest pain
6. if you have difficulty swallowing or are drooling
7. if you cough up blood
8. if you are passing little or no urine
9. if you are feeling a lot worse

Less serious signs that can usually wait until the next available appointment

• If you are not starting to improve a little by the time given in ‘Most are better by’
• Children with middle-ear infection: if fluid is coming out of their ears or they have new deafness.

If you would like to print off this information, we also provide a pdf document which you can download here 

Published: Dec 10, 2024