Ear Syringing
If you have been told you have a problem with producing excessive earwax, you may need your ears syringed. In the past we have asked patients to instil olive oil to soften the wax for one week prior to syringing, but now require this to be done for two weeks. The reason for this is to enable us to syringe ears more effectively, with the minimum of discomfort. Ear care advice sheets are available from the Surgery. If you have any pain in your ears or doubts as to whether wax is causing your hearing problems, please come to an Open Surgery.
Flu vaccinations
Flu vaccinations will be available for the following people who may be at risk should they contract the illness. Anyone who has:
- Chronic respiratory disease including asthma
- Chronic heart disease
- Chronic renal failure
- Diabetes mellitus
- Immunosuppression due to disease or treatment
- 65 years or older
Flu is a very unpleasant viral disease which can put you out of action for days and in some cases leave you feeling unwell for weeks. If you fall into any of the above categories it is strongly recommended that you receive the vaccine. Telephone the Surgery to arrange an injection appointment. Facts The vaccine is approximately 80% effective against the flu virus. The vaccine does NOT protect against colds or chest infection. You cannot get flu from having the vaccine. About 2% of vaccinated patients get mild "cold-like" symptoms for a few days after vaccination.
Coughs and Colds
Coughs and colds are extremely common. They affect more people than any other common condition. On average people develop between 3 and 12 colds per year depending on your age. Children between 4 and 8 years of age are most likely to contract a cold and it can appear to a child's parents that one cold follows another.
When to seek help? Coughs and colds can lead to other problems, which may need to be seen by your doctor. If you develop any difficulty breathing, develop chest pain, feel so poorly that you don't want to get out of bed or the cough has lasted more than three weeks you should contact the surgery.
What medication should I try? Coughs and colds are not normally helped by antibiotics and it is unlikely that your GP will prescribe them. There are many medicines that can be bought from your local pharmacist that will help to relieve the symptoms and make you feel better. Cough medicines are of two types, suppressants to treat dry coughs and expectorants to treat chesty coughs. Sometimes the cough medicine will also have something added to help with a blocked or runny nose. (Decongestant) Cold remedies aim to relieve your sore throat, any aches and pains and to treat other symptoms such as a cough or blocked nose. Local anaesthetics are generally best to soothe a sore throat; ask the pharmacist to recommend the right one for you. Paracetamol, aspirin or ibroprofen are all equally good for helping with aches and pains. If you see your pharmacist about your symptoms, he/she may ask you some questions to make sure they select the best medicine for you. Any pharmacist can help you. The nearest Pharmacist to Stour Surgery is Moss Chemist, located adjacent to our car park at the rear of the surgery.