Minor Illness
We encourage all our patients to take responsibility for their own health and there is a lot that you can do to treat yourself if you are suffering from minor self-limiting illness. By treating yourself for 48h you can avoid the need to consult a health professional for most minor conditions.
The patient.co.uk website is a really useful online resource with information and advice about a wide range of medical problems.
Click on the condtion you are interested in to see some examples from patient.co.uk (there are hundreds more - too many to list them all here)
Acute diarrhoea (adults)
Acute diarrhoea (children)
Coughs and colds in children
Dyspepsia (indigestion)
Ears and flying
Sore throat
If you are worried that what you have is something more serious you should seek further advice from your doctor.
Other sources of advice include the pharmacist at your local chemist and NHS direct (the 'Check your symptoms' page has an extensive menu that can help you decide if what you have is serious).
Some people are at higher risk of complications from even minor illnesses and these people should seek medical advice if there are any concerns that things are not settling. Babies and the elderly are more vulnerable. People with chronic health problems and people on certain medication which can lower your resitance to illness are also in the at-risk groups.
