Struggling with a cough or cold? Maybe it’s flu, could it be covid? All have similar unpleasant symptoms that make you feel unwell.
Unfortunately this time of year there are a lot of respiratory viruses circulating in the community and it is easy to pick up a nasty virus. These are often of short duration lasting somewhere between 7-10 days.
Your pharmacist or local corner shop can help with medications such as paracetamol, cold or flu preparations and throat pastels to ease symptoms. As this is a viral infection, antibiotics will not clear the symptoms or make you feel any better. In some cases antibiotics can cause other unwanted side effects such as vomiting, stomach upsets, loose stools and rashes. Making you feel much worse.
What can you do to help yourself?
• To reduce the risk of spreading a cold; wash your hands often with warm water and soap, use tissues when you cough or sneeze and bin them once used as quickly as possible.
• Rest and drink plenty of fluids.
• Gargle with salty water (do not swallow) and steam inhalation.
• Coughs will usually resolve within 3 weeks and colds within 2 weeks.
• Ensure you have a flu vaccine or RSV vaccination, if you are in an ‘at risk category’.
When do I need to see someone at my GP practice?
• For cough or cold symptoms that last more than 3 weeks.
• A bad cough that rapidly gets worse e.g., you have a hacking cough or cannot stop coughing.
• Continuous increased shivery temperature not resolved with paracetamol
• Difficulty breathing or develop chest pain (not just when coughing).
• Unintentional weight loss.
• Side of your neck feels swollen and painful (swollen glands).
• You have a weakened immune system e.g., because of chemotherapy or diabetes.
• Feeling more unwell after 5 days with worsening symptoms that are concerning you.
• If you have a long-term medical condition e.g COPD, heart failure.
• Call us urgently if you’re coughing up blood