Self-care is about keeping fit and healthy, understanding when you can look after yourself, when a pharmacist can help, and when to get advice from your GP or another health professional. If you have a long-term condition, self-care is about understanding that condition and how to live with it.
We’re here to help you help keep yourself fit and healthy. The four most commons ways that you can self care are:
1) Having a well stocked medicine cabinet
There’s a wide range of self-care medication available in pharmacies, shops and supermarkets that can be used to treat common ailments and save you the trouble of a GP appointment.
For advice on which medicines are suitable for you and your family speak to a community pharmacist.
It’s a good idea to have a stock of the following at home:
Pain relief – Painkillers like paracetamol and ibuprofen are highly effective at relieving most minor aches and pains, such as headaches and period pain, and the symptoms of colds and flu. Ibuprofen can also help reduce the inflammation seen in arthritis and sprains.
Antihistamine tablets – useful for dealing with allergies, insect bites and hay fever.
Oral rehydration salts – to help restore your body’s natural balance of minerals and fluid after a fever, diarrhoea or vomiting
Anti-diarrhoea tablets – can quickly control the symptoms of diarrhoea, although they don’t deal with the underlying cause. These shouldn’t be given to children under 12. Speak to your pharmacist for advice.
Antacids – to relieve indigestion or heartburn.
Sunscreen – ensure it provides UVA and it is at least factor 15. Protect yourself further by wearing a hat and sunglasses, and by avoiding the sun between 11:00am and 3:00pm.
As with all medicines, always read the label to make sure they are suitable for you, and keep them out of the reach of children. Ask your pharmacist if you need any advice about medicines or are unsure if they are suitable for you to take.
What you should have in your first-aid kit
Keeping a well-stocked first-aid kit can help you treat minor injuries, sprains and bruises at home, and reduce the risk of cuts becoming infected.
It’s a good idea to have the following items in your first aid kit at home:
Bandages – to support sprained and injured limbs, and to apply direct pressure to larger cuts before being treated in hospital.
Plasters – a range of sizes, waterproof if possible.
Thermometer – digital thermometers give very accurate readings; under-arm or ear thermometers are good ways to read a baby or young child’s temperature.
Antiseptic – this can be used to clean cuts before they’re bandaged, and most can treat insect stings, ulcers and spots; alcohol-free antiseptic wipes are useful to clean cuts.
Eyewash solution – to wash out grit or dirt in the eyes.
Sterile dressings – to dress larger injuries to prevent infection until treatment can be given by a health professional.
Medical tape –used to stick dressings on the skin and can also be used to tape an injured finger to an uninjured one, creating a makeshift splint.
Tweezers – for taking out splinters (if left in the skin they can cause pain and infection).
A small amount of money spent on the contents of a first-aid kit can make a big difference when treating injuries at home.
