Self Treatment of Common Illnesses and Accidents
| Self Treatment of Common Illnesses and Accidents |
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Many common aches and pains can be simply treated at home without the need to consult a doctor.
But first:
If you have central chest pains for more than 15 minutes, this may represent the symptoms of a "heart attack". The other symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, sweating and pain may spread into the jaw, neck, arms, through to the back or upper abdomen. Under these circumstances: call "999" for an emergency ambulance to take you to hospital immediately, take one normal dose aspirin tablet (unless you are allergic to aspirin) and call your GP.
This is fairly uncommon. It comes in a variety of forms. Viral meningitis is usually mild and less serious, it may go undiagnosed. Bacterial meningitis is very much more serious. It can be caused by a number of different bacteria. It can occur at all ages, though certain forms are commoner in childhood and young adults. The classical symptoms are of headache, pain from bright lights (photophobia), neck stiffness and fever. This can be mimicked by less serious illnesses. The other (especially the earliest) symptoms and those in infants can be less clearcut such as flu-like symptoms, fever, vomiting, going off feeds, high pitched cry, drowsiness and rashes. It is an occassional cause for febrile convulsions (fits due to high temperatures in childhood). The rash of meningococcal meningitis typically does not blanch. This can be demonstrated with the "glass test"- a glass tumbler pressed onto the spots of the rash will not make it disappear or fade, but will do for most of the other common causes of rashes. Early diagnosis is important as an early injection of antibiotic may help to save life.
Immunisation is now available in childhood for Hib and Meningococcal C forms of bacterial meningitis.
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