Adults and children aged 12 years and over

Sinusitis is an inflammation of the tissue lining the sinuses, which are hollow cavities in your face and skull. These cavities normally produce mucus, which helps keep the inside of your nose moist and trap dust, allergens, and germs. When the sinuses become blocked and filled with fluid, germs can grow and cause an infection.

Pharmacy First Sinusitis Service may be able to help if you are suffering from symptoms such as:

• Blocked or congested sinuses
• Nasal discharge that is green or yellow in colour
• Facial pain or headache with pressure or tenderness around the eyes, cheeks, and forehead
• Lost or reduced sense of smell
• Toothache or jaw pain
• Raised temperature
• Cough
• Symptoms have not improved for more than 10 days

If your symptoms have been present for more than 12 weeks, or if you are pregnant and aged under 16, then you should arrange to see your GP. Similarly, if you have been diagnosed with a suppressed immune system, then you will need to see your GP.

Adults and children aged 5 years and over

A sore throat is simply a scratchy or painful feeling in your throat. It's often caused by a cold or flu virus, making it painful to eat, drink and swallow. Luckily, most sore throats go away by themselves within a week or two. However, some sore throats require additional treatment.

The Pharmacy First Sore Throat Service may be able to help if you’re suffering from:

• Sore painful throat
• Fever
• Pain when swallowing
• Inflamed tonsils
• Patches of white pus on the tonsils

If you are pregnant and aged under 16, then you should arrange to see your GP.

Children aged 1 to 17 years

An earache is a pain or discomfort felt in one or both ears. It can be sharp, dull, throbbing, or burning.  Earaches are very common, especially in young children.

The middle ear, the space behind your eardrum that contains tiny bones, gets swollen and inflamed and can sometimes lead to an infection called acute otitis media which can require additional treatment.

It can be a challenge to diagnose in very young children but Pharmacy First may be able to help if your child is suffering from symptoms like:

• Pulling or tugging at their ears
• Acting fussy or cranky
• Not eating well
• Seeming out of it or restless
• Runny Nose
• Cough

If you or your child has had multiple bouts of otitis media (3 or more in 6 months or 4 or more in 12 months), or if you are under the age of 16 and pregnant, then you should arrange to see your GP.

Please note: The Pharmacy First Earache Service is not available for Online Video Consultation. Please book an appointment for an in person consultation.

Adults and children aged 1 year and over

Insect bites are a part of life. But sometimes a bite from a spider, tick or bug can turn nasty. This happens when harmless bacteria on your skin enter the wound created by the bite. Often this occurs as a result of scratching an itchy bite which can break the skin and introduce bacteria from your fingers. In rare cases, the insect itself might carry bacteria that cause infection when it bites you.

Luckily, Pharmacy First may be able to help If you were bitten more than 2 days ago and the bite is:

• Swollen
• Red
• Painful or sore
• Warm to the touch
• Weeping (leaking fluid or puss)

If you are aged under 16 and are pregnant, then you should arrange to see your GP.

Adults and children aged 1 year and over

Impetigo is a contagious skin infection caused by bacteria. It's most common in young children, but anyone can get it. Also known as school sores, impetigo is usually not serious but can sometimes need additional treatment in order to get better.

The Pharmacy First Impetigo Service may be able to help if you have:

• Red sores or blisters on the skin
• These sores tend to occur on exposed skin on the face, limbs, or between creases and folds of the skin
• Sores or blisters that have burst leaving behind a golden-brow, crusty patches
• These patches are often sore or itchy, get bigger and spread to other areas of the body

If you have already experienced a bout of impetigo in the previous year, or if you are aged under 16 and are pregnant, then you should arrange to see your GP.

Adults aged 18 years and over

Shingles happens when the chickenpox virus becomes reactivated after lying dormant in your nerves often for many years. The main symptom is a painful rash with blisters that appears in a band-like pattern, typically on one side of your face or body. Shingles is more common in adults over 50 and people with weakened immune systems but anyone who has previously had chickenpox can be affected.

Pharmacy First at Touchwood Pharmacy should be your first port of call if you’re experiencing symptoms like:

• Painful or tingling feeling on an area of skin
• Development of a bumpy red rash after a few days. It is often on the stomach or chest, but it can appear anywhere.
• Rash is confined to only one side of the body.

If you are pregnant and suspect that you have shingles, you should speak to your GP.

Women aged 16 to 64 years

A urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common infection that happens when germs, usually bacteria, get into your urinary tract. Your urinary tract is the system that makes and gets rid of urine. It includes your kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. UTIs can be very uncomfortable and sometimes require antibiotics.

Pharmacy First at Touchwood Pharmacy may be able to help if you’re suffering from:

• Needing to urinate more often than usual
• Discomfort or pain when urinating
• A sudden or urgent need to urinate (especially at night)
• Cloudy urine

Patients who are pregnant, use a urinary catheter, or who have suffered recent UTIs (2 in the last 6 months, or 3 in the last 12 months) should arrange to see their GP.

If you are suffering any of the below symptoms, you should seek a same day appointment with your GP or arrange to see an out of hours doctor:

• Kidney pain or tenderness in the back behind the ribs
• Fever
• Flu like symptoms
• Shaking chills
• Nausea or vomiting

These could be symptoms of a more serious condition that need urgent attention.