A pharmacist can treat up to 26 minor conditions using the Common Ailments Scheme. As a result, medications are given for free without a prescription. All community pharmacies in Wales participate in this scheme. However, to be eligible for the scheme, patients must register with a pharmacy of their choice. Continue reading to learn how to treat common ailments in Penarth.
Who is it for?
Anyone who lives in Wales or is registered with a Welsh GP practice is eligible to use the service. You need to be able to visit the pharmacy personally.
Sometimes, if a pharmacist cannot treat your condition, they will refer you to your doctor or another medical professional.
NHS patients can access free advice and treatment for common ailments that are not manageable by self-care through the common ailments service.
What can you get on the common ailments scheme?
To treat the following 26 conditions, you can use this service rather than booking a GP appointment:
- Acne
- Athletes Foot
- Backache (acute)
- Chickenpox
- Cold sores
- Colic
- Conjunctivitis (bacterial)
- Constipation
- Dermatitis (dry skin)
- Diarrhoea
- Dry Eye
- Haemorrhoids
- Hayfever
- Head Lice
- Indigestion
- Intertrigo
- In-growing toenail
- Mouth Ulcers
- Nappy rash
- Oral thrush
- Ringworm
- Scabies
- Sore throat
- Teething
- Threadworm
- Vaginal thrush
- Verruca
Learn how to treat a cold and the causes of a sore throat in our previous blog posts here:
Treat a Cold Causes of a Sore Throat
How do I treat acne? (Where to treat common ailments in Penarth)
The severity of acne determines the treatment. Acne symptoms often improve after months of treatment.
Having blackheads, whiteheads, and spots on your skin can often be solved using treatment from a pharmacist. You can treat acne with over-the-counter creams and gels containing benzoyl peroxide.
Consult your physician if your acne is moderate or severe, or if the medications from your pharmacy haven’t worked. Consequently, you may need prescription medicine.
There are several prescription medicines for treating acne. These include:
- Topical retinoids
- Topical antibiotics
- Azelaic acid
- Antibiotic tablets
- In women, the combined oral contraceptive pill
If prescription medications do not work or you have severe acne, your doctor can refer you to a skin condition expert.
How do I treat backache?
Back pain is common and often improves with time.
It is particularly common to experience lower back pain. However, it can occur anywhere along the spine, from the neck to the hips.
This type of pain isn’t usually caused by anything serious and usually improves as time passes.
Here are some tips for reducing your back pain and speeding up your recovery:
- Maintain your daily routine and keep active as much as you can
- Try stretching and exercises for back pain. Other activities such as walking, swimming, yoga, and pilates may be beneficial as well.
- Take anti-inflammatory painkillers, like ibuprofen
- Apply hot or cold compresses to relieve short-term pain
Your doctor, physiotherapist or specialist may suggest additional treatments if they don’t think self-help measures alone will result in pain relief.
These may include:
- You can strengthen your muscles and improve your posture by attending group exercise classes
- Physiotherapists, chiropractors, and osteopaths usually provide manual therapies such as spinal manipulation and massage
- If you experience pain frequently, you may benefit from psychological support, such as cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT).
How do I treat cold sores?
Cold sores are common and normally go away on their own within 10 days. However, there are certain pain remedies you can apply.
A pharmacist can recommend:
- Creams to relieve pain and irritation
- Antiviral creams to speed up the recovery duration
- Cold sore patches that protect the skin while it recovers
You can occasionally purchase electronic devices from your local pharmacies. These devices treat cold sores with light or lasers.
Also, if you have huge, painful and recurring cold sores, your pharmacist or GP may prescribe antiviral tablets.
Where can I treat common ailments in Penarth?
Visit your local Knights Pharmacy branch today to get started.
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This post was written on behalf of Knights Pharmacy by Pharmacy Mentor
