Useful Information

HAY FEVER

Hay fever is also known as seasonal allergic rhinitis. It is caused by an allergy to airborne substances such as grass or hay pollens, which affects the upper respiratory passages (nose, sinus, throat and eyes).

Hay fever usually occurs during the spring and summer months. Exactly when you get it depends on which pollens you are allergic to. From May to July grass and flowers are in pollen, making these the most common cause of hay fever. During spring, from March to May, pollens from trees are the most common cause of hay fever. Some people do get hay fever into the autumn months. However this is rare and is usually caused by weeds such as nettles and docks, late flowering plants, and mould spores.

Hay fever symptoms can be similar to a cold, and include a runny nose, watery eyes and repeated sneezing attacks. As with all allergies, the symptoms happen as a result of your immune system (the body’s defence system) overreacting to a normally harmless substance in this case, pollen. When the body comes into contact with pollen, cells in the lining of your nose, mouth and eyes release a chemical called histamine that triggers the symptoms of an allergic reaction.

You are more likely to get hay fever if there is a history of allergies in your family, particularly asthma or eczema. Hay fever usually begins in the early teens and peaks when you’re in your twenties. Research shows that many people become less sensitive to pollen as they get older, and by the time they reach their mid-forties, hay fever may no longer be a problem.

HAY FEVER TREATMENTS:

Antihistamine tablets or nasal sprays
Steroid nasal sprays and drops
Eye drops
A cream that blocks pollen

Please contact The Medibox for advice on the right treatment for you.

COMMON COLD

The common cold (also called viral rhinitis) is a viral infection, characterized by nasal congestion, a clear, runny nose, sneezing, scratchy throat and general malaise.

For all its achievements, medical science does not have a cure for the common cold. The common cold is a minor illness caused by one of as many as 200 different kinds of viruses, including rhinovirus and adenovirus. These viruses can also cause laryngitis or bronchitis by infecting either the larynx (the "voice box") or the bronchial tubes in the lungs. Infections are spread from one person to another, by hand-to-hand contact, or by a cough or sneeze that sprays many virus particles into the air.

A person in good health who becomes the victim of a cold may not need to see a doctor. These viruses do not respond to antibiotics. Severe infections, however, may require medical care and prescription medication. If you develop a fever higher than 102 degrees Fahrenheit, have a history of asthma, an ear infection, laryngitis or bronchitis, you should see you doctor as soon as possible. If your symptoms last longer than five days, you should also see you doctor. If you have a very high temperature and pains all over your body, you may have an influenza virus.

There are various treatments to bring relief. Please contact The Medibox for advice on the right treatment for you.

ASTHMA

Asthma is a chronic disease that affects your airways. The airways are the tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs. If you have asthma, the inside walls of your airways are inflamed (swollen). The inflammation makes the airways very sensitive, and they tend to react strongly to things that you are allergic to or find irritating. When the airways react, they get narrower, and less air flows through to your lung tissue. This causes symptoms like wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and trouble breathing, especially at night and in the early morning.
Asthma cannot be cured, but most people with asthma can control it so that they have few and infrequent symptoms and can live active lives.

When your asthma symptoms become worse than usual, it is called an asthma episode or attack. During an asthma attack, muscles around the airways tighten up, making the airways narrower so less air flows through. Inflammation increases, and the airways become more swollen and even narrower. Cells in the airways may also make more mucus than usual. This extra mucus also narrows the airways. These changes make it harder to breathe.

There are various treatments to bring relief. Please contact The Medibox for advice on the right treatment for you.

INDIGESTION

The main symptom of indigestion is pain in the chest or top of the abdomen. This usually comes on soon after eating or drinking, but there can sometimes be a delay between eating a meal and having indigestion.

Heartburn is another common term used to describe indigestion symptoms. It is usually felt as a burning pain behind the breastbone (in the front of your chest, over the heart). Heartburn happens when acid from the stomach is regurgitated (brought back up) into the oesophagus (gullet). This is called acid reflux.

If heartburn is very painful, it can sometimes feel as if you are having a heart attack.

Heartburn is also one of the main symptoms of is gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD). For most people, heartburn only happens occasionally after a particularly big, fatty or spicy meal. GORD should be suspected if symptoms occur often and after any type of food.

Other symptoms of indigestion include:
Loss of appetite
Nausea and vomiting
Flatulence, burping or belching

The Medibox carries a range of medicines to bring relief. Please contact us for advice, or alternatively we can advise you, please describe your ailment using our online diagnosis form.