Impetigo

Impetigo is a very contagious skin infection but not usually serious. It often gets better in 7 to 10 days if you get treatment. Anyone can get it, but it’s very common in young children.

Check if you have impetigo

Impetigo starts with red sores or blisters, but the redness may be harder to see in brown and black skin.

The sores or blisters quickly burst and leave crusty, golden-brown patches.

The patches can:

• looks a bit like cornflakes stuck to your skin
• get bigger
• spread to other parts of your body
• be itchy
• sometimes be painful

Shingles

Shingles is an infection that causes a painful rash.

Check if you have shingles

• a tingling or painful feeling in an area of skin
• a headache or feeling generally unwell

A rash will usually appear a few days later. In rare cases shingles can cause pain without a rash.

Usually you get the shingles rash on your chest and tummy, but it can appear anywhere on your body including on your face, eyes and genitals.

The rash appears as blotches on your skin, on 1 side of your body only. A rash on both the left and right of your body is unlikely to be shingles.

Insect Bites

Insect bites or stings are not usually serious and get better in a few days. But sometimes they can become infected or cause a serious allergic reaction.

Check if you have an insect bite

The main symptoms of an insect bite or sting are:

• pain where you were bitten or stung
• a small, swollen lump on the skin

The lump may look red. It may be more difficult to see on black or brown skin, but you should be able to feel it.

Sinusitis

Sinusitis is swelling of the sinuses, usually caused by an infection.

Check if you have Sinusitis

Sinusitis is common after a cold or flu.

The main symptoms of sinusitis include:

• pain, swelling and tenderness around your cheeks, eyes or forehead
• a blocked or runny nose
• a reduced sense of smell
• green or yellow mucus from your nose
• a high temperature

Other symptoms include:

• a headache
• toothache
• bad breath
• a cough
• a feeling of pressure in the ears

You may also snore at night and sound nasal when you speak.

Young children may also be irritable, have difficulty feeding and breathe through their mouth.

Sore Throat

Sore throats are very common and usually nothing to worry about. They normally get better by themselves within a week.

How to treat a sore throat

To help soothe a sore throat and shorten how long it lasts, you can:

• gargle with warm, salty water (children should not try this)
• drink plenty of water
• eat cool or soft foods
• avoid smoking or smoky places
• suck ice cubes, ice lollies, or hard sweets – but do not give young children anything small and hard to suck because of the risk of choking
• rest

Urinary Tract Infections (UTI’s)

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) affect your urinary tract, including your bladder (cystitis), urethra (urethritis) or kidneys (kidney infection). UTIs may be treated with antibiotics, but they’re not always needed.

Check if you have a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

 We might be able to help if you:

• Are female and aged between 18-64

• Have symptoms including:

  • Needing to pee more often than usual, including at night

  • Pain or discomfort when peeing

  • An urgent or sudden need to pee

  • Cloudy looking urine

If you notice blood in your pee or pain in your lower tummy area, we’d recommend making an appointment with your GP.

If you experience the following symptoms, ask for an emergency (same-day) or out-of-hours appointment with your GP:

• Kidney pain (tenderness behind the ribs toward the back)

• Feeling and/or being sick

• Flu-like symptoms

• A temperature above 38C

• A temperature below 36C

You’ll also need to speak to your GP about a UTI treatment if you’re pregnant, use a catheter, or have recurring UTIs (2 in the last 6 months, or 3 in the last 12 months).