Guaifenesin is a type of cough medication known as an expectorant used to treat chesty coughs. A build-up of thick mucus (phlegm) in your airways can be one of the causes of a chesty cough. Your respiratory system produces mucus every day that helps protect and lubricate your airways. However, during viral infections such as colds and flu, your respiratory system can produce too much mucus, leading to an annoying productive cough. You can buy guaifenesin from your pharmacy either on its own or in combination with other medications for colds and flu. There are various products available. Examples include Robitussin, Mucinex and many others. Occasionally a cough can be a symptom of a more serious problem. You should speak to your doctor if you have had a cough for more than three weeks, have severe symptoms such as fever, coughing up blood, have lost weight unexpectedly, or have chest pain or shortness of breath.

Fusidic acid (Fucidin) is an antibiotic and is used to treat bacterial skin infections. It can be used by adults and children to treat infections caused by staphylococcal bacteria, such as impetigo, and infected cuts and grazes. Fusidic acid ointment is a similar medication, the only difference is that it’s a bit greasier; therefore, it’s normally only used on smaller areas of skin. The medication is only available on prescription. Fucidin H cream is a similar medication. It contains fusidic acid but has hydrocortisone (a corticosteroid) in addition. Fucidin H is used to treat inflammatory conditions that could also have a bacterial component. It can be used for infected eczema and dermatitis. All these medications are only available on prescription. Fusidic acid has not been licensed for use in the US. The most similar product is mupirocin (Bactroban).

Antifungal creams are sometimes called fungal creams, and are used to treat fungal infections. The creams are mainly used for skin and vaginal infections, whereas tablets are usually used for more widespread skin and internal infections. Different antifungal creams are used for different types of skin and vaginal infections, so we’ll explain some of them in detail, and their different uses.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that everyone over the age of 6 months, with rare exceptions, should receive a yearly flu vaccine. This is especially important for people in certain categories that make them vulnerable to severe illness if they catch the influenza virus and which can then cause breathing difficulties, pneumonia, sepsis and death. The flu vaccine is also highly recommended for health care workers for two reasons: firstly so they don't pass on the virus to their patients, and secondly so they don't become unwell and require time off sick.

Dr. Scholl's Freeze Away is an application treatment for verrucas and warts. These conditions are prevalent, especially in children, and fortunately, are not harmful. They can usually resolve independently without treatment, but certain products can speed up this process. The ingredients in the spray work by gently freezing the affected skin tissue, helping to eliminate the virus and excessive skin and can work within one application.

Curanail 5% is an over-the-counter product containing amorolfine, and is a topical treatment used for fungal nail infections. The nail solution is painted onto the infected nail using the brush provided. It works by soaking in through the nail to kill the fungus responsible for the infection. A fungal nail infection most commonly affects the toenails but can also affect the fingernails. It is most commonly caused by the same fungi that cause athlete's foot. The fungi often cause the infected nail to become discolored, brittle, thickened or distorted. If left untreated the nail may be destroyed and the surrounding skin can also become infected. This medicine is available for purchase over-the-counter in some pharmacies, but is not available in the United States. How does Curanail work? Curanail contains amorolfine which kills fungi and prevents the infection from spreading further. Amorolfine is able to penetrate the nail’s surface and creates small holes within the fungi’s outer membranes. This causes the fungal cells to leak which is why the fungi dies. In order to get the best result using Curanail, it’s vital to make sure you file down the infected nails using the nail files provided before each weekly application. This allows Curanail to absorb deeper within the nail to have the best chance of fully killing off the fungal infection.

Classic symptoms of COVID-19 consist of a continuous cough, fever, and loss of sense of smell or taste. However, the symptoms in children have quickly changed to include sore throat, diarrhea, headache, tiredness, muscle and joint aches, conjunctivitis, nausea or vomiting, and runny nose. It's much rarer for serious illness from COVID to afflict those under 18, but not impossible. If they experience shortness of breath and difficulty breathing, this is a reason to seek urgent medical attention, as you would in other illnesses. Post-COVID syndrome, or long COVID as most people know it, can occur in children. Specific symptoms, such as cough, difficulty breathing or exercising, concentration difficulty, or immense fatigue, can persist for three months after the initial infection.

Coughs are irritating, and uncomfortable and, since COVID-19 arrived, make us feel a bit socially unacceptable. A cough is the body's powerful reflex used to respond to a threat and irritation in your respiratory tract. When specialized sensors in your airways detect an irritant such as smoke, dust, allergens, irritants or infection, it triggers a cough reflex that causes the muscles in your airways to contract and push a burst of air out through your airways in an attempt to remove the cause of the irritation. In the case of infection, it may also make sputum (mucus) to help capture viruses and bacteria and expel them in the cough, defending and protecting your body from harm. There are many ways to describe how your cough feels, and this can help us determine likely causes and target treatments. Catching a virus or bacteria is the most common cause of a cough, which can bring other symptoms like sneezing, a runny or blocked nose, fever, and feeling run down. Long-standing medical conditions and medications can cause a cough, so it's worth consideration and a visit to your doctor if a cough is persistent and not fitting with a common cold or minor chest infection. We've become attuned to coughs as a sign of COVID-19 infection. This was undoubtedly true at the start of the pandemic, but vaccination has made this a less common symptom than some others, like a sore throat and nasal congestion. We'll take you through how to assess your cough in terms of causes and reasons to visit the doctor. It's also good to know when to keep away from loved ones and colleagues, as a cough can be contagious if it caused by an infection.

Walking into a pharmacy can be quite overwhelming when it comes to trying to choose the right product to ease your child’s cough. The first thing to know is that the science behind cough medicines is not conclusive, but anecdotally people find them effective in helping to reduce their cough’s severity. The second is that your child’s cough is most likely caused by a virus – occasionally a bacterial infection– and the cough medicines are designed to ease symptoms but they can’t cure it or make it go away any quicker. The third thing to bear in mind is that coughs are worse at night – gravity when lying flat causes the secretions from their nose, throat and chest to pool and irritate -just when you want them to get a good night’s sleep. So, cough medicines may be a good idea at night and to have by the bedside in case they awaken with a coughing fit. Your child’s age is a good place to start when choosing a cough medicine. Many cough medicines are not suitable for children under the age of 6 years unless directed by a physician. For kids younger than 6 months, Tylenol infant suspension and Motrin infant suspension can be used to provide some relief if your child has a persistent cough causing discomfort associated with a temperature. Different types of ingredients found within cough syrups have different properties to soothe irritation, hopefully aiding comfort and soothing them to sleep.

Cold sores, caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV), are a common and often recurrent ailment that affects millions of people worldwide. While various topical creams and home remedies can provide relief, many individuals turn to tablets or oral medications for a more systemic approach to managing cold sores. Two commonly used antiviral medications are available in tablet form to treat cold sores. Acyclovir and valacyclovir tablets are prescription-only antiviral medicines used occasionally to treat persistent cold sores. They do not cure a cold sore (herpes simplex virus) infection but help reduce the outbreak's severity and length. In people with frequent outbreaks and those with a weak immune system, acyclovir and valacyclovir tablets can be used to help reduce the number of future outbreaks as a preventative medication.

A cold sore is a small blister on the face (often on or around the lips) caused by the herpes simplex virus (hsv). The blister tends to burst and then forms a crust over the top of it. Some people experience tingling or burning before the blister appears, and it can be painful. They are very common, with around 1 in 5 people suffering from repeated cold sores. They usually heal by themselves between 7 and 10 days. Most people are infected with the virus when they are young, but they may not get a cold sore until many years later. Once infected, the virus stays within you and can be reactivated and cause other cold sores at future points. This is usually around times of stress, tiredness, menstruation, illness, or some people find the sun can cause outbreaks. There are some over-the-counter treatments available from your pharmacist, but if you are looking for some things to try at home – Healthwords's pharmacists have you covered.

Most of us have felt the effects of a common cold – adults get one once or twice a year, and children up to six times a year. Less people have had the flu, but it's another bothersome virus causing trouble. Symptoms can include a blocked nose, sore throat, headaches, muscle aches (not always), cough (dry) or chesty), sneezing, temperature (not always), and loss of taste or smell.