Getting through winter without getting floored

Every year from about October onwards the pharmacy gets busier, and the reasons are always the same. Coughs that will not shift, sore throats picked up from the school run, and people who feel rotten but are not sure whether it is worth bothering anyone about. Here is what we tell patients who come into Chesters Pharmacy over the winter months.

Tell the difference between a cold and flu

A cold builds up slowly over a day or two. You get a blocked nose, a bit of a sore throat and you feel below par, but you can generally still function. Flu arrives like a truck. Most people can tell you the hour it started, because the fever, aching muscles and exhaustion hit all at once and getting out of bed becomes a genuine effort.

That distinction matters because it changes what you should do. A cold needs rest, fluids and patience. Flu, particularly if you are older or have a long term condition, is worth speaking to us about, because complications such as chest infections are far more common than people realise.

What actually helps when you are unwell

There is no shortage of products promising to shorten a cold. The honest answer is that most of them make you feel more comfortable while your immune system does the work, and that is fine as long as you know that is what you are buying.

• Paracetamol or ibuprofen for fever and aches, taken at the right dose and spacing
• Plenty of fluids, since you lose more than you think through a fever
• Honey and lemon in warm water for a sore throat, which the evidence supports as well as anything on the shelf
• Saline nasal spray or steam to loosen congestion
• Rest, which is the part almost everybody skips

What does not help

Antibiotics do nothing for a viral cold or flu. Taking them when you do not need them makes them less likely to work when you genuinely do. If a pharmacist tells you that antibiotics are not the answer, it is not us fobbing you off, it is the right clinical call.

If you are not sure whether what you have needs treating, come and ask. A two minute conversation at the counter often saves a week of worrying.

Flu vaccination is still the best protection

The seasonal flu jab is the single most effective thing you can do. It is free on the NHS if you are 65 or over, pregnant, a carer, or have a condition such as asthma, diabetes or heart disease. If you are not eligible, we offer private vaccination at the pharmacy from early autumn, and it takes about ten minutes from walking in to walking out.

When to come and see us

Under the NHS Pharmacy First service we can assess and treat several winter complaints directly, including sore throat, sinusitis and earache in children. That means no waiting for a GP appointment. Come and see us if a cough lasts more than three weeks, if a fever will not come down, if you are getting breathless, or if a child is not drinking and seems unusually drowsy.

We are on Shard End Crescent Monday to Friday, and you never need an appointment to ask a question.