General Health

Our General Health Tips can be found below.

Diagnosis & Symptoms

Cystitis is a lower urinary tract infection (UTI), characterised by ongoing urinary urgency and irritation on urinating. This should not be confused with an upper urinary tract or kidney infection, for which doctors advice should be sought. Cystitis usually affects women; male suffers should immediately contact their doctor. It has been estimated that 50% of women suffer from cystitis sometime in their life. Chemical irritants such as bubble baths and perfumes can trigger an attack. Women sometimes experience cystitis after sexual intercourse. This is often called "Honeymoon" cystitis and is due to the irritation of the bladder area during intercourse.

Preventative Measures

The vaginal area should be washed with water only and all perfumed soaps, bubble baths and douches should be avoided. After intercourse, women should ensure that the vaginal area is well washed with warm water.

Non-prescription Treatments

During an attack of cystitis the urine is acidic. Common treatments such as CYSTOPURIN and CYMALON reduce the acidity of the urine. As the agents are high in sodium and potassium, they should be avoided by those with a history of heart or kidney problems. The full course should be completed.

Cranberry juice is also used to treat cystitis although the exact mechanism of action is not fully understood. Pregnant women, men, children and patients with cystitis lasting more than three days should see their doctor.

Further Information on the medicines listed above including dosage and contraindications are listed at www.medicines.ie

Diagnosis & Symptoms

Cold sores are lesions of the nerve endings that are caused by the Herpes simplex virus. Cold sores can affect the lips and surrounds, nose and eyes. The virus lies dormant in nerve endings until activated by trigger factors such as sunlight and UV light, poor general health, hormonal levels and certain medicines. Some people tend to have more active levels of the virus than others.

The first stage of a cold sore can last up to two days and is characterised by itching and pain. For the following two days when the virus is most active, the cold sore lesions tend to develop to their largest size and are at their most painful. During the following seven days the healing process starts and the viral activity reduces.

Preventative Measures

While the virus cannot be fully eradicated, the onset can be reduced by having a better general level of health. When sun bathing, sunscreens with a total sun block should be used on the lip area. Lipsticks should never be shared and infants never kissed. Do not directly touch the cold sore as the virus can be spread from one part of the body to another.

Supplements such as Lysine are often recommended as a method of preventing the occurence of cold sores.

Non-prescription Treatments

Cold sores cannot be eradicated totally. Aciclovir, available as ZOVIRAX Cream or Pump and as VIRALIEF is very effective against cold sores. Applied at the initial phase, it can prevent the onset of an attack, while application later in the attack, can reduce the duration. ZOVIRAX and VIRALIEF must be applied five times daily, starting at onset of the attack and continuing for three days after lesions have healed. Wash the hands thoroughly after application.

Creams such as Cymex may be effective in healing the skin following a cold sore but cymex does not contain an anti-viral ingredient.

Further Information on the medicines listed above including dosage and contraindications are listed at www.medicines.ie