• >> Your local pharmacist can help advise you on steps to take and medicines to help ease an upset stomach
• >> Antibiotics will not treat cold or flu symptoms, as these illnesses are caused by a viral infection not bacterial
• >> In most cases, fever is due to a common and harmless illness and will get better by itself within around 5 days
• >> A plaster is just for protection, it won't help the cut heal so only leave it on for between 24 and 48 hours
• >> A cough can last for up to 3 weeks and there is usually no need to see a doctor
• >> Feeling unwell but not sure what to do? Call NHS 111 – it's free and open 24 hours a day, every day
• >> Most people will be as good as new within 6-8 weeks of a sprain or strain

• Recovery

  With sickness and diarrhoea caused by a bug (like norovirus), a full recovery will usually be made within 2-3 days.
  
  An upset stomach caused by foods or intolerances should last no more than 1-2 days.

• Symptoms

  Symptoms of a stomach bug may include:

  • feeling sick (nausea)
  • vomiting
  • diarrhoea
  • a high temperature (fever) of over 38°C (100.4°F)
  • headache
  • stomach cramps
  • achy arms and legs.

• Treating an upset stomach

  Here to help

  Your local pharmacist can help advise you on steps to take and medicines to help ease an upset stomach, such as Imodium for diarrhoea.

  The following steps will help to treat an upset stomach caused by a bug, and minimise the risk of spreading it:

  • drink plenty of fluids; encourage poorly children to take small, frequent sips of water
  • wash your hands often with soap and warm water
  • avoid sharing towels or cutlery with others
  • stay at home or keep your children off school for 48 hours after symptoms have gone
  • clean toilets, taps and door handles with a weak bleach solution in order to stop the bug spreading.

  Peppermint tea and probiotics (such as Actimel and other similar brands) can help ease trapped wind and bloating, or there are products available from pharmacies such as Buscopan or Mebeverine.
  
  

  Here to help

  If you think you have a food intolerance or IBS, it’s a good idea to keep a food diary for a couple of weeks, noting down everything you eat or drink and when you get an upset stomach.

• When to seek medical advice

  Call NHS 111 for medical advice if you are worried about severe symptoms or problems lasting longer than a week or if your child experiences any of the following symptoms:

  • sudden and severe abdominal pain, particularly in a concentrated area, not responding to simple painkillers like paracetamol
  • blood in your poo or unusually dark or black poo
  • a stiff neck
  • blood in your vomit
  • increasing or severe heartburn or indigestion
  • losing weight unexpectedly
  • difficulty swallowing
  • signs of dehydration such as: dry, wrinkled skin, inability to pass urine, sunken eyes, weak pulse, rapid heartbeat, unusually cold hands and feet
  • seizures
  • if your child’s poo is loose for longer than 2-3 days
  • if your child complains of severe or continuous stomach ache
  • if your baby has passed 6 or more diarrhoea-like poos or vomited 3 or more times in the past 24 hours, or if vomiting has lasted more than a day
  • if your baby is less responsive, feverish or not weeing as much as normal.

If you're concerned about yourself, a relative or friend, call NHS 111 for medical advice, this free service is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

The advisors taking 111 calls are in the same room as those answering 999 calls, so if urgent attention is needed, they can arrange it immediately for you.