Acid reflux is known by a number of names including GORD (gastro oesophageal reflux disease), reflux, dyspepsia and heartburn. This condition is caused by what happens to your food and drink after you have eaten.

When you eat or drink anything, gravity and muscles allow the food to travel down the tube-like oesophagus to the stomach. Once in the stomach, the contents are normally prevented from going back upwards again by a valve or sphincter at the join between these two parts of the digestive system.

When this valve becomes loose or is prevented from tightening around the top of the stomach the stomach contents can travel back up the oesophagus to the mouth again. This results in an acid taste in the mouth from the stomach acids, and vomit from the partially digested food and fluids.

Certain foods, medicines and medical conditions can make this worse, either temporarily or permanently, and may result in damage to the oesophagus if not treated effectively.

People at risk of acid reflux may find that smoking, alcohol, rich or spicy food may aggravate this condition. It is not uncommon for pregnant women to develop acid reflux as the size of the baby may put pressure on the stomach and not allow the usual amount of food or liquid to be taken in. Other causes of acid reflux include hiatus hernia, and being overweight or stressed. Medications for blood pressure, asthma, depression and insomnia may also worsen or cause acid reflux.

Symptoms of acid reflux, apart from the metallic or acid taste in the mouth and occasional small amounts of vomit described earlier may include tightness or burning in the chest, feelings of nausea, difficulty swallowing and a persistent cough.

Often the condition is worse at night, when lying down, or after a large, rich or spicy meal, or when feeling tired or stressed. As some of the symptoms of acid reflux may also be symptoms of more serious conditions it is important to seek help whenever any of these symptoms occur. Your community pharmacist will be able to help with determining if you are suffering from a serious condition requiring prompt referral to your doctor, or with treatment or advice to help you treat, manage, prevent or lessen the effects of this condition which can cause severe discomfort and distress to those suffering from it.

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It is not uncommon for patients with severe symptoms of heartburn to confuse the symptoms of their acid reflux with angina, or chest pain, so if you or anyone around you complains of sudden severe crushing pain in their chest or arm then do not delay and call the ambulance immediately.

For those that already have acid reflux, it is very important that they use effective treatment as damage to the oesophagus can cause other more serious conditions if not treated effectively. It is best not to put up with stomach discomfort, but to seek help and advice from your community pharmacist, who has many treatments available for purchase over the counter to manage this condition.

There has been concern expressed about the safety and usefulness of treating coughs and colds in children. Most cough and cold treatments are no longer regarded as being suitable for children under the age of six; but that is little comfort when your child is unwell and you want to ease their symptoms so they and the family can recover.

Children get colds, often up to ten times a year, and there is no specific treatment for the viruses that cause these infections, but there are things that you can do that will help to relieve some of the symptoms in your children.

Ensure that your child is well hydrated, keep giving them whatever fluids they normally drink, and make sure that water and other cool fluids are easily available if they are not breastfed. Regular milk and diluted fruit juices are suitable, or you could offer oral rehydration fluids. Continue to offer breast milk, and supplementary water such if your child is still breast fed.

Children older than 12 months old may be given a little honey to sooth a dry cough or scratchy throat, if they have had honey before with no ill effects. The very young are advised not to be given honey, so cool soothing foods such as ice blocks made from diluted juice, yoghurt ice cream and custards may be used instead.

Nasal and chest congestion causes considerable distress as the nasal and air passages in children are smaller and easily blocked up by dried secretions. This is particularly important in babies, as they breathe through their nose not their mouth, so the air flow must not be impeded by gummy nasal congestion. Saline drops and sprays for older children are available and will moisturise and soothe irritated nasal passages and help to flush out the nostrils.

Treating fever and temperature with paracetamol is commonly advised. Ensure that the dose you use is correct for the age and weight of your child, that they are not given a dose any more than four times in any 24 hour period, and no closer than every four hours. It is helpful to store an accurate medicine measure with the paracetamol, so that you can measure out a correct dose to treat your child when they and you are tired and distressed, especially in the middle of the night.

If your child is unable to be soothed by these treatments, if they are weak, their breath is whistling or wheezy, if they are tugging at their ear or their fever is not responding to treatment then see a doctor immediately. Children get very sick very quickly, and they appear to recover quickly as well.

If you are concerned about what to do if you or your children get a cold or of any symptoms that they may have, your community pharmacist can advise you of what is suitable, how to lessen any symptoms and the correct doses of any treatments that are appropriate for you and your family.

The flu viruses that circulate can change from year to year. Completely new flu viruses can emerge and cause global pandemics.

The official flu season runs from May to September, and although anyone can get the flu, it doesn’t mean you will definitely get it every year. People who are fit and well are better able to ward off the flu. If you eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly and get enough sleep, your body will be in good shape to fight back against any invading flu virus.

So, how do you get the flu? The flu is a viral infection passed from person to person via infected droplets commonly spread by sneezing and coughing.

Symptoms of flu include: • a fever greater or equal to 38°C • at least one respiratory symptom, like a cough, sore throat, or runny nose • rapid onset with at least one systemic symptom, like a headache, aches and pains, sweats or chills, or fatigue.

Flu symptoms are severe and are not to be confused with cold symptoms – with the flu you often don’t have the energy to get out of bed.

Some people are more at risk of getting the flu than others. The Ministry of Health has identified that the following groups are at higher risk of developing complications from flu viruses and are therefore eligible for a free flu vaccine.

They include those who: • are pregnant • are significantly overweight • use asthma preventers • have diabetes • are aged 65 years or over • have heart disease • have kidney problems • have a serious medical condition, like cancer.

If you are unlucky enough to get the flu, you should stop the spread of flu germs by: • staying in bed and not going to work or school • covering your mouth when you cough and sneeze • regularly washing your hands and drying them thoroughly • avoid crowded settings.

This may all sound like doom and gloom, but flu prevention is better than cure. Help prevent flu by: • washing your hands thoroughly and often and avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth • eating a balanced diet with fruit and vegetables rich in vitamin C • getting enough sleep • reducing your stress levels • getting regular exercise.

And remember that flu can cause serious complications, like pneumonia, which can be deadly. So look after your health – it is your most cherished possession. The flu viruses that circulate can change from year to year. Completely new flu viruses can emerge and cause global pandemics.

Whooping cough is the common term for pertussis, an extremely infectious bacterial infection. When infected with pertussis the sufferer has violent attacks of coughing, with a characteristic ‘whoop’ caused when you try to take a breath in during a coughing attack.

This infection can affect anyone, but is particularly dangerous when infants get the infection as their air passages are so tiny that their breathing may stop during a coughing attack. This means that they may need to be hospitalised to monitor their breathing, particularly if under one years old.

Most children are immunised against whooping cough before going to school, if their immunisations are up to date according to New Zealand’s immunisation schedule for children. Older children may be offered

a free “booster” vaccination for whooping cough and other serious life threatening diseases generally aged about 10 or 11. Adults can also have booster vaccination against whooping cough, and this is particularly important if you are around pregnant women, are pregnant yourself, or are commonly around infants. At the moment New Zealand has an outbreak or epidemic of whooping cough so it is important that your immunisations and those of your family are up to date.

Early symptoms or whooping cough are similar to having a cold, except that the cough is usually dry – no phlegm is produced. Coughing fits may become severe and it is not uncommon to cough until you vomit. The condition has also been called the 100 day cough, so symptoms may persevere for some time.

Whooping cough is highly infectious and is usually passed from person to person through droplets containing the bacteria moving through the air, often at high speed from coughing around uninfected people.

Hand hygiene is very important whenever anyone has any infection, particularly one spread so easily. People with a cough should always cover their mouth when coughing to prevent expelling infected air and fluid. After coughing, always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water, drying your hands completely with disposable paper towels to prevent other people accidentally using the same towels as someone with an infection. Antiseptic hand rubs are helpful if used between hand washes, but should not be relied upon to totally prevent the spread of injection.

Treatment for whooping cough is usually specific antibiotics if treatment is started early enough, so it is important to see your doctor at once if you suspect pertussis infection. Other treatment is generally for the symptoms of whooping cough, such as decongestants for runny nose and pain relieving medicines for fever. Cough mixtures are generally not helpful so should not be used.

It is also important to keep well hydrated so ensure that if you have been diagnosed with whooping cough then keep up your fluid levels by drinking plenty of water.

If you suspect you or one of your family or friends have pertussis then consult us immediately as we will be able to give you advice, as well as products to treat the symptoms of this distressing condition, and also to refer you to your doctor for urgent treatment if necessary.