Colds
There is no cure for the common cold, but the symptoms of headache, runny nose, fever aches, pains and weakness are worth treating. The best treatment for a cold is still bed rest. A day in bed does more good than anything else. Take aspirin in the recommended dose for a headache or fever; drink plenty of fluids; and take 1g of Vitamin C twice a day (it may do some good and will do no harm). If you are going to use nasal decongestants to help you breathe more easily, follow the instructions carefully — never overdo them.
If you get breathless o c ough up green or yellow phlegm, seek medical help.
Colic
An intermittent pain caused by the contraction of a hollow organ or tube in the body In adults, colic is typically caused by gall stones or kidney stones but most of us have suffered from abdominal pains that come and go at some time, without having stones. The cause of these pains in hardly ever found, but the condition often improves once the person has had his bowels open. Any severe pain that comes and goes and is bad enough to make you feel sick or put you to bed musi be assessed by a doctor. While waiting for the doctor apply gent’e warmth to your abdomen.
In children, three month or evening colic is a term used to explain the screaming sessions that occur usually in the early evenings up to the age of about three months. The usuai remedies of food, comfort, drink and nappy change seem to make little difference. A baby may cry at this time of day because of tension (mother is getting tired and is especially busy) or boredom (because he has been sleeping and eating all day and is ready to be amused).
If you are breast feeding, let your baby suck on and off all evening on your lap, if necessary. Cut out all cows’ milk and milk products from your diet for a few days because some babies get colic from the traces of cows’ milk in their mother’s breast milk.
Colic in babies is in most cases no longer thought to be due to ‘wind’. Anti-colic medicines are of iittle help and your baby will benefit most from being carried around (perhaps in a sling) and comforted.
Conjunctivitis
An inflammation of the membrane covering the eye. Usually caused by bacteria, it can be secondary to grit or even trauma. The eye becomes pink and the eyelashes stick together with yellow discharge especially on first waking. Bathe the eye with boric acid solution several times a day and tell your doctor as soon as practicable. He will give you drugs or an ointment which cure the conditions very quickly. Do not share face flannels or towels whilst you have this condition as it is easy to pass on. Wash your hands after touching your eyes and change your pillowslip daily.
Contraceptive failure
There are three crises that can occur with contraceptives. The first is forgetting the pill, the second is the failure of a barrier method and the third, the falling out of your coil (IUD).
Pill failure is relatively common because unless you are absolutely rigid about when you take it each day, it is easy to forget. If you discover that you have forgotten a pill within 24 hours of when you should have ta’-en it, take another immediately and then take the next one at the normal time.
If you discover your mistake between 24-48 hours after you should have taken a pill, take two pills together immediately and then catch up with your old routine.
For any gap of more than 48 hours, take two pills per 24 hour until you have made up the deficit and are back on schedule again as judged by taking the right pill on the right day marked on the pack. In this case you should also use another method such as a diaphragm or a sheath together with contraceptive jelly to be sure you are safe. Your next cycle should see you back to normal again, so do not worry.
Should your IUD (coil or loop) fall out, there is nothing you can do yourself, so simply tell the doctor or clinic that fitted it and go and have it replaced as soon as you can. You are not protected at all, of course, while it is out, so use some other method in the meantime.
If a sheath bursts or comes off while the penis is in the vagina, if you find your diaphragm has a hole in it or if you think you may have got some sperms in your vagina during the withdrawal method, you can do one of two things. First, you can go to certain family planning clinics or hospital specialist clinics for a ‘morning after’ pill (your will need to phone around a bit to find one that offers it) or you can do something at once for yourself at home. (1) make up a solution of vinegar and water (half and half) and crouching over a bowl in the bath, splash the liquid up into your vagina vigorously; (2) using the vinegar and water mixture, thoroughly soak a tampon and push it high up into your vagina. A combination of 1 and 2 is a good idea. Neither of these methods is foolproof, of course, but they are worth trying and may be better than doing nothing.
Lastly, do not panic if you think you have a contraceptive failure. Bear in mind that except for the days around the middle of your cycle you are most unlikely to conceive anyway and that might put your mind at rest.