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Flu comes on suddenly, with a high fever, aching muscles and exhaustion that knocks you down. A cold builds up gradually, with a runny nose, sneezing and mild discomfort. Neither is cured by antibiotics, because both are caused by viruses. What helps is rest, fluids and treating the symptoms.

If you are unsure what to take, ask us before mixing medicines.

Colds are caused by viruses, and antibiotics only act against bacteria. Taking them when they are not needed does not shorten a cold, can cause side effects and helps bacteria become resistant. If your doctor has not prescribed one, you do not need it.

Never keep antibiotics for next time: bring leftovers back to the pharmacy for safe disposal.

Moisturise within minutes of showering, while the skin is still damp. Shower in warm water, not hot. And if the heating dries the air, air the house every day and drink water even if you are not thirsty.

If your skin itches or cracks, we can help you choose a suitable cream.

High blood pressure hardly ever causes symptoms, which is why so many people have it without knowing. Checking it from time to time is the only way to find out. If you already take treatment, do not stop it because you feel well: you feel well precisely because it is working.

Pop in and we will check your blood pressure.

Sit for five minutes first, with your back supported and feet on the floor. Your arm at heart level, with no clothing under the cuff. No coffee or smoking in the half hour before. Take two readings a minute apart and write both down.

If you have a monitor, bring it in and we will show you how to use it.

Much of the salt we eat does not come from the salt cellar but from cured meats, mature cheeses, sauces and ready meals. Reading the label helps. And when cooking, spices, lemon, garlic and herbs add flavour without salt.

Ask us if labels are confusing.

Hay fever brings bouts of sneezing, an itchy nose and eyes and a clear runny nose, and it tends to come back at the same time each year. A cold lasts a week to ten days and does not itch. If you wheeze or cough at night, see your doctor: an allergy can reach the lungs.

If your hay fever is back, pop in and we will advise you.

Getting up at the same time every day, getting light in the morning, keeping coffee to before lunch and screens away for the last hour before bed. These are simple habits, and they are the first thing recommended before any sleep product.

If you have slept badly for weeks, talk to your doctor.

A few days before, go to bed fifteen minutes earlier each night. Get natural light in the morning and avoid long naps that week. Within a few days your body adjusts.

Ask us if you find it hard to adapt.

Keep windows closed at peak pollen times, especially early morning and evening. When you get home, shower and change your clothes. Sunglasses help protect your eyes. And treatment works better taken every day through the season.

If symptoms get in the way of your life, see your doctor.

In spring your skin has no colour after the winter and the sun is already strong. You can burn on a walk or sitting out on a terrace. Use sunscreen on your face and hands from now on, and reapply if you spend time outdoors.

We can help you choose the right sunscreen for your skin.

Tilt your head to one side over the sink, apply the saline into the upper nostril and let it come out of the other. Breathe through your mouth. Afterwards, blow gently, without pinching both nostrils at once.

If you have never done it, we can show you in a minute.

Within hours, carbon monoxide in your blood falls. Within weeks, breathing and circulation improve. And cardiovascular risk starts to fall from the first year. It is never too late to stop, and with support it is easier.

If you are thinking about it, ask us what support is available.

Your doctor will tell you which readings are right for you. What matters is measuring it properly, writing it down and taking the record to your appointment. One high reading is not a diagnosis; several on different days do deserve an appointment.

Take your readings to your next visit.

A brisk half-hour walk each day helps control blood pressure, weight, blood sugar and mood. It does not have to be in one go: three ten-minute walks count too.

Start today and tell us how it goes.

Using too little, forgetting to reapply after swimming or sweating, and trusting that shade is enough. Sunscreen goes on half an hour before going out and is reapplied every two hours. And the middle of the day is best spent under cover.

We can help you choose sunscreen for your skin and your activity.

Your usual medicines in your hand luggage, with some extra in case of delays. Plus: something for fever and pain, oral rehydration solution, insect repellent, sunscreen, plasters and antiseptic. And if you travel outside the UK or EU, a note of your medicines.

Pop in before you go and we will check it with you.

Heat can damage some medicines. Do not leave them in a car in the sun, and keep in the fridge those whose pack says so. If you take diuretics or blood pressure treatment, drink water often on hot days.

If you are unsure how to store your medicines, ask us.

Hot skin, headache, nausea, dizziness, confusion. Older people, young children and those working in the sun are at greater risk. If there is confusion or loss of consciousness, call the emergency number and meanwhile move the person somewhere cool.

On hot days, drink water even if you are not thirsty.

Most stay as an itchy bump. But if after a sting someone finds it hard to breathe, their lips or face swell or hives appear all over the body, it is an emergency: call the emergency number. And after a tick, watch for a patch that keeps spreading.

For the itch, something cold and no scratching. We can advise if more is needed.

Drink water through the day, even when you are not thirsty, especially if you are older. Summer fruit and vegetables help. And cut down on alcohol and very sugary drinks, which do not hydrate.

Take special care of older relatives on the hottest days.

The first thing is not to get dehydrated: oral rehydration solution in sips, not sports drinks or fizzy drinks. Eat normally as soon as you feel like it. If there is a high fever, blood in the stools or no improvement in two days, get medical help.

Pack oral rehydration solution in your travel kit.

Use the end of the holidays to check expiry dates and clear out what you no longer use. Out-of-date or unwanted medicines do not go in the bin: bring them back to the pharmacy for safe disposal.

We can help you sort out your medicine cabinet.

Sit at the front, look at the horizon and do not read on the journey. If you need medicine for travel sickness, it is taken before setting off, and many cause drowsiness: the driver should not take them.

Ask us what suits each traveller, children included.

Combing wet hair with a detection comb is the most reliable way to find them. If there are lice, treat the person who has them, not the whole family just in case, and repeat as the product says. There is no need to disinfect the house.

If you are unsure about treatment, we can advise you.

If your child takes regular medicine (an inhaler, for example), check that the school has the instructions and that it is in date. And note any allergies they have.

We can check expiry dates with you.

A week before term starts, gradually bring bedtime and getting-up time forward. Fewer screens at night and more light in the morning. Children especially appreciate it.

If sleep does not settle, talk to their doctor.

It is recommended above all for older people, people with long-term conditions, pregnant women and healthcare workers, among other groups. Your GP practice will tell you whether you are eligible and when the campaign starts.

If you have questions, ask us or your GP practice.

Feeling low for weeks, sleeping badly, losing interest in things you used to enjoy: these are not weakness, and they can be treated. Talking to someone you trust or to your doctor is the first step.

If you need to talk to someone now, contact your local crisis or helpline service.

Soap, water and at least twenty seconds, rubbing between your fingers and around the nails too. Before eating, after using the toilet and when you get home. It is one of the simplest ways to avoid spreading infections.

Show the little ones at home how to do it.

People with diabetes should check their feet every day: cuts, cracks, blisters or changes in colour. Comfortable shoes, drying well between the toes and not cutting corns at home. Any wound that does not heal, to the doctor.

If you have diabetes, ask us about foot care.

A cough with phlegm in the mornings and breathlessness on exertion, in a smoker or former smoker, may be COPD. It is diagnosed with a simple test. Stopping smoking is what changes its course most.

If this sounds like you, mention it to your doctor.

Shake the inhaler if it is a canister, breathe out, put it in your mouth and press as you breathe in slowly and deeply. Hold your breath for a few seconds. If it contains a corticosteroid, rinse your mouth afterwards.

Bring your inhaler in and we will check your technique with you.

Moderate portions, eating slowly and not lying down straight afterwards. Alcohol and fatty food make heartburn worse. If you take medicines, keep to your usual times on festive days too.

If you have questions about your medicines over these days, ask us.

Many medicines do not mix well with alcohol: those that cause drowsiness, some painkillers, antibiotics or diabetes treatments. Before raising a glass, check whether your treatment allows it.

Ask us about your medicines, no strings attached.

Several thin layers keep you warmer than one thick one. Protect your hands, ears and neck, and remember to moisturise lips and hands. Older people feel the cold less: make sure their home is warm.

Season's greetings from your pharmacy.