ASK THE DOC with Dr Laura Ryan: ‘How do I deal with rashes?’ and 'What causes swollen glands?'
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Q. I have three children, and I get very anxious if one of them has a rash as I’m not sure whether it’s serious or not. How do I take steps to manage this at home?
A. Childhood rashes are common and aren’t usually a cause for concern. Most are harmless and disappear without the need for treatment.
However, see your GP if your child has a rash and seems unwell, or if you’re worried. If you aren’t able to see your GP, our self-help guides on NHS Inform can help you decide on next steps from home.
Visit here and search for ‘self-help guide rash’.
Q. What causes swollen glands?
A. Swollen glands are usually caused by a relatively minor viral or bacterial infection, including:
• a cold
• tonsillitis
• glandular fever
• a throat infection
• an ear infection
• a dental abscess
• cellulitis (a skin infection).
The glands in the affected area will often become suddenly tender or painful.
You may also have additional symptoms, such as a sore throat, cough or fever.
These infections usually clear up on their own, and the swollen glands will soon go down.
The best advice is usually just to drink plenty of fluids and to rest and relieve the symptoms at home using over-the-counter medications such as paracetamol or ibuprofen.
If, however, you do have a new continuous cough, fever or change in smell and/or taste please arrange to have a test for coronavirus.
Please also seek medical attention if your symptoms are not improving with the above simple measures after a few days, or your swollen glands don’t show any signs of improvement after a period of three weeks.
• ABOUT THE DOC Dr Laura Ryan, who is NHS 24’s medical director and has 20 years experience as a doctor, answers readers’ questions in our column.
• GET IN TOUCH You can write to Dr Ryan by sending an email to newsdesk@highlandnews.co.uk with Ask The Doc in the subject line or by post to Ask The Doc, Newsdesk, Suite 3.04, Moray House, 16-18 Bank Street, Inverness, IV1 1QY.
