Head Lice and Head Lice Treatments

Head lice are a very common problem and even more so in schools with children aged 4-11. It is thought that more than 1 in 3 children in the UK will get head lice at some point during the school year. Head lice are tiny insects with no wings that live in human hair. They are grey-brown in colour and are roughly the size of a pinhead when they have hatched and the size of a sesame seed when they are fully grown.

Head lice cannot jump, fly or swim and are spread by head-to-head contact. They climb from the hair of the person that is infected onto the hair of someone else.  Having head lice does not mean that you have dirty hair or bad hygiene as they can affect all hair types no matter what condition it is in or the length of the hair. Head lice only affect humans and cannot be caught from animals or passed onto them.

Are Sleeping Pills Safe?

Recently a survey was done and it was found that people who take sleeping pills twice a month or more are nearly four times as likely to die early as those who don’t. The question is should you bin the sleeping pills in the cupboard that your doctor prescribed or take a couple to break the miserable cycle of insomnia?  Being deprived of sleep can make you miserable as well as very tired and can cause you to do things like crash your car.

Sleeping tablets however, do have side effects such as affecting your short term memory and sleepiness in the day time. Even though they have these side effects some doctors will suggest that you try them just to help break the cycle of insomnia. Taking sleeping tablets for three to five days is normally enough to get you back into normal sleeping habits. You should not take them regularly as you will increase the risk of addiction.

It is easy to become worked up and stressed about not getting enough sleep but your body will often correct itself over a few days. It is normal for you to take about 20 minutes to fall asleep so do not get anxious if you do not drop off immediately but remain realistic. You can practice what doctors call “sleep hygiene” which basically means avoiding stimulants like coffee, alcohol and nicotine late at night and also avoiding looking at a computer screen before you go to sleep. Ideally you should start winding down an hour before you go to bed and make sure that your bedroom is quiet, comfortable and dark.

Sleeping pills and sleep aids can vary in their safety and also their effectiveness and it is rare that you would be advised by your doctor to use them in the long term. Persistent insomnia can sometimes be a symptom of an underlying psychological or medical issue that cannot be treated by using sleeping pills.

It is also important to remember that sleeping tablets, pills and sleeping aids can cause allergic reactions that can include facial swelling, memory lapses, hallucinations, and complex sleep-related behaviors. These can include sleep-walking and sleep-eating. If you experience any of these unusual sleep-related behaviors you must consult your doctor immediately for advice.

Weight Loss Supplements Guide

A proven strategy for weight loss is exercising regularly and adhering to a healthy eating plan.  However, the body’s metabolism will eventually adapt and fat loss will slow down.  By taking a weight loss supplement at this time it can be an effective way to boost your metabolism and shed that unwanted body fat. Before you purchase and consume any weight loss supplements you should talk to your GP or come into Victoria Pharmacy where we can discuss your best options.

Anyone who has tried and failed a weight loss plan knows just how frustrating and discouraging it can be.  Some people are able to shed pounds at a moment’s notice while others struggle to lose just a few. It is for this reason that many people turn to weight loss supplements to help speed up the results. Advancements in science have meant that weight loss supplements are safer and easier to use but it is still important to find the most suitable one for you.

Head Lice treatments Guide

Head lice are small insects that live amongst the hairs on your scalp and neck. They are NOT a serious health problem and it is rare that they will cause anything but an itchy scalp. They are on the other hand, embarrassing and extremely uncomfortable and should be treated as soon as possible.

You probably won’t realise you have head lice until your scalp becomes itchy. You will probably get a tickling or itchy feeling and you may develop a rash behind your ears and at the back of your neck which is a reaction to the louse faeces. An itchy scalp does not always mean you have head lice, so do not start with any head lice treatments until you have been diagnosed.