Also, take a minute to complete our Winter Flu Survey and go in the draw to win an Ipod Nano.  Entry forms are at Reception and at the Nurses Station at Moorhouse Medical Centre.

Moorhouse Medical Centre focuses on cutting down waiting time for patients, while taking caring for people’s health needs.

Feeling unwell? Not sure you can wait until the next day for a doctor’s appointment? Moorhouse Medical Centre is open 8am until 8pm so you can come in after work or during the evening for urgent medical care. It is open 364 days a year, closing only on Christmas Day.

“If you attend the hospital Emergency Department with an injury or medical condition that could be treated at a general practice, you may be asked to leave and see a GP”, says Dr Neil Beumelburg, Moorhouse Medical Centre’s Medical Director.

“Or you could face a very long wait at hospital while people with more urgent clinical conditions are attended to.”

You can be seen sooner at Moorhouse Medical Centre. It has all the facilities for acute accident care: x-rays and ultrasounds, blood tests, urgent pharmacy, fracture clinic, sports injuries clinic, minor surgical procedures, physiotherapy, counselling and rehabilitation services all onsite.

“We see a lot of people with simple fractures and common sports injuries”, says Dr Beumelburg.

“Here, you can see a doctor, get an x-ray and plaster cast and be back home in good time.”

For parents concerned about unwell children, it’s reassuring to know that visits are free for Under 6s enrolled at Moorhouse Medical Centre from 8am – 6pm. Patients who enrol with their regular doctor receive continuity of care and benefit from reduced health costs.

Moorhouse Medical’s Travel Health Centre provides pre-travel health assessments and advice, vaccinations and essential travel products.  A pre-travel questionnaire is downloaded from www.moorhousemedical.co.nz and filled out before the appointment, so patients don’t need to spend time in the waiting room completing paperwork.

Businesses also come to Moorhouse Medical Centre for employment medicals, drug and alcohol testing, hearing tests or spirometry to check that staff are fit for work. Moorhouse Medical Centre’s nurses can provide vaccinations at the workplace, cutting down-time for employees.

“We are the only medical centre in Christchurch providing one-stop immigration medicals” says Dr Beumelburg. “That’s another way we minimise the time people need to wait for their healthcare.”

Most of us will get a cough & cold, sore throats, sore ears and sinus infections at least once a year. Majority of these are caused by viral infections.

What causes these infections?

Infections of the sinus (sinusitis), throat (pharyngitis), tonsils (tonsillitis), ears (otitis media), airways (bronchitis or bronchiolitis) are caused commonly by viral infections.

Doctors generally use the term viral URTI (Upper Respiratory Tract Infection, pronounced ur-ti) to describe most of these infections.

What is a virus and why do I get them?

A Virus is a “bug” that is present in the environment and are passed through infected people by sneezing, coughing, direct contact or indirect contact with contaminated surfaces (i.e. door handles, computer keyboards, shopping trolleys).

Our immune system (the part of the body that fights infections) kills virus 24hrs a day. It also kills most bugs that enter our system including bacteria too. However when our immune system is down or if the infection is too much for our immune system to handle, we get viral infections.

What are the symptoms of  Viral URTIs?

Generally feeling unwell, tired & run down, reduced appetite, body aches, fever, coughs and cold are the common symptoms.  Symptoms peak about day 2 – day 5. At this stage there may be green or yellow sputum (phlegm), and this is the time majority of the patient present to their GP.

Then symptoms slowly resolves (the stronger your immune system the quicker this occurs). However you may have a lingering cough for about 2 – 3 weeks. This is common and it is because the infected airways take time to reduce the swelling and irritation. The important thing to remember is that during this period you are coping and not suddenly deteriorated.

So in total it can last from 7 – 21 days.

How can I treat viral URTIs?

There is no magic cure.
It’s symptomatic and just allow your strong immune system to fight it.  The most useful treatments are

• Rest
• Paracetamol, Iburpofen or Aspirin – this helps the aches and pains, headaches and fever (Children aged under 16 should not take aspirin.)
• Drink plenty of fluids - Keep hydrated to give energy to your immune system
• Stop smoking

What about over the counter medications?

There is little evidence they work (this does not apply to paracetamol and ibuprofen)

In 2009 WHO (World Health Organisation)¹ & MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) ² recommend against the use of these medications. MHRA wrote

“The new advice is that parents and carers should no longer use over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold medicines in children under 6. There is no evidence that they work and can cause side effects, such as allergic reactions, effects on sleep or hallucinations.

For 6 to 12 year olds these medicines will continue to be available but will only be sold in pharmacies, with clearer advice on the packaging and from the pharmacist. This is because the risks of side effects is reduced in older children because they weigh more, get fewer colds and can say if the medicine is doing any good. More research is being done by industry on how well these medicines work in children aged 6-12 years.”

Get Smart, why not antibiotics?

Antibiotics do not kill viral infections.

Antibiotics (as their name implies) kill bacterial infections. To kill viral infections you needs an anti-viral not an anti-bacterial. The reason is they differ in shape (imagine a virus is a circle and a bacteria a triangle), so antibiotics will only target anything that resemble the shape of bacteria (i.e. a triangle). Also we do not have specific anti-viral medications as there are so many types of viruses (over 100), that not one medication can be manufactured.
Using antibiotics in viral infections will cause side effects like nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea (since it will kill all the good bacteria in your intestines and reduce your immunity). It may also cause fungal infections (thrush), rash and worse build up resistance to antibiotics (when antibiotics can no longer kill bacterial infections).

A recent studies showed using antibiotics children (under 3 months or ≥ 7 courses) increased their risk of getting Irritable Bowel Disease (Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease) when older ³

Why do some doctors prescribe antibiotics?

Your doctor is here to genuinely help you feel and become better. Frequently, doctors prescribe antibiotics even when they don’t believe they’re medically necessary. It feels better to do something instead of nothing.

Remember it won’t cure the infection, it won’t keep other people from catching it, it won’t relieve your symptoms and it can cause side effects.

Antibiotics worked last time I had similar symptoms.

Most people present to their GP at the peak of their illness (usually day 3 – day 5, even day 7) and this is usually when antibiotics are prescribed. This is also the time when their immune system is going to make them feel better anyway, yet they think the antibiotic worked and forgot who really did the hard work, their own immune system.

What to look out for – The Red Flags

Most viral URTI do not cause complications. Complications are common but not frequent in patients who have underlying lung conditions like asthma or COPD.

Contact your doctor if you have any of the following symptoms

References

1. WHO Pharmaceuticals Newsletter No. 2, 2009,  http://www.who.int/medicines/publications/newsletter/2009pharmnews2.pdf

2. Safety information, MHRA, 28 February 2009, http://www.mhra.gov.uk/NewsCentre/Pressreleases/CON038902

3. GUT doi;10.1136/gut.2010.219683 http://gut.bmj.com/content/60/1/49.abstract 

This material is prepared by Dr Rasika Amarasekera for Moorhouse Medical Centre, Christchurch, New Zealand.

Click here for a printable version GET SMART Why no Antibiotics – info sheet

At Moorhouse Medical Centre, we’ve taken the hassle out of immigration medicals. Our One Stop Immigration Medicals make the whole process quicker – simpler – better.

Instead of two appointments required at most doctors providing immigration medicals, at Moorhouse Medical Centre, the whole immigration medical is completed in one appointment.

Instead of having to go to a laboratory to get your blood test done, at Moorhouse Medical Centre, your blood test is done right here.

Instead of having to go to radiology service to get your chest x-ray done, at Moorhouse Medical Centre, yes, you guessed it…. your x-ray is done right here.

Just compare:

At Moorhouse Medical Centre:

• We have doctors and nurses who specialise in immigration medicals.
• We have all the facilities you need under one roof.
• We have competitive fees.
• We have appointments available to suit you.
• You can choose to pick up your results, or for convenience and out-of-town clients, we can courier results to you.

Why would you choose anywhere else?

Are you worried that prolonged exposure to the sun or sunburn has damaged your skin?

Are you concerned about bumps, lumps, skin-tags or scars on your skin?

Do you have moles that need to be checked?

Check out Moorhouse Medical Centre’s Skin Clinic for a range of specialised services, including Mole Mate^TM dermal imaging and skin assessment.

Melanomas found early can be successfully treated. Don’t wait until the end of summer. 

For peace of mind, book a full body skin check or Mole Mate^TM assessment by telephoning 03 365 7900.

Our Skin Clinic doctors specialise in treating skin conditions and minor surgical procedures.

Even for the majority of weekend warriors, it’s important to get back to work as soon as possible as well as back to the sports we love.

We know how expensive treatment can be, even with ACC, so we have put a special package together exclusively for sports club members. If you would like to know more about this, please contact  David Jones on 03 365 7900 ext 806 or email david.jones@moorhousemedical.co.nz.

Moorhouse Medical Centre has teamed up with PhysioSouth to provide a free soft tissue injury clinic. You will be seen by a doctor and physiotherapist who will work together on your injury to provide a comprehensive assessment and treatment plan.

This approach cuts out waiting time for referrals between health professionals and reduces the need for multiple appointments. The clinic is free for all ACC injuries seen at Moorhouse Medical Centre.

Another reason why Moorhouse Medical Centre is the right place to come if you have an accident or sports injury.