7 WAYS YOUR PHARMACIST CAN HELP

Can't see a GP? Head to your chemist to ease concerns

- ALI HORSFALL

Struggling to get in with your doctor? The good news is there’s of people aren’t making the best use of their nearest pharmacy*, despite it being a one-stop shop for good advice on illnesses, medication and treatment for many ailments from athlete’s foot and earwax to diarrhoea and indigestion.

‘If your symptoms suggest that there is something more serious, a pharmacist can then raise a red flag and say whether you need to see a GP,’ says pharmacy manager Shirin Alwash**. Here are just some of the health worries that can be sorted on the high street.

1 Beat vaginal dryness 

One in two postmenopausal women experience vaginal dryness, itching and inflammation***, but there’s a solution. If you’re over the age of 50 and it’s been at least a year since you had a period, you can buy a form of low-dose oestrogen over the counter – after a chat with your pharmacist. Previously a prescription-only medicine, Gina 10 micrograms vaginal tablets are inserted into the vagina via an applicator in order to provide relief from symptoms after 8-12 weeks. (£29.99 for 24 tablets, Boots).

2 Keep asthma in check 

Currently, 5.4 million people in the UK receive treatment for asthma, but experts say that more than 1 million could be at risk of a life-threatening attack, as they aren’t using their inhaler properly. Your pharmacist can check and, if needed, correct your technique.