Verrucas

Verrucas

A verruca is another name for a plantar wart which is a wart that grows on the sole of your foot. It is a viral infection, similar to the virus that forms warts on other parts of the body. The verruca virus is usually caught as a result of contact with infected skin from other people with the virus. This is why they are frequently a result of walking barefoot in public areas, such as gymnasiums and swimming pools, especially when there are small tears in the surface of the foot which allow the virus to enter. They may occur singly or in clusters.

These warts occur by infecting the top layers of the skin on the sole of the foot, causing the layers to thicken. This thickening eventually causes pain as the most commonly affected areas of the feet are those that bear your weight. The pain feels similar to walking on a stone. You can tell the difference between a corn and a verruca because the skin over a verruca does not have the usual skin ridges of normal skin which sit over corns.

Often a verruca will disappear with little or no treatment, however if the verruca is causing pain then it should be treated. Successful removal of these warts may take some time. They can also cause scarring if the verruca needs to be surgically removed or frozen off.

The usual treatment for a verruca involves special plasters or applications that remove the infection by burning it off over time. You can also use spray ‘freezing’ preparations that burn off the verruca. These treatments need to be repeated several times to ensure the virus affected skin has been eradicated. You will need to leave periods of time between treatments to allow for healing. Care must be taken to protect the surrounding skin as the treatments will affect all areas applied to, causing further pain and injury.

Do not attempt to cut out verrucas yourself. If you are intending to use public shower spaces then do not go barefoot. If you do not have verrucas then use rubber footwear instead of going barefoot, especially in public showers. If you do have verrucas, then cover them with waterproof plasters if going into public places where you need to be barefooted. This will prevent the spread of an infection.

All of the treatments mentioned above are available from your community pharmacist. Your pharmacist can give you advice and preparations to protect the surrounding skin, and to relieve pressure from walking on verruca affected feet. If warranted, your pharmacist will refer you to your doctor or a podiatrist for more drastic methods of verruca removal, for example if large areas of your feet are affected by this painful condition, or if previous treatment has been unsuccessful.

Swallowing difficulties (dysphagia)

Causes of swallowing difficulties

Swallowing difficulties can happen at any age. There are a wide range of causes for them, including:

some medicines, such as antipsychotics
heartburn and acid reflux
cancer, such as mouth or throat cancers
nervous system or brain disorders
muscle disorders
blockages or structural issues with your mouth, throat or oesophagus.

Symptoms of swallowing difficulties

Symptoms of swallowing difficulties may include:

coughing or choking when eating or drinking
bringing food back up, may be through your nose
the feeling that food is stuck in your throat
having issues chewing your food
problems with dribbling.

Swallowing difficulties can cause weight loss, dehydration and chest infections.

Diagnosing swallowing difficulties

Let your healthcare provider know if you have swallowing difficulties. They will ask you about your symptoms and check if any other health conditions you have may be the cause.

Your healthcare provider may refer you to a specialist for tests. These may include a:

gastroscopy—a camera is passed down through your mouth to look at your throat and stomach
swallowing study—your throat and stomach are x-rayed as you swallow small amounts of food.

Treating swallowing difficulties

How your swallowing difficulties are treated depends on the cause and how severe it is. Treatments may include:

medicines to treat acid reflux
swallowing therapy with a speech and language therapist
making changes to what you eat and drink, such as softer foods and using thickener in drinks
using special spoons, plates and cups
surgery to widen your oesophagus.
using special medication lubricants eg Gloup to help make it easier to swallow tablets etc. For more information click here.

Self care for swallowing difficulties

As well as seeing your healthcare provider, the following tips may help you to get food or liquids into your stomach.

Sit upright in a chair—at a table is best.
Have regular small meals instead of the main large meals.
Eat or drink small mouthfuls at a time.
If your voice is gurgly when you eat or drink, give a small cough to make sure your airway is clear.
Wet food will be easier to swallow as dry food can catch in your throat.
If your food has 2 consistencies, such as fruit in juice and cereal in milk, try to mix it into 1 consistency, or eat the solid and liquid portions separately.
Concentrate on eating and avoid talking.
Hot, ice-cold or fizzy liquids are easier to swallow than room temperature liquids.
If you are told to have thickened liquids, avoid ice-cream and jelly as they thin before swallowing.
Drink from the top half of you cup to avoid tipping your head back.

Have a look at our range of Gloup medication lubricants here which can help with difficulties swallowing tablets...

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