Warts

Warts – are they contagious?

Warts are caused by a virus that affects the cells of the surface of the skin and causes rough lumps to grow either out of or into the skin and tissue underneath the site of infection.

There are several different types of wart, and they are grouped into three main types, but all are caused by direct contact with someone else with the wart infection.

A planar wart or verruca is found on the feet, and is usually transferred from person to person in places such as changing rooms and showers where minute damage to the surface of the skin can allow the virus to enter the sole of the foot. They cause considerable pain and discomfort when standing or walking.

Common warts may occur anywhere and often develop into clusters over time. They are frequently transferred between children and teenagers and are not usually harmful but may cause some discomfort if they are subjected to pressure or frequent injury. Usually common warts are found on fingers, knees and the back of the hands, and they form small raised lumps that can develop into cauliflower-like growths.

Genital warts are spread by sexual contact, they occur around the sexual organs and may also develop into clusters but they do not usually cause any pain. Any warts, lumps or changes to the genital area should be reported to a doctor for treatment as soon as they are noticed.

Most other warts are easily treated with preparations available from your community pharmacy. Wart treatments available from your pharmacy are either sprays which freeze the wart or lotions that you apply onto the wart to burn it off over a period of time. Successful removal of warts requires repeated treatment as the wart viruses are difficult to treat so be prepared to persevere in order to prevent the wart growing back.

It is important when treating warts to protect the skin around the wart as it may be damaged by the treatment you may use. Your community pharmacist can advise you of the most suitable treatment to remove warts effectively and can advise you about protecting the skin around treated warts in order to prevent any damage to the skin.

Speak to your pharmacist - they know how to help you treat minor skin conditions and infections such as warts.

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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