Health Advice

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Head Lice – Help!!!

Every parent’s heart sinks when they receive the dreaded note from school warning about head lice. Don’t worry – Jane Brennan from Brennan’s Life Pharmacy in Donabate is here to to give us advice and tips. The first thing to do is to check the child’s head. You will need some tea tree conditioner, a... Read more >

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Are You SunSmart?

We ask Jane Brennan from Brennan’s Life Pharmacy Donabate how to make the most of great sunny summer days whilst protecting our skin from harmful rays. Jane says “The Irish Cancer Society SunSmart program has great guidelines to keep us safe. See below for some useful tips and advice” Ways to protect your skin: Shade... Read more >

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Pollen Highs & Watery Eyes

Pollen Highs & Watery Eyes… Talk to Jane Brennan, your Hay Fever Expert in Donabate Are your eyes itchy, red or watery? Is your throat scratchy? Are you sneezing? Do you have itchy ears, nose or mouth? Do you have a blocked or runny nose? Do you wake up feeling exhausted? Hay fever can cause... Read more >

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Life Pharmacy Ireland – Live Better

Bringing you the best health advice for your family

NHS Choices - Diagnosing sinusitis

(14/10/2011)

Your GP can usually diagnose sinusitis from your symptoms.

Sinusitis is nearly always caused by a viral infection, such as the common cold or flu, and is diagnosed based on the presence of:

  • nasal blockage or runny nose with facial pain, and/or
  • a reduction or loss of sense of smell

Loss of smell is more common and facial pain less common in chronic (persistent) sinusitis.

Referral to a specialist

If your sinusitis is severe or keeps coming back, your GP may refer you to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist who will carry out tests to determine the underlying cause.

You may have an X-ray or CT scan to find out the cause of your sinusitis (a series of X-rays are taken for a CT scan, to produce a detailed picture of your sinuses).

Glossary

Bacteria
Bacteria are tiny, single-celled organisms that live in the body. Some can cause illness and disease and some others are good for you.
X-ray
An X-ray is a painless way of producing pictures of inside the body using radiation.
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