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Shingles | Sore throat | Sinusitis | Impetigo | Urinary infection | Earache | Bites and stings | NHS Pharmacy First FAQs | Tesco Pharmacy

Shingles is an infection that causes a painful rash. The first signs of shingles can be:

• • a tingling or painful feeling in an area of skin
• • a headache
• • or feeling generally unwell

A rash will usually appear a few days later. In rare cases, shingles can cause pain without a rash. You can't catch shingles but it can cause chickenpox in people who've not had chickenpox before.

You can now get advice and NHS treatment for shingles from a Tesco Pharmacist without having to see a GP. The NHS Pharmacy First shingles service is available to people aged 18 years and over.*

Sore throats are very common and usually nothing to worry about. They normally get better by themselves within a week. Symptoms of an acute sore throat may include:

• • a painful throat (especially when swallowing)
• • redness in the back of your mouth
• • bad breath
• • a mild cough
• • swollen neck glands
• • children can also get a temperature and appear less active

You can now get advice and NHS treatment for a sore throat from a Tesco Pharmacist without having to see a GP. The NHS Pharmacy First sore throat service is available to people aged 5 years and over.*

Sinusitis is swelling of the sinuses, usually caused by an infection. It's a common condition and usually clears up on its own within 2-3 weeks. But medicines can help if it's taking a long time to go away. Symptoms of sinusitis may include:

• • nasal blockage or nasal discharge (green or yellow)
• • facial pain or headache
• • reduced sense of smell (in adults)
• • cough during the day or night (in children)
• • pain and tenderness around your cheeks, eyes or forehead
• • a high temperature

You can now get advice and NHS treatment for sinusitis from a Tesco Pharmacist without having to see a GP. The NHS Pharmacy First sinusitis service is available to people aged 12 years and over.*

Impetigo is a skin infection that's very contagious but not usually serious. It often gets better in 7–10 days, if you get treatment.

Anyone can get impetigo, but it's very common in young children. It starts with red sores or blisters, which quickly burst and leave crusty, golden-brown patches.

You can now get advice and NHS treatment for impetigo from a Tesco Pharmacist without having to see a GP. The NHS Pharmacy First impetigo service is available to people aged 1 year and over.*

Also called 'urinary tract infections' (UTIs), these can affect both children and adults. Symptoms of a UTI may include:

• • pain or a burning sensation when peeing
• • needing to pee more often than usual
• • lower tummy pain or pain in your back, just under the ribs
• • urine that looks cloudy

You can now get advice and NHS treatment for UTIs from a Tesco Pharmacist without having to see a GP. The NHS Pharmacy First UTI service is available to women aged 16–64 with a suspected uncomplicated UTI.*

Ear infections are very common, particularly in children. Most ear infections clear up within 3 days, although sometimes symptoms can last up to a week. Symptoms of an ear infection may include:

• • earache
• • a high temperature
• • being sick
• • a lack of energy
• • slight hearing loss – if the middle ear becomes filled with fluid
• • in some cases, a hole may develop in the eardrum (perforated eardrum) and pus may run out of the ear

You can now get advice and NHS treatment for earache and ear infections from a Tesco Pharmacist without having to see a GP. The NHS Pharmacy First ear infection service is available to children aged 1-17 years.*

Insect bites and stings are usually not serious and should heal within a few days. Occasionally, a bite can lead to these signs of infection:

• • pus in or around the bite
• • increased pain, swelling and redness in and around the bite
• • swollen glands

You can now get advice and NHS treatment for infected insect bites from a Tesco Pharmacist without having to see a GP. The NHS Pharmacy First bites and stings service is available to people aged 1 year and over.*

This service establishes community pharmacists as a first port of call for advice and treatment for common infections. It can help you get the right care in the right place, without having to go to the GP or local A&E (accident and emergency) department for non-urgent treatment.

Community pharmacists can supply a specific range of prescription and over-the-counter medicines for these common infections, including antibiotics (where clinically appropriate), creams, nasal sprays, ear drops, and antivirals (for shingles, where clinically appropriate).

This will depend on the condition. We've outlined the eligibility in each section above and these are explained in more detail when you talk to us in-store.

You can be referred to the service by a healthcare professional (for example NHS 111 or GP surgery). You can also refer yourself for advice and treatment for the 7 common infections listed above. Come in-store and talk to one of our pharmacists. All pharmacist consultations will be confidential and take place in one of our private consultation rooms.

The consultation should take around 20 minutes.

Shingles | Sore throat | Sinusitis | Impetigo | Urinary infection | Earache | Bites and stings | Tesco Pharmacy | Back to top

*Eligibility criteria apply. Subject to availability in selected stores only. All services are at the discretion of the pharmacist.