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Rosacea - Self Help

Self-help-Rosacea

If you have rosacea, there are a number of things you can do to help keep the condition under control.

Avoid triggers

Many people with rosacea notice certain triggers make their symptoms worse. Although it's not always practical or possible, taking steps to avoid these triggers can help reduce the severity and frequency of your symptoms.

If you're not sure whether your symptoms have a specific trigger, it may be useful to keep a diary to identify whether your symptoms get worse depending on things like the activities you do and foods or drinks you have.

Advice about how to avoid some common triggers can be found below.

Sunlight

As sunlight is the most commonly reported trigger of rosacea, you should use sun cream whenever possible, even when it's overcast.

A sun cream with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 is recommended. A broad-spectrum sun cream that protects against UVA and UVB light should be used.

Using sun creams specifically designed for children may help reduce skin irritation. Covering exposed skin with clothes or a sun hat may also help.

Try to minimise your exposure to the sun during the summer months, particularly in the middle of the day when the sun is at its hottest.

But remember, sun can also be strong in the morning and evening, so take adequate precautions at these times as well.

Stress

Stress is also a commonly reported trigger of rosacea. Successfully managing your stress levels can help control your symptoms.

Ways you can reduce stress include:

learning relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing exercises, meditation and yoga
taking regular exercise

As strenuous exercise can sometimes make rosacea symptoms worse, a low-intensity exercise programme, such as walking or swimming, may be better than high-intensity activities, such as running or aerobics.

Read about stress management.

Food and drink

Some of the most commonly reported food- and drink-related triggers are alcohol and spicy foods. You may want to try completely removing these from your diet to see if your rosacea improves.

But there are many other dietary triggers that can also affect some people with rosacea.

It's a good idea to include information about how your diet affects your rosacea symptoms in your rosacea diary.

Cold weather

Covering your face and nose with a scarf can help protect your skin from cold temperatures and wind.

If you need to spend considerable time outside during cold weather, protect your face with a balaclava.

Skincare techniques

The advice below about skincare techniques may also help control your rosacea symptoms.

Gently clean your skin every morning and evening using a gentle, non-abrasive cleanser – use soap-free cleansers with non-alkaline or neutral pH. Avoid scented soaps and alcohol-based skin cleansers.
Rinse your face with lukewarm water and allow skin to dry thoroughly before you apply medication or make-up.
Look for products suitable for sensitive skin – these are usually described as mild, hypoallergenic, fragrance-free and non-comedogenic (will not block pores).
Use a moisturiser to soothe skin if it feels sore.
Avoid oil-based or waterproof cosmetics requiring solvents for removal – use water-based make-up and skin products instead.
Avoid astringents, toners and other facial or hair products that contain ingredients that might irritate your skin – such as fragrances, alcohol, menthol, witch hazel, eucalyptus oil, camphor, clove oil, peppermint, sodium lauryl sulphate and lanolin.
You may want to avoid using anything on your skin that you aren't sure of – you can then gradually reintroduce products once your symptoms have been treated and cleared to see if you can use them again without any problems.
Men may find that using an electric razor, rather than a blade, helps reduce skin irritation.
Some people find regular gentle facial massage reduces swelling (lymphoedema).
Don't use steroid cream unless you're specifically instructed to by your GP – it may make your symptoms worse.

Make-up

It may be possible to disguise patches of persistent red skin using specially designed camouflage make-up.

The charity Changing Faces offers a skin camouflage service, available nationally and free of charge, to help with the use of these creams.

Your GP or dermatologist can refer you to the skin camouflage service and prescribe skin camouflage make-up.

Eyelid hygiene

If your eyelids are inflamed as a result of rosacea (blepharitis), cleaning your eyelids every day with warm water and a small amount of cleaning solution can help ease your symptoms.

Avoiding eye make-up can also help reduce your symptoms, but if you do choose to wear eye make-up, make sure it is a type that washes off easily so you can still clean your eyelids.

Read about treating blepharitis.

Phobias - Self-help

Self-help-Phobias

Each phobia is different and no single self-help programme will work for everyone. You may decide to use your own self-help strategy or get help from a mental health specialist, such as a psychologist.

A self-help programme could include:

lifestyle changes
a course of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
attending a self-help group
using exposure therapy to overcome your fear
a combination of these

Lifestyle changes

Making some simple changes to your lifestyle may help reduce the symptoms of a phobia, such as panic attacks.

This could include:

regular exercise
eating regular, healthy meals
getting enough sleep
reducing or avoiding caffeine and other stimulants

Exposure therapy (desensitisation)

Exposure therapy involves gradually increasing the length of time you're exposed to your phobia.

For example, if you have agoraphobia, a fear of open spaces and public places, you might start by going outside your house for a very short period of time, before gradually increasing the length of time you spend outside and the distance you travel from your house.

Exposure therapy can be a very effective way of enabling you to cope with your anxiety.

Other self-help techniques

Other self-help techniques include:

relaxation techniques – a series of physical exercises that help you relax and control your breathing
visualisation – combines relaxation and breathing techniques with mentally visualising how you'll successfully deal with a situation that could cause anxiety
self-help groups – a useful way of meeting others with similar experiences and sharing ways of coping

Read more about relaxation tips to relieve stress and dealing with panic attacks.

Mental health apps

There are a number of NHS-approved mental health apps you might find useful.

Generalised anxiety disorder in adults - Self-Help

Self-help-Generalised anxiety disorder in adults

If you have generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), there are many ways to help ease the symptoms of anxiety yourself.

Try a book or online course

There are lots of books and courses that can help you learn to cope with your anxiety.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)only recommends trying treatments based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

CBT is a type of psychological treatment that can help you manage your anxiety by changing negative or unhelpful thoughts and behaviour.

Find out more about self-help for anxiety

Exercise regularly

Regular exercise, particularly aerobic exercise, may help you combat stress and release tension.

It also encourages your brain to release serotonin, which can improve your mood.

Examples of good aerobic exercises include:

walking fast or jogging
swimming
cycling
tennis
hiking
football or rugby
aerobics

You should aim to do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week.

Moderate-intensity exercise should raise your heart rate and make you breathe faster.

Learn to relax

As well as regular exercise, learning how to relax is important.

You may find relaxation and breathing exercises helpful, or you may prefer activities such as yoga or pilates to help you unwind.

You can also try this 5-minute audio guide to dealing with anxiety.

Avoid caffeine

Drinking too much caffeine can make you more anxious than normal. This is because caffeine can disrupt your sleep and also speed up your heartbeat.

If you're tired, you're less likely to be able to control your anxious feelings.

Avoiding drinks containing caffeine, such as coffee, tea, fizzy drinks and energy drinks, may help reduce your anxiety levels.

Find out more about water, drinks and your health

Avoid smoking and drinking

Smoking and alcohol have been shown to make anxiety worse. Only drinking alcohol in moderation or stopping smoking may help reduce your anxiety.

To reduce the risk of harming your health:

men and women are advised not to regularly drink more than 14 units a week
spread your drinking over 3 days or more if you drink as much as 14 units a week

Fourteen units is equivalent to 6 pints of average-strength beer or 10 small glasses of low-strength wine.

Find out how stopping smoking can reduce your anxiety

Read more about alcohol units and stopping smoking.

Contact support groups

Support groups can give you advice on how to manage your anxiety.

They're also a good way to meet other people with similar experiences.

Examples of support groups you may find useful include:

Support groups can often arrange face-to-face meetings, where you can talk about your difficulties and problems with other people.

Many support groups also provide support and guidance over the phone or in writing.

Ask your GP about local support groups for anxiety in your area, or search online for mental health information and support services near you.

Fibromyalgia - Self-Help

Self-help - Fibromyalgia

If you have fibromyalgia, there are several ways to change your lifestyle to help relieve your symptoms and make your condition easier to live with.

Your GP, or another healthcare professional treating you, can offer advice and support about making these changes part of your everyday life.

There are organisations to support people with fibromyalgia that may also be able to offer advice.

Visit UK Fibromyalgia's support group section for a list of support groups across the country.

You may also find it helpful to talk to other people with fibromyalgia on this online community.

Below are some tips that may help relieve symptoms of fibromyalgia.

You can also read more information about living with pain.

Exercise

As extreme tiredness (fatigue) and pain are 2 of the main symptoms of fibromyalgia, you may find that you're not able to exercise as much as you'd like.

But an exercise programme specially suited to your condition can help you manage your symptoms and improve your overall health.

Your GP or physiotherapist may be able to refer you to a health professional who specialises in helping people with fibromyalgia work out an exercise plan.

The plan is likely to involve a mixture of aerobic and strengthening exercises.

Aerobic exercise

Aerobic activities are any kind of rhythmic, moderate-intensity exercises that increase your heart rate and make you breathe harder.

Examples include:

walking
cycling
swimming

Research suggests that aerobic fitness exercises should be included in your personalised exercise plan, even if you cannot complete these at a high level of intensity.

For example, if you find jogging too difficult, you could try brisk walking instead.

A review of a number of studies found aerobic exercises may improve quality of life and relieve pain.

As aerobic exercises increase your endurance (how long you can keep going), these may also help you function better on a day-to-day basis.

Resistance and strengthening exercises

Resistance and strengthening exercises are those that focus on strength training, such as lifting weights.

These exercises need to be planned as part of a personalised exercise programme. If they're not, muscle stiffness and soreness could be made worse.

A review of a number of studies concluded that strengthening exercises may improve:

muscle strength
physical disability
depression
quality of life

People with fibromyalgia who completed the strengthening exercises in these studies said they felt less tired, could function better and experienced a boost in mood.

Improving the strength of your major muscle groups can make it easier to do aerobic exercises.

Find out more about health and fitness

Pacing yourself

If you have fibromyalgia, it's important to pace yourself. This means balancing periods of activity with periods of rest, and not overdoing it or pushing yourself beyond your limits.

If you do not pace yourself, it could slow down your progress in the long term.

Over time, you can gradually increase your periods of activity while making sure they're balanced with periods of rest.

If you have fibromyalgia, you'll probably have some days when your symptoms are better than others.

Try to maintain a steady level of activity without overdoing it, but listen to your body and rest whenever you need to.

Avoid any exercise or activity that pushes you too hard as this can make your symptoms worse.

If you pace your activities at a level that's right for you, rather than trying to do as much as possible in a short space of time, you should make steady progress.

For example, it may help to start with gentler forms of exercise, such as tai chi, yoga and pilates, before attempting more strenuous aerobic or strengthening exercises.

Relaxation

If you have fibromyalgia, it's important to regularly take time to relax or practise relaxation techniques.

Stress can make your symptoms worse or cause them to flare up more often. It could also increase your chances of developing depression.

There are many relaxation aids available, including books, tapes and courses, although deep-breathing techniques or meditation may be just as effective.

Try to find time each day to do something that relaxes you. Taking time to relax before bed may also help you sleep better at night.

Talking therapies, such as counselling, can also be helpful in combating stress and learning to deal with it effectively.

Your GP may recommend you try this as part of your treatment.

Find out more about stress management

Better sleeping habits

Fibromyalgia can make it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep, known as insomnia.

If you have problems sleeping, it may help to:

get up at the same time every morning
try to relax before going to bed
try to create a bedtime routine, such as taking a bath and drinking a warm, milky drink every night
avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol before going to bed
avoid eating a heavy meal late at night
make sure your bedroom is a comfortable temperature and is quiet and dark
avoid checking the time throughout the night

Generalised anxiety disorder in adults - Self Help