Self-Care Pocket Guide • Things to Read Before Using This Guide
How to Use This Guide

Our goal at University Health Services (UHS) is to get you back to good health as soon as possible when you're ill or injured. We encourage you to call the UHS 24-hour Nurse Advice Line 475-NURS (475-6877) if you have a question about an illness or injury or want help deciding if you need to see a healthcare provider. However, experience has shown us that many illnesses and injuries for which students come to UHS respond well to care you can give yourself at home. This guide provides information about when and how to do just that, so you can avoid unnecessary trips to a healthcare provider when you're not feeling well. For each health condition, we've included an overview, signs and symptoms, self-care measures, and information about when you should contact a healthcare provider or seek emergency care.

The self-care advice in this guide pertains to healthy adults and shouldn't be applied to infants or children. If you're pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or breast feeding, check with your healthcare provider to make sure that any advice we've provided is appropriate for you—especially before you take any medications. If you have a chronic medical condition such as diabetes, asthma or an immune system that is compromised for any reason, consult your healthcare provider even when you have an illness that others might consider minor and treat with self-care.

You are responsible for using the information in this guide in a reasonable manner. No written advice can cover every possible, serious health condition that can arise. Always err on the side of protecting your own health and, if you have any questions or concerns, call the UHS Nurse Advice Line 475-NURS (475-6877)—24 hours a day, every day of the year.