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How Long Are You Contagious to Others With a Cold?
Every year, millions of people get sick with a cold. The CDC tells us that the common cold is the leading cause of missed school days and missed work days. A cold can last anywhere from 7 to 10 days, but for people with preexisting health conditions, like asthma, a cold may cause life-threatening health…
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Foods That Can Affect Your Hormones (Steer Clear of These Foods if You’ve Been Diagnosed With a Hormone Imbalance)
Eating a well-balanced diet is essential to maintaining good health. A varied diet ensures that someone receives essential nutrients, helps them maintain a healthy weight, and helps regulate hormone balance. Hormones are special molecules that control many actions in the body, including digestion, the immune system, and even breathing. Just as eating a well-balanced diet…
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Which is Best: Inhaler or Nebulizer? How to Choose the Best Asthma Treatment for You or Your Child
Asthma is a condition characterized by inflammation and narrowing of the airways in the lungs. Patients diagnosed with asthma can find relief from their symptoms using inhaled medications. Both inhalers and nebulizers are used to deliver medications to the lungs for relief from asthma symptoms. These devices administer medication differently and require a different level…
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Tips for Taking Your Medications and Why it’s Important to Adhere to Your Medication Regimen
When patients don’t take their medications as directed, they miss out on the benefits of these medications and put themselves at risk of their condition worsening. Taking medications as directed by your physician, also called patient adherence, is important for controlling the symptoms of chronic conditions and maintaining long-term health. There are many reasons why…
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Tips for Getting Fit at Home: No Gym Required
The weather is getting colder, gyms are closed, and COVID-19 restrictions are in full effect. It may be tempting to want to hibernate and forget about doing any physical activity when you’re stuck inside, but exercise is important to physical and mental health. Exercise: Reduces the risk of heart disease Helps maintain a healthy weight…
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Why Do I Have to Inject My Medication? And Why Medications Come in Different Forms Like Tablets, Liquids, Ointments, and Injectables
Prescription medications come in all different forms: pills, syrups, nasal sprays, creams, inhalants, injections, and more. Prescription Injectable medications are liquid drugs that are injected into the body using a needle and a syringe. These types of mediations can provoke feelings of intimidation and nervousness in patients who may wonder, “Why can’t I take my…
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“Can I See My Pharmacist For That?” Learn When You Can See Your Pharmacist Before Going to Your GP
Although pharmacists aren’t able to diagnose an illness or prescribe medications, they are important members of any patient’s healthcare team. Pharmacists are often available sooner than a doctor, and there’s no need to make an appointment or pay for a copay to ask for their guidance. When can you see your pharmacist before going to…
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Comorbidity: How Patients Can Manage Multiple Chronic Conditions
Comorbidity is the term used when a person has been diagnosed with more than one chronic medical condition. For example, if someone is diagnosed with diabetes and they are later diagnosed with hypertension (high blood pressure), they would be considered to have comorbidity. Comorbidity occurs in approximately one in four adults in developed countries and…
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The Most Important Lab Tests to Get Every Year
Routine laboratory testing is one of the most important ways for patients to keep track of their health. Testing can be done on a sample of blood or urine. Seeing how test results change over time can help empower patients to make informed decisions about their health and hopefully, to reduce the risk of developing…
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How to Spot Signs of a Medication Allergy: Learn the Difference Between a Side Effect and a Drug Allergy
A medication allergy occurs when the body’s immune system reacts to a drug as if it were harmful. The immune system protects the body from foreign harmful substances, like infectious bacteria and viruses. Sometimes, the body recognizes a substance as harmful when it is harmless–this is referred to as an allergy. Adverse drug reactions, also…
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