Community News
Ask The Pharmacist

Q. What is Medication Non-Adherence?
A. Medication non-adherence is when a patient doesn’t take a medication, either willfully or inadvertently, as prescribed by their healthcare provider. Studies have shown that 50% of Canadians do not take their prescription medications exactly as prescribed. The reasons for this vary from a lack of information, to being afraid to take medication or believing it doesn’t work, to an inability to follow instructions that may be too complex. Each year, medication non-adherence results in many hospital admissions. Your pharmacist can help provide you with the information you need to make the right decisions about when and how to take your medications.

Home Remedy for Denture Pain

Sometimes dentures can cause pain or discomfort, especially if your dentures are old or ill-fitting. An effective home remedy you could try is using black tea bags! Black Tea is full of tannic acid, an astringent that helps reduce pain, as well as, reduces swelling of the gums. Tannic acid also repels harmful bacteria. Steep a black tea bag in a cup of hot water for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bag and set aside to cool off. Hold it on the affected gum area for 10-15 minutes then rinse your mouth with warm water. Repeat 1-2 times daily. (Note: not intended to replace consultation with a medical professional.)

Treating Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is an eye disease that only affects diabetics. It occurs when the fragile vascular network that supplies the retina – the light sensitive tissue at the back of the eye that helps us see – begins to swell or leak. During the beginning stages of the disease, there may be no noticeable symptoms, so it’s important to have your eyes checked at least once a year, if you have diabetes. Once symptoms of diabetic retinopathy do develop, they can include dark or black spots in your visual field, or blurry vision, and it increases over time.

Smoking, Vaping and COVID-19

If you smoke or vape, are you at a higher risk of getting COVID-19? This is a common question, and since there is strong evidence that smoking can increase your risk of viral and bacterial infections (like colds and flus), it’s possible that it could increase your risk of getting COVID-19 as well. Smoking can weaken your body’s immune cells over time, making it harder to fight infections, and also negatively impacts your lung function. Quitting smoking with the aid of treatments like laser therapy is a good way to help limit your risk of experiencing complications from COVID-19.

Print vs. Digital for Reading Comprehension

Research shows that students learn more effectively from print textbooks than computer or tablet screens. While students overwhelmingly preferred digital text over paper, one study clearly found that comprehension was significantly better when the student read a paper text. When the student was reading for general understanding like grasping the main idea, and details weren’t critical, digital was OK. However, comprehension was significantly improved when reading printed texts. Therefore, it would be a good idea to print any reading assignments for your children as much as possible, so they aren’t staring at the computer or digital device so much throughout the day.

Advice from a Travel Expert

With all that is going on in the world, here is some sage advice for when you travel. Always purchase travel insurance that includes coverage for medical, cancellation and interruption. This is what is going to help you not only if you need medical care, but also if there are travel advisories, flight cancellations, and other unexpected world events. Always use a travel advisor. Wouldn’t you like to have someone else advocating for you and solving your travel problems? Remember to leave contact details of where you will be with a family member or friend.

Get Too Much Sun?

If you have a sunburn, applying Aloe Vera is a great way to promote healing and get respite from the pain and swelling. Aloe Vera is a tropical medicinal plant that has been used for thousands of years to treat skin conditions, such as wounds and burns. It is so effective at soothing burns that it’s sometimes referred to as the “burn plant.” To treat a sunburn, spread a layer of pure gel extracted from the inside of an Aloe Vera leaf over the burnt skin. You can grow your own plants at home, or you can use a store-bough product, as long as it is 100% Aloe Vera gel.

Hearing Loss and Brain Health

Hearing involves not only your ears but also the brain, so it’s no wonder that hearing loss can go hand in hand with thinking and memory problems. Studies are increasingly linking hearing loss to issues such as faster brain shrinkage, earlier onset of significant cognitive impairment, and up to a quintupled risk of dementia. Addressing conditions such as hearing loss, however, could help prevent a third of dementia cases worldwide, per a UK research collaborative. With hearing health and overall wellness so connected, it’s important to seek regular hearing checks and address listening difficulties early.

Laser Treatments from Your Family Doctor!

Did you know that you can now receive private laser treatment services from your family doctor for a range of health concerns? The Fotona SP laser is an award-winning treatment that can help with conditions such as snoring and sleep apnea, hair removal, skin tightening, scar revision, toenail fungus, skin resurfacing, vascular lesions, and spider veins. The Fotona combines two complementary laser wavelengths that work in harmony to create thermal effects without damaging the skin’s surface. This allows for a range of non-contact, non-invasive procedures that offer greater patient comfort, reduced downtime, and quicker healing, not to mention long-lasting results. Offering free consultations.