5 Facts to Know about Urinary Incontinence

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5 Facts to Know about Urinary Incontinence

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When do you know you are experiencing urinary incontinence? If you sense loss of bladder control frequently, you experience urine leakage when you cough or sneeze, and/or have an abrupt urge to go to the toilet, you may be experiencing urinary incontinence. This condition can affect both genders.
We’ve compiled the top 5 facts to know about urinary incontinence this year. Continue reading to find out.

Urinary incontinence affects both Genders

There are misconceptions that urinary incontinence affects only women. However, contrary to this myth, urinary incontinence affects both males and females.

Urinary Incontinence can be sign of other underlying causes

Suffering from urinary incontinence may indicate that there is another underlying health condition in your body. Frequently, urinary incontinence may be accompanied by an issue in your urinary tract, for instance, infection, nerve damage, blockages, or muscle weakness among others. Urinary incontinence as a result of diabetes, stroke, and multiple sclerosis.
In women, this issue can be related to weak pelvic tissues and muscles as well. In men, the main cause of incontinence may be BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia).

Exercise May Boost Urinary Control

Exercise is among the best practices to engage in if you want to improve your urinary control. Oftentimes, people tend to overlook physical exercise. Keeping active can keep your muscles fit and strong. Kegel exercises are the best for urinary control benefits in both males and females. Generally, kegel exercise involves strengthening pelvic muscles and rapid voluntary contraction of the muscle to improve urinary control.
If you have frequent urinary incontinence, discuss your condition with your pharmacist and/or your health care provider to determine if you are experiencing other underlying causes and how to control and treat this issue.

Urinary Incontinence can be treated

Medications, Surgery, Interventional therapies, medical devices are some of the therapies that can be used to treat and control urinary incontinence. Treatment for urinary incontinence depends on the type of incontinence, its severity and the underlying cause. A combination of treatments may be needed. If an underlying condition is causing your symptoms, your physician will first treat that condition. Your doctor may recommend less invasive treatments to start with and move on to other options if these techniques fail to help you.

Absorbent pads and catheters can be used for urinary incontinence

If medical treatments can’t eliminate your incontinence, you can try products that help ease the discomfort and inconvenience of leaking urine:
Pads and protective garments. Most products are no more bulky than normal underwear and can be easily worn under everyday clothing. Men who have problems with dribbles of urine can use a drip collector — a small pocket of absorbent padding that’s worn over the penis and held in place by close-fitting underwear.
Catheter. If you’re incontinent because your bladder doesn’t empty properly, your doctor may recommend that you learn to insert a soft tube (catheter) into your urethra several times a day to drain your bladder. You’ll be instructed on how to clean these catheters for safe reuse.
These blogs are for informational purposes only. For medical advice specific to your needs, please consult with your pharmacist and/or health care provider.

Insulin, Medicines, & Other Diabetes Treatments

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Insulin, Medicines, & Other Diabetes Treatments

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Diabetes has become a global disease affecting large number of people globally regardless of their age or gender.
If you’re looking to get detailed information about diabetes, you’re at the right place. Below is what you’ll learn;

What is diabetes?

Generally, diabetes is a health condition that results in high levels of blood sugar or glucose in the body.

This condition normally occurs when your body fails to use or make insulin as it is supposed to during normal body functioning. To mention; Insulin is a component that enables your body to make use of sugar from the food you take in.

So, for you to treat diabetes, you need to know which type of diabetes you’re suffering from and take drugs that align with the type of diabetes affecting your body.

What medicines are responsible for treating diabetes?

Treating diabetes is a bold move to take when deeply affected by it.

So, how do you treat diabetes? The medicine you choose to take for your diabetes will greatly differ from the type of diabetes you’re suffering from. Also, you need to know how well the medicine will help control your blood sugar level or glucose in your body.

However, other factors might contribute to the type of medication to take for your healing process. They include;

  • Health condition
  • Your daily schedule
  • Medication cost and more

What are the common types of diabetes?

As mentioned earlier, there are different types of diabetes affecting individuals all over the world.

To know which type of diabetes you are suffering from, continue reading:
Type 1 Diabetes
If you perpetually take insulin many times during the course of the day, then you are suffering from type 1 diabetes.

Also, type 1 diabetes is characterized by the use of an insulin pump, which is used to give steady and small doses of insulin throughout the day. To know which type of diabetes you are suffering from, continue reading:
Type 2 Diabetes
You may need diabetes medicine as well when you are suffering from type 2 diabetes.

So, diabetes medicine under this type may include medicines or diabetes pills, which you inject under your skin.

In this type, you may also require more than one diabetes medicine to manage your blood sugar level. Moreover, some people control this condition by taking healthy food and excising.
Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes in most cases may affect women during their pregnancy periods.

So, if you happen to have gestational diabetes, you must endeavor to control your blood sugar level by taking healthy food and excising regularly to make your body fit.

However, if you fail to reach your blood sugar level, your health team can walk you through some of the diabetes medicines you should take such as insulin or the diabetes pills metformin.

If you are pregnant, these are the best medicines to take to help you lessen the severity of the disease.

What are the various methods to take insulin?

There are different ways to take insulin. However, these methods are determinant by the following factors;

  • Your Preference
  • Insurance plan
  • Budget

So, before using any of the above-stated methods, discuss with your doctor and find which option is good for you.

However, several people with diabetes prefer to take insulin using the following methods;

  • Needle & Syringe
  • Injection Injector
  • Pump
  • Pen
  • Jet Injector
  • Inhaler

What are the side effects of diabetes Medicine?

The most popular side effect of taking diabetes medicine is hypoglycemia, also known as low blood glucose.

So, if you fail to balance your food and activity with medicine, it might result in low blood sugar or glucose in your body.
These blogs are for informational purposes only. For medical advice specific to your needs, please consult with your pharmacist and/or health care provider.

How to Self Monitor Blood Pressure at Home

How to Self Monitor Blood Pressure at Home

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How do you self-monitor your blood pressure at home? Examining your blood pressure at home is so crucial because it keeps you alert of any other health complications you might be encountering.
However, the steps of self-monitoring your blood at home can be a bit confusing, especially if it is your first time initiating the process. In this article, we’ve documented the proven tips and tactics how to self-monitor blood pressure at home effortlessly.
Therefore, The American Heart Association (AHA) plus other organizations advise anyone suffering from high blood pressure examines his/her blood pressure at the comfort of your home.
Before we discuss how to monitor blood pressure at home, let’s pen down some of the reasons why you should monitor your blood pressure at home;

Top 3 Reasons why you should monitor your Blood Pressure at Home

Help Keep Record of your Treatment

How will you know your health condition?

The only way to understand your health condition and other changes in your body is by checking your blood pressure at a regular interval.

So, checking your blood pressure at home might help you and your doctor keep a record of your health condition for better treatment. Also, you’ll be in a portion to make a decision and adjust your dosage and medication.

Help with Early Treatment

When you endeavor to check your blood pressure at a regular interval, it will help your doctor get to know some of the other health underlying conditions you might be encountering.
Therefore, checking your blood can help doctors notice the early signs of blood pressure in your body and initiate early blood pressure treatment.
In addition, it is recommended, if you have other health conditions that may lead to high blood pressure such as kidney problems or diabetes to regularly check your blood pressure at home to rate your condition.

Give you a Solid Sense of Responsibility

Examining your blood pressure at an interval or regularly might give you a solid sense of health responsibility.
Therefore, checking your blood pressure might motivate and encourage you to maintain good health by taking a balanced diet, proper medication, and excising.
Moreover, checking your blood pressure might help you cut your medical cost. Simply, you’ll lessen the number of hospital visits to your doctor for medical checkups.
Now you know why you should monitor your blood pressure at home, right? How do you conduct the whole process of self-monitoring? Let’s delve in;

Tips and Tactics How to Self Monitor Blood Pressure at Home

There are different types of home blood pressure monitoring you can opt for when checking your blood pressure.
Despite the type of home blood pressure you’ll opt to use, you must follow proper guidelines, training, and requirement when checking your blood pressure.
So, take your doctor’s advice on how to self-monitor your blood at home correctly. To get you started, the following tips and tactics might help you jumpstart blood pressure monitoring at home;

Examining the Accuracy of your device

As aforementioned above, there are different types of devices you can choose to self-monitor your blood. So, it is prudent to examine the accuracy of your device before using it.

To ensure the accuracy of your device, a doctor might check it, and also watch whether you’ll be using the device correctly or not.

Likewise, if you mistakenly drop the device, or damage it, ensure you check it before use. Having done all the checkups on your device, move to the next step.

Measure your Blood Pressure

When measuring your blood pressure, the following are the core points to note during this stage;

  • Measurement should be done twice a day. That’s: in the morning before taking anything and in the evening.
  • Every time you measure your blood, take 2-3 readings to ensure you get accurate readings.

Avoid taking Blood Measurements after eating Breakfast

To get accurate results of your blood measurements, you must avoid the following:

  • Taking your measurement after excising
  • Don’t take other medication before measuring your blood pressure
  • Avoid alcohol, caffeine, tobacco, or food for about 30 minutes before taking your blood measurement.

Other tips include;

  1. Sit comfortably before and during monitoring
  2. Always use the same arm when taking blood pressure
  3. Insert the cuff on bare skin
  4. Wait for some minutes and take another measurement to check the accuracy of your blood measurement.
These blogs are for informational purposes only. For medical advice specific to your needs, please consult with your pharmacist and/or health care provider.

A Pharmacist’s Guide to Depression & Anxiety

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Depression & Anxiety

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The data shows that approximately 300 million people are suffering from depression and anxiety globally. In this article, we will cover what might be the causative agent of depression, and how do pharmacists help to lessen the condition? What causes depression and anxiety, what are the signs and symptoms of depression? Above all, what pharmacists can do to help those who are depressed in society?

What is Depression & Anxiety?

Depression is a popular psychiatric disorder and illness that negatively interfere with how you act, think, and feel among others. Anxiety is a mental disorder characterized by a feeling of fear or worry that can strongly distort your day-to-day activities. With adequate clinical support, guidance and/or proper medications, depression and anxiety can be treated.

Signs and Symptoms of Depressions & Anxiety

How will you know that you are suffering from depression and anxiety? Some of the symptoms can include:
  • Change in appetite
  • Feeling low 
  • No motivation
  • Weight gain or loss
  • Loss of energy or fatigue
  • Restlessness and agitation

Can Pharmacist help with Depression & Anxiety?

Yes, pharmacists can offer consultation and education concerning lifestyle adjustments to help those who are suffering from depression. Pharmacists may play an important role in the primary care for patients suffering from depression and anxiety. Pharmacists can assist by the following:
  1. Offering counseling on the appropriate medicine to use
  2. Following up the patients for drug-related problems
  3. Assessing patient’s knowledge and skills concerning the medicine given
  4. Providing counselling on non-pharmaceutical avenues to treat depression
Generally, pharmacists provide patients with the best care services to help them improve their mental health. Seeking help from a pharmacist to get counselling, advice, follow up and recommendations can be very helpful.

Conclusion

Seeking help from a pharmacist when you’re suffering from depression might help you a great deal. You’ll get prudent advice, recommendation, and follow-up to help you recover from depression and anxiety easily.
These blogs are for informational purposes only. For medical advice specific to your needs, please consult with your pharmacist and/or health care provider.