Antihistamines are a group of medications that prevent the level of histamine from rising in our body and reduce the symptoms this can cause. They can be used to treat a range of conditions including allergic reactions, motion sickness and insomnia. However, the term "antihistamines" most commonly refers to medications that are used to treat hay fever. Antihistamines can be classified as sedating (drowsy) or non-sedating. With drowsy antihistamines, care should be exercised when driving or operating heavy machinery, and alcohol should be avoided. Below, Healthwords pharmacists will go into more detail about the different antihistamines and their side effects.

Discover the effectiveness and considerations surrounding decongestants, vital medications employed to alleviate temporary nasal congestion. This comprehensive article delves into the treatment, mechanisms of action, appropriate usage, contraindications, potential interactions, and side effects associated with decongestants. Providing Relief from Nasal Congestion Decongestants serve as a short-term solution for individuals experiencing nasal congestion caused by various factors such as colds, flu, sinusitis, and allergies like hay fever. Well-known examples of decongestants include phenylephrine, oxymetazoline, and xylometazoline. These medications are readily available over-the-counter at pharmacies. Different formulations, including tablets, capsules, oral liquids, nasal sprays, nasal drops, and powders, are accessible to meet individual needs. It is important to note that only one decongestant product should be used at a time.

Diarrhea is defined as stool, or poop, that is loose or watery and you usually need to go to the toilet more often. It's very common and most cases improve by themselves within a day or two. There are many causes of diarrhea, ranging from infection, allergy, anxiety, medication side-effects or long-term conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

There are a few common causes of an itchy bottom, and we may find no cause, in which case we call it pruritus ani. Threadworms (pinworms) are very common in children but rare in adults. This is a parasite infection causing intense itching around the anus and possibly the vagina, especially at night. You might notice tiny white worms around your child’s anus or mixed in poop. In adults, hemorrhoids may be to blame. You may be able to feel one lump or more around the anus, and it may be painful when you go for a poop. You may get a few streaks of blood in the toilet bowl or on toilet tissue. These are common, and treatments are available. Infections from a fungus or yeast (thrush) can feel itchy and sore. The area will look pink, perhaps with tiny pink bumps and possibly flaky. Psoriasis can look similar but will likely be more red than pink, with a clear border, and is a more likely cause if you have psoriasis on other parts of the body. Eczema may appear around the bottom, especially if you have a tendency to it or irritation from any cream or treatments you are using, such as perfumed moisturizers, steroid creams, or ointments for anal fissures. Genital warts can appear as hard lumps around the anus and wider genital area and may be itchy. These are sexually transmitted and contagious to intimate partners. Finally, a condition called lichen sclerosus causes the skin to tighten, which can be itchy. You might see some white streaks on the affected area, making it look shiny and taut.

If you have repeated indigestion or acid reflux, you may be at risk of developing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This is a general term, used to describe acid reflux, either with or without inflammation of the gullet (esophagus). In it, the corrosive acid our stomach produces to break down food moves up to the esophagus (the food pipe), where the lining is much more sensitive and so can get damaged over time. If you have GERD you typically experience heartburn, where you may feel a gnawing or burning pain in your central chest that moves up to the throat after eating. While you may have suffered indigestion before, symptoms with GERD may be much more easily triggered, more severe, and last longer after eating or drinking. It can also be the case that the usual treatments you have used before and which worked well may no longer be effective. Regular acid reflux is more common in smokers, pregnant women, heavy drinkers, the overweight or obese and people aged between 35 and 65 years old.

Constant sneezes and a streaming nose can be common in the pollen season. If you suffer from hay fever, or allergic rhinitis in medical terms, you will feel desperate to rid yourself of the tissues and feeling of congestion. Our pharmacist has put together some solutions to ease your nasal symptoms with hay fever.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic condition that affects the gastrointestinal system. It causes abdominal discomfort or pain along with bloating or changes in bowel habits. Certain symptoms like bloating, trapped gas, and abdominal cramps can prove embarrassing, particularly if you have diarrhea or need to rush to the bathroom several times a day. Many suffer in silence, reluctant to go to their doctor or pharmacist to discuss such personal issues. There is no specific test to confirm IBS. Doctors can make a diagnosis based on symptoms, persisting for at least 6 months, and in the absence of other gastrointestinal conditions that could account for symptoms. Bowel habits must be altered more than a quarter of the time to meet the criteria for diagnosis. IBS is a common condition that isn’t life-threatening and that doesn’t put you at higher risk of serious conditions like bowel cancer. However, it’s a long-term condition that can be debilitating and cause significant impact on work, study, social activities, and daily tasks. It can take its toll on your mood and quality of life. Symptoms may be continuous or intermittent, with a chronic waxing-and-waning cycle that can last for years. IBS is a common condition, affecting 10 to 15% of the US population. That’s likely an underestimate, as many people don’t seek medical help. Symptoms usually start before the age of 40 years and it more often occurs in women.

Lactulose is an oral solution used to treat constipation on prescription only. It comes as a sugar-like syrup and is suitable for adults and children.

A sore throat is a pain, scratchiness, or irritation of the throat that often worsens when your child swallows. It may come out of the blue if they’re fighting a viral or bacterial infection, and they may also experience cold symptoms like a runny or blocked nose, sneezing, a fever, coughing, and headache. You might be able to feel that the glands in their neck are enlarged, and they may be quite tender to the touch. If you look in the back of their throat, you might see one or both tonsils are enlarged and red, causing the gap between them to reduce, and you may notice some white spots on the tonsils.

Walking into a pharmacy can be quite overwhelming when it comes to trying to choose the right product to ease your child’s cough. The first thing to know is that the science behind cough medicines is not conclusive, but anecdotally people find them effective in helping to reduce their cough’s severity. The second is that your child’s cough is most likely caused by a virus – occasionally a bacterial infection– and the cough medicines are designed to ease symptoms but they can’t cure it or make it go away any quicker. The third thing to bear in mind is that coughs are worse at night – gravity when lying flat causes the secretions from their nose, throat and chest to pool and irritate -just when you want them to get a good night’s sleep. So, cough medicines may be a good idea at night and to have by the bedside in case they awaken with a coughing fit. Your child’s age is a good place to start when choosing a cough medicine. Many cough medicines are not suitable for children under the age of 6 years unless directed by a physician. For kids younger than 6 months, Tylenol infant suspension and Motrin infant suspension can be used to provide some relief if your child has a persistent cough causing discomfort associated with a temperature. Different types of ingredients found within cough syrups have different properties to soothe irritation, hopefully aiding comfort and soothing them to sleep.

Vomiting is common in children and can happen for a number of reasons. It’s usually due to an infection in the gut – gastroenteritis – and will clear in a day or two. Occasionally, it can indicate something serious, but other signs also guide you to recognize this. Gastroenteritis can also cause diarrhea – this may appear a few hours or a day after vomiting starts – and abdominal pain or cramps. Children usually have little appetite, and they may have a mild fever. If it lasts longer than a couple of days or they are struggling to keep fluids down, it’s time to contact your doctor.

Blood in the sputum is also known as hemoptysis. Sputum is usually the mucus substance you cough up from the airways and lungs. Phlegm is the specific term for the mixture of saliva and mucus from your nose, mouth, and throat. There can be different causes for hemoptysis; some are serious, and some are less so, but you should see your doctor in most circumstances, so they can work out the underlying cause. You may notice a few streaks of blood in the sputum, which commonly come with a chest infection, or clots, or even a pink watery appearance. Still, these indicate an area of tissue damage and warrant a discussion with your doctor.

Leukemia is a type of blood cancer. Although there are different blood cells (white cells, platelets, red blood cells), leukemia generally refers to cancers that affect the white blood cells. White blood cells are essential to fight infections and build up your immune system. When the white cells don’t function as well, our immune defenses become weakened, and we are more susceptible to getting infections, and becoming more unwell from them. Leukemia is fairly common among adults, with over 60,000 new cases diagnosed in the US each year. Age is a big factor, with those aged 65-74 years being more commonly diagnosed. While not many children get cancer, leukemia is one that frequently affects them – it behaves quite differently for them, so we’ll address that elsewhere.

The word ‘rhinitis’ means inflammation of the nose and if this is caused by an allergy, it’s known as ‘allergic rhinitis’. Allergic rhinitis, also known as hay fever, is an allergy to pollen. Typically, grass or tree pollen are the culprits. They cause itchy eyes, nose, and throat, plus sneezing, a runny nose, and watery eyes. These symptoms occur in what’s known as hay fever season, which is typically from the end of March to July but varies depending on where you are in the country and whether your allergy is to grass pollen or tree pollen. House dust mite and pet allergy can trigger allergic rhinitis at any time of the year. Allergic rhinitis is very common, with around 7-8% of people in the US suffering with it at some point in their life; however, it most commonly starts as a child or teenager. It can run in families, and you are more likely to have allergic rhinitis if you also suffer from asthma or eczema. Allergic rhinitis is not contagious.

Melanoma (also known as malignant melanoma) is the most serious type of skin cancer caused by sun exposure. It's serious because the cancer can spread to other organs in the body, so it needs prompt identification and treatment. You can take steps to prevent it, but also keep a watch for any moles or other skin marks that are new, changing or don't look like your other moles. Melanoma is the 5th most common cancer in the US, with almost 100,000 new cases each year. The number of cases has doubled in the last 30 years, and it can occur at any age.

Kidney cancer is one of the 10 most common cancers in the US. Known medically as renal cancer, it is more common in men than women, and it’s rare in people under the age of 50. There are several different types of kidney cancer but the commonest type is known as renal cell cancer. Others include transitional cell cancer, Wilm’s tumors, and clear cell sarcomas that only occur in children. You have two kidneys, one on either side of your tummy (your flanks) and one slightly to the back. Their job is critical in keeping us alive - they balance up the salts (sodium, potassium, and chloride) in our blood and excrete out any excess in urine. They filter out toxins in the urine and balance out fluids by making the urine more concentrated or more watery, depending on what we need. Signs that might alert you to a kidney problem are blood in the urine or a lump in one of your flanks. It’s confirmed with blood tests, urine tests, and scans.

All women aged between 21 and 65 are recommended to get cervical screening in the US. Also called a smear test or pap test, it’s a test aiming to prevent cancer rather than a test for whether you have cancer. It checks for a certain virus that can disrupt the cells of the cervix (the opening to your womb from your vagina). If you have the virus, the cells of the cervix can then be checked for any changes that could, with time, lead to cervical cancer. Rescreening is recommended every 3 years. After the age of 65 you’ll only need screening if your last test was abnormal or if you’re in a higher risk group (HIV positive, weakened immune system, exposed to diethylstilbesterol \[DES\] before birth). Cervical cancer is not one of the most common cancers, but it is common in young women, usually affecting those in their early 30s. Once you have cervical cancer, treatment can be difficult and threaten your fertility and your overall health. But it's considered 99.8% preventable, so it's worth keeping up with your cervical screenings.

Pregnancy can leave you hot and bothered at the best of times, and you don’t want the added burden of symptoms of hay fever or other allergic problems. But lots of the products you’ve relied on before state they may not be safe in pregnancy. So how can you treat your symptoms? Practicing doctors here at Healthwords are used to weighing up risks and benefits – some products that are labelled as "not recommended in pregnancy" may be an option after discussion with your doctor. Let’s arm you with the facts first, before you speak to your doctor. It’s also worth stating that hay fever, or allergic rhinitis (similar eye and nose symptoms to any allergen), is not known to cause any harm to you or your growing baby if left untreated. It’s for your comfort if you wish to pursue treatment for your symptoms.

Monkeypox is a relatively rare disease that entered common public knowledge in 2022 as an outbreak spread within the US. Cases are usually restricted to Africa, and it usually causes only a mild illness. Monkeypox is a virus from the same family as smallpox, a devastating condition that has been defeated worldwide. It's very different from the COVID-19 or chickenpox viruses. It is called monkeypox because it was first discovered in monkeys in 1958. It took 10 years for the first cases to be recorded in humans, and the most likely transmission is still from animals to humans rather than human to human. There are two strains, one from western Africa and one from central Africa. The cases in the US are the western African strain, which causes a milder illness. Although monkeypox was declared a public health emergency in the US in August 2022, most people are not severely unwell. Still, scientists are investigating why it seems to be spreading more quickly from human to human than previously. One working theory is that now that COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted, people are traveling more but have lost some natural immunity to fight viruses during the prolonged period of lockdowns and mask-wearing.

Lyme disease is a condition caused by a bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi, which is spread by an insect called a tick. It is called Lyme disease after the American town where it was first described. The ticks bite an infected animal and then bite us. An infected tick often leaves a classic mark of Lyme disease: a distinctive circular rash, described as a bullseye on a dartboard. This rash may take up to a month to develop, and some don't get it at all. Anyone affected might feel unwell with a fever, muscle aches, headaches and lethargy. If left untreated, Lyme disease can progress to cause multiple symptoms in many different parts of the body that last weeks or months after the initial infection. There are three stages of Lyme disease: Early local skin reaction – this happens 3 to 36 days after being bitten by an infected tick and causes the classical bullseye rash and – in about 1 in 3 cases – a flu-like illness for a few days. Early disseminated disease, which can happen weeks or months afterwards. This includes joint problems such as pain and swelling (often in the knee), nerve inflammation, palpitations, dizziness and breathlessness. Late disease. This can happen years later with many possible symptoms, including persistent joint problems, confusion, mood changes and memory problems, weakness and tiredness.

We have all grown more aware of the dangers of sun exposure in recent years, with the threat of sun damage altering our appearance and the risk of skin cancer. There are different types of skin cancer, but there are some rules of thumb to follow for any mole, whether it’s new or existing. Let's take you through when to be concerned.

Hemorrhoids are common, and many refer to them as piles. They are enlarged blood vessels just inside or outside the anus and look like small red or purple lumps. You might find blood after you go for a poop (this will be bright red blood, seen on wiping or on the stool), or you can get pain and itching around the anus. For the majority of people, they cause no symptoms at all. Sometimes hemorrhoids can become thrombosed, which means they have no blood flow due to a blood clot. These are very painful and tender to touch. Hemorrhoids are not contagious and cannot be passed on.

Nasal allergies, also known as allergic rhinitis, can cause discomfort and interfere with daily activities. Fortunately, nasal sprays are effective tools for managing allergy symptoms, providing relief from congestion, sneezing, itching, and runny nose. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore who can benefit from allergy nasal sprays, the different types available, potential side effects, and when to use each type.

Incontinence is the involuntary or uncontrollable leakage of urine or poop. It is called urinary, bowel, or double incontinence if both peeing and pooping are affected. It can occur because of weakening of the muscles that control these functions or from illness such as stroke, which can affect the nerves that control them. Urinary incontinence may be brought on by coughing or laughing (stress incontinence) or when you feel the urge to urinate (urge incontinence). Incontinence is diagnosed when it has happened regularly, not just once. Muscle exercises may help train the muscles to reduce incontinence. Medication may also help control symptoms of urinary incontinence.

Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers in the US, and sadly, it often has a poor outlook. Cancer occurs when there is an uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the lung tissue. This can cause a blockage in the airways or fluid on the lungs, making breathing difficult, and ultimately it can spread to other organs and cause widespread damage and threat to life. Smoking is the cause of most lung cancers – because smoking is so common, this makes lung cancer very common. Older people are more likely to be affected, and men more often than women. When cancer starts in the lungs, it is called primary lung cancer. Cancer spreading from another organ via the blood to the lungs is known as secondary lung cancer or metastatic cancer. Breast and bowel cancer often metastasize to the lungs unless they are diagnosed and treated early.