Your local pharmacy is a wealth of health information and advice. If you are suffering from a mild condition or you want some initial health advice, then your pharmacist is a health professional that can point you in the right direction. There is a lot of over the counter medicine that they can offer you and if necessary, they will refer you to a doctor.
If you have a mild cold or flu, it is probably not necessary to visit the doctor. There are cold and flu preparations that your pharmacy can provide you with. These combinations are usually available in a regular formula as well as day and night preparations. For head colds they will normally include some kind of pain relief, antipyretic for reducing fever and an ingredient that is able to clear up runny or stuffy noses.
There is a lot of different cough medication that is available too. These can be offered for dry or chesty coughs: a cough suppressant is able to prevent irritating dry coughs and expectorants or mucolytics are able to thin out chesty coughs enabling you to cough up what is on your chest and recover more quickly. It is not a good idea to suppress a chesty cough as it can then become infected.
If you suffer from allergies or asthma, there are many different medications that you can get without needing a doctor's prescription. There are some asthma puffers that are available over the counter and many antihistamine tablets, liquids and sprays that can effectively reduce hay fever and allergy symptoms.
Skin allergies can also be treated with various cortisone creams or other ingredients deemed appropriate by the pharmacist. They will be able to suggest a full treatment and prevention program to clear up and skin complaints. Other skin conditions that you can get treatment for directly through the pharmacy include fungal infections, chicken pox, sun burn, burns, cuts and grazes, eczema, psoriasis and much more.
There are different pain medications that are able to be purchased over the counter. These include analgesics such as paracetamol and codeine as well as anti-inflammatory medicines such as ibuprofen or aspirin. While you can usually purchase some of these at supermarkets, seeking out professional advice is best as these medications can still be potentially dangerous if you do not take the correct dosage. There are also certain people that should not take these in case they affect other medications you may be taking or another health condition.
If you are suffering from a stomach problem or indigestion, your pharmacist is also able to offer advice and medications. There are preparations available for acidity, reflux, heart burn, diarrhea, ulcers, vomiting and more.
Seeking advice from a pharmacist can often be a great first port of call when you have a health condition or ailment. They will always refer you to the doctor if they think it necessary, but they can offer a lot of advice about medicine and health conditions quickly and for free. Many conditions can be managed through visiting a pharmacy for professional and safe health advice.
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