Minor Ailments

Hemorrhoids happen when veins in the rectum become swollen. Sometimes you can see or feel them. Other times you may not be able to if they are too far inside the rectum. Hemorrhoids can cause itching, burning, and pain.

Pain during your periods is often described as cramping in your lower belly. You may also have pain in your back or thighs. The pain will usually start right before or at the very start of your period. It takes about 1 to 3 days for the symptoms to go away.

Lyme disease is an infection that can be spread by ticks to humans. Only ticks that are infected with this bacteria can spread the infection. Black legged ticks are the types of ticks that can carry the bacteria, but not every black legged tick will be infected. In order for an infected tick to pass on the infection to humans, the tick needs to have bitten the person.

Lyme disease starts as a rash that often, although not always, looks like a bull’s eye or ring pattern. If left untreated, it can cause other serious symptoms such as fever, feeling weak, body aches, or nerve pain. If you were bitten by a tick within the last 72 hours and are not displaying serious symptoms, your pharmacist may be able to prescribe an antibiotic to help prevent Lyme disease from occuring.

A cold sore is a painful blister that appears on or near the lips or inside the mouth. It is a common infection caused by a virus that can be spread from one person to another. The first symptom is often a tingling or burning sensation in the affected area before you can see any sores, followed by the painful blisters.

Oral thrush is an infection of the mouth and throat caused by a type of fungus. The most common type of thrush causes white patches on the tongue, back of throat, or inside the cheeks. You may experience a “cottony” feeling inside your mouth with loss of taste. Sometimes it is painful to swallow or eat.

Heartburn can happen when acid in your stomach comes back up into your throat or mouth. This can cause burning or pain in your chest, an unpleasant taste, bad breath, or belching (burping). Your pharmacist may be able to prescribe treatments to help with these symptoms.

Muscle strains and sprains are caused when a muscle or ligament gets injured. Sometimes the muscle or ligament will stretch too much or become torn. These injuries can occur suddenly or over time. Symptoms include pain, swelling, or bruising.

Hives are raised patches of skin that are very itchy. They are the result of an allergic reaction to insect bites or other things you may be allergic to.

You may experience some of the symptoms below:

• Small bump or blister. May feel pain, itching, redness or swelling.

• Feeling of a sharp burning pain which can sting

Conjunctivitis, or pink eye, is a general term that refers to irritation or infection of your eye. It can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or allergies. Symptoms vary depending on the underlying cause of the irritation. Possible symptoms of the affected eye(s) include red/pink colour, itching, burning, or excessive tearing. It might feel as if you have something stuck in your eye, and you may notice discharge that can form a crust on eyelashes overnight.

Urinary tract infections (also called UTIs) are infections of the bladder. This can cause burning or pain when you urinate, urinating more often than normal, or needing to urinate in a hurry. If left untreated, a UTI can lead to a more complicated kidney infection or blood infection.

Note: Pharmacists can only prescribe for females not males or pregnant woman.

Impetigo is a contagious skin infection that can happen if bacteria gets into cuts, scrapes, or other small openings in the skin. It is more common in younger children but can also happen in older children and adults. Impetigo causes red bumps that will turn into blisters filled with fluid. The fluid will eventually leak out and form a scab or crust that is yellow, gold (honeycomb coloured) or brown in colour.

Dermatitis is a general term for inflammation of the skin. It can be caused by a number of different factors, including allergic reactions, irritants, and other skin conditions. Dermatitis can cause dry, red and itchy skin. Other symptoms of dermatitis include flaking or peeling skin and cracking or scaling skin

Allergic rhinitis, also known as hay fever, is an allergic reaction that occurs when the body comes into contact with an allergen, such as pollen, dust, or pet dander. Symptoms of hay fever can include sneezing, a runny nose, congestion, and itchy eyes.

You may experience some of the symptoms below:

• Sneezing

• Stuffy nose or runny nose

• Itchy nose, eye, or throat

• Typically, more than 7 days of continuous symptoms