HEALTH & WELLNESS by Peter Semchism Urinary Tract Infections: Causes,Treatments and Prevention Sponsored by Greenhills Pharmacy by Peter Semchism
Reserve Your Flu Shot Today! Visit www.BookMyShot.com/flu/5196529066 or www.greenhillspharmacy.com (& click the flu shot link)
Dementia Could Happen to Anyone… Because Everyone Ages. The Facts The Facts The urinary tract includes the kidneys, bladder, ureters, and urethra. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are far more common in women than men. Urinary tract infections have different names depending on which part of the urinary tract is infected. Peter Semchism ▪ Cystitis refers to infection of the bladder ▪ Urethritis refers to infection of the urethra ▪ Pyelonephritis refers to infection of the kidney As many as 50% to 60% of women have had at least one UTI in their lifetime. Among seniors, the gender difference in infection rates diminishes, but rates of infection in seniors living at home or in care facilities or hospitals remain high. Symptoms and Complications Common UTI symptoms may include: ▪ pain or burning during urination ▪ frequent desire to urinate, often urgently and immediately ▪ pressure in the lower pelvis ▪ fever, with or without chills ▪ bedwetting in a person who has normally been dry at night ▪ nausea and vomiting Bladder infections (cystitis) often result in urine that’s dark and cloudy. In addition to the above symptoms, bacterial prostatitis (infection of a man’s prostate gland) can also cause fever, chills, low back pain, and discomfort or pain around the anus or perineal region. In some cases, a kidney infection (pyelonephritis) can follow a bladder infection by a couple of days, causing abdominal pain, flank pain, nausea, vomiting, fever, and chills. Seniors don’t necessarily have symptoms that are common to UTIs. Instead, they often have gastrointestinal symptoms including changes in eating habits, or mental signs like confusion. People with catheters or neurologic disorders might only complain of side pains and a fever. Making the Diagnosis ▪ unusual discharge from the urethra ▪ urine that looks cloudy or smells foul Your doctor will consider the symptoms and do a urinalysis. You’ll be asked to give a sample of your urine which will be sent to the
OR SCAN HERE:
Greenhills Pharmacy 2335 Main St. E., London N6P 1A7 519-652-9066
To advertise here, please contact Gloria@villagerpublications.com Treatment of dementia may depend on the specific cause. Treatment of Alzheimer’s disease usually involves treating the declining memory and gradually worsening behavioural symptoms with a range of medications Symptoms of dementia can vary depending on the cause. For example, people with Lewy body dementia often have long-lasting visual hallu- cinations. Some forms of dementia also tend to affect people younger than others and progress faster. Treatment and Prevention Dementia is not a specific disease, but a general term that describes a gradual decline of mental ability that affects your intellectual and social skills to the point where daily life becomes difficult. Dementia can affect your memory, language skills and decision-making ability; impair your judgment and make you feel disoriented; and it may also affect your personality. Dementia can be caused by many diseases that affect the brain. The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease. Others in- clude vascular, Lewy body, frontotemporal and mixed dementia. Types of dementia differ based on underlying causes and can affect specific symptoms and how it progresses. Symptoms and Complications Many of us often experience forgetfulness. We may forget where we put the car keys or repeat the same story to a friend or family member. These behaviours are usually caused by the information overload of our busy, stressful lives – it doesn’t mean that we’re developing dementia. As people age, they may experience memory changes such as slowing of information processing. This type of change is normal and doesn’t interfere with day-to-day functioning. By contrast, dementia is disabling and not a normal part of aging. Although dementia often presents itself differently from person to per- son, common symptoms include: gradual loss of memory of recent events and lack of ability to learn new things increasing tendency to repeat oneself, misplacing objects, becoming confused and lost in familiar places slow disintegration of judgment and reasoning abilities increasing irritability, anxiety, depression, confusion, and restlessness increasing communication and language difficulties (forgetting words or substituting incorrect words) changes in personality, behaviour, or mood decreasing ability to focus and pay attention inability to plan and carry out tasks that require multiple steps (e.g. pay - ing bills). To be diagnosed with dementia, the symptoms must be severe enough to affect a person’s independence and their ability to perform everyday activities.
lab to check for a bacterial infection. You shouldn’t collect the first bit of urine that comes out: it already contains bacteria that are normally found on your skin. Wait until midstream to start collecting the sample. Recurring UTIs might have an underlying cause, and your urinary tract will need to be checked. Ultrasound, CT scan, and cystoscopy, are tests that provide a visual image of the urinary tract, revealing any structural abnormalities. Treatment and Prevention For most UTIs, three days to a week of antibiotics taken by mouth are the best treatment. Your doctor will help decide how long treatment should last. Before beginning any treatment, make sure that you discuss with your doctor any allergies you may have, previous antibiotic use within the last 3 months, and current prescription and non-prescription medications you are taking. Pharmacists can prescribe an antibiotic treatment for simple uncomplicated UTIs. You can ask at the pharmacy for an assessment. To prevent the infection from returning, it’s important to take all of your medication until the end of the prescribed period. Your doctor may also suggest certain medications that relieve pain to help ease the burning that occurs when you urinate. Some strategies for preventing UTIs are: ▪ urinating immediately after intercourse to clear out any bacteria that may have entered ▪ good toilet habits: women should wipe from front to back, to prevent bacterial spread from the anus ▪ drinking plenty of fluids to flush bacteria out from the bladder ▪ not holding in urine for long periods, as this gives bacteria more opportunity to multiply in the bladder ▪ taking showers rather than tub baths ▪ washing the skin around the vagina and anus daily ▪ not using deodorant sprays or feminine products such as douches in the genital area that could irritate the urethra ▪ post-menopausal women may benefit from using va- ginal estrogen While waiting for the antibiotics to take effect, drink plenty of fluids to ease your discomfort, but avoid anything that can irritate the bladder, such as coffee, alcohol, soft drinks with caffeine, citrus juices, and spicy foods, until the infection has cleared. Always keep in mind that we are here for you and your needs. Please feel free to give us a call. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your health or medications you can reach us at 519-652-9066. Peter Semchism is a Pharmacist at Greenhills Pharmacy in Lambeth.
Lambeth Villager • November 2024 • Page 11 driving: Don’t allow someone with dementia to drive a them or arrange for rides wherever they need to go. Caring for someone with dementia can be difficult. It r standing, patience, and compassion. Joining an Alzhe caregiver’s support group in your community may be he Be prepared for the eventuality that your loved one’s con riorate over time and additional full-time personal care m In some situations, placement in a nursing home is in th of the individual and their family. Peter Semchism is a Pharmacist at Greenhills Pharmac information card: Reduce the risk of wandering and gett viding a pocket card with the person’s name, address, a ber. safety: Make your home environment as safe as possi furniture in the same place, removing clutter, installing cine cabinets, and setting the water heater at a low tempe scalding. There is no treatment that can “cure” Alzheimer’s diseas medication that can halt or reverse the brain damage cau ever, there are medications that can relieve symptoms the progression of the disease. Medications such as astigmine, and galantamine may be used to slow down Prevention of stroke is important for vascular dementia. I blood pressure or cholesterol, transient ischemic attacks had a stroke, you should seek continued treatment for th to prevent future strokes. The key to caring for and helping people with dementia is many activities the person can still do safely. Encourage dementia to continue daily routines and maintain social r much as possible. Help them maintain a healthy lifestyle cise, proper nutrition, and fluid intake. Special diets an are generally unnecessary. If you are caring for someone with dementia, the followin ful: reminders: Provide written lists of things to do including and phone numbers to help the person complete the tas structure and stability: Minimize undue noise and distu duce anxiety. establish routines: Daily and bedtime routines can reduc and anxiety. speaking slowly and calmly: Present one thought or i time.
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs