Summer Tips x Indigestion

Strategies For Indigestion

Facing the temptations of delicious food, a lot of us could not resist eating continuously. If you eat too fast without careful chewing, your stomach may become very uncomfortable! Eating too much may result in indigestion. What can you do when you encounter such symptoms? Medications certainly have their role, but what are the reasons leading to indigestion after all? What are the situations that require follow-ups? Everyone has different conditions, we encourage you to seek advice from our pharmacists via WhatsApp.

Strategies for indigestion

𝐄𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 Chewable Tablet

  • Active Ingredients: 𝐀𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐮𝐦 𝐡𝐲𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐱𝐢𝐝𝐞、𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐮𝐦 𝐡𝐲𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐱𝐢𝐝𝐞、𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐞
  • Indications: Neutralize gastric acid and reduce stomach gas. Alleviate bloating and heartburn symptoms.
  • Chew before use for quicker therapeutic effects
  • There may be drug interactions with other medicines, please consult a doctor or pharmacist before using

𝐁𝐢𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐞 Digestive Enzyme

  • Active Ingredients: 𝐁𝐢𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎, 𝐋𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐀𝐏𝟔, 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐞
  • Indications: Digesting starch, protein and fats in food. Alleviate the discomfort caused by indigestion
  • Some people may be allergic to enzymes. If you experience nausea or abdominal pain, stop using it immediately and consult a doctor.

Dandruff: what you need to know

When you were travelling on the bus or walking in the street, have you noticed people with white flakes on their shoulders? Or while you used to have healthy scalp, suddenly you find yourself having dandruff? Although in most cases dandruff is not a serious health problem, people feel self-conscious about it. 

  1. What is dandruff?

It takes our skin, including our scalp, 28 days to renew itself completely. It is normal for our skin to peel off aka “exfoliate”. However, the problem arises when our skin exfoliates excessively. Dandruff flakes land on the collars of our shirt or on our shoulders causing embarrassment. There are two types of dandruff: the dry skin dandruff and the oily skin dandruff.

  1. How do I know which type of dandruff I have?

The dry skin dandruff usually occurs during winter due to the cold dry air and the hot water we use to wash our hair. It appears as small and white flaky bits.

The oily skin dandruff occurs when our sebaceous glands, which protect and moisturise our skin, produce excessive sebum. The excess oil clumps together and irritates our scalp. It appears as yellow and chunky flakes that do not fall off as easily.

  1. Are there other causes of dandruff?

Yes, there are many causes. Dandruff could be caused by skin hypersensitivity, stress, eczema, genetics, and fungal infections. Or it could be due to underlying skin conditions such as psoriasis and seborrheic dermatitis.

  1. Besides dandruff, what other symptoms might I experience?

Some common symptoms are oily hair, redness of the scalp or development of red patches on the scalp.

  1. There are so many products for dandruff on the market, how can I choose the most suitable one?

If your dandruff is caused by dry skin, then using moisturising ingredients such as Colloidal Oatmeal shampoo and conditioner can provide symptomatic relief as well as treating the root of the problem. 

If your dandruff is caused by skin hypersensitivity, you should first find out what you are allergic to. Eliminating the source of allergy should treat the root of the problem.

However, if your dandruff is caused by fungal infection, most commonly by a yeast that normally lives on your skin called Malassezia furfur, then usually Ketoconazole, an anti-fungal agent, is used. You should consult the pharmacist before using products with this ingredient.

Just a little more information for you if you are interested! You might also have noticed ingredients such as Selenium Sulphide or Zinc Pyrithione on the bottles of the shampoo. These work as antifungal agents and decrease the exfoliating process. In addition, coal tar oil relieves psoriasis, decreases exfoliation, and suppresses oil production. You may also see Salicylic acid, which is present in many skincare products. It works by chemically peeling the dead layer of your skin off.

If you want to understand and know more about which treatment is suitable for your dandruff, please feel free to consult the pharmacist.

  1. Are there any adverse effects of these products I should watch out for?

Some common adverse effects include sudden onset of itchiness, redness, swelling and pain shortly after using these products. More severe adverse effects include change in hair texture, colour and loss of hair. If you notice any of these symptoms, stop using the product immediately and consult your pharmacist or doctor.

  1. How do I use these products safely?

Here are some tips for using these products safely:

  • Avoid using the products on broken skin.
  • The products are for external use only.
  • Note that different products have their own method of use. Read the product label carefully before using!

If your dandruff situation has not improved after 2-4 weeks of using medicated shampoo or there are signs of redness, swelling, bleeding or allergic reactions, stop using the product immediately and consult your doctor.

If you are interested in knowing more about dandruff or finding a suitable treatment for yourself, feel free to contact Health in Action Pharmacists via the phone 3596 3141 or through WhatsApp 6778 9581.

Allergic Rhinitis (1)

過敏性鼻炎
過敏性鼻炎

Many people have had symptoms of allergic rhinitis such as itchy nose, frequent sneezing, nasal congestion, runny nose and more. The symptoms can be especially evident in the morning after waking up. In some cases, it may also lead to post-nasal drip, breathing discomfort and smell distortions, leading to inconveniences in daily life.

What exactly is/are the cause(s) of allergic rhinitis? As a matter of fact, these allergic reactions are caused when the nasal mucosa is exposed to airborne allergens, causing inflammation of the nasal cavity. Examples of allergens include pollen, environmental factors, dust, mites, cosmetics and animal dander.

How do we manage allergic rhinitis? Effective management involves “symptomatic relief” and “addressing the root cause”.

You may have heard of many medicines that can achieve symptomatic relief. How do we choose among these medicines? You can take reference to the followings and consult your pharmacist:

  1. First generation antihistamine
  • E.g.: Chlorpheniramine
  • Orally taken. Relieve symptoms of itchy nose, sneezing and runny nose.
  • It might cause drowsiness. It can be used at night time, especially for those with sleeping problems caused by allergic rhinitis. 
  • There are some contraindications. Please consult a pharmacist before use.
  1. Newer generation antihistamine
  • E.g.: Cetirizine, Loratadine, Fexofenadine
  • Orally taken. Relieve symptoms of itchy nose, sneezing and runny nose. Effectiveness is similar to first generation antihistamines. 
  • Long-acting: One tablet can usually last for 12-24 hours.  
  • Usually non-drowsy. 
  • There are some contraindications. Please consult a pharmacist before use.
  1. Decongestant
  • E.g.: Pseudoephedrine (orally taken), Oxymetazoline (intranasal use)
  • Act as vasoconstrictor which has nasal decongestant effects
  • There are some contraindications. Long-term use is not recommended. Please consult a pharmacist before use.

What can we do to address the root causes of allergic rhinitis? Here are some common managements of allergic rhinitis:

  1. Steroid nasal spray 
  • E.g.: Beclomethasone dipropionate (available in pharmacy and use under guidance of pharmacist)
  • Beclomethasone nasal spray is in a class of medications called corticosteroids. It works by blocking the release of certain natural substances that cause allergy symptoms and hence reduce inflammation.
  • Usually requires at least two weeks to take effect.
  • It can be used before the anticipated onset of allergic rhinitis according to individual conditions.
  • Some may be frightened by corticosteroids due to the concerns of side effects. However, intranasal corticosteroids spray has less systemic side effects compared with oral corticosteroids as there is only a minimal amount of corticosteroids absorbed through nasal application.
  • There are some contraindications. Please consult a pharmacist before use.
  1. Nasal Wash 
  • E.g.: Nasal Care, Flo Sinus Care, NeilMed
  • Nasal wash can flush away allergens in the nasal cavity and sinuses

If you are interested in knowing more about allergic rhinitis or finding a suitable treatment for yourself, feel free to contact Health in Action Pharmacists via the phone 3596 3141 or through WhatsApp 6778 9581.

WhatsApp Pharmacist