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Posts Tagged ‘Michael Salem’

It’s That Time of Year….Prepare Yourself! By Our Well Prepared Pharmacy Student, Michael Salem.

As the summer season winds down and we move into fall and winter, there is a lot to look forward to—leaves changing color, the fun of Halloween, and holidays spent in the company of friends and family. Unfortunately, this time of the year is not only football season, but flu season, as well! I have put together some information so you can prepare yourself and your family to stay in good health this flu season.

Symptoms:

The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by a virus that infects the nose, throat, and lungs. The most common signs and symptoms people experience due to flu virus are:

1. fever or feeling “chills”

2. cough

3. sore throat

4. runny or stuffy nose

5. muscle or body aches

6. headaches

7. fatigue

It is important to note that not all people with the flu develop a fever. Also, some people experience nausea and/or diarrhea- but these are far less common than the symptoms listed above.

How flu spreads:

Flu virus spreads primarily via droplets made when infected people cough, sneeze or talk. These droplets can be taken up by others, causing them to contract the virus. The flu can typically be passed on by an infected person for one day before symptoms develop and up to seven days after becoming ill.

Prevention:

The best way to deal with the flu is to avoid it all together! The single best way to prevent seasonal flu is by getting vaccinated. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends all people over the age of 6 months receive a flu vaccine each year. Here at Plain City Druggist we have already received our supply of vaccinations and have begun administering them to patients. Give us a call and we can let you know the best time to come and get your flu shot!

Good health habits for further prevention:

1. Avoid close contact: Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick, too.

2. Stay home when you are sick: Stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. This will help prevent others from catching your illness.

3. Cover your mouth and nose: Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It will prevent those infectious droplets from becoming airborne.

4. Clean your hands: Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer is also a great option and can be conveniently carried with you throughout the day.

5. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth: Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.

6. Practice other good health habits: Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.

If you follow these guidelines and healthy habits, you and your family will have the best chance of staying flu free this season!

Source: http://www.cdc.gov

Image source: http://www.sheridanmedia.com/files/image/flu-season.jpg

Don’t Let the Bed Bugs Bite! By Our September Pharmacy Student, Michael Salem.

Bed bugs have been a household pest for thousands of years. These bugs are small, elusive, difficult to detect, and can be very tough to eradicate from your home. Here are some tips for the detection, eradication, and prevention of bedbugs.

Signs of a bed bug infestation are brown fecal and blood spots on clothing, bedding, or furniture. Additionally, bed bugs have a distinct sweet, musty smell. If you suspect an infestation, it may be wise to inspect the area with a flashlight about an hour before dawn, as these bugs are nocturnal and most active at this time. The picture to the right gives you a perspective on the size of an adult bed bug, so you know what you are looking for.

Bed bugs, just like mosquitoes, feed on human blood. The appearance of the bite is similar to that of mosquitoes. One characteristic of the bites to look for is if they are in a series of three bites in a straight line- they call this “breakfast, lunch, and dinner” bites. The picture below does a good job of depicting this, you can see four distinct sets of bites.

Treating the bites is really just treating the itch associated with it, so oral antihistamines (i.e Benadryl®) and topical steroids (i.e Cortisone®) will usually do the trick.

Getting rid of bed bugs is a real challenge, and requires both physical removal and chemical eradication. What you can do at home is vacuum any infested mattresses/furniture daily until the bugs are removed. Then the mattress/furniture should be sealed with an encasement for at least one year, as a bed bug can survive one year without a meal. Bedding, clothing, curtains, children toys (i.e stuffed animals) should be washed in HOT water and dried for 30 minutes on the HIGHEST HEAT setting. Chemical treatment by a licensed pest control company is also necessary to ensure complete eradication of the bugs.

Measures can be taken to prevent these little pests from entering your home. To start, eliminate clutter in the house and seal any cracks or crevices. Next, regular inspection of mattresses, headboards, bedding, and linens can go a long way to prevent an infestation. Any used furniture, clothing, or linens should be thoroughly inspected before bringing them into the house. If you can, make it a policy to never purchase a used mattress!

Finally, when spending the night in a new place, do a quick check of the bedding for those fecal and blood spots and that sweet, musty smell mentioned earlier. Nothing would be worse than bringing the bugs home with you after a trip or vacation! If you want more information, two great internet sources are listed below.

And remember, SLEEP TIGHT!!!

http://www.centralohiobedbugs.org/index.html

http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/bedbugs/faqs.html

Sources:

McKenzie MC, DeSimone EM. The Rise in Bed Bugs; Prevention, Management, and Treatment. U.S Pharmacist. 2012;37:47-50.

Photos Sources:

http://www.whatsthatbug.com/wp-content/uploads//2009/09/bedbug_tarra.jpg

http://www.bedbugs.org/images/bedbug-bites.jpg

Meet Our September Pharmacy Student, Michael Salem.

We currently have a fourth year Ohio State pharmacy student helping us in the drugstore for the month of September. Michael Salem is originally from North Olmsted, a small suburb on the Westside of Cleveland, Ohio. He attended St. Edward High School in Lakewood, Ohio before moving to Columbus in 2004 to attend The Ohio State University. Michael completed his undergraduate degree in 2009, earning a Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences. That same year, he was accepted to OSU’s Doctor of Pharmacy program and has been working towards his PharmD degree ever since. (Just six more months to go, hooray!!).

When Michael was selecting his rotations for this, his final year of pharmacy school, he thought the opportunity to come to Plain City Druggist represented a unique opportunity to observe an independent pharmacy that services a special patient population.

In his free time, Michael really enjoys hanging out with friends and staying active- playing basketball, lifting weights, and spending time with his dog, Combo. After school, he hopes to move back to the Cleveland area to be closer to his family.

In the future, Michael hopes to someday find the pharmacy niche that best suits him and to start his own business that will allow him to provide valuable health information and pharmaceutical care to improve patient’s quality of life through optimized medication utilization. It will be a long road to achieve this goal, but one that Michael believes will be very gratifying and full of learning opportunities to improve himself as a pharmacist.

Please stop in and say hello to Michael and give him some hometown friendliness this month.