Topical Therapy for Acute Pain in Adults

sheltonpharmacy — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:21:22 +0000

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a class of medications that include ibuprofen (the active ingredient in Motrin® and Advil®), ketoprofen, diclofenac, and piroxicam. Topical NSAIDs (gels and creams) are widely used to treat acute musculoskeletal conditions due to their potential to provide pain relief without the side effects associated with these medications when they are taken orally. Researchers at the University of Oxford reviewed the medical databases for well designed studies in which topical NSAIDs were administered to adult patients with acute pain resulting from strains, sprains or sports or overuse-type injuries (twisted ankle, for instance). The analysis concluded: “Topical NSAIDs can provide good levels of pain relief, without the systemic adverse events associated with oral NSAIDs, when used to treat acute musculoskeletal conditions.”

Restoring Hormonal Balance

sheltonpharmacy — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:00:31 +0000

Bioidentical Hormone Therapy (BHT) is the replacement of deficient hormones with hormones that are chemically identical to those that the body naturally produces, which have declined due to aging or illness. BHT has improved the quality of life for millions of women who suffer from hormonal imbalance. The ideal process for achieving hormonal balance includes an assessment of hormone levels and complete evaluation of signs and symptoms, followed by replacement of the deficient hormones in the most appropriate dose via the most effective route for each woman, and monitoring to fine tune the therapy. While women have benefited from therapy with bioidentical estrogens, progesterone, and androgens, researchers and health care professionals realize that this is just the “tip of the iceberg” when it comes to achieving hormonal balance. Thyroid and adrenal function, as well as nutritional status, should also be evaluated and treated when indicated.

Omega 3s Lower Risk of Macular Degeneration in Women

sheltonpharmacy — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 18:23:29 +0000

A 10-year study of 38,022 women conducted at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School showed that the
intake of omega-3 fatty acids and fish significantly reduced the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in women.
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) are components of omega-3 fatty acids, which are high in fatty
fish such as salmon and tuna. Women with the highest DHA/EPA levels consumed one or more servings of fish per week, and
compared with those who consumed less than one serving per month, had a 42% lower risk of AMD. One of the concerns of
eating large amounts of fish is the possibility of consuming harmful PCBs and methyl mercury. Our pharmacist can recommend
a quality omega-3 supplement.

Zinc Lozenges

sheltonpharmacy — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:44:32 +0000

Zinc Lozenges in Adequate Doses May Shorten Duration of the Common Cold

Zinc stimulates the immune system and zinc deficiency increases the risk of infections. An analysis of 13 placebo-controlled
studies showed strong evidence that adequate doses of zinc may reduce the duration and intensity of the common cold.
Contradictory results in various studies can largely be explained by the formulation of the lozenges or the variation in the
total daily dose of zinc that the person obtained from the lozenges. Many trials with daily zinc doses of over 75 mg have found
significant reductions in the duration of colds. Zinc lozenges have caused side effects such as bad taste and constipation that
stopped when lozenge use was discontinued, but there is no evidence that short term occasional use would cause long term
harm. Ask our compounding pharmacist about the most appropriate preparations for your family.

Coenzyme Q10

sheltonpharmacy — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 18:50:25 +0000

Coenzyme Q10 plays an important role in the production of energy within certain cells in the human body, particularly heart cells. Coenzyme Q10 is also an antioxidant. Many athletes use low levels of coenzyme Q10 to alleviate the the build up of metabolic byproducts brought on by rigorous physical activities.

Coenzyme Q10 provides many benefits to the cardiovascular system. In addition to strengthening heart cells it also helps to maintain healthy blood vessels. There is also evidence that coenzyme Q10 may be therapeutic in treating angina, arrhythmia, atherosclerosis, cancer, cardiomyopathy, congestive heart failure, and can promote healthy skin.

Always consult your physician before beginning supplementation with coenzyme Q10, especially if you are already taking medication intended to treat a cardiovascular condition.

Please take a look at our selection of products containing coenzyme Q10.

Starting and Stopping Medications

sheltonpharmacy — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 15:00:58 +0000

Often medications are started at a lower dose which is gradually increased. Similarly, many drugs are stopped slowly by gradually tapering down the dose over days, weeks, or even months. In some cases such as with blood pressure medications, initially lower doses allow your body to adapt to the drug and assess how well it is working or if side effects are occurring. Other medications, such as many prescription pain relievers, require higher doses over time due to tolerance to the desired pain relieving effect. When stopping a drug, doses are gradually reduced for some antidepressants, steroids, and pain relievers to prevent problems ranging from unpleasant withdrawal to potentially life-threatening consequences. Our compounding pharmacy can help by customizing medications in easy-to-measure forms for changing doses, or we can compound a series of different doses that avoids the problems associated with breaking or crushing tablets.

Drugs Used to Improve Bone Density May Actually Increase Risk of Fractures

sheltonpharmacy — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 19:02:19 +0000

Bisphosphonates are a class of drugs commonly used to treat osteoporosis, and include alendronate, etidronate, risedronate, and zoledronic acid. Bisphosphonates are designed to slow or stop the bone loss that occurs during the body’s natural process that involves removal and replacement of bone tissue. In March 2010, at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, reports suggested that if bisphosphonates are used for four or more years, they may actually impair bone quality and increase the risk of certain bone fractures. Two separate studies by researchers from the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) and Columbia University Medical Center revealed data suggesting that long-term suppression of bone remodeling with bisphosphonates may alter the material properties of bone, potentially resulting in brittle bone and contributing to the risk of atypical fractures. Ask our pharmacist about other ways to improve bone density and treat osteoporosis.

Vitamin D

sheltonpharmacy — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 16:55:04 +0000

Historically vitamin D has been recommended primarily to promote calcium absorption. While this is still a very important role that vitamin D plays, research suggests that vitamin D provides many additional health benefits.

Vitamin D deficiency can lead to, not only poor bone health, but also to muscle weakness, non-specific musculoskeletal pain, aggravation of autoimmune diseases, decreased cognitive function, and increased risk of heart disease. Additionally, evidence suggests that healthy vitamin D levels decrease the risk of certain types of cancer and can improve survivor rate after most types of cancer.

Vitamin D is primarily obtained through exposure to sunlight, but increased exposure to sunlight may not be the best course of action to fight vitamin D deficiency. Increased exposure to sunlight may increase the likelihood of developing skin cancer. There are very few foods in which vitamin D occurs naturally so it may be difficult to maintian healthy levels of vitamin D by diet alone. The Institute of Medicine recommends that children and adults up to age 50 receive 200 IU vitamin D per day, adults 51-70 years should receive 400 IU vitamin D per day, and adults over 71 years should receive 600 IU vitamin D per day.

If you have questions or concerns about your vitamin D intake consult your doctor and pharmacist.

You can find a selection of vitamin D products in our Vitamins section.

Vitamin C

sheltonpharmacy — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:31:49 +0000

Vitamin C is one of the most widely used nutritional supplements. Most animals can produce vitamin C naturally. Humans, on the other hand, cannot and must get vitamin C from other sources.

It is clear that vitamin C deficiency is harmful. Scurvy is a terrible condition that can cause bleeding gums, skin hemorrhage and easy bruising, weakened bones, poor wound healing, susceptibility to infection, and depression. Although most people get enough vitamin C in their normal diet to avoid the effects of scurvy, additional supplementation can have noticeable benefits.

Vitamin C is an important antioxidant. It is also one of the few supplements that encourages and protects other antioxidants in the body such as vitamin E and glutathione. Vitamin C provides many other benefits to the body. It is critical for the liver’s ability to detoxify substances that pass through the body. Vitamin C also reduces the risk of heart disease by preventing the oxidation of cholesterol. It is required for the production of collagen which is an important component of cartilage, tendons, ligaments, bone and blood vessels. One of the most common uses of vitamin C is to boost immunity. Vitamin C is very concentrated in the white blood cells, and increased activity of those cells and improves antibody response.

Most people who consume fruits and vegetable on a regular basis will not need vitamin C supplements, but for those requiring supplementation a general recommendation is that they take 500 milligrams a day. People who are dealing with a condition that can be helped by vitamin C can take much higher doses. Most people can take 2000 milligrams a day without experiencing any side effects. Vitamin C is non toxic, however, very high doses can cause diarrhea and digestive upset. These symptoms go away when the dose of vitamin C is decreased.

Please visit our store and check out our selection of excellent multi-vitamins that contain vitamin C as well as our antioxidants section.

sheltonpharmacy — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 17:35:37 +0000

Welcome to Shelton Pharmacy’s Blog, Compound Words. Shelton Pharmacy is a family run pharmacy in Hendersonville, NC. Shelton Pharmacy has been in business for 28 years providing exceptional service to those in western North Carolina.

We specialize in compounding medications to fit the unique needs of our patients. Compounding is the practice of combining or reformulating medications in ways that are not available commercially to make it easier for our patients to take their medications. Whether it be bio-identical hormones or allergen free formulas, Shelton Pharmacy can make it easier to take medicine.

We recently brought a new website online and invite you to visit us there.

Shelton-pharmacy.com

We also invite you to our online store where we carry only the highest quality nutritional supplements, including Pure Encapsulations and Metagenics. Our inventory is increasing everyday and if there is something that you cannot find send us a message and we will add it to the store as soon as possible.

Please visit us often for more information about compounding and nutritional supplements.