There are a number of different types of medications that are used to manage pain and related symptoms. Some are available over the counter (OTC) and can be purchased at your local store or pharmacy. Others require a prescription from a healthcare provider and are only intended for the person with the prescription.
OTC medications are used by tens of millions of Americans for the temporary relief of minor aches and pains. But just because they’re OTC doesn’t mean they’re harmless. And with more than 1,000 medications containing acetaminophen and NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), choosing the right medication can seem overwhelming.
A variety of OTC pain medications can help manage different pain needs. They also have different risks and benefits that you need to consider. Whether you take medication occasionally for minor aches and pains or suffer from persistent pain, it’s important that you choose the right pain medication and know how to use it safely and appropriately. This means understanding the Drug Facts Label and its key components—including information on active ingredients, purpose, uses, directions, warnings, and more— critical to safely taking OTC medications. While OTC pain medications are usually safe when used as directed, taking too much can lead to overdose and serious complications.
Once you’ve chosen a medication that’s right for you or your loved one, it’s important to store it and dispose of it safely to keep it out of the hands of young children and to prevent misuse. Each year, around 50,000 young children end up in the ER because they got into medications that were left within reach. This makes it especially critical to keep medications in their original container, store them up and away and out of sight of young kids, and dispose of them properly when you no longer need them.
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Safe Medication Disposal
An estimated 40% of medications go unused, but what do you do with medications that you no longer want or need? This film gives a simple step-by-step guide on how to dispose of over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications in a way that keeps them out of the hands of young children, prevents abuse, and is safe for the environment. Learn what medications can be disposed of at home and how, as well as how to find community and Drug Enforcement Agency take-back programs.
Once you choose an over-the-counter (OTC) pain medication that’s right for you or a loved one, it’s important to store it safely. Watch this film to learn where to store your meds, how to keep them Up and Away and Out of Sight of young children, how to prevent misuse, and what to do when you no longer need the medication.
Tens of millions of Americans reach for over-the-counter (OTC) medications for relief of minor aches and pains. But just because they’re OTC doesn’t mean they’re harmless. And with more than 1,000 acetaminophen and NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) containing medications, choosing the right medication can seem overwhelming. This short film will guide you in choosing the medication that’s right for you or your loved one, and give tips on taking them safely.
Cintaa Elder Care Caregivers are compassionate and experienced.
Cintaa Elder Care Boynton Beach Florida
Persistent Pain
More than 25 million Americans deal with some level of daily pain. Persistent pain (or chronic pain) is ongoing or recurrent pain that lasts beyond the usual course of acute illness or injury—several months to many years. Persistent pain doesn’t mean that a person is always in pain. It can be mild to severe, complex to manage, and caused by injury, arthritis, cancer, and other diseases. Persistent pain can cause physical distress and seriously impact quality of life.
If you turn to medications to help manage your pain, it’s important to choose and use them safely. There are a variety of medications that can help manage different pain needs. They also have different risks and benefits that you need to consider. It’s important that you choose the right pain medication and know how to use it safely and appropriately.
You may turn to over-the-counter medications, which are available without a prescription. You may also turn to prescription pain medications, sometimes referred to as opioids, which are designed to manage moderate to severe pain. Other prescription medications like steroids, muscle relaxants, antidepressants, and anticonvulsants can also help manage your persistent pain. Prescription pain medications can be very effective when used under the supervision of a healthcare professional; however, some can be habit-forming, addictive, and lead to accidental overdose if abused or used incorrectly.
Non-drug therapies can be used as alternatives or alongside your pain medications to relieve your pain and can include mind-body exercises like yoga and meditation, acupuncture or massage, regular exercise routines and physical therapy, and even pain-management devices.
You should talk with your healthcare provider about developing a pain-management plan that sets goals like spending more time with family, getting back to hobbies, exercising more, and managing pain while healing. It should also include a review of the medications, non-drug therapies, and other interventions you are currently using to manage your pain.
Cintaa Elder Care Caregivers are compassionate and experienced.
Cintaa Elder Care Boynton Beach Florida
Prevention
Preventive care can help you stay healthy and find medical problems early. Medicare offers a number of important preventive services like yearly wellness visits, screenings, and vaccines. In 2010, the Affordable Care Act added preventive services for all Medicare beneficiaries. Before that, Medicare mainly focused on diagnosis and treatment, with few services aimed at prevention.
Medicare covers two types of yearly visits:the Welcome to Medicare preventive visit and the yearly wellness visit–also called the annual wellness visit. These preventive visits are NOT head-to-toe physicals, but they are a great opportunity to make sure you are up to date on important screenings and vaccines, to talk with your healthcare provider about your family and medical history, and to make a plan to stay as healthy as possible, for as long as possible. These visits are recommended for everyone—whether you already have a chronic condition or you are hoping to prevent one.
The Medicare preventive visits include reviewing your medical, social, and family history; discussing a preventive screening schedule based on your particular health conditions and risk factors; taking routine measurements like weight and blood pressure; discussing your risk of depression; doing a basic visual acuity screening; reviewing current opioid prescriptions and discussing risk of opioid use disorders; screening for cognitive or memory problems; making referrals for screenings and other care; and helping with end-of-life planning.
If other screenings are needed, they will be scheduled separately and you should be sure to talk to your healthcare provider about cost. There is generally no cost for most preventive screenings, however, when and how often you can get these services varies by person and screening. There are also some screenings that aren’t covered. For example, Medicare covers a one time visual acuity screening but does not cover routine eye exams for the purposes of contact lenses or eyeglasses.
Cintaa Elder Care Caregivers are compassionate and experienced.
Cintaa Elder Care Boynton Beach Florida
CINTAA Elder care shares useful information regarding healthcare on weekly basis. The post is only for information purpose only. Please check with your health care professional before using this information. To keep yourself updated with many other health tips, stay with us. We provide certified caregivers for seniors at home. If you need any help regarding eldercare, please feel free to call us today at 561-963-1915.
