Some health conditions are more common during specific seasons and spring comes with its own challenges especially for those suffering from hay fever.

So, with the weather warming up it’s time to check your family’s first aid kit and medicine cupboard and make sure you are ready to cope with the bugs, bites and runny noses that often accompany the warmer weather and the increased time spent outdoors.

• Along with beautiful spring blossoms also comes runny noses and itchy eyes for those who suffer from hay fever. It can often be difficult to minimise your contact with allergens, especially if it’s airborne like pollen. Your pharmacist can advise you on treatments to reduce the severity of the symptoms and their impact on your lifestyle.
• During spring, asthma and hay fever sufferers should be on alert for thunderstorm asthma. This can occur during the high pollen season from early October to late December when there is a high pollen count in the air, humidity and wind. When a thunderstorm strikes, the pollen absorbs moisture and explodes into minute particles which are carried by the wind and inhaled into the lungs and can cause an asthma attack even in people not previously diagnosed with asthma.
• While most people associate winter with peak cold and flu season, Rhinoviruses which cause about half of the cold infections, are at their peak during autumn and spring. Speak to your pharmacist about treatment options to relieve your symptoms.
• As the weather warms up, people start embarking on new exercise regimes and the sudden increase in high impact activities like running, cycling or bootcamp can cause knee and ankle injuries especially if they are out of condition.
• Spring can also be a challenging time for people with eczema. Pollen, dry heat, air-conditioning, chlorine in swimming pools and even sweating can be triggers for eczema. People who suffer from eczema have different skin from people who don’t have eczema. In people with eczema, the skin barrier doesn’t work meaning it has less water-retaining properties. This causes it to dry out easily. There are many things you can do to help avoid an eczema outbreak and your community pharmacist can provide advice about this.

As Australia’s most accessible health destination, pharmacies do more than dispense medication. Go in and speak to your pharmacist the next time you have a health issue or minor ailment, and find out how they can help you find the right solution. From vaccinations and absence from work certificates, to baby care and medication management, your community pharmacy is an accessible source of health advice and support. Capital Chemist Garran also offers compounding services. Compounding is the science of creating customised medication, created by combining individual ingredients in the exact strength as required by the patient and their own unique needs. It is often required for medical reasons – to avoid a non-essential ingredient due to allergies, to change a tablet into a capsule for patients with swallowing issues, to make a product not available on the Australian market, or to manufacture an exact dosage based on the patient’s individual prescription. Compounding medications are usually ordered by the doctor, and are prepared in a safe and carefully controlled environment under the supervision of a trained compounding pharmacist. Contact Vincent and his team at Capital Chemist Garran to discuss your personal compounding needs. Shop 3, 2 Garran Place, Garran or phone 6282 2978.