Acid reflux or Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) disease occurs when the acid rich liquid content of the stomach regurgitates into the esophagus. This acid-rich liquid can inflame and damage the lining of your esophagus. The refluxed liquid may also contain bile that that has backed-up into the stomach from the small intestine (duodenum).

The stomach acid is the most harmful component of the refluxed liquid. Although bile may damage your esophagus, the extent of the damage is not as completely understood as the damaging effects of stomach acid.

Unfortunately, acid reflux is a chronic condition. There is no acid reflux cure. Even after you receive treatment for acid reflux disease and your esophagus heals, the symptoms of acids reflux will return, and the damage will reoccur.

Acid reflux symptoms

There is not a clear-cut cause of acid reflux. The causes of acid reflux can vary from person to person. Some people simply produce a higher amount of stomach acid, but in most cases the following factors contribute to acid reflux in patients:

• Obesity - Excess weight puts extra pressure on your stomach and diaphragm, the large muscle that separates your chest and abdomen, forcing open the lower esophageal sphincter and allowing stomach acids to back up into your esophagus. Eating very large meals or meals high in fat may cause similar effects.
  
• Pregnancy - Pregnancy results in greater pressure on the stomach and a higher production of the hormone progesterone. This hormone relaxes many of your muscles, including the lower esophageal sphincter.
  
• Asthma - Doctors aren't certain of the exact relationship between asthma and heartburn. It may be that coughing and difficulty exhaling lead to pressure changes in your chest and abdomen, triggering regurgitation of stomach acid into your esophagus. Some asthma medications that widen (dilate) airways may also relax the lower esophageal sphincter and allow reflux. Or it's possible that the acid reflux that causes heartburn may worsen asthma symptoms. For example, you may inhale small amounts of the digestive juices from your esophagus and pharynx, damaging lung airways.
  
• Diabetes - One of the many complications of diabetes is gastroparesis, an uncommon disorder in which your stomach takes too long to empty. Left in your stomach too long, stomach contents can regurgitate into your esophagus and cause heartburn.
  
• Peptic ulcer - An open sore or scar near the valve (pylorus) in the stomach that controls the flow of food into the small intestine can keep this valve from working properly or can obstruct the release of food. Food doesn't empty from your stomach as fast as it should, causing stomach acid to build up and back up into your esophagus.
  
• Delayed stomach emptying - The most common time for acid reflux is during the day, after you eat. Studies show reflux commonly occurs at these times as a result of LES relaxations caused by distention of the stomach with food. In addition to diabetes or an ulcer, abnormal nerve or muscle functions can delay emptying of your stomach, causing acid backup into the esophagus.
  
• Connective tissue disorders - Diseases such as scleroderma that cause muscular tissue to thicken and swell can keep digestive muscles from relaxing and contracting as they should, allowing acid reflux.
  
• Zollinger-Ellison syndrome - One of the complications of this rare disorder is that your stomach produces extremely high amounts of acid, increasing the risk of acid reflux.
  
• Lower esophageal sphincter (LES) - The LES is a specialized ring of muscle that surrounds the end of the esophagus joined to the stomach. Your LES opens when food or saliva is swallowed, but closes to prevent reflux. Acid reflux occurs when your LES abnormally relaxes or contracts weakly. Extended relaxation or weak contractions allow more acid to travel back up the esophagus.
  
• Esophageal contractions - Swallowing is a key factor in preventing acid reflux. When you swallow, you contract the esophageal muscles. This contraction pushes food, saliva and acid back into your stomach. In certain patients, this contraction is not strong enough to push the acid back into the stomach.
  
• Hiatal hernia - Hiatal hernias are another contributing factor to acid reflux, although doctors and researchers are not sure how they contribute. Studies show that a majority of patients who suffer from acid reflux also have hiatal hernias.
  

  Studies also indicate that people with hiatal hernias don't always suffer from acid reflux disease. A hiatal hernia occurs when a small part of your upper stomach that attaches to the esophagus is pushed through the diaphragm. This forces the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) to lie in the chest. As a result, your LES is no longer level with your diaphragm. Normally, the pressure exerted by your diaphragm and LES prevents reflux, but after the LES is pushed into the chest, the additive pressure of is decreased.
  

  Hiatal hernias may also contribute to your acid reflux disease because when a hiatal hernia is present, a hernial sac is also present. This hernail sac is separated from your esophagus by the LES and the diaphragm. In certain cases, the hernail sac traps acid coming from your stomach, which means it is easier for the acid to reflux whenever your LES relaxes.

Symptoms of acid reflux oesophagitis

• A painful or burning sensation in the upper abdomen or chest, sometimes radiating to the back (heartburn).
  
• Difficulties breathing and suffering from hoarseness because the refluxed fluid irritates the larynx and respiratory tract.
  
• Excess belching is common.

When does acid reflux occur?

• After eating a large or fatty meal.
  
• After drinking alcohol.
  
• Lying down, bending over or bending and lifting.
  
• After smoking.
  
• After eating chocolate, caffeine, onions, spicy foods, mint and some medications.
  
• Lying down soon after eating.
  
• After taking tranquilizers, such as benzodiazepines including diazepam (Valium) and alprazolam (Xanax).
  
• After taking Theophylline (Elixophyllin), an asthma medication. In some cases, acid reflux symptoms may have no apparent cause.

How does acid reflux affect you?

• Acid reflux is unpleasant and can greatly affect your lifestyle.
  
• Acid reflux symptoms can lower your quality of life.
  
• Prolonged exposure to refluxed acid leads to oesophagitis (inflammation of the oesophagus), and in extreme cases can cause scar tissue that makes it difficult or impossible to swallow.
  
• It can cause ulceration that leads to bleeding and an iron deficiency.

Products to help prevent pain and suffering of acid reflux

The following products will help you prevent the pain and suffering of acid reflux disease:

Histamine 2 antagonists (H2 antagonists )

• Axid (nizatidine)
  
• Cimetidine ( tagamet)
  
• Famotidine (Pepcid, pepcid AC)
  
• Ranitidine

Proton Pump Inibitors (PPIs)

• Aciphex (rabeprazole)
  
• Pariet (Aciphex is manufactured and distributed in Canada under the name Pariet)
  
• Protonix (pantoprazole)
  
• Previcid (lansoprazole)
  
• Nexium (esoprazole)

NeoVisc (Sodium Hyaluronate) injections are one way to prevent the pain caused by osteoarthritis in your knees. NeoVisc is a viscosupplement (lubricant) that can be injected into your knee to reduce the pain that occurs when your knee moves. NeoVisc is a 1.0% solution of high-purity sodium hyaluronate. To explain it in the simplest terms, NeoVisc is the WD-40 you add to a rusty hinge.

Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis that occurs when the cartilage between your joints breaks down. Cartilage acts as the cushion between your joints. As the cartilage breaks down, your joints start rubbing together causing inflammation and pain. The most common areas affected by osteoarthritis are your hands, feet, spine, and large weight-bearing joints, like your knees or hips. Unfortunately, there is no cure for osteoarthritis, but with treatment you can prevent the pain and suffering.

Directions for using NeoVisc

NeoVisc should be injected by a trained professional at a clinic or hospital. All orders of NeoVisc come with an information pamphlet. Please read the pamphlet and ask any questions prior receiving NeoVisc injection treatments.

NeoVisc treatments consist of three injections into the synocial space of your knee joint. These injections are called intra-articular injections. You will receive one injection per week for three weeks.

Optimal results are usually seen within thirty days after the last NeoVisc injection, but some patients experience improvements after the second injection. Patients experience up to eight months of pain relief. In some cases, the NeoVisc injections can stimulate the growth of natural healthy hyaluronate.

General guidelines for NeoVisc

• Store NeoVisc below 86 degrees F (30 degrees C).
  
• Store NeoVisc in the original packaging.
  
• Store NeoVisc away from light.
  
• Do not freeze NeoVisc.
  
• Take NeoVisc on time (If you miss an appointment, notify your doctor as soon as possible).

Side Effects of NeoVisc

All patients should complete the full treatment course, even if you are start feeling better. It is important to keep a regular schedule for your NeoVisc injections.

Additional warnings:

• Avoid using certain skin disinfectants (containing ammonium salts).
  
• Pregnant females should discuss NeoVisc with a physician. It is unknown if this medicine is excreted in breast milk.

Is a Prescription needed for NeoVisc?

No, a prescription is not needed to order NeoVisc from Canada.

Why would I choose NeoVisc over other viscosupplements?

Tests show that there are no significant differences in treatment outcome with NeoVisc as compared to other hyaluronate products, but NeoVisc can cost up to 50% less than other products.

Synvisc injections are one way to prevent the pain caused by osteoarthritis in your knees. Synvisc is a viscosupplement (lubricant) that can be injected into your knee to act as a cushion that reduces the shock and friction created whenever your knee moves. Synvisc is a viscous liquid made from the hylan polymers produced in rooster combs and is very similar to the hyaluronan, a naturally occurring cushioning fluid found in your knees.

Synvisc was approved by the FDA in August 1997.

Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis that occurs when the cartilage between your joints breaks down. Quite simply put, cartilage acts as the cushion between your joints. As the cartilage breaks down, your joints start rubbing together causing inflammation and pain. The most common areas affected by osteoarthritis are your hands, feet, spine, and large weight-bearing joints, like your knees or hips. Unfortunately, there is no cure for osteoarthritis, but with treatment you can prevent the pain and suffering.

Directions for using Synvisc

Synvisc should be injected by a trained professional at a clinic or hospital. All orders of Synvisc come with an information pamphlet. Please read the pamphlet and ask any questions prior to any Synvisc injections.

General guidelines for Synvisc

• Store Synvisc below 86 degrees F (30 degrees C)
• Store Synvisc in the original packaging
• Store Synvisc away from light
• Do not freeze Synvisc
• Take Synvisc on time (If you miss an appointment, notify your doctor as soon as possible)

Synvisc side effects

For most patients there are no side effects associated with Synvisc injections. In certain cases, the following side effects may occur:

• Temporary pain.
  
• Swelling around the knee.
  
• Fluid accumulation in the injected knee.

Additional warnings

• Patients who are allergic to feathers, eggs, or poultry should not inject Synvisc.
  
• Pregnant females should discuss Synvisc with a physician. It is unknown if this medicine is excreted in breast milk.

How is Synvisc administered?

Synvisc should only be injected by a trained professional (for example, a nurse or a doctor).

Synvisc is injected directly into your knee joint three times, seven days apart.

For the best results, physicians will remove any diseased fluid from your knee before injecting Synvisc. Most patients report pain-free knee movement within 8-12 weeks after starting treatment. In some cases, it may take as long as 14-16 weeks before the pain disappears.

What are the Benefits of Synvisc?

Completing a complete Synvisc treatment offers the following benefits:

• Successful treatment potentially reduces or stops pain in your osteoarthritic knee for up to six months of pain relief.
  
• Increased movement and a higher and more comfortable level of activity.
  
• Synvisc normally does not interfere with any other medications (including pain relievers or anti-inflammatory drugs).
  
• Synvisc requires only three injections (most other viscosupplementations require five injections).

Is a Prescription needed?

No, a prescription is not needed to order Synvisc from Canada.

Most people assume that bones can only break under extreme conditions. Bones are actually comprised of living tissue that is constantly replaced by new, stronger tissue. If the regeneration cycle is altered, your body will remove more tissue than it creates. This is known as osteoporosis.

There are no symptoms for osteoporosis. You can't feel your bones weakening, so osteoporosis often goes undiagnosed until you actually break a bone.

Alendronate
Alendronate (brand name - FOSAMAX) is a bisphosphonate that reduces the activity of the cells that create bone loss. By decreasing the rate at which bone tissue is lost, patients see an increase in the amount of bone tissue.

Side Effects
If you suffer from any of the following conditions, you should not take Alendronate:

• certain disorders of the esophagus
• unable to stand or sit upright for 30 minutes
• severe kidney disease
• low blood calcium

** If you have difficultly swallowing liquids you should not take the liquid Alendronate solution.

If any of the following symptoms develop or worsen, you should stop taking Alendronate and call your doctor immediately:

• heartburn
• difficult or painful swallowing
• chest pain
• severe bone, joint, or muscle pain
  

Fluticasone Propionate (brand name - Flonase) is a prescription nasal spray approved to treat indoor and outdoor allergies and nonallergic symptoms. Fluticasone Propionate helps reduce the inflammation that leads to nasal symptoms that include congestion, sneezing, and itchy, runny nose.

Fluticasone Propionate combats symptoms for both seasonal and year-round allergies. Seasonal allergies most often occur in the spring and fall when pollen is released, whereas year-round allergies are triggered by dust, mold and animal dander.

Year-round nonallergic nasal symptoms are caused by inflammation and irritation of the nose lining. The general symptoms for people suffering from nonallergic symptoms have runny noses and postnasal drip, as well as stuffiness.

Why Fluticasone Propionate?
Unlike other nonprescription nasal sprays and allergy medications, Fluticasone Propionate is not habit causing and doesn't cause drowsiness. Since the spray is delivered directly inside your nose, it is more effective. Fluticason Propionate attacks your symptoms where you need it the most.

SIDE EFFECTS
Most side effects go away during treatment. Side effects include sneezing, stuffy nose, and an unpleasant taste or smell. In some cases, the lining of your nasal passages may dry. If any of these symptoms continue or become bothersome, notify your doctor.

If you experience any of the following side effects, stop taking Fluticasone Propionate immediately and contact your doctor:

• nosebleeds
• nose or throat pain
• difficulty breathing
• tightness of chest
• swelling of eyelids, face, or lips
• rash or hives
  

Bacterial infections have become a concern for both physicians and patients. Infections caused by difficult to treat bacteria are becoming more and more common. The most common bacterial infections include urinary tract infections caused by bacterias, and chronic bacterial prostatitis.

UTI
Urinary tract infections, or UTIs, are common and affect millions of people each year. Although both men and women can develop UTIs, women suffer from them more frequently than men.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are treated with antibiotics. These drugs kill the bacteria that causes the infection. For uncomplicated UTIs (UTIs that develop in normally healthy people), antibiotics are normally prescribed for 3-7 days, depending on how often UTIs reoccur.

Complicated UTIs (UTIs that develop in people suffering from an underlying disease or infection) are more difficult to treat than uncomplicated UTIs. Complicated UTIs are caused by more varied types of bacteria. These bacteria are more resistant to the medications. A doctor will normally prescribe medication for 7-14 days for complicated UTIs.

It is important you finish the course of prescribed medication, even if you begin to feel better or your symptoms go away. If bacteria are not completely eliminated, the infection may come back. Normally, after a few doses of medication you will start feeling better, but the infections and symptoms may persist for a few more days.

Prostatitis
Prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate, which can often be caused by an infection. Infections by bacteria or other organisms cause prostatic inflammation in many men with prostatitis. These bacteria usually come from the urinary tract. The two most common types of bacterial prostatitis are:

1. Acute bacterial prostatitis is the least common of the four types but also the easiest to diagnose and treat effectively. Men with this disease often have chills, fever, pain in the lower back and genital area, urinary frequency and urgency often at night, burning or painful urination, body aches, and a demonstrable infection of the urinary tract as evidenced by white blood cells and bacteria in the urine. The treatment is an appropriate antibiotic.
2. Chronic bacterial prostatitis, also relatively uncommon, is acute prostatitis associated with an underlying defect in the prostate, which becomes a focal point for bacterial persistence in the urinary tract. Effective treatment usually requires identifying and removing the defect and then treating the infection with antibiotics. However, antibiotics often do not cure this condition.

Ciprofloxacin

Ciprofloxacin is a prescription medication that blocks bacterial DNA replication by binding itself to an enzyme called DNA gyrase. The gyrase enzyme prevents the untwisting required to replicate one DNA double helix into two, and is commonly prescribed to fight UTIs and prostatis.

Side Effects of Ciprofloxacin

Side effects are difficult to anticipate when using Ciprofloxacin. To be safe, contact your doctor if any side effects occur, or intensify. The most common side effects are nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, rash, and vomiting.

If you notice a skin rash or any other allergic reactions, contact your doctor immediately. Although quite rare, people using Ciprofloxacin have suffered serious and occasionally fatal allergic reactions. These reactions can be accompanied by:

• A collapse of the circulatory system
• loss of consciousness
• swelling of the face and throat
• shortness of breath
• tingling
• itching
• hives

If you experience fever or jaundice contact your doctor immediately.

Unlike bacterial illnesses, viral illnesses are not living organisms. Viral illnesses attack living cells and reproduce themselves, at the expense of the host cell. Antiviral medications inhibit the replication of viral DNA needed for a viral illness to reproduce. Virally infected cells absorb more acyclovir than normal cells and convert more of it to an active form, prolonging its antiviral activity.

Acyclovir is a prescription antiviral drug used in the treatment of certain infections with herpes viruses. These include genital herpes, shingles, and chickenpox as well as herpes simplex virus and other types of herpes virus infections that cause painful blisters. Acyclovir helps reduce the severity of painful outbreaks and stops new blisters from forming.

Other Uses
Acyclovir (brand name - ZOVIRAX) can prevent herpes simplex outbreaks. For people affected with both the HIV virus and herpes simplex, using Acyclovir can prolong life. High doses of acyclovir can also be used to treat the viral infection know as hairy leukoplakia.

Side effects
Acyclovir has a good toxicity profile. As a result, long term use of acyclovir does not result in major side effects. The most common mild side effects are upset stomach, nausea and headaches. In certain long-term cases, hair loss occurred.

How long does it take to work?
Herpes sores usually disappear in a few days after starting treatment. Effectiveness is noted by crusting over and healing of sores. If you suffer from chronic herpes outbreaks, you may require long-term therapy with acyclovir.

Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is pain that continues after the rash from shingles heals, caused by nerve damage from shingles. PHN can develop in anyone who had shingles. About 12.5% of people who had shingles develop PHN. PHN is most common in people 60 years of age or older.
PHN can develop if you:

• Developed a very bad rash when you had shingles
• Felt a lot of pain from shingles
• Felt pain before your shingles rash started
• Have trouble fighting infections (such as from cancer or an organ transplant)

The pain from PHN varies from person to person. The pain can be mild or severe, constant or infrequently. The pain can be burning, stabbing, or even shock-like.

A seizure is the result of extra electrical activity in the brain. When the electrical activity is focused on a small portion of the brain, it is called a partial seizure. Partial seizures can spread to involve the whole brain (convulsive seizures).

There are two types of partial seizures:

• simple
• complex.

During a simple partial seizure, a person remains alert and can still follow commands. During a complex partial seizure results in a loss of consciousness and often a person cannot remember the events that occurred during the seizure.

Neurontin
NEURONTIN is a prescription oral medication for management of the PHN pain that lasts for up to three months after shingles heal. NEURONTIN is proven greatly reduced patients' pain.
NEURONTIN may begin to work as early as 1 week after you start treatment. It is important to note that it some cases it may take longer for PHN to work. It some instances, the pain caused by PHN may not get better.

NEURONTIN also helps control partial seizures in epileptics. This is essential helping to provide a better life.

Side effects
NEURONTIN may cause side effects. Common side effects include drowsiness, dizziness, and weakness. You should not operate heavy or complex machinery until you are affected by Neurontin.

Blood clots can limit or completely restrict the flow of blood to important areas of the body, leading to heart attacks or strokes. For people that already suffered a stroke or heart attack, or have poor circulation as a result of peripheral artery disease (PAD) are even more likely to form clots in their arteries.

Blood clots are a natural defense mechanism, protecting a body from excessive bleeding in the case of an injury. Whenever a cut occurs, platelets stick together to form a clot. Clots can also be formed when platelets clump together on or near the plaque (a rupture of a cholesterol buildup in the walls of the arteries.

Plavix
PLAVIX is a prescription medication that prevents platelets from sticking together (clotting), improving blood flow to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Taking PLAVIX daily can help reduce the risk of a future heart attack or stroke

Physicians often prescribe aspirin in combination with PLAVIX to provide more protection against a future heart attack or stroke than aspirin alone. Your doctor may recommend using PLAVIX daily with aspirin if you:

• Have been hospitalized unstable angina
• Have suffered a non-Q-wave heart attack

These events are sometimes referred to as acute coronary syndrome (ACS). For the millions of people suffering from ACS, taking Plavix and aspirin can help make a difference.

It is important to understand Plavix doesn't work the same as medication that reduce blood pressure or cholesterol. Medications like Lipitor keep your blood pressure and cholesterol at appropriate levels, but do not reduce clotting. Clotting is the major cause of most heart attacks and strokes.

Why Plavix?
Taking Plavix daily helps protect you against another heart attack or stroke. If you've already suffered a heart attack you are:

• 5X more likely to suffer another heart attack (than the general population)
• 3X more likely to suffer a stroke (than the general population)

If you've already suffered a stroke, you are:

• 9X more likely to suffer another stroke (than the general population)
• 2X more likely to suffer a heart attack (than the general population)

If you suffer from peripheral artery disease, you are:

• 4X as likely to suffer a heart attack (than the general population)
• 2X as likely to have a stroke (than the general population)
• 15X more likely to die from cardiovascular disease

What is osteoporosis?
A common misconception is that bones are solid and can only break under extreme trauma. Most people don't realize that bone is actually living tissue, just harder tissue than your skin or heart. Your body continuously replaces older bone tissue with new tissue, to keep your bones strong and healthy.

Osteoporosis interrupts the natural regeneration cycle, causing your body to remove more bone tissue than it creates, causing your bones to become thinner and much more likely to break. It is impossible to feel bone loss, so most people don't even realize they have osteoporosis until it is already a serious problem. Taking calcium supplements is important, but may not be enough to prevent fractures caused by osteoporosis.

Why Actonel?
Actonel (risedronate sodium tablets) is a prescription drug that stops further loss of bone and increases bone mass in most people who take it. Actonel reverses bone loss quickly, and is the only medicine available that reduces the risk of spinal fractures within a year.

Actonel is a bisphosphonate that can be used to prevent and treat osteoporosis that occurs after menopause, as well as Paget's disease and steroid-induced osteoporosis.

Side effects
Side effects for Actonel are generally mild or moderate. The most common side effects are:

• back, muscle, bone or joint pain
• stomach pain
• constipation
• headaches
• nausea
• diarrhea

Contact your doctor if symptoms are severe.

Tried-and-true home remedies can help you feel better when you find yourself "under the weather" with a cold or the flu. And a few over-the-counter medications can help relieve nasty symptoms.

First, do you have a cold or the flu? Chances are, if you had a flu shot, you don't have influenza (or have a mild case). You can still get vaccinated to protect yourself the rest of the flu season, which runs through April, according to the CDC.

The symptoms are confusing, but here's a simple test: People with the flu get sick more suddenly, look much sicker, and feel as if they really were hit by a truck. Higher fever, body aches, extreme tiredness and dry cough are more likely to be flu, according to experts at eMedicineHealth. A runny or stuffy nose, maybe a slight fever, and cough are hallmarks of the common cold.

In either case, antibiotics are not what you need. In fact, taking these strong prescription medications weakens their effectiveness for when you might need them. Colds and flu are caused by viruses. Antibiotics cannot fight viruses. So reserve them for bacterial infections, and your doctor is the best judge of that. Antibiotics taken "just in case" still do no good unless your doctor determines you should head off a bacterial infection if you have a chronic condition.

Often, what you need to ease the symptoms of colds and flu can be found right at home - where you should be so you aren't coughing and sneezing and infecting others. Mary Windle, PharmD, Pharmacy Editor of eMedicine, Inc., and Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Pharmacy, offers this prescription to feel better fast:

For chest congestion:

• Drink plenty of fluids (8 to 10 cups a day) such as water, sports drinks, herbal teas, fruit drinks, or ginger ale. Even clear soups - yes, chicken soup. Fluids help break up congestion, prevent dehydration and keep your throat moist.

• Inhaled steam can ease congestion too. Create steam with a humidifier, or steam up the bathroom by running a hot shower. Or create a mini-steamer by boiling water on the stove and placing the pot on a table. Drape a towel over your head and the water (careful!) and inhale the steam. The effect is enhanced if you add a half teaspoon of Vicks VapoRub, 1-2 drops of eucalyptus oil or a few slices of ginger to the boiling water.
  

For nasal congestion:

• Relieve clogged nasal and sinus passages caused by excessive mucus with either decongestant pills or liquid medication or with a nasal spray. Oral decongestants you can buy at your drug store contain pseudoephedrine (with brand names such as Sudafed or Triaminic). This ingredient can cause an increase in heart rate and blood pressure and may keep you awake because it's a stimulant. Anyone with high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, thyroid disease, or glaucoma (high pressure of the eye) should not use these decongestants. Depending on state law, you may have to ask and sign for products containing pseudoephedrine because it is used in making illegal street drugs.


• Nasal spray decongestants do the same thing and have the advantage of going directly to the problem area - your nose. The active ingredient is oxymetazoline found in brand names such as Afrin, Dristan nasal spray, Neo-Synephrine, and Vicks Sinex. Do not use these sprays longer than 3 days or you will risk getting a rebound effect - your nose will become stuffy once again. These are best taken following a hot shower and lots of nose blowing to clear out the mucus as much as possible. Nasal sprays are a good alternative to pseudoephedrine at bedtime because they won't interfere with sleep.

For fever and pain, body aches and tiredness:

• Rest in bed. And if you're home in bed, you're not at work or around others and spreading your germs.


• Over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) can help decrease fever and ease sore throat pain and body aches. Never give a child aspirin or medications containing aspirin due to the risk of Reye Syndrome.

For cough:

• For a dry hacking cough, you may choose a medication that contains a cough suppressant - to block the cough reflex and keep the cough from waking you at night. Look for over-the-counter medications that contain dextromethorphan, like Benylin DMD.


• For a cough that produces excessive mucus, or phlegm, you may want to use an expectorant to loosen secretions so you can cough them into a tissue. A cough is a reflex. When your airway passages are irritated, you cough. Guaifenesin is the most common active ingredient in over-the-counter expectorants (for example, Benylin DMDE). Help them work by drinking plenty of fluids.

For sore throat:

• A warm salt-water gargle can relieve a scratchy throat. Dissolve about a half teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water.


• Lozenges, mouthwashes, and sprays that contain a numbing ingredient such as benzocaine, phenol, or menthol can ease the pain. Some people think lozenges containing zinc relieve cold symptoms, but the benefits are not proven, and zinc can cause stomach upset and has an unpleasant taste.

When to contact the doctor: Call your doctor if your symptoms of cold or flu last more than 10 days, if you're not getting better, if your fever goes above 102 degrees F, or if you feel shortness of breath, or other worrisome symptoms.

For more information on colds and flu, self-care tips and a searchable database of consumer health information, go to http://www.emedicinehealth.com/ (search the site for Understanding Cold and Flu Medications).

Heartburn isn't just the result of eating spicy food. Many people experience persistent and frequent heartburn (for example, two or more nights per week), and assume it is strictly diet related. It may actually be a symptom of gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD symptoms may actually result in the development of erosive GERD. Erosive GERD occurs when sores develop on the lining of the esophagus.

GERD is caused when the opening between the esophagus and the stomach relaxes at the wrong times. Normally, this opening allows food to travel only from your esophagus into your stomach. When the valve between the stomach and the esophagus relaxes at the wrong time, contents of the stomach can flow up to the esophagus, causing irritation.

Protonix heals erosive GERD
PROTONIX is a prescription drug that used to heal the sores that develop in the esophagus as a result of GERD. Most patients using Protonix heal within 8 weeks of treatment. In a year long clinical trial involving patients with healed erosive GERD, 93% of nights were heartburn-free and 94% of days were free from acid regurgitation (for patients treated with Prontonix 40mg).

Protonix (called PANTOLOC in Canada) is a proton pump inhibitor used to treat ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), erosive esophagitis, or Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. It may also be used to treat other conditions as determined by your doctor.

Side Effect of Protonix
Common side effects (that may go away during treatment) include headache, dizziness, diarrhea, or nausea. Please check with your doctor immediately if the side effects persist or cause considerable discomfort or you experience:

• swelling of hands, face, lips, eyes, throat, or tongue
• difficulty swallowing or breathing
• hoarseness
• rash

Why DoctorSolve?

At DoctorSolve, we know that you have a lot of online Canadian Pharmacies from which to choose. Some are better than others, and many shouldn't be selling drugs at all. We want you to know that we're different - much different. Our business is a private medical facility, owned by physicians. Our staff and agents include physicians, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, nurses, and medical office assistants. You deserve nothing less than the highest standards of care from the Canada pharmacy you choose.

In the past, anxiety was perceived to be in a person's head. Studies prove that anxiety is a medical condition, influenced by your genes, your mind, and how you live. Anxiety affects over 18 million people in North America.

There are several types of anxiety, and each type affects people differently. People with social anxiety disorder (SAD) often get nervous or scared in front of people. People suffering from SAD often feel like they are being judged and are afraid to make mistakes for fear of embarrassment. If untreated, people suffering from SAD can be afraid of people, places and social events. It can affect a person's work by making it difficult to communicate with anyone in charge, speaking in front of groups or any event that could draw attention.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can occur after a person experiences a tragic event. The stress of a traumatic event causes chemical reactions in the brain and even physical symptoms. People suffering from PTSD suffer from nightmares and often feel that the event is happening all over again. In extreme cases, people will avoid the people or places associated with the event.

Panic Disorder (PD)
A panic attack is a sudden feeling of terror. You can't control when these attacks happen. These attacks can make a person feel like they are going crazy, or even dying. The fear of having an attack in a place you don't feel safe in, makes it hard for people suffering from PD to even leave the house.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
People that suffer from OCD are often overcome by uncontrollable thoughts or obsessions. To try to stop these obsessions, a person often repeats actions over and over again (for example: hand washing). This behavior is called a compulsion. Compulsions help people suffering from obsessions overcome the feeling that something bad will happen.

Doctors diagnose OCD when obsessions or compulsions start take about more than an hour, or cause a person to get upset.

How Zoloft can help
Medication can be very useful in the treatment of anxiety disorders and is often used in combination with therapy. Zoloft (or the generic equivalent - sertraline) is a prescription medication used to help control severe symptom so other forms of therapy can progress, in both short term and long term situations

Zoloft (Sertraline) medicine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) used to treat depression, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), or post-traumatic stress disorder. The antidepressant effect of sertraline is linked to its ability to inhibit the neuronal reuptake of serotonin and has very weak effects on norepinephrine and dopamine neuronal reuptake. Sertraline blocks the uptake of serotonin into human platelets.

Side effects of Zoloft
The most frequently observed side effects in people using Zoloft are:

• gastrointestinal complaints - including nausea, diarrhea/loose stools and dyspepsia
• male sexual dysfunction (primarily ejaculatory delay)
• insomnia and somnolence
• increased sweating and dry mouth
• dizziness

Why DoctorSolve?
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