Reading Time: 2 minutes If you have ever experienced heartburn or indigestion and have taken a proton pump inhibitor drug, you know they work great. Sites in your gastro-intestinal tract known as proton pumps, “pump-out” stomach acid in order to digest food. But if they overproduce acid and it is refluxed upward, they contribute to your stomach complaints. Gastrointestinal […] Read more
Guide Health: Proton pump inhibitors. Too much of a good thing?
Proton pump inhibitors excel at stopping heartburn, but there can be problems
Guide Health: The new opioid therapy
In some cases, opioid treatment provides little benefit while risking dependency and overdose
Reading Time: 2 minutes In May 2017, the Canadian Medical Association Journal published new opioid therapy recommendations for chronic non-cancer pain. (The recommendations do not apply to acute pain, such as a broken bone or after surgery, and they do not apply to pain associated with cancer.) It is estimated that 15 to 19 per cent of Canadians live […] Read more
Guide Health: Restless leg syndrome
Why is this condition under-recognized?
Reading Time: 2 minutes Restless leg syndrome is just what its name suggests, an uncontrollable urge to move your legs, especially at night or late in the day. Restless leg syndrome can also create unpleasant sensations in the legs, sometimes even deep within the legs. These symptoms are most noticeable at rest, such as when you are in bed, […] Read more
Guide Health: The scoop about naloxone
Even if you think no one you know could ever overdose on opioids, it can still make sense to have naloxone on hand
Reading Time: 2 minutes With the increased incidence of overdoses of opioids like fentanyl, you may have heard about naloxone, sold under the brand name Narcan. Your first thought was probably that this issue doesn’t concern you at all. But before you dismiss it completely, take a minute to learn a little bit more. You’ll be glad you did. […] Read more
Guide Health: Medical marijuana. Could it be the right choice for you?
Research into the medical benefits of marijuana is limited. It’s said to help many conditions, but we often don’t really know
Reading Time: 2 minutes Medical marijuana has been in the news a lot recently, as has legalizing its recreational use. There is a difference, though. With a medical document from a physician or nurse practitioner, you can now obtain marijuana for medical purposes from a licensed producer, and you can have it delivered directly to your home. In this […] Read more
Guide Health: Head lice is more common than you think
It’s an important point worth repeating: head lice don’t mean that a home is unclean, they mean that this is a home where children play together
Reading Time: 2 minutes From time to time, head lice infestations become news stories, especially when treatment “failures” occur. You probably feel itchy right now just thinking about them! Head lice, scientifically known as Pediculus humanus capitis, have been around as long human beings have existed. After all, lice need human blood to live. Head lice also exist worldwide, […] Read more
Guide Health: The embarrassment of hemorrhoids
It’s easy to understand why no one likes to talk about hemorrhoids, but at the very least you need to know when to get checked
Reading Time: 2 minutes Hemorrhoids are common, with anywhere from 50 to 80 per cent of Canadians having experienced them. It is difficult to determine the number more accurately, however, because many people do not report having hemorrhoids or, alternatively, they successfully self treat. Hemorrhoids are anal cushions which become inflamed and swollen. Internal ones remain within the anal […] Read more
Guide Health: Oh, my head hurts
Don’t just shake off a head injury. Get it checked out. Brain injuries can lead to serious consequences that may not appear for decades
Reading Time: 3 minutes Hitting your head may just give you a headache, but you should never dismiss the hit as a minor injury. About 2.5 per cent of the Canadian population injure their heads each year, so it’s not an uncommon problem. But it can be serious. The type of head injuries that you hear most about in […] Read more
Guide Health: Don’t let your minor cuts and scrapes get major
Know the difference between an at-home bandage and a trip to the doctor
Reading Time: 3 minutes Your skin protects your body from the outside world while also regulating your temperature, so any damage to your skin can result in damage to underlying structures. Everyone has had a cut or a scrape at one time or other. These usually only need to be covered with a self-adhesive bandage. For larger or more […] Read more
Guide Health: Do you need an injectable for diabetes?
Good management of diabetes is possible with a combination of oral drugs, but it can also include injectable medications
Reading Time: 3 minutes Diabetes is a metabolic disease, which means it is associated with a problem in the way your body metabolizes a substance. Specifically, in the case of diabetes your body has problems with a carbohydrate, i.e. glucose. In 2010, it was estimated that 2.7 million Canadians were living with a diagnosis of diabetes, and that over […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
