Boiling Springs Pharmacy

05/15/2026

What are ticks?
Ticks are small parasites. They may look like insects, but they have eight legs and are related to spiders. Ticks feed on the blood of people and warm-blooded animals. There are many types of ticks in the United States, and they live in different parts of the country.

Ticks can be different colors and sizes. They can be light-colored, reddish brown, or dark brown. Some ticks are so small that they can be difficult to see. Ticks may get on you if you walk though areas where they live, such as tall grass, leaf litter or shrubs.

Why do I need to be worried about tick bites?
If you spend time outdoors or have pets that go outdoors, you need to beware of ticks. When they bite, certain types of ticks can pass on germs that cause different diseases. Sometimes the symptoms can be mild. In other cases, you can have serious, long-lasting health problems. Some of the diseases you can get from a tick bite (called tickborne diseases) include:

Lyme disease
Alpha-gal syndrome (tick bite red meat allergy)
Babesiosis
Ehrlichiosis
Rocky Mountain spotted fever
Tularemia

Tick bites can spread many diseases, including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Learn how to prevent tick bites and what to do if you get bitten.

05/14/2026

Your body normally cools itself by sweating. During hot weather, especially when it is very humid, sweating just isn't enough to cool you off. Your body temperature can rise to dangerous levels and you can develop a heat illness.

Most heat illnesses happen when you stay out in the heat too long. Exercising and working outside in high heat can also lead to heat illness. Older adults, young children, and those who are sick or overweight are most at risk. Taking certain medicines or drinking alcohol can also raise your risk.

During hot weather, especially with high humidity, sweating isn't enough and your temperature can rise and cause heat illnesses like heat exhaustion.

05/13/2026

What are joints?
Your joints are places where two or more bones come together. Your shoulders, elbows, hips, knees, and knuckles are all joints. Your spine has joints, too.

But joints are more than bones. They include the soft tissues around them, such as cartilage, tendons and ligaments. Cartilage is the hard slippery flexible tissue that covers the ends of your bones at a joint. Tendons are tough, flexible bands that connect your muscles to your bones so you can move your joints. Ligaments connect the bones of the joint to each other to keep them stable when you move.

What are joint disorders?
Joint disorders are diseases or injuries that affect your joints. Injuries can happen because of overuse of a joint. Or you could have a sudden injury, such as an accident or a sports injury.

Joint disorders are caused by diseases and injuries. Treatments and therapies depend on the cause and range from pain relievers to surgery.

05/12/2026

What is the flu?
The flu, also called influenza, is a respiratory infection caused by viruses. Each year, millions of Americans get sick with the flu. Sometimes it causes mild illness. But it can also be serious or even deadly, especially for people over 65, newborn babies, and people with certain chronic illnesses.

What causes the flu?
The flu is caused by flu viruses that spread from person to person. When someone with the flu coughs, sneezes, or talks, they spray tiny droplets. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby. Less often, a person may get flu by touching a surface or object that has flu virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes.

The flu can cause serious illness in people over 65, babies, and people with certain chronic illnesses. The best way to prevent the flu is to get a vaccine.

05/08/2026

What are esophagus disorders?
Esophagus disorders are problems with how your esophagus works. The esophagus is the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach. You usually don't notice it unless you swallow something too big, hot, or cold. You might also notice it if something is wrong. When that happens, you might feel pain or have trouble swallowing (dysphagia).

What causes esophagus disorders?
The cause depends on the type of disorder. Some run in families. Others are linked to allergic reactions to food or substances in your environment. Sometimes, the cause is unknown.

You may be more likely to develop an esophagus disorder if you:

Are overweight or have obesity
Are pregnant
Take certain medicines
Have had radiation treatmentt to your neck or chest
Smoke or are around secondhand smoke

You esophagus is the tube that carries food and liquids from your mouth to your stomach. Esophagus problems include GERD (reflux), cancer, esophagitis, and spasms. Learn about symptoms and treatments.

05/07/2026

What are joints?
Your joints are places where two or more bones come together. Your shoulders, elbows, hips, knees, and knuckles are all joints. Your spine has joints, too.

But joints are more than bones. They include the soft tissues around them, such as cartilage, tendons and ligaments. Cartilage is the hard slippery flexible tissue that covers the ends of your bones at a joint. Tendons are tough, flexible bands that connect your muscles to your bones so you can move your joints. Ligaments connect the bones of the joint to each other to keep them stable when you move.

What are joint disorders?
Joint disorders are diseases or injuries that affect your joints. Injuries can happen because of overuse of a joint. Or you could have a sudden injury, such as an accident or a sports injury.

05/06/2026

What is the common cold?
The common cold is a mild infection of your upper respiratory tract (which includes your nose and throat). Colds are probably the most common illness. Adults have an average of 2-3 colds per year, and children have even more. Colds are more common in the winter and spring, but you can get them at any time.

What causes the common cold?
More than 200 different viruses can cause a cold, but rhinoviruses are the most common type. The viruses that cause colds are very contagious. They can spread from person to person through the air and close personal contact. You can also get infected when you touch something that has the virus on it and then touch your eyes, mouth, or nose. For example, you could get a cold after you shake hands with someone who has a cold or touch a doorknob that has the germs on it, and then touch your face.

What are the symptoms of the common cold?
The symptoms of a common cold usually include:

Sneezing
Stuffy nose (congestion)
Runny nose
Sore throat
Coughing
Headache
The symptoms usually start a few days after you become infected with the virus. Some symptoms can last for 10-14 days.

Common cold symptoms usually begin 2 or 3 days after infection and last 2 to 14 days. There is no cure for the common cold. Learn tips for relief.

05/05/2026

What are adenoids?
Adenoids are a patch of tissue that is high up in the throat, just behind the nose. They, along with the tonsils, are part of the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system clears away infection and keeps body fluids in balance. The adenoids and tonsils work by trapping germs coming in through the mouth and nose.

Adenoids usually start to shrink after about age 5. By the teenage years, they are almost completely gone. By then, the body has other ways to fight germs.

What are enlarged adenoids?
Enlarged adenoids are adenoids that are swollen. It is a common problem in children.

What causes enlarged adenoids?
Your child's adenoids can be enlarged, or swollen, for different reasons. It may just be that your child had enlarged adenoids at birth. Adenoids can also become enlarged when they are trying to fight off an infection. They might stay enlarged even after the infection is gone.

Your adenoids are high up in your throat. They trap germs coming in your mouth and nose. Learn about enlarged adenoids, a common problem in children.

05/01/2026

What are cataracts?
A cataract is a clouding of the clear lens inside your eye. This cloudiness blocks light from reaching the back of the eye, making it harder to see clearly. A cataract can affect one or both eyes, but it doesn't spread from one eye to the other.

Cataracts usually develop slowly. As they get worse, your vision can become blurry or dim. Brighter lighting or new eyeglasses may help at first, but if cataracts begin to interfere with your daily activities, you may need cataract surgery.

Without treatment, cataracts can cause severe or even permanent loss of vision.

What causes cataracts?
Most cataracts develop as part of the normal aging process. This happens when the protein in the lens of your eye clumps together. Over time, these protein clumps grow larger and thicker, making it harder to see. The lens may turn yellow or brown, which can affect how you see colors.

Cataracts can also develop after an eye injury or surgery for another eye condition, like glaucoma.

A cataract is a clouding of the lens in your eye. It affects your vision. Cataracts are very common in older people. Learn about symptoms and surgery.

04/30/2026

What is high blood pressure?
High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is when blood puts too much pressure against the walls of your arteries. Almost half of American adults have high blood pressure, usually with no symptoms. But it can cause serious problems such as stroke, heart failure, heart attack, and kidney disease.

What lifestyle changes can help lower high blood pressure?
Healthy lifestyle changes can help reduce high blood pressure:

Losing weight
Being physically active
Managing stress
Reducing sodium in your diet
Avoiding alcohol, to***co, and illegal drugs
Getting enough sleep
What if lifestyle changes alone cannot lower blood pressure?
Sometimes lifestyle changes alone cannot control or lower your high blood pressure. In that case, your health care provider may prescribe blood pressure medicines.

If lifestyle changes do not help to control or lower high blood pressure (hypertension), your health care provider may prescribe blood pressure medicines.