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Boomers

Senior Living

With informative features on health and wellness, retirement living and more!

Potential dangers of mixing herbal and prescription meds

Medications improve the lives of billions of people across the globe every day. Without access to medication, millions may die while countless others would experience a dramatic decline in their quality of life.

Though there’s no denying the positive effects of medication, the efficacy of herbal supplements and prescription drugs does not mean each are risk-free. Risks may even be compounded when individuals take herbal supplements and prescription medications concurrently. According to the Mayo Clinic, herbal supplements do not always interact well with prescription medications. For example, herbal supplements can interact with medicines utilized to treat issues affected the heart and blood vessels. That includes conditions like high blood pressure, which estimates from the World Health Organization indicate affects nearly 1.3 billion adults between the ages of 30 and 79.

Mixing medications has always been risky, but a growing reliance on herbal medicines has potentially elevated that risk. That’s perhaps due to perceptions of herbal supplements as wholly natural, leading some to conclude that a substance that’s wholly natural cannot jeopardize the human body. However, an analysis published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology detailed more than a dozen instances of adverse drug reactions affecting individuals who took herbal medicines alongside various prescription medications. The med-

ications taken, some of which were antidepressants, were prescribed to treat various conditions, including HIV, epilepsy and heart disease.

The potential dangers of mixing herbal and prescription medications underscore the need to engage in honest and open discussions with a physician before taking any herbal or prescription medications. Individuals currently taking a prescription medication should consult with their physician before taking any herbal supplements, while those who take herbal medicines and supplements should bring that up with their physicians if they are prescribed a new medication.

What are some symptoms of herbal and prescription interactions?

The Mayo Clinic notes that a fast heartbeat and changes in blood pressure are two indicators of drug interactions. But many additional side effects can indicate a potentially dangerous or unhealthy interaction is taking place. For example, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration notes that increased dryness or irritation of skin when taking more than one topical acne drug at the same time indicates an unhealthy interaction is taking place.

Herbal and prescription medication interactions can be dangerous. Individuals are urged to contact their physicians before combining medications and to bring up their existing medication regimen whenever they are issued a new prescription.

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Great part-time jobs for retirees

Many adults nearing retirement age count down the days until they can bid adieu to the daily tasks of commuting and working so they can enjoy much more time for recreation, travel or whatever is they aspire to do.

As enticing as unending free time may seem, some retirees find it is not ideal to be entirely free from the responsibility of working. As current seniors can attest, inflation can drive up the costs of living, meaning that seniors who were once able to afford a certain retirement lifestyle may no longer enjoy that hard-earned luxury. Others may miss the daily opportunities to socialize that working provides, or the way problem-solving on the job stimulates the brain. But even retirees who miss working may not be ready to return to the workforce full-time. That can make part-time employment an ideal fit for mature workers.

Here’s a look at some part-time positions that could be a good fit for older adults reentering the workforce.

Retail sales associate

Working in retail opens seniors up to a wide array of responsibilities and scenarios. Jobs may include greeting customers, making sales, putting out inventory, and helping customers select merchandise. Being personable and having good customer service skills are necessary traits to have when working in retail. Many stores offer part-time employees flexible hours so schedules can be customized.

Consultant

Retirees who loved their job but wanted to spend less time doing it can return as consultants. Accord-

ing to The Balance: Money, individuals often find they earn more per hour working as consultants than they did as full-time staff members. Consulting is a way to share expertise and experience without making a full-time commitment.

Customer service representative

A customer service representative is tasked with helping customers solve problems and ensuring customer satisfaction. He or she may work ain a traditional office or store location, or answer calls and resolve issues from home.

School positions

Retirees may want to consider jobs working in schools or in related capacities. Driving a school bus is an option if people are willing to undergo the proper training and licensing to operate this type of vehicle. Seniors also may consider working as lunchroom aides or lunch service providers, crossing guards, substitute teachers, and paraprofessionals. School employees will only work a few hours during the day. They’ll also enjoy many holidays off as well as summer vacations.

Receptionist

Receptionists greet patients or customers in office settings. According to AARP, they are the welcoming faces of organizations. Answering phones and light clerical work also may be required of receptionists. Those who want to work offpeak hours can think about working nights and weekends in hospitals or skilled nursing facilities.

Seniors have many different options if they decide they want to return to the workforce in a parttime capacity.

A 2022 study led by researchers at the National Cancer Institute found that recreational pursuits that incorporate physical activity, including walking, swimming and playing tennis, may lower older adults’ risk of death from any cause. That includes cardiovascular disease and cancer, which the World Health Organization notes are two of the leading causes of death across the globe. Running, cycling, swimming, other aerobic exercise, racquet sports, golf, and walking for exercise encompassed the seven different exercise and recreational activities researchers examined as

part of the study, which utilized data from more than 272,000 adults between the ages of 59 and 82. The researchers found that achieving the recommended weekly amount of physical activity through any combination of these activities was associated with a 13 percent lower risk of death from any cause compared to people who did not participate in such activities. Though all activities were associated with lower risks of death, racquet sports seemingly provided the most bang for seniors’ proverbial bucks, as those activities were associated with a 16 percent lower risk of death

How Does OrthoIllinois Injury Express Work?

By Dr. Pradeep Raju

When injuries happen, you want care that’s easy to access, alleviates pain or discomfort as much as possible, and includes follow-up instructions that make sense.

Those are exactly the goals of our OrthoIllinois Injury Express clinics in Algonquin, Elgin and Rockford. These clinics are open for immediate, walk-in injury needs with expanded hours (daytime and evening hours) seven days a week.

Injury Express is for children and adults who experience sports injuries no matter what the season is, the weekend warriors who are nursing an overuse injury from too much yardwork or gardening, and for people living with chronic pain or arthritis that’s keeping them up at night or during a particularly bad flare-up.

Those are just a few examples of why people choose Injury Express for their care. Here are more answers to common questions about our OrthoIllinois Injury Express clinics.

What does Injury Express treat?

The most common reasons people come to see us at Injury Express are for sprains, strains, fractures, cuts and scrapes, work and sports injuries, or painful issues that aren’t getting better.

That means you can come to see us for new or urgent injuries, or you can visit us if your neck, back, shoulder, hand, knee, or foot pain is nagging or not getting any better. Our Injury Express clinics are staffed by our high-quality orthopedic and musculoskeletal specialists, physician assistants, nurses, and technicians.

Your visit will include an exam and assessment of your injury and pain level. If imaging is needed, you’ll have easy access to X-ray or MRI during the same visit. We can do casts and splints, fit you for a walking boot or crutches, and provide pain injections.

How does Injury Express work?

You can walk right in to Injury Express if you’re injured or need to be seen for ongoing issue that isn’t getting better. You can even reserve a walk-in time online.

Our OrthoIllinois Injury Express clinics specialize in injuries, and patients have the same access to the high-quality bone and joint care they’ve come to expect from our OrthoIllinois doctors who subspecialize in treating the neck and back; shoulder; hand, wrist and elbow; hip; knee; and foot and ankle.

If follow-up care is needed, you’ll be linked with the proper information for next appointments and care instructions. In some cases, our urgent care specialists will continue to see patients for their follow-up care. Our sports medicine specialists work with many of the local schools, which allows for even more comprehensive care when injuries happen.

Is Injury Express covered by insurance?

Yes, Injury Express is covered by most insurance plans. It’s also affordable, as it’s considered more like an office visit rather than a visit to the emergency room. Be sure to bring your insurance card to your appointment. Injury Express does not accept self-pay patients.