Lyme disease has become serious business in Greene and Ulster Counties. By now, everybody knows someone who has been treated for a tick bite or someone living with chronic Lyme disease. It's an equal opportunity disease that strikes infants to seniors, all races, income levels and both sexes.

At this stage of the Lyme disease epidemic in America, there is no one treatment plan for Lyme disease. Every individual is different and doctors all over the country have different, often radical treatment philosophies on the subject. We are only in the early stages of understanding this unique disease and infected individuals in high risk areas like the Hudson Valley section of New York State are part of the evolving experiment.

Hemorrhoids happen when the blood vessels in the anal canal and anus swell up, stretching the tissues and skin around the vessels (varicose veins of the rectum).

Cold or Flu? There's no sure fire way to tell the early symptoms apart.

Long COVID, or the continuation or development of new symptoms 3 months after the initial SARS-CoV-2 infection, is a major concern for many patients and providers. It is estimated that 15-20% of individuals with a COVID-19 infection will develop Long COVID, which is characterized by a wide range of symptoms and severity. The exact cause of Long COVID is unknown, but it is believed to involve the presence of persistent inflammation, possibly induced by the actual persistent presence of COVID-19 virus in the body despite testing negative for the disease. Age between 50-59, female gender, obesity, having underlying conditions such as COPD or diabetes, and >2 symptoms one month after the initial infection all increased the risk of having symptoms 1-year post-infection. Although there is no single treatment or cure for Long COVID, Paxlovid, an anti-viral medication authorized for emergency use by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in adults and pediatric patients, has been shown to reduce the incidence of Long COVID by 25% when given to COVID-positive patients who qualified for antiviral treatment.

Nerve pain can result from many sources and is one of the more difficult types of pain to treat. The searing, burning, electric shock kind of pain leaves patients in constant discomfort. Depression and anger can quickly set-in leaving the patient feeling lonely and helpless. 

High Blood Pressure (HBP) is the result of the strong pressure of blood flowing through the arteries which are too narrow, creating pressure against the artery walls. Overtime, this constant pressure causes damage to the arteries and may lead to serious health conditions such as heart disease. Ensuring the efficient flow of blood through the arteries is the key to managing blood pressure.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) has become one of the most common and troublesome conditions for which patients seek medical attention primarily for symptoms of constipation, diarrhea, bloating, gas and abdominal pain. By far, it is the number one disorder of the gastrointestinal (GI) system.

11 year old boy consults with pharmacist Ed Ullmann for canker sore treatment.

60 year old male who requested assistance to treat large rash.

A 73 year old customer came into the store on 3/30/21 and presented an ugly bite on his left hand that he just received from his domestic cat. Customer was not a patient at the pharmacy.

Fungal (yeast) infections are one of the most common ailments experienced by individuals. While most people are aware of fungal sinusitis and the tinea family of fungal infections (tinea versicolor (discolored patches on the skin) & ringworm infections (athlete’s foot; jock itch; scalp; nail & body (red, circular lesions with raised edges), this paper will examine fungal infections caused by the yeast Candida. 

WELLNESS RX REPORT: SHINGLES Facts: *After an individual has been exposed to the varicella virus through chickenpox or via vaccination, the virus remains dormant in the dorsal root ganglia of a nerve. Herpes Zoster (HZ) or shingles is caused by the reactivation or release of this varicella zoster virus. *According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), there are over 1 million cases of shingles in the US each year and 1 out of 3 people will experience shingles in their lifetime. Cases of shingles have increased significantly during the COVID epidemic primarily due to accumulated stress.

In today’s troubling times, the handling of stress and anxiety has become the number one challenge for most Americans. Our experiential evidence at Wellness Rx is reflective of what is happening here in the Northeast. Our patients are dealing with levels of the unknown, never before experienced around the globe, and it is hitting home now. In an attempt to support our community, we offer this comprehensive report to offer ways to identify and offer paths to living and managing how we can interact with stress and stress filled situations.

Cholesterol is an important component of the cell walls in all cells of the body and can be used to make hormones or bile acid to help digest food. High cholesterol can cause formation and accumulation of plaque deposits in the arteries.

Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) occur when bacteria (such as E. Coli from the rectum) infects the skin surrounding the urethra (the hole/opening where urine leaves the body). From there the bacteria can then work their way into the bladder and up to the kidneys which can cause severe illness.

The thyroid gland is our chief organ for energy and metabolism. It is located in the neck below the Adam's apple. Hypothyroidism is an underactive thyroid which is not producing enough thyroid hormone. Hyperthyroidism relates to an overactive thyroid.

More than 100 million Americans (30% of us) experience some type of sleep disorder. 60 million experience insomnia regularly (40% of women; 30% of men).

Muscle aches and pains are common and can involve more than one muscle. Muscle pain can also involve ligaments, tendons, and fascia (soft tissues that connect muscles, bones & organs).

Six to 12 million kids in the U.S. get lice each year. Lice are parasites that cannot survive without a human host. They have no wings, cannot fly and do not carry any disease. They can only live a day or two off the scalp

Hemorrhoids happen when the blood vessels in the anal canal and anus swell up, stretching the tissues and skin around the vessels (varicose veins of the rectum). Half of all Americans will suffer from hemorrhoids at some time in their life.

Gout is one the most painful forms of arthritis. It occurs when too much uric acid builds up in the body (tiny crystals deposit in joints & soft tissue).

Estimated that some form of digestive disorder affects over 100 million Americans or 1/3rd of U.S. Worldwide, digestive disorders vary widely depending on diet, history and culture. For example, less problems in Asian cultures; more problems in Eastern European nations.

The most common symptoms are infrequently, irregularity or difficulty in elimination of the hard fecal matter. Other symptoms include a coated tongue, foul breath, loss of appetite, headache, dizziness, dark circles under the eyes, depression, nausea, pimples on the face, ulcer in the mouth, constant fullness in the abdomen (bloated feeling), diarrhea alternating with constipation, varicose veins, pain in the lumbar area, acidity/heartburn and insomnia.

Cold sores are usually caused by herpes simplex virus type 1. The virus is often contracted in childhood or adolescence and lays dormant at the base of nerve endings and appears to be triggered into an outbreak by a challenged immune system (stress, tired, illness), foo allergies, excessive sun exposure and exposure to cold/chapped lips or nutritional deficiencies.

Cold or Flu? There's no surefire way to tell the early symptoms apart. Usually, colds are milder (runny or stuffy nose dominant) and come on slower. The flu or Influenza virus is usually more severe and comes on suddenly. Fever, body aches, chills, chest discomfort/cough, headache, sore throat, stuffy nose and total exhaustion or lack of energy are common symptoms. In children – nausea, vomiting and diarrhea are often a problem. Colds can last from between 2-5 days or more. Flu's can last from 3-14 days.