Age Spots

Age Spots

Age spot is the common name for a lentigine. This is a brownish area of skin discolouration, generally on the face, arms and legs, caused by the sun damaging fair skin. Age spots are similar to large freckles, which are also caused by the sun. As we age our body is less able to absorb the ultra violet rays that damage our skin and this causes the areas of darker pigmentation or melanin to occur more frequently as we get older. It is probably more correct to call these marks sun spots rather than age spots, as they reflect damage over time from the sun, rather than just the passing of the years.

It is important to have your skin checked as soon as you notice any new areas of pigmented skin. Consult your community pharmacist, who will advise you if you can wait until your next scheduled visit to your doctor or if you need to get it checked immediately.

Most sun spots can be prevented by regular, liberal daily use of sunscreen to all exposed skin. However we all slip up and occasionally forget to apply sunscreen. This means that most of us will have cumulative damage over time, resulting in freckles or sun spots.

Sun spots can be treated or lightened by laser or by careful use of skin bleaching preparations. Both of these treatments can damage the skin so must be used carefully as advised by your pharmacist, doctor or dermatologist. Treatment must be accompanied by sunscreen application every day, reapplied if sun exposure is extended beyond one or two hours.

If you are treating sun spots with bleaching preparations then be prepared for lengthy treatment over several weeks or months. These preparations act slowly in order to limit burning and further damage to the skin they are being applied to. Overuse of skin bleaching creams may result in scarring causing darkened skin areas, so care is essential or you may worsen what you are trying to reduce.

Exposure to ultra violet light through glass, such as through car windows, can also cause sun spots, so having a UV film applied to windows of vehicles is also a sensible precaution for those of fair skin or at an increased risk of skin cancer.

Remember you can prevent the sun from damaging your skin by using sunscreen and wearing protective clothing, sunglasses and a hat and avoiding unnecessary exposure to the sun, especially between 10am and 3pm.

Your community pharmacist can provide you with products and advice on managing and preventing sun spots and other skin marks and lesions. If you need to seek further diagnosis and treatment, they can refer you to the appropriate health professional to manage your condition.

Swallowing difficulties (dysphagia)

Causes of swallowing difficulties

Swallowing difficulties can happen at any age. There are a wide range of causes for them, including:

some medicines, such as antipsychotics
heartburn and acid reflux
cancer, such as mouth or throat cancers
nervous system or brain disorders
muscle disorders
blockages or structural issues with your mouth, throat or oesophagus.

Symptoms of swallowing difficulties

Symptoms of swallowing difficulties may include:

coughing or choking when eating or drinking
bringing food back up, may be through your nose
the feeling that food is stuck in your throat
having issues chewing your food
problems with dribbling.

Swallowing difficulties can cause weight loss, dehydration and chest infections.

Diagnosing swallowing difficulties

Let your healthcare provider know if you have swallowing difficulties. They will ask you about your symptoms and check if any other health conditions you have may be the cause.

Your healthcare provider may refer you to a specialist for tests. These may include a:

gastroscopy—a camera is passed down through your mouth to look at your throat and stomach
swallowing study—your throat and stomach are x-rayed as you swallow small amounts of food.

Treating swallowing difficulties

How your swallowing difficulties are treated depends on the cause and how severe it is. Treatments may include:

medicines to treat acid reflux
swallowing therapy with a speech and language therapist
making changes to what you eat and drink, such as softer foods and using thickener in drinks
using special spoons, plates and cups
surgery to widen your oesophagus.
using special medication lubricants eg Gloup to help make it easier to swallow tablets etc. For more information click here.

Self care for swallowing difficulties

As well as seeing your healthcare provider, the following tips may help you to get food or liquids into your stomach.

Sit upright in a chair—at a table is best.
Have regular small meals instead of the main large meals.
Eat or drink small mouthfuls at a time.
If your voice is gurgly when you eat or drink, give a small cough to make sure your airway is clear.
Wet food will be easier to swallow as dry food can catch in your throat.
If your food has 2 consistencies, such as fruit in juice and cereal in milk, try to mix it into 1 consistency, or eat the solid and liquid portions separately.
Concentrate on eating and avoid talking.
Hot, ice-cold or fizzy liquids are easier to swallow than room temperature liquids.
If you are told to have thickened liquids, avoid ice-cream and jelly as they thin before swallowing.
Drink from the top half of you cup to avoid tipping your head back.

Have a look at our range of Gloup medication lubricants here which can help with difficulties swallowing tablets...

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