A pharmacist has revealed the five items she keeps in her medicine cabinet.
Dr. Jamie Martinez, a pharmacist who goes by Pharmacist Jamie on social media, posted a video in August as part of her educational series on TikTok.
The mother of four said that while overuse of the antihistamine Benadryl can increase the risk of dementia, using it every now and then can stop an allergic reaction in its tracks.
Additionally, the topical wound product MediHoney is “better” than Neosporin, she said.
Ibuprofen works “better than anything else” for minor aches and pains by reducing inflammation, she said.
And Dr. Martinez never leaves the house without sunscreen to protect against skin cancers like melanoma.
Below are the five products Dr. Martinez always has at home.
Benadryl
Typical side effects of Benadryl include drowsiness, blurred vision, dizziness, headache, dry mouth, hives, headaches, and in extreme cases, hallucinations.
Benadryl, also known as diphenhydramine, is an antihistamine, a medication used to treat allergic reactions.
Antihistamines block histamine, a natural chemical in the body that causes allergy symptoms, such as sneezing, itching, and runny nose. Histamine is normally released when your body senses something harmful, like an infection.
Dr. Martinez makes sure to always keep his medicine cabinet stocked.
“Nothing stops an allergic or histamine reaction like Benadryl,” she said. “So if any of the kids get stung by bees or bitten by ants or something like that, we have it on hand to control that histamine.”
Dr. Martinez also urged users not to take the drug every day because it is “linked to dementia.”
Research on this topic is mixed. A 2016 study in the journal JAMA Neurology, for example, compared the brain function of 391 elderly people who did not take Benadryl or similar drugs to 60 people who did. Researchers found increased brain atrophy, a loss of nerve cells in the brain linked to dementia, in those who took these medications.
However, a 2019 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine compared more than 58,000 participants who were diagnosed with dementia to more than 225,000 who were not. Researchers found no link between antihistamines and dementia risk.
Typical side effects of Benadryl include drowsiness, blurred vision, dizziness, headache, dry mouth, hives, headaches, and in extreme cases, hallucinations.
MediMiel
Some recent research suggests that MediHoney may be as effective in treating wounds as gels like Neosporin.
Antibiotic ointments like neosporin, also known as neomycin, polymyxin B, and bacitracin, are mainstays in most medicine cabinets.
These medications are applied to the skin to prevent and treat minor skin infections that may be caused by small cuts, scrapes, or burns.
However, Dr. Martinez prefers honey-based ointments. “I don’t use Neosporin; I use MediHoney,” she said. “I think it works so much better.”
MediHoney is a wound gel based on Leptospermum tea tree honey. Honey has been used as a natural remedy for hundreds of years and some recent research suggests it may be as effective as gels like Neosporin.
A 2017 studyfor example, found that Manuka honey, which comes from bees in Australia and New Zealand, improved wound healing and tissue regeneration.
Ibuprofen
Common uses for ibuprofen include headaches, toothaches, menstrual cramps, back pain, and other muscle pain.
Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) commonly sold under brand names like Advil and Motrin. These medications reduce the amount of prostaglandins in the body, which are lipids that the body releases when injured.
Prostaglandins contribute to inflammation, which creates swelling, fever, and sensitivity to pain.
Dr. Martinez keeps it on hand to help eliminate common aches and fevers. “(It) helps with minor aches and illnesses better than anything else because it also helps with inflammation,” she said.
Common uses for ibuprofen include headaches, toothaches, menstrual cramps, back pain, and other muscle pain.
They may cause minor side effects, such as stomach pain, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, gas, constipation, and diarrhea.
Phenazopyridine
Phenazopyridine is not intended to replace antibiotics, which are necessary to get rid of a urinary tract infection. It is intended to treat symptoms
Phenazopyridine is better known by the brand name Azo, which treats pain caused by urinary tract infections. This includes burns, irritation and discomfort.
“It’s a lifesaver for treating urinary pain so you’re not absolutely miserable waiting for that antibiotic to come from your doctor to treat that urinary tract infection,” Dr. Martinez said.
These medications are not intended to replace antibiotics, which are necessary to get rid of a urinary tract infection. Rather, they are intended to treat symptoms.
A urinary tract infection occurs when bacteria enters the urethra. Most of them affect the lower urinary tract, including the bladder and urethra.
UTIs affect women more often than men because a woman’s urethra is shorter than a man’s, making it easier for bacteria to invade.
According to the Mayo Clinic, common symptoms of UTIs include a strong urge to urinate, burning while urinating, frequent urination, cloudy urine, strong-smelling urine, and pelvic pain.
Solar cream
The Skin Cancer Foundation states that daily use of sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 can reduce the risk of melanoma.
It may seem obvious to wear sunscreen at the beach or on a sunny day, but Dr. Martinez takes it a step further. “I never leave the house without it,” she said. “Melanoma is deadly and I hate sun damage. »
Melanoma has long been considered one of the most deadly forms of skin cancer. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) estimates that there will be nearly 100,000 new cases of melanoma diagnosed in 2023, as well as nearly 8,000 deaths.
It develops when the cells that give skin its tan or brown color, melanocytes, grow out of control. Exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun or tanning lamps can increase the risk of developing the disease.
Light-skinned people and those who live closer to the equator or at a higher altitude are also more likely to develop melanoma.
The Skin Cancer Foundation states that daily use of sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 can reduce the risk of melanoma.
