Spring Clean Your Medicine Cabinet

Spring is the season of renewal and that includes your medicine cabinet. At Bureta Pharmacy Shop, we encourage our community to take a few minutes this season to review, refresh, and responsibly dispose of outdated or unused medications. It’s a simple step that can make a big difference for your health and safety.

Why you should spring clean your medicine cabinet

Over time, medications can expire, lose potency, or become unsafe to use. Holding onto old prescriptions or expired over-the-counter products can lead to accidental misuse, ineffective treatment, or even harmful interactions.

Key reasons to clean out your cabinet this spring:

Prevent accidental ingestion of expired or unsafe medicines.
Reduce clutter and confusion when you need quick access to health essentials.
Protect children and pets from exposure to outdated medications.
Support environmental safety by disposing of medicines properly.

How to safely dispose of medications

Never flush medications or throw them in the bin. Bureta Pharmacy Shop offers a free and secure medicine disposal service to help you get rid of unwanted items responsibly. Simply bring your expired or unused medications to our pharmacy, and we’ll take care of the rest.

What to restock this spring

Once your cabinet is cleared, it’s time to restock with seasonal essentials. Our pharmacists recommend:

Allergy relief: Antihistamines, nasal sprays, and eye drops.
First aid kits: Updated with bandages, antiseptics, and pain relief.
Immune support: Vitamin C, zinc, and probiotics.
Sun protection: SPF creams and lip balms for outdoor activities.

Ask our team about current spring promotions on supplements, first aid kits, and wellness products.

Need help? Talk to your pharmacist

Not sure what to keep or toss? Our friendly pharmacists at Bureta Pharmacy Shop are here to help. We can review your medications, answer questions, and recommend safe alternatives or seasonal health tips.

Let spring be your reminder to refresh your health routine. Visit Bureta Pharmacy Shop today to clean out your medicine cabinet and stock up on essentials for a healthy season ahead.

Disclaimer: This article provides general information only. It is not intended as medical or health advice and should not be relied on as a substitute for consultation with a qualified healthcare professional who understands your individual medical needs.

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...

Bureta Pharmacy Shop

We're 'the little pharmacy with the big heart' - our slogan explains our attitude - small in size but big in attitude, we like to go the extra mile for our customers!