Most people think of the local pharmacy as somewhere to get over-the-counter pain and cold relief and to pick up prescription medications. However, if this is all you consider your pharmacy for, you're actually selling it short. Unfortunately, many people are unaware of some of the many services that are typically offered by local pharmacists. Before you dismiss your local pharmacy, you should understand some of the additional services you can take advantage of.

Provide Medication Information

You may think of the pharmacy as just the place that you pick up your medications and turn to your doctor for answers to questions about those medications themselves. However, you'll find that pharmacists are actually very knowledgeable about different medications and can provide you with a lot of information, including signs of allergies, potential side effects, the best way to take the medication, and any risks of drug interactions.

If you're starting a new medication or you have a question about one that you're currently taking, ask for a pharmacist consult the next time you refill your medication. He or she will happily clarify anything that you are uncertain of.

Add Flavorings To Liquid Medications

Every parent knows how hard it is to get kids to take medications. Pills can be hard for children to swallow, so liquid suspensions are the most commonly prescribed. However, these don't always taste the greatest.

The old adage about a spoonful of sugar is really true. It does help kids get their medicine down. Your pharmacist can help with this. Many pharmacies offer medication flavoring services, adding flavored syrups to suspensions to make them more palatable for your child. In fact, you can often choose the flavor that you prefer from the list of what they offer.

Provide Medications For Your Pets

Most pet owners get their pet medications from the veterinary office. What they don't realize is that those same medications are often much cheaper when obtained from your local pharmacy. If your pet has been prescribed medications, ask your veterinarian to give you a copy of the prescription. You can take that prescription to your local pharmacy and have your pet's medication filled there, often at a fraction of the price of the veterinary supplier.

In-House Medical Care And Vaccinations

Pharmacies aren't just about providing over-the-counter and prescription medications. In fact, more pharmacies than ever are offering expanded services in an effort to expand access to basic healthcare services.

Your local pharmacy may offer common vaccinations in the store. Those vaccinations will typically be administered by the pharmacist themselves. You may or may not need to make an appointment for the vaccination, but you can often get many of the most common vaccines from your local pharmacy.

In fact, most pharmacies offer everything from the annual flu vaccine to the COVID vaccine, and even chicken pox and shingles vaccines are available as well.

Medication Disposal

Prescription medications are only good for a certain period of time before which they must be disposed of. However, it's best not to throw prescription medications in the garbage, especially if those medications are controlled substances. Further, you should never flush these types of medications down the toilet because that can introduce those medications to the water table.

If you shouldn't throw them away and you shouldn't flush them, what SHOULD you do with those old medications? Your local pharmacy can offer a solution. Most pharmacies have a program where they will accept unused, expired, or otherwise unneeded prescription medications for proper disposal. You just bring them to the pharmacy and they will handle it. Call ahead to your local pharmacy to see if they accept these medications year-round or if you need to wait for a disposal clinic to be scheduled.

These are some of the things that many people don't realize their local pharmacy offers. Talk with your pharmacist today for more information.