October 2018 - On Call Medical Clinic

Pneumonia Not a Laughing Matter

pneumonia

Pneumonia is something you do not want to take lightly. The faster you get treatment, the faster you will get over pneumonia. This is especially true for the very young, for people older than 65, and for anyone with other long-lasting (chronic) health problems, such as asthma.

You should see a doctor or emergency services immediately if you have the following

Have chest pain that is crushing or squeezing, is increasing in intensity, or occurs with any other symptoms of a heart attack.
Have such bad trouble breathing that you are worried you will not have the strength or ability to keep breathing.
Cough up large amounts of blood.
Feel that you may faint when you sit up or stand.
A cough that produces blood-tinged or rust-colored mucus from the lungs.
A fever with shaking chills.
Difficult, shallow, fast breathing with shortness of breath or wheezing.

You should call a doctor if your cough produces the following

Frequently brings up yellow or green mucus from the lungs and lasts longer than 2 days. Do not confuse mucus from your lungs with mucus running down the back of your throat from your nasal passages (postnasal drip).
Occurs with a fever of 101°F (38.3°C) or higher and brings up yellow or green mucus from the lungs (not postnasal drainage).
Causes you to vomit a lot.
Continues longer than 4 weeks.

We at On Call Medical Clinic are here when the above symptoms are a concern. We are available 7 days a week. We have our own on-site laboratory facilities to help quickly diagnose your illness. Our team of trained medical professionals are prepared to help you and your family members.

Please visit our website at www.oncallclinic.com to view all the medical services we offer as well as skin care services. If you are having any symptoms above and your primary care doctor is not available please do not hesitate to call us at 228 818-5155.

Flu Shot -Should I Get One

flu shot

Flu Shot – Many people question whether they should get a flu shot or not. Many will have an excuse why they shouldn’t have the flu shot.

Well let’s clear up those excuses

I don’t want the shot because it will give me the Flu

This is not true. The flu shot or nasal spray cannot give you the flu. It takes a couple of weeks for the body to be protected from influenzas after receiving the vaccination. So, there is a possibility that you could contract the flu in that timeframe.

It doesn’t really make a difference if I get the flu shot or not.

Again, this is not true. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that vaccinations prevented 79,000 flu hospitalizations and 6.6 million flu-associated illnesses during the influenza season. Complications from the flu can be serious and result in hospitalization, and even death, for some patients. The best way to prevent the flu is to get vaccinated.

I am not a candidate for the flu vaccine

With rare exceptions, everyone 6 months and older should get the flu vaccine. Pregnant women, those younger than 5 or older than 65 and people with certain chronic medical conditions are at higher risk for flu-related complications.

I don’t need the flu shot because I never get sick

Even if you don’t get sick — or only experience mild illness when you are sick — others might not be as lucky. Infants, the elderly and people with multiple medical conditions or weakened immune systems may not be able to fight off Influenza as well as you do.

Getting vaccinated not only protects you, but also helps protect others who may not be able to fight off illness as well as you.

I heard the vaccine has side effects

Side effects of flu vaccination are generally mild. If you get the flu shot, you might feel achy or have redness or soreness where the shot was given. If you get the nasal spray vaccine, you could get a stuffy nose or throat irritation.

Talk with your doctor to find out which type of vaccine is right for you and make sure to let him or her know if you get any of these symptoms. Often, we can recommend supportive measures to help you through these.

But most potential side effects of the vaccine are nothing, compared to how bad you’d feel if you had to suffer through the actual flu.

We at On Call Medical Clinic hope that this information helped clear up your concerns about having a flu shot this season. If you are not feeling well or had a minor injury and your primary care doctor is not available please remember we are here 7 days a week to help. We have laboratory and x-ray capability at our office, so we can quickly diagnosis your medical issue. Please visit our website at www.oncallclinic.com to learn more about all the medical services we offer. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to call us at 228 818-5155 7 days a week.

Itching, Why Do I Itch Often?

itching

Problems with your Thyroid

It’s a gland in your neck that makes a hormone that helps your body store and burn energy. If it doesn’t make enough, you could feel tired, weak, achy, and foggy-headed. You could also get dry, itchy skin. It’s more common in women who might notice changes in their monthly cycle or problems getting pregnant.

Pregnancy

When you’re expecting, your body sends more blood to the skin and stretches it over your belly, which may cause mild itching. You can manage it with loose, breathable clothing, cool baths, and moisturizers. If the itching is very bad, especially on your hands or feet, it could be a more serious condition called cholestasis. It’s caused by a buildup of bile salts from your liver. Tell your doctor about this.

Diabetes

Skin problems are sometimes the first sign of this disease. If you’re itchy, it could be a yeast infection or dry skin, among other things. When circulation is the problem, your lower legs may be the itchiest. It’s important to treat your diabetes, but you can also soothe the itch if you take shorter showers or baths, use mild soap, and moisturize afterward.

Pinched Nerve

This could be the cause if you have an itchy patch with no rash in just one area of your body. It can happen in a fall or an accident or because you repeat a movement too much, like typing. An infection might lead to swelling that presses on a nerve. Sometimes it goes away with rest, anti-inflammatories, and physical therapy, but you may need surgery if you have a serious case.

Mediation

They sometimes cause a reaction that makes you itch. You may have a rash, but not always. Sometimes your skin looks normal and itches anyway. Typical culprits include antibiotics, antifungals, antimalarials, and narcotic pain drugs like opioids. Talk to your doctor about this.

Lack of Iron

It causes anemia, which means you don’t have enough red blood cells. That may make you tired, weak, and short of breath. And your skin could get pale and itchy. You can get iron from red meat, beef liver, oysters, and dark chocolate. And manufacturers add it to breakfast cereals. Ask your doctor about how to avoid foods and medications that make it harder to absorb iron and find out if supplements are a good idea for you.

Restless Leg Syndrome

It may feel as if the tissue deep under your skin is crawling, creeping, aching, tingling, or itching. You get a strong urge to move your leg, especially if you’ve been still a while. Doctors aren’t sure what causes it, but it could have something to do with a brain chemical called dopamine. There are medications that can treat it.

We at On Call Medical Clinic hope that this information will be helpful to help answer some questions about itching. We gathered this information from the WebMD website. Please remember that we at On Call Medical Clinic are here 7 days a week to help when you have a minor illness or injury. Our well trained professional staff is here ready to help. Please visit our website at www.oncallclinic.com to review all the medical and skin care services we offer.

Fainting, Why Does It Happen?

fainting

Fainting -Why Did You Faint? This is a question we often ask ourselves why this phenomenon occurs. We at On Call Medical Clinic would like to share the most common causes of fainting with you.

Dehydration

Dehydration can happen if you don’t drink enough or you lose too much fluid. Then your blood pressure drops, and your nervous system can’t control it well, which could make you faint. That’s why it’s a good idea to get plenty of water, especially when it’s hot outside.

Arrhythmia

It means your heart has an irregular beat. That sometimes slows the flow and amount of blood that gets to your brain, which can make you pass out. It may be the first or only obvious symptom of the problem. See your doctor right away if you suspect arrhythmia because it could be a sign of a serious heart problem that needs treatment.

Cyanotic Breath-Holding

It happens mostly in kids between ages 6 months and 5 years. They cry hard enough to cut off oxygen and trigger an automatic response that makes them faint. They may turn blue, pass out for about a minute, and seem groggy afterward. They don’t do it on purpose. It’s a reflex they can’t control. Though it’s scary to see at first, it’s nothing to worry about and might even happen repeatedly.

Low Blood Pressure

The medical term is hypoglycemia. It may make you dizzy, shaky, tired, confused, and blur your vision. You can usually fix the problem if you get a few grams of carbs from juice or candy. Otherwise, you could pass out. If that happens, you need medicine called glucagon to help your body release more sugar.

Medicines

Some medications, like high blood pressure drugs and antidepressants, affect the way your heart and blood vessels act when you stand. This can drop your blood pressure and make you pass out. Insulin used to lower blood sugar when you have diabetes might cause hypoglycemia that also leads to fainting. In older people, different drugs sometimes combine with illness and the situation you’re in that makes you faint.

Standing Up

f you faint when you rise, you could have a condition called postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). It increases your pulse too much when you stand or sit up. You might feel sick, dizzy, shaky, or sweaty, and your heart may skip a beat. And you could pass out. It can help to drink plenty of fluids, limit caffeine and alcohol, and try to get up more slowly.

Heart Problems

Damaged heart muscle, blocked or narrowed blood vessels (coronary heart disease), and other kinds of ticker trouble can stop enough blood loaded with oxygen from getting to your brain. When it makes you pass out, it’s called cardiac syncope. It may happen without warning, sometimes repeatedly over a period of weeks. See your doctor right away if you suspect this or also have chest pain, arrhythmia, fatigue, or other symptoms.

Shock

The technical term for this is vasovagal syncope. Your body overreacts to the sight of blood, sudden intense emotion, fear of injury, or something else that jars you. Your heart rate slows as blood vessels widen and blood pools in your legs, away from your brain. You may be cold, clammy, pale, and nauseated right before it happens. If you feel like you might faint, lie down and raise your legs.

Coughing

Especially if it’s deep and you can’t stop, it might prevent your blood from getting enough oxygen, which could make you faint. It’s more common in babies with pertussis, but it can happen to anyone. Asthma, which makes it harder to breathe, may have the same effect. Get to a hospital right away if you have a serious asthma attack or pass out from coughing.

Drinking Alcohol

It causes your blood vessels to expand, which can lead to a drop in your blood pressure. You can pass out when you drink so much that you reach a dangerously high blood alcohol concentration.

We at On Call Medical Clinic hope that this information will be helpful to help asnser your questions about fainting. We gathered this information from the WebMD website. Please remember that we at On Call Medical Clinic are here 7 days a week to help when you have a minor illness or injury. Our well trained professional staff is here ready to help. Please visit our website at www.oncallclinic.com to review all the medical and skin care services we offer.