Urgent care clinics for immediate care

Healthcare is changing

Urgent care clinics are becoming the most convenient and affordable source of healthcare for today’s family. At one time, if you had a medical issue that required immediate care, you had to go to the emergency room. In the emergency room, if someone arrives and are sicker than you are, they will receive care first. It is very common for emergency room visits to become long, uncomfortable ordeals.

Immediate care

• Emergency rooms are an important part of our healthcare system.
• Any time you or your family face a life-threatening illness or trauma, that is the role of emergency rooms.
• When it comes to immediate care, urgent care clinics are the most convenient choice that exists for patients.
• Walk in clinics are redefining how think about the quality, convenience, and cost of our healthcare.
• Urgent care clinics are strategically located to serve the surrounding community.
• In addition to quality healthcare, you can expect easy parking and quick access.
• It is documented that urgent care patients experience shorter wait times to see a doctor and to get treatment.

Urgent care centers are designed to provide caring, and effective medical care, while every patient receives courteous attention and genuine concern.

Convenient, walk-in care for Germantown, MD

We all want the best for our families, especially when it comes to healthcare and preventive medicine. Medical Access provides convenient walk-in care as an alternative to long waits in the emergency room. Their friendly staff will carefully and quickly assess your needs and provide the appropriate services, from preventive medicine to x-ray and lab services. Their facilities are fully staffed and equipped in order to meet the demands of their patients and their healthcare needs. Medical Access also presents comprehensive Occupational Health Services to serve the needs of the business community. The goal is to help minimize lost work time and keep your employees healthy and working.  Call them today or simply drop in, as no appointment is needed to receive timely, quality urgent care.

Urgent care is a great choice

Urgent care is health care

The Healthcare industry is changing for the better, and urgent care clinics are playing a major role. Urgent care clinics provide the quality, convenience, and personal choices that are unique to everyone. Traditionally, you only had one choice when it came to medical treatment. Because the ER treats the sickest people first, if someone comes in sicker than you are, they step to the front of the line, and you can expect a long uncomfortable wait in uncomfortable waiting room chairs.

The urgent care choice

• When it comes to healthcare, urgent care clinics give us more choices than there ever was before.
• They are not intended to replace emergency rooms or primary care physicians, but now an excellent alternative exists to fill the gap when it comes to immediate and universal medical care.
• Urgent care clinics are redefining our understanding of convenience, and cost when it comes to healthcare.
• Urgent care is available at a relatively much lower cost than emergency rooms.
• At the same time, they provide a high quality, state of the art service.

Urgent care clinics accept most major insurance plans, making your visit to an urgent care center available for the same or lower co-pay, depending upon your insurance coverage.

Convenient, walk-in care for Germantown, MD

We all want the best for our families, especially when it comes to healthcare and preventive medicine. Medical Access provides convenient walk-incare as an alternative to long waits in the emergency room. Their friendly staff will carefully and quickly assess your needs and provide the appropriate services, from preventive medicine to x-ray and lab services. Their facilities are fully staffed and equipped in order to meet the demands of their patients and their healthcare needs. Medical Access also presents comprehensive Occupational Health Services to serve the needs of the business community. The goal is to help minimize lost work time and keep your employees healthy and working.  Call them today or simply drop in, as no appointment is needed to receive timely, quality urgent care.

Urgent care causes for nausea and vomiting

Urgent care for nausea

Urgent care doctors and nurses realize that nausea and vomiting can occur for many reasons. Sometimes the reasons are very serious, and at others, the cause of this illness is somewhat mild and temporary. Understanding what causes nausea and vomiting is as important as treating the symptom. Urgent care clinics have the staff, the equipment, and the technology to determine the cause and to provide the proper treatment option. Once in the clinic, you will learn of the many conditions that can lead to nausea and vomiting. Consider the following list as just a few of many causes:

1.       Early pregnancy morning sickness

2.       Gastrointestinal infections

3.       Reaction to medications

4.       Consumption of excessive amounts of alcohol

5.       Concussion

6.       Ulcers and stomach disorders

7.       Migraines

8.       Heart attack

9.       Hepatitis

10.   Motion sickness

11.   Vertigo

Urgent care and treatment

If you are suffering from nausea and vomiting, it only makes sense to visit your Germantown urgent care clinic for medical attention. Once there, a doctor will assess your condition and help control the problem while investigating the cause behind it. Be sure to tell the staff pf any other symptoms that accompany your nausea and vomiting; especially chest pain, blurry vision, fever, fainting, or severe abdominal pain.

Convenient, walk-in care for Germantown, MD

We all want the best for our families, especially when it comes to healthcare and preventive medicine. Medical Access provides convenient walk-in care as an alternative to long waits in the emergency room. Their friendly staff will carefully and quickly assess your needs and provide the appropriate services, from preventive medicine to x-ray and lab services. Their facilities are fully staffed and equipped in order to meet the demands of their patients and their healthcare needs.

Dr. Manbir Takhar is the Chief Medical Officer, and has been associated with Medical Access since 1999. She is qualified to treat almost any type of injury or illness that may present itself. Call Medical Access today, or simply drop in. No appointment is necessary to receive timely, quality urgent care for any non-life-threatening health issues.

Urgent care tips to survive the cold and flu season.

Urgent care for your family

Urgent care clinics are there to make sure that you can get immediate care for prevention and treatment rather than putting up with a headache or a runny nose. Unfortunately, this is the time of the year for the cold and flu season, which began officially this month. Of course, those who are fortunate enough to escape the flu, usually wind up infected with the common cold. We want to offer suggestions to help you and your family to reduce your chances of ending up sick. Consider our suggestion for staying healthy during cold and flu season this year:

• If you feel sick, get down to your urgent care clinic so you for an examination to determine if you have a cold or the flu
• Getting a flu shot is the most important thing that you can do to keep yourself from getting sick this flu season.
• The only way to get the cold or flu is by contracting the germs or virus from another person.
• This means that it is important to keep yourself clean and out of contact with sick people whenever possible.
• The most effective weapon is to wash your hands thoroughly.
• Make sure that you always cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing, and avoid touching your nose and mouth throughout the day.
• Be sure to keep plenty of disinfectant wipes on hand to sanitize commonly used surfaces, such as doorknobs, laptops, and desks.

Urgent care for Germantown and Montgomery County

We all want the best for our families, especially when it comes to healthcare and preventive medicine. Medical Access provides convenient walk-in care as an alternative to long waits in the emergency room. Their friendly staff will carefully and quickly assess your needs and provide the appropriate services, from preventive medicine to x-ray and lab services. Their facilities are fully staffed and equipped in order to meet the demands of their patients and their healthcare needs.

Dr. Manbir Takhar is the Chief Medical Officer, and has been associated with Medical Access since 1999. She is qualified to treat almost any type of injury or illness that may present itself. Call Medical Access today, or simply drop in, as no appointment is needed to receive timely, quality urgent care for any non-life-threatening health issues.

Reasons that an urgent care clinic is preferred over the ER

Healthcare is changing

Urgent care clinics are playing a major role when it comes to effective and affordable healthcare. Urgent healthcare clinics offers more choices than ever before. You can walk in without an appointment for virtually any service. If you need immediate care, hop in the car and walk in. If you simply want your blood pressure checked, stop by on your way home. Urgent care clinics are redefining how we accept the quality, convenience, and cost of our healthcare. Consider the following reasons to visit an urgent care clinic instead of the emergency room:

1. Urgent care is more efficient
2. Urgent care is convenient
3. Urgent care is less expensive

Convenient, walk-in care for Germantown, MD

We all want the best for our families, especially when it comes to healthcare and preventive medicine. Medical Access provides convenient walk-in care as an alternative to long waits in the emergency room. Their friendly staff will carefully and quickly assess your needs and provide the appropriate services, from preventive medicine to x-ray and lab services. Their facilities are fully staffed and equipped in order to meet the demands of their patients and their healthcare needs. Medical Access also presents comprehensive Occupational Health Services to serve the needs of the business community. The goal is to help minimize lost work time and keep your employees healthy and working.  Call them today or simply drop in, as no appointment is needed to receive timely, quality urgent care.

Urgent care holiday hazards

Winter break activity

Do you have a plan for injuries that may require urgent care? The holiday season is upon us and soon there will be winter break for students, along with the cursory snow days. This means skateboards may be replaced with snowboards, sleds, and inner tubes. Leafless trees are calling all climbers, and slippery sidewalks can be a hazard to anyone in the family. During the holidays, we prepare for practically everything, and winter season bumps and bruises are to be expected. When or if it happens, you need to have a plan for walk in and immediate care. It also helps that walk in clinics can help you avoid the tremendous cost of emergency room visits for minor injuries. Consider the following hazards to avoid during the winter season:

1. Unsafe toys and activities

If you wrap gifts, consider removing harmful packaging such as plastic wrap, foam, staples, zip ties, and plastic bags.

2. Careful with candles

We will not bore you with burn statistics here, but remember that candles are a very serious threat for house fire and minor burns during the winter season.

3. Choking hazards

Choking is a serious health hazard for children under the age of 14. Nearly 50 percent of all children who choke on food, require some form of hospitalization.

Convenient, walk-in care for Germantown, MD

We all want the best for our families, especially when it comes to healthcare and preventive medicine. Medical Access provides convenient walk-in care as an alternative to long waits in the emergency room. Their friendly staff will carefully and quickly assess your needs and provide the appropriate services, from preventive medicine to x-ray and lab services. Their facilities are fully staffed and equipped in order to meet the demands of their patients and their healthcare needs. Make Medical Access a part of your plan for those little holiday emergencies for everything from digestive problems to slips and falls. Call them today, or simply walk in, no appointment is needed to receive timely, quality injury treatment.

Urgent care: Wash your hands to avoid the common cold

Cold season is already here

As the weather has begun to turn, we expect to see an increase in patients who need urgent care. We do not want to see anyone sick, but in today’s world, people have busy, hectic schedules that can wear down your immune system and leave you vulnerable. The good news is that you can take positive steps towards preventing colds and common illnesses with basic hygiene habits. Consider the following tips to help you reduce your risk of catching a cold or flu.

Wash your hands

·         Healthcare officials confirm that the most effective method for preventing the passing of germs from one person to another is washing your hands.

·         Additionally, hand washing significantly reduces the spread of respiratory infections according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC).

·         If hand washing is not available, you should carry a miniature bottle of an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

·         Disinfectant wipes are important for keeping computer keyboards, desks, counter tops, and hand held devices are hot beds for germs.

·         n fact, any surface that is touched by other people is commonly covered with germs that can get you sick.

You can keep yourself and others healthy by following these simple tips. If you, however, find yourself or a family member with a cold, visit your local urgent care clinic for prompt evaluation and treatment.

Affordable urgent care for Germantown, MD

We all want the best for our families, especially when it comes to healthcare and preventive medicine. Medical Access provides convenient walk-in care as an alternative to long waits in the emergency room. Their friendly staff will carefully and quickly assess your needs and provide the appropriate services, from preventive medicine to x-ray and lab services. Their facilities are fully staffed and equipped in order to meet the demands of their patients and their healthcare needs.

Dr. Manbir Takhar is the Chief Medical Officer, and has been associated with Medical Access since 1999. She is qualified to treat almost any type of injury or illness that may present itself. Call Medical Access today, or simply drop in, as no appointment is needed to receive timely, quality urgent care for any non-life-threatening health issues.

Urgent Care: Timely tips for a good night’s sleep

Sleep and rest is crucial

Your local urgent care clinicians understand the importance of proper rest and a full night of sleep. Getting enough sleep on a regular basis is crucial for optimal function of the body and mind. Sleep deprivation causes numerous, side effects and health issues that can vary in severity from one individual to the next. For many people, sleep is very difficult to obtain simply because they have trouble falling asleep. The problem begins with our approach to sleep. We all assume that we will just get sleepy and fall asleep whenever our body needs it. However, we live in a world that contains so many distractions and methods of stimulating the brain, we forget that sleep must be planned like many other activities such as cooking, or daily exercise. We hope that we can offer you some sleeping time tips that will allow you to fall asleep easier.

• Pre sleep stretching
• Count your breaths
• Monitor room temperature
• Eliminate of plan for background noise

Convenient, walk-in care for Germantown, MD

We all want the best for our families, especially when it comes to healthcare and preventive medicine. Medical Access provides convenient walk-in care as an alternative to long waits in the emergency room. Their friendly staff will carefully and quickly assess your needs and provide the appropriate services, from preventive medicine to x-ray and lab services. Their facilities are fully staffed and equipped in order to meet the demands of their patients and their healthcare needs.

Dr. Manbir Takhar is the Chief Medical Officer, and has been associated with Medical Access since 1999. She is qualified to treat almost any type of injury or illness that may present itself. Call Medical Access today, or simply drop in, as no appointment is needed to receive timely, quality urgent care for any non-life-threatening health issues.

Urgent care concern over salt intake

Reduce your salt intake

Urgent care physicians must constantly remind patients to monitor their salt intake. Consumption of salt has some health benefits, but excessive salt intake will overcome any benefits that you may have gained. Consider the following facts:

• Traditionally, salt is added to food to make it tastier.
• Salt provides your body with sodium chloride, which is necessary for proper muscle function and regulating fluid levels in the body.
• The average adult should intake 1500 to 2300 milligrams per day.
• Consuming more salt than the maximum daily recommendation is harmful over time.

The three most common health problems that can occur from excessive salt intake are:

1. High blood pressure
2. Fluid retention
3. Cardiovascular disease

Convenient, walk-in care for Germantown, MD

We all want the best for our families, especially when it comes to healthcare and preventive medicine. Medical Access provides convenient walk-in care as an alternative to long waits in the emergency room. Their friendly staff will carefully and quickly assess your needs and provide the appropriate services, from preventive medicine to x-ray and lab services. Their facilities are fully staffed and equipped in order to meet the demands of their patients and their healthcare needs.

Dr. Manbir Takhar is the Chief Medical Officer, and has been associated with Medical Access since 1999. She is qualified to treat almost any type of injury or illness that may present itself. Call Medical Access today, or simply drop in, as no appointment is needed to receive timely, quality urgent care for any non-life-threatening health issues.

Urgent care clinics for the modern family

Reasons to choose immediate care

Urgent care centers have become an important part of the health care system. There are very appropriate reasons for a patient to choose an urgent care walk in clinic over other sources of health care. Consider the following:

• Ideally, it is important for everyone to have a primary care physician that completely understands his or her medical history and the uniqueness of his or her health condition.
• Once you choose a new primary-care doctor, you need to schedule a new-patient visit.
• Sometimes new patient visits are scheduled several weeks or months in the future.
• In the meantime, if you develop an acute problem, you cannot wait several weeks, you need immediate care.
• Even when your doctor can see you on the same day, your health issue may require more care than a doctor’s office can provide.
• You can walk in to an urgent care facility and receive these services without waiting, and at a much more affordable price than at a hospital-based emergency department.

Convenient, affordable care for Germantown, MD

We all want the best for our families, especially when it comes to healthcare and preventive medicine. Medical Access provides convenient walk-in care as an alternative to long waits in the emergency room. Their friendly staff will carefully and quickly assess your needs and provide the appropriate services, from preventive medicine to x-ray and lab services. Their facilities are fully staffed and equipped in order to meet the demands of their patients and their healthcare needs.

Dr. Manbir Takhar is the Chief Medical Officer, and has been associated with Medical Access since 1999. She is qualified to treat almost any type of injury or illness that may present itself. Call Medical Access today, or simply drop in, as no appointment is needed to receive timely, quality urgent care for any non-life-threatening health issues.

The different types of pink eye

Pink eye needs immediate care

Your local urgent care clinics are ready to deal with the communicable diseases that may come with each new school year. Today we would like to place the focus on conjunctivitis, an inflammation or infection of the transparent membrane that lines your eyelid, commonly known as “pink eye.” If you cannot get an immediate appointment with your doctor, get right down to the closest walk in clinic if you notice any signs or symptoms that you think might be pink eye.

Viral and bacterial conjunctivitis

• Viral and/or bacterial conjunctivitis may affect one or both eyes.
• Viral conjunctivitis usually produces a thin watery discharge.
• Bacterial conjunctivitis often produces a thicker, yellowish-green discharge.
• Both types can result after a severe cold or upper respiratory infection.
• Both types are very contagious and are spread through direct or indirect contact with the eye secretions of someone who carries the infection.
• Either type of infection affects both adults and children. However, bacterial conjunctivitis is more common in children than it is in adults.

Convenient, walk-in care for Germantown, MD

We all want the best for our families, especially when it comes to healthcare and preventive medicine. Medical Access provides convenient walk-in care as an alternative to long waits in the emergency room. Their friendly staff will carefully and quickly assess your needs and provide the appropriate services, from preventive medicine to x-ray and lab services. Their facilities are fully staffed and equipped in order to meet the demands of their patients and their healthcare needs.

Dr. Manbir Takhar is the Chief Medical Officer, and has been associated with Medical Access since 1999. She is qualified to treat almost any type of injury or illness that may present itself. Call Medical Access today, or simply drop in, as no appointment is needed to receive timely, quality urgent care for any non-life-threatening health issues.

Urgent care clinics as an alternative for non-life-threatening issues

Redefining emergency rooms

Where will you and your family go if you need urgent care medical treatment? The majority of people will say that they will go to the emergency room. Urgent care centers are perfectly suited for handling non-life-threatening injuries and illnesses in a timely and affordable fashion. We are creatures of our history. We all have childhood memories of bandaging a wound, hopping in the car with mom or dad, and heading to the ER for treatment. However, times have changed drastically. Spiraling costs of medical treatment and medications have turned emergency room treatment into what is really a specialty center for trauma and life threatening injuries.

How emergency rooms work

1. While emergency rooms are staffed with dedicated physicians and nurses, many ERs do not have the resources necessary to care for all their patients at once.
2. In order to provide the necessary service, ERs triage patients (assigns a priority of urgency to wounded or ill patients).
3. This is why you can wait for hours if you come to the emergency room with a sprained ankle. Your sprained ankle may be extremely painful, but you can still end up waiting for hours because patients keep showing up with life threatening conditions.

Convenient urgent care clinic for Germantown, MD

We all want the best for our families, especially when it comes to healthcare and preventive medicine. Medical Access provides convenient walk-in care as an alternative to long waits in the emergency room. Their friendly staff will carefully and quickly assess your needs and provide the appropriate services, from preventive medicine to x-ray and lab services. Their facilities are fully staffed and equipped in order to meet the demands of their patients and their healthcare needs.

Dr. Manbir Takhar is the Chief Medical Officer, and has been associated with Medical Access since 1999. She is qualified to treat almost any type of injury or illness that may present itself. Call Medical Access today, or simply drop in, as no appointment is needed to receive timely, quality urgent care for any non-life-threatening health issues.

Urgent care signs and symptoms of dehydration

The constant concern for dehydration

Urgent care doctors understand that as the seasons change, so can our attitudes about our health. For example, more people are cautious about exposing their skin to ultra-violet rays in the summer when it is hot and bright out. Yet, overlook the fact that they must be just as aware of UV exposure on overcast days or on a sunny day when snow is on the ground.

Understanding dehydration

Contrary to common misconception, thirst is not the first sign of dehydration. In fact, by the time your body is craving fluids, you probably already dehydrated. To detect dehydration before it becomes a health problem, look for the following signs:

• Dry mouth
• Eyes that appear sunken
• Dark urine and/or odorous urine
• Decreased urination over a 24 hour period
• Cool, dry skin
• Irritability or malaise
• Dizziness or fatigue
• Increased heart rate
• Tenting of the skin

Convenient, walk-in care for Germantown, MD

We all want the best for our families, especially when it comes to healthcare and preventive medicine. Medical Access provides convenient walk-in care as an alternative to long waits in the emergency room. Their friendly staff will carefully and quickly assess your needs and provide the appropriate services, from preventive medicine to x-ray and lab services. Their facilities and staff are equipped to meet the demands of walk-in patients and their healthcare needs. Medical Access also presents the most complete Occupational Health Services to serve the needs of the business community. The goal is to help minimize lost work time and keep your employees healthy and working.

Dr. Manbir Takhar is the Chief Medical Officer, and has been associated with Medical Access since 1999. She is qualified to treat almost any type of injury or illness that may present itself. In addition to these qualifications, she is also a Civil Surgeon and Medical Review Officer. This means that the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service will accept Medical Access one of the select facilities for immigration physicals. Call them today or simply drop in, as no appointment is necessary to receive timely, quality urgent care.

Urgent care tips: letting your child choose a helmet

Helmet safety for your child

Urgent care practitioners see lots of kids this time of year. What he hope to do here is to offer some tips to help avoid serious head injuries to kids. Most injuries can be prevented if they wear the right helmet. If you choose to buy a new helmet, it is important for children to wear the right kind of helmet, as well as to wear it properly.

Help them choose their own protection

• One of the most important tips is to get your kids involved in the selection.
• This way you are empowering the older kids by letting them pick out something they like.
• Let them pick out their helmet and let them decorate it.
• Inform them that they must wear a helmet while riding a bike, scooter, and skateboard
• Just remember that the helmet should have a snug but comfortable fit on your child’s head.

Convenient, walk-in care for Germantown, MD

We all want the best for our families, especially when it comes to healthcare and preventive medicine. Medical Access provides convenient walk-in care as an alternative to long waits in the emergency room. Their friendly staff will carefully and quickly assess your needs and provide the appropriate services, from preventive medicine to x-ray and lab services. Their facilities are ready to meet the demands of their patients and their healthcare needs.

Dr. Manbir Takhar is the Chief Medical Officer, and has been associated with Medical Access since 1999. She is qualified to treat almost any type of injury or illness that may present itself. Call Medical Access today or simply drop in, as no appointment is needed to receive timely, quality urgent care for any non-life-threatening health issues.

Urgent care tests for diabetic screening

Have you been screened?

Urgent care practitioners see many patients who come in for a particular complaint, and surprisingly discover that they are diabetic. Periodic screening and early diagnosis is essential to delay or avoid the long-term effects of the disease. It is documented that the earlier that diabetes is diagnosed, the better your chances of treating it appropriately, and helping individuals to stay healthy.

Tests for type 1 and type 2 diabetes and prediabetes:

• Glycated hemoglobin (A1C) test
• Random blood sugar test
• Fasting blood sugar test
• Oral glucose tolerance test

Nearly 30 million people are afflicted with some form of diabetes, but early diagnosis and development of a diabetes treatment plan will have positive and life changing implications. Careful management of diabetes begins with proper and regular screening. Get peace of mind or get on the road to proper treatment by walking in to a local urgent care clinic for diabetic screening.

Convenient, walk-in care for Germantown, MD

We all want the best for our families, especially when it comes to healthcare and preventive medicine. Medical Access provides convenient walk-in care as an alternative to long waits in the emergency room. Their friendly staff will carefully and quickly assess your needs and provide the appropriate services, from preventive medicine to x-ray and lab services. Their facilities are fully equipped to meet the demands of their patients and their healthcare needs.

Dr. Manbir Takhar is the Chief Medical Officer, and has been associated with Medical Access since 1999. She is qualified to treat almost any type of injury or illness that may present itself. Call Medical Access today, or simply drop in. No appointment is needed to receive timely, quality urgent care for any non-life-threatening health issues.

When to visit an urgent care clinic for a fever

Dealing with a fever

Urgent care clinics are ideally equipped to deal with fever. To best understand fevers, we hope to help you understand its cause, and to know when to seek urgent care. We also hope to help you know what to expect and how to treat it when you encounter one. The average body temperature for a human is 98.6°. However, some individuals can average a little hotter or cooler.

When to see a doctor

In adults, a fever is generally of no concern unless it rises above 103°. However, Of course, if you have a low grade or mild fever, it should not last more than three days. Visit your Germantown urgent care center if your fever is accompanied with the following symptoms:

• Seizure
• Severe headache
• Sore throat
• Skin rashes
• Confusion
• Difficulty breathing
• Persistent vomiting

Convenient, walk-in care for Germantown, MD

We all want the best for our families, especially when it comes to healthcare and preventive medicine. Medical Access provides convenient walk-in care as an alternative to long waits in the emergency room. Their friendly staff will carefully and quickly assess your needs and provide the appropriate services, from preventive medicine to x-ray and lab services. Their facilities equipped to meet the demands of their patients and their healthcare needs.

Dr. Manbir Takhar is the Chief Medical Officer, and has been associated with Medical Access since 1999. She is qualified to treat almost any type of injury or illness that may present itself. Call Medical Access today or simply drop in, as no appointment is needed to receive timely, quality urgent care for any non-life-threatening health issues.

Urgent care tips for a moderate Labor Day weekend

Ending summer injury free

Labor Day holiday weekend is traditionally the last weekend of the summer. Labor Day weekend is always full of celebratory events ranging from backyard barbecues, to beach parties, to corporate fireworks displays. Despite its enigmatic title, Labor Day is all about fun and games. Labor Day usually presents a high number of injuries because generally, we celebrate it outdoors where people are more likely to engage in physical activities. We thought this would be an ideal time to offer some handy tips to help keep you safe this Labor Day weekend. Consider the following:

Use alcohol in moderation

·         Drinking alcohol will influence your decision-making.

·         It can cloud your judgement, decrease your physical coordination, slow your reaction time, and blur your vision.

·         If you plan to consume alcohol, set your limit long before you arrive at the bar or cookout.

·         It is advisable that you drink a glass of water in between alcoholic drinks. This will help keep you hydrated and will slow down your alcohol consumption.

·         If you plan to drink at all, be sure to arrange for a non-drinker to be a designated driver. Operating a motor vehicle even after just one drink can be dangerous.

Convenient, walk-in care for Germantown, MD

We all want the best for our families, especially when it comes to healthcare and preventive medicine. Medical Access provides convenient walk-incare as an alternative to long waits in the emergency room. Their friendly staff will carefully and quickly assess your needs and provide the appropriate services, from preventive medicine to x-ray and lab services. The facility is designed to meet the demands of their patients and their healthcare needs.

Dr. Manbir Takhar is the Chief Medical Officer, and has been associated with Medical Access since 1999. She is qualified to treat almost any type of injury or illness that may present itself. Call Medical Access today or simply drop in, as no appointment is necessary to receive timely, quality urgent care for any non-life-threatening health issues.

Urgent care sun safety tips for choosing sunscreen

Hours of fun in the sun

Urgent care clinical staff will tell you that Damage from the sun is cumulative. Over the course of a person’s lifetime, 25 percent of their exposure to the sun occurs between birth and 18 years of age. Skin cancer is one of the few cancers that are almost entirely preventable; if we are aware and proactive.

Choosing the proper sunscreen

• Block the sun’s damaging rays with the use of a sunscreen that has an SPF of at least 30
• Use sunscreen that offers protection against both UVA and UVB rays.
• Apply the sunscreen liberally; according to the American Academy of Dermatology, most people apply only half as much sunscreen as they should.
• One ounce generally covers an adult sufficiently, and most children kids need about half of that.
• For a measuring guideline, an ounce of sunscreen should fill the palm of your hand.

The key areas

In addition to the obvious spots such as the arms, legs, and face; be sure to apply a generous amount of sunscreen to the:

• Ears
• Neck
• Backs of legs
• Tops of feet
• Hands

Keep in mind that lips can burn, too. Be sure to carry a lip balm that has an SPF of 15.

Convenient, walk-in care for Germantown, MD

We all want the best for our families, especially when it comes to healthcare and preventive medicine. Medical Access provides convenient walk-in care as an alternative to long waits in the emergency room. Their friendly staff will carefully and quickly assess your needs and provide the appropriate services, from preventive medicine to x-ray and lab services. Their facilities are fully staffed and equipped in order to meet the demands of their patients and their healthcare needs.

Dr. Manbir Takhar is the Chief Medical Officer, and has been associated with Medical Access since 1999. She is qualified to treat almost any type of injury or illness that may present itself. Call Medical Access today; or simply drop in as no appointment is needed to receive timely, quality urgent care for any non-life-threatening health issues.

Urgent Care tips for making hydration a habit

Keeping children hydrated

Urgent care doctors know that children are much more prone to dehydration than adults, yet it seems that the majority of hydration education is geared towards adults. The fact is that children’s bodies do not cool down as efficiently as adult’s bodies, and children are seriously at risk when the temperatures climb this time of the year. When fluids leave the body faster than they are being replaced, severe dehydration is the risk, and can even be a life threatening situation.

Make hydration a habit

• The best way to keep your child hydrated is to make sure that they drink liquids regularly.
• You should offer healthy beverages at every meal and with snacks.
• If your child is involved in organized sports, add some extra hydration in his or her first meal of the day, but start then drinking even the night before.
• Your child should drink the equivalent of a 16 ounce bottle of water about every 2 hours during their game.
• Remember that during activity, your child can lose up to a half-liter of fluid per hour.
• Get your kids to drink at least 5- 9 ounces of water or a sports drink every 20 minutes.

Convenient, walk-in care for Germantown, MD

We all want the best for our families, especially when it comes to healthcare and preventive medicine. Medical Access provides convenient walk-in care as an alternative to long waits in the emergency room. Their friendly staff will carefully and quickly assess your needs and provide the appropriate services, from preventive medicine to x-ray and lab services. Their facilities are fully staffed and equipped in order to meet the demands of their patients and their healthcare needs.

Dr. Manbir Takhar is the Chief Medical Officer, and has been associated with Medical Access since 1999. She is qualified to treat almost any type of injury or illness that may present itself. Call Medical Access today; or simply drop in as no appointment is needed to receive timely, quality urgent care for any non-life-threatening health issues.

Urgent care fireworks tips for a safe Fourth of July

Fun and fireworks safety

Urgent care clinics are bracing for the busiest day of the year for medical emergencies… the 4^th of July. Even though backyard fireworks are illegal in Montgomery County, and the penalty for possessing them is a hefty fine, there are always a few residents who think it is worth the risk. Unfortunately, we will see a percentage of these individuals because they have been injured while handling fireworks. The safest and smartest way to enjoy fireworks is to go out and view one of the many public displays in the area. We would like to provide you with some quick tips for having a fun and safe 4^th of July weekend.

1.       Only approved fireworks should be discharged.

2.       Remember that even if fireworks are legal in certain areas, they may be temporarily forbidden because of risk of wild fires.

3.       Never let young children handle or light fireworks.

4.       Sparklers are not as safe as you think; they can reach a temperature of 1800 degrees Fahrenheit.

5.       Only light fireworks that are placed on a stable and flat surface.

6.       Make sure that fireworks will discharge clear of any combustible materials, houses, and buildings.

7.       Never hold fireworks in your hand while lighting them.

8.       Keep a bucket of water and/or a hose ready as a precaution against fire.

9.       Never try to relight fireworks that failed to ignite.

Convenient, walk-in care for Germantown and Montgomery County

We all want the best for our families, especially when it comes to general healthcare and occupational medicine. Medical Access provides convenient walk-in care as an alternative to long waits in the emergency room. Their friendly staff will carefully and quickly assess your needs and provide the appropriate services, from preventive medicine to x-ray and lab services. Their facilities are fully staffed and equipped in order to meet the demands of their patients and their healthcare needs.

Dr. Manbir Takhar is the Chief Medical Officer, and has been associated with Medical Access since 1999. She is qualified to treat almost any type of injury or illness that may present itself. Medical Access one of the select facilities for sports physicals and immigration physicals. Call them today or simply drop in. No appointment is needed to receive timely, quality urgent care for fevers or any non life-threatening health issues.