Urgent care: natural versus chemical insect repellents

The importance of insect repellents

In case you have not noticed, biting insects such as fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes are out in full force, sending record numbers of patients into urgent care centers. Symptoms of the mosquito-borne disease range from relatively minor skin irritations, to life-threatening brain inflammation. West Nile Virus can also leave survivors with long-term disabilities including chronic fatigue and even paralysis. This has led to concerns over the best possible insectrepellents. Not only with regard to their effectiveness, but also taking into consideration their possible health hazards.

Natural is not necessarily better

It is completely understandable that many patients associate “natural” products with better health. A great number of patients would rather use mosquitorepellents that are derived from “natural” products such as plant extracts. However, when it comes to mosquito repellents, there is clear evidence that natural repellents may not provide the best outcomes.

·         Field tests and studies have shown that the two most effective repellents are DEET and picaridin.

·         Studies have shown that “natural,” or botanical based repellents are substantially less effective against mosquitoes than DEET or Picaridin.

·         Products that contain citronella, lavender, peppermint and lemon grass oils are often promoted as “DEET-Free” alternatives.

·         Botanical-based repellents do provide effective protection against biting mosquitoes.

·         Botanicals need to be reapplied 3-4 times as often as the lowest dose DEET-based repellent in order to provide comparable protection.

·         Botanical repellents may work just fine for a short stay in the backyard, but not for hours of working in the garden or if you are hiking all day in the woods.

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 preventing friction blisters

Blister season

This time of year, urgent care clinics treat many patients who did not properly treat blisters. A blister forms when heat or friction causes a separation between layers of skin. This separation causes an air pocket or bubble, which the body fills with fluid as part of its own healing process. Typically the fluid within the blister is clear, but on occasion, there is bleeding and the blister may appear dark red or purple in color.

Prevention tips

·         Wear moisture wicking socks or clothing

·         Make sure your shoes fit well.

·         Pace your activity level and monitor for friction points.

·         Allow shoes to dry out before wearing them.

·         Wear fitted socks, not tube socks.

·         Keep your feet dry.

·         Monitor your exposure to direct sunlight

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. 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 cleaner toothbrush

Germs are everywhere

Urgent care clinics can help you prevent summer colds. We do not get a cold from working or playing in wet, cold weather; if that was the case, we would never catch cold in the summer time. Colds and flu are caused by germs that are plentiful enough or strong enough to overwhelm our immune system. There are places in our home that we assume to be clean, yet they are rife with bacteria. These places and items are the most likely culprits when we do catch a summer cold. You can protect yourself and your family by making yourself familiar with all the dirty spots in the house, and keeping them as clean as possible. Consider the toothbrush:

Your toothbrush

• As unpleasant as it sounds, your toothbrush is actually home to thousands of germs.
• Bacteria are likely to grow on your toothbrush every day as it dries in the holder.
• When someone uses the toilet, flushing sends spray of droplets into the air.
• These droplets, are comprised of whatever bacteria and viruses that were discharged into the toilet.
• The droplets will float into the bathroom for as long as two hours after flushing.
• It is recommended that you sanitize your toothbrush with hydrogen peroxide before each use. It is also recommended that you always close the toilet lid before you flush it.

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 for runners

Urgent care for pain relief

Distance runners can come down with an injury at anytime of the day or night, and some injuries require immediate care. The running season is in full swing, and this is the time of year that a running enthusiast can pick an event for every weekend between now and October. Unfortunately, many doctor’s offices are closed on the weekends, so if you come down with a painful injury on a Saturday night, consider the following injuries that need urgent care for pain relief or to prevent further injury.

• Runner’s knee
• Achilles tendon problems
• Plantar fasciitis

Convenient, walk-in 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.

Urgent care: preventing overcooked meat

Outdoor cooking season is here

Every summer, urgent care centers see their share of patients who suffer with some type of food poisoning. Most people realize the dangers of undercooked food, or food that has been mishandled, but did you know that overcooked or over-charred food can be just as dangerous? Over charring or burning meat causes a chemical reaction that is unhealthy, even dangerous. Consider the following tips to prevent dangerously overcooked foods:

• Avoid excessive burn marks
• Use lean meat
• Cut before you cook
• Marinate your meat
• Cook more vegetables

Convenient, walk-in care for Germantown, MD

When it comes to healthcare and preventive medicine, it is important to have access to immediate care for health risks such as food poisoning. Medical Access provides convenient walk-in care or urgent 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. Simply drop in, as no appointment is necessary for immediate, non life threatening health issues. Medical Access is serving patients in Montgomery County, Germantown, Gaithersburg and Hyattstown.

Occupational health services types of protective eyewear

Protective eyewear

Occupational health services play a vital role in your company’s productivity and profitability, especially when it concerns educating employees and establishing standards for protective eyewear. When we think of protective eyewear, our first concern is dangers such as flying objects and splash of chemicals. Consider the major types of eye protection and its appropriate use:

• Safety glasses
• Safety goggles
• Shields and helmets 
• Sunglasses and tinted lenses

Convenient, occupational medicine for Germantown, MD

We all want the best for our employees, 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 is trained to carefully and quickly assess patient needs and provide the appropriate 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. In addition to these qualifications, she is also a Civil Surgeon and Medical Review Officer. This designation is granted by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, making Medical Access one of the select facilities for immigration physicals. Call them today or simply drop in, as no appointment is needed to receive timely, quality urgent care for occupational health service or any non life-threatening health issues.

Urgent Care to diagnose fractures and sprains

Activity and ankle sprains

As sure as summer brings sunshine, urgent care doctors know that they will be dealing with sprained ankles. Warm weather means outdoor basketball, hiking, rock climbing, jogging, cycling and a host of activities that place participants at risk for ankle sprains. However, severe ankle sprains require immediate medical treatment in order to rule out a fracture, or in order to treat the severe sprain appropriately.

Is it a sprain or a fracture?

Severe sprains are usually extremely painful and traumatic. In fact, it requires medical assessment by a qualified physician to receive the proper diagnosis. If you injure your ankle and observe or feel the following symptoms, get immediate care from your physician or at an urgent care clinic:

• Your ankle or foot bends at an abnormal angle
• Severe pain along with swelling
• The joint changes color or turns pale
• Numbness in the foot or toes
• You cannot move your ankle
• A popping sound when the injury occurred
• Bruising or swelling
• Inability to put weight on the affected foot
• No improvement after seven days
• Bruising or swelling for longer than 14 days

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.