October 2021

COVID-19 continues to be a killer disease all over the world, with millions infected and others dead. The highly infectious disease affects people of all ages, causing severe effects to patients older and with existing chronic conditions. Prevention is the best medicine, through washing your hands, keeping your social distance, taking the tests, and getting vaccinated.

COVID testing allows you to keep your family and friends safe. Ham Lake nasal swab is among one the methods used to test for COVID. If you have not had your test yet, book your appointment today at GatherWell COVID Testing and help stop the transmission.

What is a nasal swab?

A nasal swab is a type of test that detects viruses and bacteria that lead to respiratory infections. The test provides an accurate diagnosis for a specific type of respiratory infection and the ideal treatment that will give the best results. A nasal swab test occurs by taking a sample of your nostrils cells.

When to use a nasal swab?

Your provider may request a nasal swab to diagnose various respiratory infections, including:

•       COVID-19
•       The flu
•       Meningitis
•       Whooping cough
•       Respiratory syncytial virus

What is an antigen test?

A nasal swab is a type of antigen test. Antigen tests detect proteins in the virus responsible for COVID-19.

When do you need a nasal swab?

You may require to take a nasal swab test if you have respiratory infection symptoms such as:

•       Sore throat
•       Headache
•       Cough
•       Fatigue
•       Stuffy or runny nose
•       Muscle aches
•       Fever

What to expect during a nasal swab?

Your provider may take your nasal swab from the front part or back of your nostrils and at the uppermost part of your nose and throat.

Your provider may also ask you to take the swab yourself. During the test, you tilt your head back. Then your provider inserts the swab gently in your nostril.

Proceed to rotate the swab and let it stay in place for 10-15 seconds, and repeat the same procedure for the second nostril. Eventually, remove the swab.

You do not need any preparations for a nasal swab test. The test is safe without any risks; however, the swab may be uncomfortable, causing coughing or tickling on your throat, all of which are temporary.

What does a positive antigen test result mean?

A positive test result means the proteins from the coronavirus were present in your sample, showing you might have COVID-19. Your provider may suggest you go into isolation to prevent the spreading of the virus. The test is effective and has a very small chance for inaccuracy.

Your provider will then work with you to help you best and enhance your healing and recovery.

What does a negative antigen test result mean?

A negative test result shows no protein viruses on your sample, meaning you do not have COVID-19. However, the test can be incorrect; in that case, your provider may compare your symptoms and medical history to find a way to help you.

A molecular test may help rule out if you have an infection if your results turn negative.

Contact GatherWell COVID-19 Testing Today

It is good to have your COVID-19 testing today to help protect yourself and your family from the disease. Call the office today to schedule your appointment.

For the uninitiated, end-stage renal disease refers to a condition where the kidneys cannot normally function anymore. The kidneys are responsible for removing toxins from the body and filtering blood. A patient with the end-stage renal disease usually needs dialysis or a transplant to survive. Dialysis is an ongoing treatment that does the same task as the kidneys. A dialyzer helps remove extra waste and fluids from the blood and restore electrolyte levels through the process of dialysis. Dialysis is also helpful in maintaining the nutrient profile of the blood and electrolytes. Some clinics offer Cypress home dialysis options for patients who cannot go to a hospital. In this post, we are sharing details worth knowing about home dialysis for end-stage renal disease. 

What exactly is home dialysis?

The process of dialysis requires a dialyzer. Blood from the patient’s body goes into the dialyzer with the help of tubes. The dialyzer filters the blood, which goes back into the blood. The actual process can take time because only a tiny amount of blood can be filtered through the dialyzer. Patients are usually expected to visit the dialysis center as needed. If kidney failure is at an advanced stage, a patient may need dialysis more frequently. Home dialysis, as the name indicates, is about using a dialyzer at home. A kidney care center, or dialysis clinic, can train the patient, or family members, to do dialysis at home, using a home dialyzer. 

When should a patient consider home dialysis?

If the patient needs to go for traditional dialysis three times a week, they may consider home dialysis. Dialysis can continue for many hours, as the doctor recommends. On the other hand, some patients need frequent sessions of dialysis, but the period is shorter. For example, if you are going for dialysis for two hours every day, you may benefit from a home setup. Patients who have been advised of nocturnal dialysis can also have a dialyzer at home. 

What are the benefits? 

For many patients, who don’t need dialysis frequently, in-office treatment is always a better choice. However, home dialysis allows for more flexibility, and for doctors, this may mean keeping a better tab on each patient’s history and response to treatments. You don’t have to step out every week with home dialysis, which is a huge relief, especially if you have other complications. You should note that having a home dialyzer at home is not easy. There is a need to adhere to the instructions and take responsibility for doing dialysis as directed by the doctor. 

There is no denying that home dialysis is a boon for patients with severe kidney damage. If a transplant is not an option or cannot be done because of other constraints, home dialysis can offer a better quality of life. Doctors can recommend home dialysis if they believe that traveling to the clinic wouldn’t be wise for a patient, especially if they are at risk of infection. Talk to your doctor now to know more. 

Glucose plays a vital role in the human body, including being your brain’s source of fuel and providing energy for cells in the muscles and tissues. Although your body needs glucose or sugar to obtain full function, too much of the same can result in health problems such as diabetes. This medical condition affects how the body utilizes blood sugar. Diabetes mellitus is the most common type that develops due to high blood sugar levels and can be classified into different categories depending on the causes. Below are the various kinds of Germantown diabetes and its causes.

Types of diabetes

Type 1 diabetes

The pancreas is a small organ in your body that contains cells that produce insulin – a hormone that regulates sugar or glucose levels in the blood. Naturally, the immune system fights harmful bacteria and viruses. However, with type 1 diabetes, the body’s defense system attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. As a result, your body is left with little or no insulin, causing a build-up of sugar in the bloodstream. Patients with this type of diabetes experiences sudden symptoms such as fatigue, increased thirst, and frequent urination. While its cause remains unknown, factors like family history increase one’s risk.

Pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes

You are said to have pre-diabetes when blood sugar levels are higher than usual but not too elevated to be described as type 2 diabetes. When left unattended to, pre-diabetes can lead to type 2 diabetes – a condition where body cells become resistant to insulin and the pancreas fails to produce more insulin to overcome the resistance. Since the cells do not absorb the sugar, glucose builds up in the bloodstream. The causes of type 2 diabetes have not been established, but certain factors such as obesity increase your chances for this health problem. Healthy life choices like regular physical exercise may help prevent type 2 diabetes.

Gestational diabetes

This type of diabetes develops during pregnancy when the placenta produces hormones to sustain a pregnancy. These hormones make cells resistant to insulin, affecting the utilization of blood sugar. The pancreas responds to this by producing more insulin, but this goes on for a limited period. Little sugar is absorbed when the pancreas fails to produce more insulin, and much remains in the blood, causing gestational diabetes. If you have gestational diabetes, your doctor may recommend oral medications alongside observing a healthy diet and physical activity.

Complications that can result from diabetes

Complications develop gradually when you have had diabetes for a long time or when you do not manage the problem. In the long run, the difficulties may be disabling or life-threatening. They include:

•         Nerve damage. High glucose levels can damage the capillaries responsible for nerve nourishment in the legs, resulting in symptoms like pain, numbness, and tingling at the tips of toes or fingers. Neuropathy can cause erectile dysfunction in men.
•         Cardiovascular disease. Patients with diabetes have an increased risk for cardiovascular problems such as stroke, heart disease, and coronary artery disease.

Since type 2 diabetes may fail to present symptoms during its onset stages, it necessitates regular medical check-ups to ensure the blood sugar is at a healthy level. To learn more about diabetes, consult with your specialist at Doctors First today.

Endometriosis is a condition where tissues that form the uterus lining (endometrium) grow outside the uterus. Endometriosis is typically common on ovaries but can be found on fallopian tubes too. Endometriosis can be further classified as a superficial peritoneal lesion, ovarian lesion, and deeply infiltrating endometriosis. If you want to get more info on endometriosis in Boynton Beach, there are many clinics for help.

What Are the Common Symptoms?

In endometriosis, tissues that grow outside the uterus lining work like endometrial tissues. After each menstrual cycle, these tissues can thicken, break, and eventually bleed. Since there is no way for the tissue to drain out of the body, the condition can eventually cause ovarian cysts known as endometriomas. The most common symptom of endometriosis is pain in the pelvic area, and patients often complain of period discomfort and cramps. Dysmenorrhea can cause further complications, and the patient may have lower back pain. 

Patients diagnosed with endometriosis often have other symptoms, such as painful intercourse, pain while urinating or passing bowels, and extreme bleeding. Endometriosis is also one of the leading causes of infertility. Some women also complain of nausea and bloating. 

What Causes Endometriosis?

Doctors aren’t entirely sure of what causes endometriosis, but it could be related to retrograde menstruation. The condition can be hereditary too. Retrograde menstruation is when the menstrual blood flows back into the pelvic cavity by passing through the fallopian tubes instead of getting discharged from the body. Menstrual blood contains endometrial cells, which can stick to the pelvic organs and grow. There is also some evidence that hormones can change embryonic cells during puberty, leading to the condition. A C-section surgery or other surgeries can also trigger endometriosis. 

How Is Endometriosis Treated?

Unfortunately, there is no cure for endometriosis, but your doctor can help manage the symptoms to have a better quality of life. Medications are typically used as the first line of treatment, but surgery could be an option if the patient doesn’t respond to the treatment. If you have painful periods because of endometriosis, your doctor may suggest OTC painkillers. Hormone therapy has helped some patients, while doctors also use hormonal contraceptives for treatment. 

How Is the Condition Diagnosed?

Your doctor will most likely do a pelvic exam, following which imaging and further tests can be ordered. An abdominal ultrasound, or a transvaginal ultrasound, can help in diagnosing endometriosis. The most reliable and trusted way of diagnosing endometriosis is laparoscopy, which is a minor surgical procedure. If your surgeon can diagnose endometriosis, they may remove the unwanted tissues during the procedure. 

Endometriosis can impact fertility. If you have been diagnosed with endometriosis, you need to consider having children sooner, as the symptoms can only worsen with time. Do not delay in calling your gynecologist if you have evident symptoms or painful periods. You may also want to go for a check if you have endometriosis in the family. The symptoms, especially during your periods, can impact your lifestyle and activities. Medical attention is necessary to manage endometriosis. 

Endometriosis is a common health problem in the United States, making it the third leading cause of medical attention for gynecological conditions. Endometriosis in Boynton Beach affects 2-5% of postmenopausal women and 5-15% in women aged 15 to 44. Some patients with this problem are asymptomatic, meaning you can have endometriosis and exhibit no signs and symptoms; however, you may also present symptoms that include excessive bleeding during periods, pain during sexual intercourse, and painful bowel movements. Fortunately, your doctor can diagnose and recommend treatment to improve your condition.

What Is Endometriosis?

Endometriosis is a gynecological problem where tissue similar to that lining the endometrium – the lining of the uterus, grows outside the uterus into other organs, including the fallopian tube, ovaries, the tissue lining the pelvis. Just the tissue lining the uterus, the endometrial-like tissue thickens, shreds and bleeds during your menstrual period. However, it gets trapped in the pelvis and remains inside your body since it has no exit. Due to the hormonal changes affecting the endometrial-like tissue, you may experience pain and inflammation. The trapped tissue may, in turn, cause scar formation, irritation, fertility problems, and intense pain during your menstrual periods.

What Are the Symptoms of Endometriosis?

The symptoms of endometriosis vary from person to person, with some women having mild symptoms and others moderate to severe. However, the severity of your pain does not translate to the severity of your condition, as it is possible to have mild pain with advanced endometriosis. Pelvic pain is the primary symptom for patients with endometriosis, which mainly occurs during menstrual periods. While cramping is common in women during periods, women with endometriosis experience more intense pain than usual, which worsens with time. If you have endometriosis, you may experience signs and symptoms that include:

•         Dysmenorrhea or painful periods. Women with this condition experience cramping and pelvic pain before the menstrual cycle, which progresses days into the period. Pain in the lower back and abdominal pain are also symptoms of endometriosis.
•         Intermenstrual bleeding or occasional heavy bleeding during your menstrual cycle.
•         Pain and discomfort during and after sexual intercourse.
•         Pain when urinating, especially during a menstrual period.
•         Nausea, bloating, diarrhea, fatigue, and constipation during the menstrual cycle.

What Causes Endometriosis?

While there are no specific or established causes for endometriosis, this problem can develop due to the following:

•       Surgical scar implantation- Endometrial cells may attach to surgical sites during procedures like C-sections or hysterectomy.
•       Embryonic cell transformation- This happens when the estrogen hormone transforms embryonic cells into endometrial-like cells during puberty.
•       Immune system disorder- Abnormalities in your immune system may make you unable to recognize and get rid of endometrial-like tissue.
•         Retrograde menstruation- Here, instead of menstrual blood flowing out of the body, it flows back into the pelvic cavity and fallopian tubes, causing endometrial cells to stick on pelvic walls and surfaces where they grow and thicken.
•       Transformation of peritoneal cells-  Hormones or immune factors in your body can transform peritoneal cells into endometrial-like cells, resulting in endometriosis.

For further inquiries about the treatment of endometriosis, schedule an appointment with your doctor at MyDoc Women’s Health Specialists.

Is your skin lacking radiance power, shine, and freshness? Worry no more, New York mesotherapy and cosmetics provide your skin with nutrients through mesolifting, which aims to eliminate problem areas in your body such as excess weight, cellulite, body contouring, face, and neck rejuvenation. It is administered through various highly effective and completely painless injections via FDA-approved medicine, vitamin, minerals, enzymes, and cross-linked hyaluronic acid to repair your needy skin. Below is everything you need to know about mesolifting.

Suitable candidates

• The skin has lost its vitality and brightness
• The skin has wrinkles and sagging problems
• Tired looking skin and skin damaged due to smoking
• The skin is damaged due to sun exposure, and to minimize the harmful effects of the sun
• Want to get rid of acne scars and minimize skin spots

Unsuitable candidates

The following group of people cannot undergo mesotherapy treatment;

• Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers
• Unregulated diabetes patients
• Those with vascular congestions and history of paralysis
• Patients with cancer and blood coagulation disorders
• Those with a skin infection and vascular diseases
• Those allergic to the substance to be used in the procedure

Body mesotherapy

Mesolifting treats skin conditions such as skin spots, acne scars, sun spots, fistula, birth cracks, birthmarks, and cracks during weight gain and shingles. Mesotherapy is also used to relieve short-term and long-term painful diseases such as menstrual cramps, migraines, fibromyalgia, neuralgia, and gout.

Type of body areas treated, procedure, and benefits

• Face and skin mesotherapy

A small amount of hyaluronic acid is injected directly into the middle and first layer of your skin to protect the skin’s elastic tissue. Your physician determines the number of sessions you need depending on your need and possible complications.

• Benefits

1. The skin acquires a vibrant, bright, and healthy appearance from dull, pale, and old-looking skin.
2. It eliminates skin problems such as swelling, dissolves locally stored fat, and removes orange-looking cellulite on the skin.
3. It eliminates wrinkles caused by aging and excessive facial expressions.
4. It removes scars, cracks, and stains on the skin surfaces.
5. It corrects inequality in skin color.

• Hair mesotherapy

It is a procedure that enables hair regeneration without the use of surgical methods. It helps treat hair problems such as alopecia, hair loss, dandruff, baldness, and excessive hair loss. Nutrients, some minerals, and vitamins are injected into the scalp to accelerate hair cell metabolism, eliminate scalp infection, and increase blood circulation in the scalp.

• Benefits

1. Reduces hair loss, stimulate hair growth and reproduction
2. Accelerate the growth of new hair follicles and prevent hair-splitting
3. Accelerate blood circulation and growth of new hair follicles on the scalp
4. Reduces dandruff and repair damaged scalp

• Regional fat mesotherapy

Mesotherapy is used to eliminate fat in the arms, leg, waist, and abdominal area. Permanent results are achieved by combining exercise and diet to dissolve the fat tissues in the subcutaneous tissues.

Consult a mesolifting specialist today

Mesotherapy is a method that can be applied both to the skin and hair to regenerate and make your skin younger by tightening the effect. Book an appointment with Dr. Lionel of Liondale Medical and get your youthful skin back while eliminating excessive hair loss and hair dandruff.

Babies are a source of delight to any family. After the honeymoon, you and your spouse are looking to start a family and achieve success together. However, before you begin the next phase of your life, there are key boxes you need to check first. Reproductive health will play a major role in achieving some of the goals you set as a family. A quick South Charleston fertility evaluation sets you on the right path. Expert obstetricians set apart the myths from the truth for a successful reproductive life. Before scheduling your appointment, there are important things you need to understand

What is a Fertility Evaluation?

A fertility evaluation is an individual assessment of your sexual history, medical records, and physiological condition of your reproductive system. A standard fertility exam involves tests that determine the cause of infertility and help the obstetrician determine suitable treatment methods.

Is a Fertility Evaluation Necessary?

If you have constantly been trying to conceive, you understand the frustration that accompanies failed conception. A fertility evaluation determines your ability to conceive. Increasingly, many women want to determine whether they will conceive when it is suitable to do so. A fertility evaluation helps you determine whether you’ll freeze your eggs or require a donor sperm for conception in the future years. Whatever your cause of concern is, a fertility evaluation at Patel & Patel M.D solves them.

What Should I Expect In a Fertility Evaluation

 Before any evaluation, the fertility expert may recommend you pause hormone medication. Hormone pills give an inaccurate diagnosis since synthetic hormones alter natural hormone levels. A fertility assessment requires you to be candid and specific tests.  You need to carry with you your medical records to the test. The tests include:

• Hormone Tests – Blood hormone tests measure the level of reproductive hormones in your body. The Anti-Mullerian Hormone test is a conventional test that assesses Anti-Mullerian hormone levels. This hormone declines with age. Also, the test can determine levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). Blood hormone tests take up to two days for diagnosis.
• Hysterosalpingography – This is a test that produces a hysterosalpingogram. A hysterical spin program is an image showing the fallopian tubes, uterus, and other structures involved in the transport of the ovum from the ovary. Hysterosalpingography shows structural blockages in the tubes that potentially cause infertility.
• Transvaginal ultrasound scan – The doctor uses an ultrasound device to scan the insides of your vagina to check for complications there that may cause infertility. Advanced ultrasound scans span up to the ovaries in case complications originate from them.

These tests do not take up a lot of time. However, you need to be prepared financially, as most insurance companies do not cover fertility evaluation costs if you are yet to reach menopause. For seamless fertility evaluation, please book an appointment at Patel & Patel M.D, where they use state-of-the-art technology to test and analyze your results for the precise diagnosis. Consequently, the obstetricians will advise you on the treatment option that will work for you.