Category: Uncategorized

 

Falls are serious at any age, and breaking a bone after a fall becomes more likely as a person ages. Many of us know someone who has fallen and broken a bone. While healing, the fracture limits the person’s activities and sometimes requires surgery. Often, the person wears a heavy cast to support the broken bone and needs physical therapy to resume normal activities.

Even though bones do not break after every fall, the person who has fallen and broken a bone nearly always becomes fearful of falling again. As a result, she or he may limit activities for the sake of “safety.” Among Americans age 65 and older, fall-related injuries are the leading cause of accidental death.

Several factors can lead to a fall. Loss of footing or traction is a common cause of falls. Loss of footing occurs when there is less than total contact between one’s foot and the ground or floor. Loss of traction occurs when one’s feet slip on wet or slippery ground or floor. Other examples of loss of traction include tripping, especially over uneven surfaces such as sidewalks, curbs, or floor elevations that result from carpeting, risers, or scatter rugs. Loss of footing also happens from using household items intended for other purposes – for example, climbing on kitchen chairs or balancing on boxes or books to increase height.

A fall may occur because a person’s reflexes have changed. As people age, reflexes slow down. Reflexes are automatic responses to stimuli in the environment. Examples of reflexes include quickly slamming on the car brakes when a child runs into the street or quickly moving out of the way when something accidentally falls. Aging slows a person’s reaction time and makes it harder to regain one’s balance following a sudden movement or shift of body weight

We at On Call Medical Clinic are glad to share this information with you from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases website. We at On Call Medical Clinic are here to help if you break a bone. Our trained staff and facility are prepared to handle most broken bones and help you to a quick recovery. Please call us at 228 818-5155 if you fear you have broken a bone and need immediate help. Also please visit our website at www.oncallmedical.com to learn more about all the medical services we offer.

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Hurricane Season is not over? In fact, August through October lately have been the worst months for hurricanes. This means that now is a good time to start preparing for this last stretch of months with potential hazardous storm systems coming your way. What precautions should you take?

Stock up on emergency supplies.

Do not wait for the hurricane warning to be blaring across your television before you rush to the store for emergency supplies. Often useful items like generators, bottled water, and batteries fly off the shelf before a big storm. Beat the rush and have these products at home already so you can focus on fortifying your house instead of running to the crowded store. Good things to have on hand are flash lights, batteries, camp lights, water, and nonperishable food. A first aid kit is a must. A battery-powered radio would be another smart purchase since when power is lost, emergency information is broadcasted over the radio.

Fill up the pantry with non-perishables.

It is important to make sure you can still eat without needing to use an oven. A portable butane burner or a grill could be used to boil water. Dried fruit and vegetables are also good buys to make sure you are having an appropriate nutrition intake. Canned food is also a cost-effective way to stay full when you can’t cook. Emergency food has made great advances in the recent years. Check out these freeze-dried entrees: just add hot water, and in just a few minutes they become tasty home cooked meals. Most of these freeze-dried foods can last up to 25 years!

Prepare your house

Head to the store and grab enough plywood and nails for all your windows if your home doesn’t have storm shutters. When the strong hurricane winds come, they will help protect your home from some costly damage. Also, fill your bathtubs with water in the event of water being cut off.

Know the plan. 

Become familiar with all evacuation routes if you are seaside. Also, evaluate your flood risk using this FEMA portal. If your area is calling for an evacuation, be smart. Do not risk staying in town hoping to ride out a storm if the local authorities are announcing a state of emergency. It is better to go through the inconvenience in traffic than to be trapped at home amid flood waters.

If you have any minor illnesses or accidents that you need immediate care for whether before or after the storm, please remember we at On Call Medical Clinic are here 7 days a week to help. Please call us at 228 818-5115, one of our medical experts is ready to take your call.  You may also visit our website at www.oncallclinic.com to review all the services we offer. covered today.

 

Fevers can be a very scary thing for parents, particularly for first-time moms and dads. Every child will eventually experience one, no matter how careful you are.

It is important for parents to know what to do when this happens.

So, what is it? We define a fever as a temperature over 100.4 F (38.0 C). Normal body temperature is 98.6 F (37 C). Everyone’s body temperature varies throughout the day and can differ by age, activity level and other factors. Don’t be alarmed if your child’s temperature varies. The magic number for fever is 100.4 F.

When should you not worry about your child’s fever.

• If it is less than 5 days and your child is behaving relatively normally. You should not be concerned with the fever as long as the child is remaining playful and eating and drinking normally.
• If the temperature is not higher than 102.5 F and your child is 3 months to 3 years old. If older, the fever can be up to 103.0 F. You should not be concerned in these situations. These temperatures can be common and not necessarily worrisome.
• Low grade fevers can be normal if your infant or child was recently immunized. These fevers should last normally less than 48 hours.

When should you call a doctor

• If you have an infant younger than 3 months old, the fever may be your infant’s only response to a serious illness.
• If your child’s fever is higher than 104 F.
• If your child’s fever does not come down after giving them medication.
• If your child is not acting like themselves. Your child may be becoming dehydrated when a) your baby is not wetting at least 4 diapers per day or b) your child is not urinating every 8 to 12 hours
• If your child who has recently been immunized keeps one for more than 48 hours
• Always, if you are not comfortable with your child’s temperature or illness, it is best to call the doctor or his nurse practitioner to discuss your concerns.

 

We at On Call Medical Clinic hope this information was helpful. We are here 7 days a week if you child has a fever and you need some immediate help or someone to talk to about your concerns. Our staff is always ready to help and our facility has all the diagnostic and laboratory equipment necessary to help determine the reason behind the fever. Please call us at 228 818-8155.  Also please visit our website at www.oncallclinic.com to learn more about us and all the medical services we offer.