As we get busier and busier, we have more and more to keep up with in life. Of course, some things are more important than others, but in terms of your general health, there are certain "numbers" that are very important. Some of these you are probably already aware; some may not be as familiar. Consider the following list and if you don't know your number, maybe you should check-in with your doctor to get up to date.
Blood pressure...Hypertension carries and potentiates many health risks. You should have your blood pressure checked each time you visit your doctor. As well, you should occasionally check your blood pressure at the pharmacy or other facility that has testing available. If you have a blood pressure greater than 120/80, you need to get it seen about. If you already know you have blood pressure problems, you need to monitor your blood pressure to make sure it is generally under 140/90.
Blood sugar...You should probably have a blood sugar check at least once a year unless you know you have diabetes mellitus. If that level is elevated, then more extensive testing can be done to see if you are diabetic or at risk for diabetes. If you are fasting, the blood sugar should be under 120; if you have eaten, the blood sugar should be less than 200.
Cholesterol..This one is fairly commonplace now as everyone is aware of the risk of heart disease and blood vessel disease associated with elevated cholesterol levels. More important than the total cholesterol level itself is the levels of the subunits of cholesterol. A fasting lipid panel should be checked once a year to make sure that all is well in this area. If you know you have problems with cholesterol, your physician will probably want to check it more often. With some cholesterol lowering medications, it is important to keep an eye on the liver numbers as well.
Creatinine...This one may not be well known but is important as well. This is a marker for kidney function. Even small changes from normal in the creatinine level can signal fairly significant changes in kidney function. A normal value is around 1 for most people and an increase from 1 to 2 can mean a decrease of up to 50% in renal function. As the numbers go higher, the renal function is further decreased but not by as big a factor. For example, from 1 to 2 is a 50% decrease in renal function; from 2-4 represents another 50 % decrease in function so the function is down to 25%. The next representation would be from 4 to about 7 or 8 at which level the function would be down to about 10-12%. Based on the way the changes occur, it is very important to catch the change in renal function early. The best chance to fix the kidney problem or at least significantly alter the worsening course is to catch the problem early. Once the creatinine level reaches 4 or greater, the chance for developing complete renal failure over the course of time is fairly high.
If you have not had these values checked recently, please check with your doctor in these regards. If you wish, come by the clinic and we will be happy to get you in touch with your numbers. We can also test for other diseases that you may be concerned about as well. If you wish further information or wish to get these tests performed, call today for an appointment. Walk-ins are always welcome as well.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Cold and Flu
It seems cold and flu season is setting in on the Northeast Mississippi area. Many "bugs" are going around including respiratory and GI illnesses. Many of the respiratory illness seem to want to hang on with fairly long durations of sore throat, cough, and hoarseness.
If you suffer from a respiratory infection this season, come on by and let us work to get you better. We offer antibiotic injections and steroid shots in the office to get you started on the road to recovery. If needed, we also can perform strep testing, mono testing, and flu testing in the office.
If you have a GI illness that persists, we can help with that too. We have injectable anti-nausea medications in the office. We will be happy to get you started on some prescription medications to help with the symptoms as well.
If you get under the weather this winter, come on by and let us help you get to feeling better. We accept walk-ins as well as same day appointments for your convenience.
If you suffer from a respiratory infection this season, come on by and let us work to get you better. We offer antibiotic injections and steroid shots in the office to get you started on the road to recovery. If needed, we also can perform strep testing, mono testing, and flu testing in the office.
If you have a GI illness that persists, we can help with that too. We have injectable anti-nausea medications in the office. We will be happy to get you started on some prescription medications to help with the symptoms as well.
If you get under the weather this winter, come on by and let us help you get to feeling better. We accept walk-ins as well as same day appointments for your convenience.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Hypertension
Most people are aware of high blood pressure and the effects it has on the body.
Many places now have a blood pressure machine near their pharmacy centers and you can easily check on your blood pressure. Even if you have not had problems in the past, it might not hurt to occasionally stick your arm in one of those machines and see what your reading is.
It is now recommended that if your blood pressure is above 120/80, that you get the blood pressure evaluated. Many people still don't require medications for their blood pressure until it reaches a level of 140/90; however, there are sub-groups of patients that need to be treated before the blood pressure reaches that level. Some of these groups include diabetics, people with kidney disease, and people with heart disease or previous strokes.
Even if your blood pressure is in the range that it is somewhat elevated but doesn't require medications there still may be interventions that will be helpful. It may even be possible to slow or stop the need for medications in the past by making some simple lifestyle changes.
As well, the physician can assess for other health risk factors while evaluating your high blood pressure. Patients with high blood pressure may well be at risk for cholesterol problems, heart problems, diabetes, and kidney problems. The physician can check for these risks and help with those as well. For any of these problems, prevention is the much preferred plan.
At Gumtree Medical Clinic, we specialize in hypertension (high blood pressure) and all its associated problems. We can check you for all the conditions listed above and help you get any of these that are present under control. We will be glad to discuss any of these with you and help you find the best treatment plan for you.
If you have difficulties with high blood pressure or other illnesses, please come by or call today.
Many places now have a blood pressure machine near their pharmacy centers and you can easily check on your blood pressure. Even if you have not had problems in the past, it might not hurt to occasionally stick your arm in one of those machines and see what your reading is.
It is now recommended that if your blood pressure is above 120/80, that you get the blood pressure evaluated. Many people still don't require medications for their blood pressure until it reaches a level of 140/90; however, there are sub-groups of patients that need to be treated before the blood pressure reaches that level. Some of these groups include diabetics, people with kidney disease, and people with heart disease or previous strokes.
Even if your blood pressure is in the range that it is somewhat elevated but doesn't require medications there still may be interventions that will be helpful. It may even be possible to slow or stop the need for medications in the past by making some simple lifestyle changes.
As well, the physician can assess for other health risk factors while evaluating your high blood pressure. Patients with high blood pressure may well be at risk for cholesterol problems, heart problems, diabetes, and kidney problems. The physician can check for these risks and help with those as well. For any of these problems, prevention is the much preferred plan.
At Gumtree Medical Clinic, we specialize in hypertension (high blood pressure) and all its associated problems. We can check you for all the conditions listed above and help you get any of these that are present under control. We will be glad to discuss any of these with you and help you find the best treatment plan for you.
If you have difficulties with high blood pressure or other illnesses, please come by or call today.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Happy New Year
We at Gumtree Medical Clinic hope you had a Merry Christmas and happy holidays. We hope your new year is off to a great start. If you have not done so lately, it might be a good time of year to make sure your health is at its best.
We will be glad to help you get off to a healthy start with a complete physical and check-up. If you have chronic medical problems, we would be happy to review your problems and therapy to make sure you are headed in the right direction.
It is now the midst of cold and flu season as well. If you become ill, come on in and let us get you back on your feet. We have flu vaccines still available and late is better than never. You can actually get a flu shot even in January. We also offer flu testing, mono spot testing, strep testing, and CBCs on site in an effort to find out what is wrong and get you on treatment quickly.
We will be glad to help you get off to a healthy start with a complete physical and check-up. If you have chronic medical problems, we would be happy to review your problems and therapy to make sure you are headed in the right direction.
It is now the midst of cold and flu season as well. If you become ill, come on in and let us get you back on your feet. We have flu vaccines still available and late is better than never. You can actually get a flu shot even in January. We also offer flu testing, mono spot testing, strep testing, and CBCs on site in an effort to find out what is wrong and get you on treatment quickly.
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