Cold Weather

Wow, it has really been a cold winter so far. It is very important to bundle up when going outside to avoid difficulties with cold exposure. With sub-freezing temperatures, it is not difficult to get frostbite and other injuries especially when cleaning windshields and other activities that seem to only require a "short time" to complete.

Many winter-time infections are going around as well including strep throat. It is important to be seen for possible strep throat if you have a prolonged, severe sore throat especially if accompanied by high fever, earache, and possible stomach aches. If you have been exposed to someone with strep throat, the presence of these symptoms suggests a high liklihood of the disease.

The pharyingitis (sore throat) will clear on its own without treatment. The danger of strep throat is the longer term complications from the streptococcal organism such as rheumatic heart disease and glomerulonephritis. The antibiotics used in patients with strep throat are used to prevent these complications.

If you are diagnosed with strep throat, it is important that you complete a full course of antibiotic therapy (generally 10 days) in order to safeguard against these complications. If you worry that you may have strep throat, we can do a rapid strep test and know quickly if you have the disease. There can be false negative tests and a throat culture is sometimes still indicated.

If you feel we can be of help with your medical illnesses, please call or come by and schedule an appointment. We are located at 88 Clark Boulevard in the Fairpark District in Downtown Tupelo and in the Noyes Clinic on Shiloh Road in Corinth. We can be reached at 662-690-5675 or toll-free at 877-690-5675.