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What to Do About Athlete’s Foot

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Although athlete’s foot is not considered to be a serious ailment, it can be very difficult to cure even for first rate doctors. Patients will rarely visit emergency care or a walk in clinic to have athlete’s foot treated, but that may be what’s needed. Most of these types of conditions are able to be treated at home, but when the over the counter medications are working or the condition is getting aggravated by them or just plain not doing anything, it may be time to let a doctor take a look and prescribe something a little stronger for you. First of all, let’s take a little closer look at what athlete’s foot and what causes it.

Causes of Athlete’s Foot
Athlete’s foot is what happens when tinea fungus grows on either one or both of the feet. The fungus can be contracted either through direct contact with someone else who has it or even just by coming in to contact with a contaminated surface. Warm and moist environments are the best living arrangements for the fungus such as showers, locker rooms and swimming pools.

Who Can Get it?
Pretty much any is susceptible. However, there are certain activities that can boost the risk. These include:

  1. Being barefoot in public places like locker rooms, showers and swimming pool
  2. Wearing someone else’s sock, shoes or towels
  3. Consistent use of tight fitting, closed toe shoes
  4. Letting your feet stay wet for a long time
  5. Having sweaty feet
  6. Not treating a small skin or nail injury on your feet.

It’s not just athlete’s that get the fungus but the reason it is referred to as athlete’s foot is because the areas where the fungus is mostly found is where athletes are. As you can from the list above, athlete’s exhibit most of these behaviors because of the sports they are involved in. The fungus was first found to be mostly in athlete’s, hence the given name, but it was later found out that anyone can get it, given the right set of circumstances and it is very contagious and easily spread so you should be careful.

Take all the precautions to avoid contracting it, even if it just means wearing shoes. That’s not hard to do; shower shoes should be a requirement for everyone using a public shower. Never use someone else’s socks or shoes just in case they may be infected and not know.

Symptoms:
Each person may experience different symptoms of athlete’s foot but they will probably be a mixture of the following:

  1. Itching, stinging or burning between the toes and on the soles of the feet
  2. Itchy blisters
  3. Cracking and peeling skin between the toes and on the soles of the feet
  4. Dry or raw skin on the soles of the feet
  5. Thick and discolored toenails that crumble
  6. Toenails that are pulling away from the nail bed

If you have any of these symptoms it is time to seek treatment, immediately. More severe cases should be seen by first rate doctors in order to diagnose it properly and prescribe the best treatment or medication.

How Do Doctors Diagnose it?
The symptoms alone are usually enough to be able to diagnose the condition of athlete’s foot. However, if the doctor is unsure he or she may preform a skin test to see if there is fungus present.

A skin lesion potassium hydroxide exam is the test that is most commonly used. During the exam, the doctor takes a small scraping of the skin and puts it in potassium hydroxide. The potassium hydroxide kills the normal cells so that the fungus cells are easier to see under a microscope.

How to Treat Athlete’s Foot
Most often, the condition can be treated over the counter with a topical anti fungal cream but if you do need to go to a clinic, first rate doctors are available to prescribe whatever medication is necessary.

If over the counter medication does not seem to be helping the problem, your doctor may have you being to take an oral prescription of anti fungal medications.

Soaking your feet in salt water or vinegar has also been known to help dry out blisters so there is some relief there. Tea tree oil also has had some success in clearing up athlete’s foot but you should ask first rate doctors before trying any kind of home remedy.

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Fast Facts and FAQs About Urgent Care Locations Near You

Symptoms of broken bone

It’s too bad emergency rooms can’t take a cue from those annoying pharmaceutical commercials that come with a long, long list of side effects. If they did, Americans might think twice before seeking emergency room care.

For decades now, many Americans have had no choice but to visit emergency rooms for sudden injuries and illness. After breaking a bone, a nasty cut, a sudden sore throat and cough, and countless other ailments, too many people would trek to the nearest emergency room. There, they would spend hours waiting to see a doctor. Weeks later, a bill bigger than their last paycheck arrives in the mail. It’s an inefficient system, and one with disastrous side effects for public health.

Filling the Gap Between ERs and Primary Care

Besides the expansion of health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, one of the biggest trends in U.S. health care has been the emergence of the urgent care industry.

Virtually unheard of just a decade ago, urgent care clinics have emerged as a viable alternative to the long lines and massive bills that come from visiting an emergency room in hospitals. What’s more, they offer emergency care for people who can’t wait for an appointment with their primary care physician. In 2015, there are an estimated 20,000 doctors practicing Urgent Care Medicine. Because it’s a recent trend in health care, many people have questions about the services and treatment options urgent care centers can provide.

The Truth About Urgent Care Locations Near You…

Here are some fast facts to consider:

  • According to the Urgent Care Association of America, as many as three million patients visit urgent care and walk in clinics every week.
  • For people with emergency medical issues who can’t wait for their doctor’s office to open, access is crucial. Fortunately, more than two-thirds of urgent care centers are open before 9 a.m. on weekdays.
  • Fully 85% of urgent care centers are open on weekends, too.
  • Four out of five clinics now offer fracture care.
  • The most common reason for visiting a walk in clinic? Upper respiratory conditions. The most common procedure urgent care doctors performed? Wound repair.

Most members of the health care community agree that urgent care clinics will continue to spread in 2016. If you need medical care fast, then look for urgent care locations near you.

Remember: for medical emergencies and life-threatening situations, call 911 immediately!

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When to Go to an Urgent Care Clinic

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Over the course of the last few years, the American healthcare industry has seen a dramatic increase in the number of private medical walk in clinics, like urgent care centers and retail clinics. Since then, everyone from top doctors and surgeons to health columnists have offered advice on which medical facility to seek out in a given situation. However, it can often be difficult to apply this advice when you’re dealing with an actual illness or injury. Fortunately, this choice can be easier than it might seem. Read on to find out which medical center you should seek in a given situation.

Doctors’ Offices
Every American should have a doctor or primary care physician, so if you are currently lacking someone to fill this role, start investigating options in your area today. Primary care physicians are meant to provide regular care for chronic conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure. Similarly, recurring problems should also be treated by a doctor, who will have access to your medical history and other resources, but will charge a relatively inexpensive co-pay. Unfortunately, because physicians require appointments and typically operate only during normal business hours, they will likely take too much time in other situations.

Retail Clinics
These walk in clinics are operated out of grocery stores, drug stores and other businesses. They are usually staffed by nurses, and provide a few simple services, such as vaccinations and basic diagnoses. However, because they offer so few treatments and are also only open when the parent store is operating, it may be preferable to seek out 24 hour urgent care in most situations.

Urgent Care Centers
Urgent care clinics have a number of benefits: for example, they encourage walk-ins, have short waiting times, offer a wide variety of medical services, and charge low co-pays to boot. Moreover, many of these clinics offer after-hours or 24 hour urgent care services, making them a convenient resource day or night. However, urgent care centers are designed to treat non-life-threatening issues, ranging from upper respiratory infections to minor cuts and wounds. If you need 24 hour urgent care, this type of clinic is your best option.

Emergency Rooms
Emergency room care should be strictly reserved for serious illnesses and injuries to prevent hospital overcrowding. However, if you have a broken leg, a severe flesh wound, serious chest pain, a fever above 103 degrees, or another worrying symptom, head to an emergency room immediately to keep your condition from worsening. Learn more at this link.

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Help Change the Healthcare Industry Visit an Urgent Care Center

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Studies show that an estimated 53% of all urgent care centers in the United States have been in operation for more than five years. While this statistic may seem insignificant, it actually represents a fascinating transition in the American healthcare industry: an estimated 47% of all urgent care clinics have been in operation for five years or less, meaning that urgent care facilities are growing more popular as non-critical medical conditions that require immediate attention begin to be treated at these walk in clinics, instead of overcrowded emergency rooms and busy doctors’ offices. But how have urgent care centers managed to turn this tide? The answer likely lies in the many advantages they offer their patients.

Due to the size of the communities they treat, many emergency rooms have found themselves overwhelmed by the sheer number of patients they must treat. This is especially problematic because a significant portion of these emergency room visits are believed to be unnecessary: research estimates that 27% of all emergency room visits in the United States could take place at an urgent care facility instead. Moreover, another study estimated that 35% of these emergency room visits could have been resolved faster and more affordably at an urgent care center. Fortunately, to the benefit of both their families and their communities, many people are beginning to visit their nearest urgent care clinic to treat their non-critical ailments, rather than waiting at the emergency room or for a doctor’s appointment.

Visiting an urgent care center is advantageous for a number of reasons: firstly, urgent care clinics, which are usually open 7 days a week, often encourage patients to walk in rather than schedule an appointment, making care extremely accessible. Secondly, upon arrival, an estimated 80% of all urgent care patients wait 15 minutes or less for treatment, making urgent care a typically more timely method of treatment than visiting an emergency room or traditional physician. Moreover, it is estimated that 80% of all urgent care visits in the U.S. will last an hour or less. Thirdly, urgent care centers have started offering a wide array of medical services, including blood work, physical exams, and X rays, making it easier than ever to get the care you need, and often at a lesser price than visiting an emergency room.

The spread of urgent care centers offers a variety of benefits for patients with non-critical injuries and illnesses which require immediate attention. By making medical care quicker to access, more affordable, and almost constantly available, it is now simpler than ever to deal with life’s common medical situations. For this reason, if you or a loved one is experiencing a non-life-threatening ailment, don’t waste time: visit an urgent care center near you for immediate medical attention. Ger more information on this topic here.