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Why Women Need Annual Traditional and Gynecological Health Exams

Why Women Need Annual Traditional and Gynecological Health Exams

May 11, 2021 By Leave a Comment

Heart disease. Cancer. Stroke. Diabetes. All are among the top ten killers of women in the US and most can be prevented or cured when caught early. These diseases are just a few that women are tested for when they schedule their annual health exam. However, many women fail to schedule a traditional annual health exam each year because they consider their annual gynecological exam to be sufficient. 

The Difference Between a Women’s Annual Gynecological Exam and a Traditional Health Exam

Many women assume their annual gynecological check ups to be all they need as far as yearly wellness checks are concerned. However, a gynecological exam typically only consists of a pelvic exam, a Pap smear, and a breast exam. A mammogram and additional women’s health tests may also be performed if you are at a higher risk for certain conditions and illnesses. 

What to Expect During a Pelvic Exam, Pap Smear, and Breast Exam

Pelvic exams are performed to determine if the uterus, ovaries, cervix, and bladder are in good health. This exam includes a visual and manual check to find any signs of a problem. Pap smears are usually performed at the same time as the pelvic exam. This is a screening test for cervical cancer that involves swabbing the cervix to find abnormalities in cervical cells. 

Manual breast exams are performed in women between ages 20 – 40 during their annual gynecological visit. This exam finds lumps and other abnormalities in the breast that could be signs of breast cancer. Women aged 40 and up also receive a mammogram, an x-ray of the breasts that finds changes in breast tissue and other symptoms of cancer. 

What to Expect During a Traditional Annual Health Exam

Gynecological exams focus on a woman’s reproductive and breast health while a traditional wellness exam takes an overall look at physical and mental health. Women can expect a physical exam, blood tests, and to discuss their personal and family health history with their provider. This is also the best time for women to share any mental health concerns with their providers so they can begin addressing the issue. 

Women’s Health at Mantachie Clinic

We offer comprehensive annual health exams as well as women’s pelvic exams and Pap smears at Mantachie Rural Healthcare. We also have in-house mental health professionals in case you and your provider determine you need more assistance in treating your concerns. You may schedule these visits in the same appointment or at different times. We encourage you to schedule these important exams each year to help us keep you in the best health possible. Click here or dial 662-282-4226 to schedule an appointment now. 

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The Dangers of Kids Buying Drugs Online

May 3, 2021 By Leave a Comment

In February 2021, famed therapist and radio host, Dr. Laura Berman experienced a nightmare no parent ever wants to go through. She found her sixteen-year-old son lying unresponsive on his bedroom floor from a drug overdose. Paramedics were unable to revive him, and on February 9, Samuel Berman Chapman lost his young life.  The Berman-Chapman family is one of many who have suffered the dangers of kids buying drugs online.

Berman revealed in an interview that her son died of an overdose on the dangerous synthetic opioid fentanyl and that he purchased the drug online. As tragic as this story is, it’s far from the first of its kind. In 2016, the death of two Utah teens made headlines when their baffling deaths were revealed to be caused by the drug U-47700. Police found evidence that the teens had purchased the drug online after searching through their social media accounts. Known on the street as “pink” or “pinky”, U-47700 is the same drug found in the home of the late music legend, Prince, at the time of his death. 

Fentanyl and U-47700 are just two of several deadly synthetic drugs that can be purchased online. One of the many dangers of these drugs is that they typically contain much higher amounts of the drug than advertised. This is why so many purchasers have overdosed or died from an overdose. Synthetic drugs are more readily available because chemists can easily duplicate recipes for the drugs and recipes found on the internet. However, since the pandemic, authorities have also seen an increase in the sales of heroin, cocaine, and other popular recreational drugs on social media as drug dealers have had to find more creative ways to keep business going during lockdowns and quarantines. 

Signs Your Child May Be Purchasing Drugs Online

You may want to give your child privacy but monitoring their online activities at any age is key to protecting them from buying drugs and other dangerous online behaviors. Knowing the behavioral signs of a child ordering drugs online can help you recognize the warning signs and just may save your child’s life. Here’s what to look for:

  • Displaying secretive behavior when online such as quickly turning off computers or clicking off a web page when you or another adult enters the room.
  • Lying or deceitful behavior especially if your child doesn’t typically engage in deceit.
  • Suddenly receiving packages or going out and returning with packages they don’t want to open in front of you.
  • Sudden increase in spending or missing money. 
  • Spending more time alone in their room and locking the bedroom door. 
  • General signs of drug abuse like drastic changes in behavior and changes in sleep habits. 

What You Can Do to Teach Your Kids the Dangers of Buying Drugs Online

Prevention is always the best method for stopping anything deadly, including drug abuse. Even if your child has already participated in buying and using online drugs you can stop further efforts. Prevent your kids from buying drugs online by:

  • Keeping communications lines open and staying aware of what’s happening in your teen’s daily life. Talk with them about what’s going on in their lives and keep note of their behavior or any changes in their behavior.
  • Helping them understand the consequences of drug use and purchasing unknown drugs. Tell them the truth about the dangers of overdosing and death associated with overdose. 
  • Monitoring their online searches and social media accounts.
  • Monitoring any packages they receive, especially ones from unrecognized senders.

Do you suspect your teen or preteen is using or buying online drugs? Mantachie Rural Healthcare can help get your child back on track with our behavioral health services. Get help now by dialing 662-282-4226 to request an appointment. 

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Delicious Foods to Protect Your Health Over 50

March 9, 2021 By Leave a Comment

Aging isn’t for the faint of heart. Between sagging skin and higher risks of chronic health conditions, our bodies are fighting more than time once we click past the half-century mark. But you still have a lot of life to live and adventures to take, so buckle up for a drive through some delicious food territory that will tickle your taste buds and keep your mind and body active for decades to come.

Fish

Let’s start with something versatile and delicious: fish! Particularly fatty fish like salmon, albacore tuna, herring and farmed trout. Try to eat fish at least twice a week. These main dishes are filled with DHA, which is good for your brain. If you aren’t a fish fan, other great sources of DHA include walnuts, flaxseed, and chia seed. 

Protein

Keeping on the theme of main dishes, protein helps you fight muscle and bone loss, but don’t rely on processed meats or too many protein powders. Eggs, beans, peas, nuts, seeds, and poultry provide your body with superior nutrition without the extra salt and additives that could increase your risk of heart disease and cancer. Varying your protein options keeps you from getting bored with your food choices and reduces the chances you’ll slip back those processed easy foods.

Calcium

Sure milk and cheese are yummy ways to reach your goal of 1200 milligrams of calcium per day, but why limit yourself? Yogurt, rice, soy drinks, fortified orange juice, tofu, and broccoli can help you reach your goal too. Did you know cooked broccoli releases even more health benefits for your body? Roast some in the oven, cook it in a sauce, or throw it on the grill for a different take on this green veggie.

Fruit

What goes better with yogurt, cubed cheese, or a smoothie than your favorite fruits. Every fruit offers unique benefits to your health. Red fruits like watermelon and strawberries are rich in lycopene which could lower your risk of cancer and may protect you against strokes. Blueberries hit everyone’s “must eat” list because they are rich in vitamins A and C as well as antioxidants like anthocyanin and compounds that lower inflammation. Citrus fruits have anti-inflammatory properties and may help protect you against some cancers. You’ll receive the most benefit from eating all these fruits fresh instead of cooked into pastries.

Cabbage and Cruciferous Vegetables

Our immune health has taken a front seat in recent months, and nothing could be better for bolstering your immune system than foods in the cabbage family. Don’t like cabbage itself? No problem. This family includes a wide variety of vegetables such as kale, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and radishes as well as maybe less known choices such as arugula, bok choy, horseradish, rutabaga, turnips, watercress, and wasabi. Many of these also fall into the “dark leafy green” category which means they do double duty to protect your eyes, memory, and thinking. Look for creative ways to cook any of these vegetables including roasting them, eating them in salads, or mixing them into other dishes.

Fiber and Whole Grains

So far we’ve built a pretty tasty plate with fish, fruit, cheese, and some roasted veggies, but you still need to add fiber and whole grains to your diet. Many of the foods we’ve already mentioned include much of the fiber you need, but as you age you need more fiber than before. Men over 50 should aim for 30 grams of fiber a day, and women should aim for 21 grams. Fiber not only helps keep your digestive system regular, but it lowers cholesterol, helps manage your blood sugar, and keeps your weight healthy. Whole grains provide another great source of fiber plus they add B-6 and folate to keep your brain healthy. You’re not limited to whole wheat bread, though. Quinoa, wheat berries, and whole-wheat couscous can add variety to your diet.

Spice It Up

Spices not only add delicious flavor to your foods, but they provide benefits all on their own. As you age, your sense of taste and smell change. You’re more likely to lose sensitivity to salty and bitter foods first, which may drive you to oversalt foods or lean toward sweets instead. You can up the flavor of your foods with non-salt spices such as turmeric, cinnamon, rosemary, and garlic. 

Water

As you age, you won’t notice your thirst as often as you once did. This leads senior adults to be more vulnerable to dehydration. Aim to drink eight 8-ounce cups of water a day. Add fruit juice, tea, soup, and those fruits and vegetables with high water content to help you reach your goal if needed. 

Finding the right mix of nutritious, yummy foods to meet your unique dietary needs can be a challenge, especially if you have high blood pressure or diabetes. We have a registered dietcian, Erica Witcher, on our staff. When you meet with our doctor or nurse practitioners, her services are included with your visit at no additional charge. Request your appointment with both our nurse practitioner and dietitian by calling (662) 282-4226.

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What Happens When You Quit Smoking: A Timeline

November 24, 2020 By Leave a Comment
What Happens When You Quit Smoking: A Timeline

Following through on your decision to quit smoking is hard. Especially in the beginning. But, if you can tough it out through those crucial first few days and weeks, your body and health will reward you later. You don’t have to wait long to start noticing (good) changes in your body. In fact, your health begins improving just 20 minutes after your last cigarette. Here’s what you can expect.

20 Minutes

Your blood pressure and pulse rates return to normal a mere 20 minutes after your last puff. Your hands and feet warm to normal temperature, too. 

8 – 12 Hours

Your blood now contains half the nicotine and carbon monoxide it had after your last smoke. Unfortunately, you’ll be able to feel this change through cravings and doubts about quitting. Push through it. These cravings typically only last about 5-10 minutes. Four short hours later, your heart is rejoicing because it no longer has to pump as hard. Your carbon monoxide levels are also now completely normal.

24-48 Hours

Your risk of a heart attack has lowered after just one day. After 48 hours, your sense of smell and taste have sharpened as the nerve endings in your nose and tongue heal. Your lungs are also expelling nasty mucus and gunk. You may feel tired, hungry, anxious, or dizzy. These are normal withdrawal symptoms. Warning: These symptoms will worsen before they get better. Keep going. After a couple of weeks, you’ll notice great improvement. If you have asthma, you may experience worsened symptoms in the first 48 hours. This is also normal and symptoms typically improve around day 3.

72 Hours

By day three your lungs are stronger and clearer. The fatigue you felt the day before is gone and you’ll have notably more energy.

Two Weeks to Three Months

The worst withdrawal symptoms should be over and your risk of a heart attack continues to decrease. Your blood flow has already improved and if you exercise you’ll notice you are less winded. 

Three to Nine Months

Your breathing is deeper and clearer. Your coughs are now helpful and you’ll likely have fewer colds and other respiratory illnesses. 

One Year

Congratulations! You’ve hit a major milestone. Your body rewards you with a better heart. Your risk of heart disease is cut in half. Celebrate your achievement!

Five Years

In half a decade, your risk of a stroke and cervical cancer are equivalent to that of a person who has never smoked. Your risk of mouth, throat, esophageal, and bladder cancer has also decreased by half. 

10 Years

You are now half as likely to die of lung cancer as a smoker. Your risk of developing laryngeal or pancreatic cancer has dropped significantly. 

15 Years

Your chances of heart disease are now the same as a person who has never smoked. Time to celebrate again!

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Heart Disease and Artificial Sweeteners

November 17, 2020 By Leave a Comment

A recent study revealed those who drink sugary and artificially sweetened drinks are at a higher risk for stroke and heart disease. That’s right. A link has been found between heart disease and artificial sweeteners.

The new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology studied 100,000 participants in the Nutre-Net Sante, an online and ongoing cohort study in France. Participants recorded their diet, activity levels, and health status at six-month intervals for the study. The research also found that consumption of sugary beverages are on a rise all around the world and with it, the detrimental effects on consumers’ heart health. 

What You Can Do About Heart Disease and Artificial Sweeteners

The best thing you can do is to stop drinking sugary or artificially sweetened drinks, which is much easier said than done, we know. What’s the best alternative to these beverages? Water, water, and more water. But people who regularly drink sugary drinks have a hard time converting to water drinking. Luckily, there are some great ways you can “sweeten” your water without adding harmful sugar or artificial sweeteners. Take a look at these options. 

Fruit-infused Water

Have you ever soaked a lemon and cucumber wedge in a bottle of water overnight? The results are divine. Lemon and cucumber isn’t the only combo you can use. The great news is, most home retailers offer fruit infusion pitchers just for this purpose. You can even find inexpensive ones at stores like Five Below. These special pitchers come with a tube for fruit that is placed directly into the pitcher of water. Overnight, you will have a new beverage concoction with very little effort on your part. All you have to do is slice the fruit! Here are some other fruit combo ideas that make delicious infused water. 

Strawberry, Basil and Lemon

½  cup of strawberries, five large basil leaves, and one sliced lemon is perfect for strawberry lemonade lovers. 

Honeydew, Cucumber, and Mint

For this concoction, use ½ cup of cubed honeydew, 1 thinly sliced cucumber, and about 10 torn mint leaves. 

Blackberry, Ginger, and Orange

One thinly sliced orange, a half-pint of blackberries, and one two-inch piece of ginger peeled and thinly sliced makes a spicy sweet beverage that’s great for ginger ale lovers. 

Blueberry, Lemon, and Rosemary

½ pint of blueberries, a thinly sliced lemon, and four sprigs of rosemary are all you need. 

Pineapple, Coconut, and Lime

You put the lime in the coconut and drink it up. Not quite but you can throw 1 cup of pineapple chunks, 1 cup of coconut chunks (fresh or frozen), and one sliced lime into a pitcher of water for a nice beachy concoction. 

Watermelon, Kiwi and Lime

One cup of cubed watermelon, one spiraled or diced kiwi, and one lime sliced into circles makes another fun summer drink. 

Pomegranate, Grapefruit, and Mint

½ cup of pomegranate seeds, one sliced grapefruit, and 10 torn mint leaves are a daring combo you should at least try once. 

Mango, Ginger, and Raspberry

For this you’ll need ½ pint of raspberries, 1 peeled and cubed mango, and one two-inch piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced. 

With all these great recipes, you can fill your fridge with deliciously flavored drinks your entire family can enjoy every time guilt-free. The best part? You can drink as much of these as you want and your healthcare provider will thank you! For more great water infusion recipes check out Pinterest or a quick Google search. 

To learn more about the link between sugary and artificially sweetened drinks, click here.

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The Benefits of Choosing a Nurse Practitioner for Your Primary Care

November 10, 2020 By Leave a Comment
The Benefits of Choosing a Nurse Practitioner for Your Primary Care

Nurse practitioners are the heartbeat of our clinic and provide most of the primary and urgent care services we offer at Mantachie Rural Health Care. In recent years, nurse practitioners have proven more important to the healthcare industry than ever before, especially related to primary care. In fact, you might say nurse practitioners have set a new standard for primary care and here’s why. 

Nurse Practitioners Offer a Higher Quality of Care

According to Columbia Doctors/Nurse Practitioners Group, more than 80 percent of nurse practitioners train in primary care. At least half of all NP’s have hospital privileges. These privileges allow NP’s to admit and order services for their patients. 

Nurse practitioners also focus on providing counseling and patient education as part of their patients’ primary care. They consider factors like the patient’s lifestyle and both their physical and mental well-being when it comes to determining the type of care the patient needs. Nurse practitioners provide care for the whole person rather than focusing on one or two health concerns. 

What Can a Nurse Practitioner Do?

To put it simply, nurse practitioners can do just about anything doctors can do, except performing surgical procedures on their own. NP’s can determine diagnoses and provide treatment for acute and chronic illnesses. They can also order diagnostic tests like x-rays and blood tests, and become board-certified in specialties like family care and women’s health. 

Why Should I Choose a Nurse Practitioner for My Primary Care?

If the reasons above aren’t enough, perhaps you’ll be convinced by knowing that nurse practitioners are more accessible than doctors. This means no waiting weeks or even months to get an appointment. 

You’ll also appreciate the shorter wait times and the diverse services offered. Nurse practitioners seek to meet all of the needs of their local community regardless of how different each one might be. Our NPs allow us to offer a wide range of services from diabetes care to women’s health care. Our NPs also provide primary and urgent care services for the whole family. This includes childhood immunizations and yearly checkups for the whole family. 

The experienced nurse practitioners at Mantachie Rural Health Care want to help manage you and your family’s health care. Get started with us today by requesting a primary care checkup here.

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What Caregivers Need to Know About Caring for Their Diabetes Patient

November 3, 2020 By Leave a Comment
Caregivers serve a crucial role in the successful treatment of diabetes.

Caregivers serve a crucial role in the successful treatment of diabetes. Diabetic patients have many daily responsibilities required to keep diabetes under control. They often need support from a dedicated caregiver to accomplish each task. A caregiver of diabetes patients share in the daily responsibilities of their diabetic loved one and also provide emotional support. 

Six Things New Caregivers of Diabetes Patients Should Know

If you are a new caregiver for a diabetes patient, you may feel overwhelmed. The first step you should take is to create a support team for both you and your loved one. Your support team consists of your loved one’s healthcare providers and other family members or close friends who can provide additional support or act as a substitute for you when you need a break or have other responsibilities. A support team helps curve your burden as a primary caregiver. It also helps the patient with their own needs concerning their new diagnosis. 

The next step you should take as a caregiver of a diabetes patient is to educate yourself as much as possible. We offer a number of articles right here on our website about diabetes education. You can also find excellent information on trusted health websites like Mayo Clinic and the American Diabetes Association. Each month we hold monthly diabetes education classes. We recently started sharing a series of live videos on our Facebook page.

Caregiving for diabetes patients requires patience, especially in the beginning following a new diagnosis. Your loved one will need your patience as they try to understand their condition and adjust to their new lifestyle and routines. Daily diabetes care like reading labels, foot care, monitoring blood glucose levels, and administering insulin take time and can be points of frustration. Keeping calm and collected not only helps the caregiver but the patient as well. Stress can increase blood glucose levels. Your loved one may feel stressed if they sense that you are impatient or unhappy. 

Caregivers should be willing to “walk the walk” when it comes to living a healthier lifestyle. Diabetes patients are encouraged to follow their new healthy diets and exercise routines when they see their support doing the same. Let your loved one see you eat healthily and exercise with them for motivation.

What Caregivers Can Expect Each Day

Caregivers should expect to help their loved one with all of their daily diabetes responsibilities. Some of those include keeping blood sugar levels regulated and checking their skin for signs of diabetes-related issues. Your loved one may need help monitoring their blood sugar levels, following a set eating schedule, exercising, and creating healthy meals based on their healthcare provider’s recommendations. You will need to make sure they receive plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Caregivers should also monitor how their loved one feels throughout each day and help them learn to manage stress. 

Daily grooming is extremely important. Diabetics often suffer mouth and dental problems. Following good oral health habits like brushing at least twice a day and flossing daily are crucial for maintaining mouth health. Foot care is just as important. Diabetes patients are more likely to have an infection from ingrown toenails. Which means their feet and toes should be checked daily. Toes should be trimmed regularly to prevent ingrown toenails and the nails should never be rounded at the corners when trimmed. Diabetics need to wear shoes all day even at home. New shoes should be worn for the first few days at home for 1-2 hours before checking for new blisters. 

Diabetics are also more susceptible to skin infections and non-healing wounds than people without diabetes. Patients will need to be checked each day from head to toe for signs of red spots, sores, calluses, and blisters. 
Mantachie Rural Health Care offers support for diabetic patients and their caregivers in a number of ways including diabetes education classes. Follow us on Facebook for updates on our next class.

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Six Foods You Thought Were Healthy But Aren’t

August 11, 2020 By Leave a Comment
Six Foods You Thought Were Healthy But Aren't

Eating healthy and getting plenty of exercise are two lifestyle choices we heavily promote here at Mantachie Rural Health Care. Learning to eat healthy is challenging–especially in today’s world that offers an overwhelming amount of food options. Many of today’s foods, particularly pre-packaged, store-bought foods, are promoted as “healthy” choices but are actually worse than those obviously unhealthy options like soda and candy. If you’re trying to cut out unnecessary sugar, carbs, or calories from your diet, you’ll want to avoid the following six foods you thought were healthy.

Orange juice and other fruit juices.

The problem with orange juice and other fruit juices is that most of them are made from concentrate–meaning all the “good stuff” in the fruits that make these juices are stripped away and replaced with processed sugar. In fact, juices have as much sugar in each serving as a can of soda. 

Think making your own orange juice will make it healthier? Think again. The juicing fruits of orange are naturally sweet and contain very little fiber resulting in a spike in your blood sugar. The healthiest option is to switch to fruit-infused water. You can easily make your own by adding any of your favorite fruits to a pitcher of water and then refrigerating the water for several hours or overnight to allow the fruits to infuse.

Baked potato

A plain baked potato is high in calories and carbs. Start adding butter, sour cream, and other toppings and you’re adding even more junk to the mix. Opt for a sweet potato instead. 

Store-bought smoothies

Turns out saving yourself time with store-bought smoothies doesn’t actually save your diet. Even the “green” smoothies are high in sugar and low in the actual good stuff that comes from fruits and veggies that supposedly make up these smoothies. Your best bet is to eat your daily servings of fruits and vegetables and make sure you include a serving of greens with each meal. If you must have a smoothie, make your own. Your veggie portions should outweigh your fruit 3:1 and we advise adding flaxseed, chia seeds, or nuts for fiber. 

Flavored yogurt

There’s a reason healthy diets specify plain Greek yogurt instead of suggesting any yogurt on the dairy shelf. None, and we mean none, of the flavored yogurts you find at the grocery store are actually healthy. Like so many other foods that are advertised as healthy when they’re not, flavored yogurts are high in sugar. Satisfy your taste for yogurt by topping a serving of plain Greek yogurt with your choice of fresh fruit. 

Whole wheat

A few decades ago, whole wheat bread was touted as a healthy alternative to white bread. Health experts quickly found out that wasn’t quite the case, however. Actually, whole wheat contains so much sugar it raises your glucose levels faster than most candy bars. 

Dried Fruits

Much like other foods on our list, dried fruits are made unhealthy thanks to too much sugar made from the drying process. Always choose fresh fruit when you’re craving a fruity snack. 

Confused about what’s really nutritious and what’s not? You’re not alone. Our clinic has a registered dietician on staff. Contact us to make an appointment Erica Witcher, RD, CDE.

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How to Stay Safe at the Clinic during Non-Coronavirus Health Visits

August 4, 2020 By Leave a Comment
How to Stay Safe at the Clinic during Non-Coronavirus Health Visit

As we write this, the entire state of Mississippi is experiencing an upswing in confirmed coronavirus diagnosis. It’s more important now than ever to practice CDC guidelines to stay safe and help slow the spread of COVID-19. Staying home and avoiding unnecessary trips to public places including health facilities are among the steps we should take to slow the spread of the virus. But when you become sick with a non-coronavirus related illness or need a prescription refilled, a health visit is unavoidable. Here’s what you can do to stay safe at the clinic.

Find out your clinic’s safety requirements before your visit. 

Most clinics are taking extreme precautions and measures to protect their patients and staff. Find out your clinic’s policies on masks and social distancing, as well as their cleaning and sanitizing protocols. Most clinics will have restrictions in place regarding how many people are allowed inside and how many visitors can accompany a patient even for a non-coronavirus health visit. Expect temperature checks and symptom screenings at every clinic entrance. 

Ask about their protocol for possible coronavirus patients.

Knowing what your clinic is doing to protect you and others from exposure to coronavirus is one way to ease any anxiety you have about your visit. Every clinic should have a protocol in place that keeps patients with coronavirus-related symptoms totally isolated.

Take your own protective measures.

Do your part to protect yourself and help slow the spread of coronavirus. Wear a mask to the clinic and other public places. Sanitize or wash your hands for at least 20 seconds after touching public surfaces. Avoid touching your face, especially your eyes, nose, and mouth and stay 6 feet away from others. 

Mantachie Rural Health Care is committed to protecting you and all of our patients and staff. If you are sick or have an urgent health matter, don’t put off visiting your provider because of coronavirus fears. A known illness or emergency can be more dangerous to your health than the possibility of a virus. We are taking every measure possible to keep our clinic safe. Request an appointment with us at 662-282-4226.

Read next: 4 Dangers to Skipping Your Child’s Wellness Check-up

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Chronic Lyme Disease Highlight Reasons to Prevent Tick Bites

July 14, 2020 By Leave a Comment
Chronic Lyme Disease Highlight Reasons to Prevent Tick Bites

We’re all happy to see some sunshine and spend some time outside. As we’re recovering from quarantine and continue to practice social distancing, outdoor activities have become even more important this summer. A lot of focus continues to remain on the coronavirus, but that doesn’t mean other diseases have taken a backseat. Now it’s time for your yearly reminder to beware of tick bites which can cause Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

Deer ticks, particularly prevalent in our neck of the woods, are the culprit for Lyme disease. Lyme can be easily treated if caught early, but some patients may suffer long-term consequences of the illness especially if it’s not caught early.

Initial Symptoms

After removing a tick, many people will notice a small, red bump similar to a mosquito bite. This skin irritation is normal and nothing to be concerned about. Complications from that tick bite develop anytime from 3 to 30 after the bite. The most common sign of Lyme disease is a bulls-eye rash at the site of the bite. It expands over the course of several days and may reach 12” in diameter. The rash isn’t painful or itchy. 

Not every case of Lyme disease includes this tell-tale rash. If you do not have the rash, but have the following symptoms it’s time to see your doctor:

  • Fever
  • Chills
  • Fatigue 
  • Body aches
  • Headache
  • Neck stiffness
  • Swollen lymph nodes

Although many of these symptoms are similar to the Coronavirus, one noticeable difference is Lyme disease does not cause respiratory problems while COVID-19 does.

Antibiotics are the recommended treatment for Lyme disease. Most patients who receive treatment recover with no additional complications.

Chronic Lyme Disease

Even if you have symptoms that disappear without a doctor’s visit, you need to visit your provider if you’ve had a tick bite or been in wooded or grassy areas where ticks like to gather. You may have had a tick bite that you weren’t aware of. Untreated Lyme disease can spread throughout your body and cause long-term health problems. Medical professionals estimate 10-20% of people who receive adequate treatment for Lyme disease continue to have symptoms for weeks, months, and sometimes years after the infection.

Chronic Lyme Disease symptoms include:

  • fatigue
  • restless sleep
  • pain
  • aching joints or muscles
  • pain or swelling in the knees, shoulders, elbows, and other large joints
  • decreased short-term memory or ability to concentrate
  • speech problems

Because these symptoms overlap with many other illnesses, people with chronic Lyme disease are often misdiagnosed. That’s why it’s important to tell your doctor if you’ve experienced a tick bite, even if you don’t have the bulls-eye rash afterward.

Some doctors believe Lyme disease triggers an autoimmune response in some patients which causes additional damage to their body and allows the symptoms to linger.

We currently do not have a specific test or treatment for chronic Lyme disease. That’s the bad news. In good news, your doctor can work with you to get a diagnosis and treat your symptoms. Your doctor may do antibody tests and prescribe medications to treat your symptoms. 

Prevention

The best way to prevent Lyme disease is to avoid deer ticks’ natural habitats like wooded areas and tall grassy areas. But let’s be real. We live in Mississippi. We know camping, fishing, and hunting are our favorite pastimes. With the closure of many indoor activities this summer, the great outdoors will be even more enticing. You can take steps to protect yourself while you enjoy nature.

  • Cover up with long pants and long sleeves when you’re in wooded, grassy areas.
  • Stick to trails and avoid tall grassy areas.
  • Keep your dog on a leash.
  • Apply insect repellent with 20% or higher DEET concentration.
  • Tick proof your yard by mowing regularly and stacking wood in dry, sunny areas.
  • Check your clothing, yourself, your kids, and your pets for ticks after being outside, especially if you’ve been camping, fishing, hiking, or hunting.
  • Remove any tick as soon as you find it. A tick must be attached for 36-48 hours in order to transmit Lyme disease. 
  • Don’t assume you are immuned because you had Lyme disease once. You can be re-infected.

If you’ve experienced a tick bite or have any symptoms of Lyme disease, please contact our office for an appointment with one of our providers. 

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