There is a bug going around, causing severe body aches and stomach upset. If you get it, and you have a very high fever or a fever that lasts more than 2 days, or if you feel very ill, please see your physician.
Drink lots of fluids, drink them slowly, take acetaminophen for fever and pain (i.e. calpol/ tylenol/ panadol), and avoid dairy and greasy or spicy foods.
Have a great day!

There is a bad cold going around. 
Remember that colds are caused by viruses and so most of the time you shouldn't need antibiotics. See your doctor if you have a high fever or fever for more that two days, a bad cough with shortness of breath or chest pain or you feel extremely ill. It's best to stay home if you are coughing, you don't want to infect your coworkers or fellow students. 
Remember to cough or sneeze into your elbow to decrease the chances of spreading germs on your hands. Wash your hands often with soap and water and try to keep your hands from your face to decrease the chances of catching a cold from someone else.
Have a great day!

Protect yourself from the flu, wash your hands often with soap, and try to avoid putting your hands to your face.
Have you had your flu shot?

Influenza viruses are always changing, so annual vaccination is recommended. Each year scientists try to match the viruses in the vaccine to those most likely to cause flu that year. Flu vaccine will not prevent disease from other viruses (like cold viruses), including flu viruses not contained in the vaccine.
It takes up to 2 weeks for protection to develop after the shot. Protection lasts about a year.
From: The CDC

Come see me at the clinic if you are not feeling well or you need a check up. 
Call 327-6407 for an appointment or walk right in.
Love yourself, take care of your health!

The flu is going around again.
The cold and flu are caused by viruses. This means that antibiotics are not helpful most of the time. Please don't try to persuade your doctor to give you antibiotics if he/she doesn't think they are necessary. You should get better in about a week, no matter what medications you take. Drink lots of fluids and get some rest. You can take over the counter medications for pain and fever, like Tylenol or Motrin, increase your fluid intake, and gargle with salt water if you have a sore throat.
Stay home if you are coughing so you don't infect your classmates or coworkers. When you cough, cough into the inside of your elbow, so that you can keep your hands germ free.
You may need antibiotics if you can see white stuff on your tonsils, if you have swollen painful neck glands, a high fever, a fever that lasts more than 2 days, a very bad cough with chest pain and/or shortness of breath, if you feel and look absolutely awful, if you are immunosuppressed for some other reason, or if it's your child that is sick and they are very young. Please see your doctor in these cases.
Come see me at the clinic if you are not feeling well or you need a check up. Call 327-6407 for an appointment or walk right in.
Love yourself, take care of your health! 

Flu vaccines are now available for the 2012-13 Flu season. 
Anyone over the age of 6 months can be vaccinated. The Flu vaccine is especially recommended for people over 65, people with chronic conditions like Diabetes, Asthma or hypertension, people who take care of children or the elderly and for health care workers.
If you are allergic to eggs you should not take the vaccine.
Here is the CDC info on the Flu vaccine.

Love yourself, take care of your health! 

Most sore throats are caused by viruses. This means that antibiotics are not helpful for most sore throats. Please don't try to persuade your doctor to give you antibiotics if he/she doesn't think they are necessary. You should get better in about a week, no matter what medications you take. You can take over the counter medications for pain, like Tylenol or Motrin, increase your fluid intake, and gargle with salt water.
You may need antibiotics if you can see white stuff on your tonsils, if you have swollen painful neck glands, a high fever, no cough, or a very bad cough with chest pain and/or shortness of breath, if you feel and look absolutely awful, if you are immunosuppressed for some other reason, or if it's your child that is sick and they are very young. Please see your doctor in these cases.
Come see me at the clinic if you are not feeling well or you need a check up. Call 327-6407 for an appointment or walk right in.
Love yourself, take care of your health! 

If you have high blood pressure and you get a cold, you have to be careful about what type of cold medicine you use. Many cold medicines contain ephedrine, which is a decongestant, but also speeds up your heart rate and increases your blood pressure. Avoid cold medicines that end in "ed" they usually contain ephedrine or pseudoephedrine and look at the ingredient list to make sure.
Love yourself, take care of your health!

Tylenol, Panadol, Calpol, Paramol, Paracetamol, and Acetaminophen are all the same medication, just different names. It is useful for pain and fever and is safe for children. Unlike Aspirin and Ibuprofen it does not irritate the stomach. The recommended dose for an adult is 325-1000 mg (1-2 tablets), and the maximum dose for an adult is 6 of the 500 mg tablets or 3000 mg per day. It can be taken every 4 - 6 hours. Acetaminophen can cause liver failure if taken in excess and this risk is increased if you drink alcohol while taking it. Again, don't take more than you have to, for longer than you have to and don't take alcohol with it.

Ibuprofen, Motrin and Advil are all the same medication, just with different names. It is useful for pain, inflammation and fever. Unfortunately it can cause stomach upset, so you should use it with caution if you have stomach ulcers, acid reflux, GERD or a sensitive stomach. It comes in liquid and tablet forms, with tablet strengths from 200mg to 800mg. It should be taken with food, 3 times daily, if necessary, and you should not take more that 2400 mg in one day - that means no more than 3 of the 800mg tabs per day. You should use the lowest effective dose for the shortest effective duration, i.e. don't take more than you have to, for longer than you have to, or you put yourself at risk for stomach irritation and other effects. If your pain or fever persists, please see a doctor.