Archives for November 2020

How Long Have You Had That Cough?

Are you coughing persistently? Think about how long your cough has lasted – you might have swelling in your bronchial tubes, which transport air to and from the lungs.

Fortunately, you can receive treatment for bronchitis via a primary care provider. The family medicine provider will first evaluate your symptoms and determine a firm diagnosis of your respiratory condition. Let’s talk about what bronchitis is and where you can go in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach to find relief from your symptoms.

What Is Bronchitis?

Bronchitis occurs when you have inflammation of the bronchial tubes: “bronch-” (for bronchial) and “-itis” (inflammation). The inflammation may cause you to experience shortness of breath, chest discomfort, and a frequent cough. You might also have an increased production of mucus. Fever and chills are possible as well.

Acute bronchitis occurs from a respiratory infection, such as a cold. This infection causes short-term inflammation and tends to last for 10 days or fewer. You may, however, continue to have a residual cough for another several weeks.

On the other hand, chronic bronchitis is a longer-lasting infection. You may have spells off and on. This should be addressed by a family medicine provider so that the underlying condition doesn’t worsen into a more serious infection.

When Your Cough May Be Bronchitis

Generally, you should visit a family medicine provider if you have a cough that has lasted for more than two weeks or has become progressively worse. You also should seek medical attention if your cough interferes with your sleep, if you’re coughing up blood, or if you’re having shortness of breath, wheezing, or chest discomfort.

Do not hesitate to see a family medicine provider for any unusual symptoms. It is always more prudent to overreact than to underreact when it comes to your health.

How Is Bronchitis Diagnosed?

The common cold, the flu (the influenza virus), allergies, asthma, and pneumonia all share similar symptoms, so your primary care provider will need to conduct a thorough examination to determine an accurate diagnosis.

Your family medicine provider will listen to your lungs through a stethoscope. You may also need to have an X-ray in order to narrow down the cause or to rule out certain factors.

With the COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) virus as another possibility, do not be alarmed if you are being checked for that virus as well. Rest assured that all of these illnesses have viable treatments available to treat your symptoms and to address the underlying condition.

Primary Care Provider in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach

A cough may start out as seemingly harmless, but a relentless cough may indicate bronchitis or another type of respiratory issue. Be sure to see an experienced medical provider as soon as possible so that your condition doesn’t develop into pneumonia.

With offices conveniently located in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach, Advanced Medical Clinic is here for you and your whole family. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, call our friendly staff today at (561) 434-1935 or fill out our appointment request form online now. We look forward to seeing you!

Why You Should Tell Your Family Medicine Provider About Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction can impact various aspects of your life, especially on your relationship. But more than the impacts, it may also indicate a serious medical condition. Therefore, even if you feel self-conscious and don’t want to speak with a medical professional, you should muster up the courage to visit a practitioner who specializes in erectile dysfunction Royal Palm Beach or erectile dysfunction Wellington.

Emotional Well-Being

Erectile dysfunction, also known as ED, can cause a great deal of worry. You’ll start wondering if you’ll be able to fully regain sexual function.

It will make you feel fearful of sexual encounters with your partner. In some cases, it may cause you to have low self-esteem and make you feel overly self-conscious.

These negative feelings can affect your future sexual endeavors since psychological factors can inhibit your ability to achieve and maintain an erection.

Impact on Your Relationship

Even if your partner wouldn’t mention it, he or she may feel neglected. It’s also possible that your partner will feel that you find her/him undesirable. He or she may also feel like the problem stems from something he or she did or didn’t do.

High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure (hypertension) is known as a silent killer because it doesn’t always cause symptoms. However, your erectile dysfunction could be a sign that your blood is forcefully pushing against your arterial walls.

This condition can damage your heart and blood vessels when left untreated. It also increases your risk of a heart attack or stroke.

The reason hypertension causes ED is because it reduces blood flow in some men, which makes it more difficult to achieve an erection. Sometimes, high blood pressure will decrease your sexual desires and hinder your ability to ejaculate.

A Sign of Have Heart Disease

Heart disease is a generalized term that describes conditions that affect your heart and blood vessels, such as coronary artery disease. Conditions that affect your heart’s rhythm also classify as heart disease. When left untreated, you can have a heart attack or stroke from these conditions.

While you may experience symptoms like chest fluttering, shortness of breath, and chest pain, ED can be a sign as well. It causes ED because it limits blood flow to your penis. Research indicates a link between heart disease and damage to blood vessel’s interlining and the smooth muscle, which affects the blood supply to your heart and ultimately to your penis.

Complication from Diabetes

Diabetes is a condition when your blood sugar levels are too high. When you have diabetes, you may feel frequently tired, develop skin problems, and experience excessive hunger.

When you don’t receive diabetes treatment, the uncontrolled high glucose levels can damage your heart and kidneys. Your risk for a stroke or heart attack increases as well.

Diabetes can damage your nerves and blood vessels when not well manage, thus interfering with your ability to obtain and maintain an erection.

High Cholesterol

High cholesterol flows through your blood. It has a waxy texture and can build up in your blood and hinder the ability of your blood to flow normally. Unfortunately, it may cause a heart attack or stroke.

With this condition, you won’t know you have it because it doesn’t cause any symptoms. Therefore, the only sign you may have is erectile dysfunction.

High cholesterol causes erectile dysfunction because it can cause atherosclerosis – a narrowing of your blood vessels. As a result, blood can’t flow to your penis properly.

Why Visit a Wellington Family Practice for ED Treatment

Even if you’ve learned to live with your erectile dysfunction, you should still visit a family practitioner in Wellington or Royal Palm Beach. Not only does it affect your life and mental health, but you might also have ED as a sign of an underlying condition.

At Advanced Medical Clinic, our practitioners recognize the dangers of erectile dysfunction. Each one of us listens with an open, non-judgmental ear and finds a solution for you. We also take the time to assess you for underlying health conditions.

Book an appointment with Advanced Medical Clinic, serving Royal Palm Beach, Wellington, and the surrounding Florida area, for erectile dysfunction treatment and an assessment for any possible conditions that are contributing to the problem. Call us at (561) 434-1935 or use our online form.