3 Locations! Open 7 Days a Week! Monday - Friday: 8 AM - 8 PM Saturday - Sunday: 8 AM - 7 PM

Possible Reasons for Nausea and Vomiting: Part 2

You probably heard of nausea being mentioned many times by medical professionals almost always in conjunction with vomiting. The reason for this is because the parts of the brain that control nausea and vomiting are the same. In fact, these two are involuntary actions being controlled by the medulla oblongata, also called the vomiting center of the brain.

Common Medical Conditions that Cause of Nausea and Vomiting

There are many reasons why someone may experience nausea and vomiting. In the first part of this series, we established the difference between the two. We also discussed the first three possible causes namely food poisoning, anorexia, and bulimia. Now, our doctor in Urgent Care of the Palm Beaches walk-in clinic in Palm Beach Gardens will discuss four more:

Brain infections

In patients with brain infections, such as meningitis, nausea and vomiting are common symptoms. According to the National Meningitis Association, 600 – 1,000 Americans get meningococcal disease every year with a 10-15% death rate. Meningitis refers to the swelling of the meninges that protect and cover the brain and spinal cord. It can be caused by bacteria, fungi, or viruses. When the meninges are inflamed, this disrupts the balance and increases the pressure inside the brain, which leads to nausea and vomiting.

Head injury

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has shown that 1.5 million Americans sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) every year. Patients who suffered from concussions, a mild form of TBI, have increased intracranial pressure, which may lead to nausea, vomiting, and headache.

Brain tumors

A tumor in the brain can disrupt your chemical and hormonal balance, leading to nausea and vomiting. As the tumor grows, it consumes space and displaces brain tissues, increasing the pressure inside the brain, which further contributes to nausea and vomiting. For patients undergoing chemotherapy, nausea and vomiting may be a side effect of the treatment. According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, approximately 24,000 Americans will be diagnosed with this type of tumor in 2020.

Migraine

A migraine is a severe form of headache that’s often described as pounding, pulsing, or throbbing. Over 38 million Americans suffer from migraines. Although the cause of migraine is largely unknown, there are external and internal factors that may trigger an attack. The reasons why patients with migraine experience nausea and vomiting are still not clear, although some experts believe that this can be due to disturbances in the inner ear and the brain.

Medical-Center-Hialeah Possible Reasons for Nausea and Vomiting: Part 2

Learn more about Nausea and from our doctors in urgent care Forest Hill

If you are experiencing nausea and vomiting, you must seek medical help immediately from doctors in Urgent Care of the Palm Beaches walk-in clinic in Palm Beach Gardens to identify the cause of your symptoms. Only after finding out the real cause can you be given proper treatment and medical management.

For your convenience, we have made our services more accessible. Urgent Care of the Palm Beaches has clinics in three convenient locations: Urgent Care Forest Hill, Palm Beach Gardens, Palm Springs, and West Palm Beach. You may schedule an appointment with our doctors online or come over as a walk-in patient. We guarantee you a maximum of 15 minutes waiting time.

The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE, and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.

Coronavirus, also known as the 2019-nCoV or COVID-19 virus, has become a serious global public health problem with over 200,000 confirmed cases as of March 17, 2020. In Florida, 365 residents are currently being monitored as of March 14, 2020. The number of Florida residents whose tests came back positive have already reached 70.

Understandably, fear is gripping the world as countries struggle to contain the spread of the virus, which impacts travel, businesses, and economies. Preventive and mitigation measures are already being implemented in Florida to stop the spread of the virus. On March 1, 2020, the State Health Officer declared a public health emergency.

Should you be worried?

Panicking can do more harm than good. As long as you strictly follow health advisories, you have little to worry about. Despite the seemingly exponential increase in the number of cases worldwide, scientific evidence shows that COVID-19 infection can be cured and most patients can overcome the infection as long as they have prompt and appropriate treatment.

Elderlies and those who have current medical conditions are strongly encouraged to take preventive measures to protect themselves.

If you have respiratory symptoms, then following self-quarantine and public-distancing protocols, as well as disinfecting and observing personal hygiene, will not only protect yourself but everyone you encounter as well.

At Urgent Care of the Palm Beach Gardens, we are at one with the World Health Organization in curbing misinformation. Here's what we know about the 2019-nCoV, so far.

1. The symptoms are similar to other coronaviruses.

COVID-19 patients develop fever, dry cough, muscle pain, fatigue, and breathing difficulties. The less common symptoms may include headache and diarrhea. In the worst cases, the patient may cough up blood and develop kidney failure and pneumonia. All of these can be tested and detected at clinics or hospitals.

2. More than 80 percent of the cases are mild.

According to The Washington Post, 82 percent of the cases globally are mild and may need little medical intervention. COVID-19 is quite different from SARS, (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), which affected 8,000 cases in over 26 countries in 2003 but had an 11 percent fatality rate, according to the World Health Organization

The proportion of patients healing from COVID-19 infection is also increasing as experts learn more about the nature of the virus. According to recent data, cured cases are 13 times higher than critical cases or fatalities. 

3. Children under 20 are more resilient to the virus.

Kids can get the infection but they exhibit mild or unnoticeable symptoms. Also, the mortality rate of patients under 40 is only 0.2 percent. It's the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and auto-immune deficiencies who are at the greatest risk. 

corona-1024x576 What We Know About the 2019-nCoV, So Far

4. Cleaning off with 70 percent alcohol can kill the virus.

Since the public health alert, experts have been reminding people to wash their hands frequently or use sanitizers with 70 percent alcohol content. The virus can live on inactivated surfaces for several hours but it can be killed in a minute by wiping with alcohol. 

Experts say that a 20-second handwashing routine can protect people better from getting sick, but advise against DIY hand sanitizers because they don’t have the right alcohol concentration. 

5. There is no vaccine yet.

Currently, there is no treatment for the virus. Only the symptoms are being managed. Experts around the world, however, are developing and performing trials for vaccine prototypes to fight the pandemic.

How to protect yourself?

Aside from getting adequate sleep and eating a good diet to boost the body's immune system, experts at Urgent Care of the Palm Beaches walk-in clinic, Wellington reiterate that the best protection against COVID-19 for now includes:

  • Frequent hand washing and good hygiene may also protect those who are not infected. 
  • Wearing face masks, especially if you are going to crowded areas where social distancing is not possible.
  • Avoiding social contact as much as possible.
  • Taking it upon yourself to self-quarantine if you have a travel history to places with a high number of cases or if you were in contact with someone who tested positive.
  • Seeking medical help immediately once you experience symptoms to get yourself tested.

Learn more about 2019-nCoV from experts in urgent care Palm Beach Gardens

If you want to learn more about the 2019-nCoV, you can ask our physicians at Urgent Care of the Palm Beach Gardens walk-in clinic in Wellington. They are more than willing to answer any questions you might have about the disease.

The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE, and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.

Alcohol and drug abuse create significant problems in the private life of the abuser and his or her family. Employees’ private matters, in theory, should be of no concern to employers, yet the consequences of substance abuse stretch far beyond the abuser’s private life, and it is often the workplace where the problem comes to light and is addressed. 

As a reputable and experienced provider of drug tests in West Palm Beach, FL we know that substance abusers make high-risk employees. They can decrease productivity and efficiency, and affect other employees’ morale. Health-related hazards include compromised physical safety, e.g. as a result of violent behaviors or uncoordinated movements, and errors with potentially fatal consequences, e.g. in medical professions, heavy industry or transportation.

There are many good reasons to test 

Companies implement drug testing on employees for many reasons. The most common reasons for testing are because it:

  • prevents hiring individuals who use illegal drugs
  • deters employees from abusing alcohol and using illegal drugs 
  • allows early identification of staff members who have alcohol or drug problems
  • provides a safe workplace for other employees
  • maintains a healthy and efficient work environment
  • may help avoid lawsuits and related costs
  • protects the business’ reputation
  • follows state rules or complies with federal regulations
  • allows benefiting from Workers’ Compensation Premium Discount programs

Costs to companies that are not drug testing

Fortunately, these days many companies and institutions have a strict anti-drug policy in place and use drug testing services such as drug testing in West Palm Beach provided by Urgent Care of The Palm Beaches. Anti-drug policies protect the people working in that environment from risks associated with having an employee who takes drugs or abuses alcohol. Business entities who save money on prevention must realize the hidden costs of that decision. 

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the costs are staggering. Statistics show that substance abusers are: 

  • 30% less productive 
  • 2.5 times more likely to be absent eight or more days a year
  • 3.5 times more likely to have or cause an accident in the workplace
  • 300% more likely to incur higher medical costs than non-abusers

Replacing an employee incurs additional costs, estimated at around $7,000-10,000 but in the case of highly skilled professionals, this cost may double or triple. 

direct-primary-care-raleigh-780x300-1 9 reasons why companies perform drug tests on employees

Drug testing and drug screening at West Palm Beach area

At Urgent Urgent Care of The Palm Beaches, we make it equally easy for employees and employers to obtain necessary drug tests. We have three conveniently located facilities across the Palm Beaches where we offer a full range of drug testing services, including urine screening, laboratory analysis, and alcohol screening via blood or breath. 

Call (561) 429-4779 to find out more about drug testing in West Palm Beach/Palm Beach

Call (561) 328-8433 for the Forest Hill/Palm Springs Urgent Care location.

Call (561) 429-6109 for the North Palm Beach/Palm Beach Gardens location.

The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE, and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.

GERD or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease is a digestive disorder more commonly known as acid reflux. It happens when there is a backflow of the acidic contents of the stomach to the esophagus. 

According to the Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility, this chronic disease is prevalent in 18.1 percent to 27.8 percent of patients in North America. Though it is common, GERD can cause complications and tissue damage with repeated or prolonged episodes.

Seeking Medical Attention

For many GERD patients, a conscious change in diet or over-the-counter medications may usually bring relief and reduce the following symptoms:

  • A burning sensation in the chest (heartburn)
  • Regurgitation of sour-tasting liquid
  • Unpleasant throat sensation, and
  • Some difficulty in swallowing

But if the acid reflux is disrupting a patient's sleep and affecting the patient's way of life, then a visit to the doctor is necessary.

If the acid reflux episodes are becoming more frequent (such as once a week) and the patient is no longer experiencing improvements in the symptoms, despite taking the medication, you should see the doctors in our walk-in clinic in Palm Springs. The doctor could switch your medication or recommend other tests to determine what is aggravating the symptoms. 

According to Harvard Health, acid reflux symptoms are also similar to the symptoms of a heart attack. So, even if the patients are aware of their condition, a trip to the emergency hospital for immediate medical attention should not be delayed if the GERD is accompanied by chest pains. 

Risk Factors for GERD

According to experts in our walk-in clinic in Lake Worth, it's still advisable to get evaluated for GERD if the patient has the following risk factors: 

  • The patient is diagnosed as obese.
  • The patient is pregnant.
  • The patient is a smoker.
  • The patient likes to consume alcohol or coffee in more than the usual amounts.
  • The patient frequently eats fried or fatty food.

Over time, when GERD is not controlled, it can lead to the following complications:

  • Esophageal stricture, which damages and causes scar tissue in the esophagus
  • Esophageal ulcer, which causes bleeding in the tissues and soreness of the esophagus
  • Barrett's esophagus, which leads to damage in the tissue lining of the esophagus that raises the risk for esophageal cancer. 

According to the American Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, about 10 to 15 percent of GERD patients could develop Barrett's esophagus if GERD isn't managed and controlled. So it pays to visit the doctor at the first indication that GERD symptoms are not improving. 

Learn more about Urgent Care of the Palm Beaches Walk-in Clinic in Palm Springs

If you are experiencing signs and symptoms of GERD, you must seek medical help from doctors in our urgent care clinic, Palm Beach Gardens and walk-in clinic in Lake Worth for proper management.

For your convenience, we have made our services more accessible. Urgent Care of the Palm Beaches has clinics in three convenient locations: Palm Beach Gardens, Palm Springs/Forest Hill, and West Palm Beach urgent care. You may schedule an appointment with our doctors online or come over as a walk-in patient. We guarantee you a maximum of 15 minutes waiting time.

The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE, and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.

© Urgent Care of the Palm Beaches 2022.

Online Marketing for Doctors by RedCastleServices.com

Find Us
About Us
linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram