Male holding wrist in pain

5 things you may be doing wrong with household first aid

By | health

Everybody has their go-to first aid remedies. Things like gargling salt water for a sore throat, or inhaling steam to relieve congestion are fairly commonplace. What most don’t realize is that some of those old remedies do more harm than good! Here are 5 things that you didn’t know you were getting wrong: Apply first aid ointment to a cut…

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animated image of internal boil formation

Boils: who gets them and how to treat them

By | infections

What’s over a half inch in size, really painful, and bursts into a gross mess? Did you guess that it’s a boil? If you did, you’d be right! The good news is, they aren’t serious (with a few rare exceptions), and typically resolve themselves on their own. What is a boil? Boils are hair follicles or oil glands that have…

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doctor giving flu sot

2017 Flu Shot Facts

By | health

Flu season…it’s the least wonderful time of the year. Between stuffy noses, aches, and nausea, we’d all rather skip it, but every year it insists on turning up again. Luckily, you don’t have to fall victim to this nasty virus if you make sure to get your family to an urgent care for a quick and easy vaccination! Check out…

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first aid kit supplies laid out on table

Bites and stings: symptoms and treatment

By | Blog

Sometimes, it really hurts when you get bitten or stung by an insect or spider. Then other times, you don’t even know it happened! Insect and spider bites vary depending on the type of bite it is, but they all sometimes cause some swelling, redness, pain and itch. Most of the symptoms will subside within a few hours or a…

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man with sunburn

Sunburn facts and safety

By | Blog

We all know the pain and dangers that come with sunburn, but did you know that the ultraviolet rays emitted from the sun can start burning your skin in just 15 minutes? And if you stay out longer than that and end up with a painful sunburn, doing so just every two years triples your risk for melanoma, a form…

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donated blood bag

What happens to donated blood

By | Blog

Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood, and every year, 6.8 million Americans respond to this need by donating their own. But what happens to the blood after it’s collected and the donation crew leaves for the day? As it turns out, the collection is just the first step of a long series of actions to prepare…

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man sneezing

Why sneezing is vital to your health

By | health

Sneezing is a natural occurrence that we’ve all experienced many, many times. Sometimes, it just feels great to sneeze. But did you know it’s also good for you? Sneezing plays a really important role in your immune system by protecting your body from infections and other antibodies that are trying to get in. What do you need to know about…

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bruise stages and colors

Why do you get bruises?

By | skin conditions

Bruises are very common and can be subtle (you don’t know it’s there until you touch the sore spot) or very visible. Bruises are skin injuries that discolor the surface of your skin. It happens because blood from blood cells that are hurt by impact collects around your skin’s surface, making your soft skin a little (or a lot) black…

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"spring allergies" text against flower & tissue box

How to deal with spring allergies

By | allergies

Most people get really excited at the thought of spring – warmer weather, outdoor sports, picnics, walks in the park. The list goes on! But if you have spring allergy problems, spring time mostly brings with it the fear of sniffling, sneezing, itchy eyes and a stuffed up head. It’s known to most as hay fever, though doctors call it…

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colorful "April Fools Day" text

April fools safety

By | health

Every year on April 1 people gather all of their clever practical jokes and aim them towards the ones they love. This is not only acceptable, its appreciated. While its supposed to be all fun and games there is always the April fools prank that goes horribly wrong.  Last year there was a giant spike in emergency room visits on April…

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