Here at Oxford Urgent Care we take great pride in our facilities and staff, and wanted to shine a spotlight our very own Stephanie Barrett! Tell me about the office! How many exam rooms do you have? What are your lab capabilities? We have five exam rooms, and we try to keep one or two open for any truly urgent…
Chickenpox was once a very common childhood illness. However, due to the effectiveness of modern vaccinations, fewer than 200,000 children are diagnosed with it each year. The vaccine, administered at 12 to 15 months, and a booster at age 4 to 6, prevents 99% of chickenpox cases. Here are the basics. What are the symptoms of chicken pox? Caused by…
The Zika virus, declared an international public health emergency by the World Health Organization, is all over the news right now. But what is it? We’ve got answers. What is the Zika Virus? There is a frightening link between babies being born with very small heads, brain damage, and Zika. It is transmitted by mosquito, and is related to dengue…
How often do you see commercials for cholesterol medication? Probably quite often, if you watch any television at all. There’s a reason! Heart disease causes more deaths each year than all forms of cancer combined. Cholesterol is a major contributing factor because it clogs your arteries. Ever been drinking a smoothie or milkshake, things are chugging along fine. Then you…
You’re always told to take your vitamins; as a child, “they’ll help you grow big and strong!” as an adult, “these will keep you healthy!” And while some of us take them religiously every morning, many people don’t see the value. However, vitamin deficiency can cause very serious problems. Take vitamin B12 for instance. Did you know that it is…
Asthma is a long-term disease of the lungs affecting the airways that carry air to and from your lungs. This disease narrows and inflames air passageways, making breathing difficult. There is no cure for asthma, but knowledge about what happens during an asthma attack and treatments can help patients better manage the disease and live normal lives. People with asthma…
The weather has turned from chilly to cold; so, it’s no surprise you find yourself sniffing and sneezing. It’s at this time of year that the common cold is aggressively making its rounds. But before you reach for the cough syrup, ask yourself – is it a cold or could you be suffering from an airborne allergy? It’s not always…
Scraped knees, cuts, and bruises are a normal part of childhood and still happen occasionally as we get older. But how do you know when a wound is more serious and requires stitches or medical care from a doctor? In this article, we use the word “stitches” to refer to both liquid and traditional stitches. Stitches are employed by a…
Ear infections, or acute otitis media, are extremely common and especially so in children. In fact, beyond the annual wellness exam, earaches and infections are the primary reason that children and infants visit the doctor. Ear infections generally refer to inflammation within the middle ear, the area just behind the eardrum. What causes ear infections? Ear infections are typically caused…
Whooping cough, or pertussis, is a serious disease that affects the respiratory system. It is caused by the bacteria B. pertussis and though its effects are typically short-term in children and adults, it is of special interest because the effects on babies can be severe and even fatal. You may have noticed that in recent years there has been an…