Advanced Family Medicine

Why Influenza Vaccinations Are Important to Your Family’s Health According to the  Centers for Disease Control , anywhere between 151 and 156 million flu vaccines will be distributed this year within the United States, although not all of these doses will be used. And while this might be considered a large number, keep in mind that there are more than 316 million individuals living in this country, which means that less than 50% of the population will obtain a flu vaccine this year. Here at Advanced Family Medicine, many of our patients frequently express concern about the effectiveness of immunizations; perhaps because they received a flu vaccine in the past but still came down with the flu. On the other hand, some individuals consciously choose not to get vaccinated against the flu as they’re simply not concerned about acquiring it. Whatever your reasoning may be though, the importance of getting vaccinated against influenza this year cannot be understated. The flu seas...

Common Cold 101: What it Is & How You Can Avoid It Now that the days are short and the weather is cold, this means that cold season is once again upon us. But to help you and your family remain happy and healthy during the Holidays, we here at  Advanced Family Medicine  thought it would be a good idea to answer some of the more frequent questions we receive about the common cold. What is the Common Cold? Did you know that the  common cold  isn’t a single illness, but is actually a set of symptoms that can be caused by more than 200 types of viruses? It’s true, although the Rhinovirus is thought to result in between 10% and 40% of all annual cases of the common cold. But whatever the cause, according to the  CDC , as much as 20% of the population can fall ill to the common cold each year (in some instances, multiple times per year), which typically involves sneezing, a sore throat, nasal congestion, draining, and itchy / watery eyes. In more sever...

The Danger of Meningitis: Hemophilus Influenzae Type B Vaccination Meningitis is a very scary word for any parent to hear. However, there are vaccinations for certain strains of meningitis. One strain that can easily be prevented is Hemophilus Influenzae type B (Hib). What is Hib? Hib is a severe and potentially deadly illness that affects the coverings of the brain and spinal column; it can also lead to developing: pneumonia, infection of the blood (bacteremia), bones (osteomyelitis), joints (septic artritis), reoccuring ear infections and the heart condition known as pericarditis. Of all HIB cases in children 3-6% are fatal, brain damage occurs at a rate of 10-30%, and 1 in 5 children has permanent hearing loss.  How is Hib Spread? Hib is contracted mainly thru contact with the nasal mucus and/or saliva of an infected person. What are the symptoms of Hib? Symptoms may include fever, lethargy, vomiting, and stiff neck. Other symptoms depend upon the part of the...

Why Get Vaccinations? Tetanus In the office we see many parents refusing to vaccinate their kids. We understand that vaccinations have a certain stigma, but we want to protect the health of children, and as a result we spend a lot of the time explaining to parents the importance of vaccinations. One particular vaccination that is of utmost importance is a tetanus shot. What is Tetanus and why is it so important? Tetanus is a serious infection of central nervous system, caused by the potentially deadly bacteria Clostridium Tetani. This bacteria causes muscle stiffness and spasms; these spasms can be so violent that they can tear muscle and cause fractures of the spine. Tetanus is caused by exposure to bacteria that lives in the soil, it can be found around the world, and can remain infectious for more then 40 years in the soil. They primary means of transmission are through a cut, scrape or burn that are subsequently exposed to the bacteria either by contact with the soil ...