As an essential part of any fitness program, strength training is a crucial part of helping maintain your body’s strength and comes with many benefits. At MD First Primary and Urgent Care, we’re here to help outline those benefits and give insight into how it benefits your health. 

More Than Muscle: The Health Benefits of Strength Training

Strength training, also known as resistance training or weight training, works with resistance to create muscular contractions and build muscle over time. This type of exercise is based on the concept that when the muscles overcome a resistance force, the muscles become stronger, and it is considered an essential part of a well-rounded fitness program. Its purpose is to enhance your body’s muscle mass, as muscle mass naturally diminishes with age and causes an increase in body fat percentage over time without exercise. 

When placed in an overall fitness program, strength training can provide many physical and mental health benefits, such as: 

• Develops Healthy, Strong Bones: Strength training can help increase bone density and lower the risk of osteoporosis by placing stress on the muscles and bones. 
• Better Weight Management: Strength training can also manage or lose weight, increasing your metabolic rate and helps burn more calories. 
• Helps Build Strength, Tone, and Stamina: Through strength training, your muscles can become more toned, and your body won’t tire easily. 
• Improves Flexibility, Balance, and Posture: By increasing your muscular strength, your body’s sense of flexibility, mobility, and balance can significantly improve, helping you remain independent as you age. 
• Protects The Joints and Body From Injury: By improving your muscles’ tone, your muscles can protect your joints and body from injuries. 
• Prevent Cognitive Decline: Some studies have shown that strength training can prevent the onset of cognitive decline in older adults by improving thinking and learning skills. 
• Provide Chronic Pain Management: Strength training can also reduce the signs and symptoms of chronic conditions such as back pain and arthritis. 
• Improved Quality of Life: Strength training can help improve your quality of life and enhance your ability to perform everyday tasks. It can reduce the risks of falls and fractures and help foster better independence as you age. 

Strength training provides your body with the necessary work to make your body stronger. As you incorporate strength exercises into your routine, this exercise can provide you with fantastic benefits that will last a lifetime. 

How To Get Started With Strength Training Through MD First Primary & Urgent Care

Strength training, when combined with aerobic exercise and a healthy diet, is considered one of the best ways to manage your health for life. However, diet and exercise present one of the biggest challenges for people attempting to confront chronic conditions such as obesity, fibromyalgia, and heart disease. Through your primary care provider, they can provide you with the tips and methods you need to help you become more active, lose weight, and, most of all, achieve the healthiest version of yourself. 

At MD First Primary & Urgent Care, our team of physicians is here for you through all stages of your health. Call us today to schedule an appointment at our practice to learn more about our services and find out about what we can provide for diet changes, exercise routines, pain management, and more.

Gout is when uric acid collects in and around joints, most commonly the big toe. As it settles there, it begins to develop crystals that can cause a notable amount of pain. However, the significant pain resulting from uric acid crystals in the joints is a minor issue compared to the potential risks of elevated uric acid levels in your system. Uric acid can cause severe damage to multiple organs within the body, most notably the kidneys, and increases the risk of developing certain disorders. MD First Primary & Urgent Care is available to help you get your gout under control and reduce the uric acid levels in your system.

Exploring The Heart Health Risks of Elevated Uric Acid

Sleep apnea, depression, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes are all conditions that are more likely to occur in those who have elevated levels of uric acid. It’s essential to understand the potential risks that are posed by gout and the associated uric acid. When you understand the impact of these factors, it makes it easier to adopt a healthier diet, become more active, and drop weight. All of these factors can improve your symptoms and reduce your risks.

When gout occurs, it’s an important warning sign that things in your body are becoming unbalanced. Further, your overall health is entering a state of decline, but there’s usually time to turn back at this stage. Some topics our team will discuss with you after a gout diagnosis may include the following:

• Chronic Kidney Disease and Kidney Stones – Your joints aren’t the only place where uric acid crystals can form. They can also form in your kidneys, producing kidney stones and impeding the function of your kidneys. This damage can be insidious, slowly progressing over time if left untreated. However, with proper care, it can be slowed down. Kidney stones, in particular, are common in those suffering from gout, occurring in as much as 20% of sufferers.
• Heart Disease and Stroke – Gout has also been tied to heightened risks of various heart diseases. Heart attacks, irregular heartbeats, and heart failure are three examples. Those over 65 who regularly suffer gout attacks see their risk of a heart attack roughly doubled. There is an associated increase in risks of peripheral vascular disease and stroke. 
• Diabetes – Type 2 diabetes is 71% more likely in women living with gout, while men with gout see a 22% increase in risk. While the underlying mechanism isn’t well understood, abnormal inflammation likely contributes to a heightened risk of this condition. 

These are the most prominent concerns faced by those who are living with gout, in addition to gout itself. 

Visit MD First Primary & Urgent Care To Learn More About Gout

If you’re concerned you may be developing gout, or are already experiencing symptoms, call our offices today. You can either come in for a walk-in visit or schedule an appointment at a convenient time. During your visit, we’ll discuss your symptoms and other health concerns and help develop a treatment plan to begin turning the tide against gout.

No one is entirely aware of what the appendix does. It’s about 3.5 inches long, and you can live without it. However, this can be an emergency if the appendix faces a blockage. 1 in 20 individuals in the United States generally has to have their appendix removed at some time.

What are the Indicators of Appendicitis?

There isn’t a lot of information out there about the appendix, true enough. But most physicians can recognize the signs of appendicitis. There are five significant appendicitis indicators, and those are:

• Abdominal pain on your lower right side – Unlike the gallbladder or stomach, the appendix is on your right. If there is a sudden, sharp pain on the right side of your stomach, it could be a sign of appendicitis. It could also be a sign of an infected appendix; the pain sometimes feels centered near your navel.
• Nausea and vomiting – Appendicitis can affect your digestive system. A blockage of the intestines or an appendix infection generally causes appendicitis. The appendix, when infected, will become inflamed and cause digestive problems. These digestive issues generally result in nausea and vomiting. It will become a struggle to keep anything down once the pain starts, and sometimes before.
• Constipation, an inability to pass gas, and cramps – A blockage in your intestines is usually related to appendicitis. If you’re struggling with consistent, uncomfortable constipation or inability to pass gas, it could result from a partial or total obstruction of your bowels. On the other hand, appendicitis can also cause severe diarrhea and stomach cramps. 
• Fever and chills – Fevers are your body’s way of fighting infection. Paired with abdominal pain, nausea, and other symptoms, a low-grade fever might indicate that your appendix needs attention. If your appendix ruptures, your fever will skyrocket. 
• Urinary Tract Infection Symptoms – Appendicitis can also appear to be a urinary tract infection (UTI), making passing urine difficult and painful. If you display symptoms of a UTI paired with any of the above symptoms, it could be an issue with your appendix instead of a bladder issue. Seek medical attention immediately to prevent your appendix from rupturing.

Any combination of appendicitis symptoms should be enough to send you to the doctor immediately. Accurate diagnosis is vital to ensure you get the proper treatment. Food, drink, laxatives, and heating pads can cause an inflamed appendix to rupture, so avoid these as much as possible. If you cannot see your primary physician immediately, go to the emergency room if you’re experiencing appendicitis.

Seek Medical Care Immediately

Ruptured appendices are medical emergencies that require immediate surgery to remove the appendix. If left untreated, a ruptured appendix can leak harmful bacteria into your abdominal cavity, resulting in peritonitis. This inflammation of the lining inside your abdomen can be life-threatening. Appendicitis can be imposing and frightening, but the surgery to remove the appendix is relatively simple and painless. Appemdectomies are performed laparoscopically, only resulting in a few small incisions. These smaller incisions heal faster than most, and you’re back to your old self in no time.

“Covid Tongue” is a painful side effect of Covid-19. This condition refers to when the tongue is swollen and inflamed. Often, patients experience bumps or ulcers on the tongue as well. Sometimes, the tongue is white with a patchy appearance. Other times, the tongue is red and swollen. Covid Tongue is often the cause of a patient’s inability to taste food when they have Covid.

Swollen Tongue and the Link to Covid 

A swollen tongue doesn’t always indicate Covid. Many different diseases and viruses cause a swollen, inflamed tongue. If your tongue is swollen and inflamed, a Covid test doesn’t hurt, but it might not be the cause of the inflammation.

Cells contain enzymes called ACE receptors. SARS-CoV-2 attacks these enzymes, allowing the virus to attack the cells. When the virus attacks and replicates in the cells, illnesses are caused. The tongue holds many ACE receptors and is prime real estate for viruses. When a virus attaches to the ACE receptors in the tongue, bumps and inflammation are caused.

Does Covid Cause Muscle Pain?

Covid isn’t the only thing that causes a swollen tongue. Glossitis is another condition that can cause inflammation in the tongue. Often, glossitis presents as Covid tongue, causing a sore or swollen tongue. However, glossitis can appear due to many other factors. Sometimes, an allergic reaction to oral hygiene products or food can cause it. Other cases include skin conditions in the mouth, mouth injuries, hormones, or vitamin deficiencies. If your tongue is swollen, look for other symptoms of Covid to ensure that Covid is the culprit.

Treatments

While there aren’t any treatments specifically for Covid Tongue, there are options. Because Covid Tongue causes inflammation in the tongue, other remedies for swelling and inflammation can provide relief.

• Maintain good oral hygiene with products you aren’t allergic to.
• Avoid things that can cause tongue inflammation, including foods and substances.
• Continue any antibiotics you’ve been prescribed.
• Change your diet and take vitamins if you need to.

There is also the chance that the swelling and inflammation related to Covid would go away when treating Covid. When suffering from Covid-19, the CDC suggests staying rested, hydrating, and taking cold medication are helpful ways to treat the symptoms.

You Might Have Covid Tongue. What Now?

If you notice that your tongue looks unusual or is painful and inflamed, it might indicate another virus. It could even be something you ate that didn’t agree with you. Different viruses that cause inflammation of the tongue aren’t always specific. Inflammation in the tongue can increase suspicion of coronavirus, but other symptoms lead to that diagnosis instead.

Covid has many symptoms, but according to the CDC, there are more problematic symptoms you should look out for, including: 

• High fever accompanied by chills
• Exhaustion and fatigue
• Bodily aches and headaches
• Sore throat
• Congestion of the nose and a runny nose
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea 

The bottom line is that you don’t want to ignore bumps or inflammation of your tongue—but don’t panic if you develop one of these symptoms, either.

If you notice that you have bumps, ulcers, or inflammation of the tongue, don’t ignore them. They might be Covid, but there’s no reason to panic if you experience these symptoms either.

If You Think You Have Covid, Contact a Physician

If you notice the symptoms of Covid Tongue and suspect you have Covid, you should get tested for Covid as soon as possible. Even if the cause of your tongue’s inflammation isn’t Covid, you might still have the virus. But even if you don’t have Covid Tongue and are presenting other symptoms of Covid, reach out to a physician for a Covid test.

The winter holiday season is filled with joy and cheer, but for people with heart disease, it also presents some serious risks to their health. According to research from the British Medical Association, there has been a growth in heart attacks and other cardiac events more so than at any other time of the year. The holidays can be busy and stressful, and it can be easy to lose sight of the warning signs. It’s essential to be aware of these risks, and taking simple steps to protect your heart health can help you celebrate the upcoming new year without complications.

Being Mindful of Your Heart During The Holiday Season

The holiday season is often a time of excess, where people eat bigger portions of salter, rich food, drink more alcohol, and let their regimens fall by the wayside. Because of the excessive indulgence of the season, it can also be easy to push off warning signs of a heart attack. 

Higher levels of stress can contribute to heart attacks quickly due to the events of the holidays, and while enjoying the break of the holidays is an excellent way to bring joy to your life, having chronic conditions such as heart failure can pose risks that impact your season in heart-rendering ways. 

Here are some things to be aware of for everyone this holiday season:

• Know Your Symptoms and Take Action: Chest pain, upper body discomfort, shortness of breath, and cold sweats are some of the largest signs of a heart attack. Catch them early and call 911 for help. The sooner medical treatment begins, the better the chances of survival. 
• Celebrate Moderately: Unhealthy dieting habits can easily occur during this season, but you can eat smart by keeping track of your sodium intake, eating indulgent foods more moderately, and limiting your alcohol intake. 
• Be Active, But Avoid Overexertion: The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of physical activity during the holidays. Keep exercising, but don’t overexert yourself to help manage stress and keep your heart healthy. 
• Keep Taking Your Medications: Even with travel and busy schedules, taking your medications each time as needed can help promote the drug’s effectiveness and keep your blood pressure healthy. 
• Choose Your Parties Wisely: Spend time with the people you consider family most, avoid pushing yourself too far, and even skip parties if needed to care for your health. 
• Make Time To Rest: Rest by taking a few moments to relax, and even try relaxation techniques such as meditation and prayer to keep your heart calm and stable. 

Experience More Joy With A Healthy Heart

By caring for your heart, you can effectively enjoy the holiday season with those you consider family and move forward into the new year. If you’re unsure about your symptoms and need medical attention, visit your local urgent clinic to receive immediate medical care. 

Throughout our lives, we experience numerous moments that interfere with our normal routine. Studies have shown that these events can significantly impact our day-to-day lives. One area that seems to be frequently impacted is our activity levels. If not addressed in a proactive manner, it can have a significant impact on our heart health. Acknowledging these events’ impact on our activity level has led to ongoing studies. Below we’re going to expound upon some of the events that have been shown to change activity levels.

Life Events That Can Impact Activity Levels

The importance of studying the levels of physical activity adults and children participate in cannot be understated. There has been a mounting epidemic of obesity in the United States. This is aggravated by the fact that only 20% of all teenagers and 24% of adults get enough physical activity each day. These numbers are consistently low across all available samples. However, there has been a noted worsening of these rates in those who have suffered significant life events. These events aren’t necessarily traumatic. However, they represent a change in that person’s life paradigm. Some examples include

• Beginning a new career or their first job
• Becoming married
• Pregnancy
• Retirement
• Difficulties in parenting
• Transition to a long-term care facility

These events tend to upend the habits and traditions of an individual’s life. The ability to participate in these habits, such as daily visits to the gym, is often impacted. There may also be a notable impact on their social activities. Even indirectly, many social gatherings increase the amount of physical activity an individual gets. Other life factors have been shown to influence the level of activity individuals engage in.

• Limited educational background
• Poor access to safe outdoor areas to engage in physical activity
• Motor coordination
• Age
• Gender
• Poor body image
• Real or perceived barriers to participation

Their parents’ level of education influenced the weight and physical activities of those under 18 years of age. Those in communities with high crime rates, poor access to school programs, limited recreational facilities, and walkable areas also showed reduced activity levels. What can be done with all of these barriers influencing an individual’s ability to engage in physical activity?

How To Improve Your Physical Activity Levels

There are abundant ways to improve the amount of activity level you do each day. However, underneath all of these options lay the core issue. You must commit to improving your health and life by engaging in greater physical activity. There is no need for a gym or related equipment. Instead, you can reference the numerous websites and social media channels (Such as YouTube) that provide instructional videos and guides. You can also join community groups like MyFitnessPal and other physical fitness resources. Many of these sources are free and can provide significant options for engaging in physical activity at home. They can also provide important resources for improving the activity level that you may not have considered.

People active in sports, construction, or other high-energy activity can experience various forms of soft tissue damage. Soft tissue damage occurs along the muscles, ligaments, and tendons, and these injuries can cause pain, swelling, bruising, and other forms of damage. But deciding if you should see urgent care can be challenging when the pain becomes unbearable. This article will provide you with symptoms to watch out for and help you learn when to go to urgent care for a soft tissue injury. 

What Types of Soft Tissue Injuries Are There?

Sudden, hazardous impacts on the muscles, tendons, and ligaments typically cause soft tissue injuries. They can also be caused by excessive use of the soft tissues over time and most commonly occur during sports events. There are many different types of soft tissue injuries, including: 

• Contusions: Contusions are bruises that occur to the soft tissues from blunt force. Pain, swelling, and discoloration occur due to bleeding inside the tissues. 
• Sprains: Sprains are partial tears to the ligaments. The ligaments can get injured from sudden twists and wrenches to the affected area and typically occur along the ankles, wrists, and knees. 
• Strains: Strains are muscles or tendons that have been overused or overstretched. The muscles or tendons will feel sore, sensitive to sudden movements, and tight, and typically require rest to ensure healing. 
• Tendonitis: Tendonitis is an inflammatory condition in the tendon from overuse and repetitive motion. Elbows, wrists, knees, ankles, and other areas where tendons are found tend to experience this condition, usually caused by sports movements. 
• Bursitis: The bursa is a fluid-filled sac between the bones, muscles, and tendons; these areas can also get inflamed and are usually caused by overuse or direct trauma to the joint. 

When Will I Need To Go To Urgent Care For A Soft Tissue Injury? 

These conditions will usually require R.E.S.T, using ice compressions and elevating the area to help the injury heal within the first few days. However, urgent care is highly needed if a week has passed and the injury hasn’t shown any progress in healing or has worsened. Some symptoms to look out for when dealing with soft tissue injuries include: 

• Persistent pain or pain that radiates down the arms and legs
• The affected joint pops or cracks along the injury site or if the site is moved post-injury.
• Experience difficulties walking, sitting, or getting out of bed due to the injury.
• Numbness or tingling around the joint area or injury site
• Inability to move or bend the injury site due to throbbing, persistent pain
• All painful symptoms persist and cannot be relieved with over-the-counter pain relievers or other medications. 

If these symptoms occur, schedule an appointment with urgent care as soon as possible. When you visit an urgent care clinic, they can provide specialists for complex injury treatments, offer prescription-level pain medications, and help soothe pain while your injury heals. By visiting your local urgent care, they can diagnose your injury and recommend the best route to recovery.

In the past decade, there’s been a growing trend of seeking IV Vitamin Treatments as a health treatment. These infusions have become so prominent that a range of special IV clinics has opened to make them available. These clinics are popularly referred to as ‘drip bars’ and are the topic of some controversies. More recently, these services have started being offered as a “concierge service,” where the provider will come to your home to administer these infusions. These services can run as much as $300 for a treatment lasting 30 to 60 minutes. With rates like these, it’s essential to ask whether they’re safe or benefit the recipient.

The Rise of IV Infusions In Spa Trends

The origin of the IV infusion can be found in the 1960s with Dr. John Myers. These treatments were developed with the hope that they’d aid those with asthma, migraines, and fibromyalgia. A specific type of cocktail was developed by Myers and underwent extensive scientific study after years of being administered. Unfortunately, these studies revealed there was no notable benefit in those patients who were receiving it. As a result, this cocktail would slowly be phased out. Recently, however, there’s been a notable resurgence in infusion therapy.

Unfortunately, the power of hype and trendy internet fads is the driving force behind this. No new information has been brought forward that shows the earlier studies were faulty or challenged their findings. Instead, it was a collection of Hollywood debutantes with no medical training or authority who began hyping their so-called effectiveness. Chrissy Teigen and Gwyneth Paltrow are notable advocates of these “treatments” for boosting energy, curing hangovers, and reversing signs of the aging process. The less reputable clinics offering these services will repeat these claims, adding that they can ease heart disease, fight cancer, manage diabetes, and countless other dangerous claims.

Experts quote the following facts to debunk the effectiveness of these treatments:

• Vitamin C – This nutrient has long been proven effective at preventing colds. However, this is misleading at best. It is known that those taking it often recover more quickly, but there’s no proven prophylactic effect. Despite the body of evidence showing otherwise, these clinics claim it will keep you from getting sick.
• Vitamin B3 and NAD+ – The claims they make about this being able to reverse brain aging and treat Alzheimer’s are misleading. These two vitamins help prevent the onset of these conditions. However, there is no evidence showing that they can do anything to reverse them once they’ve begun. A simple infusion isn’t enough to address the problems associated with aging.

Vitamin Infusions Can Actually Cause Harm

One thing you won’t hear from these clinics is the potential risks of receiving vitamin infusions. While our bodies need vitamins and minerals to remain healthy, it’s possible to receive too much. Vitamin toxicity is a genuine danger for those receiving infusions regularly. As some vitamins get stored in the muscles, liver, and fat, they can quickly go above safe levels over multiple treatments. You would be better served by eating healthy, seeing your physician regularly, and getting plenty of exercise.

Maintaining routine heart checkups matters – regular screenings for heart health should begin at 20 years old and be performed every two to four years. That’s because even the healthiest of individuals can face heart problems later in life, and it’s often due to how delicate our hearts are to age and disease. In cases where abnormal symptoms arise, it’s important to learn when to see urgent care to determine whether you’re facing life-threatening effects or have a condition that needs treatment. 

Why You Should Keep An Eye On Your Heart Health

Even in the healthiest individuals, however, heart issues can arise. In some cases, these heart issues can be life-threatening. One of the most prominent symptoms that indicate poor heart health are chest pain and heart palpitations. While chest pain and heart palpitations don’t initially indicate heart problems, other conditions such as rib joint inflammation, panic attacks, lung diseases, and esophageal spasms can easily cause pain throughout the chest. In these scenarios where you don’t know whether or not it’s you’re heart, going to urgent care can help determine what’s causing it and provide you with the help you need. 

Other symptoms often associated with heart health problems include:

• The heart is beating too quickly
• The heart is beating too strongly
• The heart is irregularly
• The heartbeat is skipping and rapidly fluttering
• The heart feels like it is flipping and flopping in the chest

While some instances of heart palpitations and chest pain may appear obvious, other cases may not resolve on their own if they go untreated. Symptoms such as fainting, chest discomfort, shortness of breath, fever, and dizziness can also indicate serious heart health issues that require surgical or therapeutic treatment to handle. However, other conditions, such as strenuous physical activity, hormone changes, stimulants, and emotional triggers, can easily lead to physical symptoms. Hence, it’s important to see urgent care if you are unsure. 

When Should You Visit Urgent Care For Heart Health

Regardless of whether you have a heart problem or experiencing signs such as chest pain, you should seek medical attention immediately. When you take the time to visit urgent care, you can receive a quick diagnosis for your condition, especially if you feel that you are experiencing a non-emergency scenario. All urgent care professionals can easily connect their patients with heart health specialists and surgeons to help assist with long-term problems associated with heart health. 

One way to determine if you should visit urgent care is by noticing how your symptoms formed. If your chest pain has been treated before in the past and you don’t experience the symptoms of heart attacks, strokes, and other emergency conditions, then it’s best to visit an urgent care for immediate treatment. However, if the chest pain, heart palpitations, and other symptoms worsen, then it’s important to go to the emergency room right away for treatment. Your experts will be knowledgeable and experienced in the diagnosis and treatment of even the most complex heart conditions and will be able to help you feel better.