Runny Nose

Got a runny nose? Sneezing? The medical professionals at Doctor’s Immediate Care can help. Call your local office to make an appointment.

What is a runny nose?

A runny nose is excess drainage produced by nasal and adjacent tissues and blood vessels in the nose. This drainage may range from a clear fluid to thick mucus. Runny nose drainage may run out of your nose, down the back of your throat or both.

The terms “rhinorrhea” and “rhinitis” are often used to refer to a runny nose. Strictly speaking though, rhinorrhea refers to a thin, relatively clear nasal discharge. Rhinitis refers to inflammation of the nasal tissues from a number of causes, which usually results in a runny nose.

Nasal congestion may or may not accompany runny nose.

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Flu Symptoms

Feeling under the weather? Think you may have the flu? The medical professionals at Doctors Immediate Care can help. Call your local office to make an appointment.

What is the flu?

Influenza is a viral infection that attacks your respiratory system — your nose, throat and lungs. Influenza is commonly called the flu, but it’s not the same as stomach “flu” viruses that cause diarrhea and vomiting.

For most people, influenza resolves on its own. But sometimes, influenza and its complications can be deadly. People at higher risk of developing flu complications include:

• Young children under age 5, and especially those under 2 years
• Adults older than age 65
• Residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
• Pregnant women and women up to two weeks postpartum
• People with weakened immune systems
• People who have chronic illnesses such as asthma, heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease and diabetes
• People who are very obese, with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher

The annual influenza vaccine is your best defense against the flu.

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5 Major Advantages of Urgent Care Over Hospital ER’s

Advantages of Urgent Care over Emergency Room 

 Urgent Care Centers openThe Firsted in the 1970s are recommended for a wide variety of illnesses and injuries which are not life-threatening, still requires immediate attention and proves to be a very good alternative to hospital emergency rooms.

If you are not in a life threatening situation, an urgent care center will provide you with right care, at the right price, with the right level of convenience.

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 1. Save Time: Generally the wait time in Urgent Care clinics is usually much shorter as one can be expected to see a provider in usually 30 minutes or less in compared to Emergency Rooms.  Urgent Care Centers are open beyond typical office hours in rural, urban and suburban areas.

The range of services provided are very safe and efficacious and are much broader in Nature to make the life of the patient more comfortable and convenient in comparison to Emergency Rooms which are operated at 24×7, urgent care centers also called as walk-in clinics (As one can walk-in Without an appointment) may not be open all night, and have their own hours of operation to treat patients on first-come, first-served basis for most medical conditions. Most of the clinics are now offering online schedule for appointments in order to avoid additional delay time. In the United States of America, 70% of these centers open by 8:00AM or earlier and 95% of them shut after 7:00PM.

 2. Save Money:  Services provided by the urgent care clinics are easily affordable and not expensive when compared to Emergency Room visits in terms of cost, as There are no hidden charges, doctor’s fees, staff fees, bed rents, etc.,

A Recent study shows emergency room costs are approximately 700% more than the cost for the same level of quality medical care received at an urgent care facility.

 3. Lower Co-pay:  Also medical insurance covers these clinical charges. Patients can check with their Insurance Provider or the Urgent Care Clinic to determine if their health care insurance plan is covered and what their co-pay will be.  Generally co-payments are low for these types of services when compared to ER.

 4. No Facility Fee: In Urgent Care center, you can submit your Insurance claim and you receive a single bill which is very less compared to any Emergency Room. Emergency and hospital owned urgent cares charge you both a facility fee and a fee for the physician’s service which is a huge amount compared to any Urgent Care center.

 5. Closer to You: Urgent Care centers are very near to your house as 75% of urgent care centers are located in suburban areas and the average number of urgent care clinics in USA is 9,300. You need to travel to urban areas to find any Emergency room as 55% of Emergency Rooms are located in urban areas and the average number of Emergency rooms is very less compared to Urgent Care centers in USA.

Why Urgent Care:

Urgent Care Medical Services generally aims in providing the right care, to speed up recovery and prevent a condition from getting worse, are not destined to replace primary physicians or hospital emergency rooms, But created to fill the gaps when the person is unable to obtain a timely appointment with the Doctor or when their offices are closed.

When to choose Urgent Care over ER:

The major determining factor when selecting whether to go for urgent care center or emergency room depends upon the type of symptoms the patient is experiencing.

(a). Emergency Room is recommended only for  True medical emergencies or when health conditions of the patient are life-threatening like the examples linked to chest pain, shortness of breathing, heart attack, unconsciousness, head injury, abdominal pains, Severe bleeding, major fractures, serious traumatic injury etc.,

(b). Urgent Care for health concerns  related to Headaches, cold and flu like symptoms, Skin Lesions, Minor Burns, Neck and Back pain, eye and ear Infections, Bronchitis, strains and sprains, men’s health, women’s health, pneumonia, lacerations, etc.,

Quality and Trust:

Before selecting any Urgent Care Center for its quality and to place a trust on them, one can check for the qualification of the staff, whether they are certified or not so as to provide the services. Generally, these centers include highly trained, certified physicians, nurses, well-trained physician assistants and medical assistants. For professional specialization, the American Board of Urgent Care Medicine offers several short-term courses and programs for the doctors and nurses.

The Urgent Care Center Accreditation (UCCA) Program accomplishes the accreditation of urgent care centers by setting standards, measuring performance, and providing consultation and education where needed. The accreditation certificate is a symbol to others that an organization is dedicated to supplying high-quality care.

5 Major Advantages of Urgent Care Over Hospital ER’s is available on

Doctors Immediate Care – Lombard

Doctors Immediate Care
18W511 Roosevelt Rd
Lombard, IL 60148
(630) 448-6724

Open Daily: Mon – Fri 9am – 7:30pm  Saturday: 9am – 4pm  Closed Sunday

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Occupational Health

Companies need health care solutions that are both effective and affordable

At Doctors Immediate Care, we understand this, and strive to provide quality care at the lowest prices. Our process works by employing tactics and procedures that reduce the amount of time spent off the job, while minimizing medical expenses.

Occupational health problems that occur on the job can include:

• Cuts, broken bones, sprains and strains
• Loss of limbs
• Repetitive motion disorders
• Hearing problems caused by exposure to noise
• Vision problems
• Illness caused by breathing, touching, or swallowing unsafe substances
• Illness caused by exposure to radiation
• Exposure to germs in health care settings

In business, having a healthy workforce is vital to a company’s success. Small health issues can develop into larger concerns when they lead to missed work, injury on the job, lower efficiency and loss of income. Keeping employees healthy impacts the bottom line and helps companies large and small maximize their potential for greater success.

Doctors Immediate care is your partner in creating healthy employees. If you’re interested in learning more about the Occupational Medicine program at Doctors Immediate Care, please connect with our team to schedule a meeting and get more information.

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HIV Testing

The medical professionals at Doctors Immediate Care are equipped to do HIV testing. Testing is always kept strictly confidential. Call your local office to make an appointment.

Why Test for HIV?

HIV testing shows whether a person has HIV. HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus.

HIV is the virus that causes AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). AIDS is the most advanced stage of HIV infection.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone 13 to 64 years old get tested for HIV at least once and that people at high risk of infection get tested more often.

What are the risk factors for HIV?

Risk factors for HIV infection include having unprotected sex (sex without a condom) with someone who is HIV positive or whose HIV status you don’t know, having sex with many partners, and injecting drugs and sharing needles, syringes, or other drug equipment with others.

The CDC recommends that all pregnant women get tested for HIV as early as possible during each pregnancy.

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B12 Shots

Doctors Immediate Care can provide you with B12 injections. Call your local office to make an appointment.

What is B12?

Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin, also known as cobalamin.

It plays a vital role in brain function and the production of DNA and red blood cells.

Chemically, vitamin B12 can exist in a number of different forms, but all of them contain the mineral cobalt.

The vitamin can be stored in the liver for a long time, so it may take a few years for a deficiency to develop.

Why are people B12 deficient?

The recommended daily intake (RDI) of vitamin B12 is 6 micrograms per day.

Deficiency is common, especially in people who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet.

In fact, it’s thought that up to 90% of people following these diets have a deficiency.

This is because B12 is only found naturally in animal foods.

However, vegans and vegetarians are not the only ones who are deficient. Even some meat eaters don’t absorb it very well.

Unlike other vitamins, the absorption of vitamin B12 depends on a protein produced in your stomach, called intrinsic factor.

Intrinsic factor binds to vitamin B12, so that you can absorb it into the blood. People who don’t produce enough intrinsic factor can become deficient.

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Nausea

If you find yourself feeling nauseous, the medical professionals at Doctor’s Immediate Care can help. Call your local office to make an appointment.

What is nausea?

Nausea is an unpleasant sensation of discomfort or unease in the stomach (queasy stomach), accompanied by an urge to vomit. Nausea often precedes vomiting.

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7 Health Tips to Prevent Heart Disease

Heart Disease is a killer among adults over 40

Millions of people in the world are suffering from this deadly Heart disease or cardiovascular disease.  Some of the common symptoms include trouble breathing, pressure on the chest or chest discomfort, nausea, back pain, shoulder pain, etc.,

Below are some of the tips that help in preventing the heart disease.

1. Regular Checkups:

Regular Checkups provides a scope to detect Heart Disease and assess the risks early in its developmental Stages. Regular Screening helps to assess the condition, tells you what course of action to follow and helps in getting a better medical treatment from cardiologists to prevent it.

2. Food for Heart:

Eating a healthy and Balanced Diet helps in this cause. Diet rich in proteins, vitamins, fiber, minerals like calcium, potassium and iron, low in fat, etc, helps in prevention of heart diseases to a major extent. Apart from it individuals need to include lots of Green rich Leafy Vegetables, Plenty of Fresh Fruits, Nuts, etc, in their Diet in order to cope from problems related to Overweight/obesity apart from reducing the levels of Cholesterol and LDL (Low Density Lipoproteins) in bloodstream. Some of the foods that proves to be beneficial are Black Pepper, Ginger, Turmeric, Almonds, etc,. It is recommended that Processed and Junk foods need to be avoided. Reduce the Consumption of sugar and salt intake.

3. Quit Smoking:

To have a healthy Heart, one needs to Quit Smoking, especially Cigarette Smoking which contains Carbon Monoxide. Quitting smoking reduces the risk of heart disease to a larger extent in comparison to the individuals who don’t smoke.

4. Omega3 Fatty Acids in Diet:

Include cold water species of fish(like Salmon, sardines, tuna, mackerel and trout), Flax Seeds, Soya beans, Walnuts in your diet that are rich in Omega3 fatty acids proves to be helpful in preventing the heart disease . Different types of Omega3 Fatty acids are Eicosapentanoic Acid (EPA), Docosahexanoic Acid(DHA), Alpha-linolenic Acid(ALA). Especially EPA plays an important role in prevention of heart disease.

5. Reduce the Stress and High Blood Pressure:

Stress also a plays a crucial role in heart disease. Regular Exercise that involves physical activity like Walking, cycling, swimming, aerobics, doing Yoga, etc, is recommended.  Apart from preventing Heart Diseases, it reduces the Stress and also helps in controlling high blood pressure.

6. Red wine for Heart:

Moderation Consumption of alcohol to a certain levels as prescribed by the Doctors. Red wine also a crucial role in prevention of heart diseases to a great extent as it contains powerful antioxidant called Resveratrol and flavonoids.

7. Meditation for Peace of Mind:

Regular practice of Meditation provides lots of inner peace, develops positive thinking and helps in to stay away from negative thoughts and emotions, derives unlimited inner strength.

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Drug and Alcohol Testing

Drug testing is one action an employer can take to determine if employees or job applicants are using drugs. It can identify evidence of recent use of alcohol, prescription drugs and illicit drugs. The professional medical team at Doctors Immediate Care can preform these tests for you. Call our office to make an appointment.

Currently, drug testing does not test for impairment or whether a person’s behavior is, or was, impacted by drugs. Drug testing works best when implemented based on a clear, written policy that is shared with all employees, along with employee education about the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse, supervisor training on the signs and symptoms of alcohol and drug abuse, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to provide help for employees who may have an alcohol or drug problem.

Why do employers drug test?

Alcohol and drug abuse creates significant safety and health hazards and can result in decreased productivity and poor employee morale.  It also can lead to additional costs in the form of health care claims, especially short-term disability claims.

Employers implement drug testing to:

• Deter employees from abusing alcohol and drugs
• Prevent hiring individuals who use illegal drugs
• Be able to identify early and appropriately refer employees who have drug and/or alcohol problems
• Provide a safe workplace for employees
• Protect the general public and instill consumer confidence that employees are working safely
• Comply with State laws or Federal regulations
• Benefit from Workers’ Compensation Premium Discount programs

How is drug testing conducted and how accurate is it?

Generally, most private employers have a fair amount of latitude in implementing drug testing for their organization, unless they are subject to certain Federal regulations, such as the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) drug-testing rules for employees in safety-sensitive positions.  However, Federal agencies conducting drug testing must follow standardized procedures established by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

While private employers are not required to follow these guidelines, doing so can help them stay on safe legal ground.  Court decisions have supported following these guidelines, and as a result, many employers choose to follow them.  These Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing (also called SAMHSA’s guidelines) include having a Medical Review Officer (MRO) evaluate tests.  They also identify the five substances tested for in Federal drug-testing programs and require the use of drug labs certified by SAMHSA.

The most common method of drug testing, urinalysis, can be done at the workplace (at a health unit, for example), a doctor’s office or any other site selected by the employer.  An employee or applicant provides a sample to be tested.  Usually precautions are taken, such as putting blue dye in the toilet and turning off the water supply, to prevent adulteration or substitution of specimens so that collection can be completed in privacy without any direct visual observation by another person.

Under SAMHSA’s guidelines, once a sample is provided, it is sent to a certified laboratory.  The accuracy of drug tests done by certified laboratories is very high, but this certification applies only to the five substances tested for in Federal drug-testing programs and alcohol.

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