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Fever. Sore throat. Body aches. Cough. Fatigue. Congestion. Headache.

October 31, 2012 in Community, ER/Urgent Care, Lifestyle Tips with 0 Comments

If you’ve ever had the flu, you know it can knock you down quicker than you can say, “Tylenol and chicken soup, please.” And with the holidays fast approaching, who wants to be the person relegated to bed, fighting the flu, while everyone else is out enjoying the festivities?

Flu season is already here, and one of the best things you can do to protect yourself against the three most anticipated strains (including H1N1) is to get the flu vaccine. And here at St. David’s Emergency Center at Bee Cave, we’re offering free flu shots to the community while supplies last, with no appointment necessary. Just come in whenever it’s convenient for you, and our friendly staff will get you vaccinated. And when we say “whenever,” we mean it—we’re open twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. Because here at St. David’s, we’re not only committed to providing exceptional care in the event of life’s medical emergencies, but also to promoting health and wellness within our community. In fact, if you were at any one of the amazing events at the Hill Country Galleria this weekend, you may have seen some of our awesome staff passing out first aid kits and spreading the word about our free flu shots!

So arm yourself against the flu this season by stopping at St. David’s Emergency Center Bee Cave anytime for your free flu shot while supplies last!

(Located in the Hill Country Galleria, in front of the Bee Cave City Hall)
12813 Galleria Circle
Bee Cave, TX 78738
Telephone: (512) 816-2100

The Buzz on Bee Stings – 4 Things to Ease the Pain

August 22, 2012 in ER/Urgent Care, Outdoors, Tips with 0 Comments

photo via flickr

If you’ve spent any time outdoors this summer, you’ve likely encountered bees. In fact, in April, a swarm of honeybees surrounding a tree branch temporarily shut down a portion of the playground at Buda Elementary School. While honeybees are generally harmless if left alone, Africanized bees can be dangerous.

Recently, there have been numerous reports of bee attacks in surrounding counties. According to experts, the recent rains that helped ease the drought conditions have also provided more food for bees, including the aggressive Africanized bees.

While most bee stings can easily be treated at home, immediate emergency medical treatment may be required if a person incurs multiple stings or has an allergic reaction to a sting.

When a bee stings, it digs its barbed stinger—and the attached sac of venom—into a person’s skin. However, prompt and effective treatment can lessen the severity of the sting.

  • Remove the stinger. Removing the stinger the right way may keep additional venom from being released. (It only takes a few seconds for the venom to enter the body.) The best way to do this is to use the edge of a credit card or a pair of tweezers. Be careful not to squeeze the attached venom sac, as it may release more venom.
  • Wash the site of the sting. Thoroughly wash the sting area with soap and water.
  • Apply a cold compress. Applying a cold compress can help relieve any pain or swelling that might occur as a result of the sting.
  • Ease symptoms. You may need to apply hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion to ease itching or swelling. If these symptoms persist, it may be necessary to take an oral antihistamine, such as Benadryl. Avoid scratching the site of the sting, as it can worsen symptoms and increase the risk of infection.

Bee stings are much more dangerous for those who are severely allergic to them (although many people are not even aware they are allergic), as well as those who suffer multiple bee stings.

During an anaphylactic attack, people can develop difficulty breathing and experience a drop in blood pressure, which can lead to shock. These cases require immediate emergency care. Call 911 or have someone drive you to the nearest emergency room (ER). Do not try to drive yourself to the ER. By doing so, you may not only endanger your life, but also the lives of others who may be driving or walking near you should you go into shock and become unable to operate your vehicle.

When a severe reaction occurs, medical experts may use epinephrine (adrenaline) to treat the body’s allergic response, as well as oxygen to compensate for compromised breathing. Albuterol may be used to relieve breathing symptoms. Some conditions may also require intravenous antihistamines and/or steroids to reduce allergic reaction symptoms.

If you already know you’re allergic to bee stings, you may have probably been prescribed an emergency epinephrine auto-injector, such as an EpiPen—a self-administered syringe that injects a single dose of medicine, when needed. Always carry it with you and be mindful of its expiration date. Also, make sure the people around you know how to administer the drug, should you be unable to do so yourself. It could save your life.

Perhaps the easiest way to avoid a dangerous reaction is to avoid an encounter with bees altogether. Remember that flowery colognes, perfumes and soaps may attract bees, as can bright colors and certain foods and beverages. Also, keep your car windows up, your garbage and recycling cans closed, and stay away from bee hives or nests. If you spot a nest outside your home, call a professional exterminator to deal with the problem.

– Megan Hood, M.D., is the medical director of St. David’s Urgent Care Kyle

Safe in the Summer – Tips to Protect Yourself and Family

July 3, 2012 in Community, ER/Urgent Care, Exercise, Heart, Heat Safety, Lifestyle Tips, Outdoors with 1 Comment

The Dog Days of Summer are here and while you are most likely prepared for all the fun things this presents, are you ready for problems that come with the summer months as well? Sheila Dolbrow, RN, CFN, CA – CP SANE, and the Trauma Coordinator at St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center shares with us some of the top summer related safety concerns below. Join Sheila on July 12th for the Summer Safety Seminar at the St. David’s Round Rock Health and Wellness Center at the Chasco YMCA as she goes into detail on how to keep your family safe during the summer months.

  1. Do you know what to do in a disaster? Do you have a family plan?  -  I have found that a lot of people have never considered this and with recent storms, wildfires, and the threat of tornados and such many families have no plan for shelter, evacuation or anything else. At the seminar, I will have educational booklets that are full of family activities and materials for emergency preparedness.
  2. Water safety - We have already had multiple drownings in the area associated with the lakes and there have been several near drowning situations involving children associated with swimming pools.  I will cover some high points of boating safety, pool safety and appropriate floatation devices for kids.
  3. Bicycle/ATV safety – We had several fatalities over the last year here at St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center related to bicycle and ATV accidents. I will cover general safety related to helmet use, choosing the right helmet, etc.
  4. Heat-related safety - With temperatures well over 100 degrees everyone needs to be aware of risks involved with outdoor activities during extreme heat and the use of sunscreen.
  5. Distracted Driving – This is one of the biggest safety concerns of our time. I will go over all the ways you can be distracted.

The seminar will be from 6:00 -7:30 p.m. and registration is required so call 512-478-3627 and sign up today. We hope to see you there!

Holly Krivokapich
Health and Wellness Coordinator

How to Take Your Own Pulse: Something Everyone Should Know

November 1, 2011 in AFIB, ER/Urgent Care, Heart, Heart Rhythm, Lifestyle Tips, Men, Women with 0 Comments

As a nurse, I’m often surprised at the number of people who don’t know how to take their own pulse.  I have to remind myself that, for someone who doesn’t do it every day, it can be a little tricky.  By the time you finish reading this, you’ll know exactly how to take your own pulse.

But before we get into the how, let’s talk about the why.  Why is it important to know how to check your own pulse anyway?  If you have Atrial Fibrillation (AFib), checking your pulse is a quick and easy way to tell if you’re in or out of rhythm.  While many people feel terrible when they’re in AFib—palpitations, dizziness, shortness of breath, and decreased stamina, to name a few—some folks have no idea when they go into AFib.  This can be especially dangerous for people with undiagnosed AFib, since the heart rhythm disorder is one of the top causes of stroke.  If you don’t know you’re in AFib, you can’t take steps to protect yourself from its potentially debilitating effects.

And since AFib affects more than 3 million Americans, mostly over the age of 60, I would argue that everyone age 60 or older should take their pulse on a regular basis to (at the very least) see if it’s fast or slow, regular or irregular.

So here’s how to do it:

  1.  Turn your left hand so that your palm is face-up.
  2. With the index and middle fingers of your right hand, draw a line from the base of your thumb to just below the crease in your wrist.  Your fingers should nestle just to the left of the large tendon that pops up when you bend your wrist toward you.
  3. Don’t press too hard, that will make the pulse go away.  Use gentle pressure.
  4. Wait.  It can take several seconds—and several micro-adjustments in the placement of your two fingers on your wrist—to find your pulse.  Just keep moving your fingers down or up your wrist in small increments (and pausing for a few seconds) until you find it.
  5. Notice whether your pulse is regular (keeps time like a metronome) or irregular (more random, fast-slow, fast-slow).  An irregular pulse is a tell-tale sign of AFib or other heart rhythm disturbances.
  6. To take your pulse rate:
    1. Find a watch with a second hand and place it on your right wrist or on the table next to your left hand.
    2. After finding your pulse, count the number of beats for 20 seconds.
    3. Multiply by 3 to get your heart rate, or beats per minute (or just count for 60 seconds for a math-free option).
    4. Normal, resting heart rate is about 60-100 beats per minute.

Questions about what you find?  Speak to a Nurse Navigator by calling (877) 887-7737, or consult your physician.