Play It Safe When Sick: Call the Doctor

By RICHARD A. RAPPAPORT Special to the News & Record

So much so-called health information is readily available these days — from magazines to TV talk shows, the Internet to pharmaceutical commercials — that it can seem like taking a certain medication or trying the latest herbal remedy might be all you need to feel better.

You might think you are just too busy to visit the doctor, you dont want to pay the co-pay, or you dont feel that bad, so you try and tough it out on your own. For some conditions, that may work, but the risk of not getting professional medical care can sometimes make waiting to get better on your own dangerous.

There are several conditions that, on the surface, may seem fairly easy to care for at home but have the potential to become life-threatening if not treated properly and promptly.

Hundreds of medications are available to treat the cold or flu with varying degrees of effectiveness. However, some of the symptoms of a more serious condition include difficulty breathing and a persistent cough, which can be signs of pneumonia, bronchitis or other serious lung diseases.

Swollen glands commonly develop when the body fights minor infections from colds, insect bites or small cuts. More serious infections may cause the glands to enlarge and become firm and tender. They can be a symptom of a viral illness, such as mononucleosis, measles, rubella or mumps, or even a sign of cancer such as lymphoma or leukemia. With any of these symptoms, a trip to your primary-care physician can rule out serious problems, confirm a diagnosis and start you on a treatment plan.

Urinary tract infections are bacterial infections of the urinary tract, most often caused by the bacterium E. coli. They are more common in women and usually affect the bladder, but can also affect the kidneys. Symptoms of a bladder infection usually begin with frequent urination, an urgent need to urinate and pain with urination. Symptoms may also include fever, cloudy urine, foul smelling urine or blood in the urine.

If the infection affects the kidneys, symptoms will usually also include high fever, chills, back pain on the side of the affected kidney, nausea and vomiting.

If left untreated, the infection can spread to other areas of the body, including the blood, and a serious condition of septicemia, or blood poisoning, may occur which, particularly in older patients, can be fatal.

Most cases of bladder infection can be treated with a three-day course of an antibiotic. However, surgery may be required in cases where the infection is caused by a blockage, such as kidney stone or enlarged prostate. In any case, home remedies such as drinking lots of cranberry juice probably wont hurt, but a true diagnosis is needed to ensure the correct treatment.

Mental-status changes should always be carefully monitored, especially in older patients, as these changes may be a precursor of much more serious changes in health. You should always make an appointment to see your family doctor if you or a person you are close to has new and troubling memory loss that is more than an occasional bout of forgetfulness ; this may be an early sign of dementia. Also seek care if a person suddenly becomes confused, emotionally upset or doesnt seem to know who or where he or she is. These are signs of delirium, which can be caused by a reaction to medications or a new or worsening medical condition.

Occasional forgetfulness or memory loss can be a normal part of aging, but any new memory loss or problems with daily functions should be reported to your doctor for evaluation and diagnosis.

While any kind of health problem can seem inconvenient, irritating and maybe just not that serious, the best rule of thumb is to err on the side of caution and make an appointment to give your doctor the opportunity to confirm or change your diagnosis, and provide you with effective, safe treatment so that you can return to health as quickly as possible.

Richard A. Rappaport, PA-C, is with Deep River Family Medicine, a Cornerstone Health Care Practice. For more information on this topic, tune in today at 8 a.m. to Regional Health Talk on WMFR (1230 AM). To suggest a column topic, call 878-6200 or write to info@hprhs.com