Blog Family Medical Center in Waterbury CT

10/Oct/2020

Summer In Connecticut means plenty of swimming, whether it’s in pools or the ocean. Swimming is a great way to cool off on a hot day and to get some exercise, all while being outside and enjoying the best weather of the year. For many Nee Englanders, however, a day in the water this summer could potentially lead to an earache.

Swimmer’s ear is a common summer problem for children and is part of growing up like sunburns and mosquito bites. Also known as otitis externa, swimmer’s ear can hurt — but it doesn’t have to change your summer plans!

Here’s what you need to know before you and your children hit the water.

1. What is swimmer’s ear?

Swimmer’s ear is an outer ear infection: it affects the outer ear canal, which runs from the outside of your ear to your eardrum. While infections can occur for any number of reasons, swimmer’s ear is caused by an excess amount of moisture remaining in the ear canal.

Because the ear canal is dark, any build up of moisture is going to promote the growth of bacteria.

Once bacteria starts to grow, the ear canal becomes inflamed, leading to pain and discomfort. While swimmer’s ear is most common in children, adults can get it as well.

2. How do you get swimmer’s ear?

The easy answer is “by swimming!” Of course it’s not quite that simple, you can also get swimmer’s ear without swimming. Too much moisture in the ear is the main cause of swimmer’s ear, but there are other factors as well. Some children may be predisposed to swimmer’s ear due to the way their ear canals are shaped, making it more difficult for water to drain out. The type of water matters as well: swimming in ponds, lakes, or poorly treated pools may increase exposure to bacteria, raising the risk of swimmer’s ear.

Finally, the wax in your ears serves as a way to stop moisture from building up inside. People who keep their ears a little too clean, may actually be increasing their chances of contracting swimmer’s ear.

3. How do you prevent swimmer’s ear?

We can’t just stop kids from swimming, especially during summertime in CT! Instead, preventing swimmer’s ear starts with taking steps to keep moisture from building up inside the ear canals.

Have your children thoroughly dry their ears after getting out of the water.
Have them try to shake the water out or lean each side of the head to remove any excess water.
Avoid swimming in untreated water or at beaches where the bacteria count is high.

If you find that your child is particularly susceptible to swimmer’s ear, waterproof ear plugs are an option. While it may take some time for your child to get used to them, they do a good job keeping ear canals dry.

4. How do you treat swimmer’s ear?

If you suspect swimmer’s ear (whether in your child or yourself), it’s a good idea to contact your primary care provider. Your provider will be able to confirm that it’s swimmer’s ear and not something more serious. Your provider will know the best approach to treat the issue.

Normally, swimmer’s ear is treated with special ear drops that help fight off the infection. Ibuprofen or another over-the-counter pain reliever can to relive the the ear pain as well. With the proper medication, swimmer’s ear should be resolved within a week or so.

One thing that you should never do with a suspected case of swimmer’s ear is ignore it. While swimmer’s ear is usually pretty easy , ignoring it gives the infection a chance to spread and potentially become more serious.

Have questions? Call Dr. Felly Mazhandu FNP-BC wants to be your primary care physician and if you are dealing with chronic disease, help you manage it. Contact us to schedule an appointment by clicking this link or calling 203-527-3576

24/Sep/2020

As we continue to move forward with getting back to normal it is important not to forget how important it is to wash your hands. Children come into contact with germs on a regular basis. Think about it they are going to school and daycare while still learning about personal hygiene so they are wiping their noses with their hands and touching everywhere. Proper hand washing can help stop the spread of many illnesses – from the common cold to more serious illnesses like hepatitis A. Washing your hands is easy, inexpensive, effective, and can help prevent sick days and trips to the doctor! Public Service announcement!!!! Using hand sanitizer is not the same as washing your hands. Yes if you don’t have access to running water and soap its a good alternative but nothing can replace washing your hands with soap and water.

Here are some techniques for proper hand washing:

Remind children to wash their hands in these situations:

Before eating and cooking
After using the bathroom
After coughing, sneezing, or blowing one’s nose
After cleaning around the house
After touching animals or pets
After coming home from school
After playing outside
Before and after visiting or taking care of sick friends or relatives

Wash your own hands with your children and model proper hand washing

Talk about it! Announce when and why you are going to wash your hands or talk about something you touched and how you washed your hands after you touched it
Carry hand sanitizer for times when there is no sink or soap available
Sing the happy birthday song with them twice while you are washing to show them how long to wash!

Children will need reminders even though they know the rules. To stop the spread of germs, make hand washing rules and routines, such as washing before meals and after using the bathroom.

Have questions or concerns? Call Dr. Felly Mazhandu FNP-BC. Agape Family Medical Center wants to be your primary care facility. Contact us to schedule an appointment by clicking this link or calling 203-527-3576

30/Apr/2020

Direct Care is a medical practice model where providers contract directly with patients. For almost all of America’s history, Americans paid their provider directly for care. It was only in the 20th century that health insurance outpaced out-of-pocket pay as the primary revenue source for medical practices. But since the turn of the 21st century, direct care has made a resurgence.

In 2005, there were fewer than 150 physicians practicing in direct primary care, concierge, and other direct care models. This number grew 5x in the next five years, to 756 in 2010, and then even more rapidly to an estimated 6,500 direct care physicians across the country by the end of 2015.

The complexities of contracting with insurers have placed more demands on physicians in recent years, leading more to choose direct care. This alternative payment model has helped strengthen the relationship between patients and physicians in many communities, allowing physicians more control over their patient panel sizes, practice staffing, and care delivery.

For physicians, adopting a direct care model can improve work-life balance, reduce practice overhead, bring higher per patient revenues, and maintain physician autonomy.

For patients, direct care can mean a greater degree of access to, and time with, physicians. Improved communication and more regular, engaged care leads to fewer unnecessary tests, less frequent hospital visits, and lower total cost of care.

With Agape Family Medical Center, you can receive primary care for a low monthly fee without copays or hurried visits. We remove the hassle of visiting the doctor by giving you the access and discounts you need in a timely manner. We are a family, locally, and Christian-owned healthcare provider dedicated to whole-person care.

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A Few Things To Know About Swimmers Ear

1. What is swimmer’s ear?

2. How do you get swimmer’s ear?

3. How do you prevent swimmer’s ear?

4. How do you treat swimmer’s ear?

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