HCE Blog

You’re out digging in your garden and get a cut on your hand. A little dirt gets in the wound, but you don’t think anything of it. It’s just a little dirt, what harm can it do? Didn’t grandpa say to go rub some dirt on a wound when you hurt yourself as a kid? It should be good for the wound, then, right? Wrong! Do you want tetanus? Because that’s how you get tetanus… Sorry. "Tetanus bacteria (...

Even though many of them act like it, kids aren’t mini adults. Many over the counter medicines grown-ups can take— even ones you may have thought were safe— aren’t good for children! We spoke with Dr. Paul Meredith M.D., the Chief Medical Officer of HealthCARE Express, for the whats-what when it comes to medicating your sick kiddos. Before working for HealthCARE Express, Dr. Meredith was a pe...

  It’s Spring, and you know what that means… It’s Spring cleaning time! While you’re going about your Spring cleaning, don’t forget to clean out your medicine cabinet. It’s recommended that once a year, you toss out your expired medications. The expiration date refers to an unopened container, not open ones. Opened containers of medicine should be tossed after a year, or sooner if it begins...

HealthCARE Express offers immunotherapy all year round, so you can come get your treatments at any time of year to get prepared for allergy season. Anyone ages two and up can receive treatment (depending on medical history and doctor’s orders, of course). They offer both blood testing and skin prick testing for allergies, as well. The skin prick testing is more accurate than the blood test and ...

In people who suffer from asthma, the bronchial tubes in their lungs are always inflamed and are easily irritated. When faced with an irritant or trigger, the airways swell even more, tightening and making it even harder for the person to breathe. Mucus created in the lungs is produced in excess and closes the airways even more. Several different things can trigger an asthma attack, from changi...

You go outside as the weather begins to change. The cold bite of winter has left the air and things are beginning to grow again. But there it is. You see it. A yellow powder covering your car. Pollen. You run back inside, but it’s too late. You’ve been exposed. Your nose starts to run and you begin to sneeze. It’s that time of year again:  Allergy season. Or maybe your eyes water and itch whe...

Some of the most mundane tasks can be surprisingly dangerous. We hear a lot about people injuring themselves while cooking, gardening, or fishing because of some slip up with a sharp object. Maybe you’ve even dealt with one of these injuries. A cut that’s too deep for just some antibacterial ointment and a bandage, one that requires a little more medical attention. These deep cuts or scratches ...

The front of your skull is composed of a series of hollow connecting areas that make up your sinuses. Just about the whole upper portion of your face has some sort of sinus cavity behind it. There are a pair in your forehead, a pair in your cheeks, and several along your nose between your eyes. No matter their location, they all branch off to join your nasal passages. The system is delicate and...

One of the most underappreciated functions of the body is mucus production. Yes, it’s pretty nasty, but mucus helps keep your sensitive nasal cavities flushed out of foreign— and possibly harmful—  materials. It also keeps your nose from drying out while you’re breathing which saves you from some aches and pains. Mucus is mostly composed of water, but it contains helpful things like proteins a...

Sinusitis is an infection that is a little hard to pin down as it has symptoms that are similar to other illnesses. As you may have gathered from its name, sinusitis is an infection in the sinuses. Irritation in the sinuses can cause them to become inflamed, which can lead to infection. This infection causes increased mucus production in the sinuses, but the swelling in these cavities prevents ...