The offices feature roughly 6,000 square feet of space and 14 exam rooms split among Norton Community Medical Associates primary care, a Norton Immediate Care Center and, eventually, a Norton Orthopedic Institute office. The new location also will have laboratory testing and X-ray capability to help providers accurately diagnose a variety of illnesses and injuries.

“Norton Healthcare is committed to expanding access to health care throughout the area,” said Russell F. Cox, president and CEO, Norton Healthcare. “The comprehensive care that will be provided in this new space will make it easier for so many more people to receive the care they need.”

The new space, located at 10798 Dixie Highway, is Norton Healthcare’s southernmost primary care office and immediate care center in Louisville. The building is just off the Gene Snyder Freeway (I-265/KY 841), allowing easy access for those using the city’s highway system, while also supporting population growth in the southwestern part of Louisville. The location also provides access to care for people just outside the city limits, including parts of Meade and Hardin counties.

“It’s very exciting to see the growth in this part of our city,” said Stephanie Harmon, practice manager for the new Norton Community Medical Associates office. “As someone who grew up in the south end of Louisville, I know this is something we’ve needed. To be a part of the team providing that care is extra special.”

The primary care practice will be led by Arilennis Medel Leyva, APRN, family nurse practitioner, who will move from Norton Community Medical Associates – Fairdale. Her diverse, bilingual experience as a clinician enables her to provide comprehensive, patient-centered care. Her philosophy emphasizes empathy, compassion and respect, focusing on individualized patient needs and holistic care.

“Access to primary care is essential for a healthy community,” Leyva said. “I’m excited to bring these services to Valley Station. I believe my experience and expertise can add to the level of care and trust we’ve already built in South Louisville, and I’m excited to care for and form relationships with patients in the area.”

The practice will have self-pay options and quick, easy access to the Norton Healthcare financial services teams for assistance with bill payment.

A Norton Children’s Medical Group pediatrician office will remain open in Fairdale at 189 Outer Loop, with plans to expand. Schedule an appointment by calling (502) 629-1234.

The post Norton Healthcare expanding services in Valley Station appeared first on Norton Healthcare.

In addition to the groin area, a monkey pox rash can break out on the hands, feet, chest, face or mouth.

If you are concerned about symptoms or possible exposure to Mpox, use MyNortonChart to set up an eCare video visit with a Norton Heathcare provider.

“We have a lot of worried patients who are coming into our practices,” said Angela Burgan, R.N., Infection Preventionist with Norton Medical Group. “People have rashes and lesions for a variety of reasons, so our providers really have to get into that information with the patient about their level of exposure to infected individuals.”Mpox

Mpox is spread by close contact, often skin-to-skin. That includes sexual contact as well as kissing, hugging or massage. The virus also can spread on surfaces, bedding, towels and other objects used by someone with Mpox. Respiratory droplets also can be a source of infection, though most cases appear to spread by close contact.

Some people with Mpox will get a rash followed by other symptoms, but some will have just a rash.

If you think you may have Mpox, either because of a new and unexplained rash or other symptoms, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends taking the following steps:

• Avoid close contact, including sex or being intimate with anyone, until you have been checked out by a health care provider.
• If you don’t have a provider or health insurance, visit a public health clinic near you.
• When you see a health care provider, wear a mask.

“Most patients are not acutely ill. Unless you’re having signs and symptoms of distress, the emergency room wouldn’t be appropriate,” Angela said.

Mpox rash symptoms usually start less than three weeks after virus exposure and a few days after developing flu-like symptoms. Mpox lasts up to four weeks until the rash has healed and a fresh layer of skin has formed.

Mpox symptoms also can include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Muscle aches
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Chills
• Exhaustion
• Respiratory complaints (sore throat, congestion, cough)

The post Is it a Mpox rash or something minor? appeared first on Norton Healthcare.

Sprains occur when you injure the soft tissue that attaches to joints in your body. The ligaments may become overstretched or torn. A broken bone can range from the tiny cracks of a stress fracture to the clear emergency of an open fracture.

“If you think you may have broken a bone, it’s best to get a medical exam that likely will include an X-ray,” said Jessica R. Stumbo, M.D., internal medicine/pediatrics provider with Norton Community Medical Associates – LaGrange. “Sprains and breaks require different kinds of treatment. Putting off the right treatment for a break can cause it to heal improperly and contribute to arthritis and the need for surgery.”

If you’re confident it’s a sprain, follow the “RICE” instructions.

• Rest. Use crutches or a sling to avoid using or putting weight on the injured limb for 48 to 72 hours. There’s no need to avoid all activity.
• Ice. Apply a plastic bag with ice as soon as possible after the injury for 15 to 20 minutes as many as eight times a day for the first two days. Icing for too long can damage tissue.
• Compress. Elastic wraps or sleeves can decrease swelling.
• Elevate. Keep the injured limb above your heart when possible to limit swelling.

The post Is it a sprain or a break? Telling the difference can be tricky appeared first on Norton Healthcare.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) — the gold standard in coronavirus testing — is now available with nearly 100% accurate results that the equipment displays within 20 minutes.

“The rapid PCR tests for coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in use at Norton Prompt Care at Walgreens, Norton Immediate Care Centers and offices of Norton Children’s Medical Group, affiliated with the UofL School of Medicine, are a critical part of our efforts to defeat the coronavirus,” said Mary Rademaker, M.D., medical director of Norton Immediate Care Centers and Prompt Care. “Just a few months ago supply shortages and technology had delayed test results for several days. Now we can now detect coronavirus in minutes.”

Previously the best PCR tests took hours, but as demand overwhelmed capacity and testing supplies, the delays went on for days.

Advances in recent months have led to outpatient PCR tests that are just as accurate as hospital or laboratory-based tests at detecting even tiny amounts of coronavirus RNA.

Norton Healthcare uses the Roche Liat (laboratory in a tube) system that can check for influenza A or B at the same time as a rapid PCR COVID-19 test, detecting these viruses from sample taken from the nasopharynx.

Antigen tests, which were widely used earlier in the pandemic for quick results, contributed to rapid tests’ reputation for inaccuracy. Antigen test false negatives — meaning the test incorrectly showed no infection — could be as high as 20%.

Antigen tests look for a coronavirus-related protein in samples taken from the nose or throat. They work best when someone is at or near peak infection, but often can miss cases outside of that peak when the person is contagious.

The post You don’t need to choose between fast or accurate COVID-19 tests appeared first on Norton Healthcare.

Reactions from antibiotics account for 20% of medication-related emergency room visits, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Common side effects of antibiotics can include rash, dizziness, nausea, diarrhea and yeast infections.

More serious side effects of antibiotics include susceptibility to clostridium difficile (C. diff) bacteria, which causes severe diarrhea that can lead to significant colon damage and even death. Antibiotics damage the normal bacteria in your intestines and create the opportunity for C. diff to take over. C. diff needs immediate treatment.

Allergic reactions to antibiotics include wheezing, hives, shortness of breath, and anaphylaxis — a feeling that you are choking or your voice is changing. While about 10% of U.S. patients report they had an allergic reaction to penicillin in the past, testing has shown that fewer than 1% are truly allergic, according to the CDC. About 80% with a penicillin allergy lose their sensitivity after 10 years.

“Antibiotics are powerful drugs. If you need an antibiotic, follow your health care provider’s instructions carefully, be on the lookout for side effects and allergic reactions and alert your provider or seek emergency care if you are concerned,” said Steven Patton, D.O., family medicine physician with Norton Community Medical Associates – Preston.

Because antibiotics will kill good bacteria along with bad bacteria, they can disrupt the balance in the gut. Studies have found that this disruption contributes to numerous conditions, including diabetes, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, depression, autism and superinfection in critically ill patients.

Antibiotics are helpful for some bacterial infections. If you have a viral infection such as a cold, the flu, runny nose — even if mucus is thick, yellow or green — antibiotics won’t help. Antibiotics also give bacteria a chance to build up resistance, making future infections harder to treat.

The post Can antibiotics make you sick? appeared first on Norton Healthcare.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that in the United States, over 9,000 high school athletes are treated for heat illnesses each year.

Many medications and underlying medical illnesses, such as diabetes, also can increase the risk for heat illnesses.

Dehydration

One of the most common heat illnesses is dehydration. This occurs when the amount of fluid the body loses, usually due to sweating, is greater than the amount taken in. If not treated right away, your body stops working normally.

Signs of dehydration

• Dry, sticky mouth
• Dizziness and/or headache
• Decreased or darker urine
• Fatigue
• Muscle cramps

Children are especially susceptible to dehydration. They generate more heat for their body size than adults. They also sweat less, which is the body’s way of cooling itself.

Age plays a role in how much daily water intake is needed to stay hydrated. Sodas, sweetened drinks (diet or regular) and caffeinated drinks are not part of daily hydration needs and can increase risk for dehydration.

Sports drinks generally are not needed if you are not exercising more than one hour and can be harmful to children who don’t need the extra sodium and glucose. Water is the best choice if you are exercising less than one hour.

Sports drinks will replace electrolytes lost in sweat after strenuous exercise. In addition to rehydration after strenuous activity, a glass of chocolate milk will help refuel with a good blend of carbohydrates and protein.

How much water should kids drink?

Kari J. Zahorik, M.D., family medicine physician with Norton Community Medical Associates – Mid City Mall, suggests the following guidelines for minimum daily water intake (1 cup = 8 ounces):

• Children ages 4 to 13: 5 to 8 cups
• Teenage boys and adult men: 13 cups
• Teenage girls and adult women: 9 cups

“Once you’re thirsty, it’s too late to hydrate,” Dr. Zahorik said. “About two hours before exercising, you should drink 2 to 3 cups of water. During exercise, you need to be drinking 1 to 2 cups every 20 minutes, then 1 cup within 30 minutes of stopping.

“Also, an easy sports medicine rule of thumb is that urine should look like lemonade, not apple juice.”

If you still have signs of mild dehydration, such as dry mouth or thirst, drink more.

Heat cramps

Dehydration can cause heat cramps, which include muscle cramps in the legs, stomach and sometimes the hands. Drinking enough fluids and moving to a cool location will make these symptoms go away.

Heat exhaustion symptoms

Untreated dehydration and exposure to high temperatures can quickly turn into heat exhaustion, which includes the following symptoms:

• Dry, sticky mouth
• Dizziness and/or headache
• Decreased or darker urine
• Fatigue
• Muscle cramps
• Confusion
• Pale skin
• Rapid heartbeat
• Profuse sweating
• Fainting

If you or someone around you is experiencing these symptoms, drink or provide plenty of cool fluids, remove tight or unnecessary clothing, and use fans, iced or wet towels, a water hose or any other cooling measures.

Heatstroke symptoms

• Behavioral changes
• Seizures
• Loss of consciousness
• Lack of sweating

Heatstroke is a medical emergency and can cause loss of consciousness; damage to the heart, brain and kidneys; and even death.

If you are around someone with heatstroke symptoms, call 911 immediately.

While you’re waiting for EMS to arrive, move the person into the shade or a cool building, and help cool the body with fans, iced or wet towels, or a water hose.

The post Dehydration, heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heatstroke symptoms and what to do appeared first on Norton Healthcare.

A yeast infection causes inflammation of the vagina and vulva, which can cause intense itching, redness, soreness and a burning sensation during urination or sex. It commonly produces a thick, white, odorless discharge that looks like cottage cheese. Symptoms may be mild to moderate, but they can get worse if left untreated.

“Your vagina has a natural balance of yeast and bacteria,” said Rachel Alexander, APRN, nurse practitioner with Norton eCare. “When that balance is disrupted, you get an overgrowth of a type of fungus called candida, which can lead to an infection. Warm, dark, moist conditions — like a wet bathing suit or jogging pants — are where this overgrowth thrives.”

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Yeast infection risk factors and treatment

Women may be more at risk for a yeast infection due to various factors, including:

• Use of antibiotics that can kill good bacteria in the vagina and create an imbalance of yeast cells
• Increased estrogen levels (from pregnancy or hormonal birth control)
• Compromised immune system
• Poorly controlled diabetes and blood sugar

A yeast infection is not a sexually transmitted disease, however it can be spread through sexual contact. You do not have to be sexually active to get a yeast infection.

Unfortunately, women who have had a yeast infection in the past are more likely to get another one.

According to Rachel, yeast infections can usually be treated with antifungal medication, either in a cream or pill form.

“Many times treatment can be prescribed quickly through our eCare service,” she said. “We offer an easy, convenient way to get fast relief from the maddening symptoms of a yeast infection.”

Norton eCare can be accessed from a mobile device (using the MyChart app) or computer via MyNortonChart. Opt for a secure video visit or an eVisit, which involves filling out a symptom-specific online questionnaire. If symptoms don’t improve within several days of treatment, you may need to see a health provider for an exam. Symptoms that are far outside the norm of a typical yeast infection probably cannot be treated via Norton eCare.

Yeast infection prevention: Get out of wet underwear or bathing suits right away

Most women who have dealt with the frustration of a yeast infection would probably tell you to focus on prevention rather than treatment.

Get out of wet clothes — wet underwear or a wet bathing suit — immediately. Wear swim or workout attire made of moisture-wicking material, which helps moisture evaporate more quickly.

Avoid wearing too-tight underwear, especially during the summer months. Choose cotton underwear and loose pants, skirts or dresses instead. Stay out of hot tubs, and don’t take very hot baths. Avoid antibiotics unless they are absolutely necessary.

With a few simple precautions, a yeast infection doesn’t have to get in the way of your next spin class or a refreshing dip in your favorite pool.

The post You’ve been sitting in wet clothes – now that troubling itch may mean a yeast infection appeared first on Norton Healthcare.