Week of March 09- Upper Respiratory Infections, Lice
- Upper respiratory infections have been an issue for the last week or two in Palm Springs. Now they've progressed to sinus infections. Dr. Clifton Cole tells us symptoms include head pressure and pain, which can feel much worse by bending over. If you've gotten these symptoms, and have a temperature, please see your doctor.
- Pneumonia, pneumonia, pneumonia in Rancho Mirage! Patients came in with fever, a tightness in the chest, and a mucusy cough. Dr. Sara Azar says she treated multiple patients for this..from young adults to the elderly. "They were pretty bad cases" she said, and required hospital admission. She didn't notice any cases of flu this week, but reminds us all to stay vigilant and keep washing your hands!
- Dr. Seema Bir has also seen a lot of patients for pneumonia. She's also treated shingles...so here's a reminder that the shingles virus remains dormant in your body a long time, and can be activated during times of stress. In Cathedral City, allergies are also getting worse. Cathedral City pediatrician Dr. Vivien Pacold reports an outbreak of lice at one local school. Parents should be on alert and check their child's hair. Medications like Rid are effective if you really pay attention to the directions on the box. Also, be careful doing any outdoor gardening, because she's seen several allergic reactions as branches brush up on the arms.
- Moving to the east part of the valley, watch out for allergies, which include congestion, sneezing and a runny nose. You can control mold in your house by a regular cleaning with a weak bleach solution. Dr. Randolph Gibbs of Mecca also notes that grass season for the desert region starts in a few weeks, so keep an eye on the daily pollen forecast. "During allergy season and when counts are high avoid yard work, keep windows closed, use air conditioning and avoid freshly cut grass," he says. He's also observed a few cases of roseola, a common childhood illness caused by a contagious virus. This typically triggers a high fever and rash which lasts for a few days.
- In Coachella, seasonal allergies are on the rise, according to Dr. Frank Curry. If an over the counter medication doesn't work in a week to ten days, you may want to look into prescription medication. This part of the valley is still suffering from respiratory infections. Symptoms include a sore throat and runny nose, and they're affecting people in all age groups. Dr. Curry also says he's not seeing the flu. Either the swine flu, or seasonal variety.
- Allergies in La Quinta have been pretty severe this year with so many wildflowers in bloom. Dr. Erica Ruiz also suggests prescription medication if over the counter doesn't do the trick. Sinusitis is going around, accompanied by sinus pain and pressure, ear pain, headaches and fatigue. Some patients will also see a fever with this. "Netti Pot or similar sinus rinses with Sudafed/Mucinex medications are the best over the counters for treatment of the symptoms."
- A significant number of people are coming in to see Dr. Stephen Steele in Palm Desert for treatment of strep throat. Severe throat pain and swollen glands are the most noticeable symptoms. This is highly contagious and in rare occasions can cause complications of heart or kidney disease. "A Rapid Strep test can be done in the doctors office that gives you a pretty accurate result in three minutes," he explains. "Doctors try to avoid using antibiotics unless they are really necessary and some sore throats are viruses that do not require any treatment." And if you play tennis, watch out for staph skin infections, which can be transferred between players shaking hands at the end of the match, or by sharing equipment. "Open wounds can accidentally be rubbed and then transferred to someone else unsuspectingly. This happens more often in wrestlers or basketball were they could be touching each other. But, rarely does this happen between two tennis players playing on the opposite side of a net from the other person."
Watch "What's Going Around" every Tuesday evening on KPSP Local 2 News at 6:00 p.m. and every Wednesday morning on KPSP Local 2 This Morning at 6:45 a.m.
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