Medical

A respiratory infection is any infection that occurs in your respiratory system. Respiratory infections can happen in any of the following areas:

• Sinuses
• Throat
• Trachea (windpipe)
• Bronchial tubes, the passages inside your lungs
• Alveoli, the air sacs inside your lungs

In general, respiratory infections tend to originate in the upper respiratory tract, particularly in the sinuses and throat. If untreated, upper respiratory infections may move deep into your lungs and become pneumonia.

What are the signs of a respiratory infection?

Respiratory infections typically cause symptoms like congestion, runny nose, sore throat, and cough. Severe respiratory infections can cause more serious symptoms as well, such as chest pain, breathing problems, fever, and body chills.

What causes respiratory infections?

Viruses such as the common cold and influenza cause most respiratory infections. Bacteria can also cause respiratory infections, with one example being the streptococcus bacteria causing strep throat.

Respiratory infections are usually contagious, which means they typically spread to others through tiny respiratory droplets. If you have a respiratory infection, you can expel these droplets with every sneeze or cough.

You can also transfer a respiratory infection to someone else if you touch your nose or mouth and then come in contact with someone or something else without washing your hands.

How do you treat respiratory infections?

Because respiratory infections are usually viral, they don’t improve with antibiotics. Often, the infection simply needs to run its course. But, Dr. Zarreii can prescribe medication to ease symptoms like sneezing and sore throat.

In some cases, antiviral drugs may help with respiratory infections caused by viruses. If you have a bacterial infection, Dr. Zarreii typically prescribes antibiotics that target the specific bacteria causing your infection.

Some respiratory infections, like the flu, are preventable. That’s why you need yearly flu vaccinations. It’s also important to remember that you can help control your risk for respiratory infections, even in cases where there’s no vaccine available.

Some smart self-protection tips include washing your hands regularly and following medical and government recommendations.

Respiratory infections are usually very treatable, so call Zarreii Medical and Aesthetics, or use online booking for help now.

If you don’t make glucose, or if you produce it, but your body can’t use it correctly, the glucose in your blood builds to dangerous levels. Long-term, high blood glucose causes extremely serious health problems including nerve damage, blood vessel damage, and vision loss.

Diabetes also puts you at risk for infections, strokes, liver damage, and heart disease, among other medical complications.
What causes diabetes?
The main types of diabetes are Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 diabetes is the rarer form of the disease, and it’s not preventable. With Type 1 diabetes, you don’t produce insulin because the part of your pancreas that makes it isn’t functional.

Type 1 diabetes is likely caused by an autoimmune reaction, but other factors including genetics and viral exposure may also contribute.

Type 2 diabetes, which affects around 95% of the 34 million plus Americans with diabetes, is preventable. The main cause of Type 2 diabetes is insulin resistance, which means your cells don’t respond to insulin properly.

Insulin resistance develops most often in overweight and physically inactive individuals who eat an unhealthy diet with high sugar and carbs.

Is diabetes treatable?

Diabetes isn’t curable, so it’s important to understand you have a condition requiring lifelong management. But, the good news is that you can manage diabetes with Dr. Zarreii’s help.

If you have Type 1 diabetes, you must take insulin as well as eating healthy. But, with Type 2 diabetes, you can often stay healthy and maintain your blood glucose level with specific dietary and lifestyle adjustments.

If you need it, Dr. Zarreii can also prescribe medication that improves insulin sensitivity or increases insulin production so you can process glucose and maintain your blood sugar levels more effectively.

Diabetes management works best when you regularly see an expert for support, so don’t wait to get the tools you need to be healthy. Call the Zarreii Medical and Aesthetics office, or click on the online appointment scheduler to book your visit with Dr. Zarreii now.

What is hypertension?

Hypertension, also called high blood pressure, usually develops over several years without any symptoms. It often goes undetected until it reaches dangerous levels, so it’s vital that you don’t miss your routine preventive appointments where the staff checks your blood pressure.

Blood pressure is a measure of the force of your blood against the artery walls. High blood pressure places excess force on your blood vessels, causing damage to the arteries over time.

Dr. Zarreii considers blood pressure readings at 120/80 to be elevated, and three consecutive blood pressure readings over 130/80 meet the criteria for hypertension.

What are the risks of hypertension?

Many doctors refer to high blood pressure as a “silent killer” because it creates critical damage inside your blood vessels without your knowledge. Hypertension puts you at risk for:

• Atherosclerosis: thickening of the arteries
• Heart attack or stroke: a clot blocks blood flow to the heart or brain
• Heart failure: thickening of the heart muscle
• Aneurysm: a life-threatening bulge inside a blood vessel

Besides damaging the heart and blood vessels, high blood pressure can also damage the kidneys and the eyes and affect your mental skills.

What can I do to lower my blood pressure?

Many times, you can make lifestyle modifications to control your blood pressure. These healthy habits include:

• Eating a healthy, low-salt diet
• Regular physical activity
• Losing excess weight
• Stress reduction and relaxation
• Not smoking

Dr. Zarreii can provide more comprehensive information about how to manage your blood pressure at home.

What treatments are available for hypertension?

Dr. Zarreii promotes healthy lifestyle choices to treat hypertension whenever possible. He can help you implement an exercise regimen, quit smoking, and lose weight.

If you’re unable to get your blood pressure under control with these lifestyle modifications, Dr. Zarreii may prescribe medication to help you control your blood pressure. Diuretics, beta-blockers, and ACE inhibitors are among the most common medications for high blood pressure.

If you have hypertension, contact Zarreii Medical and Aesthetics book an appointment online or over the phone to get started on treatment.

What vaccinations do I need as an adult?

Every adult is different, so Dr. Zarreii and his team tailor a vaccination schedule for you. Some general guidelines for each major adult vaccination include:
Flu

All adults need a flu vaccination once a year. It’s especially important for older adults because your immune cell function declines as you age.

There are a few different types of flu vaccinations, and Dr. Zarreii recommends the best one for you based on your age and health.

Pneumonia

All adults 65 and older need a pneumonia vaccine. You may need the vaccine at a younger age — as early as age 19 — if you’re a smoker or have an immunocompromising condition.

The pneumonia vaccine is usually a one-time shot. But, if you have an immunocompromising condition, you may need repeat vaccinations every five years.

Shingles

Adults need a shingles vaccine at age 50 or older. You’ll typically have two vaccinations, spaced a few months apart.

The shingles vaccination is more than 90% effective in preventing shingles and its most common complication, postherpetic neuralgia.

Vaccinations are, by far, the best way to protect yourself from preventable diseases. Vaccinations take a matter of just a few minutes at Zarreii Medical and Aesthetics, and there’s no downtime afterwards.

What time of year should I get a flu vaccination?

The best time to get your flu shot is when the virus is starting to appear around your community. Typically, this means scheduling your flu shot in September or October.

The flu vaccination gives you peak protection for only a few months, so it’s important to have that protection when the flu is at its worst. Vaccinating too early, for example in the month of July, could leave you unnecessarily at-risk for flu in December.

If you miss your flu shot in September or October, you should still have the vaccination as soon as you can — even in November, December, or January if the flu is still circulating.

Can vaccinations make me sick?

No, vaccinations don’t make you sick. Some vaccinations may cause short-term side effects, but those effects typically include minor skin reactions like redness, swelling, soreness, or itchiness at the injection site rather than any actual physical illness.

Need to get caught up on vaccinations? Zarreii Medical and Aesthetics is here for you. Call the office, or use online booking to arrange your visit now.

Chronic pain is continuing pain, even after an injury or illness heals, or pain that doesn’t improve in the expected way. It’s a long-term issue, so medical professionals often categorize pain as chronic after three to six months of continued pain.

Shorter-term pain that improves gradually until gone is known as acute pain. Acute pain can become chronic in some situations.

What causes chronic pain?

There are many possible causes of chronic pain, such as:

• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Degenerative disc disease
• Headaches
• Compression fractures
• Nerve damage
• Slow post surgery healing
• Fibromyalgia
• Cancer
• Shingles
• Spine damage causing low back pain
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Poor healing after a traumatic injury

In many cases, the chronic pain occurs mainly in one area, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you know the true reason for the pain. To permanently end chronic pain, you need an expert diagnosis.

How do you diagnose chronic pain?

At Zarreii Medical and Aesthetics, Dr. Zarreii performs an exam and asks about your symptoms. Being specific about the severity, duration, and specific location of your pain can help greatly with a diagnosis.

Dr. Zarreii may use lab testing to check for infections and other underlying issues. In some cases, you might need either X-ray imaging or other types of scans like an MRI or CT scan so Dr. Zarreii can look for issues in your bones, muscles, and other tissues.

In some cases, Dr. Zarreii may ask you to maintain a pain diary, in which you very closely track your symptoms. All of these things allow him to diagnose the reason for your chronic pain with pinpoint accuracy.

How do you treat chronic pain?

With chronic pain, the best treatments focus on eliminating symptoms. Dr. Zarreii always strives for long-term solutions for chronic pain. Your treatment may include a variety of treatments, such as:

• Lifestyle changes
• Diet changes
• Oral medication such as anti-inflammatories, antidepressants, or muscle relaxants
• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections
• Nerve block, trigger point, or other corticosteroid and anesthetic injections
• Physical therapy

Dr. Zarreii knows that chronic pain is often frustrating and depressing. He respects your needs and wants you to get well, so he always tailors treatment for you.

Zarreii Medical and Aesthetics offers compassionate chronic pain support and guidance to support a healthy life. Call the Delray Beach office, or book an appointment with the online scheduler now.