Insect Bite And Sting Care At Ocala Family Medical Center

So what is bugging you? Do you find that life really bites sometimes? Many insects, mosquitoes and spiders bite or sting, and while the bites of common bugs like mosquitoes, mites, and fleas are itchy and uncomfortable, these are usually otherwise pretty harmless. However, some bites and stings, like those from fire ants, wasps, hornets, and bees, may cause intense pain or even an allergic reaction. There are others, like poisonous spider bites and scorpion stings, that could require immediate emergency medical care.

Poison might not be the hazard your bug carries, though. It could be sickness. Because certain bites can also spread illnesses, such as Chagas disease (from kissing bugs), Rocky Mountain spotted fever (from a dog or wood tick), the Zika virus and West Nile virus (both transmitted by mosquito), and Lyme disease (from a black-legged tick), it is good to know what bit you. Learning to identify a bug bite by how it looks and feels will help you know whether to seek medical care or treat the skin bump at home.

Many of these troublesome critters are arthropods, insects that live primarily on land and have six legs. They dominate the present-day land fauna. They represent about three-fourths of known animal life. But generally the majority of people lump insects, arthropods, and anything small that bites or stings as a "bug" or an insect. For insect, mosquito, zika and pest control treatment in Florida use a professional service.

Your bug bite might trigger a rash. A rash is an area of inflamed or irritated skin. Rashes can come from various causes, including insect bites. Often times an insect bite rash can mimic other conditions and can be confused with things such as scabies, fungal infections or even allergies. When in doubt, see your doctor.

The "bite site" can be an important indicator of your body's reaction to bug bites. Usually an insect bite rash is localized. If the rash develops to a general body rash, it is best to see a physician to evaluate the rash. Signs that the rash is infected may include headache, nausea, fever, body aches and shortness of breath. If you experience any of these symptoms, you should seek medical attention right away.

Ocala Family Medical Center

2230 SW 19th Avenue Road

Ocala, FL 34471

Phone: 352-237-4133

Fax:      352-873-4581

E-mail: info@ocalafmc.com

Carlos F. Rodriguez, MD

Robert G. Panzer, DO

Mark Monical, DO

Robert Allen Williams, MD

Salesia Alvarado, MD

Adam Alpers, DO, LHRM

Douglas Rogers, DO

Brian Pecoraro, DO

Mimi Balch, MD

Todd R. Panzer, ARNP-C

Anne E. Moyer, PA-C

Stacey Graham, ARNP-C

Linda Bellows, ARNP-C

Karen Larsen, ARNP-C

Brittani Losapio, ARNP-C

Tyler Lindsey, PA-C

Corey West, ARNP-C

Annual Exams At Ocala Family Medical Center

At least once a year you should always schedule a physical to ensure all systems are "go". An annual exam is a once-a-year visit to your primary care provider for a general health check. This should include a breast exam and pap smear. Annual exams are also called routine check-ups, yearly exams, annual paps, and preventive visits. An annual exam visit does not include discussion of new problems or detailed review of chronic conditions. These may be more fully addressed during separate or ongoing consultations.

Better living is always the product of good health. The objective of a well-woman visit is to keep you healthy. Regular well-woman visits also let your doctor find and deal with any problems that do come up when they are still small — and before they turn into big issues. You will learn the best ways to take care of yourself and help protect yourself from having health problems. 

A physical exam that assesses overall health generally includes blood pressure, weight, body mass index, palpation of the abdomen and lymph nodes, and an assessment of your overall health. The annual well-woman visit is an excellent opportunity for counseling about maintaining a healthy lifestyle and minimizing health risks.

New recommendations and improving technologies continue to influence guidelines and the necessary components of the annual health assessment of women.The annual health assessment is a fundamental part of your medical care and is valuable in promoting prevention practices, recognizing risk factors for disease, and identifying medical problems. 

Experience equals knowledge. Your annual physical exam strengthens the relationship between you and your regular physician, helping your doctor be better informed on what is going on with your health and in your personal life. Should you go several years between physical exams, you run the risk of a health problem going undetected and causing your body far more damage than if you catch it early. Depending on the screening or services you need, it may take more than one visit to complete.

Board Certified Primary Care providers are trained to care for you through all stages of life. Focused on building an on-going relationship, they help you stay well, treat you when you are sick and educate you on prevention and wellness to keep you and your family healthy.

Ocala Family Medical Center

2230 SW 19th Avenue Road

Ocala, FL 34471

Phone: 352-237-4133

Fax:      352-873-4581

E-mail: info@ocalafmc.com

Aesthetic Medicine Services At Ocala Family Medical Center

Aesthetic medicine is a broad term that applies to any specialty or medical practice that involves the process of modifying a patient's physical appearance. The goal may be to enhance a person's face and body, or decrease the risk of certain types of diseases including obesity. This is medical scope that includes dermatology and surgical practices, starting from non-invasive treatments such as laser treatments to invasive procedures such as reconstructive surgeries. 

We sometimes do things "for the sake of appearance". Aesthetic Medicine encompasses all medical procedures that are aimed at improving the physical appearance and satisfaction of the patient, using non-invasive to minimally invasive cosmetic procedures. A very positive benefit of practicing Aesthetic Medicine is the type of care that practitioners are offering to their patients. These medical procedures are elective and are performed on patients who as a rule do not suffer from illness.

Most Aesthetic Medicine procedures are performed under loco-regional anesthesia. The Aesthetic Medicine practice is not confined to dermatologists and plastic surgeons as doctors of all specialties seek to offer services to address their patient’s aesthetic needs and desires. A growing trend among baby boomers is that aesthetic treatments are part of a normal health routine with the goal of maintaining a natural and healthy appearance. Patients not only want to be in good health, they also want to enjoy life to the fullest, be fit and minimize the effects of normal aging.

Aesthetic Medicine can combine the best of both worlds. Medical aesthetic services involve high-technology skin care that represents the fusion of healthcare and beauty services for maximum patient benefit. The Aesthetic Medicine practice involves the use of advanced technologies to provide a medically based procedure designed to cause a significant cosmetic change or enhancement. These services can include the use of lasers or other energy based devices.

Cosmetic medical treatments offer a wide range of options for people who want to look and feel better.They are very effective when used alone, but also work well as a complement to cosmetic surgery. Physicians practicing Aesthetic Medicine are trained in both invasive and non-invasive treatment modalities, and typically utilize a combination to meet the needs of the patient.

OFMC Aesthetics & Laser offers a full line of aesthetic procedures and treatments to restore your skin’s natural beauty. We provide you with the latest advances in non-invasive, anti-aging, cosmetic and preventative therapies to help you look and feel your best. Restoring, preserving and protecting your skin is our goal! Providing that alongside a highly qualified and caring staff is what sets us apart.

OFMC Dermatology & Aesthetic Center

2121 SW 22nd Place

Ocala, FL 34471

Phone: 352-368-1333

Fax:      352-873-4581

E-mail: info@ocalafmc.com

Call to schedule your FREE consultation!

Deb Scott, LPN, LE

Physical Therapy Services At Ocala Family Medical Center

Sometimes life can teach us painful lessons. When we take a tumble and our bodies pay the price we need professional help. Many doctors will refer patients with a wide range of physical issues, from athletic injuries to neurological traumas; to physical therapists. Physical therapy can be a real, safe, and happy approach to dealing with our afflictions. Many times it offers a meaningful and positive alternative to pharmaceuticals or surgery.

PT or physical therapy, also known as functional rehabilitation, is a program designed to help the patient improve or maintain functional abilities (that is, the activities of daily living). Physical therapy includes building strength, flexibility and endurance, and learning proper posture for spine stability and injury prevention.

In the beginning the physical therapist will first evaluate a patient and examine his or her medical records. Then, they plan and execute rehabilitative programs designed to improve the patient’s mobility, increase his or her strength and relieve or at least lessen his or her pain. Treatment plans often include different exercises and stretches, as well as hands-on therapies and machines that assist with improving muscle strength, range of motion and motor function.

Physical therapists can play an extremely important role in helping patients recover from injury or surgery. For those who have faced serious injuries or lost mobility or limb function for any reason, physical therapy offers a long-term plan to reestablish a positive state of health.

Restoring and maintaining your health and mobility is the goal of your PT. Physical therapists can teach patients how to prevent or manage their condition so that they will achieve long-term health benefits. PTs examine each individual and develop a plan, using treatment techniques to promote the ability to move, reduce pain, restore function, and prevent disability. In addition, PTs work with individuals to prevent the loss of mobility before it occurs by developing fitness- and wellness-oriented programs for healthier and more active lifestyles.

Our Physical Therapy Department offers individualized treatment plans that suit each patients' needs. The purpose of our Physical Therapy team is to improve quality of life while educating our patients on how to prevent further injuries.

OFMC Wellness Center

2131 SW 20th Place

Ocala, FL 34471

Phone: 352-237-4133

Fax:      352-873-4581

E-mail: info@ocalafmc.com

Nick Machupa, PT, OCS

Deborah Main, DPT

Joseph Javier, DPT

Dermatology Services At Ocala Family Medical Center

Of all the areas of the body most affected by the deadly habit of smoking the most visible effects can be seen on our skin. Tobacco smoke causes oxidative stress so that insufficient oxygen is supplied to the skin resulting in tissue ischaemia (an inadequate blood supply to an organ or part of the body) and blood vessel occlusion. It reduces innate and host immune responses, and induces an enzyme that specifically degrades collagen.

Nicotine from cigarettes induces vasoconstriction, inhibits inflammation, delays wound healing and accelerates skin aging. Tobacco smoking has unpleasant temporary dermal and mucosal effects including wrinkles, temporary yellowing of fingers and fingernails and discolored teeth. Smokers tend to be more severely affected than non-smokers by the majority of inflammatory skin diseases — even acne —and various conditions are often more difficult to treat effectively in smokers.

Longer term, the gaunt skin of a 40-year-old heavy smoker resembles that of a non-smoking 70-year-old. Smokers can look forward to facial wrinkles and furrows (crows’ feet), vertical ear crease, smoker’s lines around the lips, and baggy eyelids with a slack jawline. What is more, you will likely experience uneven skin coloring, exhibiting greyish, yellow skin tones with prominent blood vessels. All this in addition to generally dry, coarse skin.

Smoking causes biomechanical changes in our bodies that can speed up the normal aging process of the skin, contributing to deep wrinkles and fine lines that make us look older. The more cigarettes you smoke and the longer you smoke, the more wrinkled, leathery skin you will develop. If you smoke and want to quit there are many resources at your disposal. Talk to your doctor about smoking cessation solutions.

And of course the skin has the risk of cancer that all bodily systems endure. Smoking cigarettes doubles the risk of developing a type of skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma, compared to non-smokers. There is also an increased risk of oral leukoplakia (precancer) and oral cancer; 75% of cases of oral cancer and lip cancer occur in smokers.

There is never a wrong time to quit smoking. If you smoke, quitting smoking is the most important step you can take to protect your lungs, heart, brain and of course your skin. It is never too late to quit. Your doctor can help you decide which smoking cessation method will work best for you.

Our Dermatology department specializes in diagnosing, treating and preventing skin conditions, diseases and cancers. The Dermatology & Aesthetic Center also houses our in-house pathology lab.

Dr. Kenneth Wallace III, M.D. is our Board Certified Dermatologist as well as a Mohs’ Skin Cancer Surgeon.

Wellness Exams At Ocala Family Medical Center

Is it time for you to have a check-up from the neck up? (And the neck down?) Part of health maintenance for all patients is a yearly wellness exam. By completing a wellness exam, patients can work with their healthcare provider to develop a personalized plan for managing chronic conditions and preventing acute illnesses that will help them stay as healthy as possible over the coming year. 

With healthcare each case is unique. Your annual wellness exam may also include information on which vaccinations are recommended based on your age and risks. These can include the flu shot, Tdap, and human papilloma virus (HPV). The annual exam is an important opportunity to talk to your doctor about your options for managing symptoms and how to prevent osteoporosis or any other possible life-altering conditions.

The right time is now. It is important that you make time for regular checkups with your provider so he or she can find and treat any new or ongoing health problems as well as help prevent future ones from developing. For some people, having an annual physical examination is a source of reassurance that they are as healthy as they feel. Others see it as an alarm system, to catch health problems before they become serious. Always remember that with any health condition early detection is key.

At a wellness screening you may be wondering what you may expect. At your preventive visit, your primary care doctor will likely ask you about your current health, your family history, past illnesses and surgeries and chronic conditions to assess your health risk. He or she will also likely do a physical exam, such as checking your vital signs, listening to your heart and lungs with a stethoscope, checking your ears, eyes, throat, skin, abdomen etc. In addition, your doctor may conduct screenings, specific to your age and gender.

How should you prepare yourself? You will want to get ready for your physical exam by completing any forms in advance, making a list of medications you take regularly and identifying any additional questions and concerns. Based on your risk, your doctor may make recommendations for a healthy lifestyle. Some services may not be covered when provided during a preventive visit, so ask your provider at the time of service or check with your health plan customer service.

Board Certified Primary Care providers are trained to care for you through all stages of life. Focused on building an on-going relationship, they help you stay well, treat you when you are sick and educate you on prevention and wellness to keep you and your family healthy. 

All of our departments here at Ocala Family Medical Center work together to provide our patients with convenient on-site services. This allows us to work as a team in providing excellent treatments and services for our patients. 

Ocala Family Medical Center

2230 SW 19th Avenue Road

Ocala, FL 34471

Phone: 352-237-4133

Fax:      352-873-4581

E-mail: info@ocalafmc.com