Enjoying Your Time Off Instead of Suffering
You’ve invited your long-lost relatives over, and you’ve prepared a great spread. You’re even kind of looking forward to the after-meal political arguments and cleanup sessions with people you don’t get to spend much time with nowadays. Then it happens: You’re struck by an unmistakable sensation of queasy discomfort and nauseous imbalance. Although you took precautions, it looks like you’re going to be as sick as a dog this holiday season, and you have better things to do.
Whether it’s because we spend so much time eating food that’s bad for our immune systems or the fact that we’re sharing air with travelers from far away, the holidays are a notorious time for falling ill. Even worse, it’s not always easy to find care because the usual remedies and services that people rely on are often closed for business. Here’s how to cope and bounce back so that you don’t have to spend your entire break feeling under the weather.
Take Better Care of Yourself
Sure, it’s tempting to overindulge during your time off, but such decisions aren’t free. You pay for deciding to go all out, and your immune system is the biggest victim. Many common routines, such as eating more sugar, sleeping less and spending more time cooped up inside, might contribute to your likelihood of getting sick or make it harder for you to recover after you catch whatever bug’s making the rounds.
Does this mean that you must give up your holiday traditions? Not really, but remember that “traditional” doesn’t always mean good. For instance, people used to live much shorter lives and succumb to viruses that we can now cure easily, and nobody wants to go back to those days. Enjoy your holiday traditions, but make them work for you by being a healthy, responsible adult about them.
Don’t Delay Exploring Alternative Options
One of the most common holiday misconceptions is that you need to wait to receive treatment. Although your favorite primary caregiver might be on vacation, you should never put off seeking attention. Many illnesses worsen the longer you delay getting professional medical attention, so your best bet is to find alternatives fast.
The ER isn’t the only place that you can visit to take care of a broken bone, cut or other illness. Urgent care centers specialize in providing rapid-response services to ensure that you get adequately diagnosed and receive the appropriate care quickly.
Understanding what’s going on from the beginning and starting a basic management plan might significantly improve your outcome or reduce what you ultimately pay for caregiving. Modern urgent care centers can even connect you with professional caregivers via telemedicine video chats, so it’s easier to receive help even if you’re unable to rely on public transit or prefer to stay in the comfort of your own home.
If you are sick this holiday season and your physician is out of town, contact Integra Urgent Care in DFW. Our urgent care centers are conveniently located in Grand Prairie, Weatherford, and Las Colinas to offer on-demand, quality healthcare.