In 1970 I was a student pilot and in order to fly in jets I had to undergo High Altitude Indoctrination training in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The title sounds much more ominous if not potentially ludicrous than it really is. This entails sitting in a pressure chamber with 5 other student pilots while we are exposed to low pressures in a hypobaric chamber to familiarize ourselves with the physical and mental stress of depressurization at high altitudes. We were depressurized to the equivalent of 25,000 feet. We were told to remove our oxygen masks and do some calculations and repetitive tasks as we became progressively hypoxic.

The hypoxia happens fast and in a short time we couldn’t figure out 2+2. This happens so insidiously that few of us even knew it. You have to be able to recognize this hypoxic feeling as it can mean the difference between life and death. As the chamber lowered the pressure to sea level one of the students started screaming and writhing in pain. He had a barometric headache. I had never heard of it. The instructor had to bring us up to an altitude where his headache stopped and then very gradually go back down again at a rate that was not too painful for the student.

Barometric headaches generally occur as the barometric pressure increases and the temperature increases but it can be the reverse for some people. If you review the literature and the World Wide Web, the barometric pressure headache is caused or triggered by changes in barometric pressure. It can be migraine or non-migraine. Most barometric pressure headaches are non-migraine. 12% of the general population suffers from migraines and over 50% are sensitive to weather.

The symptoms and the sensitivity to changes in barometric pressure vary between individuals. Caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol may influence the headaches.

Treatment can vary. Ibuprofen is a good place to start and is over the counter.Some websites suggest keeping a diary to show your doctor describing how your body reacts to pressure changes. One site suggested getting outdoors and taking a walk by a river or waterfall or using a humidifier at home.

If you get migraines due to barometric pressure change you should consult with a physician re how to adjust medications if they are triggered by barometric change.

In conclusion, barometric headaches are annoying and difficult to handle but sometimes a little knowledge and some experimentation can help you cope with them.

Melvin G. Lee, MD, Chief Medical Officer
FastMed Urgent Care, North Carolina

FastMed’s Bruce Bair, PA-C educates us on tick bites and the importance of being educated about prevention, protection and what to do should you be bitten.  Click below for an informative and interesting video that addresses all your questions.

To begin with, we need to understand which illnesses caused by bites from ticks in NC are common. We have 3 common illnesses transmitted to humans, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Lyme Disease and STARI, known as Southern Tick Associated Rash Infection.

The video that follows this excerpt details the type of tick that causes each disease, what you need to be aware of and how you can keep ticks from biting you.

Points you want to remember are:

1. Types of ticks – if you pull one off, tape it to a 3×5 card and date it, Exact identification can help with treatment and diagnosis later. Noting your geographical location will also be helpful.
2. What is DEET and how is it different than Permethrin.
3. What techniques to use to make Permethrin more effective and last longer on your clothes
4. The medications used to treat various types of tick-related illnesses.

Your comments are very welcome and Tweets or shares on Facebook or Google Plus!

On Saturday, April 21^st FastMed Urgent Care is hosting a block party at their Mooresville, NC clinic located at 107 A Commons Dr (next to Little Caesars in Mooresville Commons) from 11 a.m. – 3 p. m. 

The event is free and open to the public. 

Visitors can enjoy an array of family fun activities including a balloon artist, a meet and greet with race car driver Jeff Fultz with his car, pizza, Kool Cat ice cream and mascot and an hourly raffle.  99.7 The Fox will be on site raffling off 20 tickets to their Gimme Hendrix Concert, a part of their Fox Fillmore Flashback Concert Series.  This concert will be played on Friday, April 27 at The Fillmore Charlotte.

“You don’t want to miss our FastMed block party. Get here early to make sure you get some great food and so you will be able to enjoy the activities including the raffles. Just look for the orange, yellow and purple banners and signs with all the activity.” says Reuel Heyden, Director of Community Relations for FastMed.

FastMed Urgent Care has 22 locations in North Carolina, is open 365 days a year, 7 days a week offering convenient hours and is staffed with experienced and licensed physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners.  We are a non-appointment based medicine clinic that treats the non-emergency market.
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