FastMed Urgent Care sees double-digit increase in allergy sufferers seeking relief

FastMed Issues 3-Step Plan for Coping with Allergies

Clayton, NC – April 22, 2013 – FastMed Urgent Care, the largest urgent care network in North Carolina, has seen more than a 10% increase in North Carolina patients seeking treatment for allergy-related symptoms over the prior three months during one of the worst allergy seasons on record.  In response, the urgent care leader issued the FastMed Three-Step Plan for patients to manage their allergies.

“It’s typical to say ‘It’s that time of year again – allergy season’ but it seems to be getting worse each year,” said Jason A. Williams MPAS, Ph.D., President and CEO of the Eastern Region and Founder of FastMed. “Given the severity of the allergy season this year, our team of clinicians came together to develop a simple three-step plan to help potential allergy sufferers cope in the peak months of allergy season.”

Williams explained that FastMed sees thousands of patients who do not realize they have allergies, and instead believe they have a cold or onset of the flu. The term allergy refers to your body’s overreaction to normally harmless substances that don’t cause problems for most people. Your body’s overreaction to the allergens is what causes symptoms. Pollens from trees, grass and weeds, mold, animal dander, and dust may cause common allergy symptoms, including runny nose, watery eyes, itchy nose, sneezing, stuffy nose, pressure in nose and cheeks, ear fullness, dark circles under eyes, general fatigue, and hives.

These nasal allergies are estimated to affect approximately 60 million people in the United States, and its prevalence is increasingly affecting as many as 30% of adults and up to 40% of children.[1]

The FastMed Three Step Plan for Coping with Allergies includes:

1. Know If It Is Allergies: Allergy symptoms can be similar to symptoms from a bacterial or viral infection.  The best way to know if your symptoms are caused by allergies is to get tested by a qualified health care provider. FastMed providers can assess you and if necessary refer you to an allergist for further evaluation. Those tests will indicate any allergies and their intensity.
2. Limit Allergen Exposure: If the issue is airborne allergens, when in the house or car, keep the windows closed; try to minimize outdoor activity from 10 am to 2 pm, which is the height of pollen production; and after returning home from outside, change clothes and shower.
3. Seek Remedies: If it is allergies, many patients can experience relief with over-the-counter treatments that are used as directed such as antihistamines, eye drops and saline nasal washes. If a patient has little to no relief or if symptoms get worse after three to four days, patients should seek care from a qualified provider such as one of FastMed’s licensed professionals for appropriate prescription medications to deal with allergies; and in severe cases allergy suffers may benefit from allergy shots (immunotherapy) to help cope with allergies.

For more information about allergies and FastMed, visit https://www.fastmed.com/health-resources/common-conditions/allergies

About FastMed Urgent Care

FastMed Urgent Care is a North Carolina-based network of physician-owned Urgent Care Clinics with locations throughout North Carolina and Arizona. The Urgent Care Clinics focus on the delivery of non-appointment based medicine to the non-emergency patient market. The Clinics are open 365 days a year and are staffed with experienced and licensed physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners. FastMed is managed by an affiliated entity of one of the investment funds of the Comvest Group. For more information, please visit www.fastmed.com.

About the Comvest Group

The Comvest Group, with $1.2 billion of assets under management, provides flexible financing solutions to lower middle-market companies through its equity and debt funds, often meeting time-critical and complex funding requirements.  The firm includes seasoned, senior level operating executives who partner with managers and owners of companies to operationally improve businesses and create long-term value. Since 2000, Comvest has invested more than $1.5 billion of capital in over 105 public and private companies.  For more information, please visit www.comvest.com.