Putting an Old Wives Tale to Rest & Where to Receive a Tetanus Vaccination in NYC

NYC is not the first place you think of when you think about tetanus. If you’re anything like me you think about moss-covered wooden shacks and rusty nails jutting out from old decrepit floorboards. Since not many people think like me (I’m an American original, you see…) you probably have a better idea than I do regarding the possibility of tetanus infection. And what causes it. I just learned there was a vaccination for it, so that proves I know next to nothing. Well I DID know next to nothing, but I did my research for this article. Travel with me, if you will, through a non-fictitious landscape where tetanus abounds!

Enough with the corny poetry-esque sentences, let’s discuss tetanus vaccination NYC, What It Is, Its Symptoms and Its Vaccination, shall we? We shall. As previously stated, I whole-heartedly once believed that tetanus was caused by stepping on a rusted nail. At least that’s what I had heard throughout my long (-ish) life, attending summer camps and being a generally inquisitive-type brat. I am sure I am not the only kid from NYC who believed that tetanus was caught by stepping on a rusted nail. (After briefly questioning a few friends, it would seem my belief in this old wives tale has been confirmed.)

Let’s take a look at why this old wives tale has flourished. Tetanus is a bacterial disease that affects the nervous system. Anyone can catch it, whether from NYC or a small town in Oklahoma. Before this disease ravages the entire body it begins in the facial muscles, thus it has long been referred to as Lockjaw. Tetanus is only spread through an already existing wound where the bacteria can enter the bloodstream. The bacteria are found primarily in agricultural areas such as dirt, soil and animal manure. Herein lays the reason for the rusted nail myth…

Wherever there is dirt, soil and animal manure there’s probably going to be a few rusted nails poking up out of a few boards! The rusted nail does not cause the disease, rather it is the texture of the rusted nail which may harbor the bacteria that already exists in the surrounding dirt (soil and manure). It is recommended that anyone who spends a great deal of time outdoors—whether for fun or employment—should receive a tetanus vaccination. That includes anyone who works outdoors in NYC. Unfortunately, our fellow Americans know not the abundance of the green spaces in NYC. (It really is a shame. We have such lovely parks.)

The travel vaccination for tetanus is different from many other vaccinations in that it is a multi-step process. Most people receive the vaccination when they are children as a step toward entering school. However, travel shots are highly recommended if in a high risk group. Anyone who spends a large amount of time working in or around soil outdoors should contact a certified travel clinic and discuss with a doctor the risks associated with their lifestyle.

Untreated tetanus can cause spasms of the vocal chords and respiratory muscles, fractures of bones, hypertension, coma and even death. Vaccination is the best bet when attempting to safeguard your good health. There are many certified travel clinic in NYC ready and able to administer the vaccination for tetanus.

In fact, if one currently resides in NYC and are in need of a travel clinic for any reason—including a tetanus vaccination—look no further than TravelClinicNY.com. This highly respected medical facility is located in the heart of midtown Manhattan and is easily accessible by both train and bus. Call 1-212-696-5900 to arrange an appointment today. And like mother always said, “Don’t play in the dirt!”

Vacation Vaccination NYC, Yellow Fever and the Need for Protection

NYC is a cement jungle, towering skyscrapers and granite gardens. NYC is also dangerous; there are pickpockets, burglars and bank robbers all lying in wait for the next big score. Yes, danger abounds in this modern metropolis. Yet when one leaves the comfortable concrete arms of Mother Manhattan other dangers lurk. Yellow fever still haunts this globe like a bacteria boogie man—and it is only from a certified travel clinic NYC that one can receive the proper vaccination to protect you from this age-old disease.

A yellow fever vaccination will come in handy if you or any of your loved ones decide to travel abroad to any of the following areas: Asia, Central and South America or Africa. To this day, yellow fever still plagues the indigenous inhabitants of these areas and also the travelers attempting to enjoy the natural wonders of these regions. When one thinks of vacation they hardly think of danger, but facts are facts. Let us take a look at the origins of yellow fever, its diagnosis and treatment.

As inhabitants of NYC, it is sometimes hard to understand the natural threat that exists elsewhere. Yellow fever is a very serious disease caused by the bite of an infected mosquito. This deadly disease is also spread by a gnarly chomp from an infected monkey. This mode of transmission will be left to the circus owners, as very few Americans find themselves gnawed by primates while on vacation (and you thought the signs: “Don’t Feed The Pigeons” were constraining!).

Thankfully there is a vaccination that can protect you from the ravages of this awful illness. Remember, that yellow fever cannot be spread from person-to-person, but only from the bite of an already infected mosquito (or monkey…). If infected, the symptoms of yellow fever will include chills, high fever, coughing and vomiting. After this initial burst of suffering, the symptoms may fade away. This is the tricky part. Once the symptoms disappear, many people assume the worst is over. This is not true at all.

Next up is the worst part of the yellow fever infection. Severe kidney and liver damage can occur causing a yellowing of the skin known as jaundice. This is where yellow fever gets its name and why a vaccination is so very important for those traveling overseas. It is the same yellowing of the skin that occurs with other liver diseases such as hepatitis. Whenever one notices their skin turning yellowish—or their eyes turning yellowish—it is time to get medical help and further testing.

In many countries, the authorities will not allow you to enter without a certificate proving to them that you have received a yellow fever vaccination in NYC before you set out on your trip. The information regarding which countries abide by these laws is readily available at the travel clinic of your choice.

Everyone who does not fall into the below-mentioned categories must receive a yellow fever shot.

·       Children under nine months

·       Pregnant women

·       People who are allergic to eggs

·       People with already weakened immune systems due to other medical issues such as leukemia or HIV infection

For those of us in the NYC area planning on traveling overseas to anywhere in Asia, Central and South America or Africa, a visit to Travel Clinic of NYC is highly recommended. Log onto TravelClinicNY.com for more info, or simply call 1-212-696-5900 to learn more. This certified travel clinic is located just blocks from Grand Central Station and is highly respected in their community. Do not allow an age-old disease to infect you or your loved ones.

Top Three Reasons to Visit a NYC Travel Clinic— From Shots to Shutter Speeds

NYC may be a great place to vacation if, well…you’re not from NYC! For the lucky ones amongst us that do live here, we tend to head to a more exotic locale. While many people in middle America tend to visit over-commercialized vacation spots such as Disney Land or Williamsburg, Virginia, we New Yorkers go hiking through a rain forest or mountain climbing in the Himalayas. (All right, not all of us do such exciting things on vacation, but some of us do.) Whenever you journey past than the tip of Florida, it is a good idea to protect yourself by receiving a travel shot.

Travel shots are vaccinations for diseases that one can catch when they visit a foreign land. Although sometimes it seems that travel shots are needed to take the J train in NYC, the fact is we’re pretty darn safe in this country from diseases that still plague a large portion of the world. Unless you are headed to a safe all-inclusive resort, travel clinic NYC should definitely be on your vacation preparation list.

There are plenty of things to do before you head off on vacation. Making a vacation preparation list is the first thing! It is easy to get caught up in the excitement of leaving NYC for a few days or weeks. In this rush of excitement, things are often times forgotten. Here are the top three things you should do before you head out of NYC and on your exotic journey…

Travel Shots

Your body may be strong enough to stave off a killer hangover, but don’t think it’s going to stave off a cholera infection if you drink water from a tainted well in a small town in Guatemala! Cholera is a water-borne disease that is still prevalent in much of the emerging world. Cholera vaccine will protect you from this disease and many more like it. Visiting a certified travel clinic before you head off is one way to get the information you will need regarding which diseases you need to protect against.

Film

Being from NYC—the media capital of the world—may be the reason why so many people from NYC forget to pack extra film when they go on vacation. Aside from getting those travel shots, film is probably the most important thing you can pack. If you buy it overseas it will cost you an arm and a leg. Although many people shun “documentation” in favor of the memories, we are of a different mindset. Reliving your great trip via photos is the next best thing to being there—plus you get to show all your friends and brag about how cool you are for strolling through a monkey-infested rain forest!

Prescriptions

Although it sounds crazy, many people forget to load up on whatever medicine they are taking before they jet off. Don’t be one of these knuckleheads. A certified travel clinic can also help you with your medicines, making sure you have enough to last your entire trip—and then some. The rest of the world isn’t like NYC—you cannot pick up the drugs you want on the next street corner!

If in search of a certified travel clinic in NYC for travel shots or any other reason, log onto Travel Vaccination NYC for more information on one of the city’s most highly respected facilities. They are quick, caring and affordable and will see you in a moment’s notice if need be. Please call 1-212-696-5900 to book a convenient appointment. Stay safe.

Travel Clinic Convenience. NYC and Nicaragua

NYC is the home of concrete monoliths, gargantuan cement pillars, teeming masses and less-than-fresh air. The world at large is a huge place filled with trees, leaves, wild animals and crystal clear sweet breezes. There is space in one’s life for both. Before one ships—or jets—off to one of these wild regions, a visit to a travel clinic is recommended. Ironically, it is the beautiful places that hold the most severe danger. In NYC a switchblade will squash most threats, in the wider world, in the exotic locales, it is the vaccination!

Take the volcano-riddled landscape of Nicaragua for instance. The history of this rather tiny Central American country is fascinating, filled with fun and firearms. Although it is one of the more-developed countries in the region, there is poverty on a level that most Americans are not in tune to on a daily level. Yet this country is rich in history and breathtaking vistas, as well as friendly people who can make a stay there a highpoint of one’s lifetime. As with anywhere on earth not a modern sprawling metropolis it is prudent to receive a travel shot before your visit. Jungles, as inviting to the fun-seeking as can possibly be, harbor dangers unknown in areas as urban as NYC.

Nicaragua is not the place for a four-star clientele; it is a place for backpackers and adventurers. Some of the amazing places to visit are:

The smoking volcano of Conception at over 5,000 feet is one of the most awe-inspiring sites one can see anywhere in the world. Camping at the base of this monster, steam pluming behind you, as you partake in a scrumptious feast of fresh seafood is something you will never forget.

Lake Nicaragua, named the Sweet Sea by the locals, is the second largest lake in all of Latin America. In fact, it is so huge that while standing on one shore it is impossible to see the other. This natural wonder has everything from waves, to islands, and the only species of fresh water shark in the world!

Granada, founded in 1542 by Francisco Hernadez de Cordoba, is one of the first European cities in all of the Americas. It is Nicaragua’s fourth most populous city and enjoys a rich colonial heritage marked by its Moorish and Andalusian architecture and appearance. It is a picture-perfect city filled with romance and must-see sites.

As beautiful a place as Nicaragua is, it is recommended that travelers receive travel vaccination before they journey there. It is at a certified travel clinic that one can receive all the information that they need before leaving the stone & metal confines of NYC to expand their horizons. A typhoid vaccination recommended, as is a malaria vaccination if one plans to really delve into the local landscape and visit the jungles that abound with exotic wildlife.

For those individuals leaving from NYC there is an easily accessible certified Yellow fever vaccination clinic located on Madison Avenue just two blocks from Grand Central Station. Simply log onto Travel Clinic NYC or call 1-212-696-5900 for more information and a quick appointment. When planning your next trip overseas, think “adventure” as opposed to “convenience”. That’s where the fun is!