Week of June 15, 2009

If your sinuses are bothering you and the economy has got you stressed out, you probably have What's Going Around this week.

Every week, WSBTV.com reporter Brian Johnson checks in with local doctors to find out the ailments that most patients are coming in with this week.

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SLIDESHOW: What's Going Around Metro Atlanta This Week

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This week, he discovered doctors are treating a variety of stress-related symptoms that they say are linked to the economy.

Dr. Albert Johary in Dunwoody says a lot of people are coming in with stress over the economy. Johary says stress and anxiety can manifest itself in a number of ways, including fatigue, headaches, chest pain, palpitations and insomnia.

In North Fulton County, Dr. Jun Ro at Oak Tree Family Medicine is treating several respiratory infections. Ro said he has seen one or two cases of flu in the past two weeks, something he doesn’t typically see this time of year. Ro is still seeing MRSA skin infections, which he said haven’t decreased in frequency yet.

In Marietta, Dr. Carlos Alarcon at Marietta OB-Gyn Affiliates says he is noticing a spike in yeast infections. Now that it’s hot and humid, Alarcon says people are spending more time at the pool in wet bathing suits. Alarcon says it’s very important to change undergarments frequently and avoid prolonged exposure to moisture to help prevent these infections.

Also, Alarcon is treating a number of patients with poison ivy/poison oak. Alarcon said if you’re exposed to poison ivy, you should wash the area immediately with soap and water and carefully remove any garments that may have come in contact with the plant.

Check with a doctor for recommendations and ways you can treat common illnesses.

If you are a physician in north Georgia and would like to tell us "What's Going Around," e-mail brian.johnson@wsbtv.com