Common symptoms of osteoarthritis of hip, knees and hands

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis in the United State and other parts of the world. It is a condition that causes joints to become painful and stiff by causing difficulty to do daily activities. It commonly occurs when a protective layer of cartilage on the ends of bones wears down eventually.

Although, osteoarthritis can damage any joint bone in your body, but the disorder is most common in your hands, hips, knees and spine.  However, osteoarthritis symptoms can be managed effectively by following a healthy lifestyle, staying active, and following the recommended treatment can help you improve pain and joint function.

At some instances, these symptoms may come and go, which can be related to things such as your daily activity level and even weather conditions. In some serious conditions, these symptoms can be continuous and unbearable. You should see your primary care physician if you have persistent symptoms of osteoarthritis, so that they can verify, diagnosis and prescribe the necessary treatment.

Here are some commonly noticed symptoms of osteoarthritis;

·         increased pain and stiffness when no moment for a while

·         joint tenderness

·         swelling - joints appearing slightly larger than usual

·         constant grating or crackling sound or sensation in your joints during slightest moment

·         prolonged pain and limited range of movement due joints pain

·         weakness and loss of muscle bulk

Osteoarthritis of the hip

Osteoarthritis in your hip joints often causes difficulty in doing activities such as putting on or removing your shoes or get in & out of a car or bed, etc. At times, it may even cause stiffness in

hips when you’re sitting or standing for a long period of time.

Patients with osteoarthritis in the hip often find it difficult to walk due to the stabbing pains. The condition usually develops slowly over the course of many years.

The following are the symptoms of hip osteoarthritis,

Ø  Joint stiffness that occurs as you are getting out of bed

Ø  A sound or feeling ("crunching") of bone rubbing against bone

Ø  Pain, swelling, or tenderness in the hip joint

Ø  Joint inflexibility after you sit for a long time

Ø  Inability to move the hip to carry out daily routine activities

Osteoarthritis of the knee

While ageing is among the top factors causing osteoarthritis of the knee, however young people can get it too. In some cases, it may be hereditary, for others it may be due to some injury or infection or due to excessive weight. This pain can become chronic while walking or using stairs.
Common symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee are:

Ø  Pain and stiffness in knee joints

Ø  Creaking, crunching, & grinding sensation when you move the joint

Ø  Hard or Soft swellings

Ø  Knee muscles become weak or the joint structure is less stable

Ø  Knee movement is not normal or as it would be

Ø  Knees becoming bent and bowed

Ø  Muscles around your knee joint look thin or wasted.

Osteoarthritis of the hand 

Symptoms of Osteoarthritis of the hands may differ from person to person. Many a times it depends upon a specific joint affected. It can be painful and difficult to perform certain manual tasks, such as writing, opening jars or turning keys.

Common symptoms of osteoarthritis of the hand are,

·         Joints pain and stiffness

·         the base of your thumb

·         the joints closest to your fingertips

·         the middle joints of your fingers

·         grinding, grating feeling or a crunchy sound when joints move

·         Fingers become stiff, painful- and swollen

·         Development of bumps on your finger joints

·         Your fingers may bend sideways slightly at your affected joints

·         Development of painful cysts (fluid-filled lumps) on the backs of your fingers

·         A bump at the base of your thumb where it joins your wrist

Common Symptoms of Osteoarthritis of Hip, Knees and Hands by Health Care on Scribd

Benefits of hiring a health care staffing firm

Staffing agencies are benefitting many industries, but they are most benefited by the healthcare industry. Health care facilities often need to fill positions quickly with qualified staff, and many times, they don’t have the time or resources to dedicate to a systematic search.

Need for highly skilled health care professional will always continue to escalate and you need a reliable partner to deliver the most qualified healthcare staffing solutions. There are numerous healthcare staffing agencies providing quality-focused healthcare workforce solutions with wide experience in a variety of health care disciplines. Staffing companies can help you find expertise and optimum workforce solutions, giving you access to talented employees when you need them.

A healthcare staffing company can help you in numerous ways, read on to find out reasons that a medical staffing agency benefits both employers and job seekers.

Ø  Expertise - Employees of staffing agencies usually have a higher level of expertise related to job knowledge, employment trends and recruitment practices due to continuous placement. They also have industry expertise if they work for staffing agencies that focuses in certain fields, such health care.

Ø  Cost or Financial benefits - Staffing agencies can result in lower costs associated with hiring adequate staff. As the staffing agency manages the entire hiring process, they also ease employers of costs related to pre-employment testing, background investigations and drug screening.

Ø  Network - The staffing agencies have a large network from which they can tap a potential candidate who can fill any position an employer might have or anticipate. On the other hand, staffing agencies can spot dependable, reliable and conscientious candidates who can fill a vacancy in a matter of days, or even hours.

Ø  Retention – Employers engaging in temperate staffing service get the opportunity to monitor employee performance, qualification and work routine, before offering them a permanent position. This cut downs the turnover period as both employee and employer are satisfied with the job fit. 

Ø  Quality Staffing & Expert Interview Process – Health care staffing candidates often undergo rigorous questioning and assessment before they are admitted into a staffing agency’s database. Hence, it becomes easy to evaluate better qualified and experienced candidates for the required position.

Ø  Access to a Wide Network – You can choose from a wide network of a staffing agency providing candidates looking for seasonal workers, part-time workers, and those who only want temporary positions.

Ø  Time-saving benefits - Staffing agency will do the hunting for you, delivering numerous quality positions, based on the location, the roles & responsibilities and the length of the contract. This allows you to save time on your search and control other contractual assessment.

These are the reasons; why employers prefer healthcare staffing agencies to save their time and money in the long run. Choosing a healthcare staffing agency is the most appropriate and unique way to get quality and consistent employees to the team.

Benefits of Hiring a Health Care Staffing Firm by Health Care on Scribd

Things you need to know about Labiaplasty

Labiaplasty isn’t something most people would comfortably prefer discussing, but the undeniable fact is that many women are uncomfortable with the size and shape of their labia.

Labiaplasty is a surgery performed for cosmetic reasons; it basically includes reduction of the labia minora, the inner lips on the outside the vagina and to a lesser extent reduction of larger labia majora and clitoral hood.

Labiaplasty can increase a women’s comfort, leading to a more enjoyable experience both physically and sexually and enhancing the quality of life.  Labiaplasty offers you a genuine opportunity and solution to take control of your body. No one, not even your spouse, sexual partner or physician can take away your right to reshape these body structures if you wish to do so.

Who should consider Labiaplasty?

Labiaplasty is becoming increasingly popular among women who seek to resize or reshape the size of their vaginal lips. However, here are some of the reasons why or who should consider labiaplasty. You can consider a labiaplasty if you experience discomfort or are unhappy with the shape and size of your vaginal lips that are painful or make you feel self-conscious.

If there is a need to address swelling of the labia and uneasiness that arises during a work-out and sports activity, the inability to wear fitting clothes or bathing suits, interruption during sexual activity, awkwardness, embarrassment and sometimes even trouble in maintaining basic hygiene regimen. One can also think of labiaplasty if you have gone through a genital reconstructive procedure.

  

How to prepare for Labiaplasty

Before your labiaplasty surgeon will share a number of instructions with you. These may slightly vary between surgeons, but it is important that you follow them exactly to avoid any complications.

·         Stop smoking

·         No alcohol

·         Avoid Sexual Activity

·         Keep healthy

·         Protect Against Infection

·         Wear Loose Clothing during Recovery

·         Avoid certain medications or supplements (As suggested by your doctor)

·         Plan your recovery.  (Have someone around to help you throughout these few days)

·         Talk about Pain Medications with the Surgeon

·         Plan Adequate Time for Rest

Labiaplasty Procedure

During the treatment, you will be given a local anesthetic and the surgery can last up to 2hrs. Large or uneven vaginal lips are reduced or cut using a specialized scissors or a laser. The location of the surgery will depend on factors such as the texture, size and configuration of the vaginal lips. Your surgeon will finally stitch up the handled area. You may have to spend a day under the scrutiny of your surgeon before being released to go and recover at home.

Recovery period & precaution

You may experience some mild pain after the surgery. Swelling and Bruising near the operated area is normal. You should also consider taking extra precaution when it comes to maintaining feminine hygiene and abstain from sex.  

Things You Need to Know About Labiaplasty by Health Care on Scribd

How to become an international nurse?

An international nurse is the booming future of the nursing industry. One of the most exciting parts about a career in nursing is that with the right education, experience and career strategy, a registered nurse can go nearly to any part of the world. Some nurses enjoy travelling locally, while the other nurse simply enjoy a diversity of work settings and desire to travel to a multiple locations for the experience of forming ongoing professional associations, which they grow over the longevity of their career.

For some, the call for international nurse is the sense if exciting activity and unlimited opportunities, many registered nurses choose the international path. If international nursing is of interest in your career, there are numerous important points that you must study.

Learn more by reading the blog below on how to begin your international nursing career in the United States of America.

Commission on Graduated of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGNFS)

According to the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGNFS), is a “non-profit, internationally recognized leader in the education, registration and licensure of healthcare professionals worldwide.” It assists the public in relation to developing health care policies and standards of professional practices of migrating healthcare professionals. CGNFS is federally-approved to certify nurses and other health care professionals.

The CGFNS program is intended for the registered nurses who have been skilled in other national and wish to work as qualified nurses in the US. Most boards of nursing require foreign nurses to complete the certification program and credentials evaluation.

This certification program is divided into 3 parts: a credentials review, the CGFNS Qualifying Exam and an English language proficiency exam. In addition, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) involves all health care professionals who look for permanent occupational visas to obtain VisaScreen certificates.

Credentials Review

The credentials review clinical practice in 5 major areas of nursing: adult medical nursing, adult surgical nursing, neonatal nursing, pediatric nursing, and psychiatric nursing.

CGFNS Qualifying Exam

The test is intended to see if the nurses with international educations are certified to practice in the US. To be entitled for this test, foreign nurses must have significant experience in the nursing fields. It also requires a minimum number of hours in classroom instruction and clinical practice in the above mentioned 5 major areas of nursing.

The CGFNS Qualifying Exam are conducted thrice in a year in over 40 locations worldwide, contact CGFNS Customer Service Department or consults the CGFNS Certification Program Handbook or visit CGFNS website.

English Language Proficiency Exam

You need to take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language). TOEFL scores are valid for two years.

The basic necessities are the same for all international nurses; however, this may vary depending upon geographical location, placement location, specific requirement, program opportunity, additional immunization, training and documents may be required.

While some international travel may utilize to build new skills, other opportunities can involve promoting a certain health care issue, for e.g. women’s health or working in an educational facility to promote certain vaccinations or disease.

The processing may take up 6 to 8 months. Depending upon the location the payment may vary, hence it is of utmost importance to have specific details in writing before agreeing to final contract. Not all international location pay well, but there are some exceptions. Some opportunities may have other demands such as speaking the language or adapting local dressing restrictions.

Lastly, being an international nurse you get a limitless opportunity to help communities that are in need of gifted nurses, ability to travel to new geographical locations, chance to meet new people and gain a well-formed nursing experience. With the right amount of preparation and career supervising, the life of an international nurse can be rewarding and exciting with adequate variety and specialized growth opportunities to last a lifetime.

How to Become an International Nurse by Health Care on Scribd

Osteoarthritis - Symptoms, diagnosis, treatment & self-help

Osteoarthritis is also referred as degenerative arthritis, degenerative joint disease, OA, or osteoarthritis. It is a form of arthritis caused due to inflammation, breakdown, and the eventual loss of cartilage in the joints - the cartilage wears down over time.

It is a progressive disease, in which the signs & symptoms gradually worsen. Even though there is no permanent cure, but with the help of certain therapies the patient’s movability can be kept active. Considering experts advice and taking the necessary steps can help you lead an active lifestyle and gain control over their symptoms.

Osteoarthritis is likely to affect almost any part of the body. Some of the commonly affected parts are hands, hips, knees, lower back, and neck.

Signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis include:

·         Your joint may hurt during or after movement.

·         Limits your range of movement

·         Tenderness in the affected joint

·         Joint stiffness, when you wake up in the morning or after a period of inactivity.

·         Loss of flexibility

·         Affected joints are larger than usual

·         Joints are warm

·         Loss of muscle bulk

·         Experiencing a grating or crackling sound/sensation in the affected joint.

·         Bone spurs - a hard lumps form around the affected joint.

Factors that may increase the risk of osteoarthritis include:

·        Ageing

·      Women are more likely to develop osteoarthritis, though it isn't clear why.

·     Obesity

·    Joint injuries - playing sports or from an accident

·    Certain jobs or repetitive stress on a particular joint that may eventually develop osteoarthritis.

·    Genetics - 40% to 60% of cases of hand, hip and knee arthritis can have a genetic link.

·      Bone deformities - born with malformed joints or defective cartilage

Osteoarthritis Diagnosed

Since there are several factors contributing to Osteoarthritis, thus your doctor may recommend you to consider one or more tests to diagnose Osteoarthritis they are;

·         Medical history

·         Physical exam

·         X-rays

·         MRI Scans

·         Blood tests

·         Joint fluid analysis (arthrocentesis)

Osteoarthritis treatment

As we know there are a number of factors contributing Osteoarthritis, due to which your doctor may offer you a number of treatment or a combination of treatment that fits the patient’s needs, lifestyle and health. The 4 main goals of offering an Osteoarthritis treatment include, pain control therapy, improving joint functionality, maintaining a healthy body weight, and adapting a healthy lifestyle for long lasting benefits.

An effective Osteoarthritis treatment plan involves:

·         Exercise & Yoga

·         Physiotherapy

·         Weight control

·         Rest and joint care

·         Non-drug pain relief techniques to control pain

·         Medicines

·         Complementary and alternative therapies

·         Surgery

Considering self-care and good-health attitude can help the person improve their condition in the right direction. Such lifestyle modifications have clear and long-lasting benefits. Lastly, remember, early treatment means less time in pain, and more time living life to its fullest.

Osteoarthritis - Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment & Self-help by Health Care on Scribd

Things you need to know about senior care (elderly care)

Old age is like a second childhood and must be treated like one. During this phase of life, an elderly person is physically helpless and totally depends on others like an infant. Physically they may look grown-ups, but in some incidences you will realize that tend to behave like babies. And, just like babies, the elderly too have their special requirements.

There are a number of aspects involved in dealing with elderly care. It is of extreme importance to be aware about the various needs and requirements of the elderly for those who have the responsibility of taking care of their aged parents or relatives.

In this blog, we will be discussing about different type of elderly care and the help that elder people usually require, along with some special needs.

Health Care facilities

Failing health due to advancing age is a common problem among elderly individuals. Under such circumstances getting appropriate health care is among the top priorities. Old age is an unavoidable, undesirable and problem ridden phase of life. However, through proper care and nursing facilities, one can certainly help in keeping most of these health issues in check, and prevent them from leading to serious health conditions. Considering regular health checkup can help you monitor serious health condition at the initial stage.

Housing Needs

Senior citizens often prefer staying at home, surrounded by their loved ones. Your family living space can be modified as per their changing needs and requirement. Most importantly, it is about providing them with a safe environment so that somebody from the family is around them at the time of emergency. However, if they don’t have their own place, there are government housing schemes and other private senior care facility or nursing care that work for elder citizen care and take care of their health and other necessities.

Dietary needs to be taken care

Experience dietary issues or weak digestive system is also among common condition faced by aged or elderly people. There is a need to make certain modification such that it remains nutritious, balanced diet and contain foods that does not cause any discomfort to their digestive system. Many a time, there is a need for alternation in the elderly diet as per their medicinal prescription.

24X7 Nursing care facility

If you have an elderly person in your family facing mobility issue which has limited his or her daily routine. If it is impossible for someone in the family to be around, then you may consider having a full-time nurse to assist the elderly person in basic activities such as walking, eating, bathing and dressing.

Financial Needs

If an elderly person decides to live on his/her own, without any support, then it is obvious that they will require some amount of financial requirements to fulfill the basic necessities of life such as; food, grocery, basic supplies, medication, etc. Some elderly individual can avail financial help through pension as a monthly source of income. On the other hand, some senior citizen do not have any source of monthly income hence, have to live entirely on their saving or depend on their family or on special senior citizen administration funds.

Other social needs

Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible part of ageing. As a responsible relative or friend, one should always keep in mind to show all the love and care that you have for that elderly person. Spend some time with them, chat and make them feel wanted, cared and loved. If possible you can even choose to plan a senior citizen get-together or take them out for such gathering.

These are some of the basic elderly needs that should keep in mind while taking care of an elderly person in your family. In certain situations it becomes difficult for you to help them with their basic necessities then it is advisable for you to consider various senior care facilities available in your vicinity.

Things You Need to Know About Senior Care (Elderly Care) by Health Care on Scribd

5 ways to prevent pregnancy - Effective Birth control methods

Most young couples face this dilemma – “how to prevent pregnancy without disturbing your sex life”.  It is easy to feel lost as someone without adequate knowledge of various birth control management option available. Today we have many safe and effective birth control methods that allow you to enjoy your sex life and delay pregnancy until you are ready for it.

This blog will educate you on the various methods of birth control.

1.      Fertility awareness.

Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) also known as natural family planning or rhythm method is a way to predict fertility and infertility times in your cycle.  This is a natural method that does not use any drug or device neither has any effects on the male & female reproductive functioning. This fertility awareness method can be used both for preventing pregnancy as well as to target to most fertile time to get pregnant.

A pregnancy starts with fertilization, when a woman’s egg joins with a man’s sperms. FAM reduces the chances of pregnancy by informing the days are your most fertile, and then abstain from sex or you may use other preventive methods.

There are many online tools and applications available that can help you track your menstrual cycle. It is difficult to measure its accuracy rate; hence, it is advisable for you to take expert advice to avoid unwanted pregnancy.

2.      Condom

This is the easiest and the most readily available option for birth control. These are the thin sheet made of latex meant to be worn over the male reproductive organ during the time of intercourse to prevent the semen from coming into contact with fertile eggs. The biggest disadvantage of using a condom is, it might break, leaving you at risk of getting pregnant or contracting ISD. It is also an effective method to avoid infection from the viruses that cause AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (STD’s).

3.      Birth Control Pills

The Birth control pill prevents pregnancy by a combined action of hormones - estrogens and progestin that prevents ovulation, so that pregnancy can’t take place. When taken properly under proper prescription, they are extremely effective. Depending on person to person, one may or may not experience side-effects such as, nausea, headache, breast tenderness, weight gain, irregular bleeding, and depression.

4.      Intrauterine Devices (IUDs)

Intrauterine Devices (IUDs) can be a very helpful solution if you are seeking for a long-lasting protection for delaying pregnancy. It is a small metal device inserted into the uterus by a health care provider. Intrauterine Devices (IUDs) stands out to be the most suitable and durable option for women to plan their pregnancy. It does not have any side-effect and can delay pregnancy for up to 8 to 10 years and can be removed when the couple is ready. However, there are two variations of this device – one works by releasing hormones and other affects the mobility of sperms and stops them from fertilizing the eggs. This option is usually preferred by women who already have delivered a baby and does not wants to plan their second child immediately.

5.      Emergency contraceptive pills

Emergency contraceptive pills help prevent unwanted pregnancy after an accidental or spontaneous intercourse. However, you need to reach out for this pill within 48 to 72 hours of having an unprotected sex. Any delay in taking these pills could lead to an unwanted pregnancy.

Different Birth Control Options by Health Care on Scribd