7 Lasting benefits of physical therapy

Physical therapy is a proven technique that can help people from different age groups who are suffering from medical conditions, illnesses or injuries that limit their regular ability to move and perform daily activities.

Considering a personal physician or a customized physical therapy can help patients return to an active lifestyle by improving their functionality and mobility. However, many individuals still fail to understand the actual benefit of physical therapy.

Read on to find out the benefits of physical therapy in order to lead a healthy lifestyle.

1.      Reduces or eliminates pain

Considering manual therapy or therapeutic exercise technique, such as joint & soft tissue mobilization or electrical stimulation or tapping can help you ease pain along with restoring normal bodily function. These techniques can help you prevent pain from recurring.

2.      Improves mobility

Physical therapy can help you with simple yet complex problems such as trouble in standing, walking or moving, despite of your age. Stretching and strengthening exercises can help you restore your ability to move freely and painlessly. With proper physical therapy, one can be assured of leading an active and a normal life.

3.      Improves balance and prevents and fall

Lack of confidence and physical strength is a common problem among many individual suffering of physical conditions. If you’re at high risk for falls, your therapist will provide you with exercises that are safe and can be carefully performed to improve your balance. These physical therapists can help you improve your condition and give assistive devices to help you walk safely.

4.      Recovery from stroke

A stroke can lead to lose some amount of functionality and mobility. Providing appropriate treatment can help the person strengthen it’s weaken parts and improve balance. Physical therapy can also improve the stroke patient’s ability to move around independently without being a burden to anybody and perform their daily activities.

5.      Cures sports injury

A physical therapist realizes how different sports can increase your risk of suffering from a certain kind of injury. This has helped them design a customized recovery or preventive exercise program, in order to ensure each individual is safe to return to their favorite sports.

6.      Helps elderly problems

As the person age, they are likely to develop different health conditions such as, arthritis, osteoporosis, or may even require joint replacement. A physical therapist can help you recover such condition through regular therapy.

7.      Avoid surgery

Considering proper and regular physical therapy treatment can help you eliminate pain caused due to an injury. It can also prevent you from undergoing painful surgery. In some condition, pre-surgery physical therapy can help you recover faster.

Choosing the right equipment is essential for any individual to perform appropriate physical therapy. If you have any doubts or questions related to physical therapy, don’t hesitate to ask your health care provider to give you more information.

Cervical Cancer - Causes, symptoms, and treatments

Cervical cancer occurs when abnormal cells on the cervix develop out of control. The cervix is the lower part of the uterus that opens into the vagina. Cervical cancer can often be effectively treated when it's detected at an early stage. It can be detected a very early stage through a Pap test.

Causes and risk factors for cervical cancer include;

·         Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection - HPV infection may cause cervical dysplasia, or irregular growth of cervical cells.

·         Having many sexual partners

·         Smoking

·         Taking birth control pills

·         Engaging in early sexual activity

·         Weak immune system

·         Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

Common symptoms and signs of cervical cancer are;

·         Abnormal vaginal bleeding

·         Increased vaginal discharge

·         Bleeding after going through menopause

·         Pain during sex

·         Pelvic pain

Diagnosis

Regular pelvic exams and Pap testing can help detect pre-cancerous changes in the cervix.

Chest X-rays, CT scan, MRI, and a PET scan may be used to determine the stage of cervical cancer.

Treatment options for cervical cancer include;

Cancer of the cervix commands different treatment than cancer that begins in other parts of the uterus. Pre-cancerous changes in the cervix may be treated with cauterization, cryosurgery, or laser surgery.

·         Radiation therapy

·         Surgery

·         Chemotherapy

Precautionary measure

Two vaccines to prevent HPV infection are;

·         Gardasil Vaccines

·         Cervarix Vaccines

Things you should know about walk-in clinics help.

Walk-in Centers are convenient medical care centers giving access to a range of treatments. Walk-in Centers are managed by expert medical practitioners, nurse, assistant, or a doctor of osteopathic medicine. They have lots of experience and expertise in their field. Each one is committed to 

improving their patient’s health by providing the right treatment for rapid recovery. In this write-up, we will be learning about how walk-in clinics are helpful.

These walk-in centers specialize in deal with minor illnesses and injuries including;

•        Hay fever

•        Nausea and diarrhea

•        Blood pressure checks

•        Stomach aches

•        Emergency contraception and advice

•        Insect and animal bites

•        Dressing care

·         Fractures and lacerations

•        Infections and rashes

•        Stitches (sutures)

•        Minor burns and strains

•        Small cuts and bruises

•        Stop smoking help

Walk-in centers are usually managed by skilled nursed and are available for service to everyone. Patients do not require prior appointment as they are open 365 days a year and for extended working hours. You can often visit to see a nurse or doctor without an appointment to get advice, assessment or treatment for a minor illness or injury. However, these walk-in centers are not designed for treating long-term illnesses, life-threatening problems, and young children.

Nevertheless, the decision to provide treatment for these lies with the walk-in centers based on the capacity, resources and available skill levels. It is always advisable to call your nearest walk-in center if you are not sure if you or your child can be treated there.

There are some services available at the Walk-in Clinics, however; this may vary by

•        Location

•        Availability Of Doctors

•        Equipment

•        Diagnosis And Treatment Of Minor Illnesses And Injuries

•        Prescriptions

•        Referrals

It may not always be a good option to choose for a walk-in clinic, let find out when you can choose these walk-in clinics;

•        Whenever you are in a non-urgent situation

•        When your family doctor is not available or closed or if you don’t have a family doctor

•        At times, when you need care for minor illnesses and injuries including, stomach upsets, infection and rashes, cuts and bruises, fractures, emergency contraception and advice, and burns and strains.

Note -

•    You do not require any referral or recommendations to use this service.

•    You usually do not require any prior appointment, and you can call to check availability.

•    You can walk-in with your health card to avoid fees & bills

What is Temporary Medical Staffing and how does it help?

Nowadays, professional are looking for flexible working schedule, freedom at work, control of time and stability. A temporary medical staffing agency is very flexible in scheduling temporary PRN that fit both employee and employer.

They specialize in placing employees on both short and long term staffing assignments in many different types of health care facilities. They follow a very convenient and an efficient hiring process that generates thousands of qualified candidates. Providing a large pool of skilled employees makes it much easier to meet the staffing challenges of different healthcare centers.

Here are a few ways temporary staffing agencies can benefit you:

·         Gain access to skilled & qualified medical staff

With temporary medical recruitment agency, you can get access to expert, reliable and experienced medical personnel – with the right certifications and licenses – for the desired period. They can be helpful in filling the short-term gaps in recruitment while a full-time employee is out on leave. Moreover, their help can ensure the rest of your team doesn’t break down due to work overload and extra working hours.

·         Get all the time you need to recruit a permanent position

There are certain positions, within your hospital/clinics/centers that are harder to fill than others. In this situation, a temporary staffing agency can provide you with workers you need on the temporary basis so that you have all the time to hire the right candidate for a full-time position.

·         Save on Over-Time and other employee expenses

A temporary staffing agency will handle all the administrative paperwork, and other employment costs such as healthcare benefits, paid time off, and taxes. You can have the temporary staff around as, and when needed you do not have to pay your core team over-time.

·         Focus on car

Having staffing issue and fluctuating needs, it can take your time and attention from things that matter the most, i.e. delivering excellent patient care. However, being associated with a temporary staffing agency, all you need to do is call them and place your requirement. They will do the needful, as in screening, interviewing, and testing to ensure your facility are optimally staffed all times.

Well, the bottom line is – if you access to a temporary recruitment agency you can trust, you can keep your permanent employees balanced and healthy so that they can offer the highest quality of care.  

Gynecologist and Obstetrician - What’s the difference?

Both gynecologist and an obstetrician are associated to women’s health care. Most of us must have heard the terms obstetrics (OB) and gynecology (GYN), but many of us fail to understand their difference. However, it is important to understand the about each of these specialties so that you can easily find the right type of doctors for your health concerns.

A gynecologist is a medical specialist providing diagnosis and treatment for conditions of the female reproductive organ while an obstetrician is concerned with a women’s pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. An obstetrician is also concerned with the health of the fetus; all the modern Gynecologists are also Obstetricians.

Read on the below mentioned points to understand the difference between gynecologist and obstetrician. 

Gynecologist	Obstetrician
A gynecologist is a medical practitioner who specializes in the medical care of women and their reproductive system (vagina, ovaries, and uterus).	An obstetrician is a medical practitioner who specializes in the surgical care of women and their children during pregnancy, childbirth, and post-natal care.
The gynecologist who will test for pregnancy and then if confirmed will send the woman to the obstetrician	Obstetricians will then take care of pre-natal care, conduct various tests and perform the delivery.
Specializes in mammograms, pap smear, uterine/ vaginal infections, contraception, fertility issues, hysterectomies and tubal ligations.	Specializes in Pregnancy, post-natal/post-partum care and delivery. Performs regular ultrasounds usually in the first trimester, at 12th week and 20th week of pregnancy to determine healthy of the fetus, identify any complications and determine gestational period
Education – both are trained together	Education – both are trained together
Typical surgical procedures performed are - hysterectomy, oophorectomy, tubal ligation, laparoscopy, laprotomy, cystoscopy.	Typical surgical procedures performed are - Vaginal and Cesarean deliveries, episiotomy.
Gynecologists will treat infections and other disease as well as help with infertility problems. They also treat cancer of the reproductive system, including the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uterus.	Obstetricians do not treat diseases; they only treat health issues related to pregnancy and women who want no future pregnancies.
While 90% of gynecologists also deliver babies	While obstetricians, limit their practice to pregnancy and childbirth.

Sinus Infection - Causes and Treatment

What is a sinus?

Sinus disease is a major health problem affecting more than 30 million people just across America. It is an inflammation or swelling of the tissue lining the sinuses. Healthy sinuses, are filled with air, but as they become blocked and get filled with fluid, germs can grow and cause a severe infection.

Commonly there are four pairs of these cavities each referred to as the:

1.       Frontal Sinus (in Forehead),

2.       Maxillary Sinus (behind Cheeks),

3.       Ethmoid Sinuses (between the Eyes), and

4.       Sphenoid Sinus (deep behind the Ethmoids).

People who have allergies, asthma, structural blockages in the nose or sinuses, or people with weak immune systems are at greater risk.

Causes

Common causes of chronic sinusitis include:

·         Nasal Polyps — These are soft, painless, noncancerous growths on the inner layer of your nasal passages or sinuses.

·         Deviated nasal septum — A deviated nasal septum happens when the thin nasal septum between your nasal passages is moved to one side.

·         Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) — Infections in your respiratory tract, commonly caused due to cold, this can inflame and thicken your sinus membranes and block mucus drainage. One need to be extra careful as these infections are viral, bacterial or fungal.

·         Allergies such as hay fever — Certain types of soreness or irritation caused due to allergies can block your sinuses.

Common Symptoms

o   Nasal stuffiness or congestion

o   Postnasal drip

o   Tenderness of the face (under the eyes or at the bridge of the nose)

o   Bad breath

o   Frontal headaches

o   Discolored nasal discharge

o   Coughing

o   Pain in the teeth

o   Fever

o   Fatigue

o    

Other Common Risk Factors

You're at higher risk of getting infected by chronic or frequent sinusitis if you have:

o   Abnormality in the nasal passage

o   Asthma - highly linked to chronic sinusitis

o   Aspirin sensitivity

o   An immune system disorder

o   Hay fever or another allergic condition

o   Regular exposure to pollutants or smoking

Diagnosis

Primary assessment to diagnose sinus, your doctor will feel for tenderness in your nose & face and look inside your nose.

Other methods for diagnosing chronic sinusitis include:

·         Nasal endoscopy or Rhinoscopy.

·         Imaging studies - CT scan or MRI

·         Nasal and sinus cultures

·         An allergy test

Treatment

The objective of treating chronic sinusitis is to:

Ø  Reduce sinus inflammation

Ø  Maintain your nasal passages draining

Ø  Remove or reduce the common causes

Ø  Lessen the number of sinusitis flare-up

Sinus Infection treatments include:

·         Saline nasal irrigation

·         Nasal corticosteroids.

·         Oral or injected corticosteroids.

·         Aspirin desensitization treatment

·         Antibiotics

·         Immunotherapy

·         Endoscopic sinus surgery

What are common symptoms of menopause?

All women will eventually experience menopause at some point of time in her life. It is estimated that 4 in every 100 women will experience menopause. However, its causes and symptoms are not totally known, as there are numerous signs and symptoms that can cause menopause. The expert study says that, menopause is confirmed when a woman has not had her menstrual period for over a year.

The signs and symptoms of menopause may vary as the women who suffer from them, but there are some commonly observed symptoms, such as hot flashes, irregular periods, and low sex drive. Usually during menopause, the production of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone hormones are interrupted and can therefore, lead to hormonal changes.

These changes in hormonal patterns can cause to the body to react in strange ways; these are commonly known as menopause symptoms. Most symptoms associated with menopause actually occur during the perimenopause stage. Some women go through menopause without facing any complications or unpleasant symptoms. While, some find menopausal symptoms draining, and last for years.

Some of the symptoms that women experience primarily are related to a lowered production level of female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone. Its symptoms vary widely due to the many effects that these hormones have on the female body.

Read on to learn more about some of the common and uncommon signs and symptoms of menopause.

Irregular periods

This is typically the first symptom, wherein the menstrual pattern changes. Some women may have periods every 2-3 weeks, while others will not have one for months.

Vaginal dryness

Along with vaginal dryness, one may also experience itching and/or discomfort. Some may experience pain during sex. Vaginal atrophy is inflammation of the vagina as a result of the thinning and shrinking of the tissues, as well as decreased lubrication, caused due to lack of estrogen hormone.

Lower fertility

During the perimenopausal stage, the level of estrogen will drop significantly, and lowering the chances of getting pregnant.

Urinary problems

Women tend to be more liable to suffer from urinary tract infections (UTIs), such as cystitis. Urinary frequency may also increase.

Hot flashes

A sudden feeling of heat usually in the upper body, it then spreads downwards. This can make your skin red and sweaty. The heart rate may suddenly increase, or it might become irregular or stronger than usual. Hot flashes usually occur during the 1^st year after a woman's final period.

Night sweats

Hot flushes that occur at night are called night sweats. Most women experience their hot flashes at night that lasts for a few minutes.

Disturbed sleep

This may make you feel tired and irritable during the day. Sleeplessness is commonly caused by night sweats, but not always. Sleep disturbance may be caused by insomnia or anxiety. Difficulty in falling asleep and staying asleep increase as a woman goes through menopause.

Mood swings

Disrupted sleep is the main cause of mood swings. Studies say that most mood changes are triggered due to poor sleep.

Going further menopause can also lead to increase the risk of developing certain other problems such as weak bones (osteoporosis). Therefore, it is advisable to schedule regular appointments with your doctor so that you can monitor your health and get answers to any question that you have about menopause symptoms.

Causes and Symptoms of bone health deterioration

What causes bone health deterioration?

The human body requires a regular intake of mineral, calcium and phosphate to make and keep your bones healthy.

During your lifespan, our bone continues to both reabsorb mature bone and create new bones. The human skeleton is replaced about every 10 years. Providing, your body has a good balance of old & new bone, your bone remain strong and healthy. Usually, a bone loss appears when more old bones are reabsorbed than a new bone is created.

At times, a bone loss takes place without any known cause. On the other hand, bone loss and thin bone disorder are within families and inherited. In most cases, white, older women are more prone to have bone loss problem. Such disorders, increases their risk of breaking a bone.
Weak or unhealthy bones break easily, without even an evident injury. A Brittle or fragile bones can be caused due to anything that destroys your bone, or restrains your body from making enough bone.

Here are the 3 common causes of bone loss;

Aging
As the person grows old, our body reabsorbs calcium and phosphate from our bone, rather than keeping these minerals in your bones. This makes your bone weaker, and develops Osteoporosis.

An individual suffering with osteoporosis will fracture a bone, before they even know they have a bone loss. This may even lead to serious bone loss condition. It is a commonly observed condition in women over age 50 and men over the age 70, than younger men and women.
In women, a drop in estrogen hormone is the main cause of bone loss. On the other hand, in men a drop of testosterone hormone is the cause for bone loss.

Lifestyle choices
Our body requires calcium and vitamin D and regular exercise to build and keep-up strong bones. It becomes difficult for your body to make new bones if you do not have enough calcium in your meals. Certain lifestyle habits can cause long term effects on your body, such as
Consumption of alcohol - Alcohol can damage your bones by increasing the risk of falling and breaking a bone.

Excessive Smoking

Individual who smoke regularly have weaker bones. Especially in women who smoke after menopauses are at higher chance of bone loss. Younger women with irregular menstrual cycle also have a higher risk of bone loss or osteoporosis.

Being underweight, is linked to less bone mass and weaker bones.

Medical disorder causing bone loss - There are a number of chronic medical conditions that can keep a person confined to bed or chair for an elongated period of time. Inability to walk or exercise may lead to bone loss or fracture.

Medical conditions leading to bone loss are;

Ø  Arthritis

Ø  Chronic kidney disease

Ø  Overactive parathyroid gland

Some medications that treat certain health conditions can also cause bone loss they are;

•           Hormone-blocking treatments for prostate cancer or breast cancer

•           Medicines used to treat seizures or epilepsy

•           Glucocorticoid (steroid) medicines, if they are taken by mouth for several times in 3 months or more

Treatment that causes calcium or vitamin D deficiency can lead to weak bones they are;
•           Weight-loss surgery (Gastric bypass)

•           Cystic fibrosis

•           Individuals with eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia, are at higher risk for osteoporosis.

Signs and symptoms

There are generally no signs & symptoms of bone loss until a bone breaks. Fractures of the spine, wrist, upper arm, pelvis, and hip are most common. The fractures can be very painful and can lead to long-term disability.

Over the years, there may be a gradual loss in height due to weakened and compressed vertebrae in the spine. Spinal fractures or crumbling of affected vertebral bones can lead to bent-over posture and may cause severe back pain.  

What is a pre-employment physical exam and how it is done?

A pre-employment physical exam is part of the employment screening process for companies. The purpose of physical exam is to ensure that the employee’s health is compliant with any job related requirements for the position they are applying for. The physical exam can be simple & quick or complex & lengthy, depending on the requirements of the job profile. For instance, a worker might be examined to confirm if he/she is good and can perform jobs that require rigorous physical activity.

Nowadays, more and more companies are requiring pre-employment exams in order to shortlist potential employees. This pre-employment exam not only prevents from work injury, but also prevents the company from work related lawsuits, that could have been prevented at the employment stage.

Pre-employment physical exams can only be legally requested after the job has been offered. This ensures that there is no discrimination issue at the workplace. This also shows up the potential worker to do that job.

Basic Checkup list

Pre-employment physical exam starts with a measurement of your vital signs.

The nurse will record your body-weight, blood-pressure, pulse-rate and body-temperature.
You are also requested to mention any medications or supplements you might be taking. Since, some drugs or nutritional supplements may cause drowsiness, nausea and other potential side-effects. If you are hired to handle some high-stress job profile, then the company might also want to know how you handle pressure. The examiner might ask you questions regarding depression symptoms, mood swings, behaviors and your stress dealing technique. People who smoke or have other mitigate habits may not be a good fit for certain jobs.

Alcohol and Drug Tests

Conducting alcohol and drug tests have become common in many corporates, and you may be asked to undergo one in order to get a job. It is important, especially in high-risk jobs, where employees are handling heavy equipment and being drunk can result not only in personal harm but also in harm to other employees and to property.

It is performed in a number of ways such as; breathalyzers, urine tests, blood tests, hair testing and even mouth swaps.

Physical Examination

Besides the basic checkup, your doctor will also check your reflexes, joint health, heart health and respiratory function, hearing issues and pupil dilation. All of these vital checks can help give your physician a more precise portrait of your physical condition.

The doctor will also note any uneasiness, discomfort, pain or swelling you might be experiencing and would want to know it’s caused and when it started.

While submitting, remember the tests performed might change based on:

Ø  Your age

Ø  Your sex

Ø  Accidents/injuries you reported during the interview

Ø  Current or past medical history

The Results

After the examination the doctor will issue a report showing your physical condition. He might add some recommendations or prescriptions, although this is not always required.

The primary goal of performing such pre-employment physical test ensure that the company is aware of any medical conditions or issues you might be dealing with, so you stay safe and work on getting back to optimal health.