Medical Matters

Stethoscope essential tool for medical practictioners and students

noreply@blogger.com (Peter @ Enviroman) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 20:29:00 +0000

What is a stethoscope?

That is something you would see hanging down from the necks of doctors and even medical students, a photo of which you would see below:

Click on photo or this link to find stethoscope in Amazon

The saying goes that a photo is worth a trillion words (my own version) so I don't think with the photo, we need to elaborate on what a stethoscope is.

Function of a stethoscope

Doctors uses the stethoscope to listen to sounds in the human body, sounds like heart beats, sounds from the lungs while breathing in and out, to flow of blood through veins and arteries. Medical students too will have to learn to use the stethoscopes for the same purposes. So do veterinarians who use them to listen to sounds in animal bodies. Those techies (people who like to use technical terms, my own interpretation) will call this process of listening to the internal sounds of the body "auscultation". The purpose of auscultation is to examine the respiratory system (heart sounds and breath sounds), circulatory system and the gastrointestinal system (bowel sounds). Auscultation is not an easy skill to acquire but requires lots and lots of clinical experience plus good listening skills. That is why you will even see medical students with those stethoscopes hanging round their necks.

Diagnostic uses of stethoscopes

Doctors listen for abnormal sounds including heart murmurs, gallops, other extra sounds coinciding with heartbeats plus the heart beats itself when auscultating the heart. When auscultating the lungs, doctors will watch out for sounds such as wheezes and crackles. Asthma is diagnosed when wheezing sounds are heard and depending on how serious, patients may be put on various medications such as putting them on inhalers. The best is to use a nebulizer where those suffering from wheezing get a mouth and nose piece covering their mouth and nose and breathe in air containing very tiny droplets of medication (mist) which can reach the very deep recesses of the lungs for direct action to stop the wheezing. In very serious cases, may even be hospitalized. My youngest son at a very tender age was hospitalized, and not only that, given steroids which I hate. But what to do. It was necessary to protect his life for severe cases of asthma can be life threatening.

There is now even an online training for auscultation

To purchase medications for asthma, you may try to purchase medications for asthma online. Please note the disclaimer in this and that site where you are advised to consult your doctor or doctors for medical problems and you would be wise to comply with the laws and regulations of your countries regarding prescription medications. Don't know about herbal medical medications.

Open Access Journals for medical related topics

noreply@blogger.com (Peter @ Enviroman) — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 21:15:00 +0000

Anyone who wants to keep up to date or frequently do research for their work needs access to peer-reviewed (for accuracy and confidence) Journals. However, one cannot afford to subscribe to too many journals or one will go broke.

Here is a heaven-sent: Open Access Journals where anyone can access the journals without having to pay for it. Any you have a Directory of Open Access Journals where various Open Access journals covering a very wide spectrum of subjects are listed in alphabetical order by title as well as by subject. There is also a search box to help you in your research.

Now we are interested in "Health Sciences" and in this page itself is divided into Open Access journals for

Dentistry	Nursing
Medicine (General)	Public Health

Let us have a look at the one for Medicine (General). What I see there are

Allergy and Immunology (17 journals)
Cardiovascular (41 journals)
Dermatology (10 journals)
Gastroenterology (18 journals)
Gynecology and Obstetrics (22 journals)
Internal medicine (141 journals)
Neurology (49 journals)
Oncology (28 journals)
Ophthalmology (10 journals)
Otorhinolaryngology (10 journals)
Pathology (16 journals)
Pediatrics (30 journals)
Pharmacy and materia medica (20 journals)
Psychiatry (31 journals)
Sports Medicine (9 journals)
Surgery (60 journals)
Therapeutics (36 journals)
Urology (14 journals)

Looks like when I want to research some topics, I now know where to go.

Arthritis

noreply@blogger.com (Peter @ Enviroman) — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 06:11:00 +0000

Arthritis is not a simple medical problem, but a a whole set of different medical conditions caused by inflamed joints where joints are damaged. There are some estimated 200 different forms of arthritis. It is a painful condition and one which is difficult to deal with.

A person suffering from arthritis will have stiff, swollen and painful joints which in severe cases can cause partial immobilization. The most common forms of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis

A patient with osteoarthritis has joints where protective cartilage have broken down and the exposed joint surfaces. As the joints rubbed against each other, it gets inflamed and thus painful. The most common joints to be affected by osteoarthritis are the finger joints, knee joints, hip joints, and spinal

joints. Less common are the wrist joints, elbow joints, shoulder joints, and ankle joints. It is often triggered by injury or over-use, but the exact causes are not known.

Symptoms of osteoarthritis

In the beginning, an affected person may just feel aches after physical work or exercises. As time goes by, this become a steady or intermittent pain as well as swelling and tenderness. If the patient is inactive, this progress further to joints stiffness. Crunching sound (bone rubbing on bone) may even accompany movements.

Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is usually caused by inflammation of the lining of the joints (the lining of the joints are called synovium). Rheumatoid arthritis is usually a chronic, inflammatory autoimmune medical disorder where the immune system go crazy and start to attack the joints. It is a disabling disease which can lead to joint destruction. It can even affect the lungs, the blood and the heart itself. The diseased joined may even go out of shape with loss of normal movement.

Causes of rheumatoid arthritis

As mentioned above, rheumatoid arthritis is an auto-immune disease. The immune system whose function is to fight infections and other foreign invaders, malfunctions, and instead start to attack the body tissues itself. Nobody is clear about why it happen. It can be influenced by genetics, that is, it could be hereditary. In some cases, rheumatoid arthritis seem to be triggered by infection.

Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis patients have stiff and swollen joints which may flare up suddenly, the recede. The symptoms may also be experienced over an extended period of time. Severe rheumatoid arthritis can lead to severe joints damage, misshaped joints and disability.

Treatment for arthritis

Treatment of arthritis is tough. Some says exercise can help. Others believe in a varied and balanced diet. In some cases, arthritis patients takes physical therapy. Some seeing no help in conventional medicine turns to alternative medicine like acupuncture.

Medications for arthritis

There are medications for arthritis, but they are for relief of symptoms and not a cure. Arthritis medication can be divided into 7 categories:

Traditional nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

COX-2 specific inhibitors

Combination therapies

Pain relievers (analgesics)

Steroids

Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs)

Biologic response modifiers

Surgery

Severe cases of arthritis may require surgery of which there are various procedures:

Arthrodesis

Arthroplasty

Arthroscopy

Osteotomy

Synovectomy

Reference Sources for Prescription Drugs

noreply@blogger.com (Peter @ Enviroman) — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 18:55:00 +0000

It is wise to know more about the drugs prescribed to you by physicians and there are various ways you can get them. Here are some of the ways:

Leaflets that accompany prescription drugs

Most prescription drugs, if you get it in the manufacturer's package, will contain a leaflet with information about the drugs and usually warnings about side effects and what kind of circumstances when it is not advisable to use the drug. Often, these leaflets may err on the cautious side where manufacturers' put in lots of warnings to protect themselves from being sued. There also have been cases where drug manufacturer have had to pay damages for withholding information from consumers about dangerous ill effects. Merck & Co., manufacturer of Vioxx (Rofecoxib), for example, had been accused of withholding information about increased risk of heart attack and stroke associated with long-term, high-dosage use.

Physicians' Desktop Reference

This is a reference often used by physicians and they have 2 websites, PDR online (free for US medical professionals only) and PDR Health (free consumer drug and medical information site). There are some controversy over Physicians' Desktop Reference as it is financed by drug manufacturers and with some saying it lack of reporting of updated and accurate drug dosages along with adverse drug effects. Oftentimes dosage information can be taken from phase 1 trial information where clinical drug information is incomplete, resulting in higher PDR-recommended dosages than therapeutically effective dosages for many medications.

Source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physicians'_Desk_Reference

Wikipedia

I like to search for information on drugs from Wikipedia. For example, if I want information on the prescription Prozac, I will type the phrase "prozac wikipedia" into the Google search box above, tick the radio button beside WEB and click "Search".

Hand hygene alone is not sufficient to prevent spreading of infections in hospitals

noreply@blogger.com (Peter @ Enviroman) — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 06:17:00 +0000

With the appearance of alcohol-based hand gel, many doctors and nurses are skipping the soap and water scrub and using the alcohol-based hand gel instead to prevent the spread of infection-causing germs in hospitals. Guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says better hand hygiene by frequent washing or use of hand gels can cut the spread of hospital infections.

However, according to Dr. Mark Rupp, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Nebraska Medical Center who led a study at the adjoining Nebraska Medical Center, that is not sufficient to prevent spread of infections in hospitals. Dr. Mark Rupp says rings and fingernails are too long and hard to clean. Poor handling of catheters and treatment areas are thus not sanitized. Dr. Mark Rupp's study was published in the January issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology.

Dr. Rupp study showed hospital-borne infections cannot be stopped by better hand hygiene alone as spreading of infections are not caused by person-to-person contact alone. Dr. Rupp made the suggestion that hand gels should be complemented with additional measures such as better cleaning of hospital units, proper insertion and maintenance of catheters, and doctors only prescribing antibiotics when absolutely necessary so that we don't get the emergence of more drug-resistant bacteria.He further recommended that hospital workers should not wear rings plus trim their fingernails beyond the Centers for Disease Control's recommendation of no longer than a quarter of an inch. Dr. Rupp claimed that bacteria are present even when nails extended just beyond the fingertip.

Source:

http://news.aol.com/health/story/_a/hand-gels-alone-may-not-curb-infections/20080130063209990001

Stop smoking: Avoid Medical Problems

noreply@blogger.com (Peter @ Enviroman) — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 13:55:00 +0000

Effect of smoking on health

The habit of smoking is a long recognized health hazard. In the developed countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2002 estimated that smoking contributed to 26% of male deaths and 9% of female deaths. That is a very significant figure and should be taken very seriously. Some estimate that habitual smokers life is shortened by 2.5 to 10 years as compared to nonsmokers.

Major health hazard of smoking

The two major health problems caused by the smoking habit are cardiovascular system and cancer of the ling, mouth and throat. It is estimated that 1 in 10 people who have ever smoked will develop lung cancer. Those who continue to smoke will increase their risk to 1 in 6.

Smoking can also cause arterial narrowing which is a major cause of erectile dysfunction or impotence.

Benefits of stopping smoking

The longer you smoke, the higher your chances of developing health problems. However, the good news is that you can get almost immediate benefits by stopping your smoking habit as described in Immediate, short and long-term benefits of stopping smoking.

Help available to stop smoking

You can quit smoking merely by sheer will power. It is estimated that about 3-5% can succeed in stopping smoking this way. The others may be so addicted that they may need help to stop the smoking habit. Help is available in various forms. Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) can help increase this percentage. Psychological support from a trained counsellor individually or in groups can also help but is hardly practical in countries where the medical hospital is hopelessly overcrowded.

Clinical trials have shown some medications to be effective in helping smoking habits. Among them are Zyban, also known by other brand names like Wellbutrin and Bupropion. They are available from Online Canadian Pharmacy Escrow Service. Now don't be deceived by the "Canadian" in its title as is has offices in many countries including Canada, United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Finland, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, Sweden and Switzerland. And they deliver worldwide.

What Is Hypertrichosis? Human Werewolf Syndrome Explained

noreply@blogger.com (Peter @ Enviroman) — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 21:12:00 +0000

What Is Hypertrichosis? Human Werewolf Syndrome Explained

By Nicola Kennedy

There are many conditions that happen to individuals, explained and unexplained. In hypertrichosis, you will find a wide range of probably answers but not all of them will be the answers you are looking for. The best relief from conditions like these is to seek the advice of your doctor.

Hypertrichosis is a medical condition that causes excessive growth of hair in areas where hair does not normally grow. It may be present over the entire body, or you could have it in only one or more areas. Some individuals will be born with the condition and others will develop it later on in life.

Congenital Hypertrichosis is very rare. In fact, it is so rare that there have been only 50 verified cases since the Middle Ages. It occurs because of a flaw during pregnancy. A fetus is covered with lanugo which is a very fine layer of hair that falls off during the eighth month. In these cases, it does not fall off but continues to grow. In a serve case known as Congenital Hypertrichosis Terminalis, the hair becomes colored as well and remains there after birth.

Another variation of Congenital Hypertrichosis is called Naevoid Hypertrichosis. Here, the individuals will have excessive hair growth in only one area of the body.

Acquired Hypertrichosis

Acquired Hypertrichosis occurs after birth at any point. The symptoms may include unpigmented vellus hair or pigmented terminal hair. The excessive hair may cover the entire body, or it could be localized to one area.

What Causes It: Hypertrichosis?

Although there are no for sure answers to that question, many believe the condition to be a genetic disorder. It can be considered inherited or has been known to just happen due to the mutation of genes. Some are cancer related which occurs after individuals have cancer. Some individuals believe that it can be caused by drugs or metabolic disorders as well.

Treatments For Hypertrichosis

The best treatments available include:

Shaving regularly

Depilatories which are hair removal creams can also be used as long as the skin is free from cuts or open sores. Check for allergic reactions before use.

Bleaching products can help to lessen the look of these hairs but make sure to check for chemical reactions.

Electrolysis and laser hair removal techniques may also be helpful. Here, a laser will actually kill the follicle stopping it from being able to grow hair. Some at home kids are effective, but professional service is the best.

Hypertrichosis is a condition that really does not have a cure so to speak. Hair removal techniques can help though. Although the best treatments are those that are the most costly, they are likely to provide the most satisfaction here.

About the Author: As a beauty consultant Nicola is always evaluating new products. Visit her site at http://www.epilator.info for information about body hair removal.
Copyright http://Epilator.info. All rights reserved. This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact.

Source: www.isnare.com

Travel Health: Useful Medical Information For Good Health Before Your Departure, During Your Trip And After Your Return.

noreply@blogger.com (Peter @ Enviroman) — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 09:36:00 +0000

Travel Health: Useful Medical Information For Good Health Before Your Departure, During Your Trip And After Your Return.

By Eddy De Vos

The diseases most commonly seen in travellers are diarrhoea, malaria (if you travel in a malaria-infested area), accidents (when travelling by car or swimming), wound infections and sexually transmitted diseases.

- Diarrhoea is caused by contaminated food and drinking-water. You must therefore be careful if your are travelling in poor hygiene conditions.

- Malaria is transmitted by mosquitoes, so the first thing to do is to protect yourself against these mosquitoes.

- In order to prevent accidents during travelling, it is wise to apply the same precautions as those taken at home. In addition, it is very important that all wounds should be thoroughly disinfected in order to avoid infection.

· TRAVELLER’S DIARRHOEA

Many intestinal infections are attributable to infections picked up by mouth or hands. With a little care most of these illnesses can be prevented. Hepatitis A, typhoid fever, polio and cholera still occur in countries with poor hygiene, but these diseases are easily prevented.

However, the chance is rather large that you will still contract a light and/or nondangerous form of traveller's diarrhoea. Traveller's diarrhoea almost always spontaneously clears up after a few days, but can nevertheless be irritating. And a risk to your overall and travel health.

In the first place measures must be taken against dehydration. Likewise, treatment of the symptoms must be considered in order to reduce the number of bowel movements and relieve other symptoms such as fever, vomiting and stomach cramps. Sometimes a more serious form of diarrhoea occurs, for which specific treatment with antibiotics is indicated or where hospitalisation or fluid replacement appears unavoidable.

It takes only a few basic preventive measures to make your trip a success : Total prevention of traveller's diarrhoea is impossible and it is obvious that preventive measures can seldom be strictly followed at all times. But following preventive measures do significantly reduce the risk of contracting serious diarrhoea: In order to maintain good travel health wash your hands before eating and avoid (if possible):

- raw vegetables and fruits that you have not peeled yourself

- uncooked or unpasteurized dairy products

- insufficiently cooked sea foods (+ Hepatitis A !) and meat

- “local meals” which do not smell fresh

- ice-cream bought from street merchants (industrial ice straight from the deep-freeze is probably safe).

Cooked meals should be served hot. The place where you eat is also important. A meal taken from a stall presents a greater risk than a meal taken in a restaurant. Avoid restaurants where there are a lot of insects.

Avoid tap water and ice-cubes. Bottled water and soft drinks are safe. Watch out for bottle caps that have already been used.

It is very important to disinfect drinking-water on adventure trips. Total sterilisation of drinking water is impossible. The following measures considerably reduce the contamination risk and safeguard your travel health:

- Boiling the water is very effective.

- A good alternative is chemical disinfection with chlorine drops (e.g. Hadex®, Drinkwell chloor®; available in sport shops specialized in outdoor activities) or chlorine tablets (Certisil Combina®; chloramine tablets; available at the pharmacy). Their effect can be improved by first filtering unclear water. Silver salts (Micropur®, Certisil Argento®) are not very suitable to disinfect water, but they keep disinfected water germ-free for a long time.

For adventurous travellers conscious to travel health it is best to buy a portable water-filter. The use of antibiotics in order to prevent diarrhoea before it occurs can be dangerous + Also the use of other preventive medications is not recommended.

. How to treat diarrhoea?

It is extremely important to consume sufficient liquid and salt in order to prevent dehydration. You can do this by taking salt solutions, but tea with lemon, broth, soft drinks and fruit juice, supplemented with salt crackers are tastier. Commercial salt products are available on the market (ORS-solution).

Taking an anti-diarrhoea preparation (loperamide, e.g. Imodium®) can greatly reduce the number of bowel movements, with a considerable reduction of the complaints as a result. Imodium® may only be used by adults and older children and only for treating ordinary watery diarrhoea: 1 capsule after every loose movement up to a maximum of 4 per day.

Antibiotics are indicated :

1. If blood, mucus or pus are present in the stools.

2. If after 24 to 48 hours, there is no sign of improvement and the diarrhoea is accompanied by fever (above 38.5 C) or severe abdominal cramps, or if there are more than six stools per 24 hours and especially when these also occur at night.

3. Or if because of travel circumstances a quicker solution is absolutely desirable . Appropriate antibiotics are only to be used on doctor’s prescription

· SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES

Casual sexual contacts tend to be higher while on holiday abroad. Sexually transmitted diseases, particularly AIDS, form therefore an important risk for travellers. Quite often unintentional and unsafe sexual contact takes place under alcohol influence. Prevention while on holiday abroad is no different from the precautions you take at home. Adequate use of a condom, preferably bought at home, is absolutely essential. Only a water-soluble lubricant should be used, but it only offers a partial guarantee (e.g. KY gel). Vaccination against hepatitis B is advised. Always consult your doctor if you think you are at risk, even when there are no symptoms.

· MALARIA (swamp fever, malaria)

Malaria is an infectious disease caused by a parasite (called Plasmodium) transmitted by the bite of the Anopheles mosquito. There are four different types of which Malaria falciparum is the most dangerous and the most widespread. The incubation period – the time between an infecting bite and the appearance of the disease – varies from ten days to four weeks (rarely several months).

The symptoms include attacks of fever, but can initially be quite similar to influenza. If adequate treatment is not started in time, an attack may sometimes result in death within a few days.

. Where does malaria occur?

Malaria only occurs in those areas in which Anopheles mosquitoes are present : in the tropics and in a large number of subtropical areas. From a height of 1.500 to 2.500 m onwards, depending on temperature and climate, Anopheles mosquitoes are either rare or non-existent.

In most big cities there is little or no risk at all of infection, except in Africa where a real risk exists.

Risk also exists in the suburbs of the big cities in Asia (e.g. in India). In a number of areas the risk varies according to the season.

. How can malaria be prevented?

It is very important for travel health to avoid mosquito bites : the Anopheles mosquito only bites between dusk and dawn, is rather small and hardly makes any noise.

- In the evening wear light-coloured clothing which covers your arms and legs as much as possible. Apply repellent cream with a DEET basis (20 to 50%, for children and pregnant women preferably 20 to 30%) to the uncovered parts of your body. Repeat this every four to six hours (it will not protect you all night).

Non containing DEET repellents were less examined; Autan-Active. and Mosegor. are however excellent safe products.

- Sleep in rooms that leave no access to mosquitoes, (mosquito nets on the sills, electrically-warmed anti-mosquito plates, air-conditioning) or sleep under a mosquito net impregnated with permethrine or deltamethrine hung over the bed with the edges tucked under the mattress.

If these measures are carried out correctly, the risk of malaria will be reduced by 80 to 90% and travel health is maintained

. The intake of pills as prevention

There is no drug efficient enough to prevent malaria 100%, which means that quite often a combination of measures is preferable. Also the drugs used have changed over the years. Moreover, the advantages and disadvantages of drugs should be considered against the risk of malaria infection. These risks are dependent on the visited country, and on the region, the season, the duration of your stay and the kind of trip.

Some people might be troubled by the side effects while taking antimalarial drugs. These are usually mild and are not always a reason to stop taking the pills. Sometimes it may be necessary to change to another type of medication due to intestinal problems, allergic reactions or other intolerance symptoms.

Therefore it is the doctor who can best decide for each individual which drug to use. This explains why individuals from the same group may end up taking different drugs.

Finally, as no drug is 100% effective in preventing malaria, it is important that if an attack of fever occurs in the first three months after your return from the tropics, a malaria infection should be considered as a possibility despite the correct use of the drug prescribed.

However, it is reassuring to know that malaria, provided it is recognised in time, is easy to treat without any danger of recurrent attacks. The belief that "once malaria always malaria" is totally untrue.

You can find even more travel health tips in the next pages:

DISEASES FOR WHICH VACCINATIONS ARE AVAILABLE: http://www.spain-holidays-advisor.com/vaccination.html

MORE TRAVEL HEALTH TIPS : http://www.spain-holidays-advisor.com/more-travel-tips.html

CAUTION: The information provided here should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or for the treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies.

About the Author: Eddy De Vos is the owner of http://www.spain-holidays-advisor.com/,
a website about travel and Spain. It contains usefull tips for your next trip, be it to Spain or anywhere else in the world.
Of course if you are planning a trip to Spain there is no better place to start than there

Source: www.isnare.com

Facing Medical Bills You Hadn’t Planned On? A Debt Consolidation Loan Online Can Help

noreply@blogger.com (Peter @ Enviroman) — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 09:30:00 +0000

Facing Medical Bills You Hadn’t Planned On? A Debt Consolidation Loan Online Can Help

By Thomas Erikson

An unexpected car accident or heart attack is stressful enough in itself. When you compound that with the medical expenses as a result, the numbers can grow quite scary. Usually a hospital will be willing to work out some sort of plan with you so that you do not have to pay the entire expense immediately, yet this is not always enough. Sometimes the amount they’re asking you to pay in installments is more than you can afford. After all, with the medical problem, the every day expenses did not disappear. There is still the mortgage to pay, utilities, cell phone, food, and any other monthly expenses you may have. In order to make this expense not the one to cause you to file bankruptcy, a debt consolidation loan online can be just what you need to get you through this time of crisis both financially and for your own peace of mind.

Any unsecured debts that you pay monthly can be condensed into a debt consolidation loan online. This can include the medical expenses incurred. Rather than having to pay according to the timeline of what the hospital is asking, or having to pay everything immediately as some hospitals will demand you do a debt consolidation loan online can take that amount and break it into affordable payments that you can pay over time. The hospital will be satisfied because your debt to them will be satisfied and the services that they provided will be paid for. You will be able to continue life as usual and pay off this outstanding debt along a timeline that you can live with.

Unlike other credit, a debt consolidation loan online will not charge outrageous amounts of interest. If you paid those medical expenses by credit card, you would end up paying enormous interest rates and it would take you quite some time to pay off the debt. With a debt consolidation loan online, your medical debt, along with any other unsecured debt you may have such as credit cards, can be combined into one monthly amount that you can live with. You may even be able to free up some additional monies each month to use however you like. With a consolidation loan, there are certain fixed terms which mean that you will not be paying on this debt for the rest of your life which you may end up doing with a credit card. You will decide how long you’d like the term of the loan to be and your payments will be adjusted accordingly. If you can afford to pay a little more monthly, you may be able to be free of your debt in three to five years. If you need to pay a little less each month the term can be extended. That will be between you and loan officer to decide.

The greatest benefit of loan consolidation in this manner is that this is a very private way to obtain this loan. Getting a debt consolidation loan online only has to be discussed between you, perhaps a spouse, and the loan officer. You will not have to worry about friends and neighbors seeing you sitting at a desk in the banker’s office which they will inevitably question you about. This is done all at home and online so you have complete privacy in this matter. This remains your knowledge unless you feel like you want to share it. This is your own road to pay off those medical bills as well as others you may have and keep your finances positive.

About the Author: Discover the power of a debt consolidation loan online to effectively get your finances under control. Visit http://www.your-debt-consolidation-loan.com to find out more about how you can turn your finances around.

Source: www.isnare.com

Medical Bankruptcies: What You Can Do To Protect Yourself

noreply@blogger.com (Peter @ Enviroman) — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 06:45:00 +0000

Medical Bankruptcies: What You Can Do To Protect Yourself

By David Lear

First the bad news: about 2,000,000 personal bankruptcies each year are caused by unexpected medical expenses. Of all those people, 1,500,000 have (or had) health insurance before they ran into difficult financial straights.

But wait a minute. Isn't the whole idea behind health insurance - security? The financial security that comes from knowing that you're covered if something goes wrong with your body? You say you're covered, but what if your medical "situation" exceeds your policy limits? Then what?

No one wants that to happen, so the question is: are there other options? For instance, is there a way to "insure" against getting sick in the first place? Most people assume that's not possible, but personally, I disagree.

Several years ago my wife Sandy and I stumbled onto a very unusual health product. We both had our own experiences with it and have seen it work miracles for others.

But before going there, I'd like to explain something. To me, health insurance should be about staying healthy. In China, for instance, doctors used to be paid only if they kept you healthy. That's what I call real health insurance. And although the U.S. has some of the best-trained, dedicated physicians in the world, heart disease, cancer, strokes, and autoimmune diseases are all on the rise.

Clearly, our health isn't being protected - at least not to an appreciable extent. The medical paradigm in the U.S. is mostly about treating symptoms, not fostering health. And while we're all very grateful to doctors for all their efforts, symptom treatment is intrinsically short-sighted.

If symptom treatment was effective in restoring health, people would be getting well and staying well. But that's not what usually happens.

There's a growing movement of people who've recognized the shortcomings of the traditional medical/pharmaceutical "health" model. They're not stupid. For instance: 106,000 annual deaths from properly prescribed prescription drugs sure got my attention when I heard the news. Check it out on the net. It's a fact.

OK. So everyone knows there's a problem. Again, the question is: are there options out there and if so, what are they?

As I was saying earlier, there is an option. I can say that because I have personal proof. Four years ago, I was diagnosed with a heart condition called atrial fibrillation. It wasn't painful per se, but the irregular, spasmodic poundings inside my chest were very disconcerting.

My wife Sandy and I were in Maui when a friend of ours told us about something called glyconutrition. Now, I'm a fairly open-minded kind of a guy and I've been interested in health supplements for a long time, so I decided to try it. (By the way, nothing I was taking before then was helping my heart condition). After a few months, the condition went away. It hasn't returned since.

Sandy also had a positive health reversal. She was in a lot of pain from neck surgery she'd had seven years earlier. She also decided to try the glyconutrients. It took a little longer for her, but her pain subsided and surgery was avoided.

My point in telling you these two stories is that we saved a ton of money and who knows how much pain and suffering by not having to undergo surgery. I don't know if my atrial fibrillation would have led to a worsening condition requiring surgery, but I do know that Sandy was considering a second neck surgery before we heard about glyconutrients.

Since then, we've learned a lot more about the science behind glyconutrients and why this new category of nutrient is turning around so many health conditions for so many people.

Even highly trained medical doctors and surgeons are taking notice. Case in point: Dr. Ben Carson is the department head of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Medical Center. A severe form of prostate cancer led him to discover glyconutrients. Long story short: he attributes to them his complete recovery. He now recommends glyconutrients to all his patients, to his staff and others as well.

Without going into a lot of complicated detail, science now has a pretty good idea about why glyconutrients seem to be helping so many different kinds of health conditions. The bottom line is this: enhanced cell-to-cell communication.

Glyconutrients provide the body with highly specialized building blocks that the body transforms into communication molecules that all cells use. Without an adequate supply of these molecules, communication starts to break down and illness starts to creep in.

The reason glyconutritional supplements are so effective is this: our diets suck. Let me explain. If we got all the nutrients we needed in our diet, we'd rarely get ill. By the way, the scientific evidence to support that statement is huge.

But because 90 percent of the food we eat is processed (devoid of essential, health-promoting nutrients) and for a number of other reasons, we're not getting the nutritional build blocks our bodies need in order to stay disease-free.

Bottom line: understand the powerful relativity between the nutrients we consume and the state of our health.

So to reiterate - there are options for warding off illness and medically related bankruptcy. Just don't look for them in the current medical - pharmaceutical - health insurance paradigm. Look for them in the emerging science of glycobiology - the same science that's starting to describe the cellular mechanisms behind the major health recoveries that thousands of glyconutrient users are now reporting.

About the Author: David Lear is an independent nutrition researcher and free-lance writer. His main interest is in cutting-edge supplements that improve health and reverse illness. For further information, visit http://www.glycoresults.com

Source: www.isnare.com

Nutritional Supplements - How To Choose A High Quality Product

noreply@blogger.com (Peter @ Enviroman) — Sun, 15 Jul 2007 09:41:00 +0000

Nutritional Supplements - How To Choose A High Quality Product

By David Bloom

Looking for quality nutritional supplements can seem quite overwhelming at times, especially if you're just starting out. It is just as important to be sure you're taking high quality supplements as it is to take the right supplements, because there's no point in taking them if they don't work. You may be tempted to buy a "store brand" or bargain nutritional supplement, but just as with anything else, be wary of trading quality for price.

One of the main criteria you want to look for in choosing the right supplement is making sure the potency of the nutrients is ensured. When the label says that there is a standardized amount of a certain nutrient in the supplement, this means that the balance of herbs has been developed to make sure that each and every capsule contains the same amount of active ingredient. Depending on the herb in question, it is possible for say 10 milligrams of the standardized extract to be as potent or even more so than 100 or even 1000 milligrams of a cheaper version.

Another thing you want to check is whether or not the nutritional supplements contain natural or synthetic ingredients. While synthetics are of course less expensive, their natural counterparts are much more potent and effective, and have the added bonus of being more readily utilized by the body. Some people can even have reactions to the synthetic version of a nutrient who have never had a problem before, which can lead to problems in the future as well.

Whether or not the active ingredient in the supplement is sourced from organic materials is also very important. Nutritional studies have proven time and time again that there are more of the key nutrients in organically grown fruits and vegetables than there are in mass produced, chemically treated ones, so it only makes sense that this benefit would be passed on or withheld depending on the source of the ingredients. Also, full spectrum sourcing is vital to making sure that your supplement has all the nutrients you need, as key enzymes and ingredients can be lost in an extraction process.

There are also some nutrients that work best when taken together with a complementary vitamin or mineral, and in the majority of cases, this can actually improve their effectiveness. A perfect example is that of Vitamin D, which when taken together with a quality calcium supplement can both enhance the absorption rate and reduce the amount of calcium that is excreted in waste products. Of course, you will still get some benefit from calcium supplementation alone, but for those to whom every bit of nutrition counts, a little homework is your best bet.

The most important reason to choose a high quality nutritional supplement is of course, safety. Unfortunately, since supplements and vitamins have become more popular with the general public, many bargain basement brands have popped up overnight with the claim that their product is just as good as the more expensive ones and much cheaper to boot. Be very wary of such claims! Remember, if a supplement is priced far below its competitors, they had to find some way to trim down the costs...are you willing to risk finding out what it was?

Mass produced nutritional supplements are often made in huge batches with equipment intended to churn out as much of the stuff as possible in the shortest amount of time, and often the quality of the supplement will suffer. Worse yet, there is the increased risk of contamination.

When choosing nutritional supplements, you must keep in mind that your very health is dependant on the decisions you make. While it might seem like a good idea to save a few dollars now, in the long run you might find yourself wishing that you had invested that extra little bit in the interest of quality. This is not to say that a less expensive nutritional supplement won't give you some benefit, but it might actually end up costing you more in the long run if you're having to take multiple pills several times daily to get any kind of effect.

Take the time to find a high quality nutritional supplement from a reputable manufacturer...you'll be glad you did!

About the Author: David Bloom is an avid health enthusiast and senior editor of http://www.herbal-supplements-guide.com, a site that discusses supplements and their potential therapeutic value. He also contributes to http://www.healthy-heart-guide.com and http://www.joint-pain.com.

Source: www.isnare.com

Medical Practice Software Simplifies The EMR Process

noreply@blogger.com (Peter @ Enviroman) — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 09:44:00 +0000

Medical Practice Software Simplifies The EMR Process

By Joe Miller

The Electronic Medical Record, or EMR, has blossomed as the 21st century’s medical record management model. EMR databases consolidate and organize important medical records electronically, including the electronic medical claim. Medical practices have been able to effectively and quickly manage the electronic medical record, greatly benefiting not only the practice but also the client.

Almost any EMR system has been able to assist medical practices to reach a higher level of organization, but new medical practice software takes a practice even further. Though an EMR consolidates medical records, the medical records are still on separate databases, depending on the categories the EMR belongs to. Billing records, medical histories, etc., are all located on different databases, requiring multiple logins and often heavy and expensive security and IT infrastructure. Medical software streamlines the costs, both economic and time.

The market has picked up on the need for medical practice software that simplifies the EMR process. That is why finding the right medical practice software can be so challenging. On any given day, in any given search engine, the keyword “medical practice software” will yield millions to hundreds of millions of indexed pages. Characteristics of good medical practice software include internet access, medical billing PDA, third party billing, digital imaging, reports, and tracking. In addition to these characteristics, medical practices can look forward to cutting overhead costs, including IT infrastructure and additional security costs.

Every medical practice knows that finding a competitive edge also requires simplicity. Medical practices probably do not have extra time to invest in training themselves on new medical software. Not only should it be simple to learn but also simple to install and simple to use.

Another feature used in medical practice software is accessibility. Medical practice software has enabled access to the cpt code, HCFA 1500, icd.9 codes, SOAP notes, and even HIPAA consultants.

Though searching out the right medical practice software to simplify your EMR needs will require you to do your homework, searching is probably the hardest part. In other words, medical practice software was meant to work for you. The information and tips provided in this article and its accompanying resources are meant to simplify the searching process too. Faced-paced business, especially medical practice business, doesn’t stop and wait for everyone to catch up, nor do patients stop coming. The Boy Scout motto is “Be Prepared,” and with medical practice software, you will be.

A supportable, useable, flexible, manageable, and affordable way to streamline the demands of a medical practice EMR is to find medical practice software capable of supporting your practice’s information databases and streamlining their management to one secured login. Not only can it support your EMR’s but also you, because medical practice software provides access to service consultant and medical codes. It also allows you to access your EMR databases off-site.

Managing the demands of an EMR system can be time consuming and tedious. An EMR does not have to take so much of your time and money if it is effectively managed by a good medical practice software system that works for your business.

About the Author: Joe Miller is an author of informational articles http://www.10xmarketing.com/Services/Advertising/Online-Advertising.html . Information on http://www.advancedmd.com/features/medical-practice-software.asp Medical Practice Software is available at http://www.advancedmd.com or at http://editorials.arrivenet.com/tec/article.php/4258.html .

Source: www.isnare.com

Dental & Medical Legal Debt Collection

noreply@blogger.com (Peter @ Enviroman) — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 09:48:00 +0000

Dental & Medical Legal Debt Collection

By Joel Walsh

Every medical and dental practice has to deal with patients who do not pay. If it doesn't deal with such patients, the costs will simply be passed on to other patients--or the practice may simply suffer or fold. Yet the very real dental and medical collections legal issues mean you should think carefully before reminding your patients to pay up.

In the end, you may very well be better off outsourcing your medical or dental accounts receivables to one of the new medical and dental collection agency/accounts payable processing centers. According to the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA), your medical or dental billing notices fall under essentially the same regulations as a mega-bank's car loan collections.

Real-World Medical and Dental Debt Collection Law Quandaries

Anne, a secretary at Westville Orthopedic Associates, calls up a patient who just turned 18, to remind him of an outstanding copayment. The patient's mother answers the telephone. Should Anne:

1. Take the issue of the co-payment up with the patient's mother?

2. Leave a message with the patient's mother to remind the patient of the outstanding co-payment?

3. Leave a message for the patient to call the Westville Orthopedic Associates back?

4. Say she will call back later and quickly hang up?

All but one of the four options above will be a violation of federal debt collections law. Can you guess which one?

The correct course of action is option number 3. Why are the others illegal?

Look at each of the options above:

1. It is illegal to disclose a debt to a third party.

2. See number one; remember that messages regarding a debt are essentially disclosures to a third party.

3. This is the only suitable course of action.

4. The FDCPA requires all creditors to identify themselves when making a call. While you can't say what you are calling about, you must say the name of your business before hanging up.

Not ready for your medical or dental practice to become a law practice? You can get around medical and dental collection law matters by outsourcing the entire job to a professional medical or dental accounts receivable processor or medical collection agency. This option also has the benefit of saving your staff a lot of work.

After all, not only is your medical or dental practice not a law practice, it's not an accounts department, either.

About the Author: Joel Walsh has written more tips on debt collection law: http://www.debt-collection-laws.com/?%20debt%20collection%20law [Web publication requirement: create live link for the URL/web address using "debt collection law" as visible link text/anchor text; EXCEPT if redistributing (article bank, aggregator, or clearinghouse), anchor text optional.]

Source: www.isnare.com