Right Time For A Chiropractor

Many people wait till the last minute with an illness or condition to get help. Either they don't have time to see a physician or they can't pay the medical bill, but in both cases the condition gets worse and then more complications arise. Then there are some cases where the patient doesn't know anything is wrong until the symptoms or pain is too much to bear. All are understandable and people have their reasons to stay away from medical care, but it's important to know when and where to go when you need help.

When you experience muscle, neck or back pain over an abnormal period of time--it's time to see a chiropractor. There is no "right" or "wrong" time for seeing a chiropractor. However, seeing a chiropractor earlier than later is best. Why? Because a chiropractor can offer treatment and cure an issue before it develops into a larger complication. The best time is when you experience abnormal pain over a longer period of time.

It's hard to detect the source of pain, especially when you haven't done something different in your routine. When you do detect pain, keep track of where the pain is, if it moves from one area to another and if the pain intensifies. Keeping up with this information helps a chiropractor find the best treatment for your case.

Have you experience pain for a week or more? If so, then it's time to visit a chiropractor and be evaluated. It can't hurt to get an evaluation. The least a chiropractor can say is that you are healthy and only experiencing mild pain that will subside soon. However, if a chiropractor detects a larger problem, they can diagnosis it and get you started with treatment. So, the best time to approach a chiropractor is after a week of unresolved pain. Evaluation after a week provides the feedback you need to live a healthy life.

To be even more prepared, you can start searching for good chiropractors in your area. Knowing who to see when pain starts will expedite the process. You won't waste time searching online for good chiropractors. Instead, you can go directly to a chiropractor and receive an evaluation.

The best advice anyone can give you is to not wait when you experience abnormal pain. See a chiropractor and learn what's wrong while you can easily correct the issue. The "wrong" time to see a chiropractor is weeks or months after the pain has started. See a chiropractor early and everything will turn out right

How to Choose a Tummy Tuck Surgeon

A tummy tuck could be the ideal way to transform your body and to take back some of the youthful appearance you are craving. After having a baby, losing a lot of weight, or having other surgical procedures, the abdomen often looks bad. You may have sagging skin in this area or a pouch of excess fatty tissue that just will not go away no matter what you do to try to make it possible. The good news is that a surgeon can help you to fix the problem for good. Finding the right one makes a big difference.

Experience Matters

Perhaps the biggest factor to consider when selecting a surgeon for your tummy tuck is whether the professional has the level of experience you feel comfortable with in a doctor. In most cases, the best providers have three to five years of surgical skill and a solid reputation for providing great work. Most of the time, the professional will be board certified. He or she may have a good amount of surgical experience, but you also want to ensure that experience includes this specific procedure.

Education Is a Must

It is not possible for someone to be trained and licensed in the United States to perform this procedure without first having extensive education. That usually includes at least five years of surgical training. Two of those years, at least, should be in plastic surgery. Additionally, most doctors learn how to perform a vast number of procedures on various parts of the body. You will want to know the surgeon has specific training on this type of procedure.

What Else to Look For

When comparing doctors, do some research. Look at before and after shots of the doctor's work. Do you notice scarring? Can you tell the individual had work done? You also want to know the doctor never works in anything but an accredited medical facility. He or she should also maintain a strict code of ethics. This may be present in his or her membership to various boards including the American Board of Plastic Surgery. If the doctor is from out of the country, learn about his or her training and experience in that area as well.

A tummy tuck is a permanent process. There is no way to go back once it is done. The skilled hands of a plastic surgeon can make all of the difference in the long run. Before you even go in for a consultation, know who your doctor is, what his or her specialties include and what type of reputation he or she has. It really can make all of the difference in your success with this procedure and it is easy to check out beforehand.

Planning a Fall Hiking Trip Out West? Learn More About Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS)

If you enjoy hiking, and are planning a hiking trip at high altitude, it is important for you to learn more about Acute Mountain Sickness. This sickness is caused when a person's body does not have enough time to adjust to the decrease in oxygen at the higher altitude. In order to maintain proper cell function, our bodies need time to adjust to a decline in oxygen. If you don't take the time to acclimatize, you are at increased risk for AMS.

AMS is surprisingly common among hikers at high altitude. For example, about one out of four people who go hiking in the Colorado mountains experience AMS, as do two out of three people who climb Washington State's Mt. Rainier.

Acute Mountain Sickness exists along a continuum from mild AMS, to moderate and more severe or life threatening cases.

Symptoms of Acute Mountain Sickness generally always include a headache accompanied by a variety of other things, for example, headache, nausea, fatigue, dizziness and interrupted sleep.

How to Prevent AMS

It is possible to avoid AMS if you make an early effort to acclimatize to the decreased levels of oxygen. In order to properly acclimatize, consider doing the following things:

Delay Physical Activity. You should try to avoid physical activity for at least 24 hours after you first arrive in the higher altitude (@8,200 feet and up).

Hydrate.Drink a lot of fluids and avoid drinking alcoholic beverages.

Slow Down.If you are hiking, try to ascend the mountain gradually past 8,000 feet or approximately 1,000 feet per day.

If you find that you are grappling with AMS, the best thing you can do is to descend and get yourself to an area with higher oxygen levels. In addition, avoid going back up the mountain until all of your symptoms are completely gone.

If you have a very severe case of AMS, sometimes called HAPE or HACE, you may need hospitalization, hyperbaric therapy, additional oxygen and additional medical intervention. Symptoms of this most severe form of AMS include:

Challenged breathing, even during rest

Wheezing

Lethargy

Coughing

Tightness in chest

Congestion

Hiking in the Western United States is beautiful with many exciting and challenging trails to explore. Make sure you educate yourself in advance about the seriousness of oxygen deprivation and the risks associated with Acute Mountain Sickness.

Planning ahead, knowing the early warning signs of AMS, and knowing what to do if you do experience the sickness, is important so that you can keep yourself safe. As always, for more information on AMS, or any medical issue, it is best to consult a qualified board certified physician for additional guidance and medical advice.

Dr. Stacie L. Grossfeld is a board certified Orthopaedic Surgeon practicing in Louisville, Kentucky. She graduated from the University of Louisville School of Medicine, and completed a fellowship in Sports Medicine at the Fowler-Kennedy Sports Medicine Center. Dr. Grossfeld currently works as a louisville orthopedic surgeon in private practice at Orthopaedic Specialists. Dr. Grossfeld also serves as a clinical instructor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Louisville. Her special interests are in knee and shoulder reconstruction and sports medicine.

What's Right for Your STD Testing Needs?

STD testing is not something anyone should put off. If you have had sexual relations with anyone, even someone you are committed to being with long-term, you should have a test to ensure you are healthy. Many sexually transmitted diseases can hide in the body for years showing no outward symptoms whatsoever. The problem is, this lurking in the background means no treatment is being given either. That is when you are at the most risk for an outbreak. In some cases, when these conditions do arise, they can cause pain, discomfort and even lead to loss of life. Tests can help you to pinpoint what could be there long before it gets to this point.

What's Your Need?

What many people do not know is that there are various options for STD testing. Due to the importance of having these types of tests, many methods have been developed by doctors and hospitals to make sure individuals get the care that they need. Everyone knows it is not exactly the easiest conversation to bring up with your doctor. That is especially true if you are still seeing the same doctor you have been all of your life. Yet, you need to know about your health. That is why there are options.

Where to Go?

The first thing to know is that you do have plenty of options in facilities to visit to get these tests. Most commonly, family doctors are used. However, you can visit most hospitals and urgent care centers for assistance as well. The benefit of going to an urgent care facility, for example, is that no one really needs to know why you are there or what you are having done. The results are fast and confidential. Most areas have more than one location you can visit to get tested.

What Screenings Do You Need?

There are many types of sexually transmitted diseases. You should be screened for as many as possible. This includes herpes, HIV, and HPV. These tests can be done in different ways. For example, most tests for STDs are done using blood samples or urine cultures. Others, like the HPV scan, are done using a pap test or a specially designed HPV test. It is a good idea to talk to your doctor about the risks you face and have full screenings completed.

STD testing can provide you with answers to the questions you have. Even if it is just reassurance that you are going to be fine and that you do not have any condition, strive to have these tests at least one time per year. You may need them more commonly if you are frequently engaging in sexual conduct with more than one partner or you believe you are at a higher risk.

Otoplasty Corrects Ear Problems

There are several different reasons why a doctor would suggest otoplasty as the remedy for a person's ears. Most people are born with ears that look normal, but there are many people that aren't. Some people have ears that are protruding, and others are born with a condition known as microtia. Microtia is a condition that affects babies, and it results in deformities. These deformities may be minor and they may only affect one of the ears. They can also be very severe though, and cases like this will definitely need some type of corrective surgery.

If a child is born with microtia, the child can undergo surgery to have this problem fixed. There are other times, though, that otoplasty is needed. One of the main times is to fix a person's protruding ears. The outer part is called the pinna. This is the part of the ear that you can see and it serves an important function. This function is to help a person hear. Protruding ears affect more males than females, and it is an embarrassing problem. Through otoplasty, this can be fixed. When protruding ears are corrected with this type of surgery, it is called reconstructive otoplasty. During this procedure, a doctor is able to fix the problem and make the ears look like they should.

There are several things that cause protruding ears. One of these things is the angle of them relative to the head. Normal ears stick out at approximately 20 to 35 degrees. This is average, but some people's stick out further than 35 degrees and this is when they begin to look weird, or protruding. Two other causes are overdevelopment or underdevelopment of the cartilage. If the ears have too much cartilage, there is a good chance that they will protrude. If there is not enough cartilage, this can also happen.

When a child has this condition, there are two main techniques that can be used to fix the problem. Otoplasty is one of these and ear splinting is the other. This works great for minor problems, and it can be done when a child is very young. The other option is used on more severe cases and is used when the child has microtia. This is usually done when the child is around 5 years old. Doctors will recommend waiting until the ears of the child are fully grown, even if they are not present. In other words, around the age of 5 a they are usually as big as they will get. This makes the age of 5 a good time to have this done. The child is still young enough, but the results will also be good because the ear size will not change much after this. This is a type of procedure that should only be conducted by cosmetic surgeons that are highly trained in reconstructive ear surgeries.