Why Do We Seek Medical Advice?

As a medical provider it always amazes me that when an individual seeks help, they never really seem to want the reality of what may be the cure. I find more often than not that when I see a patient they are more than willing to share what they may be feeling, however when I seem to offer what I think may be the answer it does not seem to be what they want to hear.

How many of us know someone or even for that matter ourselves, that may have an issue such as obesity, addiction, stress or just general aches and pains? Well, I see it daily and even feel it for that matter. But, why is it when seeking medical consultation there is always, well almost always resistance met with the prescription that may be of help. I constantly hear the same stories over and over, which some may consist of:

- I don't have time
- I'm not getting on medications
- It won't help me
- I can't quit
- It makes me sick

The excuses are endless, and are very frustrating from a provider's point of view. I can honestly say that for myself and other health-care providers something goes off in our brain sort of like this, "Well then what do you want from me?" But fortunately I hope I am speaking for others as well, we are compassionate and caring individuals that would truly like to make a difference and the hopes would be to make the patient ultimately feel and be better. Please read more to find out what can be done to get appropiate medical advice.

Symptoms, Treatment and Prevention of Tennis Elbow

What is lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow)? Lateral epicondylitis is just a fancy term for tennis elbow. It is the name for a condition in which the bony bump on the outer surface of the elbow becomes painful and is very tender to touch. The technical term for this bump is called the lateral epicondyle so when it becomes inflamed it is referred to as a lateral epicondylitis.

How does tennis elbow develop? Tennis elbow develops from overusing the muscles in your forearm when used to straighten to raise your hand and wrist. When these muscles are overused, the tendons that are attached to the lateral epicondyle become inflamed. And when this motion is repeated tiny tears can develop causing pain.

Who develops tennis elbow? Any activity that requires repetitive motion can cause tennis elbow, however it is most common with tennis players (such as the name), carpenters, machinists, and typists. However this type of injury can be seen in many other activities or jobs depending on the type of maneuvers and how often it is done. Click here for more information on tennis elbow

Omega Fatty Acids Inhibit Pain and Other Health Risks

What are the omega fatty acids?

Omega-3 fatty acids are called essential fatty acids, which mean that it cannot be synthesized by the body and must result from the diet. The best source for this fatty acid is found in fish especially sardines, salmon and herring. It may also be found in vegetarian sources such as flaxseed, flaxseed oil, canola oil, soybeans, soybean oil and walnuts.

Omega-6 fatty acids are also considered essential fatty acids, but most individuals are not deficient in these. Good food sources to obtain these fatty acids include cereals, whole grain breads, eggs, and poultry.

Omega-9 fatty acids are not considered essential fatty acids. These can be synthesized from unsaturated fat by the human body. Good food sources of these fatty acids include olive oil, rapeseed and mustard seed.

How do these fatty acids inhibit pain and reduce other health risks?
Click here to find out...

Frequent Hand Washing Increases Contact Dermatitis in Health Care Workers

Do you or do you know of someone that is working in an environment where hand washing is a must? Did you know that in doing so the risk of developing contact dermatitis is likely? I found this to be interesting especially with health care workers since one would think that hand washing is the best for prevention of germs, however the potential of developing dermatitis is still there.

Are health care workers at an increased risk of developing contact dermatitis due to frequent hand washing? According to Wikipedia.org, contact dermatitis is a term for a skin reaction resulting from exposure to allergens (allergic contact dermatitis) or irritants (irritant contact dermatitis). It is a common skin condition causing redness, itching, and a burning sensation due to exposure of a substance on the skin. And according to a study from the University Hospital Case Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio frequent hand washing by health care workers may actually be counterproductive, causing contact dermatitis.

The study was based on 111 health care workers in which 58% developed contact dermatitis with hand soap, but when using an alcohol based solution there was no association with contact dermatitis. All the health care workers were asked to fill out a questionnaire about personal medical and family histories including any previous history of allergies. Read More About Contact Dermatitis

Aging Baby Boomers May Increase Work-Related Injuries

So, how old are you? Do you fall into this category of soon being an elderly boomer? If you are then this may be very pertinent information to know.

The generation known as the "baby boomers" is soon to be known as the "elderly boomers" and in turn will create the healthcare workers to have to work harder and longer. According to the National Council on Compensation Insurance, long-term care industry will be impacted substantially by the aging of the population. This as well is expected to raise workers' compensation as aging employees also need accommodations to stay in the health field.

As injury rates are dropping overall in the work industry it appears that for the health care worker this is not so. As a medical practitioner in occupational medicine most of the work related injuries that I treat are those that work in the health care fields such as hospitals, nursing homes and home health aides. These injuries are usually musculoskeletal related. So it is concerning that with the aging population and the aging work force of how many more injuries will arise. NCCI states that the frequency of workers' compensation claims in nursing homes alone are double than the national average for private industry. Read More

10 Simple Tips to Prevent Bad Breath

Halitosis means foul or offensive-smelling breath. It comes from inside your mouth and is usually caused by not having proper dental hygiene such as brushing your teeth and flossing on a daily basis. The food that you consume sticks between your teeth, on your gums and tongue. So without proper dental care this will cause the food that sits in your mouth to rot and decay and in turn causes a foul smelling odor in your mouth. The food that sits in your mouth and in between your teeth causes bacteria to grow which can then lead to more serious complications such as gingivitis or gum disease. Gingivitis is also a cause of bad breath.
Do you or someone you know have a problem with bad breath? Bad breath is common and this is something that probably be easily controlled however it does take a lot of discipline along with good dental/mouth hygiene. It is also one of those things that is a little embarrassing so at times may not be so easy to approach an individual with it. I always advise people including myself to carry an extra pack of gum or mints for those moments that are unpleasant to the nose. Good Luck!

Non-Emergent ER Visits: Why You'll Have a Long Wait

Have you or do you know someone that has used the Emergency Room for a visit that could have waited until the were evaluated in a doctor's office? I see this all the time, having worked in the ER as well as hearing many stories from friends and families i have been faced with both sides.
Recently, my friend went to the emergency room for a sore throat about 1 a.m., and she stated to me that she had to wait three hours to be told that she had a virus. Her prescription was to go home, drink fluids and rest. She was really upset not because of her instructions, but because of her lengthy time in the ER. I asked her if she had called her physician that day and her response was that she did not want to have to wait for an appointment so she thought she would get seen quicker in the ER especially if she went in the middle of the night.
My personal advice and professional opinion is unless you don't mind waiting sometimes countless hours for a non-emergent visit to the ER just wait until you are able to speak to your physician.

A Neti Pot is Better & Cheaper than Drug Therapies for Nasal Irrigation

Inflammation of the sinuses is simply known as sinusitis and there may be many reasons for this including seasonal allergies or the common cold. Whatever the reason, the symptoms are annoying and aggravating. We have all been there trying to obtain immediate relief with over the counter nasal sprays, and medications. However, I have been told by friends, family and patients that the use of a Neti-Pot has alleviated their symptoms.
I personally have never used one but I have irrigated the sinuses of patients in the office in a similar fashion with a syringe. They too have stated that this has given them significant relief and from my understanding the long term cost of using a Neti-Pot is much less than pharmaceutical agents so I highly recommend looking into the Net-Pot for anyone with chronic nasal irritation.

Quick First Aid and Safety for Bites, Burns, Stings and Bruises

As a clinician who has worked in a family practice setting along with the emergency room, I have had the experience of treating many injuries related to insect bites, sunburns, cuts and bruises. I also have the personal experience being the mother of four children, which is more difficult than the clinical setting.
The first goal as a practitioner is to educate the caregivers on safety. Preventative medicine is always the best, however we all know that when it comes to children that is not always possible, if there is a will I am sure they will find the way. The good and most important thing to remember is that most of these injuries can be handled at home safely with simple quick first aid however I encourage anyone that has any doubt in handling a situation to follow up with a health care provider immediately. In medicine there is no such thing as an absolute, however some simple tasks may help alleviate a worsened outcome.