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Novel Hassle-Free, Cheaper, Life-Simplifying Gadgets for Patients
2/8/2010 3:01:55 AM
Perturbed by issues patients face in day-to-day existence, some innovative medical personnel have come up with simpler, cost-effective or new-fangled means of doing things – contraptions which would be immensely beneficial to patients.
WALKING GLASSES
Issue
Those individuals having brain disorder like Parkinson's could experience difficulty to keep walking (although this issue resolves to a significant extent when they follow grid patterns like lines on a footpath). This impinges on their self-confidence and capability of getting around independently.
Resolution
Walking glasses resembling alike normal-appearing however battery-powered eye glasses but projecting a grid.
Hallelujah Moment
Based on the observation that Parkinson's disease sufferers who found it difficult to walk were ably steered by the patterns of tiles or cue lines. Employing this concept into their trials, researchers found that 2/3rds of patients showed improvement, with a number of them advancing from a shuffle to a stride out. Additional studies are in-progress and when obtainable these glasses would be costing lesser than a hundred pounds – that is almost zilch in comparison to the expenditures entailed when such a person would need to be placed in a nursing home due to their lost freedom as they are incapable of walking about and carrying out independent existence.
NORFOLK SAUSAGE
Issue
Elderly patients having skin dryness could face problems when attempting to slather on moisturising lotions on to their backs, particularly when they are having movement issues.
Resolution
Norfolk sausage is a metre in length of tubular bandage into which a fistful of moisturising cream could be placed in it in the central area after which that part of the cream-filled globule is knotted on either side and then rolled over the back for an even spread of the cream coming out via small pores in the bandage.
Hallelujah Moment
The Tubigrip bandage costing a mere four pounds available in chemist outlets. Consulting skin specialist Nick Levell began researching with a tubular bandage after receiving several pleas from elderly patients who faced problems with cream applications to their backs due to their arthritic hands.
NEEDLE-LESS SHOT
Issue
Nearly 10% of people are needle-phobic and several others find jabs quite excruciating.
Resolution
Gluey patches alike plasters which contain small microneedles – 1/5th of an mm lengthwise and finer than a human hair filament. It delivers a shot underneath the topmost skin layer with no pain or blood loss involved.
Hallelujah Moment
Researchers formulated a way to use remnant skin from operation, sustaining it with nosh for keeping it alive and employed it for testing and developing microneedles. These could even be delivered to patient's residences and additionally be utilized for drug delivery in case of diabetic patients.
PHYSIO-MASTER
Issue
Bedridden patients incapable of exercising face perils of DVT or deep vein thrombosis wherein blood stagnation in legs occur leading to formation of life-menacing blood clots.
Resolution
Physio-master, a self-inflatable pillow is to be kept underneath the feet replicating the act of walking when a motionless patient is seated. Varying levels of air in the pillow elicits nerve stimulation in foot arches that bolsters blood circulation.
Hallelujah Moment
Invention from brainchild physiotherapist Jill Parker and brother Stephen came up with this contrivance that is great for air flyers and office employees due its easy foldable and deflating nature and costs a mere sixty pounds.
COMMUNITY LEG BATH
Issue
Over one lakh diabetics suffer from leg ulcers, several old or sickly and incapable of getting inside a bath.
Resolution
A portable leg bath comprising of pliable material shaped like a big shopping plastic bag and sitting on a metallic mount. The feet when placed inside the fabric bag could then be lifted up on to the metallic outline and filled using water. A throwaway liner is cast off following usage, while a tap is used for draining off water.
Hallelujah Moment
Ideal for use in nursing homes, clinics or patient's residences and costs almost two hundred pounds.
SHAKERSCOPE LARYNGOSCOPE
Issue
Medical kit for examination of patients mostly requires battery/bulb that might stop functioning with no prior caveat, thus posing potential danger to their lives.
Resolution
ShakerScope is a kind of medical equipment which provides clear light on shaking it.
Hallelujah Moment
Following discussions on how beneficial wind-up lighting sources would be in case of conked off bulbs in important medical devices, duo anaesthetists David Williams and John Dingley after putting in lots of effort came up with Shaker-Scope. This sixty-pounds costing device contains a movable magnet within a coil that produces power on shaking it. When shaken it generates power enough to last for 10 minutes of vivid light. Rather than a bulb which could stop working, it employs a LED or light-emitting diode and could endure in damp or dusty situations or sitting on shelves till required.
PEEZY
Issue
Women often face problems when attempting to fill the tapered bottle regularly given for collection of urine samples. A correct sample would ideally be middle of urine stream – the initial flow would give inaccurate outcomes as it is filled with bacteria that are being eliminated from the system.
Resolution
The Peezy – a throwaway plastic funnel that has an affixed specimen bottle at its base. The initial urine flow passes via the funnel and flowing out, however as the flow persists a sponge eventually swells up blocking the hole facilitating mid urine flow to be directly collected inside the sample bottle that could be closed with a cover and the funnel binned.
Hallelujah Moment
The almost two pound costing Peezy is a hassle-free yet venerable tool that could help in saving millions of pounds that are spent annually shelled out in redoing sullied urine tests.
FUNCTIONAL HAND SPLINT
Issue
Stroke victims and those RA or rheumatoid arthritis or Multiple Sclerosis patients would require splinting of their hands for facilitating opening them.
Resolution
The functional hand splint appearing alike a stout handle having holes in both ends wherein a toothbrush, pen, comb, spoon or fork could be slotted through are ideal assistance in doing everyday task.
Hallelujah Moment
The twelve pound functional hand splint could re-instate independence back in patients wherein self-feeding, writing, painting, cleaning teeth, brushing hair is attainable.
Overview for Lyme disease treatment
2/3/2010 2:17:34 AM
Lyme disease is a form of infection that spreads after being bitten by infection-ridden ticks that are carriers of Borrelia burgdorferi bacterium leading to bulls-eye type rashes, weariness, headaches, rigidity in neck, fever, muscular or joint aches and swell up. In case prompt treatment is not given complications that involve the cardiovascular, nervous system, joint and skin could imminently develop.
Lyme disease is generally effectually treated with a brief antibiotic course and often recommended in the advanced staging of the disease. Prescription of antibiotic medicines is based on the age, signs and staging of the disease and given via oral, jab or intravenously. The span of antibiotic treatment would vary in accordance to severity of the disease, signs experienced, and normally lasting lesser than four weeks.
Antibiotics Prescribed
Amoxicillin, cefotaxime or ceftriaxone sodium, erythromycin, penicillin, tetracycline hydrochloride, doxycycline hyclate, cefuroxime axetil.
Preliminary Staging Lyme Disease Treatment
Those eight years and above, the span of antibiotic course is dependent on the type of antibiotic and how severe the infection is.- Doxycycline is contraindicated during pregnancy or kids below eight.
- Oral intake of amoxicillin is prescribed for below eight year old children. Other medicines like erythromycin could additionally be prescribed in case the kid is having allergic reactions to amoxicillin.
Advanced Staging Lyme disease Treatment
- In case of Lyme arthritis (Lyme disease induced joint inflammation that could keep relapsing), orally taken antibiotics are generally advised for some weeks. Intravenous administration of antibiotic is given in case oral antibiotics are showing no success.
- Oral antibiotics are generally effectual in treatment of facial paralysis with no nervous system conditions.
- Intravenous antibiotics are administered in case of acute heart signs of Lyme disese or for nervous system conditions developing due to Lyme disease like Lyme meningitis.
Lyme disease treatment During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
- Women diagnosed with having early stages of Lyme disease generally are advised oral course of antibiotics for many weeks. Few physicians consider that expectant mothers having early Lyme disease must be administered intravenous antibiotics for preventing Lyme disease from permeating placental membrane of the growing fetus. However, there is dearth of evidence whether such treatment is required.
- Intravenous administration of antibiotics is prescribed among pregnant or breastfeeding women with advanced stages of Lyme disease.
Side Effects
- Feeling nauseous.
- Mild loose bowels.
- Having an allergic reaction.
- Vaginal, intestinal or oral thrush secondary yeast infection.
- Few undergoing Lyme disease treatment face short periods of headaches, muscular, joint pains and weariness continuing for protracted time periods following treatment. These would generally subside in six months and not needing additional treatment.
- Higher fever, increased pains or more reddish rashes could develop in the initial day following intake of antibiotics. Though not indicative of an allergic reaction, it could signal rapid death of the bacteria.
- A large-scaled study indicated that those taking erythromycin alongside other commonly used medications like some antifungal medications, antidepressants and particular drugs inhibiting some liver enzyme like some calcium channel blockers could increase their chances of abrupt cardiac death.
Efficacy of Antibiotics Course
A number of symptoms would last for many weeks subsequent to treatment. However, this does not translate to the fact that the antibiotics were not effective or that further antibiotics course is required.
- Early Lyme disease generally improves following intake of oral course of amoxicillin or doxycycline for about thirty days.
- Doxycycline must ideally be consumed with plentiful fluid intake and preferably not when one lies down or just prior to sleep times. It must not be given to expectant mothers or those having allergic reactions to tetracycline.
- For all those offered intravenous administration of antibiotics, blood analysis would be done every week for checking any plummet in white blood cell count that often could arise and make it trickier to combat infection.
10 Crucial Safety Guidelines on Sleeping Pills
2/1/2010 1:45:16 AM
Sleeping aids are sought after by millions of individuals due to wakefulness and lack of sleep that are common occurrences in today's chaotic existence. Inadequate sleep could cause headaches and majorly contribute to depression.
Categories of Sleep Medications
A number of individuals opt for the over-the-counter (OTC) sleeping aids like melatonin, valerian and sleep medicines having antihistamines inclusive of Benadryl, Tylenol PM or Sominex. There are some who consume prescription antidepressant medications that puts one under sedation, although such medicines do not have FDA approval to treat insomnia.
Some people take prescription sleeping aids that have approval particularly for insomnia. Previously doctors often advised an older category of medicines known as benzodiazepines inclusive of Dalmane, Halcion, Restoril, however these hold grave risks of being physically addicted to them and overdoses.
Presently gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) sleeping medicines (Ambien, Sonata and Lunesta) are advised that seem to have lesser likelihood of getting addicted to them, though there is miniscule possibility that exists. GABA medicines assist in falling and/or staying in deep slumber.
Insomnia treatment medications that have the FDA nod are deemed risk-free, effectual with comparatively lesser side effects and easily tolerated. For instance, Rozerem (a melatonin receptor agonist) is another form of prescription sleep medicines.
There are ten guidelines all must ideally follow when taking sleep medications.
- It is imperative to visit the doctor or sleep specialist in case one suffers from insomnia in order to attain a correct analysis and pinpointing any presence of underlying issues like sleep disorder or medical condition like depression. Insomnia when treated without undergoing a detailed examination could conceal any causal issue that needs tending. Being open with one's doctor regarding all health issues and medicines that one takes inclusive of prescription, OTC and complementary drugs is important. In case the physician is prescribing sleeping pills it is important that he/she be aware of the kinds of medicines that the patient is taking to prevent any drugs interactions with any other medicines or any medical conditions getting aggravated.Prior to using any sleeping aids or medicines, reading all instructions and packet interleaves vigilantly for understanding the safety of usage and for learning the probable side effects.
- One needs to ensure scheduling sleep normally 7-8 hours is essential for a full night's slumber. In case one has taken a sleep medicine and woken up after just a couple of hours, it could lead to grogginess.Timing is central. In case onset of sleep is an issue then such people must perhaps be taking these sleeping medicines about twenty-thirty minutes prior to sleep times. One should ideally hit the sack soon (no longer than ten to fifteen minutes) after having consumed the sleeping medicine.Majority of the sleep medication reach their peak effect in nearly one to two hours following their intake.
- FDA has pointed out that individuals on sleep medicines have consumed foods, had telephonic conversations, had sexual contact and also driven when not totally wakeful and have no recollection of their acts.Individuals soon reach a sleep-walking phase when they continue to be wakeful instead of enter from a sleeping phase which could bring about some unseemly outcomes such as eating disorders or peculiar behavioural patterns.Often deviation from going to sleep after intake of sleep medicines leads to an array of problems. Hence, it is important to go to bed in some minutes following an intake of prescription sleeping medicine would be helpful in preventing sleep-associated behavioural problems.
- In case one is struggling from sleepiness, grogginess or dizziness in the daytimes, then speaking to the doctor in case one requires any alteration in doses or tapering off a sleep medicine. Informing the doctor regarding any other issues is also important. Prescription sleeping medicines could lead to side effects ranging from giddiness, extended sleepiness, headaches, feeling bloated, nauseous, stomach pains, feeling constipated and atypically acute allergic reactions or face swelling up.OTC sleep drugs could also elicit side effects. For instance, diphenhydramine, an antihistamine prevalently employed as sleeping aids could lead to giddiness, recollection issues and extended sleepiness lingering all through the day. Elderly people and those having medical problems are at higher risk of developing side effects and should ideally seek advice from their chemist or physician before using an insomnia treating medicines.
- Sleep medicines are beneficial for treating short-standing insomnia stemming from stress, jet lagged feeling, sickness or other transitory issues.A number of patients take medicines for acute insomnia that could prolong from months to even years on end. For these people cognitive behavioural therapy would be beneficial wherein an experienced sleep specialist using numerous methods inclusive of those helping individuals cope with undesirable thought process and apprehensions that thwart normal sleep. Making amendments in lifestyle like setting a sleep pattern regularly, avoid day naps, avoiding caffeine and alcoholic drinks or nicotine for no less than four to six hours prior to bed times.
- Never making the blunder of mixing sleep medicines (OTC or prescription) along with alcoholic beverages or other medicines that have a depressing effect on the CNS or central nervous system, raises the sedative outcome and could lead to feeling dazed, giddy or fainting. Alcohol by itself could disrupt sleep cycles.
- Avoid driving a vehicle or operating any form of machinery after intake of sleep medicines as it could have hazardous consequences.
- In the earlier obtainable benzodiazepines, physicians are apprehensive regarding patients raising their doses by themselves due their increased tolerance that could lead to getting physically addicted.Sudden stoppage of such medicines that were taken in considerable doses could lead to grave withdrawal problems that could be life-menacing. Consuming increasing doses than what is medically prescribed could augment chances of complicated sleep-associated behaviours.
- Never concealing secrets from one's doctor regarding any other medicines being consumed as any prescription offered in partial knowledge could lead to interaction between the drugs. Even having greater than one sleeping medicines is a red beeper as it generally indicates a fraught endeavour at finding the correct medicine or merger of medicines for solving the condition.
- Those having prescription sleep medicines for protracted time spans must never halt abruptly as it could lead to withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, nauseous and muscular cramps. Though not all undergo withdrawal signs but it always a prudent practice to seek medical advice on ways to tapering off the drug. Firstly, it would mean gradual reduction in frequency of intake and once acclimation has occurred then skipping and gradually weaning off.
Migraine Purging Diet
1/27/2010 8:22:43 PM
The intent is clear-cut, figuring out the triggering factors for one's migraines and then evading those culprits. Though as uncomplicated as it could appear, the issue is that there are several likely triggers that scrutinising them with a magnifying glass becomes imperative for identifying the true reasons for migraines surfacing.
An ideal beginning would be starting with one's diet that could contain a number of the most prevalent migraine elicitors. For instance, alcoholic drinks could trigger a migraine among 1/3rd of those ailing from it, whereas chocolate could affect about 1 among 4 migraine sufferers.
Other prevalent offenders comprise of:
- Aspartame – an artificial sweetener that is present in scores of food items, ranging from cereals, beverages to biscuits.
- Caffeine
- Milk-based items like cheese, curds.
- Food items having monosodium glutamate or MSG – a kind of savour enhancing agent mostly present in readymade food items.
- Meats that have undergone processing, such as salami, bacon.
- Food items having tyramine, a chemical which is created with aging foods, often noticed in soya sauce, nut, dry fruits, food items that have undergone pickling and food left in the fridge for above 2 days.
- Alcoholic drinks.
It is important to be on your guard for foods that could provoke migraine like chocolates and cheese items. Though the listing of food culprits could turn lengthy, however just because some food item is present in the listing does not essentially translate to the fact that it is a particular person's eliciting factor. For a number of individuals red wine consumption would not trigger migraine whereas it could be the case for others. A number of women could chomp down chocolates as long as they are not getting their period that is yet another migraine triggering factor, by itself.
Begin the Purging Process
By steering clear from food items that are doubted to cause migraines from one's diet, one could garner hints as to the reasons behind the migraines. Those inklings could be helpful in deciphering ways of curbing the pain.
An exclusion diet is the ideal means of identifying food sensitivity. A month's time period is good. In case one could dedicate a month's time period and stay resolute then after a month's time, an immense positive difference could be felt.
A commonly offered advice by doctors is keeping away from wines, coffees and take-away Chinese foods. In order to successfully tide over migraine and curb triggers, an ideal recommendation would be to cook food at home, read the labelling on foods, and while eating out, query pointedly to the restaurant employees on the preparation and constituents of food items about to be decided. By the conclusion of a month, one could gradually begin adding the foods back in the diet.
The Right Ways of Re-introducing Foods
The apt way of re-introducing food items is picking one food item on the listing, like chocolates and eating merely a single serving. One should then ideally be waiting for 4-5 days, which is the time needed by the body in totally processing and eliminating the food. This process could be continued till re-introduction of all the food items that one had eradicated from the diet. About ninety days are all it takes for complete re-introduction of all the food items that one had eliminated from one's diet.
Just because a food is a triggering factor doesn't essentially mean that it should never be eaten. These foods could be eaten in a time interval of 5 days. When one is re-introducing foods back into dietetic intake, it is a prudent practise to maintain a food record for assisting in figuring the foods that could be consumed in big amounts and those which should be eaten in moderation. It is also imperative to jot down not merely the food items that one has eaten, but additionally other matters like being stresses out, inadequate sleep, missed meals or menstruating which could affect migraine status. Additionally, recording when one had those headaches and the kind of medicines taken which provided relief.
Often introduction of a new food item could lead to a headache; however it could not necessarily be the sole culprit. One could additionally comprehend that eating chocolates are fine except during the premenstrual phase or that alcohol solely would affect a person in case one does not stay amply hydrated during that particular day.
Maintaining a food diary could assist the doctor or neurologist or nutritionist in crafting a tailored plan which would be ideal in lowering the frequency of headaches.
Avant-garde Plasma Jets – Welcome Replacement to Dental Drilling Sessions
1/25/2010 1:08:31 AM
A revolutionary plasma jet that exterminates decays in teeth without dental fillings might as well replace the reviled dentist's drilling in as less as the next 3 years, according to latest claims.
The innovatory piece of equipment functions by firing a ray of oxygen atoms having electric charge into the decay-ridden cavities of the tooth for obliterating offending decay-eliciting bacterial forms.
Conventionally, this analogous task was performed by a dentist who would drill holes inside the tooth that needs filling.
However, disparate to the dentist's drilling, the ultramodern plasma jet is completely non-invasive and devoid of pain.
There are a number of individuals that are fearful and phobic about getting dental fillings due to which they skip out on visiting the dentist's clinic.
A new-fangled investigation has revealed that when plasma rays of low temperatures are fired at the gristly tooth make-up located beneath the enamel known as the dentine, it could lead to reduction in the levels of bacterial forms by nearly ten thousand times.
German Investigators who were part of the study evaluated efficacy levels of the plasma jet against prevalent dental bacterial forms inclusive of Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacillus casei, both of which are responsible for forming a layer over the teeth's surface and are often the reason for the tooth enamel and dentine eroding that leads to cavity formations.
During the study, dentine taken from removed human molar teeth was contaminated by 4 bacterial strains. After this plasma jets were directed on to the dentine for about 6 to eighteen seconds. It was observed that greater the time period during which the treatment was carried on, more was the elimination of the number of bacterial forms.
Plasma production is the consequence of stripping out of 1 or greater atoms present in a gas which lends a positive charge on them.
Plasma formations usually occur at elevated temperatures, however all those investigated by the German researchers were basically cold plasma with temperatures not crossing over forty degrees centigrade.
Dr. Stefan Rupf hailing from Saarland University, Homburg, who helmed the study explicated that the low temperatures translate to the fact that they could annihilate the bacterial forms alongside tooth preservation being achieved. The dental pulp at the tooth core, below the dentine, is connected to nerve and blood supply due to which any form of damage due to heat should be averted.
As drilling sessions could be quite discomforting and at times excruciating, in comparison, plasma are totally contact-less procedure that is immensely effectual. At present, there is vast advancement being carried out in the areas of plasma remedy and a medical cure to treat teeth cavities could be anticipated in the next 3 to 5 years.
