Archive for the ‘Health’ Category

Custom open fit hearing aids

Open fit heаring аid technology is а fаirly recent development thаt is proving to be very populаr with certаin types of heаring аid users.

Open fit heаring аids hаve been specificаlly designed to provide а discreet аnd nаturаl sounding solution for people with moderаte аnd pаrticulаrly with high frequency heаring loss (а lаck of clаrity rаther thаn volume).

Speаker-in-the-eаr heаring аids (аlso known аs а receiver-in-the-eаr heаring аid, or RITE) аre extremely lightweight аnd аre essentiаlly invisible heаring аids, just like stаndаrd open fit heаring аids. They consist of а smаll plаstic cаsing thаt sits on top of аnd behind the weаrer’s eаr аnd thаt houses аll of the electronic components of the heаring аid (except for the speаker). а thin cleаr tube is аttаched to this cаse, through which very thin wires аre run to аttаch to the speаker, which is locаted in the end of the tube. From this sound tube, there is а retention line thаt rests in the bottom of the bowl of the user’s outer eаr, keeping the heаring аid securely in plаce.

In the open аcoustic style, the output or receiver is contаined in the BTE instrument аnd sound is delivered to the eаr through а thin tube.  Some stаndаrd BTE heаring аids cаn be modifiied to the open аcoustic style аlthough most fittings use smаll BTEs designed to be used only аs open fits.  Open аcoustic fittings аre most аppropriаte for people with normаl or neаr normаl heаring in the low pitches аnd а mild to moderаte heаring loss in the high tones.  Exаmples include the Widex m series, Phonаk Certenа аnd Versаtа, Oticon Hit, аnd Stаrkey OTE.

Open-Fit heаring аids аre smаll units thаt fit behind the eаr. а smаll tube аbout 1 mm in diаmeter goes from the heаring аid into the eаr cаnаl. These tubes, which come in vаrious lengths, аre meаsured in two dimensions. The first dimension is the length from the top of the eаr to the bend where it enters the eаr cаnаl. The second dimension is the length of the tube thаt extends into the eаr cаnаl from the bend in the tube. аs the size of the tube increаses (i.e., from а 1 to 4), both dimensions get longer.

а speаker-in-the-eаr heаring аid cаn offer the benefits of open fit heаring аids to people with moderаte to severe heаring loss. These lightweight, neаrly invisible heаring аids cаn be used with or without аn eаrmold аnd cаn provide superior results. Those who were previously told they could not use open fit heаring аids should investigаte this new option, cаrefully choosing the vendor with which they will work.

India increasingly hit by diabetes

Who said as improving living conditions rhymes with better health? We discover, on Bloomberg, that science plays a dirty trick to India: while 400 million Indians join the middle class, the country has an average annual growth of 7%, that the conditions of life ‘s improve, Indian society is increasingly affected by diabetes. Ironically, generations of poverty, malnutrition and heavy physical work are that Indians are ill prepared to sedentary lifestyles and diets rich.

Result: a million Hindus are expected to succumb to diabetes this year, according to the International Diabetes Federation. With 50 million cases, India is among the countries most affected by this disease.

Everything begins even before birth: the undernourished mothers give birth to small babies and malnourished, whose metabolism is equipped to deprivation, but not for abundance.

In urban India, diabetes type 2 targeted 3-4% of adults in mid-1980. Today, it affects between 11 and 12%.

And diabetes does not increase: it also affects Indians earlier. They suffer at 42.5 years on average, a decade before the Europeans. Diabetes affects so a population of employees, and parents for their premiums. Consequence: the disease is very expensive in the country. According to a 2007 estimate of the Economist Intelligence Unit, it lost 2.1% to annual growth of gross domestic product of India.
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McGill University Health Centre – care units will be triangular

Construction began this summer at the site of the Glen. In developing the design and architecture of the new hospital, University Health Centre (MUHC) constantly takes the pulse of nurses and other health professionals with working groups. A process that takes place so atypical for a public-private partnership.

Care units, which will be built at the Glen site, will not take the form that was included in initial plans. They are triangular rather than rectangular, in order to improve its functioning. As modern new hospital will consist of singles, this geometry was adopted in response to suggestions from health workers, who wished to obtain a better vision on all patients and reduced distances to cross a room another. “We must create an environment, a form of unity, which facilitates the work of people,” said Imma Franco, Assistant Director Planning MUHC. It facilitates visibility, patient safety, infection control, etc.. All this has been taken into consideration. Then, the form became triangular, rather than 12 beds [aligned so] linear. It brings all the features. ”

Nearly 90 groups are active

It is one of many examples of changes that were made to projects after exchanges between architects and nurses in the working groups set up by the MUHC. Nearly 90 groups are currently working on the development of various departments under construction in this project which will bring together in one campus, the Montreal Children’s, Montreal Chest Institute and Royal Victoria Hospital .

“They are head nurses, doctors, secretaries, orderlies, logistics people and all people involved in these sectors who are working on [daily], who help us in planning and help architects to develop the concept that it meets the functionality that is described in our documents. It is to take what is written in the functional and technical program, a job description in words, figures, diagrams, and translate it into plans. ”

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Patients rights vs doctor rights

Patient’s rights

1. You have the right to be called by your surname. If you are called by your first name, you have the right to call the doctor by his—it keeps the relationship on even ground.

2. You have the right to be interviewed with your clothes on. You should not have to give your history and symptoms while you’re in stirrups or sitting on an examining table, wrapped in nothing but paper.

3. You have the right to be notified of all test results-abnormal and normal-in a timely fashion. Some doctors will choose to mail you a note, others will call you or even ask you to come back. But you shouldn’t have to chase down your M.D. or the report.

4. You have the right to your 15 minutes with the doctor. That means—barring an emergency—there are no interruptions, no phone calls, no extraneous people walking into the room.

5. You have the right to be seen within a half hour of your appointment. Making you wait for an hour or more is unconscionable—it sends the message that the doctors time is more valuable than yours. If your physician is delayed, there should be an apology and an explanation—or I believe you should not have to pay the bill.

But a patient can’t expect these courtesies without being part of the team. Here’s your part of the bargain:

Doctor’s rights

1. Your doctor has the right to know the truth about your habits. Admit to the alcohol  and  cigarettes.  Tell  him about the herbal medications and over-the-counter products you are taking. They can affect treatment.

2. Your doctor has the right to know if you’re confused. Ask questions.

And if you feel uncertain about a diagnosis or treatment, ask for a second opinion.

A good doctor won’t mind.

3. Your doctor has the right to know if you aren’t going to follow his advice. Just say so. It is frustrating, even dangerous, for a physician to believe that you’re going along with a certain regimen when you’re not.

4. Your doctor has the right to expect you to be on time. If you’re running late, call the office. Nothing irritates an M.D. more than waiting for the 5:00 p.m. patient only to have her arrive at 6:00—or not at all.

5. Your doctor has the right to see only the patient who made the appointment. Don’t bring another family member for a quick checkup. The choreography  of our  day is  complicated; throwing in an extra exam may seem like a shortcut to you, but it can derail an entire office schedule.

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There is a Hope for Acne Scars

Approximately eighty percent of young adults are experiencing acne dilemma. Acne is just a short-lived problem. However, the scars that acne left could be carried all through out their lives if not treated immediately. People say that acne scars cannot be deleted. But that is not true. There is a hope for acne scars nowadays. Examples are the collagen injection, laser treatments and using your own fats to cover up scars.

Before going into details of all these treatments, let’s try to look into the causes of acne scars to be able to know why a scar is left behind when the acne heals. Generally, the reason why there are scars after wound are healed is because of the damaged tissue. If there is a damaged tissue, the body tries to heal the wound to protect it from further infections. In cases like acne, skin pores are covered with excess oil or dead skin hindering the secretion of the natural oils. It will create a perfect place for bacteria to stay that will irritate the skin layers and will soon lead to acne. First symptoms of acne are itchiness that’s why we tend to rub or pick it. Such action will irritate the sensitive skin tissues that will oftentimes result to wounds or aggravated acne. Thus, when it heals the scar will be left behind.
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The Truth About Hair Loss

It is normal to shed hair every day and the truth is we loose between 100-125 hairs on any given day. Hair that is shed falls out at the end of growth cycle. At any given time 10% of our hair is in what is called a “resting phase” and after 2-3 months resting, hair falls out and new hair grows in its place. Some people, however, experience more hair loss than is normal.

As we get older, both men and women experience some hair loss. It’s a normal part of the aging process. Called Androgenetic Alopecia, it accounts for 95% of all hair loss. Which is why most people should consider using something like Provillus. Androgentic Alopecia often runs in families and affects some people more than others. In men it is often referred to as Male Pattern Baldness.

It is characterized by a receding hair line and baldness on the top of head. Women, on the other hand, don’t go entirely bald even if their hair loss is severe. Instead, hair loss is spread out evenly over their entire scalp.
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Motion Sickness Prevention and Treatment

Motion sickness is a condition that occurs in some people when boating, flying or driving. It is estimated that as many as 80 percent of the population has experienced motion sickness at some time. Most people suffer only mild to moderate symptoms. For example, they may have a feeling of uneasiness or a slight headache in mild cases whereas they may experience nausea, dizziness, sweating, vomiting, disorientation and an inability to function in stronger cases. The motion of a boat on the ocean often causes the most severe symptoms. Natural therapies and valuable self-care techniques go a long way in controlling and even eliminating symptoms of motion sickness.

Motion sickness often begins in the inner ear, which is responsible for the body’s sense of balance. Projecting upward and posteriorly from the vestibule in each ear are three rings called semicircular canals that are filled with fluid. When your head and body move in an atypical manner, the fluid inside these canals moves in patterns that are not typical of our normal “feet on the ground” sense. When your head experiences constant, pronounced movement, this fluid stimulates the nerve fibers that monitor balance, causing dizziness, nausea, sweating and vomiting.

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How to Lower Your Cholesterol Level

Cholesterol is a material that is derived from animal fats in food and that is also produced by the body. A certain amount of cholesterol is essential to health-it forms two per cent of the weight of the brain, for example—but too much cholesterol builds up in the arteries and may play a part in causing coronary disease or stroke. Most doctors advice moderating the animal fat content of our diet as a wise precaution. And this applies to lean men as well as plump ones.

Cholesterol-rich foods include fat meats, pork, sausages, egg yolk, butter, cheese, pastry, cream, meat drippings, and other animal fats. So it is wise to avoid too many of these foods and to trim away the visible fat from your meat. Since eating vegetable fats will actually reduce the amount of cholesterol in the blood, try to include in your diet some vegetable oils (such as corn, sunflower, and olive oil), fish oils, or polyunsaturated margarines.
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The fibre trap

I was diagnosed with diverticulitis almost 30 years ago, and I’ve also been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome and short bowel syndrome. I’ve done research, but everything I’ve found stresses the need to have a high-fibre intake. I’ve had to drastically reduce my fiber intake on medical advice because of constant diarrhoea.

answer:
Diet plays a major part in the management of diverticular disease. When you have a flare-up, you will be advised to reduce fibre for a month or so, but once symptoms settle down, it is advisable to gradually resume a high-fibre diet. New thinking suggests that changes in the balance of bacteria in the bowel might contribute to chronic low-grade inflammation, and this is almost certainly the case after a lot of antibiotics. Treatment with therapeutic probiotics is the latest direction in preventing recurrence of diverticulitis. Probiotics are also being used to treat irritable bowel syndrome.

Cataracts and aging

What is the difference between nuclear cataracts and cortical cataracts?

answer:
A cataract is a clouding or opacity of the lens in your eye, which is normally clear. It comes from the Latin word cataracta, meaning waterfall, because having a cataract has been likened to looking through a sheet of water. It is considered a common, if not normal, part of aging. As cataracts progress, they can cause blurred vision, sensitivity to glare, increased nearsightedness and distorted vision.The terms “nuclear” and “cortical” cataract refer to the position of the cataract on the lens. The nuclear cataract occurs in the center of the lens, while the cortical cataract starts as wedge-shaped spokes around the periphery of the lens. Higher risk groups for cataracts include people with diabetes, people who have taken corticosteroids over a prolonged period, heavy drinkers, those over-exposed to the sun and smokers.