Showing posts with label Health insurance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Health insurance. Show all posts
Thursday, October 25, 2018
Science Says These Are The Five Most Annoying Speaking Habits
When it comes to annoying speaking habits, it is not about what you say a lot of the time but the timing of your words and the mood at the moment. Here are five of the most annoying speaking habits according to researchers.
You’re A Pessimist
Pessimism is a self-fulfilling prophecy: if you expect to be disliked when meeting people, research shows you will probably project cold negativity and prove yourself right. On the other hand, social optimism, works pretty much the same way.
People who expect other people to like them will enter into conversation more positively and, often, leave the other person feeling the same way.
This doesn’t mean you need to suppress your emotions all day, but consider that happiness and sadness are contagious and the mood you give off will come back to you.
You Dominate Conversations
You don’t need experts to explain that getting a few things off your chest feels good but you might be shocked to know how good it can be.
Talking about ourselves whether in a personal conversation or through social media sites like Facebook and Twitter—triggers the same sensation of pleasure in the brain as food or money.
If you are depriving your friend of the joys of talking about themselves, it could be annoying to them. Don’t be a conversational narcissist suspend your ego and enjoy more social interaction.
You Correct People Too Often
experts say a key tool in establishing rapport with someone is suspending your ego, or simply putting the other person’s desire to speak and be heard above your own.
This can be as easy as not interrupting someone, not correcting her facts or grammar, and letting her know you’re listening, not judging. Individuals who allow others to continue talking without taking their own turn are generally regarded as the best conversationalists.
Such individuals are also sought after when friends or family need someone to listen without judgment. They are the best at building quick and lasting rapport.
You Say “you” Instead Of “we”
Chances are, if the pronoun you use most often in conversation is “you,” the person on the receiving end either feels bossed around, judged, or otherwise accused. On the other hand, couples who favour words that foster togetherness (“we,” “us”) instead to separateness (“I,” “you”) are proven to be happier, healthier, and more satisfied with their relationships.
You End Statements Like Questions
Uptalk or “upspeak” is the speech pattern of ending a declarative sentence with the rising intonation of a question. In one study of 700 male and female executives, 85 percent viewed uptalk as an indicator of insecurity, 70 percent found it annoying, and 57 percent believed a person’s career could be hindered by it.
The bias against uptalkers is undeniable, but easily countered: to sound more confident and authoritative, practice lowering your tone at the end of key sentences.
Share this
You’re A Pessimist
Pessimism is a self-fulfilling prophecy: if you expect to be disliked when meeting people, research shows you will probably project cold negativity and prove yourself right. On the other hand, social optimism, works pretty much the same way.
People who expect other people to like them will enter into conversation more positively and, often, leave the other person feeling the same way.
This doesn’t mean you need to suppress your emotions all day, but consider that happiness and sadness are contagious and the mood you give off will come back to you.
You Dominate Conversations
You don’t need experts to explain that getting a few things off your chest feels good but you might be shocked to know how good it can be.
Talking about ourselves whether in a personal conversation or through social media sites like Facebook and Twitter—triggers the same sensation of pleasure in the brain as food or money.
If you are depriving your friend of the joys of talking about themselves, it could be annoying to them. Don’t be a conversational narcissist suspend your ego and enjoy more social interaction.
You Correct People Too Often
experts say a key tool in establishing rapport with someone is suspending your ego, or simply putting the other person’s desire to speak and be heard above your own.
This can be as easy as not interrupting someone, not correcting her facts or grammar, and letting her know you’re listening, not judging. Individuals who allow others to continue talking without taking their own turn are generally regarded as the best conversationalists.
Such individuals are also sought after when friends or family need someone to listen without judgment. They are the best at building quick and lasting rapport.
You Say “you” Instead Of “we”
Chances are, if the pronoun you use most often in conversation is “you,” the person on the receiving end either feels bossed around, judged, or otherwise accused. On the other hand, couples who favour words that foster togetherness (“we,” “us”) instead to separateness (“I,” “you”) are proven to be happier, healthier, and more satisfied with their relationships.
You End Statements Like Questions
Uptalk or “upspeak” is the speech pattern of ending a declarative sentence with the rising intonation of a question. In one study of 700 male and female executives, 85 percent viewed uptalk as an indicator of insecurity, 70 percent found it annoying, and 57 percent believed a person’s career could be hindered by it.
The bias against uptalkers is undeniable, but easily countered: to sound more confident and authoritative, practice lowering your tone at the end of key sentences.
Share this
Tuesday, October 23, 2018
Antibiotics may no longer work, but here are 3 herbal treatments for Staphylococcus, Gonorrhea, other infections
Doctors and other medical institutions, have warned that mere toilet infections, if not properly treated can cause staphylococcus, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which is one of the major culprit responsible for infertility.
To make it even worse, staphylococcus, STDs and other urinary tract infections comes with painful symptoms such as;
wormlike movement in the body
itching of private part
discharge at the tip of the penis
vaginal discharge
burning sensation in the body
frequent urination
If you are experiencing any of these serious infections, then you are not alone. My husband and I suffered from similar problems for about 3 years. We tested positive to staphylococcus aureus.
So we visited several hospitals, tried expensive antibiotics and used lots of products bought from networking companies just so we could get rid of this staph…
But sadly, the stubborn infection remained in our
body system for 3 years!
At that time, the infection affected my fertility, destroyed our immune system and made us suffer painful symptoms
After several trial and errors, I continued searching for a permanent cure until I came in contact with an old time friend, who was a health expert that has now relocated to Canada.
She recommended a NAFDAC Approved herbal treatment that completely cures Staphylococcus, urinary tract infections, and other STDs like Gonorrhea, Syphillis etc.
My advice for you is simple, here are the 3 main things I did to finally get rid of this stubborn staph infection:
Stop using antibiotics: Most of the antibiotics drugs sold in pharmacy stores are now ineffective to treat staph due to self-medication practices. Another reason is that staphylococcus infection is now resistant to most of these antibiotics. So, if my advice is stop wasting money on antibiotics.
Instead of antibiotics, lots of Nigerian men and women testify that this herbal remedy works very effectively to treat staphylococcus infections in few weeks of using it.
Eat these foods like garlic, lemon, ginger, and honey that are widely known to fight infections and natural anti-microbial medicines.
Take herbal medicines that help flush off infections from your body system.
Believe it or not, taking Antibiotics and injection can only suppress symptoms of staph infection, the solution is you have to take herbal medicines that will flush those bacteria from your blood stream.
But the problem is, right now, there are lots of fake and ineffective herbal drugs out there posed only to scam victim of their money.
And I hope you don’t lose your health and money like I did back then trying lots of them.
That is why, one of the herbal treatments that I recommend which helped my family and I cure staphylococcus and other drug-resistant infections is NAFDAC Approved and certified.
As at now, lots of Nigerian men and women have testified that the herbal remedy is highly effective, completely cures staph infection and eliminates painful symptoms within few weeks.
Lots of Nigerian couples are already raving about this herbal remedy, and they have sent in testimonials about how it completely cures staph infections, eliminates painful symptoms within few weeks of using it.
To make it even worse, staphylococcus, STDs and other urinary tract infections comes with painful symptoms such as;
wormlike movement in the body
itching of private part
discharge at the tip of the penis
vaginal discharge
burning sensation in the body
frequent urination
If you are experiencing any of these serious infections, then you are not alone. My husband and I suffered from similar problems for about 3 years. We tested positive to staphylococcus aureus.
So we visited several hospitals, tried expensive antibiotics and used lots of products bought from networking companies just so we could get rid of this staph…
But sadly, the stubborn infection remained in our
body system for 3 years!
At that time, the infection affected my fertility, destroyed our immune system and made us suffer painful symptoms
After several trial and errors, I continued searching for a permanent cure until I came in contact with an old time friend, who was a health expert that has now relocated to Canada.
She recommended a NAFDAC Approved herbal treatment that completely cures Staphylococcus, urinary tract infections, and other STDs like Gonorrhea, Syphillis etc.
My advice for you is simple, here are the 3 main things I did to finally get rid of this stubborn staph infection:
Stop using antibiotics: Most of the antibiotics drugs sold in pharmacy stores are now ineffective to treat staph due to self-medication practices. Another reason is that staphylococcus infection is now resistant to most of these antibiotics. So, if my advice is stop wasting money on antibiotics.
Instead of antibiotics, lots of Nigerian men and women testify that this herbal remedy works very effectively to treat staphylococcus infections in few weeks of using it.
Eat these foods like garlic, lemon, ginger, and honey that are widely known to fight infections and natural anti-microbial medicines.
Take herbal medicines that help flush off infections from your body system.
Believe it or not, taking Antibiotics and injection can only suppress symptoms of staph infection, the solution is you have to take herbal medicines that will flush those bacteria from your blood stream.
But the problem is, right now, there are lots of fake and ineffective herbal drugs out there posed only to scam victim of their money.
And I hope you don’t lose your health and money like I did back then trying lots of them.
That is why, one of the herbal treatments that I recommend which helped my family and I cure staphylococcus and other drug-resistant infections is NAFDAC Approved and certified.
As at now, lots of Nigerian men and women have testified that the herbal remedy is highly effective, completely cures staph infection and eliminates painful symptoms within few weeks.
Lots of Nigerian couples are already raving about this herbal remedy, and they have sent in testimonials about how it completely cures staph infections, eliminates painful symptoms within few weeks of using it.
Monday, October 15, 2018
The Right Way To Clean Your Ears Without Using Cotton Buds
Cleaning the ears is one task that a lot of people are confused about, especially since experts advise against making use of cotton buds or Q-tips. You however don’t have to sweat it as we bring to you expert advice and tricks for cleaning out your ears without causing any damage.
The right way to clean your ear is to employ a method known as irrigation. Irrigation is a great way to remove any foreign body or wax buildup in the ear.
All you need to do is pour clean, lukewarm water into a bowl. Ensure that you use water that’s not too hot or cold, as that can stimulate the auditory nerve—which also controls your balance—and cause dizziness. You can add a few drops of household-strength hydrogen peroxide if you wish.
Hold a towel or another bowl under the affected ear to catch the water as it comes out.
Using the water in the bowl, fill up a bulb syringe, a medical syringe without the needle, or a plastic bag or bottle with a pinhole in the bottom. With the arm that’s opposite the ear (for example, your left arm if you’re irrigating your right ear), reach around the back of your head, grab your ear, and pull back and slightly upward.
Squeeze the bag, bulb, or whatever you’re using so the water squirts into the ear canal with steady pressure.
You will know that you are done once the object or glob of wax in your ear comes out. You should however note that you should stop if the irrigation hasn’t worked within about five minutes or if you have pain or dizziness. You can try again in a few hours. By that time the wax, if that’s your problem, should be even softer.
After you’re done, put a couple of drops of alcohol in your ear to help dry up excess water.
And there you have it. You don’t have to stress yourself with cotton buds and Q-tips while also worrying about damaging your ears. Use the irrigation method and thank us later for it.
The right way to clean your ear is to employ a method known as irrigation. Irrigation is a great way to remove any foreign body or wax buildup in the ear.
All you need to do is pour clean, lukewarm water into a bowl. Ensure that you use water that’s not too hot or cold, as that can stimulate the auditory nerve—which also controls your balance—and cause dizziness. You can add a few drops of household-strength hydrogen peroxide if you wish.
Hold a towel or another bowl under the affected ear to catch the water as it comes out.
Using the water in the bowl, fill up a bulb syringe, a medical syringe without the needle, or a plastic bag or bottle with a pinhole in the bottom. With the arm that’s opposite the ear (for example, your left arm if you’re irrigating your right ear), reach around the back of your head, grab your ear, and pull back and slightly upward.
Squeeze the bag, bulb, or whatever you’re using so the water squirts into the ear canal with steady pressure.
You will know that you are done once the object or glob of wax in your ear comes out. You should however note that you should stop if the irrigation hasn’t worked within about five minutes or if you have pain or dizziness. You can try again in a few hours. By that time the wax, if that’s your problem, should be even softer.
After you’re done, put a couple of drops of alcohol in your ear to help dry up excess water.
And there you have it. You don’t have to stress yourself with cotton buds and Q-tips while also worrying about damaging your ears. Use the irrigation method and thank us later for it.
Five Ways You’ve Been Brushing Your Teeth Wrong
When you think of all the difficult tasks you can engage in during your daily routine, brushing your teeth probably never comes up. After all, you’ve been doing it since you were little.
However, it’s easier than you think to make tooth brushing mistakes, putting your oral hygiene at risk.
Your Bristles Are Too Hard
Hard bristles are often too harsh for your teeth and gums, so most dentists don’t recommend them. Instead, choose soft or ultra-soft bristles that can gently get down under the gum line. Hard and medium brushes don’t do that and can actually abrade the gum.
Your Toothbrush Head Is Large
Your toothbrush should fit your mouth comfortably and it is best to go for smaller ones. Unless you have a large mouth, compact brush heads do a better job of helping you access those hard-to-reach and hard-to-see molars.
Failing To Brush Long Enough
The Nigerian Dental Association recommends brushing for two minutes, but many people fail at this, without even realizing it.
Different studies have timed people brushing their teeth and asked them how long they thought they did it for.
Some people thought they’d brushed for a couple of minutes, but it can be less than half a minute, an indication that our perception of how long we’re brushing is not very accurate.
Brushing Too Hard
If you brush your teeth like you are brushing your shoes, you’re doing more harm than good. When you press hard against your teeth and gums, you get a satisfying sensation that you’re really getting the teeth clean, but it’s not making your teeth cleaner.
The point of brushing is to remove plaque—a bacterial film—which is sticky but also soft, so you don’t need to go hard on your teeth to remove it. Pushing too hard can overstress the gum tissue and cause it to recede, exposing part of the tooth’s root.
That area can become sensitive to hot and cold. The root is also more susceptible to cavities than the hard enamel part of the tooth.
You’re Brushing At Wrong Angles
Brushing straight across like you’re playing the violin isn’t the best way to brush your pearly whites.
It is ideal to hold the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle—upward for your top teeth and downward for your bottom teeth—so the bristles can sweep and clean under the gum line where plaque can hide.
If you have an electric sonic toothbrush, you don’t need to angle the brush to 45 degrees. They’re designed to go straight on the tooth and you just hold it there for a few seconds.
However, it’s easier than you think to make tooth brushing mistakes, putting your oral hygiene at risk.
Your Bristles Are Too Hard
Hard bristles are often too harsh for your teeth and gums, so most dentists don’t recommend them. Instead, choose soft or ultra-soft bristles that can gently get down under the gum line. Hard and medium brushes don’t do that and can actually abrade the gum.
Your Toothbrush Head Is Large
Your toothbrush should fit your mouth comfortably and it is best to go for smaller ones. Unless you have a large mouth, compact brush heads do a better job of helping you access those hard-to-reach and hard-to-see molars.
Failing To Brush Long Enough
The Nigerian Dental Association recommends brushing for two minutes, but many people fail at this, without even realizing it.
Different studies have timed people brushing their teeth and asked them how long they thought they did it for.
Some people thought they’d brushed for a couple of minutes, but it can be less than half a minute, an indication that our perception of how long we’re brushing is not very accurate.
Brushing Too Hard
If you brush your teeth like you are brushing your shoes, you’re doing more harm than good. When you press hard against your teeth and gums, you get a satisfying sensation that you’re really getting the teeth clean, but it’s not making your teeth cleaner.
The point of brushing is to remove plaque—a bacterial film—which is sticky but also soft, so you don’t need to go hard on your teeth to remove it. Pushing too hard can overstress the gum tissue and cause it to recede, exposing part of the tooth’s root.
That area can become sensitive to hot and cold. The root is also more susceptible to cavities than the hard enamel part of the tooth.
You’re Brushing At Wrong Angles
Brushing straight across like you’re playing the violin isn’t the best way to brush your pearly whites.
It is ideal to hold the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle—upward for your top teeth and downward for your bottom teeth—so the bristles can sweep and clean under the gum line where plaque can hide.
If you have an electric sonic toothbrush, you don’t need to angle the brush to 45 degrees. They’re designed to go straight on the tooth and you just hold it there for a few seconds.
Can stomach problems cause lower back pain?
Although back pain and bloating are fairly common symptoms, it is a good idea to see a doctor if they last more than a few days.
Although the most common causes of back pain and bloating are relatively harmless, some of the less common reasons can be life-threatening.
Common causes of back pain and bloating
It is worth mentioning that these common causes are by far the most likely reasons that a person will develop back pain and bloating. Causes include:
- hormonal shifts
- pregnancy
- back injuries
- gas and gastrointestinal problems
- stress
- urinary tract infection (UTI)
A doctor will check for these conditions before looking for anything more serious.
Hormonal shifts
Hormones are the body's chemical messengers. As hormone levels swing, they can affect the way the body behaves. Both sexes are vulnerable to hormone shifts.
Many women experience back pain or cramping with bloating during or immediately before their period. If the symptoms follow a predictable pattern and do not cause severe problems, they are generally nothing to worry about.
People undergoing hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may also experience bloating and pain. They should discuss these symptoms with a doctor.
Pregnancy
Sometimes, pregnancy causes bloating, constipation, and gas. This is particularly true late in pregnancy when the uterus begins compressing the organs.
The additional weight at the front of the body can also put a strain on the back and hips. Anyone who is pregnant should tell their doctor or midwife about any symptoms they experience, since any conditions or problems that the pregnant woman experiences can affect the baby.
Most causes of bloating and back pain in pregnancy are harmless and typically clear up after delivery.
Back injuries
A wide range of back injuries, ranging from minor muscle sprains and strains to more serious injuries such as herniated discs, can cause back pain.
Sometimes the pain from a herniated disc radiates to other areas of the body, including the abdomen, and can create unusual sensations, such as bloating.
Gas and gastrointestinal (GI) problems
Most of the time, gas is no more than a minor annoyance.
However, gas occasionally produces intense pain that makes the entire abdomen feel full and tender. This pain can radiate to the back, causing back pain and bloating. Minor gastrointestinal problems, such as stomach viruses, may also cause intense gas pain.
Sometimes, GI issues can cause muscle pain. This can happen after straining to have a bowel movement or repeatedly vomiting.
Stress
Stress changes the body, not just the mind. Intense stress or anxiety can trigger both back pain and stomach discomfort, including bloating.
Back pain often occurs because some people who are experiencing stress tense their muscles unconsciously. Stomach pain and bloating are more common in people who have stress as well as an underlying condition, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
UTI
A UTI can cause back pain when it spreads to the kidneys. UTIs also trigger a frequent need to use the bathroom. Some people find that they feel like they need to use the bathroom again immediately after using it.
This sensation may feel like abdominal bloating, pain, or pressure. Severe kidney infections can also cause vomiting that leads to bloating.
Less common causes of back pain and bloating
The following issues may also cause back pain and bloating, but are much less common:
- spinal injuries and disorders
- pancreatic cancer
- liver disorders
- abdominal aortic aneurysms
- serious gastrointestinal disorders, such as peritonitis and bowel obstruction
Although rare, these causes and conditions require prompt treatment. Anyone experiencing severe pain or who thinks they are at risk for a rare cause should see a doctor immediately.
When to see a doctor
Abdominal bloating and back pain are often just minor annoyances that go away on their own. In many cases, the two symptoms are unrelated.
For example, people with chronic pain in their lower back may periodically experience gas that makes their abdomen hurt and their back pain worse.
See a doctor if the pain does not go away on its own after a few days.
Someone should go to the emergency room if:
- the pain is unbearable and comes on suddenly
- the pain is accompanied by bleeding from the rectum
- they have a severe medical condition, such as liver failure
- they have recently suffered a serious injury, such as a spinal cord injury
See a doctor within a day if:
- there is a fever along with the pain
- the pain is getting worse
- the pain is different from previous episodes of back or stomach pain
Treatment options
Treatment depends on the cause but may involve the following:
Treating infections and other causes
Bacterial infections, such as UTIs and kidney infections, require antibiotics. Appendicitis and some other causes of swelling in the abdominal cavity may need surgery. If an ectopic pregnancy is the cause of the symptoms, the pregnancy must be removed.
Treating an underlying condition
It is essential to treat any underlying conditions. People with liver failure may need a liver transplant, while those with diabetes may require insulinor diabetes medications.
What if the cause is unknown?
Before a doctor can treat the pain, they must determine the cause. To do this, the doctor may take a complete medical history, press on the abdomen or back to identify pain levels and position, perform blood work, or do imaging scans of the back or stomach.
Home remedies
There are some home remedies that a person can try to ease back pain and bloating. However, if symptoms are due to a serious condition, such as liver failure, it is essential to talk to a doctor before trying any home remedies. Some treatments may be unsafe for people in organ failure or with other conditions.
If the problem is a minor one, such as gas or a stomach virus, it is usually safe to manage symptoms at home.
Strategies that might help include:
- taking anti-gas medication
- applying a heating pad to the back or stomach
- drinking plenty of water
- resting
- deep breathing
- over-the-counter pain relievers
Outlook
Most cases of bloating and back pain disappear on their own. Some, such as those due to kidney infections or appendicitis, require treatment but can easily be cured with medical care. Managing symptoms will require an ongoing approach in some cases.
Cancer, liver failure, and other serious disorders are more difficult to treat. Early intervention and prompt medical care improve the outlook in all cases.
Takeaway
Abdominal bloating and back pain are widespread complaints, with many possible causes. Unless the pain is intense or accompanied by other worrisome symptoms, it is usually safe to see if symptoms disappear on their own.
However, do not self-diagnose. Only a medical provider can determine the cause of the pain. With prompt treatment, even serious and life-threatening conditions can improve.
New type of nerve stimulation relieves chronic back pain
So, concludes a study from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, IL, that featured recently at the 2018 annual meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists in San Francisco, CA.
The new therapy is called dorsal root ganglion (DRG) stimulation, and it works by targeting only the nerve fibers carrying signals from the source of pain. Unlike spinal cord stimulation, it avoids nerve fibers that convey messages from non-painful regions.
The recent study evaluated the impact on pain and disability of permanent DRG stimulator implants in people with chronic pain in their lower extremities and back.
Those who received the DRG stimulation says lead author Robert J. McCarthy, who is a professor of anesthesiology at Rush Medical College, "had tried numerous therapies, from drugs to spinal cord stimulation to surgery, but got little to no lasting pain relief."
They reported "significant improvement in pain even after a year, which is notable," he suggests, adding that, "For most, DRG stimulation really improved their quality of life."
A summary of the research is available in the ASA abstracts archive.
Chronic back pain
Although it often accompanies many persistent medical conditions, scientists increasingly believe that chronic pain is a "health concern on its own."
Chronic pain is pain that continues for at least 3 months. It arises when the pain signals that travel to the brain along nerve fibers persist, even though the source of the pain has disappeared.
Estimates for 2016 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest that around 1 in 5 adults in the United States. live with chronic pain, with around 8 percent having "high-impact chronic pain."
The total annual cost to the U.S. of chronic pain — including the cost of medical treatments, disability programs, and productivity loss — is estimated to be around $560 billion.
Every year, up to 25 percent of people in the U.S. experience some form of low-back pain. For some, the pain persists and becomes chronic, with a total cost of around $100 billion per year.
Spinal cord and DRG stimulation
Spinal cord stimulation treatment involves implanting a small device that sends low-voltage electrical impulses along a wire placed along the spinal cord. The effect is to block pain signals from reaching the brain.
Dorsal root ganglia are clusters of nerve cells — located on each side of the spinal vertebra — that relay pain and sensory signals coming from various parts of the body to the spinal cord and brain.
DRG stimulation disrupts the signals by delivering small electrical pulses through a wire placed alongside the specific DRG associated with the source of the pain. This replaces extreme pain with a more bearable sensation, such as numbness or tingling.
Scientists implant the device, which looks like a small pacemaker, in the lower back under the skin. A pain specialist sets the amount of current that it delivers according to the amount of pain a person experiences.
The idea of DRG stimulation is attractive because, unlike spinal cord stimulation, it only targets the affected nerves. Another reason is that it requires lower levels of electrical current since less spinal fluid covers the targeted DRG than covers the spinal cord.
Prof. McCarthy and his team investigated the effectiveness of DRG stimulation in 67 people with chronic back pain by following them for 3-18 months after implantation. Of these, 17 had the implant for at least 12 months.
'Clinically significant' improvement
People self-assessed their levels of pain on a scale of 1–10 — with 10 representing "the worst pain imaginable" — both before implantation and during follow-up meetings.
Before receiving their DRG implant, most of those in the study rated their pain at level 8. Afterward, the most common pain score was 5, which represents a drop of 33 percent. The researchers describe the improvement as "clinically significant."
There was also a similar decrease in self-reported disability, with a median drop of 27 percent. Researchers defined disability as "limitations in daily living" caused by pain.
When asked if the treatment was helpful, 94 percent of those receiving it said yes.
One person had to have the DRG stimulator removed because of a complication, two people had to have their devices removed following infection, and five others had to have the wires re-inserted.
Prof. McCarthy notes that the DRG stimulator device is not an easy option because of the difficulty involved in placing the electrodes accurately. It could be an alternative, however, for those people who have not experienced any benefit from other treatments.
It could also "reduce or eliminate the need for opioids," he concludes.
"There is a real need for non-drug therapy relief for people with chronic pain.
Monday, March 19, 2018
Medicare
Medicare is a governmental program which provides
medical insurance coverage for retired persons over
age 65 or for others who meet certain medical
conditions, such as having a disability.
Medicare was signed into legislation in 1965 as an
amendment to the Social Security program and is
administered by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid
Services (CMS) under the Department of Human Services.
Medicare provides medical insurance coverage for over
43 million Americans, many of whom would have no
medical insurance. While not perfect, the Medicare
program offers these millions of people relatively low
cost basic insurance, but not much in the way of
preventative care. For instance, Medicare does not pay
for an annual physical, vision care or dental care.
Medicare is paid for through payroll tax deductions
(FICA) equal to 2.9% of wages; the employee pays half
and the employer pays half.
There are four "parts" to Medicare: Part A is hospital
coverage, Part B is medical insurance, Part C is
supplemental coverage and Part D is prescription
insurance. Parts C and D are at an added cost and are
not required. Neither Part A nor B pays 100% of
medical costs; there is usually a premium, co-pay and
a deductible. Some low-income people quality for
Medicaid, which assists in paying part of or all of
the out-of-pocket costs.
Because more people are retiring and become eligible
for Medicare at a faster rate than people are paying
into the system, it has been predicted that the system
will run out of money by 2018. Health care costs have
risen dramatically, which adds to the financial woes
of Medicare and the system has bee plagued by fraud
over the years.
No one seems to have a viable solution to save this
system that saves many people throughout the country.
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