For individuals who cannot walk, a mobility scooter or an ambulatory device is essential. Today, there are many types of mobility scooters, each one has different features and accessories, and even the prices vary tremendously. For the beginner who is buying a first mobility scooter, this can get all very confusing. Essentially, there are two basic types of mobility scooters- three or four wheel scooters. Both have some pros and cons. The key differences between the two are following
Better mobility: one of the distinct advantages of owning a 3-wheel mobility scooter is that they are a lot easier to maneuver in close spaces. Four-wheel mobility scooters are slightly larger and are not able to turn or maneuver easily in narrow alleys, elevators or in apartment buildings. Three wheel mobility scooters are more compact, smaller and are preferred for individuals who live in small apartments
Room for Leg. The lack of a 4th wheel offers more leg room for individuals who own a 3 wheel mobility scooter. It can be tiresome sitting on a scooter for a few hours and thus the 3 wheel scooter allows one to stretch the legs.
Compact: The majority of 3 wheel mobility scooters are small and compact. This gives the 3-wheel scooter a major advantage over the 4-wheel mobility scooter. Beside easy use in tight spaces and narrow lanes, the 3-wheel scooter is also great for use in crowded shopping malls, supermarkets and in congested alleys.
Stability: While 3 wheel mobility scooters are great, they do have one big disadvantage. Unlike a 4-wheel scooter, the 3 wheels scooters are not always stable. The stability is fine when one drives slow and along flat roads. The stability does come into play when one goes around corners, over bumps, and potholes. In addition, when someone heavy uses a 3-wheel mobility scooter, the vehicle can become unstable. In such scenarios, a 4-wheel scooter may be more appropriate
Durability: While both scooters are durable and built with solid stainless steel framework, the 4 wheel scooters are more suited for the outdoors and can be driven on all types of terrain. The 4 wheel scooters also more sturdy and can handle the environment a lot better than the 3 wheel scooters
Space: As predicted, the larger 4 wheel scooters have more room and thus can carry more weight. The latest 4 wheel scooters also have extra spaces to carry baskets both in the front and back.
Bulk: The four-wheel vehicles are significantly more bulky and bigger than the 3 wheel mobility scooters. For this reason, they may not be suitable for use in crowded places like shopping centers, plazas, or congested supermarkets
Cost: Because the 4 wheels mobility scooters are slightly bigger, they are also more expensive. There are some basic 4-wheel mobility scooters which are not expensive, but they may not have all the accessories. The basic scooters usually start at about $700 but the fancy one with gadgets and accessories can cost about $1,000-$1,300
Before you buy a mobility scooter, go and check one out; test drive it to determine if this is suited for you. Make sure it is comfortable, stable and whether it suits your living environment.
For more on mobility scooters, visit www.medexsupply.com
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
Decompressive Spinal Surgery for back pain part 2
What is Laminectomy?
Laminectomy involves removal of the entire roof (lamina) along with adjacent joint segment and ligaments over the spinal cord. This procedure is often done when the spinal stenosis is long and there is extensive narrowing.
What is laminotomy?
Laminotomy involves removal of a small piece of the lamina and ligaments on one side. Today, this procedure is often performed using a camera and a very tiny incision.
What is Foraminotomy?
Foraminotomy is removal of the bone where the nerve exits the spinal cord. It is often combined with the above two procedures and is helpful to relieve pressure from a pinched nerve.
What is laminoplasty?
Laminoplasty is a procedure done in the neck area to increase room in the spinal canal.
What is spinal fusion?
Spinal fusion may be done with any of the above procedures. When bone is removed from the back, instability can result. To prevent instability, the surgeon may fuse the back using bone grafts or metal rods. Fusion also prevents restenosis of the spinal canal from recurring.
Is spinal decompression surgery an emergency?
Unless one has cauda equina syndrome (a disorder where there is severe compression of the nerves which results in loss of bowel and bladder control), all back surgery is strictly elective.
Because there are side effects and possible complications, it is important to discuss with the surgeon what the best procedure is for your back. One should remember that no matter what type of decompressive surgery, only the symptoms are relieved. Disorders like arthritis will continue to progress.
Final Word
The overall results of spinal surgery are terrible. It is hard to meet anyone today who has had successful spine surgery. So do not rush for surgery, no matter how nice the surgeon looks or talks. Spine surgery is big business for the doctors. It is an expensive undertaking, is associated with many complications and there is no guarantee it will work. You do no get any refunds.
Laminectomy involves removal of the entire roof (lamina) along with adjacent joint segment and ligaments over the spinal cord. This procedure is often done when the spinal stenosis is long and there is extensive narrowing.
What is laminotomy?
Laminotomy involves removal of a small piece of the lamina and ligaments on one side. Today, this procedure is often performed using a camera and a very tiny incision.
What is Foraminotomy?
Foraminotomy is removal of the bone where the nerve exits the spinal cord. It is often combined with the above two procedures and is helpful to relieve pressure from a pinched nerve.
What is laminoplasty?
Laminoplasty is a procedure done in the neck area to increase room in the spinal canal.
What is spinal fusion?
Spinal fusion may be done with any of the above procedures. When bone is removed from the back, instability can result. To prevent instability, the surgeon may fuse the back using bone grafts or metal rods. Fusion also prevents restenosis of the spinal canal from recurring.
Is spinal decompression surgery an emergency?
Unless one has cauda equina syndrome (a disorder where there is severe compression of the nerves which results in loss of bowel and bladder control), all back surgery is strictly elective.
Because there are side effects and possible complications, it is important to discuss with the surgeon what the best procedure is for your back. One should remember that no matter what type of decompressive surgery, only the symptoms are relieved. Disorders like arthritis will continue to progress.
Final Word
The overall results of spinal surgery are terrible. It is hard to meet anyone today who has had successful spine surgery. So do not rush for surgery, no matter how nice the surgeon looks or talks. Spine surgery is big business for the doctors. It is an expensive undertaking, is associated with many complications and there is no guarantee it will work. You do no get any refunds.
Decompressive Spinal Surgery for back pain
What is spinal decompression?
This is a big word but is very simple to explain. When people have back pain, the nerve in the center of the spinal cord gets compressed or pinched. The compression may be from bone, ligament, tumor, or any type of mass. When the nerve is pinched, it causes pain. Spinal decompression means relieving the pressure in the joint space so that the nerve is no longer pinched
What is classic treatment of back pain?
Back or neck pain are common problems in society. In most cases, it is a nerve that is pinched that is causing the pain. Sometimes besides pain, one may also have numbness or tingling sensations.
The traditional treatment of back pain is rest and pain control for a few days and most individuals recover in 4-6 weeks. However, there are a number of patients who fail to improve. These individuals then go through a wide range of therapies including physical therapy, exercise, traction, massage, acupuncture, yoga, praying, and when all that fails, some undergo surgery.
IS back surgery essentially spinal decompression?
Yes, in simple all surgery for back pain is designed to remove pressure from the nerves. However, surgery is not the only way to remove compression from the disc joints. There are also various traction devices that do the same thing.
Can spinal decompression surgery be performed only on the back?
No, spinal decompression surgery can be performed anywhere along the spine when there is evidence of a pinched nerve. The two most common areas are the neck and lower back
How is the surgery done?
Under general anesthesia, a small incision is made over the mid spine. The lamina (the bone that covers top of the spinal canal) is removed. This allows the nerves more freedom and removes the compression.
There are several types of decompressive spinal procedures but the principle is the same- remove pressure off the nerves.
This is a big word but is very simple to explain. When people have back pain, the nerve in the center of the spinal cord gets compressed or pinched. The compression may be from bone, ligament, tumor, or any type of mass. When the nerve is pinched, it causes pain. Spinal decompression means relieving the pressure in the joint space so that the nerve is no longer pinched
What is classic treatment of back pain?
Back or neck pain are common problems in society. In most cases, it is a nerve that is pinched that is causing the pain. Sometimes besides pain, one may also have numbness or tingling sensations.
The traditional treatment of back pain is rest and pain control for a few days and most individuals recover in 4-6 weeks. However, there are a number of patients who fail to improve. These individuals then go through a wide range of therapies including physical therapy, exercise, traction, massage, acupuncture, yoga, praying, and when all that fails, some undergo surgery.
IS back surgery essentially spinal decompression?
Yes, in simple all surgery for back pain is designed to remove pressure from the nerves. However, surgery is not the only way to remove compression from the disc joints. There are also various traction devices that do the same thing.
Can spinal decompression surgery be performed only on the back?
No, spinal decompression surgery can be performed anywhere along the spine when there is evidence of a pinched nerve. The two most common areas are the neck and lower back
How is the surgery done?
Under general anesthesia, a small incision is made over the mid spine. The lamina (the bone that covers top of the spinal canal) is removed. This allows the nerves more freedom and removes the compression.
There are several types of decompressive spinal procedures but the principle is the same- remove pressure off the nerves.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Spinal injections for back pain Part 2
Epidural injections are done as outpatients and either performed by an anesthesiologist or a physician who is familiar with this procedure. The technique is pretty simple. One lies down on a flat table with the knees folded towards the chest. This helps open up the disc spaces and then the needle is guided into the epidural space. When done well, it is a relatively painless procedure. Sometimes, there may be difficult guiding the needle into the epidural space and one may to perform the injection under X ray guidance.
Once the steroid is injected, it migrates to where the nerve roots are located and starts to work by decreasing inflammation. The pain relief is gradual and not immediate.
Epidural injections also have a fair share of side effects that include:
- Back pain at injection site. The pain is mild in
most cases and resolves in a few days. However,
some individual have prolonged pain at the injection
site.
- Very rarely some individuals may develop nausea,
vomiting or abdominal cramps. These side effects
resolve in a day or two.
- Some individuals do develop light-headedness and
some feel dizzy. Some individuals do complain of a
headache which may last anywhere from a few days to
several weeks.
When many epidural steroidal injections are performed, the following complications may occur:
- Loss of bone density, leading to osteoporosis
and possible bone fractures
- Easy bruising of skin
- Decreased muscle mass and strength
- Increased susceptibility to injections because of
suppression of the body’s immune system
The most common drug used for epidural injections is a corticosteroid. Corticosteroids are potent ant inflammatory agents, reduce inflammation, and nerve irritation. While they do relieve pain, the injections do not work in everyone with back pain. Even the degree of pain relief is not the same in all individuals
Clinical data indicate that less than 10-30 percent of individuals get decent pain relief. The pain relief only lasts from a few weeks to a few months. Epidural injections for back pain are not curative.
The cost of an epidural steroidal injection varies but generally is more than $2000. The cost is often not covered by many medical insurance health carriers.
Once the steroid is injected, it migrates to where the nerve roots are located and starts to work by decreasing inflammation. The pain relief is gradual and not immediate.
Epidural injections also have a fair share of side effects that include:
- Back pain at injection site. The pain is mild in
most cases and resolves in a few days. However,
some individual have prolonged pain at the injection
site.
- Very rarely some individuals may develop nausea,
vomiting or abdominal cramps. These side effects
resolve in a day or two.
- Some individuals do develop light-headedness and
some feel dizzy. Some individuals do complain of a
headache which may last anywhere from a few days to
several weeks.
When many epidural steroidal injections are performed, the following complications may occur:
- Loss of bone density, leading to osteoporosis
and possible bone fractures
- Easy bruising of skin
- Decreased muscle mass and strength
- Increased susceptibility to injections because of
suppression of the body’s immune system
The most common drug used for epidural injections is a corticosteroid. Corticosteroids are potent ant inflammatory agents, reduce inflammation, and nerve irritation. While they do relieve pain, the injections do not work in everyone with back pain. Even the degree of pain relief is not the same in all individuals
Clinical data indicate that less than 10-30 percent of individuals get decent pain relief. The pain relief only lasts from a few weeks to a few months. Epidural injections for back pain are not curative.
The cost of an epidural steroidal injection varies but generally is more than $2000. The cost is often not covered by many medical insurance health carriers.
Spinal injections for back pain
All over the country, doctors have set up pain clinics offering to give injections to anyone and everyone with pain. Treatment of back pain is a lucrative business and many physicians have exploited this aspect of medicine.
Many people with back pain remain disabled and have a very poor quality of life. There are many individuals with back pain who have gone through the entire gamut of surgery, physical therapy, acupuncture, massage and so on and nothing has worked. For these individuals, the only other treatment is to get pain relief. One of the ways to relieve pain is with injections. The injections are made in the spine with steroids. Anesthesiologists, orthopedic surgeons, rheumatologists, and many other physicians have set up clinics to provide pain relief to the individuals suffering from back pain.
For the consumer, it has to be understood that epidural injections are not the first treatment of choice. One has to try oral pain pills before jumping the gun.
Do epidural injections relieve back pain?
Well, not everyone finds relief from epidural injections and the pain relief is not immediate. Less than 10-20 percent of people with back pain have any significant pain relief. The pain relief is never complete and not permanent. The pain relief is noticed at around 3-4 weeks and lasts for a few months only. Most individuals can only have 2-3 injections of steroids per year. Repeated uses of steroids can lead to bone softening, ulcers and weight gain.
Prior to the epidural injections, one has to have an MRI or CT scan of the back. These radiological studies help identify location of the problem. However, most physicians who perform epidural injections generally go ahead and inject irrespective of the findings.
Many people with back pain remain disabled and have a very poor quality of life. There are many individuals with back pain who have gone through the entire gamut of surgery, physical therapy, acupuncture, massage and so on and nothing has worked. For these individuals, the only other treatment is to get pain relief. One of the ways to relieve pain is with injections. The injections are made in the spine with steroids. Anesthesiologists, orthopedic surgeons, rheumatologists, and many other physicians have set up clinics to provide pain relief to the individuals suffering from back pain.
For the consumer, it has to be understood that epidural injections are not the first treatment of choice. One has to try oral pain pills before jumping the gun.
Do epidural injections relieve back pain?
Well, not everyone finds relief from epidural injections and the pain relief is not immediate. Less than 10-20 percent of people with back pain have any significant pain relief. The pain relief is never complete and not permanent. The pain relief is noticed at around 3-4 weeks and lasts for a few months only. Most individuals can only have 2-3 injections of steroids per year. Repeated uses of steroids can lead to bone softening, ulcers and weight gain.
Prior to the epidural injections, one has to have an MRI or CT scan of the back. These radiological studies help identify location of the problem. However, most physicians who perform epidural injections generally go ahead and inject irrespective of the findings.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Smokeless Tobacco: “Can there be fire when there is no Smoke” Part 8
Tobacco Control
Unlike the rigid anti smoking activities, most health care worker agree that substituting smokeless tobacco for smoking is a wise risk-reduction strategy because it reduces all smoking-related risks and introduces no new risks. There is some who agree that an oral cavity cancer does occur after use of both smoking and smokeless tobacco-but now we are relegated to choosing which is the lesser evil.
Concerned physicians and dentists understand that it is their moral and ethical obligation to help patients make informed lifestyle choices, all of which involve benefits and risks. Providing information about an alternative to smoking that is significantly more safer is not only consistent with the highest standards of medical ethics, it is required of them.
The past few decades have brought ever more assertive public health campaigns against cigarette smoking. Numerous well-funded public and private agencies has set as its goal a reduction in the epidemic of cigarette smoking. The organization’s influence has resulted in pervasive health warnings, ever more intensive quit-smoking programs, and recently the social ostracism of smokers and the industry that supplies them. Yet many Americans continue to smoke, and the number of women starting to smoke is on the rise.
Conclusion
Despite what the Swedes and the Tobacco industry claims, the risk of oral cancer is increased if you use smokeless tobacco products. These cancers of the oral cavity may involve the tongue, cheeks, lips, gums and jaw. The treatment of all oral cancer is surgery and the surgery is no walk in the park. It is a major undertaking and results in severe disfiguring. The majority of patients are completely disabled after surgery- that is if they leave long enough. The people who use smokeless tobacco do not die of gum and dental disease. The majority die of oral cancer.
There is no easy answer to curb the smoking epidemic. There are no magical portions or cures to help one stop smoking. The smoking industry is a billionaire industry which also is an important economic powerhouse. Despite all the health risks and complications of smoking, this habit is universal and consumes a lot of health care dollars. Everyone claims as to what is the best remedy but so far none is effective. It's never too late to quit using tobaccos products. There may not be fire with the use of smokeless tobacco products, but one can rest assured the potential to burn one’s mouth and body is enormous. The only way to stop smoking is never to start it in the first place.
Unlike the rigid anti smoking activities, most health care worker agree that substituting smokeless tobacco for smoking is a wise risk-reduction strategy because it reduces all smoking-related risks and introduces no new risks. There is some who agree that an oral cavity cancer does occur after use of both smoking and smokeless tobacco-but now we are relegated to choosing which is the lesser evil.
Concerned physicians and dentists understand that it is their moral and ethical obligation to help patients make informed lifestyle choices, all of which involve benefits and risks. Providing information about an alternative to smoking that is significantly more safer is not only consistent with the highest standards of medical ethics, it is required of them.
The past few decades have brought ever more assertive public health campaigns against cigarette smoking. Numerous well-funded public and private agencies has set as its goal a reduction in the epidemic of cigarette smoking. The organization’s influence has resulted in pervasive health warnings, ever more intensive quit-smoking programs, and recently the social ostracism of smokers and the industry that supplies them. Yet many Americans continue to smoke, and the number of women starting to smoke is on the rise.
Conclusion
Despite what the Swedes and the Tobacco industry claims, the risk of oral cancer is increased if you use smokeless tobacco products. These cancers of the oral cavity may involve the tongue, cheeks, lips, gums and jaw. The treatment of all oral cancer is surgery and the surgery is no walk in the park. It is a major undertaking and results in severe disfiguring. The majority of patients are completely disabled after surgery- that is if they leave long enough. The people who use smokeless tobacco do not die of gum and dental disease. The majority die of oral cancer.
There is no easy answer to curb the smoking epidemic. There are no magical portions or cures to help one stop smoking. The smoking industry is a billionaire industry which also is an important economic powerhouse. Despite all the health risks and complications of smoking, this habit is universal and consumes a lot of health care dollars. Everyone claims as to what is the best remedy but so far none is effective. It's never too late to quit using tobaccos products. There may not be fire with the use of smokeless tobacco products, but one can rest assured the potential to burn one’s mouth and body is enormous. The only way to stop smoking is never to start it in the first place.
Smokeless Tobacco: “Can there be fire when there is no Smoke” Part 7
Smokers versus smokeless tobacco
When smokeless tobacco products are compared to smokers, there are definite benefits for the uses of the former drugs. The number of deaths from smoking is almost 70 times higher than the number from smokeless tobacco use. In terms of life expectancy, the smokeless-tobacco user loses only about 2 weeks on average, compared with the eight years lost by the smoker.
Another major health benefit: smokers who switch to smokeless tobacco produce no passive smoke to harm others. The American Heart Association estimates that 40,000 Americans die annually from diseases related to second-hand smoke. No one dies from the secondary effects of smokeless tobacco use. Thus, this proposal could be recommended solely on the basis of lives saved through the elimination of the effects of passive smoking.
These published facts are uncontested. Today a transition to smokeless tobacco is not merely a theoretical proposition based strategy of smoking cessation; it has already become accepted as an alternate to smoking tobacco in many States.
Has the government strategy of getting smoker to switch worked? Data from the CDC does indicate that more than 1.5 million smokers have used smokeless tobacco to quit smoking. This transition has been possible because the smokeless products also contain nicotine- which is more effective transferred to the body. In addition, the newer smokeless products have been designed in various flavors, packages and resemble candy or chewing gum. Most industry based data reveals that long terms smokers have made a successful transition to these smokeless products and the relapse has been minimal. With the newer variety of smokeless tobacco products, the outmoded and disgusting habit of spitting the smokeless products is only for the history books.
Industry based data reveal that once smokers switch over to the smokeless products, they regain the normal life expectancy. The risk of lung and heart disease is also decreased. The companies mention that switching to smokeless tobaccos is associated with giant gains in health benefits.
One always has to be aware that a lot of studies are sponsored by the companies who make these products and unfortunately the articles/newsletters are almost always written by health care workers who have genuine interest in these companies. So the current scientific data on health benefits of switching should always be taken in with a grain of salt.
When smokeless tobacco products are compared to smokers, there are definite benefits for the uses of the former drugs. The number of deaths from smoking is almost 70 times higher than the number from smokeless tobacco use. In terms of life expectancy, the smokeless-tobacco user loses only about 2 weeks on average, compared with the eight years lost by the smoker.
Another major health benefit: smokers who switch to smokeless tobacco produce no passive smoke to harm others. The American Heart Association estimates that 40,000 Americans die annually from diseases related to second-hand smoke. No one dies from the secondary effects of smokeless tobacco use. Thus, this proposal could be recommended solely on the basis of lives saved through the elimination of the effects of passive smoking.
These published facts are uncontested. Today a transition to smokeless tobacco is not merely a theoretical proposition based strategy of smoking cessation; it has already become accepted as an alternate to smoking tobacco in many States.
Has the government strategy of getting smoker to switch worked? Data from the CDC does indicate that more than 1.5 million smokers have used smokeless tobacco to quit smoking. This transition has been possible because the smokeless products also contain nicotine- which is more effective transferred to the body. In addition, the newer smokeless products have been designed in various flavors, packages and resemble candy or chewing gum. Most industry based data reveals that long terms smokers have made a successful transition to these smokeless products and the relapse has been minimal. With the newer variety of smokeless tobacco products, the outmoded and disgusting habit of spitting the smokeless products is only for the history books.
Industry based data reveal that once smokers switch over to the smokeless products, they regain the normal life expectancy. The risk of lung and heart disease is also decreased. The companies mention that switching to smokeless tobaccos is associated with giant gains in health benefits.
One always has to be aware that a lot of studies are sponsored by the companies who make these products and unfortunately the articles/newsletters are almost always written by health care workers who have genuine interest in these companies. So the current scientific data on health benefits of switching should always be taken in with a grain of salt.
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