July 19th, 2011 by John Di Saia, M.D. in Health Tips
Tags: Cosmetic Surgery, Decubitus Ulcers, fasciocutaneous and musculocutaneous flaps, Hybrid Plastic Surgery Practice, Long Standing Wounds, Medically-Necessary Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Pressure Wounds, Surgical Correction, Wound Repair
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When I tell people I have a hybrid plastic surgery practice, I am not talking about a fuel efficient car. I am talking about the fact that I do both cosmetic surgery and medically-necessary surgery. Part of the medically-necessary surgery includes the repair of pressure wounds (also called decubitus ulcers.)
Not only is this type of surgery not cosmetic, it can be pretty ugly. It is surgery to assist often long standing wounds in healing in often significantly ill patients. If possible such a wound is repaired using tissue from adjoining areas of the body called fasciocutaneous and musculocutaneous flaps after scar and debris is cut away. This isn’t pretty, but Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Truth in Cosmetic Surgery*
July 18th, 2011 by ChristopherChangMD in Health Tips, Video
Tags: 24 hour multi-channel pH and impedance testing, Abnormal Esophageal Muscle Activity, Acid, Acid Reflux, Chronic Cough, Chronic Throat Clearing, Cough, Difficulty Swallowing, Esophageal Manometry, GERD, Lump Sensation in the Throat, Non-acid Reflux, Phlegmy Throat, Reflux, Testing
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Our office has created a new video describing what a patient goes through when they undergo esophageal manometry as well as 24 hour multi-channel pH and impedance testing.
This test is often ordered when a patient is suspected to be suffering from reflux, whether acid or non-acid, or is possibly suffering from abnormal muscle activity of the esophagus.
Symptoms that a patient may experience that may lead to such testing include: Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Fauquier ENT Blog*
July 15th, 2011 by Peggy Polaneczky, M.D. in Health Tips, Opinion
Tags: Birth Control, Birth Control Pill, Co-Pay, Condoms, Depo Provera, Emergency Contraception, Family Planning, Generic, IUDs, Mirena, Nuvaring, Pharmacy, Plan B, Planned Parenthood, Spermacide, Sponge
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If you live in New Hampshire, or some other state that is withdrawing Planned Parenthood funding, you may need to find an alternate source of affordable birth control, at least until the states get their heads screwed back on straight. In the meantime, please, don’t stop your birth control because you think you can’t afford it – the costs of not using it are much, much higher.
But what can you do to make the choice to use birth control even more cost effective?
Birth Control Pills
- Buy them cheap locally. Walmart, Target and Kroger sell very low priced birth control pills – only $4 to $9 a pack. It’s only a few brands (Trinessa, Sprintec and Trisprintec), but ask your doctor if it makes sense to switch if cost is a barrier for you.
*This blog post was originally published at The Blog That Ate Manhattan*
July 15th, 2011 by Linda Burke-Galloway, M.D. in Health Tips, Research
Tags: Back, Blood Flow, Blood Pressure, Cardiac Output, CO, Dr. Linda Burke-Galloway, Fetal Complications, Inferior Vena Cava, IVC, Oxygen Suppy, Pregnant Women, Sleep, Sleeping Position, Stillbirth, Supine Hypotensive Disorder, Uterus
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A little knowledge is dangerous; especially when it relates to medicine. A recent article in the British newspaper, Daily Mirror discussed a medical study that attempted to prove there was a link between pregnant women’s sleeping positions and stillbirth. The author is of the opinion that the study was small and biased and therefore “there is a serious need for more research before we’re in a strong position to make ¬any recommendations.” Obviously this author has limited knowledge about the cardiovascular system of a pregnant woman.
Our organs and tissues require oxygen to function. Without it, they essentially die. Blood from the lower part of our body flows back to the heart where it receives oxygen, compliments of a large blood vessel called the Inferior Vena Cava (IVC). The inferior vena cava is a large, thin-walled blood vessel located near the spine. As the pregnant uterus becomes enlarged, it can press against the IVC and reduce the amount of its blood flow. Why is that not good? Because it reduces the circulating blood flow in the body that is commonly known as our cardiac output (CO). When the pregnant uterus squeezes the IVC and reduces cardiac output, a woman might feel dizzy and even faint. Her blood supply of oxygen is reduced and the unborn baby’s is as well. When a pregnant woman in her early or late third trimester feels faint after lying flat on her back, the syndrome is called Supine Hypotensive Disorder. Her blood pressure has dropped because her cardiac output has dropped. The heart can only pump out what comes into it, so less blood into the heart means less blood going out of the heart and the patient feels faint. How is this avoided? Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Dr. Linda Burke-Galloway*
July 15th, 2011 by Jeffrey Benabio, M.D. in Health Tips
Tags: Air Conditioning, Heat Rash, Humidity, Prickly Bumps, Prickly Heat, Rash, Summer, Sweat, Sweat Ducts, Sweat Glands, Treatment
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I just flew back from Atlanta for the 4th of July weekend, and, boy, are my sweat glands killing me.
Atlanta has a way of making your sweat glands work overtime, and overworked sweat glands can lead to dreaded heat rash. Heat rash is a common, annoying problem in summertime that develops when sweat glands are blocked, thereby preventing sweat from escaping and irritating your skin.
Hot skin trapped under clothing is often affected, leading to red itchy or prickly bumps (hence it’s other name, prickly heat). Humid heat is worse than dry heat, and anything that blocks the sweat ducts such as lying on your back at night, wearing tight fitting clothing or even applying thick sunscreen is a sure way to bring the rash out.
Prickly heat is commonly seen in babies who aren’t able to tell us when they’re hot and sweaty from being overly bundled up. Hospital patients who are unable to move in bed are also commonly afflicted. Of course, healthy adults can get it too, especially Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at The Dermatology Blog*
