Tag: incision

Arthritis Patients: Do You Need Surgery?

If you have recently been diagnosed with arthritis or if you suspect you have it, thoughts of surgery may automatically pop into your head. Yes, some patients must undergo surgery, but it is actually very rare. Despite the common belief, it is possible to treat and manage the symptoms of arthritis, such as joint paint, swelling, and difficulty moving, without surgery.

When is surgery considered an option?

Unbearable Pain. When the pain is so severe that over-the-counter pain relievers and prescription pain relievers do not work, surgery may be the last resort. Overtime, our bodies get use to the pain relievers we ingest. Overtime the Tylenol that once provided with you with relief, may no longer do so. If and when that point arrives, speak to your doctor about prescribed medications. He or she will likely want to try those first before opting for surgery.

Joint damage. The elderly and those who let their arthritis go untreated are susceptible to joint damage. This includes deformities. For example, a patient with severe rheumatoid arthritis may have bent out of shape fingers. This not only looks different, but it is excruciating in terms of pain. Surgery can be used to correct these deformities and other severe joint damage.

What type of procedures may be performed?

Arthroscopy. This is a minimally invasive surgery and a great alternative to open surgery. A small incision is made in the skin. Then, a thin viewing instrument, known as an arthroscope is inserted. Its destination? The painful joint. Many surgeons use this procedure to diagnose a problem and decide on a course of treatment. It can also be used to perform small surgeries. It has many benefits, including less pain, lower costs, and less hospitalization. So, if you need surgery, offer an arthroscopy as a suggestion.

Arthrodesis. This surgery is very rare, as there is a high risk of complications. And, it results in a permanent disability. So, why is it even offered? It is the only hope of pain relief for some individuals. These individuals have a diseased joint that cannot be fixed any other way. Pain and swelling are common and unmanageable. Arthrodesis involves fusing two bones into a joint. This prevents joint movement. For many, this is a last and only resort.

Joint replacement. Joint replacement surgeries are common with the shoulders, knees, and hips. With joint replacement surgeries, the ends of nearby bones are replaced. This results in new joint surfaces. It will take time and physical therapy, but most patients experience a reduction and pain and an increase in mobility. For the fingers and toes, joint replacement is less common. Typically, surgeons opt for the fusion of smaller joints, as opposed to total replacement.

What are the alternatives to arthritis related surgery?

It depends. For starters, how severe is your arthritis? When were you diagnosed? The earlier osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are diagnosed, the easier it is to treat without surgery. Exercise is vital. Yes, it is difficult to move your joints, so exercise may seem like it is out of the question, but it is not. Start with low impact exercises or opt for water exercises or physical therapy. The more a joint is moved, the less stiffness you experience. This can later reduce the chance of deformities.

As for the pain, remember that surgery is only used as a last resort. First, try over-the-counter pain pills and cream or ask for stronger prescription medications. Heat also helps many. Soak in a warm bath daily or use a heating pad. Although there is little scientific proof to back these claims, many arthritis patients report long-term relief with continued use of natural remedies and supplements, including cayenne pepper, pineapples, ASU, and ginger.

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How Do You Treat Kidney Stones

How do you treat kidney stones? This depends on its severity so it may or may not involve surgery. The good news is that 90% of the time, your body will be able to expel the stones on its own. But what if you are one of the unfortunate who belong to that 10%?

Should that happen, then your doctor will have to recommend surgery. This procedure may be the only option if the size of the kidney stones is too big which means they cannot get out of your body through the bladder. If you do undergo surgery immediately, you will experience constant pain or cause complications like kidney tissue damage or UTI also known as urinary tract infection.

There are 4 procedures that can help get rid of kidney stones.

There is ESWL or extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy. In this procedure, a device that produces non-electrical shock waves is used to turn the kidney stones inside your body into sand. You dont lie down in an operating table for this because this is done in a tub filled with warm or purified water.

The second option is PNL or percutaneous nephrolithotomy. This is done when the first option is not successful. The procedure begins by making a small incision in your back so a tunnel can be created all the way to your kidney. An instrument known as a nephroscope will then go in to remove the stone. If this instrument cannot do the job, an energy probe will be used and there are currently two types namely the ultrasonic and the electro hydraulic.

Third, the doctor may recommend ureteroscopic stone removal. This procedure is done by using a small fiber optic instrument that travels through the urethra and bladder to reach the ureter. Once the instrument is in position, it will emit a shockwave to destroy the stone.

The last option which is the oldest of the 4 is open surgery. The doctor will cut you open and remove the kidney stone. To make sure that all the kidney stones are collected during the operation, you may first be injected with a solution consisting of calcium chloride, cyroprecipitate, thrombin and indigo carmine so it will be easy to remove using the forceps.

Even if surgery is successful, kidney stones can once again appear in the body. To prevent this from happening, you should now take preventive measures.

The simplest way is to drink 6 to 8 glasses of water a day which is about 3 liters as this will make your urine look clear instead of yellow.

Some dietary changes may also be recommended. You dont have to stop eating certain foods but simply limit your consumption on items like apples, black pepper, chocolate, coffee, cheese, grapes, ice cream, oranges, tomatoes and yogurt.

The same goes for fish, meat or poultry products because it helps increase your uric acid. Since kidney failure has been associated with alcohol consumption, you should also cut this down as well.

You can treat kidney stones the hard way or the easy way and you dont get to decide how this will be done. Sadly, we only learn our lesson when it is too late so you should be thankful if you dont have to go under the knife.

Massage Therapy Risks – Fact or Fiction?

True enough, some critics believe that there are also risks involved in massage as a therapeutic technique. Life is not a bed of roses and it follows that for every advantage there is an equivalent disadvantage. How real can the massage therapy risks be? What impact will they pose on the human health? While there are folks who ring the bell to the benefits of massage as a form of therapy, there are likewise those individuals who contest them.

Clear enough, it is safe to assume that there is typically an exception to every rule. Simply put, there are several other health conditions which are not to be addressed by massage alone. There is a much better medical solution that is apt for them.

Explaining the other Side

In several articles, you surely have read about the various kinds of massage therapy. They come in different names and are done in different fashions too. At the same time, they are comprised of different techniques. The point that is being driven is the fact that if massage therapy is applied to a serious medical circumstance such as cancer, the tendency is for the situation to get even worse. In fact, the individual’s life may be actually threatened. Doctors often advice that their attention should be called for prior to taking things further. Any type of massage therapy has to be pre-approved by them. Of course, the patient needs to go through an extensive test to ensure that no sort of danger will get inflicted on him.

A Threat for Cancer Patients

Studies show how this kind of therapy can truly endanger the life of a cancer patient. Cancer is a serious illness that should be addressed following the right healthcare precautions. Some of the risks involve the following:

Bone fractures. Cancer treatments often lead to the weakness of the bones. There is a tendency that during the massage, the application of some pressure may cause the bones to break.

Bleeding. Cancer-afflicted individuals often bleed profusely. For one, the deep tissue massage may cause them the life-threatening internal bleeding.

Spread of the cancer tumors. While this is yet being taken under a heated debate, there are some specialists who claim that a strong pressure on the tumor area will lead it towards metastasis. This may not yet be proven but it still calls for an extreme form of caution.

Lymphedema. This is the term used to refer to the buildup of the lymph in the soft tissues which therefore causes the soreness of the limbs. Some forms of massage therapy can cause this condition especially to someone who has just had the cancerous lymph nodes removed.

Symptoms of flu. Those who have been taking up chemotherapy sessions and at the same time the massage therapy are likely to develop the symptoms of flu.

Pains. Unbearable pains often come after the treatment which nonetheless heightens the patient’s suffering.

Post-surgery effect. Someone who is yet recuperating from a surgery should not get exposed to this kind of therapy since it may lead to the reopening of the incision and the provoking of the internal or external bleeding.

These are just some of the prime massage therapy risks known to the public. Sure enough, some other dangers may surface later on. Thus be very careful and seek for your doctor’s advice prior to consenting to this kind of healing procedure.

RISKS OF MASSAGE THERAPY

By and large, massage therapy that is performed by a properly schooled and well experienced massage therapist who practices his or her art prudently and with due caution, is risk free to its recipients health and wellbeing. For that reason along, if for no other, massage therapists must be selected very carefully as credentials and licenses are scrutinized meticulously, references are checked with diligence and questions are asked relentlessly. Regardless of how it is phrased or worded, one question which must always be asked of a potential massage therapist is the following, Which health conditions would you consider preclusive of massage therapy and why? And the correct answer, whether stated in exactly those words or different ones, should be, There are certain health conditions which must rule out massage therapy and those are And he or she must name the following:

* Cancer. Massage therapy comes in different forms which affect the body differently. There are also many different types of cancers and patients may be at different stages and receiving different treatments. In some cases and certain types of massage therapy may lead to life threatening results while in other cases with another type of massage therapy the results may be extraordinarily beneficial. Because of such complexity, it is essential to consult with the medical provider who knows the particulars of the case in question before proceeding with a massage therapy of any kind.

The potential risks involved in performing massage therapy on cancer patients do not inevitably discard the entire concept of massage therapy but it does mean that extra caution must be practiced and, perhaps, moderate to extreme alteration of the treatment is in order. And the health risks are the following:

– Fractures of bones. Certain forms of cancer and their treatments weaken bones to the extent that they can easily break under pressure.

– Bleeding. Many cancer patients have the tendency to bleed easily. Deep tissue massage can cause dangerous internal bleeding.

– Spreading of cancerous tumors. There is an ongoing debate about the effects of massage therapy on tumors. Some claim that applying vigorous pressure to the area where the tumor is present will cause it to metastasis (break down and to spread or to increase its rate of growth). Others, however, deny that claim as unsubstantiated and untrue. It is best to play it safe and not massage the tumor region or its surrounding soft tissues.

– Lymphedema (the buildup of lymph in soft tissue which leads to swelling of the limbs). Certain types of massage therapy in patients who have had their lymph nodes removed due to cancer may lead to lymphedema.

– Flu-like symptoms. Patients who are going through chemotherapy can often develop symptoms which look and feel like the flu after having been treated to certain types of massage therapy.

– Pain. Cancer patients frequently suffer a great deal of pain and most massage therapy techniques can result in some temporary pain immediately after the treatment. That may translate to added pain when too much of it is already present and that can be quite literally unbearable.

* Post-surgery. Shortly after surgery, the wound is still in the process of healing visually on the surface of the skin as well as internally. Applying pressure to the site may cause a series of risky health problems such as reopening the incision, trigger internal and/or external bleeding or blood clotting, and so on.

* Skin conditions. Areas where the skin is infected, inflamed or covered with rashes or sores should not be massaged as it can lead to worsening of the condition.

Even when taking into account all the risks which have been mentioned above, massage therapy can still be very beneficial to most people in most situations. Rather than discounting it completely due to specific concerns, I would advise consulting a physician.

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