Tag: physician

Bextra and Vioxx — Tips for Arthritis Relief Without Them

Bextra and Vioxx — Tips for Arthritis Relief Without Them
Charles Essmeier

The recent withdrawal of Vioxx and Bextra from the marketplace, due to concerns over unwanted side effects, has many arthritis sufferers concerned. These drugs, which belong to a powerful class of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs known as COX-2 inhibitors, are quite effective at fighting the pain and inflammation of arthritis. Unfortunately, they have been linked to increased risk of strokes and heart attacks. Their manufacturers have voluntarily withdrawn them from the market. There are still alternative medications available, such as Celebrex, and traditional medications, such as aspirin or ibuprofen. Aspirin and ibuprofen may not be suitable for everyone, as they can cause stomach discomfort in some people. While a good anti-inflammatory can certainly provide more comfort for arthritis pain, there are some non-medicinal steps that patients can take that may provide some relief from their pain.

  • Get plenty of rest. Your body works best when its well-rested, and its a well-known fact that most Americans fail to get the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep each night.
  • Exercise. Joints and muscles work best when theyre well toned, and that is true for arthritis sufferers as well as the public at large. Not all exercises will be appropriate, however. A patient with arthritic knees will probably not benefit from playing basketball or tennis. Low impact exercise like walking or water aerobics may help, however. Patients with arthritis are advised to discuss exercise options with their physician.
  • Watch your weight. Arthritic joints work best when they arent overly burdened. If you are overweight, you are making a bad situation worse by forcing your joints to work harder than they otherwise might. A loss of just a few pounds could make a huge difference, especially if you suffer from arthritic knees.

    • These tips are certainly not intended to be a substitute for medication, but with a chronic condition like arthritis, every little bit that you can do to ease the stress on your aching joints can provide a bit more relief. About the Author
    Copyright 2005 by Retro Marketing. Charles Essmeier is the owner of Retro Marketing, a firm devoted to informational Websites, including Bextra-Info.net, a site devoted to the withdrawn drug Bextra and StructuredSettlementHelp.com, a site devoted to structured settlements.

    Home Remedies to Whiten Teeth

    Do you have the luxury of time yet short on money to have a smile makeover? If so, a do-it-yourself teeth whitening remedy is an appropriate choice.

    Notice that the word appropriate is used here instead of best choice. Of course we should realize that both professional whitening systems and home remedy teeth whitening system are typically used to achieve the healthy smile result. It is only the patients lifestyle that makes sense which fits as the appropriate solution.

    The following provides an appraisal on teeth whitening system that you can do at the comforts of their time and place. Amount of money to be spent on home remedies are also considered.

    NOTE: You should always consult your dentist or even a physician before trying out any of the following home-made teeth whitening remedy.

    Can I make my own whitening solution inexpensively?

    Believe it or not, you can save your precious money on costly teeth bleaching items! By allotting the necessary time for doing the suggested tips, you can rest assured that you can have a white and bright set of teeth for free. You can have bright set of teeth with stuff that are normally in your kitchen or medicine chest.

    Do I have these things in my house?

    Of course, all you need to look for are plain household itemsbaking soda, hydrogen peroxide, cups, bowls, and spoons.

    What are the steps to create my own whitening paste?

    To make a paste, mix two or three teaspoons of hydrogen peroxide and two teaspoons of baking soda together. Place the mixture in a small bowl. The thickness of the paste should be consistent as the typical thickness of toothpaste. For extra taste, a bit of flavorful mint or just a little scoop of toothpaste can be combined with the home-made paste.

    Now, how is this home-made mixture used?

    Use a toothbrush and leave the mixture on your teeth for at a couple of minutes. You should avoid swallowing the paste. If this happens, just drink lots of water.

    What do I do after brushing the paste on my teeth?

    You need to brush again using usual toothpaste to rid off the bitter taste of the hydrogen peroxide. Smokers, coffee drinkers and even grandparents may use this remedy to minimize the heavy stain on their teeth.

    When I have a sensitive oral condition, could I use this paste?

    If in case, you have gingivitis, cavities, open sores, or other gum problems, the paste may make your gums look pale for a short time. Remember that you should contact a doctor or even a physician before trying out this remedy.

    How frequent can I apply the paste on my teeth?

    At least once a week. You should avoid brushing your teeth with this paste more than that.

    To summarize, here are some characteristics of do-it-yourself home-made teeth whitening systems:

    The patient must be capable of performing and following the abovementioned instructions.
    The person must allocate time to perform the do-it-yourself whitening remedies.
    Inclination should stay as it can take more than a week before expected results are achieved.
    Home-made remedies relatively cost less than professional teeth whitening solutions.

    Hope this article puts a brighter smile upon your face!

    Deciding Which Doctor to See

    If you have more than one doctor, which many people do especially athletes then it is often confusing exactly which doctor you should see. However, if you follow some simple guidelines you should find the decision much easier. Remember, seeing a doctor is a good idea in the event of an injury, however emergencies are usually best treated in an emergency room with follow up through your normal doctor.

    You should first consider why you want to go to the doctor. If you have a need rather than just simply a check up then consider exactly what is needed. If you need a simple work up or even a flu shot then seeing a standard family practitioner is usually much easier and faster. However, if you have a sports related injury then it is best to see a sports medicine doctor.

    As part of your sports medicine team, you are likely to have numerous doctors all working together with a physical therapist, primary doctor and various other professionals including often a surgeon. Your first stop whenever seeing a sports medicine doctor should always be to your primary physician. After visiting with them, they can determine based off your needs exactly whom you should be referred to see next. This also often has the benefit of allowing some treatment options to get started in the meantime, rather than being forced to wait until the specialist can see you.

    However, it is important to note that if you only see a sports medicine doctor and do not have a standard internal medicine or family physician that you should always see your sports medicine doctor unless they recommend you see someone else. With sports medicine doctors covering a large gamut of specialties it is possible to only use sports medicine doctors if preferred.

    If you are running a fever, or else have a rash that has appeared, the best doctor to often see is your primary care physician. If however, you have been experiencing leg pain then it is best to see the sports medicine doctor. Anytime you have a problem or injury that has resulted because of sports, or can impact sports it is best to see a sports medicine doctor.

    In the event that you have a pressing issue that needs immediate treatment, often the decision over which doctor to see becomes blurred. This is because many times doctors have very long waits before being able to secure an appointment. If you discover that this is your problem, you best bet is to check with both doctors and see who can fit you in sooner. If neither doctor is able to see you fast enough, you may be best to see the emergency room in your area and schedule a follow up visit. While not everyone is pleased with seeing an emergency room rather than their normal doctor it is a necessary action at times where there are serious complications or in the event of an emergency.

    While emergencies may mandate the usage of the emergency room, appointments that are not emergencies should be scheduled with the appropriate doctor to ensure that you receive the best care possible. For example, if you are using a sports medicine doctor and also an internal medicine doctor you should schedule your normal yearly check ups with your internal medicine doctor, as well as your yearly flu shot. However, if you are looking into creating a new exercise program or even starting a new sport then a visit to your sports medicine doctor is most appropriate.

    As the number of sports medicine doctors offering varying specialties continues to increase the decision over which doctor to choose for visits is likely to become even more confusing, however you are not alone and by carefully considering the purpose of the visit, you should be able to easily determine which doctor is the best choice for your individual needs.

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    The American Academy of Medical Acupuncture

    It is surprising to many people that a large and growing number of traditional physicians support the use of and practice of acupuncture techniques. The American Academy of Medical Acupuncture was organized by physicians who want to further the use of acupuncture in regular medical treatment. The Academy was founded nearly twenty years ago by a group of physicians trained in acupuncture, which graduated from courses sponsored by the UCLA School of Medicine.It used to be that acupuncture practitioners had vast knowledge of the traditional acupuncture techniques and philosophy, but little or no training in traditional western medicine. At the other end of the medical spectrum were physicians, who knew nothing about traditional Chinese medicine, and looked with some doubt on the claims of acupuncture treatment. However, a number of studies and experiments showed that acupuncture gave consistently good results in a number of areas, and so physicians started referring their patients for particular problems, such as persistent pain. After some time traditional physicians starting learning and using acupuncture techniques as part of their own methods of treatment. In addition to the techniques, they learned the long history behind the current acupuncture techniques.

    The Academy (known as AAMA) is important to both physicians and patients, for members of the AAMA meet the highest standards for both traditional medicine and certified acupuncture practitioners. Most patients implicitly trust physicians, both for their extensive training and for their high standards of practice. They extend both of these to the practice of acupuncture within their offices.

    One of the goals of the AAMA is to spread knowledge and appreciation of acupuncture to other physicians and health professionals that presently know little about its use. Most physicians in hospitals have heard of the possible use of acupuncture instead of anesthesia, but it is also becoming more accepted in other areas, such as minimizing pain and nausea for the patient once the operation is over and the patient is in the recovery room. Acupuncture also has some interesting uses possible in emergency room treatments.

    The AAMA is also very dedicated to pursuing research and studies into new applications for acupuncture in both the hospital and physician office settings. It is especially interested in researchers to look into the fundamentals of why certain acupuncture techniques are as successful as they are. In other words, many doctors want a traditional medical explanation of the process that the acupuncture treatment starts. It seems that a simple insertion of a number of needles is a mystifying way to accomplish the results, and there is a good deal of research into how to exactly explain the mechanisms that occur. Doctors who do research into these areas may publish their results in a magazine called
    Medical Acupuncture, the official journal of the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture. These magazine presents authoritative papers, case reports, and research findings that integrate concepts from traditional and modern forms of acupuncture with Western medical training. This publication covers the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture in pain relief, cancer, stroke, pulmonology, urology, OB/GYN, gastroenterology, and much more.

    The existence of a large and growing numbers of qualified physicians that are also trained acupuncturists guarantees that the benefits of each discipline will continue to make current American health practice better for the patients.