Tag: Treatment Options

Inherit Bad Cholesterol-Dont Always Blame Your Parents

While it is possible to inherit bad cholesterol, a condition that is called familial hypercholesterolemia, it can also be caused by many lifestyle factors which you have more control over.

So, whether you inherit bad cholesterol or you have it from certain lifestyle choices you’ve made… or both, you have several options open to you to get your cholesterol levels back down to safer levels.

Your first stop needs to be your doctors office. Your doctor can not only do a blood test to let you know if your cholesterol levels are where they should be, he can also help guide you through the choices of treatment options if your levels aren’t where they should be.

Cholesterol can be both “good” and “bad”. Ideally, you want normal levels of both but many people have too little of the good (HDL) and too much of the bad (LDL).

If you are worried about taking too many medications you don’t need to, you may have other options when it comes to lowering your bad and raising your good cholesterol.

Here are the things you need to keep an eye on:

1. Eat better. Don’t eat a lot of foods that are high in saturated fats and cholesterol. Instead, start eating more foods that are low in fat and high in fiber like fruits and vegetables.

2. Get more exercise. It’s as simple going for a walk everyday. Eventually, as you get stronger and in better shape, you can add other forms of exercise to your routine.

You don’t ever have to start training for marathons, and you may even start to find that you actually like to workout. It may sound crazy now, but it is true.

Once you start seeing the results and start getting stronger you may find that you like it and can’t wait to workout.

3. Combine these things and you can accomplish another thing that can help you keep your cholesterol levels in check: get to the proper weight.

It’s no big secret that eating better and getting more exercise can really help you shed the pounds.

And, when you are at the proper weight, continuing with these good habits will help you maintain that healthy weight.

You do have other options than just taking medication to control your cholesterol. If, after talking to your doctor, you both decide that medication is your best course of action than that is what you must do.

But, if you can, you may want to try one or more of these other options to get and keep your cholesterol at the proper level.

You can use these things on their own or combine them with a medication. Since many medicines can have some possibly serious side effects, you may want to try to get the results you want without having to rely on prescription medications.

Even if you inherit bad cholesterol you can still live a healthy life and get and keep your cholesterol under control. Just be willing to talk to your doctor and work with him to get the best combination of medications and diet and exercise to get your ideal cholesterol level.

Acne Scar Reduction-Prevention Best Treatment

Yuck! Nobody likes to suffer through an outbreak of acne, but even that can go from bad to worse if scars develop. Not only do you have to live with the acne, but you could be stuck with the aftermath for years to come, especially if you have severe outbreaks. However, there is good news because there are a lot of options for acne scar reduction.

The following is somewhat simplified, but it’s enough to give you the information you need to start treating your acne scars. When you have a bad outbreak of acne and sores develop, and that can lead to an infection which causes collagen and elastin to decrease. If that happens, then the skin cells themselves become damaged. The body then sends out its natural defenses and tries to repair the skin near the damaged area with connective tissue, and it’s this tissue that causes scarring.

Prevention of scarring is by far the best thing you can do. That may sound obvious, but all too many people overlook it. A good first step is to start treating your acne as soon as possible. Though it is often easier said than, you should never pick at the sores from your acne. Of course, if you start treating right away, there will be fewer sores to pick at.

You can always try using medicated treatments for acne scar reduction. Again, do what you can to prevent and treat outbreaks first. Over-the-counter medications may work just fine, but if not, you can always talk to your doctor or a dermatologist about prescribing something for your outbreaks.

You may not be able to do much in the way of prevention if you already have some scarring, but there are things you can do to minimize or eliminate the appearance of existing scars.

The first thing you need to do is talk to your doctor or dermatologist about your treatment options. They will be able to give you advice based on your personal medical history. Even if you want to try some home remedies for acne scar reduction, you should still talk to a medical professional about your concerns.

Laser treatments are becoming more and more popular as people see how well they work. The laser has to be used by a qualified dermatologist, so it will require an office visit. In simple terms, the laser burns of some of the skin in a controlled manner, then the scars are minimized when the new, healthy skin grows back.

Dermabrasion is where the top part of the skin is abraded or scraped off. A machine or buffer is used to make this happen. The idea here is that it will reveal the healthier skin underneath, but it also encourages new skin cell growth which adds to its effectiveness.

There are also different medicated lotions, creams and supplements that can help with acne scar reduction. Remember, you don’t have to live with yucky looking scars, so take advantage of any of these options right away.

Chiropractic Care: Your Second Visit

You made the first step of seeking long-lasting pain relief from a chiropractor. You made an appointment and went. So, what comes next? Most chiropractors encourage a second appointment. If yours makes the suggestion, what can you expect?

The review of findings. Typically, your first chiropractic appointment will be used to gather your medical history and diagnosis the problem. This may have involved an MRI or x-ray. Some chiropractors can diagnose a problem immediately, but others may review your tests and physical exam in between your first and second appointment. At your second appointment, they will review the findings with you. For example, if you suffer from ongoing headaches, the problem may be poor posture, stress, or muscle contractions that resulted in spinal distortion.

Treatment plan outline. After reviewing their findings with you, your chiropractor will discuss treatment options. Together, you will decide on a short or long-term course of treatment. For example, headaches caused by daily stress may require regular therapeutic massages. Headaches caused by muscle contractions and spinal distortion may require a neck adjustment.

Questions. After hearing the report of findings and hearing your chiropractors preferred choice of treatment, you will likely have many questions. This is the time to ask. In fact, your chiropractor should ask you if you questions. What should you ask? Anything. If you are worried about pain, ask if you will feel it. Are you curious if you need one treatment or continued care? If so, ask. Your chiropractor should explain your treatment option, such as an adjustment, realignment, or therapeutic massage. If you didnt get a detailed explanation, ask for more information.

Treatment may start. As previously stated, some chiropractors can diagnose and start treatment in the first appointment. This all depends on the length of your appointment, your doctors preferences, and the severity of the problem. If treatment did not already start, it will now. For example, if your doctor recommends neck adjustment to treat ongoing headaches, they will properly position you and use precision force of the hands to force the joints back into place. When properly done, this should reduce or eliminate pain.

Expectations. After treatment, your chiropractor will highlight expectations. Even if ongoing care is not needed, you still need to take care of your body. You cannot help a car accident or arthritis, but you can stop pain due to poor posture and stress. If ongoing care is not required, your chiropractor will still stress the importance of returning if the pain does. You will be shown natural ways to avoid pain. For example, if poor posture caused your back pain, your chiropractor should show you the proper way to sit. Listen and take their advice.

Financial issues. Some chiropractors prefer to discuss financial issues at the first appointment, but others wait. If onetime treatment is enough, financial issues may not be a problem. They can be with continued care. For example, those with rheumatoid arthritis can benefit from regular therapeutic massages and may need yearly adjustments. Those without insurance can have difficulty making payments. Some chiropractors will agree to affordable monthly payments.

End of session. At the end of your session, your chiropractor should once again ask you if you have any questions or concerns. If you do, now is the time to ask. If continued care is required, you will need to schedule a third appointment. Do this before leaving the office. If continued care is not required, still take the business card handed to you. Chiropractic care fixes the problem at the source, so pain should subside, but there are no guarantees it will not return.

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Chiropractic Care: What to Expect

Do you suffer from constant pain and discomfort? For most, this is due to an injury. For others, there is no explanation. Pain can easily be treated with over-the-counter pain relievers, but relief is short lived. Since pain relievers do have risks, especially with prolonged use, it is important to seek proper medical care. One of your options is chiropractic care.

If you werent already aware, chiropractic care is a form of medicine. Some classify it as alternative medicine, as the treatment options are very different. Most notice a difference between the care provided by a chiropractor and a primary care physician. Chiropractors believe in manual therapy. This is therapy with the use of the hands. Common methods of solving pain problems include therapeutic massages and manipulation. For example, neck pain may be treated with a neck realignment.

If you like the sound of chiropractic care, the first step is to schedule an appointment. Chiropractors can be found online with a standard internet search or an online business directory. Most are also listed in the yellow pages of local phone books, under the heading of physicians or chiropractic care. If you have a number of local options, look for the best care with the most affordable price. Some insurance providers do cover chiropractic care. If covered by insurance, speak to a representative to see if your care qualifies for coverage and to familiarize yourself with in-network providers.

Not long after making your appointment, you will arrive for it. The wait can be as short as two days, but as long as two months. The more chiropractors you have in your area, the shorter the wait should be. As for your first visit, it will be similar to a consultation appointment. Your chiropractor will take your medical history. They may take your blood pressure, measure your height and weight. Your source of pain will be examined, like your neck, hands, knees, or feet.

Some chiropractors can diagnose a problem by simply looking at or feeling your source of pain. However, additional tests may be needed. These may include an MRI or x-ray. Some chiropractors will begin treatment immediately, but you may need to return for an additional appointment. It will depend on the length of your appointment, the type of care needed, and how soon a course of treatment was decided on.

As for the second appointment, this depends. As previously stated, treatment may have started right away. If not, it will start here at the second appointment. Once again, treatment depends on the diagnosis made. If your chiropractor wants to treat your neck pain with realignment, they will start the manipulation. If ongoing therapeutic massages were recommended, your treatment will start.

After the initial treatment has been performed, it is important to communicate with your chiropractor. For example, if regular therapeutic massages are needed, you automatically know that continued care is needed. On the other hand, if your neck was realigned, you may mistakenly believe you are done. Despite the common misconception, chiropractic care does not always translate into continued care, but there are benefits. After a neck realignment, therapy may be needed. Patients regain mobility they never had before; it takes time and practice to readjust to it.

In addition to wondering about chiropractic care visits, many patients are also curious about payment. Not all insurance providers cover chiropractic care. And, not all chiropractors choose to work with insurance providers. If you are uninsured and paying out-of-pocket, this will not be a concern for you. Instead, examine your available payment options. They do vary. Some care centers accept credit cards, debit cards, and checks, while others only take cash.

Returning back to insurance coverage, do not make any assumptions. Always speak to an insurance provider first. If chiropractic care is covered, determine by how much. Do you need to pay for a percentage of treatment costs or just a co-pay? Can you seek care from any chiropractor or must you work with an in-network provider? These are all questions you need answers to before scheduling an appointment.

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