An Introduction to Soft Laser Therapy

Soft laser therapy has received a lot of media attention in recent years as a way of controlling and eradicating a range of conditions and ailments. It is suggested that these devices can help to reduce addictions, combat hair loss, help in controlling migraine and rheumatic pain, and address other medical problems. If you are considering investing in this type of device, or attending a clinic were one is used, it is important to learn a little more about what is involved before you do so.

Also known as cold laser therapy, the concept that underpins this type of treatment is quite straightforward. In some ways it is a natural evolution from the practices of acupuncture, reflexology, and photo-therapy. A low level light is directed towards certain points of the body where the pain is being felt. This light is non thermal and non-invasive, very little discomfort is felt apart from a slight tingling sensation at the point of contact.

During a treatment, the type of wavelength of light which is used is from the red part of the light spectrum, otherwise known as the cold part. During the application process, the cells of the area at which the light is directed are exposed to photon energy, this enhances their metabolism and stimulates the develop of new tissue, improves blood circulation, and boosts the immune and nervous systems.

If you have never had this type of treatment previously, it would be advisable to start by attending a clinic that specializes in this approach as opposed to investing in a device yourself. This should allow you to understand how to correctly use the laser, and find out whether or not it does help to lessen the symptoms of the problems that you are suffering from.

When choosing a clinic to attend, it is important to find an establishment which specializes in this type of treatment. The physician who would be in charge of the healing program should have many years experience of using light therapy. Be wary of using a naturopath or other alternative health care giver who is not known for the provision of this kind of therapy.

To help you choose the right clinic, you should check out reviews of local establishments online. Try and find out which doctors have already been successful in treating patients with soft laser, paying attention to the testimonials given by their previous clients.

Once you are sure that this type of therapy does work for your condition, you can consider investing in a device to use in your own home. Your physician should be able to recommend a particular make and model, as well as provide you with information on how it should be used.

With soft laser therapy you can treat your body in a way that is both safe and natural. If you shy away from prescription drugs and over the counter medicines, this is a treatment option that may be right up your alley. What's more, once you have bought the device, your friends and family can also use it when they are suffering from pain or other medical problems.

Facts About Direct Primary Care and Concierge Medicine

Debates about healthcare have been turning up in news stories for years. There is no debate that people need access to good medical care and that those who see doctors regularly and receive preventative care are healthier. The debating begins when people begin discussing what the best way to deliver that care is and how it should be paid for. There are as many ideas for solutions as there are doctors and keeping track of the options is sometimes hard to do. Most people in the United States currently receive care under a system called primary care. You are probably familiar with how this works. You go to your doctor, present an insurance card, receive care, and you doctor bills the insurance company. There are several flaws in this current system, but that is not the goal of this article. In response to this somewhat failing system of health care a few new care delivery concepts have been gaining popularity. Direct Primary Care and Concierge Medicine are two new ideas that are being adopted by doctor’s offices across the United States.

The philosophy of these two alternative solutions is similar. Both include a payment structure that holds the patients responsible for the cost of their care and both allow the doctors office to circumvent the extensive costs incurred by insurance coding staffing requirements. The decreased overhead costs at doctors’ offices who are trying these new business models have enabled them to deliver more personal care. Also, the lower the cost of doing business, lower the doctor needs to charge for a service. These basic principles are what make these two plans related, along with the fact that they both charge patients a fee up front for service.

Where the plans differ is what the fee charged covers. Under concierge medicine, the fee patients are paying only covers their ability to gain flexible access to their healthcare provider. The fee helps doctors cover the cost of running the office and allows them to keep their patient load down. This in turn provides patients the ability to schedule last minute appointments and take more time talking to their doctor about their problems. While some concierge medicine offices do not take insurance in order to cut costs further, others do. This is where concierge and direct primary care offices differ.

A direct primary care office’s principle is founded in the idea that cutting out the middle man, the health insurance companies, enables them to deliver more affordable care. The fee that patients pay to a direct primary care physician’s office covers the costs of basic care for the year. Eliminating the extra office employees that are needed to process insurance paperwork is how these offices are able to provide more personal attention to their patients. Fees paid by the patients cover their care. If you look at how much doctors spend on processing insurance it turns out that for every dollar paid to the office around forty cents goes to pay for insurance processing costs. That is nearly half of the money the office takes in.

Considering Breast Implant Surgery at Different Ages

Breast implant surgery can help some women attain the physique and silhouette they desire. The majority of breast implant candidates fall between the ages of 18 and 50, although enlargement procedures are sometimes completed on patients both younger and older than these ages. Women of varying ages typically choose to undergo breast augmentation for many different reasons. For example, some women may want to increase their breast volume simply because they desire fuller breasts, while others seek an enlargement procedure because pregnancy and breastfeeding have lead to reduced breast volume and sagging. It’s important to consider these reasons and other factors when deciding to undergo breast augmentation at a certain age.

Ages 18 to 20

A woman is usually first considered a candidate for breast implants starting at age 18. A plastic surgeon will want to ensure that younger patients have breasts that are fully developed, particularly since achieving the most natural-looking breast size with implants may be more difficult otherwise. Additionally, sagging and stretch marks may occur in breasts that complete development after the augmentation procedure.

Ages 21 to 35

Similar to patients aged 18 to 20, women in the lower spectrum of this age range should also ensure that their breasts are fully developed before undergoing breast implant surgery. The most significant consideration, however, is whether patients in this age range are planning on having children and breastfeeding.

Pregnancy causes breast tissue to expand and triggers milk production, which affect breast size and shape. However, once breastfeeding ceases, the breast tissues contract, which often results in reduced breast volume and skin laxity. While many women decide to undergo breast augmentation prior to pregnancy, these types of breast changes can still occur and may adversely affect the original results.

For this reason, women may enjoy a longer-lasting, aesthetically pleasing outcome when they choose to have breast implant surgery after they’ve finished having children and breastfeeding.

Ages 36 to 50

In some ways, this age group often contains the best candidates for breast augmentation because patients are more mature, their breasts are completely developed, and are more likely to be finished childbearing and breastfeeding. However, a large percentage of women in this age range gain weight. While weight gain may not necessarily exclude a woman seeking breast augmentation, it is important that patients are at least within 10 percent of their normal or goal weight before surgery and attempt to maintain a healthy weight post-surgery, otherwise results could be affected.

Another factor that patients aged 36-50 must consider is the affect that aging may have on their bodies. Over time, breast fullness, firmness, and skin elasticity decreases, particularly as a result of pregnancy, breastfeeding, and weight loss or gain. In these cases, a combination breast augmentation and breast lift – involving the removal of excess skin and the repositioning of breasts higher on the chest wall – may help a patient achieve the most aesthetically pleasing results.

Women beyond the age of 50 can certainly undergo breast augmentation, but it is important that patients are in excellent health. Additionally, these patients should have a strong grasp on the possible risks associated with breast augmentation, because risks can increase as the age of a patient increases.

Talk to a Plastic Surgeon

Consulting a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery is the most important thing a woman of any age should do when considering breast implant surgery. A skilled and experienced surgeon will be able to outline all of the risks a patient may face based on her age and overall health, as well as determine what implant size and placement will offer the best overall results for her body type.

Physican and Patient Benefits of Long Term Care Insurance

The Internal Revenue Service has approved a tax incentive with substantial implications for long-term care insurance. The new proceedings identified in this new code are rather intricate, but in short identify three key assumptions for policyholders and physicians alike. The first is that the incentive allows for premiums to be paid with money that is yet to be taxed. Second, the return of said premiums can be assigned to a given estate tax-free. Third, long-term care benefits do not need to be extended to all persons under management. This tax incentive is directly correlated with the increasing cost of health care and the heightened expenses connection to long-term care.

Studies show that the annual cost of long-term care averages $70,000 with an expected growth rate of 5% per year. This number would be largely erroneous if long-term care wasn’t as in demand as it is today, however that is not the world we live in. In reality, 70% of our nation’s senior citizens over the age of 65 will need some sort of long-term care. The following overview responds to this trend by identifying a unique illustration of long-term care from both a physician and a patient’s perspective.

Part 1, Physicians Perspective:

Physicians and other professions in the medical field are by no means a stranger to the afflictions of long-term care insurance. The risk of unfavorable outcomes and the costs associated with long-term care are extraneous variables that are difficult to identify and control. This assertion, however, does not mean that a physician has to be adept to the intricacies of long-term care to protect his/her patients. A longstanding LTC carrier can take care of that for you.

Still, medical professionals often question whether or not long-term care is right for both the sake of their practice and their own financial health. Yes, risk is a factor, but so is weighing the pros and cons. Take into consideration how patients will react to the idea of investing in long-term care coverage. Some may be skeptical at the idea, but if they know they can rely on it, their trust and loyalty in you as a doctor will be reaffirmed. It’s also important to consider how recent advancements in health care have affected the supply and demand for medical attention. People are living longer and the need for long-term care is by no means slowing down.

Now think about your own financial health. During the working years, nearly all medical professionals employ disability insurance to protect their income. But when that income stops paying off and you leave the professional practice, you still need to protect what you’ve earned. Long-term care is a means of safeguarding the assets you’ve accumulated so they can be enjoyed and passed on.

Part 2, Patients Perspective

In the grand scheme of things, long-term care insurance isn’t just selling coverage for elderly needs, its selling peace of mind. This peace of mind is a byproduct of increased quality of life for the policy holder and their loved ones. Furthermore, long-term care may be utilized during retirement, but is best obtained prior to then.

Of the most common long-term care misconceptions is that LTC is the same as nursing home insurance. While it is true that nursing homes are a policy option, the site at which the person in need receives care is entirely up to their own choosing.

Acquiring long-term care before the age of 50 is by no means uncommon, as half of the four million long-term care policy holders in the US are under the age of 65. Additionally, these policies are unique in that partners and members of the immediate family can share a single policy. As for costs, the younger you acquire long-term care, the less you’ll pay in premiums. This is because a younger policy holder is more likely to be healthier. Lastly, long-term care immediately protects your present and future assets.

Conclusion

With increased demand comes increased supply. Many insurance providers have responded to the needs of the elderly since the long-term care boom circa twenty years ago. Each of these agencies differs vastly in terms of experience and quality. Therefore, physicians direct patients in need of long-term care to the agencies with solid reputations built up over years of experience. Long-term Care Financial Partners, or LTCFP for short, is one of the most highly renowned agencies that physicians refer their patients to. Holding branches in most major cities, LTCFP is highly accessible. In addition, there numerous product offerings draw the attention of medical professionals and patients across the country. For example, all potential candidates receive a free evaluation session for those interested in adding long-term care to their list of employee benefits. Knowledge and professional advice is the best way to capitalize on a long-term care insurance plan. As the world evolves, the needs of people change; long-term care markets itself to respond to the needs of the elderly and is a win-win situation for physicians and patients alike.

Making The Choice For Dental Implants

When it comes time to replace teeth, dental implants is a real option. A nice smile is what most people notice first. It is part of a first impression and no matter what age a person is they usually want to make a good first impression. This is difficult to do when teeth are missing. Some may limit their smile or choose not to smile at all.

Teeth can be lost in any number of ways. More than half of all people lose their teeth to gum disease. The cause of the disease may be lack of oral care, smoking or another medical condition may be the cause. Stress and hormonal changes may also be the culprit. Most people associate it with age but it can happen at any age.

Traditional dentures are the typical choice to replace teeth that have been lost. These work well when more than one tooth is missing. They can be used as a partial or full replacement. It is usually better to hold onto as many natural teeth as possible. These are made of a plastic or porcelain material depending on the clients need. They include a piece that covers the gum area and a small part of the roof and base of the mouth.

Adhesive is used to attach them to the gums and keep them in place. There are some issues that come up with their use. They do not always stay put and can make a clicking sound when the user is speaking. Various foods may also be off limits. Of course, anything that is hard, tough or sticky is discouraged.

A bridge can be used instead for partial replacements. These are quite invasive since they require grinding down the surrounding teeth to accept the bridge. The tooth itself will be surrounded by metal at the base and so will the closest teeth. These also require good maintenance since food trapped underneath can cause decay. The ones that are ground down may be weakened and lead to issues at a later period.

The choice for an implant is the most time consuming. The dentist will have to examine the patient to see if they are a good candidate for the procedure. They will need strong, healthy bone to accommodate it. This involves surgery and attaching a titanium screw to the jawbone. This screw is the base for the new tooth.

Some risks may be involved. This is because it is dental surgery. There can be nerve damage or infection. These will be reviewed with the dentist prior to beginning. Everything is done in stages and healing must take place between each stage. It may take from three to nine months to complete the process.

Dental implants are a way to achieve almost permanent replacement of teeth. The result is teeth that may last up to ten years. They do not have to be removed each night to clean. Just brush and floss as with natural teeth. There are no limitations on the types of food that can be eaten.