Blog 13 Alzheimer Disease 3

Alzheimer's disease is a neurological disorder in which the death of brain cells causes memory loss and cognitive decline. A neurodegenerative type of dementia, the disease starts mild and gets progressively worse.

In the US, the most recent census has enabled researchers to give estimates of how many people have Alzheimer's disease. In 2010, some 4.7 million people of 65 years of age and older were living with Alzheimer's disease in the US.

The 2013 statistical report from the Alzheimer's Association gives a proportion of the population affected - just over a tenth of people in the over-65 age group have the disease in the US. In the over-85s, the proportion goes up to about a third.

As our dementia page outlines, there is a handful of different types, but Alzheimer's disease is the problem behind most cases of memory loss and cognitive decline.

Like all types of dementia, Alzheimer's is caused by brain cell death. It is a degenerative disease, which means there is progressive brain cell death that happens over a course of time.

The total brain size shrinks with Alzheimer's - the tissue has progressively fewer nerve cells and connections.

In the Alzheimer's disease process, progressing from the normal brain to increasing dementia changes, the Alzheimer's Association has produced a journey of 16 slides.

Some things are more commonly associated with Alzheimer's disease - not seen so often in people without the disorder. These factors may therefore have some direct connection. Some are preventable or modifiable factors (for example, reducing the risk of diabetes or heart disease may in turn cut the risk of dementia).

For doctors to make an initial diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, they must first be satisfied that there is dementia - guidelines spell out what dementia consists of. It involves cognitive or behavioral symptoms that show a decline from previous levels of "functioning and performing" and interfere with ability "to function at work or at usual activities.

There is no known cure for Alzheimer's disease - the death of brain cells in the dementia cannot be halted or reversed.

There is, however, much backing for therapeutic interventions to help people live with Alzheimer's disease more ably.

Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disease that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, and eventually even the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. In most people with Alzheimer’s, symptoms first appear after age 65. Estimates vary, but experts suggest that as many as 5 million Americans age 65 and older may have Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia among older people. Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning—thinking, remembering, and reasoning—and behavioral abilities, to such an extent that it interferes with a person’s daily life and activities. Dementia ranges in severity from the mildest stage, when it is just beginning to affect a person’s functioning, to the most severe stage, when the person must depend completely on others for basic activities of daily living.Changes in the Brain in Alzheimer’s DiseaseSigns and Symptoms
Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disease that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, and eventually even the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. In most people with Alzheimer’s, symptoms first appear after age 65. Estimates vary, but experts suggest that as many as 5 million Americans age 65 and older may have Alzheimer’s disease.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia among older people. Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning—thinking, remembering, and reasoning—and behavioral abilities, to such an extent that it interferes with a person’s daily life and activities. Dementia ranges in severity from the mildest stage, when it is just beginning to affect a person’s functioning, to the most severe stage, when the person must depend completely on others for basic activities of daily living.

Alzheimer’s disease is named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer. In 1906, Dr. Alzheimer noticed changes in the brain tissue of a woman who had died of an unusual mental illness. Her symptoms included memory loss, language problems, and unpredictable behavior. After she died, he examined her brain and found many abnormal clumps (now called amyloid plaques) and tangled bundles of fibers (now called neurofibrillary tangles). Plaques and tangles in the brain are two of the main features of Alzheimer’s disease. The third is the loss of connections between nerve cells (neurons) in the brain.

Alzheimer’s disease is complex, and it is unlikely that any one intervention will be found to delay, prevent, or cure it. That’s why current approaches in treatment and research focus on several different aspects, including helping people maintain mental function, managing behavioral symptoms, and slowing or delaying the symptoms of disease.

Blog 14 Digestion Excretion Center

The digestive system is a group of organs working together to convert food into energy and basic nutrients to feed the entire body. Food passes through a long tube inside the body known as the alimentary canal or the gastrointestinal tract (GI tract). The alimentary canal is made up of the oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestines, and large intestines. 

Excretion is  the process by which animals rid themselves of waste products and of the nitrogenous by-products of metabolism. Through excretion organisms control osmotic pressure—the balance between inorganic ions and water—and maintain acid-base balance. The process thus promotes homeostasis, the constancy of the organism’s internal environment.

Digestion time varies between individuals and between men and women. After you eat, it takes about six to eight hours for food to pass through your stomach and small intestine. Food then enters your large intestine (colon) for further digestion, absorption of water and, finally, elimination of undigested food.

In the 1980s, Mayo Clinic researchers measured digestion time in 21 healthy people. Total transit time, from eating to elimination in stool, averaged 53 hours (although that figure is a little overstated, because the markers used by the researchers passed more slowly through the stomach than actual food). The average transit time through just the large intestine (colon) was 40 hours, with significant difference between men and women: 33 hours for men, 47 hours for women.

Two British doctors studied digestion time in children. They fed 35 children juice containing a red marker and asked the children's mothers to note when the stool first turned red. The mean time of transit from mouth to anus for the group was 33 hours (meaning half the children had digestion times slower than this and half had digestion times greater than this).

Blog 13 Digestion/Excretion Disease

Digestion is the breaking down of food in the body, into a form that can be absorbed and used or excreted. It is also the process by which the body breaks down food into smaller components that can be absorbed by the blood stream. In order to use the food we eat, our body has to break the food down into smaller molecules that it can process; it also has to excrete waste.

The digestive process begins in the mouth.

Food is partly broken down by the process of chewing and by the chemical action of salivary enzymes (these enzymes are produced by the salivary glands and break down starches into smaller molecules).

The digestive system is made up of the digestive tract, a series of hollow organs joined in a long, twisting tube from the mouth to the anus, and other organs that help the body break down and absorb food.

Organs that make up the digestive tract are the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, also called the colon, rectum, and anus. Inside these hollow organs is a lining called the mucosa. In the mouth, stomach, and small intestine, the mucosa contains tiny glands that produce juices to help digest food. The digestive tract also contains a layer of smooth muscle that helps break down food and move it along the tract.

Two solid digestive organs, the liver and the pancreas, produce digestive juices that reach the intestine through small tubes called ducts. The gallbladder stores the liver’s digestive juices until they are needed in the intestine. Parts of the nervous and circulatory systems also play major roles in the digestive system.

Mechanical and chemical digestion begin in the mouth where food is chewed, and mixed with saliva to break down starches. The stomach continues to break food down mechanically and chemically through the churning of the stomach and mixing with enzymes. Absorption occurs in the stomach and gastrointestinal tract, and the process finishes with excretion.

The stomach is a small,'C'-shaped pouch with walls made of thick, elastic muscles, which stores and helps break down food. Food enters the stomach through the cardiac orifice where it is further broken apart and thoroughly mixed with gastric acid, pepsin and other digestive enzymes to break down proteins.

The enzymes in the stomach also have an optimum, meaning that they work at a specific pH and temperature better than any others. The acid itself does not break down food molecules, rather it provides an optimum pH for the reaction of the enzyme pepsin and kills many microorganisms that are ingested with the food. It can also denature proteins. This is the process of reducing polypeptide bonds and disrupting salt bridges which in turn causes a loss of secondary, tertiary or quaternary protein structure. The parietal cells of the stomach also secrete a glycoprotein called intrinsic factor which enables the absorption of vitamin B-12. Other small molecules such as alcohol are absorbed in the stomach, passing through the membrane of the stomach and entering the circulatory system directly. Food in the stomach is in semi-liquid form, which upon completion is known as chyme.

Blog 12 Diseases 2 Nephrotic Syndrome

Nephrotic syndrome may occur when the filtering units of the kidney are damaged. This damage allows protein normally kept in the plasma to leak into the urine in large amounts, which reduces the amount of protein in your blood. Since the protein in the blood helps keep fluid in the bloodstream, some of this fluid leaks out of the bloodstream into your tissues, causing swelling, called edema. The swelling may be most noticeable in your legs after you have been standing and around your eyes when you first get up in the morning. Eventually, the swelling in your legs may be there all the time, and it may also occur in other parts of your body. You may notice that your urine foams more than usual because of the amount of protein in it.

A urine test can check for the amount of protein, blood and other things to indicate kidney damage. A blood test can indicate how well your kidneys are working. Your doctor will also check for other diseases that may be causing the nephrotic syndrome. Diagnosis may also require a kidney biopsy.

Nephrotic syndrome is not a specific kidney disease. It can occur in any kidney disease that damages the filtering units in a certain way that allows them to leak protein into the urine. Some of the diseases that cause nephrotic syndrome, such as nephritis, affect only the kidney. Other diseases that cause nephrotic syndrome, such as diabetes and lupus, affect other parts of the body as well.

Some of the kidney diseases that cause nephrotic syndrome are treatable with medicine. Some may get better on their own, but others get worse and may lead to kidney failure no matter what treatment is used. Unfortunately, many diseases that cause nephrotic syndrome have no treatment. Only your doctor can find out what specific disease is causing you to have it.

If your nephrotic syndrome is caused by a disease that has no specific treatment, help may still be available. Controlling your blood pressure is important. Reducing salt in your diet can help to control blood pressure and swelling. Your doctor may also prescribe diuretics, which are prescribed for high blood pressure and can also help with swelling. The doctor may also prescribe the use of other blood pressure medicines that can also help reduce the protein in your urine.

Although the syndrome is caused by the loss of protein into your urine, eating a high-protein diet does not help and may actually make matters worse. Nephrotic syndrome may also cause an increase in fat in your blood. If the level of fats in your blood is too high, your doctor may recommend treatments to lower the levels of fat in your blood.

Blog 11 NS Disease 2

Noonan syndrome is a condition that affects many areas of the body. It is characterized by mildly unusual facial characteristics, short stature, heart defects, bleeding problems, skeletal malformations, and many other signs and symptoms.

People with Noonan syndrome have distinctive facial features such as a deep groove in the area between the nose and mouth (philtrum), widely spaced eyes that are usually pale blue or blue-green in color, and low-set ears that are rotated backward. Affected individuals may have a high arch in the roof of the mouth (high-arched palate), poor alignment of the teeth, and a small lower jaw (micrognathia). Many children with Noonan syndrome have a short neck and both children and adults may have excess neck skin (also called webbing) and a low hairline at the back of the neck.

Approximately 50 to 70 percent of individuals with Noonan syndrome have short stature. At birth, they are usually of normal length and weight, but growth slows over time. Abnormal levels of growth hormone may contribute to the slow growth.

Individuals with Noonan syndrome often have either a sunken chest (pectus excavatum) or a protruding chest (pectus carinatum). Some affected people may also have an abnormal side-to-side curvature of the spine (scoliosis).

Most people with Noonan syndrome have a heart defect. The most common heart defect is a narrowing of the valve that controls blood flow from the heart to the lungs (pulmonary valve stenosis). Some affected individuals have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which is a thickening of the heart muscle that forces the heart to work harder to pump blood.

A variety of bleeding disorders have been associated with Noonan syndrome. Some people may have excessive bruising, nosebleeds, or prolonged bleeding following injury or surgery. Women with a bleeding disorder typically have excessive bleeding during menstruation (menorrhagia) or childbirth.

Adolescent males with Noonan syndrome typically experience delayed puberty. Affected individuals go through puberty starting at age 13 or 14 and have a reduced pubertal growth spurt. Most males with Noonan syndrome have undescended testicles (cryptorchidism), which may be related to delayed puberty or to infertility (inability to father a child) later in life. Females with Noonan syndrome typically have normal puberty and fertility.

Noonan syndrome can cause a variety of other signs and symptoms. Most children diagnosed with Noonan syndrome have normal intelligence, but a small percentage has special educational needs, and some have intellectual disability. Some affected individuals have vision or hearing problems. Infants with Noonan syndrome may be born with puffy hands and feet caused by a buildup of fluid (lymphedema), which can go away on its own. Affected infants may also have feeding problems, which typically get better by age 1 or 2. Older individuals can also develop lymphedema, usually in the ankles and lower legs.

Noonan syndrome occurs in approximately 1 in 1,000 to 2,500 people.

This condition is inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern, which means one copy of the altered gene in each cell is sufficient to cause the disorder.

In some cases, an affected person inherits the mutation from one affected parent. Other cases result from new mutations in the gene and occur in people with no history of the disorder in their family.

Blog 10 NS Disease 1

Congenital means present at birth. Congenital heart defects are heart conditions that a baby’s born with. These conditions can affect the heart’s shape or how it works, or both.

Congenital heart defects are the most common types of birth defects. Birth defects are health conditions that a baby’s born with that change the shape or function of one or more parts of the body. They can cause problems in overall health, how the body develops, or in how the body works.

Critical congenital heart disease (also called CCHD) is group of the seven most severe congenital heart defects. They may affect the shape of a baby’s heart, the way it works, or both. Babies with CCHD need treatment within the first few hours, days or months of life. Without treatment, CCHD can be deadly.

Nearly 1 in 100 babies (about 1 percent or 40,000 babies) is born with a heart defect in the United States each year. About 4,800 babies each year are born with CCHD. Many heart defects don’t need treatment or can be fixed easily. But some, like CCHD, can cause serious health problems or death.

If your baby’s health care provider thinks your baby has a congenital heart defect or CCHD, she can refer you to a pediatric cardiologist. This is a doctor who treats babies and children with heart problems.

A congenital heart defect is a problem with the structure of the heart. It is present at birth. Congenital heart defects are the most common type of birth defect. The defects can involve the walls of the heart, the valves of the heart, and the arteries and veins near the heart. They can disrupt the normal flow of blood through the heart. The blood flow can slow down, go in the wrong direction or to the wrong place, or be blocked completely.

Doctors use a physical exam and special heart tests to diagnose congenital heart defects. They often find severe defects during pregnancy or soon after birth. Signs and symptoms of severe defects in newborns include, Rapid breathing, Cyanosis - a bluish tint to the skin, lips, and fingernails, Fatigue, Poor blood circulation.

Many congenital heart defects cause few or no signs and symptoms. They are often not diagnosed until children are older.

Many children with congenital heart defects don't need treatment, but others do. Treatment can include medicines, catheter procedures, surgery, and heart transplants. The treatment depends on the type of the defect, how severe it is, and a child's age, size, and general health.

Blog 9 NS Career 3 Neurosurgeon

A neurosurgeon is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and surgical treatment of disorders of the central and peripheral nervous system including congenital anomalies, trauma, tumors, vascular disorders, infections of the brain or spine, stroke, or degenerative diseases of the spine.

Neurologists treat patients with complex disorders of the nervous system such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Lou Gehrig's disease, epilepsy, headache disorders, infections of the brain and peripheral nervous system. Neurologists often work closely with neurosurgeons, but do not perform surgery.

Neuromedicine describes a practice at Highland Hospital where neurosurgeons, neurologists, and other medical professionals work together to provide comprehensive inpatient care for patients with complex neurological disorders.

After four years of medical school and an internship program, the doctor enters a neurosurgical residency program of five to seven years. While in the program, neurosurgical residents are trained in all aspects of neurosurgery, including cerebrovascular, pediatrics, spine, trauma and tumor. The resident program is long and difficult, due to the extreme complexity of the nervous system and the advanced techniques used in neurosurgical operations. Some neurosurgeons opt to do an additional fellowship in a particular area of study following their residency. Following residency training and several years in practice, the neurological surgeon may take the American Board of Neurological Surgery examination - a thorough assessment of the neurosurgeon's skill, judgment and depth of knowledge. The successful completion of this examination brings a board certification. While the neurological surgeon has a vast knowledge after medical school and residency training, there are continual changes in this specialty that require ongoing study throughout the neurological surgeon's professional career. Monthly scientific journals, annual meetings, specialized symposia and other educational opportunities help the neurosurgeon keep pace with rapid changes and developments in neurosurgery.

Neurosurgeons are more than just brain surgeons. These medical specialists are trained to help patients with head and spine trauma; cerebrovascular disorders, like aneurysms of the brain and clogged arteries in the neck that can lead to strokes; chronic low back pain; birth defects; brain and spinal tumors; and abnormalities of the peripheral nerves.

Blog 8 Career 2 Psychiatrist

Physiatrists focus on a personalized method of treatment to improve their patients' quality of life -- one that involves a comprehensive approach to expand the framework of resources at a patient's disposal. As a result, a patient's recuperation involves every aspect of their lives

Rehabilitation physicians are medical doctors who have completed training in the medical specialty of physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R). Mainly, rehabilitation physicians.

Physiatrists train for four years in medical school, followed by a one-year internship and three years of hospital residency with a specialization in physiatry. The board-certified physiatrists at HSS have also received advanced degrees and fellowships in several areas of musculoskeletal specialization.

Physiatrists direct a comprehensive rehabilitation team of professionals that may include physical therapists, occupational therapists, recreational therapists, rehabilitation nurses, psychologists, social workers, and others.

At HSS, physiatrists also perform several minimally invasive procedures such as IDET, Nucleoplasty, Radiofrequency Ablation, Fluoroscopic injection procedures, and shoulder and knee lavage. They combine these treatments with medically supervised exercise therapies, as well as medication and orthotics, to restore mobility and function - all without the need for surgery. In addition, several of the HSS physiatrists have special areas of specialization, such as limb lengthening and osteoporosis, which enable them to uniquely handle these specialized medical conditions from a comprehensive, multidisciplinary standpoint.

Blog 7 Ns Career 1 Neuroscientist

Neuroscience or Neural Science, is the study of how the nervous system develops, its structure, and what its function. Neuroscientists focus on the brain and its impact on behavior and cognitive functions. Its concerned with the normal functioning of the nervous system, but also what happens to the nervous system when people have neurological, psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Neuroscientists study the development and function of the nervous system, which includes the brain, spinal cord, and nerve cells throughout the body. They could specialize in one part of the nervous system, such as neurotransmitters, or focus their research on specific behaviors, such as psychiatric disorders. Illnesses based in the nervous system include Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

Neuroscientists are publicly funded research projects at universities, research institutes, or government facilities. Others perform applied research for private industry, where they develop new pharmaceutical treatments or other biotechnology products. Some treat patients as licensed neurosurgeons and neurologists.

Neuroscientists typically perform research in offices or laboratories. Some work in clinics and hospitals to evaluate, diagnose, and treat patients.

Neuroscientists begin experiments by preparing tissue and cell samples. They make use of antibodies, dyes, and gene probes to identify different components of the nervous system. Tools and equipment used to monitor brain and nerve activity include magnetic resonance imagers and microelectrodes. Some use computers to create nervous system models, while others study the simplified nervous system of insects to better isolate certain behaviors.

Neuroscientists are expected to complete a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree program, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The BLS further stated that those pursing clinical work must earn a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree. Some schools offer a combined Ph.D./M.D. program, which increases a neuroscientist's career opportunities. In order to treat patients, neuroscientists with an M.D. must also participate in a medical residency and pass the United States Medical Licensing Examination.

Students intent on pursuing a Ph.D. can choose to enroll in a bachelor's degree program in neuroscience or a biological science to prepare for graduate studies and research. Relevant coursework includes computer science, cognitive science, mathematics, and physics. In addition to neuroscience, graduates may choose advanced degree fields specifically in neurobiology or pharmacology. Before securing more permanent research positions, neuroscientists commonly participate in postdoctoral fellowships to gain laboratory experience.

Blog 6 Respiratory Disease

Lung diseases are some of the most common medical conditions in the world. Tens of millions of people suffer from lung disease in the U.S.Smoking, infections, and genetics are responsible for most lung diseases.

The lungs are part of a complex apparatus, expanding and relaxing thousands of times each day to bring in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide. Lung disease can result from problems in any part of this system.

The trachea (windpipe) branches into tubes called bronchi, which in turn branch to become progressively smaller tubes throughout the lungs.

Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are noninfectious, chronic illnesses that can cause coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. Persons with asthma or COPD can suffer exacerbations as a result of infectious respiratory diseases. 

They are also at risk of exacerbations due to increased exposure to environmental asthma triggers and lack of their routine medications. Many of the germs that cause respiratory diseases spread in respiratory droplets caused by coughing and sneezing. These germs usually spread from person to person when they are in close contact with one another, though sometimes people become infected by touching something with respiratory germs on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

Blog 5 Respiratory Career

The respiratory therapist treats people with health care issues affecting the cardiopulmonary system such as asthma, emphysema, pneumonia, cardiovascular disorders, and trauma.

In the hospital setting, the respiratory therapist provides care and life support to patients in the emergency room, intensive care units, general hospital areas, the pulmonary diagnostics laboratory and other specialty areas such as rehabilitation. They use high-tech equipment and the latest medical procedures to help patients and may be employed in non-hospital environments as well.

Patients receiving care from a respiratory therapist range in age from the premature infant to geriatrics. The respiratory professional is also involved in the diagnostic testing of infants, children and adults with underlying medical concerns including disease and sleep disorders.

Respiratory therapists care for patients who have trouble breathing—for example, from a chronic respiratory disease, such as asthma or emphysema. Their patients range from premature infants with undeveloped lungs to elderly patients who have diseased lungs. They also provide emergency care to patients suffering from heart attacks, drowning, or shock.

Respiratory therapists held about 119,300 jobs in 2012. Most respiratory therapists work in hospitals. Others may work in nursing care facilities or travel to patients’ homes.

Respiratory therapists typically need an associate’s degree, but some have bachelor’s degrees. Respiratory therapists are licensed in all states except Alaska; requirements vary by state.

The median annual wage for respiratory therapists was $55,870 in May 2012.

Employment of respiratory therapists is projected to grow 19 percent from 2012 to 2022, faster than the average for all occupations. Growth in the middle-aged and elderly population will lead to an increased incidence of respiratory conditions such as emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and pneumonia. These respiratory disorders can permanently damage the lungs or restrict lung function.

Drinking and Driving Blog

About and estimated of 32% of fatal car crashes involve an intoxicated driver or pedestrian.

Drinking alcohol and driving will definitely lead to fatal consequences.  The human brain has to deal with many things and process countless data all the time.  Alcohol affects attentiveness and the indivuals ability to make swift decisions on the road, react to changes in the environment and execute specific, often difficult maneuvers behind the wheel.  When drinking alcohol, driving becomes dangerous – and potentially fatal.

Even with all public awareness on the media, drinking and drugged driving still remains a large problem that needs to be solved immedietely. Around 13,000 people are killed each year in alcohol-related accidents. Including that statisitc, hundereds of thousands more are injured to the point where they cant even do everyday tasks. Alcohol-related crashes cost American taxpayers over $100 billion to pay with all the physical and mental damage it causes. Over 1.4 million arrests for DWI each year (less than 1% of 159 million self-reported episodes of alcohol-impaired driving) and 780,000 are convicted. With around two-thirds of those sentenced to incarceration are repeat offenders.

Although thousands of lives are saved each year by both designated drivers and those who don't let friends or others drive drunk, many more are needlessly lost. Each such death is a tragedy affecting many others who are left suffering and grieving.  Be a designated driver . . . be a Hero.

Blog 2/Disease Blog

Arthritis is the inflammation of one or more of your joints. Most kinds of arthritis cause pain and swelling in your joints, the space in which two bones meet. There are many types of arthritis. For example, there is osteoarthritis, which is the most common type of arthritis. It usually happens as a result of an injury or old age. Arthritis can be defined clinically, epidemiologically, or in other ways depending on the analyst's perspective. For public health purposes, there are two standard approaches for defining arthritis; doctor diagnosed arthritis and arthritis and other rheumatic conditions. 

Symptoms of arthritis include fatigue, joint pain, joint tenderness, joint swelling, joint redness, joint warmth, and joint stiffness. You will also experience decreased range of motion. Some types of arthritis can be caused by uric acid crystals, infections, or underlying disease, such as psoriasis or lupus.The most common signs and symptoms of arthritis involve the joints. Depending on the type of arthritis you have, your signs and symptoms may include pain, stiffness, swelling, redness, decreased range of motion
If any of these symptoms apply to you, then you might be getting arthritis.

Treatments only work with certain types of arthritis you may have. Arthritis in general, analgesics help reduce pain and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs help control both pain and inflammation. There are also many over the counter counterirritants that help with pain, as well. Physical therapy can be helpful for improve range motion and strengthen the muscles surrounding joints. 

Alternative remedies with little evidence include acupuncture, glucosamine, electrical nerve stimulation, yoga, and massages. These remedies have only been reported to work but is not scientifically proven to help.

Weight loss, exercise, heat and cold application, and assistive devices can improve your lifestyle if you have arthritis.

Blog 1/Athletic Trainer

Athletic trainers are also known as AT's. An athlete trainer has the job to be a health care professionals work who also work with physicians to help serve in the preventative services, emergency care, clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions. Athlete Trainers are have very important jobs. They have to help care for the professional, college, secondary school and youth athletes, dancers, musicians and military personnel. Athletic trainers can work in schools, physician clinics, hospitals, and manufacturing plants.

Many ATs include formal instruction in injury/illness prevention, first aid and emergency care, assessment of injury/illness, human anatomy and physiology, therapeutic modalities, and nutrition. Most ATs have bachelors or masters degrees. Over 70% of certified athletic trainers hold at least a masters degree. You must also pass  the test administered by the Board of Certification. When training, trainers must work under the supervision of a physician. Certified athletic trainers are allied health care providers who specialize in the prevention, assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation of injuries and illnesses that occur to athletes and the physically active. To become a Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC) one must graduate from a bachelors or masters degree program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) via the Joint Review Committee-Athletic Training (JRC-AT). Universities that offer CAATE accredited programs can be found here (click on Accredited Programs). This candidate must then pass the certification examination conducted by the Board of Certification (BOC). For additional information on becoming an certified athletic trainer please view the document Athletic Training Education Overview.

The salary of an athletic trainer is typically from $35,000 to $75,000 a year.

Blog 4/Cardiac/Blood/Respiratory Career(Cardiovascular Technologist)

The cardiovascular technologist performs diagnostic examinations and therapeutic interventions of the heart and/or blood vessels at the request or direction of a physician in one or more of the following:

Invasive cardiology-Cardiac Catheterization  ,Noninvasive cardiology-Echocardiography , Noninvasive peripheral vascular study-Vascular Ultrasound, Cardiac electrophysiology

Through subjective sampling and/or recording, the technologist creates an easily definable foundation of data from which a correct anatomic and physiologic diagnosis may be established for each patient.

The cardiovascular technologist is qualified by specific didactic, laboratory, and clinical technological education to perform various cardiovascular/peripheral vascular diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. The role of the cardiovascular 

technologist may include but is not limited to (1) reviewing and/or recording pertinent patient history and supporting clinical data; (2) performing appropriate clinical procedures and obtaining a record of anatomical, pathological, and/or physiological data for interpretation by a physician; (3) exercising discretion and judgment in the performance of cardiovascular diagnostic and therapeutic services; and (4) participating in interventional cardiovascular catheterization and/or cardiac electrophysiology procedures, including balloon angioplasty, stent insertion, radiofrequency ablation, and pacemaker and/or implantable defibrillator insertion.

Cardiovascular technologists may provide their services to patients in any medical setting under the supervision of a doctor of medicine or osteopathy (MD or DO). The procedures performed by the cardiovascular technologist may be found in, but are not limited to, one of the following general settings: (1) invasive cardiovascular laboratories, including cardiac catheterization, blood gas, and electrophysiology laboratories; (2) noninvasive cardiovascular laboratories, including echocardiography, exercise stress test, and electrocardiography laboratories; and (3) noninvasive peripheral vascular studies laboratories, including Doppler ultrasound, thermography, and plethysmography laboratories.

Length. Programs may be from 1 to 4 years, depending on student qualifications and number of areas of diagnostic evaluation selected: invasive cardiology, noninvasive cardiology, or noninvasive peripheral vascular study.

Prerequisites. High school diploma or equivalent or qualifications in a clinically related allied health profession.

Curriculum. Curricula of accredited programs include didactic instruction, formal laboratory experiences, and patient-based clinical instruction. Suggested areas of instruction in the core curriculum include an introduction to the field of cardiovascular technology, general and/or applied sciences, human anatomy and physiology, basic pharmacology, and basic medical electronics and medical instrumentation. Emphasis, following the core curriculum, is given in the specialty area(s) selected: invasive cardiology, noninvasive cardiology, and noninvasive peripheral vascular study. Both didactic instruction and clinical experiences are provided in these areas.

Operates heart/lung machines and related laboratory apparatus as well as physiological pressure monitoring systems. Prepares written documentation as required by the profession and the department, regarding individualized treatment plans, evaluation results, and progress reports. May require an associate's degree or its equivalent. Also may require completion of a certificate in health technology or scientific instrumentation in electrocardiography. Familiar with standard concepts, practices, and procedures within a particular field. Relies on limited experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. Performs a variety of tasks. Works under general supervision. A certain degree of creativity and latitude is required. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager

Blog 3/Cardiac/Blood/Resp Career (Respiratory Therapist)

The respiratory therapist treats people with health care issues affecting the cardiopulmonary system such as asthma, emphysema, pneumonia, cardiovascular disorders, and trauma.

In the hospital setting, the respiratory therapist provides care and life support to patients in the emergency room, intensive care units, general hospital areas, the pulmonary diagnostics laboratory and other specialty areas such as rehabilitation. They use high-tech equipment and the latest medical procedures to help patients and may be employed in non-hospital environments as well.

Patients receiving care from a respiratory therapist range in age from the premature infant to geriatrics. The respiratory professional is also involved in the diagnostic testing of infants, children and adults with underlying medical concerns including disease and sleep disorders.

The Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) credential is required to acquire state license and practice as a respiratory therapist. This is obtained by passing the National Board for Respiratory Care certification examination. At minimum, an associate's degree from an accredited respiratory care program is required; increasingly, hospitals and other health care providers are seeking professionals with a bachelor's degree in the field.

Upon graduation from a regionally accredited program, graduates are eligible to sit for the two-part advanced practitioner registration examination and achieve the CRT and/or Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential.

Other credentialing specialty examinations, such as neonatal/pediatric specialty and registered pulmonary function technician, are also available.

The annual salary for someone with the job title Registered Respiratory Therapist may vary depending on a number of factors including industry, company size, location, years of experience and level of education. Our team of Certified Compensation Professionals has analyzed survey data collected from thousands of HR departments at companies of all sizes and industries to present this range of annual salaries for people with the job title Registered Respiratory Therapist in the United States.

At a minimum, respiratory therapists need an associate degree, but the field’s elite also have a bachelor’s degree. According to the American Association for Respiratory Care, there are 381 associate programs throughout the country, 57 bachelor’s degree programs and three master’s programs. Anticipate coursework in anatomy, chemistry, microbiology, pharmacology and mathematics. These programs also offer training on performing diagnostic tests and patient assessment.

The next step in training is obtaining a license and certification. There are two certification levels that most RTs seek: Certified Respiratory Therapist (known as CRT), which indicates your mastery of essential knowledge, skills and abilities as an entry-level therapist, and the Registered Respiratory Therapist certification, or RRT. An RRT credential signifies a more advanced level of knowledge. “In today’s market, people are looking for advanced practice clinicians, and therefore, there’s a movement for employers to really push for the RRT credential,” Myers says. “We’ve basically told our grads when coming in the door that they had to achieve their RRT within a year of employment.”

Specialists have other certifications to consider, including the Neonatal/Pediatric Respiratory Care Specialist credential, or the Sleep Disorders Testing and Therapeutic Intervention Respiratory Care Specialist credential.

Practice your people skills and problem-solving abilities so you can better relate to and examine patients, plus consult with doctors and other health care personnel on appropriate treatments. Understanding how to operate medical equipment is an asset, in addition to computer skills, since medical records are increasingly digitized.

Having a head for evidence-based medicine will also help you go far. “Evidence-based medicine is about taking the science out of research and continuous quality improvement initiatives, and then transferring it into best clinical practice,” Myers says. “There’s a big focus in the U.S. on quality and safety and preventing infections that are hospital-acquired. We’re looking for people to take best practice and take science and convert that into best-practice standards.”