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If you are being treated for high blood pressure, or if your pressure is borderline and your doctor is just “watching it”, measure it yourself from time to time, away from the doctor’s office. Doing so is useful because some people suffer from white coat syndrome, in which they become anxious in the doctor’s office and their blood pressure rises. As a result, the doctor doesn’t get an accurate reading and can’t know how well the condition is being treated. Also, it’s useful to know your pressure in various situations, and how effectively your medication is working throughout the day.

The best way to monitor your pressure, in my opinion, is with a home blood pressure cuff. Most of these devices are inexpensive (under $100), automatic, and easy to use. To make sure the unit is accurate, take it with you to the doctor’s office and check it against the one there. Depending on the medical book you read, you’ll find a “normal blood pressure” to be beteen 120/70 to 130/80. Each person has their own “normal”, therefore these numbers are considered ideal or desirable. 

Many drugstores and supermarkets now have blood pressure machines, providing a convenient, inexpensive, and easy way to measure your blood pressure. You simply slip your arm into a cuff and push a button. But are such machines acurate? Do the stores maintain their units, or do they set them up and forget about them? Frankly, I have always been a little leary of advising my patients to check their pressure this way, especially in a supermarket. Therefore, I recommend buying yourself a home unit so you can measure your pressure at home before and after taking medication, eating, or watching an exciting event on T.V. (all away from that terrifying white coat). In addition to these scenerios, whether you are sitting or standing will affect the readings. However, if you don’t have a personal home unit, it’s okay to use the public blood pressure monitors as long as you remember to do it three times. The last reading is the one that counts. If it seems out of line, double-check it with your doctor.

• Whether you’re getting older, or have a mother or father who’s getting on in years, emphasizing shower safety is an important part of aging.  Every year thousands of accidents involving elderly people occur in the bathroom that can end up in broken bones or more serious health problems.  Here are a few tips for making the bathroom more safe for an elderly person:

• Intall handrails, these will give an elderly person a firm grip to avoid accidents coming in and going out of the shower. 
• Install a bath mat, this is a mat which is installed on the floor of the tub or shower, and prevents slipping because of the firm texture.
• Purchase a shower chair, this will allow an elderly person to sit down while in the shower and drastically reduce the likeliness of falling.

The spinal cord can be damaged in many ways, producing a variety of symptoms. It can be cut, bruised, or compressed in an accident, injured by infection, damaged when its blood supply is cut off, or affected by diseases that alter its nerve function.

Tetraplegia [formerly called quadriplegia] generally describes the condition of a person with a spinal cord injury in the cervical region. This individual can experience a loss of feeling and/or movement in their head, neck, shoulder, arms and/or chest, stomach, hips, legs, and feet.

Paraplegia is the general term describing the condition of a person who has lost feeling and/or is not able to move the lower parts of his/her body. The body parts that may be affected are the chest, stomach, hips, legs, and feet.
An individual with a level from T1 to S5 has paraplegia.

Depending on the level of injury, damage to the spinal cord can result in paralysis of the muscles used for breathing; paralysis and/or loss of feeling in all or some of the trunk, arms, and legs; weakness; numbness; loss of bowel and bladder control; and numerous secondary conditions including respiratory problems, pressure sores, and sometimes fatal spikes in blood pressure.

WheelchairsAbound have products which promote independence and support heavier individuals whom wish to lead a productive life, despite their condition.

Heat exhaustion is a state of definite weakness produced by the excess loss of normal fluids and sodium chloride in the form of sweat usually caused by exposure to heat, likely indoors. Some of the symptoms are: Face becomes pale, cool, and moist. The skin is cool, clammy with profuse sweating. The body temperature is below normal.  Heart rate is weak, thready and rapid.  Breathing becomes shallow and quiet. Muscles are tense and contracted and eyes may become soft.

Heat stroke is a condition or derangement of the heat control centers due to exposure to the rays of the sun or very high temperatures. The body’s ability to cool down  is inadequate or absent. Some of the symptoms are: Face becomes red, dry, and hot. The skin is hot, dry and no sweating with an elevated temperature as high as 106° to 110° F. Heart rate is usually full and strong. Breathing becomes labored and sometimes painful. Muscles are tense with possible convulsions and pupils are dilated but equal.

Both conditions can be dangerous and fatal and can be avoided by keeping the body temperature normal and drinking plenty of fluids, preferably water. Avoid constant heat indoors,  direct sun light and continuous physical activity in hot envirionments.

If either is suspected, it is recommended to call 911 immediately for instruction. If no phone is available, and the person is awake, encourage resting, keep head elevated, give cold fliuds and remove person from the sun in the case of suspected heat stroke. In the instance of heat exhaustion, keep person quiet, head lowered and keep body warm to prevent the onset of shock.

Incontinence is a condition involving the loss of bladder and/or bowel control, which is a condition that millions suffer from. This ailment causes accidental urine or stool elimination, which can be very embarrasing to alert individuals. This problem affects people of all ages; but is most common in older adults and women. The cause is a disruption in the normal urinating/deficating process. However, there are various types of urinary incontinence. Today I will discuss two prevalent types, Stress incontinence and Functional incontinence. 

Stress incontinence is the inability to prevent escape of urine during stress such as laughing, coughing, sneezing, lifting or sudden movements. Stress incontinence occurs in men and women, and most frequently in young women of childbearing age, and is classified as “normal”. Fortunately, there are exercises women can try to help strengthen the mucles responsible for bladder control. These muscles are called pubococcygeus (PC). The most common method used to strengthen the PC muscle are Kegel exercises, named for the gynecologist who devised them as treatment for women with urinary incontienence. First you must identify where the PC muscles are, and how to contract them. To practice, sit on the toilet seat with your legs spread as far apart as possible. When you begin to urinate, contract your pelvic floor muscle to stop the flow of urine. Practice this method until you have a good sense of where the PC muscles are and how to tighten them. Once you have identified the PC muscles, you can do the Kegel excercises anytime and anywhere (lying, sitting sqatting or standing). Dr. Kegel used to recommend contracting and releasing the PC muscle 300 times per day, but even if you don’t do quite as many, establishing a daily routine of at least two sessions a day, building up to contracting for ten seconds, then relaxing for 10 seconds for 10-25 repetitions could help to improve bladder control. There are medications designed to help improve bladder control in males. Consult your physician. 

Functional Incontinence is when you are aware of the urge to urinate or have a bowel movement; but due to physical limitations or communication problems, you may not have timely access to toileting facilities. There are a variety of treatments and products to help prevent incontinence. However, the onset of these ailments should be investigated by a physician to be certain it is not caused by a structural abnormality. Also, the urine should be cultured to rule out urinary tract infection. As always, I place emphasis on prevention. Good hygiene is key. Simply wiping from front to back can help prevent urinary tract infections. Also, it is recommended by Dr. Isadore Rosenfeld to try natural remedies to promote good urinary health, such as drinking some kind of berry juice at least three times a week, eating yogurt two or three times a week, or both.

With the advancement of price comparison tools found on the internet, we tend to “shop around” for the lowest prices for practically every item we purchase. We sometimes spend hours, looking for the best price for a single item before finally making a purchase.
 
Depending on the category of the item, this could prove beneficial. But, it is important to remember: Cheaper is not always better, particularly as it relates to products concerning our healthcare and mobility. We’ve all heard the saying, ” You get what you pay for.” Don’t fall victim to companies selling, used, inexpensive and unsafe medical and mobility products. If you are of a hefty stature (200 lbs. or more) you’ll be better off spending a few extra dollars to have the most reliable sturdy equipment; which is likely to be safer and withstand continued use over a longer period of time. In the long run you actually save money. Chances are, the cheaper items will require replacement sooner. Take advantage of the many payment options offered by companies such as Wheelchairs Abound. Invest in brands that have withstood the test of time, such as Amigo and Invacare ……..Why?      Because, you are worth it!

Chronic headaches, stuffy nose, facial pain and swelling, foul breath. Sinusitis symptoms are very common, which makes detection more elusive, sometimes prolonging treatment. The traditional treatment with antibiotics is appropriate when there is bacteria and other related infectious organisms, such as fungi and parasites. These are best treated with a more aggressive approach. However, if your sinusitis is viral in nature, antibiotics are not the cure. Antibiotics will not target viruses, and there is no known cure for viral infections. Usually, it is recommended to allow a viral infection to heal on its own. There’s an old remedy of chicken soup or broth that still helps the healing process. Drinking plenty of water will also help the healing process.  Taking unnecessary antibiotics may cause your body to build a resistance to these drugs, making them ineffective for other uses. It is important to note when taking antibiotics, whether you’ve been treated with the same medication in the recent past. This could have a bearing on the effectiveness of the treatment. Be sure your doctor is aware of any past prescriptions for these symptoms. When taking antibiotics it is important to follow your doctor’s exact instructions to fully benefit from the treatment. Many individuals will stop taking their medicine as soon as their symptoms subside. This too will cause the body to build resistance to the medication, resulting in a “shorter list” of effective bacteria fighting antibiotics for your future use. Our sinuses are like tiny caves and narrow passages within the facial part of our sculls; which acts to filter, moisten and warm the air we take in as we breathe. During this process, our sinuses collect particles from the air as air filters on a car. Sometimes these particles are unfriendly organisms, and can accumulate and grow, making themselves “at home” in our sinuses. Therefore causing infections and the chronic aforementioned symptoms.Prevention is always the best “remedy”. An Occupational Therapist I once worked with told me about a natural product to cleanse the sinus cavities, daily; which helps to prevent the build-up of bacteria causing organisms and fungus. The product is called NeilMed Sinus Rinse. A measured solution of Sodium Chloride and Sodium Bicarbonate, used with a simple squeeze bottle. It has become an essential part of my daily hygiene, like brushing my teeth, or washing my hands. Natural relief from allergies and sinus symptoms has never been easier. One of the best things about it is a thirty day supply only cost about $12.00. For you allergy/sinus sufferers, please let me know how this alternative remedy helped you too.