Medical Care Technology

Protecting Your Child’s Health from Excessive Radiation

: Image via Wikipedia

There is a growing concern in the medical field about the effect of radiation on children’s health. Children are more sensitive to radiation than adults. When cells are developing and growing (as they are in children), the cells are more likely to be affected by radiation.

Health care professionals are becoming aware of the effects of radiation on children. Sometimes children are exposed to too much radiation for the size of their body. Too much radiation affects the health of a child and could possibly cause cancer.

The American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) and the American Registry of Radiologic Technology (ARRT) are educating x-ray technologist, health care professionals, and the general public to be aware of this issue. They are writing magazine articles, holding medical conferences, and trying to get legislation passed that requires listing of radiation dose on every exam.

These associations promote optimal scanning strategies for children. They suggest that x-ray technologists:

*Use the lowest amount of radiation based on the size of the child
*Avoid multiple scans of a procedure whenever possible
*Scan only the necessary area of injury or concern

As a parent, there are several things that you can do to protect your child’s health from exposure to excessive radiation. When your child needs an x-ray, consult with the doctor. Ask him if there is a different exam that would give the same information that is needed. Magnetic Resonant Image (MRI) and ultra-sounds are other options that can provide similar information without the use of radiation.

You can also download checklists that are available online. These checklists help you keep track of the radiological exams that your children have during their growing up years and their exposure to radiation.

Take this checklist with you every time when your child gets an x-ray and ask the technologist for the radiation reading from the x-ray machine. Newer X-ray machines provide information about how much radiation was used during a procedure. Write that information down on your the checklist.

When you work with your child’s doctor and with the x-ray technologist, you provide optimal health for your child.

These associations promote optimal scanning strategies for children. They suggest that x-ray technologists:

*Use the lowest amount of radiation based on the size of the child
*Avoid multiple scans of a procedure whenever possible
*Scan only the necessary area of injury or concern

When you work with your child’s doctor and with the x-ray technologist, you provide optimal health for your child.

Filed Under: Medical Care Research Tagged With: American Society of Radiologic Technologists, Child, Health care, Medical Care Technology

How Pharmacies Help You Track Your Medical Prescriptions

: Image by Getty Images via @daylife

The medical field has many specialists: cardiologist, endocrinologist, dermatologist, internist, oncologist, and neurologist just to mention a few. As you age, you may need the help from several of these different types of professionals.

Aging causes many aches and pains and physical ailments and your general family doctor may recommend a specialist.Sometime the specialist prescribes medicine that helps you with the health problem you are experiencing.

If you have more than one ailment, you are referred to more than one specialist.Each specialist then prescribes medication to alleviate that ailment. Many times, the specialist isnâ€™t aware of other medications that you are taking.

Sometimes complications arise when different medications are taken simultaneously. It is very important that you keep accurate records of the prescriptions and medications that you are taking.

Many pharmacies now help you keep track of your prescriptions. If you visit the same pharmacy for all of your prescriptions, the pharmacy uses a software program that keeps record of your medications. The software lists which prescriptions you have, which doctor ordered the medication, and the dosage of your prescription.

Every time you visit the pharmacy, the pharmacist can print up this list of your prescriptions. He can also print out a report on the medications and how they interact. The reports tell the side effects of taking the medications and give guidelines on when you should call your doctor if complication arises. These reports assist you in maintaining optimal health while taking your prescribed medication.

Sometimes a pharmacy is located within a store that sells general merchandise. If you regularly visit these pharmacies to get your medication, the pharmacy offers gift card programs. Every time you get a prescription filled with the pharmacy, you earn a reward point. After you have earned ten reward points, you receive a gift certificate for ten dollars that you may then use to purchase merchandise within the store.

Be sure to check with your pharmacy to see if they have the software program that provides these reports. Keep all reports they may give you. Also see if they offer reward points.

Filed Under: Medical Care Research Tagged With: Health, Medical Care Technology, Medical prescription, Pharmacist, Pharmacy

How to Choose a Pediatrician

If you have just had a baby or have recently moved to a new city and you have children, you may need to find a pediatrician for them. It is important that you find one and get accepted on his patient list so that everything is in place before your child gets sick.

Choosing a pediatrician is a difficult task. The first thing you should know is if the doctor is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. If the doctor has been in practice for more than a few years, he should be certified.

One of the best ways to find a good doctor is to ask neighbors and acquaintances, who you trust, who their doctor is. Ask them these questions while making your decision.

How gentle is the doctor with children? A doctor who works gently with children genuinely cares about their health and well-being.

How does the doctor interact with children? He should talk directly to them, ask them questions about their illness, and then really listen to them. He should not show impatience or be condescending to either you or your child. Does he answer all of your questions? Do you feel rushed during the examination?

Take other things into consideration. Observe his office. Does he separate his sick patients from his well patients? Does he have toys or books for children to play with while waiting to be seen? Is his office clean and tidy?

Check out his staff. Are they cheerful, friendly, and gentle with children? How do they handle children who don’t want to get their shots? Does the office seem understaffed?

When calling the doctor’s office, notice how easy it is to get through on the telephone. Ask how long it takes to get an appointment when your child is sick. Ask about co-payments, if they accept your insurance provider, what the office hours are, and how you can reach the doctor for either routine questions or urgent problems.

Keep in mind that your choice of doctor is not permanent. You may change doctors any time you are dissatisfied with the care you are receiving.

Filed Under: Medical Care Professionals Tagged With: Health, Medical Care Technology, Pediatrics, Physician

Additional Rules for Taking Medication

: Image via Wikipedia

Just because you pick up your medication from the pharmacy doesn’t mean you are doing everything you can to make sure that you are in your best health. Learning how to take the medication matters more than anything. It’s not as simple as just putting in your bathroom medicine chest(which is actually frowned upon) but it’s far more involved than that. There is a lot to know and following a few simple guidelines can not only make sure that your medicine is more effective but also make sure that you don’t lose your mind keeping track of the medication.

1. Take medication at the same time everyday – This is a little different than it sounds. Of course some medication is meant to be taken at night while others are meant to be taken once, twice, or three times throughout the day. This is just how medication works but if you are smart you should be taken all morning medications at the same time every morning, like right before you eat or right after depending on the type of medication you have. The reason is your body should get into the habit of getting what it needs at the same time everyday so it learns to last that long with the medication you have given it.

2. Set a Schedule – Take a pill box that you can purchase at your local pharmacy and have it separated at the beginning of each week. This can do you wonders as opposed to just trying to keep track of it in your head. Then use your smart phone if you have one to set multiple reminders through your alarm clock function or your calendar function. Most calendars have reminders on them. This will take the pressure off of you to remember when you were supposed to take them.
The bottom line is to get into the habit of taking your medication. Skipping doses or just taking them later can have negative effects to the way your body responds to the medication and that’s a problem you would rather not have.

Filed Under: Medical Care Technology Tagged With: Health, Medical Care Technology, Pharmacy, Prescription drug

Rules for Taking Medication

: Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Getting into the doctors office and getting the attention you need is just one piece of the puzzle in the quest to get healthy and stay healthy. The second piece is getting the necessary medication you need filled and in your possession. This is without question the easier of the two but it is by no means the easiest thing to do. What makes it harder is that when you get it home you have to take it…and take it right. This is a problem for a lot of people who are either absent minded or under the assumption that medication stops being important once the symptoms fade. If you want to get better then you have to take your medication seriously and follow these rules for taking your medication.

1. Rule Number 1 – Take all medication until finished. If you are on a maintenance medication for something like high blood pressure then this is probably not an issue as you could be on this medication for the rest of your life. However, when you are taking a shorter term medication such as a nasal spray or antibiotic then it is important to take the medication until it is finished. Just because you start feeling better doesn’t mean the medication is finished being effective. As a matter of fact those last few days might be just what your body needs to rid itself of a harmful virus or infection.

2. Rule Number 2 – Take all medication as instructed. This seems a lot like rule number 1 but the sentiment is a bit different. Often times the doctor will tell you to take the medication at a certain time. This is so important for people to remember. If you are taking an acid reflux medication then it’s best to take it before your first meal of the day and if you don’t then you might render the medicine less effective and where is the help in that? Make sure you are very watchful over when you take the medication. The doctor does this for your benefit so follow it.

Filed Under: General Health Tagged With: Health, Hypertension, Medical Care Technology, Pharmaceutical drug

Using Rx Drugs For Daily Use

: Image by isafmedia via Flickr

How Medicine Helps the Body

Taking Rx drugs is beneficial for the body when illnesses are present. Medication helps the body fight off further infections, as well. Drugs work most effectively when they are present in the body over a constant period of time so they can work through the bloodstream. A consistent flow of medicine stabilizes the body, strengthens it to fight off infections and illnesses, and guards against further illness invasions.

You can take medicine in almost any form, whether it’s liquid, powder, or pills. You can take some with or without liquids, depending on what the medication is and what its effects are when mixed with other substances. Doctor prescriptions often advise patients to take certain medications on an empty stomach. This allows the medicine to get into the bloodstream faster and work quicker. Medications that require you to consume a small amount of food before taking are stronger solutions. Taking them in food will slow down the absorption into your bloodstream. This helps your body release the medicine over a slower rate at a more controlled pace. Food and/or milk can keep the stomach from getting upset when you take certain drugs.

Getting the Right Medical Prescriptions

Doctors issue prescriptions for medications, and making sure you get the medicine that you need for your illness is very important. Doctors typically won’t issue prescription medicines for patients over the phone or without an examination, so it may be necessary to schedule a doctor’s appointment before you can get any medications.

To help you on your visit, make a list of everything you want to discuss with the doctor so you don’t forget anything critical to your illness. Although some things may not seem important, mention them to the doctor anyway and let him assess whether or not it’s important. It’s better to be safe and mention something than to keep quiet.

Filed Under: Medical Care Reform Tagged With: Health, Medical Care Technology, Pharmacy, Prescription drug

Getting a Second Opinion

One of life’s worst moments is to be diagnosed by your doctor with a life-threatening illness. There is a feeling of panic that cannot be described by any other event in your life and there are more than a few emotions that will run through your veins. But once the dust has settled you begin to start asking yourself “is this really accurate?” It’s a fair question as there is no way of knowing what the doctor is seeing and if there are right and with your health you can’t take any chances so you then decide to get a second opinion. This is one of the smarter moves you can make but you have to be careful or you could end up getting the short end of the stick on the diagnosis.

The first thing you want to do is stay away from a doctor referral for a second opinion. There is nothing wrong with the doctors your doctors know expect that they have a personal relationship. It might be difficult for a colleague to go against the diagnosis or treatment plan your current doctor has laid out, unless it happens to be 100% wrong.

So the next step is to go to the hospital that has been rated as the best for your condition. So finding the hospital in your area that has the best oncology staff is where you should go. Your second opinion really should be the final opinion so head to someone who you believe to be an expert on the subject. Make sure you let your doctors office know you will be seeking a second opinion and that you need the records sent over to the other doctors office. They should be understanding that you need to keep the other doctor as up to date as humanly possible.

Make sure that you are completely upfront with your new doctor about what was said and why you are seeking a second opinion. Hopefully you find the answers you are looking for.

Filed Under: Medical Care Professionals Tagged With: Health, Medical Care Technology, Physician