Cooperating In Our Health Care
Funny thing pain, if you’ve never had a severe pain then the suggestion of taking simple analgesia and resting the affected area all seems quite reasonable. I was reminded of this when I read recently of a doctor’s advice to someone who was suffering from sciatica. Having personally experienced sciatica, it’s a condition I would not recommend to anyone who wishes to walk, sit, laugh, sleep, or to just simply pull up your trousers. It’s a bit like a dentist drilling your teeth without an anaesthetic, but it affects your whole leg. In other words the pain is consuming, exhausting and without respite. Clinical studies do show that in the majority of cases the pain will eventually subside and surgery may not be necessary, but in the meantime the patient has to deal with the pain or deal with the medication required to dull the pain. Remember, pain-killers are not selective to the area affected. They affect the whole of the nervous system and elsewhere so there may be significant side-effects from these medications.
Dealing with severe pain can be a complex issue, but I suggest that you have to treat this sort of pain fairly aggressively as acute severe pain is relatively easier to treat than chronic severe pain. In the early stages of an injury or insult to an area of the body, most of the pathological processes are happening at the site of the injury or insult. Throughout time the brain begins to modulate this pain and so no only do you have the injured area to deal with, but you also have complex neural pathways within the brain to deal with as well. This often means a far more complex management plan and a far more protracted recovery time. Specialists are very skilled at dealing with these issues but they do rely heavily on the stories their patients give them. That means being honest in answering their questions and not being heroic with a grin and bear it grimace! Often the use of a pain scale is helpful with zero being no pain at all and a 10 being the worse pain you have ever experienced.
Another health issue we commonly down play is influenza. Over the years I have frequently heard people say that they would not have the flu vaccine because either they never get the flu or that they had it last week for a couple of days and then it was all over! Influenza is a serious debilitating disease that will usually last from 10 days to two weeks and often leave you flat on your back exhausted. It’s not a happy 10 days either as patients do not have the energy to read a magazine or even watch a DVD. You will literally feel ancient with every movement being a real challenge and that doesn’t include the aching all over or the fevers and sleepless nights. The influenza virus is also extremely contagious and most people are unaware that if you spread it to someone who is more frail than yourself that you may actually be putting their life at risk.
With the ‘flu the big challenge is to vaccinate as many people in the community as possible, including children, those employed and unemployed, the elderly and the infirm, to reduce the chance of an epidemic occurring. Recent research has also showed that vaccinating pregnant women in the last trimester of their pregnancy will help protect their new born infants born during the ‘flu season.
Medicine has evolved over the last 40 years, but the change has been fairly slow with doctors by nature being very cautious and conservative people. But we can’t leave the doctors to take all the initiatives. As patients we need to be good listeners in our approach to health by heeding all the great health messages that keep being given to us about vaccinations, smoking, alcohol, exercise and healthy eating. We also need to be good communicators and tell our doctors how we are feeling with conditions such as pain. If the team treating you doesn’t have the best information then it may be that you will not end up getting the best treatment!
Watch the video related to women health care
Republican Senator Tom Coburn Tells Women Crying About Her Health Care Coverage At Town Hall: “Government Is Not The Answer” – 08/24/09
Help answer the question about women health care
Where can I find free health care for women in the San Fernando Valley?A friend of mine has a really bad UTI and has no health insurance to get medication for treatment.
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HBF Health Funds, the largest health insurance provider in Western Australia.
If you really believe what you’re saying then I assume you’re refusing medicare for yourself, your parents and grandparents. Are you enjoying being a pawn of the for-profit healthcare industry? It’s a shame, because they don’t give a rat’s ass about you. Just develop a catestrophic disease and you’ll find out. Sorry, but you’re an idiot and have no real moral compass. Our country is doomed.
Yes I believe it is.
This is written from a Doctor
First off the government has involved very few of us physicians in
the healthcare debate. While the American Medical Association has
come out in favor of the plan, it is vital to remember that the AMA
only represents 17% of the American physician workforce.
They think they know more then the People who are in the business of health care. what a screwed up Government
This is a government "for the people, by the people". We enable them, if they take advantage of us, our inaction and indifference is enabling them. If we are unhappy with our government it is our responsibility to do something about it, to change it.
Yes, the government should care about its people. In the 21st century, in "the greatest country in the world" its a pretty sad state of affairs if you even have to ask that question.
"Let freedom ring with a shotgun blast" !
*allowed…you sound dumb
“Never trust a politician who says the government can never do right, because if you elect him he’ll prove it.”
- someone smarter than myself
See if you will just keep your nose out of MY health care, I will go back to what I do too. Until then you will see me and my friends EVERYWERE and in your baby killing face. Stay away from my grand parents and parents health care too we dont need you sending them to any government death panels trying to cut costs so you can give health care to illegals and people that can afford it.
If he just follows the Constitution, I'd be happy.
I seen it, after i wrote it. Maybe you could teach Me how to be smart
There…I inserted a few commas, a few extra words, some phrase reversals, and an upper case change. It's good to go, now. (Oh, and NEVER use the word "really"..I changed it to "effectively."
A single payer health care system is the best choice that we, as a nation, can make to ensure the health and safety of our population…even if the system cannot be fixed in it's entirety. Although the system is complex and it is hard to find the perfect program, we should take into consideration how this system would effectively benefit Americans. Learning how to cooperate is also the key in the success of a universal health care program. Politicians should put aside their political differences, insurance companies should stop thinking about financial benefits, and Americans should be made aware of themedical benefits. I strongly believe that by concentrating on what's best for all of us will lead to the creation of a better health care system that will drastically help to change health care for the better.
Obama is the one fining. I am shocked he did not deny it.
First of all the comments re: “death panels”, get informed, there are no death panels, never were never will be. Second, no one is touching your lousy health insurance that will drop you like a hot potato when you develop catastrophic illness.
Then you find a different neighbor.
Yet, “We, the People” are the government. We all pitch in and help each other when the situation becomes larger than we can handle, i.e.: building roadways or educating kids or keeping the country solvent or making sure all Americans can stay healthy. If the government is not the answer, then neither are the American people, for we ARE the American government.