Many people complain about the cost of health care. “It never used to cost that much! This is ridiculous.” Really? What did it cost back in the good old days?

Let’s take a look at the rising cost of health care. Several years ago, an acute myocardial infarction, a severe heart attack, cost practically nothing. When you arrived at the hospital, the attending physician diagnosed you with a heart attack – and then you died. It was much cheaper than today where doctors give you a clot busting shot that keeps you alive long enough for them to perform an angioplasty or other surgery to save your life. And then, a week or so later, they send you home to recuperate, though you may be dealing with a big bill.

Cancer is another condition that is just outrageously expensive. In his last movie, “The Shootist,” John Wayne’s character was diagnosed with cancer by Jimmy Stewart, and he was treated for a mere one dollar. Doctor Stewart gave John Wayne a bottle of laudanum and told him that the drug would help with the pain, but a bullet to the head would be quicker. Now cancer treatment can take months, even years–and it costs much more than a dollar.

The cost of surgery after severe accidents is another area where prices, compared to a few years ago, are much higher. In the old days, ambulances, which were then station wagons with sirens, would pull you out of your crashed car, throw you in the back of the station wagon, give you a good dose of morphine, try and stop any bleeding, and then race to a hospital that’s about 45 minutes away. Now, they fly an entire trauma unit to the site of your accident and whisk you to a hospital in just a few minutes. Paramedics perform many live-saving procedures in the helicopter before you even arrive at the hospital. But even though the chopper ride saves 16% more people than otherwise possible, they are expensive! And then, the cost of the procedures they perform in the ER just to keep you alive and healthy for another 50 years is outrageous. Bleeding to death was much cheaper.

Diabetes treatment is another lifelong tough condition to deal with. Diabetes used to be a disease you lived with for a few years. You could lose a foot or a leg, or go blind, before finally dying peacefully after a brief coma. Now, with the advent of modern medicine, physicians can drag out diabetes for decades. Instead of simple amputations, diabetes care these days includes taking maintenance drugs and in-home blood sugar monitoring, which helps you to maintain normal blood glucose levels. Today, you will most likely keep your limbs and eyesight, especially if your condition remains uncomplicated. But over the years, diabetes can become expensive.

The list of modern procedures and their exorbitant costs have transformed health care, from a simple family expense paid infrequently to your family doctor to a significant financial commitment involving insurance and serious out-of-pocket expenses. These costs can continue for years and years and years . . . But can you really put a price on your life?

Claire Hunt is a freelance writer and a nurse who regularly writes for medical websites. She also blogs for http://www.ciamedical.com where you’ll get information about reliable medical suppliers.

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Orthopedic care in Savannah

Orthopedics deal with musculoskeletal health issues and the general functioning of connecting tissues used in normal body functions. Situations which lead to deteriorating musculoskeletal health are too many to list, but generally, injuries and unhealthy daily routines can compromise the normal workings of body tissue.  Many medical facility offer professional orthopedic diagnosis for all conditions relating to the spine and musculoskeletal system as a whole.

Treatment for orthopedic conditions is mostly meant to alleviate discomfort, and in many cases, reduce the chances of recurring injury in the future. For preventative measures, people should get their joints checked out regularly, especially if their occupation requires significant physical exertion.

Back pain

Back pain and knee problems may be a normal part of aging but they should not be ignored. Sometimes, the body undergoes stressful periods when we constantly work without getting enough sleep or alter regular eating patterns and such, as lifestyle can lead to joint problems irrespective of age.

Pain in the heels/ankles

Women are known for ignoring pain, especially in the heels, where certain shoes cause discomfort and pain. If you experience sharp jolts of pain when you wear high heeled shoes, then it would be advisable to consult a doctor.

Swelling

Swelling in the feet is not uncommon for people who stand for hours each day, and it is never a good sign. The joints can only take so much; after some time, the condition will worsen and the necessary treatment will be much more invasive and disruptive.

Injuries

Athletic injuries have the potential to worsen if not properly treated. An injury may seem minor initially, but if not properly looked at, it can cause a gradual and severe weakening of sensitive tissue in the muscles and joints, and it can interfere with normal functioning. If you are part of an athletic team, then an orthopedic should be part of your entourage, and any case of misaligned joints or sharp pains should be carefully examined.

Limited mobility

If you are not able to move with the same mobility you once had, then obviously something is not right. A feeling of stiffness in the joints also warrants an X ray. Contact an orthopedic for a full examination and diagnosis so you can start feeling healthy again.

Orthopedic conditions are very specific and need a qualified orthopedist to diagnose and treat. If you suspect your joints are not working as well as they used to or are experiencing any kind of pain in your back or neck, then contact an orthopedist  for immediate medical assistance.

Don’t suffer with swelling, stiffness, or sharp pains.  Contact Savannah Healthcare and let them help you feel better.

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The benefits of organic food can at times be difficult to judge. Though many consumers like to believe that organic produce is better tasting, there is literally zero evidence to back this up. And the idea that organic produce contains more vitamins is on equally unsure footing scientifically.

One aspect of organic produce that isn’t up for debate however is that it contains less chemicals. Toxic fertilizers and pesticides are completely avoided on organic farms. And for some types of foods, this is a seriously good thing. Here are five types of organic produce that genuinely are better for your health.

Meat and Dairy

The benefits of going organic when purchasing meat are undeniable. The animals reared in organic farms are not given growth hormones to speed up their short lives and they are not fed grains that have been sprayed with pesticides or chemical fertilizers. The resulting meat is therefore free of chemicals that we still know very little about.

A word of warning however, don’t go organic just because you love animals. Organic farms are not quite as luxurious as the marketing would have you believe. Taking chickens as an example, the phrase “grown outdoors” usually means little other than outdoor cages.

Most Fruits

Fruits are notorious for absorbing the pesticides that they are sprayed with. Though peeling and washing can certainly help, non organic fruit is never going to be completely pesticide free.

And considering the somewhat lax laws regarding the use of pesticides in many parts of the world, this is definitely somewhat unnerving. If you care about what goes into your body, a case can therefore certainly be made for sticking to organic fruit.

Potatoes

Organic potatoes are almost twice the cost of the regular variety but many would argue that the increased cost is justified. Non organic potatoes are not only sprayed with pesticides, the ground that they are grown in is infected with fungicide to prevent disease.

Choosing to purchase organic potatoes can therefore protect you from not one, but two potentially harmful chemicals. It’s also worth noting that just like fruit, you cannot remove chemicals from potatoes simply by washing and peeling them.

Salad

Ask most people to imagine a healthy snack and the first image to pop into their mind is likely to be that of a nice green salad. Unfortunately however, salads tend to get sprayed with some of the most potent pesticides on the market. The reason for this is simple, leafy greens tend to attract a hell of a lot of insects.

Organic farmers don’t use such pesticides. They instead rely on meshes, nets and non toxic repellents. The result is a salad that genuinely is perfectly healthy.

Anything That You Eat a Lot Of

Finally, there is the small matter of your personal favourites. If there’s a particular type of food or side dish that you eat on a daily basis, going organic is always going to make sense.

The reason for this is simple. Different pesticides are used for different produce and in small amounts each one is pretty harmless. But if you’re eating something on a daily basis, you could find yourself consuming far more than a small amount of that particular pesticide.

If it’s a daily dish, the organic version is therefore something that’s well worth paying more for.

 

 

 

Andrew Times has contributed a number of articles on health and fitness. He also conducts informative classes on these topics.

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