Thursday, September 27, 2012

The First 3 Months After Your Knee Replacement Surgery

During your knee replacement surgery, you will be under general anaesthesia and there will be an incision made on your knee to allow surgical tools to move in and out of the knee. Once the damaged portions of the knee are removed and the artificial joints placed into the knee and attached using adhesive materials, the knee will be sutured together and you will be pushed to the recovery room.
The recovery period starts immediately after the surgery and even though you are still feeling the effects of the anaesthesia, you will be encouraged to start moving your knee. High chance are that you have not used the knee for physical activities for quite some time due to the pain which led to you undergoing the knee replacement surgery. As a result, the muscles are weak and you need to start building up and strengthen the muscles to allow better control of your new joint. A physical therapist will prescribe some physical therapy exercises for you to do yourself at home. You will be able to get discharged around 3 days after surgery and during this period, you will start to learn how to move around with the help of crutches until your knee is able to take your body weight. Once the knee is strengthened and is able to bear weight, you can slowly reduce your dependency on your crutches.
The first 3 months post surgery is a risky period as the replacement joint is still not fully attached to the surrounding muscles and tissues firmly. You knee can often give way so make sure you keep doing strengthening exercises to strengthen the region. You will also feel pain in the knees rather often during this period and this is perfectly normal. You will be prescribed painkillers but do not rely totally on the painkillers. If you notice any abnormal swelling or abnormal pain in the knee, make sure you go back to your surgeon for a check. Although the operating theatre is sterile, infection can still happen but this is rare. If you see any infection in the site of the incision, you need to go back to your surgeon as well. You should aim to regain your knee's full range of motion within this 3 months and this will help to prevent any scar tissues from building up or arthrofibrosis.
The first 3 months post surgery is totally about recovery and regaining back the functions of your knees. It is probably the toughest part of the whole surgery process and you will feel extremely useless. However it is the most important part and a bad recovery can lead to even more problems in future.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Guide To Recovery After A Breast Augmentation

Recovering from any type of surgical procedure is no fun. When you signed up for your breast augmentation, you may have spent your time daydreaming about how you will look and flaunt your new chest. Even though you were warned that it would be a little time before you would be able to see the final results, you still couldn't help but to run and buy some new lingerie and outfits to accommodate your new figure. Before you rush and start trying things on, you need to be aware that after a breast augmentation, your body needs sufficient time to heal. The best way for your body to heal is to rest. Surgery is a form of trauma to the human body. It doesn't matter that that the surgery was done to improve your health or appearance, you need to get a good amount of rest to help your body recover properly. In addition to following your doctor's orders, you need to listen to your body as well.
Many people have a hard time sitting still and doing nothing when they are required to do so. One would think that since you need to get a large amount of rest during your recovery, that it would be easy for you to comply. Unfortunately, this is the time when most people tend to test their limits. This is one time in your life where disobeying your surgeon's orders during your recovery can come back and haunt you. Not only could you end up with some serious health complications from your breast augmentation, but you could also ruin your final results as well.
When you doctor warned you about discomfort, they really meant pain. There is a reason why they prescribed you pain medication. If you don't want to feel the pain or any discomfort that occurs as your body heals itself after your operation, you need to follow the directions for that prescription. Don't abuse or take the painkillers improperly or you could wind up in the hospital fighting for your life.
Get help. This is one of those times in life where you should not be afraid to ask for some help and assistance around the house. Much of your daily movements involve you using and moving muscles that are in your chest. Since you just had a breast augmentation, the muscles and tissues in your chest area are going to be very sore. Your breasts are going to be wrapped in bandages for a few weeks to help prevent them from moving unnecessarily, keep them properly supported and to reduce the amount of swelling you will have. Your doctor will restrict you from doing too much as far as exercise, strenuous activities, heavy lifting and certain household chores such as vacuuming. This is to give your body time to heal with the implants properly in place and to keep them from slipping out of position. Have some friends and family help out so you don't do anything to affect your recovery and healing.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

What You Need to Know Before Your Appointment for Annual Physical Exam

Did you know that many serious health issues might not show any symptoms until it's too late? A person with high blood pressure, for example, might feel completely normal, but is running a very high risk of developing cardiovascular disease and having a heart attack. A person could be on the brink of developing or already have a potentially deadly illness like heart attack, stroke, or even certain types of cancers or sexually transmitted infections but still feel totally fine. That's why health specialists recommend an annual physical examination whether you feel sick or not.
Annual physicals may vary from doctor to doctor, but most physicians try to check all the body's systems during an exam. This means examining the skin, listening to the heart and lungs, feeling for abnormalities in abdominal organs and lymph nodes, and testing vision, reflexes and neurological response time. Often times the examination of these systems by a doctor is supplemented with laboratory work in the form of blood and urine tests. Common blood work can measure blood count, electrolyte, blood glucose, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and thyroid function. Routine sexually transmitted disease tests, check for HIV, gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes and hepatitis B and C. A urine test might also be used to measure kidney function. The doctor will also go over your immunization record and may update you on any necessary vaccines. Results of blood work and urine tests may take 3-5 business days, and a doctor or nurse will call you with those results once they are processed. Depending on the office, blood work and immunizations may cost additional fees, so talk to your receptionist or doctor beforehand if you have concerns.
One of the most important things to remember before going to your physical exam is that an accurate medical history is a critical component of an effective physical. Before your appointment, be sure you know the facts about your own and your family's medical history, as certain illnesses like high blood pressure and cholesterol, heart attack and breast cancer can be genetically predisposed. Your personal surgical history, as well as knowledge of any medications, supplements, or herbs you are taking, is important as well, so write them down and bring the list with you if you're afraid you'll forget. If you're going to a new doctor, try to get a copy of your old medical and immunization records to make the process easier. Most importantly, remember to be honest with your physician. Questions about mental health, sexual activity, smoking and drinking habits, and use of illicit substances all provide important information to your health care provider about how to best take care of you, so tell the truth, even if you feel embarrassed.
Most insurance companies cover annual exams, as preventative medicine is easier and less expensive for them, too! But even if you don't have health insurance, you should still try and get a physical annually, as it can save you a lot of medical bills in the long run! Many walk in clinics around the country have affordable preventative healthcare even for people without insurance, so check out clinics in your area for possible options.

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Home Yoga DVDs - The Advantages

The benefits of practising yoga are remarkable. Toned muscles, improved circulation, a less stressed life and increased flexibility can all be yours in exchange for a few stretches and poses. Attending classes can be fun, but those that opt to follow along to the professional guidance of that can be found on a home yoga DVD enjoy added advantages.
So what other advantages are there if you do decide to use DVDs to guide your yoga exercise sessions?
Firstly, you can set your own schedule. You won't have to rush to the local gym so that you can secure a space for your mat in a primary position so that you have a good view of the instructor. With a home DVD, you can practice at a time that suits you, whether this is first thing in the morning, last thing at night or before the children get home from school. You can fix your own schedule and make it fit with your day. You can always see the instructor as you have a front row view.
Secondly, you can use the DVD player to your advantage. If you are learning a new pose and you're really not sure whether you have done it right - you can rewind the scene. You'll be able to watch the instructor take you through the move again. If you were in a class, the other participants might not appreciate you stopping the class to ask the instructor to show you the move again. There's nobody to complain if you do this with a home yoga DVD.
Thirdly, you won't have to spend out on a fancy wardrobe of trendy yoga attire. You'll be able to wear whatever you find most comfortable to do your yoga in. Nobody is going to be judging what you look like as you stretch out at home working on your flexibility and poses. Welcome to the wonderful world of home exercise!
Fourthly, you'll be able to set your yoga exercise routine so that it suits what you want to achieve. If you have recently undergone surgery or you are recovering from illness or an injury, you'll be able to select the exercises that best suit your recovery. This just isn't possible in classes that cater to large groups of people.
Finally, beginners tend to have a much easier introduction to yoga when they start off with home yoga DVDs. They learn the proper techniques at a pace that suits them. This is not always possible in classes where everybody is at a different level of experience. The instruction has to cater to the group as a whole, not to the person who hasn't done it before and is feeling a bit lost.
In addition to the benefits that yoga offers, a home yoga DVD delivers many advantages to the beginner.