Archive for July, 2008

Frequently Asked Questions About Liposuction

July 23rd, 2008 -- Posted in Surgery | No Comments »
liposuction


A good candidate for liposuction should have realistic expectations about the results of this procedure as well as these basic qualities: Average or slightly above-average weight, firm, elastic skin good overall health, concentrated pockets of fat that do not respond well to diet and exercise

What Do I Need To Know Before Undergoing Liposuction?

During an initial consultation your plastic surgeon will evaluated your health, assess the condition of your skin, and discuss the options that are best for you. Body contouring methods that are appropriate for your particular situation, the effectiveness and safety of the procedure, and your expectations will be discussed in detail.

Once you have decided to undergo liposuction, your plastic surgeon will give you the necessary instructions that you will need to prepare for the surgery.

How Is Liposuction Performed?

In general, liposuction procedures use small incisions in selected areas and with a high vacuum suction device attached to a small, stainless steel instrument called a cannula, remove fat cells. After the fat is removed, sutures (stitches) will be used to close the incisions, followed by the application of a dressing and compression garment (girdle) to minimize the post-operative swelling.

Are There Different Liposuction Techniques?

Though the basics of liposuction remain the same, there are different techniques that can be used during liposuction. “Tumescent Liposuction” During this technique the plastic surgeon will inject a medicated solution into the fatty areas before the fat is removed. The solution is a mixture of intravenous salt water, a local anesthetic (lidocaine) and a drug that contracts the blood vessels (epinephrine).

This fluid injection helps the fat to be removed more easily, reduces blood loss and bruising after surgery, and provides anesthesia during and after the surgery. The amount of fluid injected varies and depends on the preference of the surgeon. “Ultrasound-Assisted Lipoplasty (UAL) This technique requires the use of a special cannula that produces ultrasonic energy. As the ultrasonic energy passes through the areas of fat it causes the fat cells to liquefy. The fat is then removed with the traditional liposuction technique.

Because the fat is liquid at the time that it is removed, UAL is smoother and mechanically more efficient. UAL also minimizes trauma, resulting in less bruising and blood loss and especially improves the ease and effectiveness of liposuction in fibrous areas of the body.

What Are The Risks And Complications Of Liposuction?

Undergoing any surgical procedure may involve the risk of complications such as the effects of anesthesia, infection, swelling, bleeding, and pain. Liposuction is normally safe and with minimal risks and possible complications when patients are carefully selected, the operating facility is properly equipped, and the physician is adequately trained.

Liposuction is the most frequently performed cosmetic surgical procedure and has a very good safety record when performed in accordance with the recommendations of the Lipoplasty Society.

What Type Of Anesthesia Is Required When Having Liposuction?

Various types of anesthesia can be used for liposuction procedures. If a small of amount of fat is being removed from a limited number of areas local anesthesia with a light sedative to make you feel drowsy and relaxed may be considered. When treating larger areas, general anesthesia is typically used causing you to be asleep during the procedure. Together, you and surgeon will select the type of anesthesia that provides the most safe and effective level of comfort for your surgery.

On What Areas Of The Body Can Liposuction Be Done?

Common locations for liposuction include the chin, cheeks, neck, upper arms, abdomen, buttocks, hips, thighs, knees, calves, and ankles.

Can Liposuction Be Done On More Than One Area At The Same Time?

Liposuction can be done on more than one area at the same time if the amount of fat removed does not exceed the recommended amount within the limits of safety.

How Long Is Recovery After Liposuction?

Every person’s outcome will vary based on factors such as volume of fat cells removed and area/s of removal. Under most circumstances, liposuction is an outpatient procedure. Depending on the areas treated, most people are able to return to work within a few days to a week and to most normal activities within two to three weeks.

Immediately, after surgery, it is necessary to continuously wear a support garment for three to four weeks. Bruising, swelling and soreness can be expected for at least a few weeks.

Are The Results Of Liposuction Permanent?

Liposuction may be performed in a surgeon’s office-based facility, in an outpatient surgery center, or in a hospital. Smaller-volume liposuction is usually done on an outpatient basis for reasons of cost and convenience. If a large volume of fat will be removed, or if the liposuction is being performed in conjunction with other procedures, a stay in a hospital or overnight nursing facility may be required.

How Long Does Liposuction Take?

The time to perform liposuction may vary considerably, generally requiring between one to four hours, depending on the size of area, the amount of fat being removed, the type of anesthesia and the technique being used.

How Do I Prepare For Liposuction?

Prior to your surgical procedure, your surgeon will perform a complete health history and physical examination to evaluate your overall weight, your skin and muscle tone and overall distribution of fat deposits. Knowledge of your allergies, medications and previous surgeries should be brought to your surgeon’s attention at this time. Specific instructions to assist you in preparing for this procedure will be given to you after the health history and physical are complete.

Instructions will be given that include guidelines regarding your diet, alcohol intake, smoking and which medications to take and avoid. You should also make arrangements ahead of time for someone to drive you to and from your procedure and to assist you with your daily activities during your recovery period.

What Can I Expect After My Liposuction Procedure?

Don’t expect to feel or to look great following your surgery. Even though the newer techniques are believed to reduce post-operative discomforts, you may still experience some pain, burning, swelling, bleeding and temporary numbness. You will be wearing a snug elastic garment over the treated areas to control swelling and bruising immediately following your surgery.

You may also experience some drainage from the incisions sites for a day or two following surgery. Pain can be controlled with medicates prescribed by your plastic surgeon, though you still may feel stiff and sore for several days.

When Can I Resume My Normal Activities?

Healing following liposuction is usually gradual. You will be encouraged to start walking around as soon as possible to reduce swelling and to prevent any possible blood clot from forming in your legs. You usually are able to return to work within a few days and will begin to feel progressively better over the next two weeks.

Strenuous activity should be avoided for about a month as your body continues to heal. Although most of the swelling and bruising usually resolve in the first four to six weeks, final results of surgery may not be fully realized for six months or longer after surgery.

How Is The Cost Of Liposuction Determined?

The cost of liposuction is determined by several factors: In what geographic area do you live? Anesthesiologist and plastic surgeons fees? Where will your surgery be done, in the hospital, surgery center, or office? The number of areas requiring liposuction? An exact quote will be given at the conclusion of your consultation with a plastic surgeon following examination and evaluation.

Can I have more than one area treated at the same time?

Yes, more than one area can be injected at the same time.


Imitrex 25mg Migraine Treatment

July 14th, 2008 -- Posted in Medicine | No Comments »
migraine medicine




IMITREX® Tablets

(Sumatriptan Succinat)


What is IMITREX®-

IMITREX (sumatriptan succinate) is an abortive medication used for the treatment of Migraine attacks in adults. IMITREX is the oldest of the new ‘Tripans’ Migraine wonder drugs.

This is a highly effective acute treatment, which appeared in 1993, which will work with efficiency for most Migraineurs, and has very few side effects.

About the Drug-

IMITREX® Tablets are the original drawing board up anti-migraine medicine. It’s chemical name is sumatriptan succinate, created specifically for Migraine disease.

So IMITREX can relieve more than the severe head pain of Migraine – it also relieves the nausea and other symptoms, like sensitivity to light, that often accompany Migraine. About the Dose- The tablets offer an effective treatment when taken very early in an attack. Migraineurs will find the tablets work best when taken at onset, during the predrome, or as soon as the aura phase starts. Although not as effective or as fast acting as the shot, it offers an effective therapy using the manufacturers recommend 50 mg dose.

Using IMITREX®-

IMITREX should be taken at the onset of a Migraine attack. But, if you can’t, you should know that IMITREX is usually effective at any time – even if you take it when your Migraine is at its worst. In addition, IMITREX is not a narcotic or barbiturate, and, most importantly, according to the manufacturer, in most people IMITREX does not cause the unpleasant side effect of drowsiness. The most frequently seen side effects are tingling and nasal discomfort.

Precautions-

IMITREX a prescription product available only through your doctor, is used for the acute treatment of migraine attacks in adults. You should not take IMITREX if you have certain types of heart disease, a history of stroke or Transient lschemic Attacks (TIAs), peripheral vascular disease, Raynaud’s syndrome, or blood pressure that is uncontrolled. Very rarely, certain people, even some without heart disease, have had serious heart-related problems when taking IMITREX. Therefore, if you have risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, or are a smoker, you need to be evaluated by your doctor before taking IMITREX. If you are currently taking other medications, particularly MAO inhibitors and ergotamines, or if you are pregnant, nursing, or thinking of becoming pregnant, you should talk to your doctor. What’s more, if the headaches you are suffering are not Migraines, IMITREX is not for you.

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Dental Insurance for Pets

July 11th, 2008 -- Posted in Insurance | No Comments »
dental insurance


Pets too require dental insurance, just like the humans do. Statistics show that the dental illness and the money spent on dental treatments for pets are on par with humans. As a pet owner, the pet’s dental health is of prime concern as the pets can develop diseases of the liver, kidney, heart and other organs if their teeth are not taken care. Attention is required when the pet develops bad breath or swollen gums or red gums, or when seen with yellowish brown tartar crust, bleeding gums etc. The raising costs involved in treating such dental diseases of the pet calls for pet dental insurance. The pet dental insurance normally takes care of the routine check ups and cleaning procedures.

Normally pet dental insurance is required for dogs and cats as they have teeth. The costs towards dental cleaning may not be high and do not require any support for footing the bills. But if, a cavity is developed or any dental surgery is required, a cushioning by way of pet dental insurance will be of real help to take care of the enormous costs associated with the pet dental treatment.

Important aspects to be taken care before selecting a pet dental insurance:

The pet dental insurance policy should be in conjunction with the pet’s age, breed, where they live etc. The selection of a good veterinarian is also important to treat the pet. Pet dental insurance may be common to a dog and a cat, but for an exotic pet it may not be the case. Hence, the pet dental insurance policy that suits the exotic pet should be taken, as normal pet dental insurance is not meant for other exotic pets. The payout limits of the pet dental policy should be screened properly and the terms and conditions too need to be read with an eye on the details. Pet dental insurance policy with a yearly limit is good as they pay out every year whereas a “per condition limit” policy may cease for ongoing illnesses when a certain limit is reached as mentioned in the policy. The pet dental insurance should cover the costs of routine dental care as it self saves a lot of money. The emergency care too needs to be covered, as pets are more prone to accidents. Precaution is better than cure.

Reasons for opting pet dental insurance for the pets by their owners:

The pet dental insurance is very important as many of the pet owners treat them as part of their family. A discomfort to their pets can be very stressful to the pet owners and also the costs towards treating them. Pet dental insurance gives a peace of mind, as they are covered against even unexpected dental bills. During emergencies, best treatment can be got with great comfort. Both financial and emotional peace of mind is provided to the pet owner by the pet dental insurance policies. The pets can be free from bad breadth which will lead to other diseases if it is not taken care of can be prevented through regular checkups offered by the pet dental insurance plans.


Mental Health Insurance and Health Plan

July 1st, 2008 -- Posted in Insurance | No Comments »
mental health insurance


There are many facets to the world of mental health, especially when it comes to health insurance and finding adequate coverage for a variety of afflictions and disorders. We’ve put together some answers to some of the more common questions revolving around these topics for you below.

Do most health plans include mental health coverage? The answer, simply put, is yes. The vast majority of insurers and health plans cover at least a limited amount of mental health care.

According to a recent employer survey published in the journal Health Affairs: •91 percent of small firms (10-499 employees) and 99 percent of large firms offer mental health and substance abuse coverage in their most used medical plans. •Mental health and substance abuse coverage was included in 87 percent of indemnity plans, 88 percent of HMOs, 97 percent of Point of Service (POS) plans and 93 percent of Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs).

It is commonly acknowledged today, in 2006, that most employees who have employer-based health insurance have access to mental health coverage, and many of the employees who don’t have coverage have simply chosen not to join an employer’s plan that includes mental health services.

Does mental health coverage cost more? Yes, this is generally the case. There are limits to mental health coverage and the reason why most employers impose limits is due to cost. Estimates vary widely of how much more mental health coverage costs. Here are some results from some studies:

•A 1998 study sponsored by National Advisory Mental Health Council (NAMHC) Parity Workgroup, a division of the federal National Institute of Mental Health, estimated that mental health services would add less than 1 percent to the cost of a health insurance policy for an HMO.

•A 1998 study by Mathematica estimated a 3.6 percent increase across all plans, with a range of 0.6 percent increase for HMOs up to a 5 percent increase for fee-for-service plans.

•A 1997 analysis by the actuarial firm Milliman & Robertson for the National Center for Policy Analysis, examining the cost of a typical mental health mandate (not specific legislation), concluded that mental health services parity legislation tends to drive up costs by 5 percent to 10 percent. With regard to mental insurance in general, how do insurance companies treat mental illness? Insurance companies tend to be somewhat wary of mental health claims due to the increase of fraudulent claims. When Medicare looked for fraud in the community mental health centers last year, it barred 80 of them in nine states from participating in the program.

The Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), which administers Medicare, knew something was amiss when the average yearly cost for each senior getting mental health services jumped from $1,642 in 1993 to more than $10,000 by 1997.

Medicare administrator Nancy-Ann DeParle contended at the time that 90 percent of the patients had no mental illness serious enough to qualify for special treatment.

That being said, it’s straightforward to understand why there is trepidation on the part of health insurance providers.

What mental conditions are typically covered, and not covered by health plans? Generally speaking, a health plan pays for only those services included in the plan’s list of covered services. In the case of mental health services, inpatient and outpatient treatment are most often covered by health plans.

However, there is a continuum of services between inpatient (mental health clinic) and outpatient care that effectively treat many mental disorders and are often more cost-effective than inpatient care at a mental health clinic.

These intermediate services include nonhospital residential services, partial hospitalization services, and intensive outpatient services such as case management and psychosocial rehabilitation. Psychosocial rehabilitation includes pharmacologic treatment, social skills training, and vocational rehabilitation.

Such services are covered by approximately half of employer-sponsored health plans. Prescriptions. Are they covered? Coverage of prescription medications is also important in providing access to treatment for mental health disorders. And, on a positive note, Prescription medications are nearly always covered by health plans (U.S. Department of Labor, 1996; 1998), but this coverage is sometimes limited by formulary restrictions.

Check with your healthcare provider for the exact details on what applies to you and your family with regard to your specific circumstances.


How to Lower your Auto Insurance Rate

July 1st, 2008 -- Posted in Insurance | No Comments »
eye insurance


When you buy your first car, you are most probably struck by the hefty insurance premium you are required to pay. Whilst obviously being unable to avoid the necessity of insurance, there are certain steps you can take in order to present yourself in the most favourable light possible to those beady-eyed insurance people totting up your levels of risk.

The first thing that any driver (perhaps especially new driver) can do to lower their rates is to take a drivers education course. Make certain that the course is certified, as the insurance company will most likely require a copy to verify that you have, in fact successfully completed the course. The courses themselves usually require participants to engage in classroom theory sessions, followed by driving on the road with an instructor. Participants will sit a written theory test, and will also take a practical driving test. Recommended courses can be found through the DMV, and can lower your premium by as much as $300.

You can also choose to increase your deductible and lower your collision coverage. These two actions will have a dramatic effect on the premium you will pay. As the deductible exists to guard against fraudulent claims, raising the level will present you as a low risk, thereby dropping your premium. Lowering collision coverage can make a lot of sense-especially on older cars that have depreciated in value significantly.

Drivers can also look at installing a decent anti-theft system, thereby lowering your risk of claiming for theft. Irrespective of this, surely it’s a worthwhile exercise anyway to protect your pride and joy from irksome thieves. This may be a secondary consideration these days, as many new cars as fitted with anti-theft devices as standard. Although, it may be worth checking the quality of the system installed in your car and looking at a possible upgrade.

It may also be worth examining the merits of combining your house and auto insurance, if you currently have them separately. The rate for packaging your insurance in this way is very likely cheaper than taking (or maintaining) separate policies.

Finally, and here’s some good news (finally!) for younger drivers: insurance companies often give good auto insurance rate discounts to students. You will need to furnish the requisite documents to prove that you are, indeed, a student. The best place to search for this information is online at various search engines that specialize in insurance. Safe driving!

If you’re stuck and need some help finding good information online try using Ezquoteguide.com for finding the right local insurance information you need right away to help you fulfill your auto insurance needs.