Doctor"s Orders: Signs You"ve Been a Victim of Malpractice

 

The purpose of doctors is to provide an expert service that will keep you healthy and help you recover from any conditions that you might acquire. While most are adept at doing this, there are certain doctors that make mistakes. The problem is that these mistakes can cost you your health and your life. That’s why these mistakes classify as medical malpractice. Below are four signs that you may have been a victim of malpractice.

 

You’re Not Getting Well

The biggest sign that you’ve been a victim of malpractice is that your symptoms aren’t subsiding. Your condition may actually be getting worse because the real problem isn’t being treated or you’re being given a treatment that exacerbates your problems. If your condition becomes progressively worse, then it’s time to seek a second or third opinion. Depending upon the severity of your condition, you might want to consider seeking reparations for malpractice.

 

Lack of a Prompt Diagnosis

In the field of healthcare, a prompt diagnosis can mean the difference between life and death. Delaying for too long can make a disease worse to the point that it may even become untreatable.

Ensure that your health provider doesn’t delay to make a diagnosis. Procrastination can allow your condition to progress from something curable into a terminal illness.

 

Failure to Look at Every Angle

There are routine procedures for diagnosing conditions, just as there are certain indicators in the blood and body that can help a doctor diagnose a condition. The problem is that many symptoms can apply to other conditions, which are not the cause of your problems.

Your doctor needs to look at your symptoms and test results. He or she should not rely solely upon one test or gut instinct to make a diagnosis.

 

Your Doctor’s Ignoring You

It is the responsibility of your doctor to listen to you, especially when you think that something isn’t quite right about your treatment. Your voice is the one thing that can notify your doctor that your condition isn’t responding to your treatment. If your doctor ignores you, regardless of the reason, then malpractice has occurred.

 

Resolving Medical Malpractice Before It’s Too Late

Medical malpractice occurs too frequently. It represents a failure in the healthcare industry that can cost you your livelihood, your well-being and a small fortune to fix.

Promptly resolving malpractice prevents problems from becoming worse and allows the right treatment to occur. Seeking reparations for it can aid in repairing the unnecessary pain and suffering that malpractice caused.

 

Informational Credit to McLaughlin & Lauricella, P.C.

Categories: condition, diagnosis, doctor, Doctors, malpractice, malpractice nbsp, medical malpractice, nbsp, prompt diagnosis, seeking reparations, signs, victim

Gender Identity Disorder: Diagnosis and Treatment

There are many well-known phrases that make bigger implications than we realise – such as boys will be boys – but what happens when boys want to be girls, or vice versa? Gender Identity Disorder (GID) can play a huge role in an individual’s sexual health, and overall wellbeing, with people feeling that their body does not match who they are on the inside. Also known as gender identity confusion, gender dysphoria, transgenderism and transsexualism, the condition can cause some people to use clothing and cosmetics to explore this identity, while others may choose to change their appearance with hormones or even surgery.

 

According to noted wellness writer Maria Trimarchi, ‘Mental health professionals believe there are three components that make up our gender identity: our sexual orientation, behaviour and mannerism preferences, and core gender identity (that gut feeling we have about the gender we identify with). In most of us, these three components and our anatomy align as male or female. For some, however, these components don’t all match up. The cause of gender identity disorder is still being debated. Theories suggest it is caused by genetic abnormalities, endocrine problems like a testosterone or oestrogen imbalance in the womb, social factors like parenting or some combination of issues.’ But at what age do parents begin to see symptoms of GID in children?

 

There are five steps to diagnosing GID: diagnostic assessment, psychotherapy, real-life experience, hormone therapy and surgery. Trimarchi explains, ‘The process begins when a person consults a mental health professional, who performs sessions of psychotherapy and formulates a diagnosis. To become a candidate for gender reassignment surgery, a person must first be diagnosed with Gender Identity Disorder (GID) or gender dysphoria. The International Classification of Diseases-10 (ICD-10) lists gender identity disorder as a disorder and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-V) lists gender dysphoria.’

 

The reason why diagnosis is important is because there is a wide range of variables that fall under the GID umbrella, and prospective candidates for gender reassignment surgery must work with a mental health professional for the right diagnosis. Once the diagnosis is complete, there are three phases left for patients who wish to undergo surgery:

 

1. Hormone therapy

 

2. Real-Life Experience, or the Real-Life Test

 

3. Surgery to change genitalia and other sex characteristics

 

Trimarchi notes, ‘Not all transgender people need all three phases of therapy; each path to gender reassignment is tailored to the person…Before a patient can begin hormone therapy or breast surgery, a mental health professional must write a letter of recommendation to the physician providing medical treatment. In addition to the letter, the World Professional Association for Transgender Health’s Standards of Care require several eligibility and readiness criteria for hormone therapy.’ To undergo hormone therapy, you must:

 

• Be 18 years of age


• Understand what the medical ability of hormones, as well as their social benefits and risks


• Have either a minimum of three months of psychotherapy or a documented three month real-life experience


• Show stable or improved mental health


• Demonstrate ability to take hormones in a responsible manner

 

Trimarchi details, ‘The Real-Life Experience immerses the individual into life as his or her preferred gender. The candidate is required to maintain full or part-time employment (or attend school full or part-time), legally change his or her first name to one that is gender appropriate and prove that people other than the therapist and doctor know his or her desired gender. After 12 months of continuous and successful hormone therapy and Real-Life Experience, the individual is eligible for genital surgery. Two letters of recommendation, usually one from the mental health professional and one from the hormone-prescribing physician, are required for surgery.’

Categories: diagnosis, gender dysphoria, gender identity, gender reassignment, health professional, Hormone Therapy, identity disorder, life experience, Mental Health, Real Life, treatment

How to Work Out Whether You Have Endometriosis

If you’re worried that your sexual wellness and wellbeing may be affected by endometriosis, it may be time to look further into the condition.

 

The condition cannot usually be diagnosed via a pelvic exam (unless there is a lesion or pelvic mass) but you should still start the process of diagnosis by visiting your GP and describing your symptoms. Your doctor will most likely refer you for a laparoscopy, which is a procedure whereby a small telescope is passed through the wall of the stomach (usually through the navel) to allow doctors to see if they can see endometrial tissue.

 

Laparoscopy cannot detect every case of endometriosis, however, as some women suffer from deep endometriosis, which means that the endometrial tissue is imbedded deep into the body. Many women have both types of lesions, so some extent of the disease can be seen during the procedure and yet there is more still hidden.

 

Women who have deep endometriosis usually have more pain that women who have a more superficial version of the disease.

 

The best starting place, in that case, may be a detailed medical history, listing all of your symptoms of the disease so that your health professional can ascertain what kind of level of endometriosis you may be suffering from and provide a correct diagnosis.

 

When the laparoscopy is carried out, the patient is generally put under general anaesthesia so that the laparoscope can be inserted through the abdominal wall. The surgeon can then manipulate the telescope to look for signs of adhesions or other abnormalities such as lesions, noting their size and location.

 

If lesions can be seen, it is very easy to diagnose the disease, but when the disease is not visible it can make diagnosis much more difficult. This means that some practitioners have to make a diagnosis based on clinical evaluation and the patient’s response to medication.

Categories: deep endometriosis, diagnosis, Disease, endometrial tissue, endometriosis, nbsp, Pain, Women

TIY Yeast Infections: Can You Treat-It-Yourself?

It used to be that you would only get treated for a yeast infection after a health care professional gave you an official diagnosis and prescription for treatment. However, these days you can take your sexual health and wellbeing into your own hands, with many over-the-counter (OTC) antifungal medications, including creams, ointments, suppositories or tablets. That said, if you’ve never had a yeast infection before, or if your wellness is also affected by a fever, abdominal pain, foul-smelling discharge, diabetes, HIV, pregnancy or nursing, you should be seen by your GP, just in case. Pregnant women should never use an OTC anti-yeast product without a doctor’s say-so.

 

Generally speaking, however, it’s perfectly fine to use an OTC antifungal medication if a medical health professional has diagnosed a yeast infection for you in the past and you are now experiencing the same symptoms. The available medications include:

 

• butoconazole (Femstat 3)

 

• terconazole (Terazol)

 

• tioconazole (Monistat-1, Vagistat-1)

 

• miconazole (Monistat 7)

 

• clotrimazole (Gyne-Lotrimin 3)

 

The only difference between all of the above medications is a case of convenience and cost. While some treatments take a shorter time to work than others, these are the treatments that will be more expensive. Whatever treatment you choose – be it OTC or via prescription – you need to ensure that you take the full course as directed. Even if you begin to feel better, you should never cut your treatment short. It is often the case that symptoms begin to improve before the infection is completely treated. However, if you find that your symptoms fail to respond to your chosen OTC treatment, or recur shortly after clearing up, you should consult your doctor for further treatment options.

 

You may be thinking to yourself, “Why would I need to consult a doctor the first time I get a yeast infection when I can self-diagnose?” It’s true that the internet is full of information, and can point you in the right direction when you experience certain symptoms, but that doesn’t mean that you can 100% guarantee you have a yeast infection just from what you discern online. Research shows that self-diagnoses of yeast infections only have a 50% success rate, meaning that there’s a 50% chance you’re wrong. Although the medicines are relatively inexpensive, a trip to your GP is free on the NHS, so why not find out for sure, at least on the first occasion? This is especially the case for people who are pregnant, nursing, diabetic, HIV-positive or have fever, abdominal pain or foul-smelling discharge. For most people, OTC anti-fungal medications are harmless, even if you don’t have a yeast infection, but this isn’t the case if you fall into one of the above-mentioned categories.

 

You should also visit your doctor if symptoms persist for more than 48 hours after starting the medicine, however, or if they return promptly. You’re not likely to experience any major side effects with these medications, but a few people have been known to have an allergic reaction to OTC anti-fungal medications, including symptoms such as shortness of breath, closing of the throat, swelling of the lips, face, or tongue or hives. This only happens in rare cases but, if you are likewise affected, you should stop using the OTC anti-fungal medication at once and seek emergency medical treatment. Other side effects of OTC anti-fungal medications include burning, itching, irritation of the skin and an increased need to urinate. These are more common and less dangerous, but you should still visit your GP to get it sorted out. You should also refrain from sex if your only contraception is a condom or diaphragm, as these medications can render such birth control ineffective.

Categories: anti fungal, diagnosis, fever abdominal, foul smelling, fungal medications, medications include, otc anti, smelling discharge, treatment, yeast infection, Yeast Infections

How Can You Tell If You’ve Got a Mental Health Problem?

The distinction between mental health and mental illness isn’t always obvious – one man’s shyness is another man’s case of social phobia, for example. It’s often difficult to distinguish normal mental health from mental illness because there’s no easy test to show if something’s wrong. To determine whether or not your wellness has been affected by a mental health condition, there are two things that mental health providers set out to assess; others’ perceptions of you and your behaviour, and your symptoms. Your mental health professional will assess your wellbeing by working with you and your loved ones, but what exactly are they looking for?

 

1. Others’ perceptions: The problem with mental issues is that you’re probably not the best person to assess your own state of mind. In order to get an accurate picture of your behaviour, thoughts or ability to function, you need the opinions of other people in your life to determine whether your behaviour is normal or healthy. In the case of bipolar disorder, for example, you might think that your mood swings are just the normal ups and downs of life that everyone goes through. However, when these ups and downs are expressed through your words and actions, others around you can see the abnormalities and the problems they are causing in your work, relationships or other areas of your life.

 

2. Your symptoms: Aside from asking what your symptoms actually are, your mental health provider will ask when they began and how they’ve affected your life. While we’ve gone over how your own perceptions perhaps don’t paint the most objective picture of your mental health, how you perceive your thoughts and behaviours and how much your signs and symptoms affect your daily activities can help determine what you see as normal. Although each mental health condition has its own set of signs and symptoms, it might be advisable to consult a professional if you or a loved one experiences:

 

• Marked changes in your personality and not wanting to do the things you usually enjoy


• Changes in your eating or sleeping patterns


• Inability to cope with problems or daily activities


• Strange or grandiose ideas


• Excessive anxiety


• Prolonged depression, apathy or hopelessness.


• Thinking or talking about suicide


• Substance abuse


• Extreme mood swings or excessive anger, hostility or violent behaviour

 

With regards to depressive symptoms, these feelings can often be a normal, temporary reaction to a specific trigger, such as a divorce or bereavement. Depression is a more likely diagnosis if there’s no specific cause to your feelings, or if the symptoms are persistent and severe. Still, for a lot of people with mental health conditions, the signs and symptoms aren’t a good enough warning as they see it as a regular part of life, or they are concerned but avoid getting help out of shame and fear.

 

However, you should never hesitate to seek advice if you’re concerned about your mental health or that of a loved one. Apart from the fact that mental health is a vital part of life, mental issues can indicate the presence of an underlying health condition, and so you might also need to have a physical exam to rule this out. If you’re concerned about your own mental health, consult your family doctor and make an appointment with a counsellor or psychologist. If it’s a loved one you’re worried about, encourage them to do the same. With appropriate support, it’s possible to identify mental health conditions and explore treatment options, such as medications or counselling.

Categories: daily activities, diagnosis, health, health condition, health conditions, mental, Mental Health, mental illness, mental issues, Mood Swings, Symptoms

How to Live a Full Life In Spite of Schizophrenia

There’s no denying that schizophrenia takes its toll on mental health and wellbeing; this challenging disorder makes it difficult for you to distinguish between what is real and unreal, think clearly, manage your emotions, relate to others, and function normally. However, there’s still hope for your wellbeing as it is possible to successfully manage schizophrenia. First, you have to identify the signs and symptoms, then you need to seek help and finally, you must stick with the treatment. Get those steps in place and, with the right treatment and support, you can lead a happy, fulfilling life even with schizophrenia.

 

1. Signs and Symptoms.

As schizophrenia blurs the line between perception and reality, this can manifest in a number of symptoms. You may:

• See or hear things that don’t exist


• Speak in strange or confusing ways


• Believe that others are trying to harm you


• Feel like you’re being constantly watched

 

With such feelings going on, even negotiating the activities of daily life becomes difficult and even frightening. This may cause you to withdraw from the outside world or act out in confusion and fear. It’s a misconception that schizophrenia causes multiple personalities, as multiple personality disorder is a different and much less common disorder than schizophrenia. People with schizophrenia do not have split personalities. Rather, they are “split off” from reality.

 

Sometimes, schizophrenia occurs suddenly, but often it appears through subtle signs and symptoms. Early things to watch out for include:

• Social withdrawal


• Hostility or suspiciousness, extreme reaction to criticism


• Poor personal hygiene


• Flat, expressionless gaze


• Inability to cry or express joy, or inappropriate laughter or crying


• Depression


• Oversleeping or insomnia


• Odd or irrational statements, strange use of words or way of speaking


• Forgetfulness and inability to concentrate

 

2. Getting help.

When diagnosing your schizophrenia, your doctor or psychiatrist will ask you a series of questions about your symptoms, psychiatric history, and family history of mental health problems. The doctor may also ask your loved ones about these things, as the condition distorts your perception of reality. Your doctor will also perform a complete physical examination to check for medical issues that could be causing or contributing to the problem. You may undergo laboratory tests, such as giving blood or urine samples, just so your doctor can rule out other medical causes of symptoms. The doctor may also order brain-imaging studies, such as an MRI or a CT scan, in order to look for brain abnormalities associated with schizophrenia.

 

3. Sticking to treatment.

Despite the fact that schizophrenia is a chronic disorder, there is help available. Many people with schizophrenia are able to function independently and live satisfying lives, but this is because they have the right support, medication, and therapy. You have the best chance of success if your schizophrenia is diagnosed and treated right away. If not, the effects of schizophrenia can lead to:

• Relationship problems – This is because schizophrenia causes you to withdraw or isolate yourself from others, as well as being paranoid and suspicious of your friends and family.


• Disruption to normal daily activities – Delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized thoughts typically prevent you from doing normal things like bathing, eating, or running errands.


• Alcohol and drug abuse – While self-medicating or relieving symptoms with alcohol and drugs seems like a good idea, people with schizophrenia frequently develop addictions to alcohol, drugs and smoking. The latter addiction can complicate the situation further, as cigarette smoke can interfere with the effectiveness of medications you’ve been prescribed for the disorder.


• Increased suicide risk – You’re especially likely to commit suicide during psychotic episodes, during periods of depression, and in the first six months after they’ve started treatment.

Categories: diagnosis, Disorder, doctor, Mental Health, nbsp, schizophrenia, schizophrenia nbsp, Symptoms

Tuberculosis: What Do You Need To Know?

Studies suggest that a third of the world’s population, around two billion people, are infected with the bacteria which leads to tuberculosis. However, only one in ten of these infected people will actually show signs of the condition. This is known to professionals as active tuberculosis – in the UK alone, more than 9,000 people have this disease. The numbers of people with this disease were dropping since 1950, but since the 1980s the numbers have been increasing again. This disease tends to thrive in major cities, as there are more risk factors involved, such as overcrowded housing or people arriving from other countries where there is a high rate of TB. It can be easily treated with antibiotics, but you will need a long-term course of them. Tuberculosis is the second leading cause of death from an infectious disease globally, after HIV/AIDS. You may not be aware you have this disease, as many people don’t show the symptoms, but once you have been infected one of three things will happen. You either won’t have any symptoms because your immune system kills the bacteria and combats the infection, you will have symptoms because your immune system has failed to clear the infection and the bacteria has begun to grow in your organs, or you will get symptoms only if the infection is reactivated which could be many years after first becoming infected. There are many symptoms of tuberculosis of the lungs, which can include a persistent cough, weight loss, a loss of appetite, night sweats, fever and tiredness. If you have it in other organs, your symptoms will depend on where the infection is developing. They can include swollen neck glands, joint pain or back pain, abdominal pains, ankle swelling, breathlessness or chest pain, and skin sores.

 

When someone who is already infected with tuberculosis coughs or sneezes, you can become infected by the droplets of moisture which contain the bacteria which are then dispersed into the air. These bacteria can survive for long periods of time outside of the body, and they can multiply in the cells in your lungs if you inhale them. There is also a risk of them being transported to other organs in the body if the bacteria enters your bloodstream, as this will then begin growing in other parts of the body. You’re at a higher risk of developing the disease if you were born in areas of a high rate of the disease, such as South East Asia and Eastern Europe; have close contact with someone who has active tuberculosis; have previously had incomplete treatment for tuberculosis; have had another long-term disease such as diabetes, kidney failure or HIV/AIDS; are young or elderly; are dependent on alcohol or drugs, and are homeless or living in overcrowded conditions. However, it’s important to remember that you can’t catch tuberculosis from shaking hands, sharing food or drink, sharing a toothbrush, touching bed linen that someone with TB has used, kissing or using a toilet seat that someone with TB has used.

 

The testing for TB consists of either a chest x-ray where your radiographer can check for signs of infection, or through a phlegm sample. You will be asked to provide three samples of phlegm which you cough up, not just your saliva, which are then sent away for testing to see if there are signs of bacteria in them. Not only do these samples help to diagnose your condition, but they also help to determine which antibiotics are most effective to treat it. The treatment stage is long for this condition, generally lasting for around six months. If you think you may have the symptoms of tuberculosis, you should seek advice from your GP as soon as possible.

Categories: diagnosis, treatment, Tuberculosis

Bipolar disorder: The Signs you need to be Aware of

Bipolar disorder is a condition which affects your mood, where the individual suffers episodes of extreme elation or mania, followed by episodes of extreme depression. Each person will suffer from different variations of this disorder, and in lower levels of the manic phase it’s possible that you can become extremely productive – in more advanced levels this phase can lead to erratic behaviour. The mild to moderate phase of this condition is known as hypomania, where the person will be extremely enthusiastic about things in their life. When this develops into full-blown mania, this can turn the individual on to thinking that they are better than everyone else and that rules don’t apply to them. In our emotional existence mood swings are common, but when they develop beyond the realm of normal they can fall into a separate illness.

 

The symptoms of bipolar disorder include severe mania, depression and mixed emotional episodes. Within the manic phase, you might notice that the individual is prone to fast bouts of speech, that they are sleeping less and there are stages of hyperactivity. They also feel as though they are invincible and bound for greatness. With bipolar depression, however, they will feel incredibly low, irritable and restless. They sleep more, speak more slowly and even gain weight – you’ll notice that they feel incredibly sad or empty, that they suffer from fatigue and have increased thoughts of suicide. Anti-depressants can be used to treat regular depression, but in bipolar disorders they can actually make the problem worse.

 

The diagnosis of this condition is based on a criteria set out by psychiatric associations – much like the diagnosis for depression, it is based on a questionnaire which documents your mood over a period of time. You will also provide blood and urine samples to be tested which look to rule out psychological conditions that could be affecting your mood. There are various causes of bipolar disorder, from biological and psychological, to social influences. 80 to 90 percent of sufferers generally have a close relative who also suffers from either depression or bipolar disorder. There are also environmental factors to consider, such as drug and alcohol abuse, stress and sleep disruption.

Categories: bipolar disorder, diagnosis, treatment

Myth Busters: Is it Possible to Classify Mental Disorders?

In a month’s time, the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) is due to hit psychiatrists’ and psychologists’ shelves. This is a standardised system of diagnosing mental disorders produced by the American Psychiatric Association (APA), but the DSM is not without its critics. The first edition of the DSM was published in 1952, and there have been three more since then, coming out every 15 to 20 years. However, the DSM has always had opposition, as some object to classifying mental health, as this can have several wellness complications.

The DSM-5’s primary purpose is to allow a reliable diagnosis of a mental disorder, as well as providing treatment pathways and likely outcomes for a patient’s wellbeing. Certainly, mental health is more difficult to measure than, say, heart health, but without the DSM-5 there is no other way of truly knowing whether a disease really exists. Differences of opinion are inevitable in this area, and so the DSM enables two clinicians to reach the same diagnosis for a particular patient.

As the APA has made a lot of money from the DSM “enterprise”, critics argue that the DSM is just a money-making scheme in which book royalties are the primary motivator for producing yet another edition. However, if book royalties are the primary objective, how would you explain that an estimated $25 million has already been spent on the fifth revision process? The truth is, medical experts are continually learning about the brain and mental health, and so revisiting standards and guidelines every 20 years is hardly an unnecessary step to take.

One of the main worries about the latest DSM is that more people will be diagnosed with a mental disorder. Though the total number of disorders in DSM-5 is yet to be announced, its chair David Kupfer has said the total number of disorders will not be more than in the DSM-IV: 297. Revising the DSM is an extremely rigorous process, which requires strong scientific evidence and wide expert opinion before new disorders or guidelines make the cut.

Finally, critics assert that the DSM is trying to redefine what’s normal. Yet being normal is not the same as “not having a DSM-5 diagnosis”, and having such a diagnosis is not the same as being “insane”. This has been wrongly argued by those who oppose the DSM, as many individuals, including physicians, find it difficult to accept that mental illness, not unlike physical illness, is common and most of it is not madness or insanity. The DSM is definitely not above criticism, but is probably the best manual of mental disorders that we are likely to have for some time.

Myth Busters: Is it Possible to Classify Mental Disorders?

Categories: book royalties, diagnosis, disorders, DSM-5, health, mental, mental disorder, Mental disorders, Mental Health, Myths, total number

How are Diabetes Specialists Reaching Quicker Diagnoses?

Many children are living with undiagnosed Type 1 diabetes, which puts their wellbeing at risk, and can even have fatal consequences. However, Cambridge’s leading specialists are trying to reach them sooner.

Unlike type 2 diabetes, which is often caused by a poor wellness lifestyle, type 1 diabetes develops when your immune system begins to attack and destroy your insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. This can be triggered by factors such as stress or illness, and if it isn’t controlled with the correct insulin levels, your blood glucose levels increase and can seriously damage your organs.

Based at the Weston Centre in Addenbrooke’s, the paediatric diabetes team is trying to make sure symptoms are picked up before young people become really ill, and come through the emergency department’s doors. This happens in many children, as parents and doctors can miss or misdiagnose the early signs of the condition, and fail to notice them until the children become very ill.

According to Dr Carlo Acerini, consultant paediatrician and chair of East of England Paediatric Diabetes Network, ‘The signs are often non-specific and can be confused with other common conditions. And there is a concern that general practitioners don’t think of a diagnosis of diabetes before the child becomes very unwell and a child can then present in A&E. That is potentially life threatening.’ He explained that the symptoms to watch for include an excessive thirst, urinating more frequently, feeling tired and weight loss. However, people don’t necessarily exhibit all of these.

A diagnosis of type 1 diabetes can be daunting for both you and your child, which is why the team contains specialist nurses who can support parents and children through the initial weeks and months until they are confident with the insulin treatment. This can come in either an injection pen or a pump attached to the abdomen, which can take a while to master and feel comfortable with.

Aside from this, the team, which is made up of 14 diabetes experts, even has a play specialist. Jacqueline Welch works with children and helps them to understand the condition and their treatment, and shows them than, most importantly of all, they can live a normal life. She even has props to help young people comprehend the disease, including a teddy bear that allows them to see where injections will go on the body, and a pump for a doll to show a little girl how the pump works.

Google+
How are Diabetes Specialists Reaching Quicker Diagnoses?

Categories: Children, diagnosis, type 1 diabetes

GPs Support A Bid To Speed Up Arthritis Diagnoses

It has been announced by the government that from April, three new best practice tariffs for early inflammatory arthritis will pay hospitals more money if they are able to quickly diagnose and treat patients with new-onset forms of the disease.

At the moment, a backlog in hospitals and excessive delays mean that only around 10 percent of patients begin treatment for arthritis within three months of GP referral, which is the target recommended by NICE. The news has been welcomed by a number of senior rheumatology experts.

The NICE guidelines state that it is ideal for patients to begin treatment within three months of initial onset of inflammatory arthritis symptoms. A recent report into the area found a huge variation in treatment times and the outcome from the treatment across the UK. With the new procedures in place, adult patients with new-onset inflammatory arthritis should be seen by a rheumatologist within three weeks of being referred by a GP.

Patients should then receive their diagnosis and start their course of treatment within six weeks of being referred. They will then be entitled to regular check-ups with a doctor until the condition is at a manageable stage. This is definitely good news as it means that we can look forward to faster diagnosis of arthritis in the future.

The tariffs were developed in line with NICE guidance by the Department of Health, the British Society for Rheumatology and the charity Arthritis UK. It showed that the Department of Health also advised GPs to continue referring patients who have suspected early inflammatory arthritis within a maximum of six weeks of onset.

Google+
GPs Support A Bid To Speed Up Arthritis Diagnoses

Categories: Arthritis, diagnosis, Hospitals

Why Early Diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes is Essential

Undiagnosed cases of type 2 diabetes number an estimated 850,000 cases in the UK. People who have the blood disorder but don’t yet know it are putting themselves at risk of health complications, such as stroke, blindness, kidney failure and amputation.

Type 2 diabetes, sometimes referred to as late or adult onset diabetes, is a chronic condition that is most prevalent in those who are obese or overweight, those who are not physically active, older people and those with a family history of developing diabetes. If you have a large waist, you are also in the high-risk category.

Failing to have the condition diagnosed can lead an individual to be exposed to higher risks of developing other dangerous health conditions. The charity Diabetes UK is trying to raise awareness of the risk factors associated with the condition, encouraging those in the high-risk categories to examine their lifestyles and current health for signs of the disorder, which can go undetected for a number of years. Typical symptoms include a strong feeling of thirst, urinating more frequently, feeling tired and weight loss.

Diabetes UK wants those at risk of type 2 diabetes to seek an early diagnosis because the earlier the condition is diagnosed, the quicker patients can get the necessary treatment and so avoid further health complications.

Diabetes is a chronic blood disorder in which an individual’s blood sugar levels are too high. Type 2 diabetes develops when the body does not produce enough or any insulin to turn glucose in the blood into cells.

In the UK, the NHS Health Check programme is used for early detection of type 2 diabetes with the government aiming to prevent more than 4,000 people every year from developing diabetes.

Google+
Why Early Diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes is Essential

Categories: diagnosis, risk factors, Type 2 Diabetes