Coronavirus: What parents should know and do
As a parent, you can’t help but worry about the safety of your children. So it’s natural that as stories about the novel coronavirus that started in China flood the news, parents worry about whether their children could be at risk.
We are still learning about this new virus; there is much we do not know yet about how it spreads, how serious it can be, or how to treat it. The fact that so much is unknown is a big part of what makes it frightening. But there are things we do know — about this virus and other similar viruses — that can help us keep our children safe and well.
All of the advice below assumes that you a...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - February 5, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Claire McCarthy, MD Tags: Adolescent health Children's Health Infectious diseases Parenting Source Type: blogs
Changes To EHR Presets Can Lower Number Of Opioid Pills Prescribed
Part of a growing body of evidence putting EHRs at the center of opioid use reduction efforts, a new study has concluded that small changes to EHR presets can lower the number of opioid pills physicians prescribe. This is particularly interesting when thinking back to the Practice Fusion opioid kickbacks we wrote about last week. […] (Source: EMR and HIPAA)
Source: EMR and HIPAA - February 4, 2020 Category: Information Technology Authors: Anne Zieger Tags: Analytics/Big Data C-Suite Leadership Clinical EMR-EHR Healthcare IT Hospital - Health System Chronic Opioid Therapy EHR Opioid Tracking EHR Presets Highland Hospital Norco Opioid Prescriptions Opioid Research Oxycodone Percoce Source Type: blogs
What can you do to reduce the risk of birth defects?
You’ve done it! You’ve taken that last birth control pill, removed your IUD, or stopped using your contraceptive method of choice. You’ve made the decision to try to conceive a pregnancy, and while this is an exciting time in your life, it can also feel overwhelming. There is so much advice around fertility and pregnancy, and sifting through it all just isn’t possible. For many mothers, their goals crystallize around ensuring that their baby is healthy.
Evidence-based steps that may prevent birth defects
January is Birth Defects Prevention Month, so we want to focus on things you can do to reduce the risk of birth ...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - January 22, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Huma Farid, MD Tags: Family Planning and Pregnancy Fertility Vaccines Women's Health Source Type: blogs
Policymakers Obsess Over Pain Prescribing and Ignore the Giant Elephant in the Room: Prohibition
Jeffrey A. SingerOn January 20th, theCincinnati Enquirer ran a story on the recentreport from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that showed a 30.1 percent drop in prescription opioid volume from 2010 – 2011 to 2016 – 2017. While the CDC report was non‐judgmental, it was greeted by hospital administrators and emergency physicians in the Cincinnati area as good news.The article quotes one physician/ hospital spokesperson as saying:“The patient can know, ‘My encounter with the ED will … lead to a good outcome. I will not be exposed to unnecessary threats … downstre...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - January 20, 2020 Category: American Health Authors: Jeffrey A. Singer Source Type: blogs
How to help your baby through shots and blood tests
As much as we try to avoid having our babies go through pain, sometimes it is inevitable — and sometimes, as is the case with vaccinations and blood tests, pain is part of something that is ultimately important for the baby’s health and well-being.
Luckily, shots and blood tests are both quick. But there are things you can do to help your baby feel less pain, be less afraid, and get through the procedure more easily.
Helping your baby through the pain of shots and blood tests
Here are some suggestions that will help:
Hold your baby. Having you be close by, and feeling your skin against theirs, can be very comforting.
...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - December 24, 2019 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Claire McCarthy, MD Tags: Children's Health Parenting Tests and procedures Vaccines Source Type: blogs
Drills, needles, and pain, oh my! Coping with dental anxiety
For many people, going to the dentist is an unpleasant but manageable experience. For others, just the thought of going to the dentist causes severe anxiety, leading them to delay or avoid dental treatment. Unfortunately, this behavior can spiral into a vicious cycle of dental pain, health problems, worse anxiety, and more complex and costly dental procedures.
Dental anxiety and phobia
It’s very common for people to fear going to the dentist. When dental fear is severe and leads people to delay or cancel treatment, these individuals may meet criteria for dental phobia or odontophobia, which is included in the Diagnostic ...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - December 18, 2019 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tien Jiang, DMD, MEd Tags: Anxiety and Depression Dental Health Health care Tests and procedures Source Type: blogs
Signs of Opioid Withdrawal
Opioid withdrawal is one of the more uncomfortable parts of treatment, but it is one of the most important. There are many signs of opioid withdrawal, the length and severity of which can vary from person to person. However, each detox experience almost always includes strong cravings. Symptoms can be mild, such as sweating and yawning, while others can become more serious, like severe anxiety and depression.
Opioid withdrawal can look like a scary experience; one that could deter people from getting the help they need. The good news is that it doesn’t need to be fought alone, and there are resources available to make i...
Source: Cliffside Malibu - December 6, 2019 Category: Addiction Authors: Jaclyn Uloth Tags: Addiction Recovery Detox Resources for Alcohol and Drugs/Opiates drug detox medical detox medicated-assisted detox opioid opioids prescription drug detox withdrawal withdrawal symptoms Source Type: blogs
A young F is hyperthermic, delirious, and dry: Fever-induced Brugada? Diphenhydramine toxicity? Tricyclic?
Conclusion of this paper: Fever is a great risk factor for arrhythmia events in Brugada Syndrome patients. Patients with known fever-triggered Brugada syndrome should be surveilled closely during fever and be started on antipyretic therapy as soon as possible. There are limited data regarding the impact of EP study in BrS patients triggered by fever. An EP study might be helpful in symptomatic patients (Sroubek et al., 2016) in the presence of spontaneous BrS ECG or drug-induced ECG.The prognostic significance of fever-induced Brugada syndrome. Heart Rhythm 2016.Eighty-eight asymptomatic patient...
Source: Dr. Smith's ECG Blog - December 4, 2019 Category: Cardiology Authors: Steve Smith Source Type: blogs
What are the Withdrawal Symptoms from Vicodin?
Withdrawal can occur after the discontinuation of any drug. There are many stages of withdrawal symptoms as your body works to adjust. Depending on the length and severity of the addiction, these symptoms can range from mild to debilitating. Opioid withdrawal can be particularly difficult. If you are thinking about getting help for a Vicodin addiction, it is important to know what to expect and how to ease your withdrawal symptoms from Vicodin.
What is Vicodin?
According to Drugs.com, Vicodin contains a combination of acetaminophen and hydrocodone. Hydrocodone is an opioid pain medication. An opioid is sometimes called a ...
Source: Cliffside Malibu - November 28, 2019 Category: Addiction Authors: Jaclyn Uloth Tags: Addiction Recovery Drug Rehab Information Drug Treatment Painkiller drug detox prescription drug abuse prescription drug abuse prevention and treatment act prescription drug addiction prescription drug detox prescription drugs prescrip Source Type: blogs
Living with Crohn ’s disease: Recognizing and managing flares
Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory condition that can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract. Together with ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s is one of the two main types of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Crohn’s affects approximately 500,000 Americans and is a chronic, lifelong condition that typically alternates between periods of relatively stable or absent symptoms (remission) and periods of symptom flare-ups that can last for days, weeks, or even months.
The goal of treatment is to induce remission and then to maximize the chance that patients stay in remission. However, almost everyone with Crohn’s diseas...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - November 26, 2019 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: John Garber, MD Tags: Digestive Disorders Health Source Type: blogs
What Are Opioid Overdose Signs?
On average, 130 Americans die from an opioid overdose every day. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers opioid overdose an epidemic in the United States, estimating it responsible for nearly 68 percent of 70,000 drug-related deaths in 2017. Understanding the effects of opioids can prevent opioid overdose, and knowing the opioid overdose signs can save lives.
What Are Opioids?
Opioids are a class of drugs naturally found in the opium poppy plant. Opioid drugs reduce pain by binding to opioid receptors in your brain, spinal cord and other areas of the body, creating morphine-like effects.
The CDC ide...
Source: Cliffside Malibu - November 21, 2019 Category: Addiction Authors: Jaclyn Uloth Tags: Addiction Heroin Painkiller Substance Abuse drug overdose opiate opiate abuse opiate addiction opiates opioid opioids Source Type: blogs
What is the Definition of “Opioid”?
What is the Definition of “Opioid”?
The definition of opioid is as follows: Opioids are a class of drugs that include the illegal drug heroin, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, and pain relievers available legally by prescription, such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, morphine, and many others.
Opioids work by interacting with the opioid receptors on nerve cells in the body and brain. By interacting with these receptors, opioids medications are able to cut off communication between the pain point on the body to the brain. This chemical interaction gives it’s users pain relief that is too great for over-t...
Source: Cliffside Malibu - November 15, 2019 Category: Addiction Authors: Jaclyn Uloth Tags: Addiction to Pharmaceuticals fentanyl heroin heroin addiction opiate opiate abuse opiate addiction opiates opioid opioids Source Type: blogs
I ’ve prescribed opioids to patients. And I’m not a villain.
You ’ve probably heard this one in one format or another: kid gets wisdom teeth yanked, dentist prescribes a handful of Vicodin, next thing you know, he’s on the street busking for change to pay the man for the big H. Meanwhile, the dentist is on cruises paid by Big Pharma and taking kickbacks from his […]Find jobs at Careers by KevinMD.com. Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now. Learn more. (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog)
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - November 13, 2019 Category: General Medicine Authors: < span itemprop="author" > < a href="https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/post-author/william-c-donlon" rel="tag" > William C. Donlon, DMD, MD < /a > < /span > Tags: Conditions Pain Management Source Type: blogs
Stopping the vicious cycle of rebound headaches
Rebound headaches, also known as medication overuse headaches, are caused by the frequent or excessive use of pain-relieving and/or antimigraine drugs to treat headache attacks that are already in progress. (Note that these are not the same as oral prophylactic or preventive medicines, which should be taken daily.) In other words, the same medications that initially relieve headache pain can themselves trigger subsequent headaches if they are used too often. Medication overuse headaches can be disabling, forcing people with this condition to take sick leave and to be less productive at work and home.
To be diagnosed with m...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - November 7, 2019 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Sait Ashina, MD Tags: Drugs and Supplements Headache Health Source Type: blogs
Vicodin Withdrawal: Symptoms, Timeline and Treatment
What is Vicodin and What Does It Do?
According to MedicineNet, Vicodin is a combination of Hydrocodone and Acetaminophen. Hydrocodone is a narcotic pain-reliever and a cough suppressant, similar to codeine. Hydrocodone blocks the receptors on nerve cells in the brain that give rise to the sensation of pain. Acetaminophen is a non-narcotic pain reliever and fever reducer. Acetaminophen works by elevating the threshold to pain. Essentially, in order for pain to be felt, s greater stimulation of the nerves responsible for the sensation of pain is necessary. It reduces fever through its action on the temperature-regulating ce...
Source: Cliffside Malibu - October 30, 2019 Category: Addiction Authors: Jaclyn Uloth Tags: Addiction Addiction Recovery Detox Resources for Alcohol and Drugs/Opiates Drug Rehab Information Drug Treatment anxiety in withdrawal vicodin withdrawal symptoms Source Type: blogs
