
Covid vaccination in Jodhpur: Overview and details
After a much worrisome year which 2020 was for all, the arrival of COVID-19 vaccine was something that was very well accepted by the people. The home-developed vaccines such as Covishield and Covaxin have been developed in record times, with the implementation of their doses already commenced not only in all the corners of India but also in many other countries as well.
After a much worrisome year which 2020 was for all, the arrival of COVID-19 vaccine was something that was very well accepted by the people. The home-developed vaccines such as Covishield and Covaxin have been developed in record times, with the implementation of their doses already commenced not only in all the corners of India but also in many other countries as well.
If the city of Jodhpur is taken into consideration, the vaccine which has been allotted for the ‘sun-city’, as well as all the other cities of the state of Rajasthan, is Covishield. Along with the other two major cities of Jaipur and Udaipur, Jodhpur was selected as a city for storage of the COVID vaccine, given its good airway connectivity.
The vaccination drive commenced in Jodhpur during the last week of January 2021, with the health and front line workers being the first ones to receive the vaccine in that phase. The second drive of vaccination in Jodhpur commenced in the first week of March 2021, with the eligible people in this drive being the people aged above 60 and those aged between 45-60 who are suffering from one of the 20 odd comorbidities listed by the government.
Some of the centers in Jodhpur where the vaccination drives are being conducted are Mathuradas Mathur Hospital, AIIMS Jodhpur, UPHC Residency, ANM Training Center Ummed Hospital Campus, and private medical hospitals such as Manidhari, Medipulse Hospital, Shriram Mandor, and Vasundhara Hospital. The vaccination drives are being well conducted even in the rural areas such as Bilada, Mathania, Kelansar, Dhundara, Salawas, Chamu, Dechu, Bhopalgarh, Balesar, Jhanwar, Shergarh, etc. The collectorate of Jodhpur has set a target of giving the doses of vaccine to almost 4 lakh people in the second phase in the city of Jodhpur, which is quite appreciable.
Perfect management, regarding distribution and monitoring of the vaccination doses, is executed. The people who are eligible for getting the shots of vaccine can apply on the website www.cowin.gov.in, where they can select the time and center of the vaccination as per their convenience, as listed in the sections on the website. While government hospitals are carrying out this vaccination drive free of cost, the private hospitals and clinics are charging Rs. 250 for the same vaccine, which has been set by the government itself.
Does insurance pay for home health care – costs and methods of payment explained
Out of all the services mankind has access to, health care has to be ranked at the top of all of them. And why not – after all, it boils down to the matters of life and death. All the changes which the world has seen post the COVID-19 pandemic have made us realize the importance of health care in general even more.
Out of all the services mankind has access to, health care has to be ranked at the top of all of them. And why not – after all, it boils down to the matters of life and death. All the changes which the world has seen post the COVID-19 pandemic have made us realize the importance of health care in general even more. And finally, governments too are taking this very seriously, which has resulted in even more refined and better evolutions in the medical world.
One such evolution is that of home health care services. While it has always been a popular thing in other countries, India has only recently started recognizing this fine facility. There are many benefits which home health care services do provide over hospitals and nursing homes in many of the ailments and medical conditions. However, people are still skeptical of the outcomes and benefits of home health care services over them.
One such dilemma is the amount of costs involved, various expenditures and their management. Thanks to various innovations and enhancements in the medical world, home health care services are not a thing only for affluent people, but even common people can have easy access to them. And thanks to their better acceptance, there have been many easier and more convenient methods which have emerged in recent days for the finances involved in treatments and medications for the same.
The most obvious choice which one can think of while covering medical expenses is through long term health insurance plans. For those who have doubts and questions regarding whether insurance policies are as effective in covering the expenses of home health care services as they are in covering the hospital bills, they surely can take a sigh of relief. Like hospital bills, nowadays many insurance companies are covering up a majority of home health care service, predominantly the ones related to medical professionals and medications in general.
All you need to do is check with your insurance provider whether the insurance policy you have opted or willing to opt for are covering these expenses or not. There are various plans and premiums which cover the home health care services, and these are the ones you should definitely be taking into consideration and add up in your policy. A majority of private health insurance providers are even giving short term professional nursing care even after discharging procedure from hospital. Also, all of these plans also offer various tax advantages, which can prove beneficial in saving up additional money.
Apart from the feasibility of long term health insurance plans and policies, there are a couple of other ways through which one can cover medical expenses. There are many policies which have been authorized by government for different types of patients, such as Ayushman Bharat, Awaz Health Insurance Scheme, Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana, Bhamashah Swasthya Bima Yojana, Central Government Health Scheme and more, all of which have separate policies and benefits which can be availed even in the case of home health care services.
These additional services offered by the government do come handy in case of people who are living below poverty lines. Also, these schemes do encourage and have made people aware about the emergency procedures and finances involved in medical emergencies, so they are anyway proving to be a win-win situation for patients and their family members.
While the step of availing the benefits of insurance policies has to be the first and foremost step one should take in case of ailments and emergencies, one anyways has the final and default option of private paying options, which are done on an out-of-pocket basis. There are some monetary managements like savings, equity, retirement income or gifts from family members, which can be utilized in case of any medical emergency which can be done under home health care but in case are not covered in insurance policies. In such cases, it is always advisable to discuss with any financial advisor or elders, as money can be depleted faster than what you think. However, this is one of the easiest, most convenient and direct methods of payment to home health care services.
If you are looking for home health care services in Jodhpur or any other part of Western Rajasthan, Medipulse should be in your list of screening as the management has curated a team of experirenced professionals that offer their best in accordance to the patient’s requirements.
Why is Home Care better than a nursing home – benefits explained
For all the emotional and physical connection a home offers, most of us prefer our homes as our last resort of memories and comfort. No matter how much you might love the outside world for the beauty of nature or the glitz of urban jungle, for most, there is no place like our homes when it comes to sheer peace of mind.
For all the emotional and physical connection a home offers, most of us prefer our homes as our last resort of memories and comfort. No matter how much you might love the outside world for the beauty of nature or the glitz of urban jungle, for most, there is no place like our homes when it comes to sheer peace of mind.
The COVID-19 pandemic has made us realize the importance of our homes and our families in our lives even for the fact that many of us were taking these luxuries for granted. There are many aspects of our lives, including our work, which can be controlled from the comfort of our homes. One of such aspects is health care.
In recent times, home health care services have found their footing very rapidly, thus giving many people the option of taking care of their health with all the optimum solutions which are available at all the hospitals. There are many reasons, which prove that home health care services are proving to be better alternatives to hospitals and nursing homes. Following are ten such advantages:-
● Faster recovery – Thanks to the presence of nurses and other trained professionals along with those of the family members and loved ones, a patient tends to show signs of recovery faster at his/her home, rather than in a hospital. In case of a major ailment, a patient can be relieved from hospital sooner, if he/she wishes to choose the option of home health care services.
● A feasible option for hospital – While in previous times, there were not many facilities which can be operated from the comfort of our homes, with the hospitals being the last resort in case of even a minor ailment. However, thanks to the era of digitalization and better facilities, a home can be converted into a hospital, with all the trained medical professionals and even some of the required tests being conducted at one’s home itself.
● Involvement of family members in treatments – At hospitals, due to the presence of many other patients and other restrictions and regulations, the family members of a patient are refrained from the treatment procedures most of the time. However, thanks to home health care services, the family members can now be directly involved in various practices like administering medicines, physical therapies and giving them more emotional support.
● Sense of independence – Sometimes, hospitals do impose unwarranted restrictions on both patients as well as family members when it comes to various practices like meeting hours, diet, etc. However, in case of home health care services, there is a controlled but fine sense of independence, and that too, under proper medical consultation from professionals.
● Sense of comfort – There are many people who can’t find a level of rest and comfort anywhere in the world as they get in their homes. For such people, and in general, home does give a lot of sense of familiarity and comfort, for they are well versed with the surroundings and environment. Such a thing helps in recovering them faster, as they find an emotional connect with them.
● Presence of family and friends – Apart from visiting hours, hospitals sometimes imposes restrictions on the number of people meeting the patients. There might be some loved ones who want to meet the patient, but unfortunately, step back due to restrictions of hospitals. Home health care services do lose such restrictions by a fine margin.
● Morale boosting – Given the sense of familiarity a patient gets in his home in the presence of his/her loved ones or family members, the morale of the patient boosts up significantly. This thing can be very essential, as in most of the cases, it does make the recovery procedure faster.
● Costs – Nowadays, treatments and medications in many private hospitals have somehow become much more expensive than what they actually should be. From that point of view, the home health care services do cut off these costs by as much as 66 per cent, which definitely digs a less deep hole in one’s pockets.
Thanks to the fast rising popularity of home health care services, many service providers are now offering additional benefits apart from trained professionals, like emotional companionship, homemakers, volunteers, nutritionists, etc. If you are seeking home care services in Jodhpur or western part of Rajasthan, one can check Medipulse which has a diversified staff to handle different requirements in an effective manner.
Advantages of home health care services – explained in detail
Given a lot of uncertainty revolving around COVID-19, the access and adaptation of home health care services has seen a considerable hike in recent times, in order to follow optimum social distancing and minimum hassle and costs involved.
Given a lot of uncertainty revolving around COVID-19, the access and adaptation of home health care services has seen a considerable hike in recent times, in order to follow optimum social distancing and minimum hassle and costs involved.
Home health care services have proved to be a boon for those people who have been struggling to strike a perfect balance between their home and work commitments. And for people who are staying away from their parents or children, especially in different cities, home health care services come as a solution for emotional support as well. For people residing in bigger metropolitan cities, home health care services have gained bigger acceptance, as they have ensured minimum consumption of time required for transportation to and from hospitals and test centers
However, there’s a bigger picture which elaborately shows the benefits of home health care services in general. Following are those:-
● Access to constant attention to the patient – If you are worried about the patient who is your family member, friend or loved one who is residing at a distance from you and you have no regular access to him/her, home health care services do ensure constant attention to the patient even in your absence. All the safety risks as well as attention and medication are well executed by the trained professionals under various services, thus ensuring a mental relief at your end.
● Optimum adaptation of activities of daily living – Home health care services help in allowing the patients in maintaining a quality life despite their illness or medical condition, as their basic work isn’t restricted by their medical condition and is executed in continuation by the staff employed under home health care services.
● Proper access to skilled nursing at the comfort of home – All the assistance which a patient expects to be at his/her access in hospital from a trained nurse can be accessed even at the comfort of his/her home under home health care services. The trained expertise and knowledge of nurses do come handy in the absence of doctors and even your loved ones.
● Proper support in the form of diet and nutrition – All the patients, particularly those who are in age or are already suffering from chronic conditions, do require proper nutritional care, even more during the period of their ailment. There are various home health care services which nowadays provide additional benefits of help from a nutritional counselor, who keeps a track on the patient’s diet and what all restrictions he/she needs to follow for faster recovery.
● Medication management – For those patients who are not well aware of their medication requirements, like what all medicines he needs to take and their timings, home health care services keep a proper track record. This also helps in avoiding the possibility of wrong drug intake or overuse of any medicine.
● Getting caring and emotional companionship – For those people who have the fear of missing out on emotional support from their loved ones staying away from them, the professionals coming under home health care services offer proper emotional support as well as help in various other basic daily chores and recreational activities like cooking, playing recreational games and activities, walks, etc.
● Additional help in daily chores – In some cases, the condition of patients might not be optimum enough to perform daily chores like laundry, cooking, grocery shopping and dish washing. In such cases, the people coming under home health care services do provide optimum assistance as and when required.
● Ensuring better and faster health outcomes – For people who are suffering from chronic diseases like diabetes, COPD, high blood pressure and pneumonia, they do show faster recovery when they have access to home health care services. This is achievable due to all the additional care the service personals give and restrictions which the patient has to follow as per the guidance by the service personals.
● Direct one-to-one focus and attention – Since there are no other patients admitted at your home unlike how they are in a hospital, the concerned patient gets a one-to-one direct approach and care by the medical professionals coming under home health care services. This also ensures stronger emotional connect and skillful attention which generally can get diluted when the patient is not at his/her home, but admitted in a hospital.
● An affordable option – Studies have shown that home health care services do cut off costs which are involved in a nursing facility or hospital by up to 66 per cent.
You can opt for Home Health care services from either a reputable hospital or other nursing homes providing the said services. If you are seeking home health care services in Jodhpur or Western Rajasthan, Medipulse should be in your screening list.
What are various home health skilled nursing services – all the services described
Given the fast paced and hectic work life balance people are undergoing these days, taking out time for health care has also become quite a task. And when it comes to hospitalization due to a particular medical ailment, things can become a bit challenging.
Given the fast paced and hectic work life balance people are undergoing these days, taking out time for health care has also become quite a task. And when it comes to hospitalization due to a particular medical ailment, things can become a bit challenging.
Thankfully, the culture of home health care services has gradually picked up a lot of traction in India, after having a successful adaptation in other countries. Currently, there are a lot of services which do come under home health care, with which one can be ensured of optimum attention and benefits, sometimes even more than what one can get in a hospital.
Following are some of the most sought after services which one can avail under home health care:-
● Doctor care – As per this service, a dedicated doctor is assigned to one, whose duty is to visit the home of the patient, in order to diagnose, treat and keep a periodic record of the detected illness at the patient’s home itself.
● Nursing care – This is one of the most popular services, and has been in demand for a long time now. Under this, a registered nurse is appointed after proper consultation with the doctor, who takes care of the patient’s various needs, like monitoring the progress of health of the patient, wound dressing, medications, intravenous therapy and pain control and any other medical support which is required.
● Physical/occupational/speech therapy – In some medical conditions, a person’s ability to hear or speak unfortunately gets affected, either temporarily or permanently. This affects his/her daily duties and work, for which he/she might need external support. For those who get temporarily affected by this condition, a physical therapist is appointed who charts up a plan which helps in normalizing the hearing or speaking ability of the affected person with a gradual pace. This helps in bringing back the normalcy of the affected person in performing various daily tasks such as eating, dressing up, bathing and more.
● Medical social services – For those who require various counseling or locating many community resources in order to maintain a social balance, medical social workers are appointed under home health care services. These medical social workers can also double up as the patient’s major case manager, given the complexity of the medical condition of the patient.
● Care from home health aides – For bare basic daily duties such as walking, dressing up, eating or even getting out of bed, which can get affected if the medical condition is too serious (like paralysis or road accident), home health aides can help out the affected patient. Sometimes, these home health aides do take proper training under a medical nurse, for specialized care.
● Homemaker or basic assistance care – There are various other tasks which are executed on a primary basis not even for the patients but also his/her family members or caretakers, such as cooking, grocery shopping and laundry. For these tasks, aid from a homemaker or basic assistance care can be taken.
● Companionship – This is one of the most basic home health care services, which can come very handy in case the affected person does not have the presence of his loved ones like family members or friends around him. In this service, a dedicated person is appointed to provide just companionship and even execute household duties as well.
● Volunteer care – Nowadays, various community organizations, under which the affected person might be enrolled, do assign volunteers, in order to provide a basic level of comfort to the patient. Such volunteers can help out the patient in his daily chores as well as support on the grounds of emotions or providing transportation and other daily chores.
● Nutritional support – While dieticians are nowadays very much sought after for workout and self-improvement plans, they also prove to be very helpful in charting up proper dietary assessment for the patient for faster recovery and health monitoring.
● Laboratory and X-Ray imaging – In recent days, many complex tests and examinations, such as blood and urine tests and X-Ray imaging need not to be done only in dedicated laboratories but can also be done at the patient’s home. These can be done with the help of portable machines and testing devices.
● Pharmaceutical services – Thanks to the adaptation of online shopping culture, even medicines and medical and testing equipment can be ordered directly at home. However, this needs to be done only after proper guidance from the assigned doctor and medical staff.
● Transportation – If a patient is required to leave the comfort of his/her home for some medical tests or other physical examinations, there are some companies which also assign dedicated drivers, who can provide transportation to and from the patient’s place.
● Home delivered meals – If the patient is not having proper access to homemaker or cook, there are some home health care services and communities which provide freshly cooked meals at doorstep, whenever required.
How to book a Covid-19 vaccine dose: step-by-step explanation
With the conclusion of the first phase of COVID-19 vaccination for frontline workers and healthcare workers, the second phase for people aged above 60 and between 45-59 with some 20 odd comorbidities have commenced from March 1, 2021.
With the conclusion of the first phase of COVID-19 vaccination for frontline workers and healthcare workers, the second phase for people aged above 60 and between 45-59 with some 20 odd comorbidities have commenced from March 1, 2021.
However, for the people eligible in the second phase of vaccination, there are some steps which need to be followed for booking an appointment and get the required dose. Following is the entire procedure in an elaborative manner:-
First of all, you have to visit the web page www.cowin.gov.in authorized by the government of India.
Under this page, there is an option of ‘register yourself’ on this website, which you have to click.
Under the above category, you have to enter your valid contact number, and then click on the ‘OTP’ bar. By doing this, you will receive an OTP on your phone number through a text message.
After receiving the required OTP, enter it into the required column, and then click on the ‘Verify’ option.
Clicking on the ‘Verify’ option will validate the OTP, following which the page for registration of vaccination will pop up.
The page opened up in the last step will require some personal details of yours, like photo ID proof and its number, name, gender, year of birth and various comorbidities (if any), All these details have to be mentioned as per their order.
After entering all the details of yours, click on the ‘Add’ button.
Apart from the ‘Add’ button, the person registering can add three more people by clicking on the ‘Add More’ button, on the condition that all those three additional people are linked to the same mobile number as that of the first person.
After entering all the additional data in the last step, it signals the completion of the registration, following which the system will display the final details of the account.
After this successful registration of the user, he/she will get a confirmation message on his/her mobile number.
After entering all the details post receiving the confirmation message, you need to click on the ‘Register’ button which is present at the bottom right.
Post doing this, the user will have the option of deleting the additional names which are linked with the mobile number entered before, by clicking on the ‘Delete’ button. After this, a confirmation message will appear on the screen.
After doing all this, you can navigate through the dashboard by logging in using the required username and password.
Now, the user has the permission to schedule the needed appointment(s) from the page of account details.
For finalizing the booking of vaccination appointments, click on the ‘Schedule’ or ‘Schedule Appointment’ button.
After clicking this, a new screen will pop-up which will navigate for booking the appointment.
A new page will appear, which possesses all the details of centers of vaccination as per the state, district and pin code, and you need to select one of them based on your criteria and preferences.
There appears a ‘Search’ button on this screen, clicking on which will show up all the vaccination centers based on your search criteria. The name of the center(s) selected will appear on the right panel.
After selecting the center of your choice, the screen will show up the available slots, based on the date and capacity of the center.
After clicking on the ‘Book’ button post the selection of the center, the page which shows up the appointment confirmation gets displayed.
Post this, you need to click on the ‘Confirm’ button, which has to be done after verification of the details for final confirmation of the booking of appointment.
After clicking on the ‘Confirm’ button, a message will pop up on the screen which will show ‘Appointment Successful’.
After booking the appointment, in any condition, if the registered user relocates to another city by any chance, the required appointment can be rescheduled as per the nearest available vaccination center to him/her.
After the user gets vaccinated once with the first dose at the selected vaccination center, the appointment for the second dose of the user gets automatically done at the same center where he/she received the first dose.
For the people of Jodhpur and Western Rajasthan, they can opt a seamless vaccination experience at hospitals like Medipulse with a standard rate of INR 250.
Who is eligible for COVID vaccine in India – list of all the age and medical conditions included
After almost a year full of dilemma and fear amidst the spread of COVID-19, there is finally a ray of hope in the form of the arrival of the much needed vaccine. Currently, the Indian citizens are gradually having access to two vaccines – Covishield and Covaxin, both of which are now available in different parts of the country.
After almost a year full of dilemma and fear amidst the spread of COVID-19, there is finally a ray of hope in the form of the arrival of the much needed vaccine. Currently, the Indian citizens are gradually having access to two vaccines – Covishield and Covaxin, both of which are now available in different parts of the country.
However, the availability of vaccines is not as freely accessible in the country, as there are some conditions which need to be followed for getting the required dose. Came March 2021, and the vaccination drive in India reached the second phase. However, not all have access to this second phase, and only certain people with certain age and medical conditions can have access to it. It is to be noted that only healthcare and frontline workers had access to the COVID-19 vaccine in the first phase.
The first and foremost priority of vaccination dose is given to those people who are aged above 60, or will reach the age of 60 by the date of January 1, 2022. Apart from that, people who are aged from 45 to 59 can also have access to the vaccine, provided they are suffering from 22 odd comorbidities which are listed down by the government of India. Following are those 22 comorbidities:-
If one is suffering from a particular heart ailment, or was admitted in the hospital in the duration of past one year.
If one has undergone a minor or major cardiac transplant or left ventricular assist device in the duration of the past one year.
If one has been suffering from a minor left ventricular systolic dysfunction, with the level of less than 40 per cent.
If one has been suffering from a moderate or severe medical condition related to valves in his/her heart, and might require a surgery.
If one has been suffering from congenital heart disease with severe or idiopathic PAH.
If one has ever suffered from coronary artery disease with CABG/PTCA/MI, alongside hypertension or diabetes.
If one has been suffering from angina, along with the conditions related to hypertension or diabetes.
If one has suffered from CT/MRI documented stroke, and has been suffering from hypertension or diabetes.
If one has been suffering from pulmonary artery hypertension, along with hypertension or diabetes.
If one is suffering from hypertension or diabetes for more than ten years or with even any minor complication
If one has undergone kidney, liver or hematopoietic stem cell transplant
If one has reached the last stage of any kidney related disease and has undergone haemodialysis or CAPD.
If one has been consuming oral corticosteroids or immunosuppressive medicines for a long period of time, and is taking them on the current basis as well.
If one is suffering from decompensated cirrhosis, which is a liver disease caused due to degeneration of cells or inflammation of tissues due to excessive alcoholism or hepatitis.
If one has suffered from any particular respiratory disease and was admitted in hospital even once in the last two years, or has an FEVI level of less than 50 per cent.
If one has suffered or has been suffering from lymphoma, which is a form of cancer caused in cells of lymph nodes, spleen or thymus.
If one is suffering from or has suffered from leukaemia, which is a disease caused by production of increased numbers of abnormal leukocytes by bone marrow or any other blood forming organ.
If one has suffered from or has been suffering from myeloma, which is a form of cancer caused in the plasma cells, which results in deficiency of formation of antibodies.
If one has been diagnosed with any other form of major cancer on or after July 1, 2020, or is currently undergoing any form of cancer therapy.
If one is diagnosed with sickle cell disease, bone marrow failure, thalassemia major or aplastic anemia.
If one is suffering from HIV infection or any other primary immunodeficiency disease.
If one is suffering from any one of the following disabilities – intellectual, muscular, respiratory caused by any acid attack, deafness or blindness.
The shots of the vaccine can be taken at any of the registered government hospitals all over the country, including that of western Rajasthan, free of cost. In Jodhpur, one can be easily vaccinated at private hospitals like Medipulse, at a price of INR 250.
Know and manage your acute asthma attack easily
Acute asthma attack, also known as asthma exacerbation in medical terminology, is one common ailment primarily found in adults, in which the airways leading to one’s lungs are swollen, due to which muscles around
Acute asthma attack, also known as asthma exacerbation in medical terminology, is one common ailment primarily found in adults, in which the airways leading to one’s lungs are swollen, due to which muscles around them contract, thus leading to narrowing of breathing tubes. This condition leads to shortage of breath, which can turn into life-threatening situations at times. While minor asthma attacks can be treated at home using medicines, severe asthma attacks need proper medication and treatment at the hospital.
Basic symptoms:-
Following are the basic symptoms of acute asthma attack which one faces, and can differ in terms of intensity:-
Severe shortness of breath – Even in optimal conditions, if one is facing a lack of oxygen while breathing
Chest pain or tightness in the chest – Even in mild breathing conditions, if one is suffering from chest pain, or can sense tightness in the chest or surrounding areas.
Coughing – If mild pain in the chest is followed gradually by a series of dry or wet coughing.
Low PEF readings – Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF) readings, which are measured using a peak flow meter, can be low (between 51% to 79%) during acute asthma attack conditions.
Early diagnosis:-
If one has met with the conditions of an acute asthma attack, he/she should immediately undergo lung function tests. This gives a clearer picture of the condition of your lungs, which will indicate the severity of the asthma condition. Following are all the procedures included in the basic lung function tests:-
Peak flow – The first and foremost step is to check the peak expiratory flow, which is done by a PEF meter. This can be done by the doctor at your home too, provided if you have the access to PEF meter at home. In this test, one needs to blow into the mouthpiece of the PEF meter in a single breath as hard as possible.
Spirometry – Using a device called a spirometer, one needs to take deep breaths and exhale in the hose connected to it, the outcome of which is termed as Forced Expiratory Volume (FEV). This is done to determine the amount of air one can breathe in a second as well as the amount of air one can hold in his/her lungs.
Nitric oxide measurement – This test is conducted to calculate the exact amount of nitric oxide which is present in your breath while exhaling. If the amount of nitric oxide is high as per this test, it indicates that the bronchial tubes of your lungs are swollen beyond normalcy.
Pulse oximetry test – One of the most basic tests to find out the amount of oxygen in your blood, this test is conducted by placing one of your fingernails on the tip of the oxymeter, the outcome of which appears within few seconds.
If the intensity of the early symptoms (aforementioned above) is higher than normal conditions, it is better to seek emergency treatment and medications, which are as follows:-
Short-acting beta-agonists – This medication is carried out using a device called a nebulizer, through which beta-agonists/medicines like albuterol is pushed in your lungs. With the nebulizer, the beta-agonists are turned in the form of mists, inhaling which is quite an easier task.
Oral corticosteroids – These medicines are usually taken in the form of pills and can be given intravenously to those people who have been suffering from repeated respiratory problems or nausea/vomiting. These corticosteroids aid in the reduction of lung inflammation and controlling the early symptoms of asthma to a substantial amount.
Ipratropium – If the beta-agonists mentioned in the first step (like albuterol) do not show effective signs of healing, ipratropium is generally consulted. This medicine is used as a bronchodilator in case of a severe asthma attack.
Intubation and mechanical ventilation – If all the medicines mentioned above prove to be ineffective in reducing of symptoms and one’s condition is turning severe, the final step is to put the concerned patient on mechanical ventilation. In this procedure, the doctor puts a breathing tube into the upper airway of the throat of the patient. Through this, oxygen is pumped into the lungs, which will enable the lungs to come back into normal condition of breathing. Besides doing this, general medication mentioned above will be given simultaneously.
One needs to consult with a proper pulmonologist to determine whether the symptoms and issues he/she is facing are too severe or not.
10 Signs which indicate it’s high time to see a cardiologist
For proper functioning of a human body, regular supply of blood as well as oxygen is of utmost importance, and for that, heart is the biggest role player in the whole picture. However, one can experience some warning signs which indicate that his/her heart is not functioning to the fullest.
For proper functioning of a human body, regular supply of blood as well as oxygen is of utmost importance, and for that, heart is the biggest role player in the whole picture. However, one can experience some warning signs which indicate that his/her heart is not functioning to the fullest.
Following are some of the major signs which signal that it’s high time you need to pay a visit to a cardiologist:-
If you experience chest pain – At the time of heart attack, the first and foremost sign one gets as an early symptom is chest pain, for the fact that the heart lies just behind the chest of a human. There are a number of reasons for the occurrence of chest pain, however, the biggest reason is one when your heart is not getting enough blood for circulation, possibly caused due to a blocked artery or valve.
If you have high blood pressure – The force with which blood pushes against the wall of artery levels, commonly known as blood pressure, should be optimum for regular flow of both blood as well as oxygen. If the blood pressure rises abruptly, there are chances that the heart might not be able to regulate the pumping action, which might result in heart attack.
If you have shortness of breath or dizziness – While there are a multiple number of reasons behind dizziness and is a common phenomenon among humans, the lack of breath is not a mainstream thing to happen. If any one of these, either shortness of breath or dizziness, happens in a severe amount, it signals that the optimum amount of oxygen is not circulated by heart, thus finally resulting in abnormal heart beat.
If you have diabetes – While the major cause of occurrence of diabetes is lack of insulin in your body causing sugar levels in your blood, this particular disease also affects the smooth operation of the heart. If blood sugar levels are not optimum, the functioning of blood vessels is affected, which can lead to coronary artery disease.
If you are a constant smoker – There is a strong reason behind your daily packet of cigarettes carrying the phrase ‘smoking is injurious to health’. Regular smoking affects the functioning of lungs, which in turns restricts the flow of oxygen in blood. This eventually disturbs the pumping function of blood from your heart, and can gradually become a major reason behind high blood pressure.
If you have high cholesterol level in your body – The major sources of cholesterol are the foods you consume and residues from your liver. If there is a sudden increase in the levels of cholesterol in one’s body, primarily due to irregular or unhealthy eating habits, it can lead to formation of plaque in arteries, thereby causing blockage and eventually, flow of blood from heart as well.
If you have chronic kidney disease – After your heart, your kidneys are the major organ sources which can lead to a potential heart failure, since the major root cause of diabetes mentioned above lies in the ill-functioning of kidneys. Improper functioning of kidneys can result in increase in blood pressure and sugar levels, which over the time can lead to heart failure, if not suddenly.
If you have a family history of heart disease – Genetics do play a major role in a healthy being of a human. If the previous generation members of a person have had a history of a heart disease, primarily who are in their late years of age, there is a strong possibility of transfer of their genes in their successor, i.e. the concerned person.
If you have peripheral heart disease – Apart from the major disease directly linked to your heart, if you are suffering from other peripheral ailments linked via other arteries, like leg or arm arteries, and are constantly suffering from pains and aches in those linked body parts, chances are that you might be suffering from a coronary artery disease.
If you have an inactive lifestyle – If you are someone who has been avoiding the words like ‘exercise’ or ‘workout’ in your life, and lead a pretty inactive lifestyle, it can lead to weak functioning of the heart in the longer run. Regular physical activities on a daily basis, including your exercise regime, results in proper and smooth functioning of heart as well as flow of blood.
In all the aforementioned circumstances, if any one particular cause is something you can relate with, proper consultation and advice from a trained cardiologist will serve good results in a longer run to avoid heart related ailments.
7 things to keep in mind when you are monitoring your blood sugar levels
Worried about your abruptly fluctuating sugar levels in your blood, with them majorly rising northwards? Worry not. While the major controlling practices are still in your hands (in terms of changes required in your lifestyle and eating habits), the proper conduction of sugar level tests is also a must to ensure that whether you are going wrong or right in controlling the same.
Worried about your abruptly fluctuating sugar levels in your blood, with them majorly rising northwards? Worry not. While the major controlling practices are still in your hands (in terms of changes required in your lifestyle and eating habits), the proper conduction of sugar level tests is also a must to ensure that whether you are going wrong or right in controlling the same.
Nowadays, one can check the sugar levels in his/her at the comfort of his/her home without paying a visit to a clinic or hospital, thanks to a new range of test devices available at all the medical clinics. However, there are some pointers which one must be aware of before conduction of such tests by himself/herself and monitoring the processes and results of them. Following are those pointers:-
Take proper advice while choosing suitable glucometer – Thanks to innovations in the medical world in the last three decades, one can find whether sugar levels in his/her blood are high or not at the comfort of his/her home. There are many glucometers (a device which shows how much sugar level is there in your blood) available in the market right now. However, one must consult with a doctor or properly research about the right and suitable brand to go for.
Take proper advice before getting started – All the glucometers have proper guidelines and procedure to use imprinted on their packet or leaflets provided along with them. However, if one is not able to understand the required guidelines through them, it is advisable to consult with a doctor on how to use the device on your own. This has to be insured because if the procedure is carried out wrongly, you won’t be able to get the right and desirable results.
Clean the point of body where the test has to be conducted – The blood tests are usually carried out with glucometer primarily on fingertips or hands. So before putting the device to its use, it is advisable to thoroughly clean the fingertips and hands with an antiseptic hand wash. If not done so, chances are that the possible dirt accumulated on those points of the test might create hindrance in getting optimum test results.
Preferably use fingertips for the test – While there are many modern kits through which one can conduct the blood tests on other parts of the body as well, it is always advisable to preferably use fingertips for the purpose. Also, while conducting tests more than once, it is recommended to use different fingertips every time, as using the same finger again and again can injure it, thus increasing pain levels.
Ensure the lancets are properly sharpened – The lancets are basically the pointed objects provided with the glucometers, which are used to poke the finger resulting in blood to come out of it. Before the test, one must ensure that the lancets are sharp enough without causing any hurt to the finger. Also, it is advisable to use different lancets every time you conduct the test, as repeated use of the same lancet can cause infection. In addition, the expiry date of the lancets should be checked, failing of which can result in improper reading.
Ensure proper calibration of glucometer – To ensure that you get the closest-to-right reading of sugar levels in your blood, it is advisable to always well calibrate the glucometer before use. This should be a regular practice every time you use the device, and the first-ever calibration should be done at the diagnostic center or medical shop from where you purchased it.
Keep track of the readings in the record – While conducting and knowing about the results of the test might be a one-time process, it is important to keep a track record of all the readings of every time you conduct the test. Following this procedure will only help to track your progress towards healing. Nowadays, thankfully, many glucometers come equipped with result recorders inbuilt in them. However, if your device doesn’t have this feature, you can maintain the series of results in a logbook.
While following all these steps might seem quite easy, failing any one of these might not get you the accuracy you want in your sugar level test results. So, if you think that you have gone wrong in any one of the above steps, you should consult with a trained endocrinologist for suitable advice regarding this.
Advantages of regular health checkup
When it comes to general health, there is a very prominent saying – ‘prevention is better than cure’. While in many cases, the oncoming of a condition of disease is not well in our control, there are many situations, where if proper precautions are taken, can lead to the minimization of risks involved. And this is where a general health checkup comes into play.
When it comes to general health, there is a very prominent saying – ‘prevention is better than cure’. While in many cases, the oncoming of a condition of disease is not well in our control, there are many situations, where if proper precautions are taken, can lead to the minimization of risks involved. And this is where a general health checkup comes into play.
Following are the key advantages of a regular health checkup:-
Reduces the risk of getting risk – First and foremost, conduction of a general health checkup, as said above, reduces the risk of any oncoming disease. One can get a general hint or idea of the possibility of any wrong thing happening to anyone organ or part of your body, grabbing the nerve of which you can take further required precautions, changes and actions for the same.
Early detection of life-threatening diseases – There are certain life-threatening diseases like cancer, heart problems or nervous disorder, the symptoms of which can come early or quite late as well. If proper general health checkup is conducted on a prior basis, even the slightest of detection of any forthcoming detection of a possible symptom can be known, following which one can take necessary medication for the same.
Increased chances of treatment – If in a prior health checkup, one gets detected of any unfortunate problem in its initial phase of growing, one gets ample amount of time to mentally prepare for the forthcoming treatment. This includes consultation with the concerned doctors, taking references, knowing about all the possible treatments, side effects, etc.
Limit the risk of complications – This can be done if you closely monitor the outcomes of the general health checkup. If there is any negative outcome from the early checkup, one gets enough time and resources to control any bigger risks involved in future, both in terms of issues related to your health as well as finances involved.
Increase in lifespan and health enhancement – If one gets detected of any ill condition in his/her health, one gets aware of all the changes he/she needs to take for his lifestyle and medications involved. Incorporating these changes, such as workout schedules, clean eating habits and necessary precautions to be taken, brings in a series of positivity for your future lifespan, thus enhancing it in a better way.
Reduction of healthcare costs – As mentioned in one of the points above, conduction of a general health checkup helps in minimizing a lot of possible expenditure which might be involved if not taken proper care. The more serious the ailment becomes in a longer run, the higher are the risk levels and the finances involved in the rectification of the same. So, in order to avoid any possible higher risks, general health checkup is a must.
Better camaraderie and rapport with doctors – A general and periodic health checkup is considered to be a healthy practice in the medical world. Conduction of regular health checkup from time to time means that one is paying more visits to the concerned doctor, which helps in building up his/her mutual trust with the doctor.
Awareness about the latest trends in the medical world – Conduction of regular health checkups from time to time is also helpful in getting more aware and knowledgeable about the latest trends and innovations happening in the medical world. Apart from getting much more knowledgeable about the treatments and medications involved for a particular ailment or issue, one also gets to know about all the new enhancements and evolution of the existing treatments involved.
Adaptation of cleaner eating habits – In this hectic lifestyle, one might not have enough time to research and prepare a proper diet chart in order to stay healthy. Having a regular health checkup gives a basic idea of adaptation of cleaner eating habits, by knowing what to eat and what can be avoided in order to stay healthy.
There are a number of health checkups which are separate for different parts/organs of your body. Conduction of prior tests related to all of them will require consultation of specialized doctors in them, which should be practised in order to follow a structure out a healthy lifestyle in a longer run.
Surprising facts about high blood pressure you might not have heard of
One of the most common diseases in the modern generation era is the issue of high blood pressure. Any blood pressure reading above 120/80 mm Hg is considered to be higher than normal and indicates that one needs to take extra care to maintain optimum blood pressure levels in his/her body.
One of the most common diseases in the modern generation era is the issue of high blood pressure. Any blood pressure reading above 120/80 mm Hg is considered to be higher than normal and indicates that one needs to take extra care to maintain optimum blood pressure levels in his/her body.
There are some facts related to high blood pressure which might be unknown to many people out there. Following are those:-
It is not restricted only to older adults – Yes, while high blood pressure is more prevalent among older adults, younger adults are not left untouched with this problem. Curse the challenging lifestyle issues, irregular eating habits and higher anxiety and stress levels in the modern generation, one out of four younger adults, who are aged between 21 to 44 are suffering from the issue of high blood pressure.
It is directly linked to dementia – For those who don’t know what dementia is, it is a mental disorder caused by a chronic brain disease, the major forms of which are memory disorder, impaired reasoning and abrupt changes in personality. Higher anxiety and stress levels cause an adverse effect on the nervous system of a person, the pace of which can differ from person to person. People suffering from uncontrolled high blood pressure have shown higher risk levels of dementia in their later life.
It might not have any symptoms – High blood pressure is one of the most silent diseases which can happen to a person. And in case of a healthy person, it can happen without any prominent early symptom or sign. One should get his/her blood tests while conducting general health check, in order to ensure whether his/her blood pressure levels are optimum or not.
There are two types of readings of blood pressure – The blood pressure tests involve two types of readings – systolic (on top) and diastolic (on bottom). While the systolic reading shows the amount of force exerted by blood flow against the walls of arteries during the beating of your heart, the diastolic reading shows the same in the duration when your heart rests between two beats.
It can lead to major heart disease – Heart is one of the most important organs of a person’s body which is responsible for the flow of blood throughout the body. If one is suffering from high blood pressure, in the longer run, it will directly impact the condition of his/her heart and can lead to more severe health conditions related to it such as sudden stroke or heart failure.
Only medication is not enough – While there are several medicines and treatments in the modern era which are there for controlling high blood pressure, they simply are not enough to keep the whole situation under control. One needs to make significant changes to his/her lifestyle and eating habits to complement the medications he/she is undergoing. For controlling high blood pressure, one should practice enough workout and exercises and clean eating habits.
It is more prevalent among alcoholics and smokers – For those who consume alcohol or smoke on a regular basis, the risk of high blood pressure is higher than usual. While consumption of alcohol leads to gradual dehydration, smoking has an adverse effect on the functioning of lungs, both of which are big factors of deterioration of oxygen levels which are important for normal blood flow.
Genetic and racial factors matter too – Strange it may sound, but the factors like your predecessors and your race are somehow responsible too if you are suffering from high blood pressure. People whose predecessors have suffered from high blood pressure problems in the past can suffer from the same problem as well, because of genetic transfers. In addition, studies have shown that descendants of African-American origins are more prone to the problem of high blood pressure.
It is related to pregnancy as well – Women have to deal with more issues as compared to men when it comes to health, and high blood pressure is one of them too. Studies have shown that types of birth control and development of preeclampsia during pregnancy are a couple of risk factors which can increase the probability of high blood pressure in women. In addition to it, if a woman who is suffering from high blood pressure becomes pregnant, there are higher risks of complications during pregnancy, both for herself as well as the child she is carrying.