$1,500 The amount of money the average emergency room visit costs;
$150 for urgent care center visits.
65% The number of urgent care centers that have at least one licensed physician on premises at all hours of operation;
29% The percentage of primary care doctors who offer after-hours services (although it should be noted that these services don’t always include office visits or consultations with an actual doctor).
129.8 million The number of emergency room visits in 2010, according to the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey;
3 million The estimated number of urgent care center visits per year.
These statistics are, by no means, a completely thorough comparison of hospitals and urgent care centers; nevertheless, they do offer readers a small look at why urgent care centers are becoming so popular, not only just in the U.S., but around the world.
First, many Americans — especially those with limited insurance flexibility — are finding that even small emergency room visits can be expensive. Urgent care clinics may not always be cheaper than regular primary physician visits, but they certainly are much cheaper than the ER.
Second, the convenience of walk in medical clinics is just as big of a draw — if not more so — than the price of a visit. The majority of primary physicians don’t offer after-hours care, and even offices that do provide extra care will sometimes offer patients the ability to talk with a nurse on the phone or schedule a visit with a nurse practitioner. This can be frustrating for patients who don’t want to make a hospital trip, but still have a medical condition that needs treatment.
Third, more and more people are becoming frustrated with low staffing in hospitals and extremely long wait times. The lack of after-hours care at normal practices leaves many people with no other option than to go to the ER — not because they have a life-threatening emergency, but because they need to receive medical treatment. Unfortunately, this not only costs big bucks for patients with simple problems, but it also drives up the wait time in the ER. Urgent care facilities are well-known to treat patients almost immediately upon arrival, and many centers state that the majority of patients are seen by a medical professional within 15 minutes of arrival. That statistic should look pretty appealing to anyone who has experienced a four-hour-wait in the hospital ER.
Urgent care centers aren’t intended to be substitutes for normal primary care doctors or for serious emergencies that are life-threatening, but these centers are generally very affordable and provide excellent service in emergencies. The best thing to do is to research how close your nearest urgent care center is, and to keep in mind that these centers are great options for minor medical emergencies. Read more about this topic at this link.
The right smile can go a long way towards making great impressions at the office, school, or around town. That said, keeping your smile bright and white takes quite a bit of effort. If you’re looking to improve your dental health and cosmetics, it’s wise to make regular appointments with a dentist. They can teach you the best way to clean best way to clean between teeth and how to remove stains.
Orthodontic care can be especially impactful, as dentists can use teeth straightening devices, like braces and invisible liners, to straighten out your teeth. Unfortunately, many people suffer from crooked teeth. Even with regular brushing, flossing, and the like, these folks still often suffer from a poor smile.
Feel free to ask your dentist for advice at your regular cleaning. A dentist can help you select teeth straightening solutions. They can also answer questions and provide knowledge. They might show you all of the parts of braces labeled, how dental hold works, and also how to clean between teeth and braces. This way, you can quickly remove gunk.
At the end of the day, a white, straight smile can help you build confidence. This could lead to better performance at work, more luck in the dating game, and so much more.
When you think of good oral hygiene, what do you think of? Seeing the dentist regularly? Brushing? Or even flossing?
If you answered yes to these questions, and you do follow these preventive dental measures, your teeth are probably cavity-free and sparkling white. If you answered no, it wouldn’t be surprising if cosmetic dentistry was your best friend.
For people who cannot keep up healthy dental habits, it is not uncommon for them to seek help from a cosmetic dentist. Some of the most sought-after treatments include teeth whitening, crowns and bridges, and and dental implants.
Teeth whitening can be done using over-the-counter products, but if this doesn’t work, a professional can always get the job done with a laser. Much like the teeth whitening strips you find at the drug store, a bleaching agent is used on the surface of teeth. But instead of leaving it there to remove the stains, dentists use a laser to heat up the bleaching gel, thereby facilitating a speedier, more effective break down.
Crowns and bridges are mostly used when patients suffer tooth loss. Newer crowns are inserted in place of missing teeth, and the bridge closes the gap between these missing teeth. But the most popular restorative dental procedure is dental implants.
Dental implants involve drilling an artificial tooth root, usually a titanium rod, into your jawbone. Then, using an abutment, the crown or new tooth is affixed to the implant, and then after the next few months, the jaw heals, securing the implant in place. The upside of this surgery is that implants last a lifetime with proper care, and are considered 98% effective.
So, you do have the help of cosmetic dentistry if you really need it, but why spend all that money? Take of your teeth, and you won’t need to waste a dime. References.
People often worry about their visits to the optometrist. After all, they seldom come accompanied by good news; even if they aren’t bearing an overbearing price tag, those visits more often than not involve a blase comment about how your vision has deteriorated ever so slightly and generally remind you of your own mortality. That’s one common perception, in any case, but it doesn’t have to be so! Here are three ways you can fight to keep optimistic about your next optometrist visit:
1. You Can Help Maintain Your Eyesight With Your Diet
It seems like everything deteriorates your vision, from reading to not reading, keeping the lights in your home to dim or staying around lights that are too bright. Fortunately, you can help to keep your vision in tip top shape with just one little diet change! Your parents may have joked that carrots help you see in the dark; whether or not that’s true, they definitely help you see more clearly! The vitamin A in carrots helps to maintain eye health, so including lots of food that have that will help you see clearly for years to come!
2. Sight-Threatening Diseases Can Be Fixed if you Find Them Early
You may worry about getting bad news about eye sickness at the optometrist, but that isn’t something you should be afraid of with regular visits. While you shouldn’t hope to hear bad news, it’s better than not hearing news about something bad because with early warning, most diseases of the eye and disorders of the eyes can be prevented or even cured! Bad news is then, in a sense, good news when it comes to diseases of eye news, at least with common eye disorders.
3. Optometry Can Optimize Your Vision Anyway
Eye cures aren’t limited to those with early warning though. Find an optometrist with laser surgery equipment and the optometrist training to use it and you have found an answer to much of poor vision. Laser eye surgery has become a very common solution for many folks with poor or cloudy vision and, with the proper optometrist training, often removes the need for glasses or contacts entirely. How do you feel about your news visit to the optometrist? Visit here for more information.
Did you know that approximately 33% of individuals in Alabama are obese? However, obesity is common throughout the entire United States, as 79.9 million men and 96.6 million women are considered to be overweight or obese. Since obesity is becoming more prevalent in the U.S., it is important to seek medical weight loss solutions. By doing so, many of the health risks associated with obesity can be avoided.
– What is medical weight loss? The idea behind medical weight management is to keep the insulin levels in the body low. This is achieved through a controlled diet that consists of a low glycemic load. When insulin levels are reduced, not only do you feel less hungry throughout the day, but you also have more energy, as well. In addition, the body enters a state of well being by purging toxins and impurities. This means that by visiting medical weight loss centers, you will be able to shed unwanted pounds in a natural way.
– What health risks can be avoided? It is important to lose weight because being overweight or obese can lead to serious health problems. For example, not only is obesity linked to high blood pressure and sleep apnea, but individuals who suffer from obesity are also 10 times more likely to develop heart disease than people who do not. Additionally, being overweight or obese can lead to osteoarthritis and other joint problems due to excess joint pressure. Since obesity-related illnesses cause 300,000 premature deaths each year, it is important to combat obesity through medical weight loss solutions.
When obesity is ruining your life, medical weight loss can help. But what is medical weight loss? This treatment is a natural way to lose healthy amounts of weight, and it helps you avoid a variety of dangerous health risks. This means that by visiting a medical weight loss center, you will finally be given the opportunity to live a healthy life. For more, read this link: www.genetihealth.com
If you’re trying to get your body in shape, you have probably developed a personal exercise routine. As time goes by, if your routine isn’t giving you the results you want, you may want to hire a certified professional trainer. Fitness professionals can look at your exercise routine and compare it to your fitness goals. You can typically find personal trainers at private gyms, but even public facilities may offer a referral to a personal training service.
According to Getting Fit, there are several types of personal trainers available. For example, if you participate in sports and your goals for a workout include improving your sports performance, you might choose a sports trainer. If you want to improve your nutritional intake and lifestyle, a health coach may be what you’re looking for. If you’ve recently had a heart attack, your doctor may recommend a cardio trainer.
Attending a personal fitness class or working with a personal trainer has minimal risk, but there is always a chance you might be injured. You may be interested to know that fitness centers are likely to carry insurance for personal training. Your trainer may also have a personal insurance policy for their services.
To say that we are in the middle of an obesity epidemic wouldn’t be too far of a stretch. According to the findings of a recent study by Journal of American Medicine, more than a third of American adults are overweight or obese. Because obesity increases the likelihood of diabetes, cancer, and a slew of other health problems, it’s considered to be one of the biggest challenges facing both the medical and economic health of the country.
If you’re overweight, you should know that you don’t always have to be that way. With the help of a personal trainer and a dietitian nutritionist, you can cut the weight and feel and look healthier. It will be a lot of hard work, but isn’t your health worth it? Here’s how to find a personal trainer who can help turn your life around.
Three Tips for Choosing an Effective Personal Trainer
Look to Your Local Fitness Center
For SparkPeople.com, one of the best ways to find a personal trainer is by talking with your local gym or other fitness center. Martial arts schools, gyms, and other fitness businesses will often have contacts with personal trainers. Some may even keep them on staff. These are business that dedicate themselves to the pursuit of physical health, so their recommendations are as good as gold.
Look for Accreditation
As the American Council on Exercise writes on their website, the best personal trainers have their accreditation through the NCCA, and are also likely to have a degree in exercise science, physiology, or nutrition. When you find a trainer with accreditation, you know they have the knowledge to truly understand the human body, and they know how to craft a fitness regime that is just right for you.
Your Personalities Need to Match
While it’s important to find a trainer who actually knows what they’re doing, oftentimes your success is dependent on whether or not your trainer can speak to you as a person and drive you toward success. That’s why CNN highlights matching personalities as one of the keys to choosing a trainer. You don’t need to have the same personality as your trainer, but you need to be able to get along to build a relationship that will push you towards your goals.
Do you specialize in personal fitness training? What are the most important things for people to consider when choosing a personal fitness instructor? Let us know in the comments below!Links like this.
Going to an urgent care center for medical treatment is a smart way to deal with many illnesses and injuries. Urgent care is fast; the majority of urgent care patients wait for 15 minutes or fewer to be treated. Urgent care centers also have convenient hours and are required to be open every day of the week by the American Academy of Urgent Care Medicine. Additionally, urgent care is an affordable choice for medical care, as they typically charge a copay similar to what you would pay your regular doctor and is significantly less expensive than the emergency room. What you might not know about urgent care centers though, is that they offer preventative care in addition to illness and injury treatment.
An important way to ensure you are healthy is to get tested for diseases like sexually transmitted diseases and HIV. You can visit an urgent care center to get tested for these and other diseases. You can also go to your nearest urgent care center for any preventative care you may need before you travel, such as vaccines and anti sickness treatments. You’ll want to avoid malaria, diarrhea, and motion or altitude sickness on your trip. Besides these, an urgent care clinic is typically equipped to perform services like EKGs and Xrays. Whether you’re looking for injury, illness, or even preventative health care treatment, your nearest urgent care clinic can handle it all.
Reference links: www.immediateclinic.com
Acupuncture for neck pain is a wonderful way to alleviate pain to the neck region. What is acupuncture good for you ask? Acupuncturists would tell you that it can help with pain from neck aches, back aches, headaches and several other maladies one may have. Some chiropractic clinics and chiropractic services offer acupuncture as one of their pain relieving treatments. Acupuncture for neck pain seems to be a more common pain of the body because it is where we carry most of our stress.
In the United States, there are roughly 60 thousand licensed chiropractors. That averages out to be one chiropractor for every five thousand residents living in the United States. Other than acupuncture for neck pain, back pain is one of the most common maladies that Americans suffer with. Luckily chiropractors have several ways of handling back pain.
Back pain is the second most common reason that people go to the doctor’s office in the United States. Maintaining a healthy weight and diet to avoid back pain is recommended by the ACA. Acupuncture for neck pain can lead someone to try acupuncture on their back. Experts believe that 80% of all Americans will suffer from back pain at some point in their lives. At any given time in the United States, an average of 31 million Americans suffer from lower back pain.
More research here: www.amesbarrychiropractic.com
Are you trying to find something you can do with your girlfriends over the weekend? The summer usually evokes a feeling of excitement and wanting to head out on the town, but have you considered treating yourselves to a day at the spa?
But not just any spa — a medical day spa.
What is a medical day spa?
These spas are slightly different than your average spa, because they offer cosmetic treatments, such as body chemical peels, laser hair removal treatment, coolsculpting procedures, and surgical or non surgical facelifts.
So why not get together to have a cosmetic treatment? This can be a lot like a Botox party.
That’s right. Botox parties.
These are get-togethers where the host brings in a licensed cosmetic technician to administer Botox to all the guests at a party.
Similarly, you can pull together a bunch of friends who are willing try out one treatment and head to a medical spa. If you do decide to go with Botox, here are some of the benefits.
Get Rid of Wrinkles. If you and your friends are at least 30 years of age, you may have already noticed that the skin around your eyes is starting to wrinkle, and that fine lines are slowly, yet surely, appearing around your mouth. This is just a sign of aging, and Botox injections are one of the best ways to stop these wrinkles from forming.
Safe. You can rest assured that when you get these injections, you and your friends will be safe. Botox has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of wrinkles on the face. The serum is made of a neurotoxin and protein that the body can digest without doing it harm.
Self-Esteem. Unsightly wrinkles can sometimes cause feelings of embarrassment, especially if you are not prepared for them. Botox will go to work as soon as the injection in administered. Botox essentially paralyzes the muscles at the site of injection, stopping them from contracting and forming lines on your face. Within a few days, you and your friends could be looking and feeling younger.
So, a Botox party at the spa may not have been your first idea for a weekend soiree, but the benefits could be worth it. Continue reading here.
When you’re a parent, one of your concerns will be to help your family stay healthy. One of the important aspects of family health is your family’s dental health. When choosing dentistry for the family, many parents see the wisdom of having every member treated by the same dental team. This continuity of care of a team of family dentists may allow that team to recognize a pattern of dental care they need to reinforce to the family.
According to Health Carter, a family dentist is trained to work with clients of all ages. These dentists have the patience and know-how to work with children while also being able to work with older adults. All your family’s dental records will be in one place, and everyone might be able to have their annual dental visits on the same day. You may be concerned that one of your family members may need advanced family dental care, such as dental implants or periodontal care.
Although family dentists typically handle routine tasks such as x-rays, exams, and cavity fillings, some larger practices may have a practitioner who can work with more advanced needs. For example, many family dentists offer family dentistry & orthodontics.
As a parent, caring for your family’s dental health is one of the important aspects of caring for their health. Some families feel family dentists are the best choice for all family members since each person will have a consistent level of dental care. A family dentist will have the expertise to care for all ages and use their knowledge of everyone’s exam to hone the educational input they provide to the family.
Many people find general and family dentistry practices to be the right choice when looking for the right dentist. Since all family members will have their dental care plans developed by the same practice, the office will be able to coordinate the family’s appointments by scheduling procedures for more than one family member on each visit day.
As time goes by and each family member develops a relationship with the dentist, you might find yourself referring to the dentist as “our family dentist.” If new neighbors come to you and ask about recommending a dentist, you may be able to suggest they go to your dentist’s office confidently. When it comes to dentistry for the family, it’s always good to have a dentist everyone trusts.
Choosing your child’s dentist may mean veering from visiting your family dentist because they might not offer pediatric services. When you and your spouse add your first child to your family, you may need to add a new dentist, too. How do you find a dentist who offers affordable pediatric dentistry?
Start by asking friends with children who have healthy teeth which dentist they use. Make a short list of these highly recommended local pediatric dentists and look each up online, reading reviews of their services by people you don’t know. Find the best dental reviews on websites like the Better Business Bureau (BBB), which only allows reviews by actual customers or clients of a business. This care in choosing review sites ensures you avoid false reviews by competitors or spammers.
Finding the best local orthodontist who offers pediatric services doesn’t have to be a chore. Once you’ve located the right dentist for you and your child, you’ll have a professional partner in your child’s dental health. Although you begin brushing your baby’s teeth and gums as soon as their first baby tooth erupts, children don’t need their first dental visit until reaching the age of one year or within six months of their first tooth erupting, whichever comes first, according to Cleveland Clinic.
How the Right Pediatric Dentist Helps Your Child
Having a good family dentist will have a huge impact on your oral health and hygiene, as long as you and your family keep your scheduled appointments. Childrens dentistry or pediatric dentistry, is a field of dentistry that deals with oral health care in youngsters, from when the first baby tooth appears through to their teen years.
Functional teeth are healthy and strong, and there are no bite issues or crookedness. For your teeth to be functional, you must observe proper oral hygiene, and go for scheduled dental visits. How is dental hygiene made easy? Brush in the morning and night using fluoride toothpaste, floss once or twice a day, limit sugary and acidic food and drinks, avoid tobacco products, and visit your dentist every six months.
Flossing between teeth is important as it removes food particles that the brush cannot reach. Floss between your incisors, molars, and the tooth between the canine and molar, which is the premolar.
Adult teeth roots anchor the tooth in the jawbone. A root contains nerves and blood vessels that supply the tooth with oxygen and nutrients.
Oral hygiene is crucial for maintaining strong, healthy teeth and avoiding costly dental procedures to correct problems caused by poor oral health. Always keep your biannual dentist’s appointment.
When it comes to dentistry, many different fields deal with the different types of problems associated with teeth and gums. Apart from general dentists, there are orthodontists, periodontists, prosthodontists, and endodontists. For gum disease and problems, you should see a periodontal dentist.
A periodontist is specialized in treating gum issues and carrying out procedures that include the jawbone and ligaments. These include scaling and root planing of the tooth that is under the gums, bone grafting if needed for dental implants, dental implant placements, and even gum graft procedures.
Periodontist concerns include gingivitis, periodontitis, receding gums, oral cancer, and bone loss.
At your first periodontist appointment, your medical history details will be taken. Your mouth, gums, and teeth will be examined, including your neck and jaw joints. X-rays may also be taken. Based on the findings, a treatment plan will be drawn up.
If you have gum problems, search for gum treatment near me or gingivitis treatment near me and check the reviews of the periodontists that come up. Check them out and see how long they’ve been in practice. Ask about their treatment plans, and if they have non-surgical approaches. Don’t wait to consult a periodontist for any concerns you may have.
UPDATED 2/17/21
Maintaining good oral hygiene is important for overall health and self esteem. A recent study showed that 74% of adults in the United States felt an unattractive smile could hurt their chance for career success, while 96% of people believe a great smile makes a person more attractive to the opposite sex.
Whether you are switching to another family dentist office or if you are new to how things work at the dentist, always be sure to ask plenty of questions — they can end up making your visit a lot more pleasant and you may end up saving more time, money, and see an improvement in your oral health.
https://youtu.be/TWO8xMkcG2U
Below are a list of important questions to ask when choosing a family dentist:
If you have a health insurance plan, will they participate in it? Sometimes dental insurance is not covered in health insurance plans. The dentist office should be able to tell you what plans they participate in.
When and how are you expected to pay for your appointments? Have them walk you through the fees, payment methods, and payment schedules that you can participate in. Most offices will be happy to help find a payment plan that works best for you.
What types of dental procedures can their dentist office perform? Sometimes dental offices may be behind the times and not offer state-of-the-art procedures, like an all on 4 procedure. However, with 28% of people aged 35 to 44 years old suffering from untreated tooth decay, you can expect most offices will perform a dental implants procedure.
How does the office handle emergencies outside of office hours? Sometimes dental accidents happen; people may chip a tooth and it needs to be attended to as soon as possible. Most offices will have someone on call who can direct you on what to do.
If you plan on taking your child to the family dentist, here are some questions you should consider asking:
How much is teeth whitening? This procedure is very popular among teens and college-aged students, so if you have a child within that age range, they may be asking for a teeth whitening procedure. Whitening restores the natural tooth color, while bleaching methods whiten beyond the natural color.
If your child has sensitivity or pain in their teeth or often suffers from bleeding gums, ask if the office provides sedation dentistry. Sedation dentistry can be in the form of general anesthesia or a gas that calms people during dental cleanings and other procedures.
Does my mouth, or my child’s mouth look healthy? What, if anything, can we improve upon when it comes to maintaining good oral hygiene at home?
What dental treatments are absolutely necessary for my child and I at the office? Are there any benefits to certain cosmetic procedures?
Of course, always ask about proper brushing and flossing technique; all dentists will be happy to share their tips and tricks.
When you have a family, it is convenient for you to find a family dental practice that will see all of you when it’s time for dentist appointments. The oral family dental care that you get from a family practice includes much-needed dental care for children as well as adults of various ages and with various dental problems. A family dental practice is also made to be friendly for people of all ages and may have special aspects that are only for children such as toys and books. This can help to keep your children occupied and less nervous before their appointments.
To make things even more convenient, most parents look for family dental locations that are not too far from their houses. Many children don’t do well on long car rides, and many parents don’t have the time for errands that take all day. A family specialty dentistry practice can usually make multiple appointments for you at the time or at staggered times so that you can get everyone seen in one stretch of time. This gets a lot of errands out of your way for the next few months and makes it easier to get multiple people to their appointments.
