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3 Ways Low T Could Be Ruining Your Life

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Over the past few years, you’ve started to feel yourself slow down: your hair might be thinning a little, you’ve lost some muscle mass or gained some fat, or maybe in general you’re feeling somewhat fatigued. These are all just signs of aging, right? Actually, they could be signs you’ve got low T.

Low T, or low testosterone, is a condition found in men where testosterone isn’t being produced as much as it should be. Testosterone production tends to start to drop off after age 30 at the rate of a few percents per year. In most low T cases, men tend to ignore the symptoms, despite that tens of millions of men suffer from it in the US alone.

The simple fact is that low T is a completely treatable disorder, treatment is affordable, and more often than not, covered by insurance. Studies show that low testosterone levels are linked with a shorter life span — in fact, men with normal or high levels of testosterone have a 67% lower risk of death over the next 2 decades of their life compared to men with lower levels of testosterone. So what kinds of symptoms should you bring up with your doctor when discussing low T?

  • Does low T affect weight gain? Yes, it does. Those few extra pounds you’ve gained over the last few years might not be from beer and wings, it might be from a testosterone deficiency. Studies are now showing that low testosterone levels actually contribute to obesity. While you do want to look at your activity level and the amount that you eat, if you find that you are having difficulty dropping extra weight it may be due to low T.
  • Does low T affect strength or energy levels? Yes, it does. Low testosterone has been shown to contribute to fatigue (feeling exhausted after a good night’s rest) and also losing muscle strength. Testosterone is one of the major factors in men for producing energy and muscle mass, so a steep decline in daily energy for activities and measured strength is a good indication of lower testosterone levels.
  • Does low T affect moods? Yes, it does. Studies show that there is a link between low testosterone and clinical depression, and that link gets stronger the older men get. In fact, a Harvard study showed that men with low testosterone and depression failed to respond to just anti-depressants. Other studies have shown testosterone therapy to be beneficial to men suffering from depression.

Getting tested and getting treated for low levels of testosterone are easier than ever, and very affordable. There’s no need to continue to go through life unable to enjoy yourself or the things you love due to depression; decreased strength or energy; or weight gain, so talk to your doctor about options.

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What You Need to Know About Common Skin Disorders

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Are you, or someone you love, affected by a skin disorder? Every year there are more cases of serious acne and skin cancer. While many of these conditions are linked to age, skin conditions and age are not necessarily linked. One of the best medicines for skin disorders is education. Here’s what you need to know to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Did you have acne in high school? Did you know that across the United States, somewhere between 40 and 50 million people suffer from acne? Acne is one of the most prominent skin disorders in the world; at some point in their lives, almost 85% of people will develop, and many of them don’t know the best treatment for acne. There are many supposed acne treatments around, including some very questionable home remedies, but you don’t need to be a dermatologist in Florida to know that these are often a waste of time, but if you are struggling with your skin, be sure to see a licensed dermatologist right away.

About 40% of people have acne or acne scars by the time they are mid-teens! Did you know that although most people experience acne during their teenage years, acne can develop at several points throughout your lifetime. Even people in their 20s, 30s, 40s and even 50s can get acne! So even if you got lucky in high school and didn’t have acne, don’t assume that you’re out of the woods yet. While some people want to pop or pick at pimples as soon as they appear, don’t! Popping acne will often cause scarring.

Everyone should be aware of the dangers of skin cancer, regardless of your age or location. Skin cancer can be extraordinarily devastating. It is estimated that one in five Americans develop skin cancer at some point in their lives. Every time we go out into the sun, whether it is to the pool, the beach or just around the yard, we have to take the necessary precautions to protect ourselves. Every year, a dermatologist in Florida sees this countless times; we forget to put on our sunscreen, or we forget to reapply it after sweating or getting in the pool, and suddenly our skin is burned, and we’re putting ourselves at risk for developing skin cancer.

The most serious type of skin cancer is called Melanoma. Melanoma is runaway cell growth, specifically your pigment-producing cells, the ones that give your skin its coloring. While Melanoma is curable, it must be caught early. If it is not caught early, it can spread throughout your body, into your lymph nodes and internal organs, making it a much more serious threat. If you already have more than 50 moles on your body, be especially careful; your risk of developing deadly Melanoma may be significantly higher than someone with fewer moles.

If you are suffering from either of these skin disorders, be sure to contact your doctor. If you’re living in a tropical area, or you are constantly out in the sun, take especial care of your skin. Any dermatologist in Florida will tell you how dangerous direct sunlight can be to your skin.

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3 Things to Keep in Mind When Finding an OBGYN

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Finding an OBGYN is a bit more tricky than just finding a doctor for a check up. There are a lot of things you have to consider as you look. Here are just a few things to think about when you try to find a doctor specializing in obstetrics and gynecology.

What Do You Need? If you’re just looking for a doctor to provide your annual well-woman exam, then a general gynecologist or women’s health specialist can help you out. However, if you’re trying to get pregnant, or would like to in the relatively near future, you should consider finding an OBGYN.

Do Your Homework. After you’ve figured out what type of doctor you really need, and you’ve found a few potential medical professionals, you have to do a bit of homework. Go online to sites like Vitals and Healthgrades, which allow patients to review doctors’ credentials, specialties, years in practice, education, and even possibly info on malpractice, sanctions, and board actions. Some sites also allow users to review the doctors, but take these with a grain of salt.

Chat With Them. You and your OBGYN need to be compatible together. Pregnancy and childbirth are stressful, after all, so you need to be able to communicate easily with your healthcare provider, which only happens when you feel comfortable with them. For that reason, you need to sit down, and have a talk with them. Feel them out. Did you find it easy to ask them questions? Did they explain things clearly, completely, and sympathetically? Did they seem interested in your personally? Did they come across as teh type of person who will respect your wishes?

Finding a medical specialist can be awful tricky, but so long as you keep these tips in mind, you won’t have too hard of a time. If you have any questions about finding a medical professional, feel free to share in the comments. Read this website for more information.

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How Telepsychiatry is Fixing America’s Mental Health Problem

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There is a clear and serious mental healthcare crisis taking place in America. In a given year, more than 25% of adults are diagnosed with serious mental disorders such as anxiety, eating disorders, and depression. When these disorders go untreated, individuals end often end up in the emergency room, or worse, prison. The latter is often due to the stigmatization of the mentally ill as criminals, which is simply untrue.
If you are like the 25% of Americans suffering from mental illness, it can be easy to understand that seeking treatment is not always easy. Discussing mental illness isn’t the same as discussing a broken leg–it is an intangible, but very real affliction and sometimes, help can feel inaccessible. Telehealth solutions are relatively new innovations that are quickly revolutionizing the way we approach healthcare. Telemedicine software enables patients to remotely interact with telemedicine doctors and receive the treatment they need, regardless of location or time of day. This is made possible using HIPAA compliant video conferencing software, and all you need is a computer and an internet connection. HIPAA compliant software enables patients to interact with telemedicine doctors via webcam while still ensuring patient-doctor confidentiality, as aspect of psychiatry that is vital to making a patient feel safe and secure.
While there are many types of telemedicine, telepsychiatry proves to be one of the most innovative and impacting. During a recent 1 and a half year study, more telepsychiatry appointments were kept as opposed to real-time, face to face psychiatry appointments. The statistics numbered 92% to 87%. In another study, it was proven that telehealth patients were far less likely to cancel their appointments with telemedicine doctors as compared to face to face appointments. A vital aspect of mental health recovery is diligence, and persistence of treatment, and telehealth facilitates this for patients.
So what’s next in the world of telemedicine psychiatry? Only time will tell.

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Why You Should Opt for STD Testing

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There are an estimated 20 million cases of sexually transmitted infections from just eight viruses and bacteria that are diagnosed every year in the U.S. — but that’s 20 million reasons to head to a health clinic for women to get tested.

Why get tested? Getting tested is a quick and easy way to ensure your overall and reproductive health. Many sexually transmitted diseases have little to no symptoms, and can often be mistaken for something else. Some women may be scared to get tested or believe there is a stigma to getting tested; maybe they believe they will be judged by their peers.

Luckily, there are std testing centers that offer confidential std testing. These testing centers can often be found within urgent care centers or the common health clinic for women.

How to get tested: First the individual must ask for an std test in order to be tested. If they are there for an annual physical or at an OBGYN office, the nurse practitioner may ask if they would like to get tested.

Once you have asked your doctor for a test, they will need to first figure out what types of symptoms — if any — you are having so they can determine which type of test is needed. There is no one overall test to determine which std an individual might have.

The doctor will first ask how many partners you have had and how sexually active you are. Next they will ask what form of birth control you use. Note that some forms of birth control, such as condoms, will prevent certain types of stds, while others do not.

It may be difficult to determine from asking questions what std you may have, as many go without symptoms for a long time. Less than 40% of sexually active young women are screened for chlamydia mostly because this disease shows little to no symptoms.

How the test is conducted: There are a number of ways to be tested once the doctor has narrowed down possibilities. First would be a physical exam where your doctor will examine you for any visible signs. A second option would be a blood sample. A third option is a urine sample. A final option would be a tissue or saliva sample.

Where to get tested:
Many women are often unaware that they should be getting tested once a year. There is always a reason to get tested, whether it is because a women has switched partners recently, or there is reason for concern. One of the easiest ways to get same day std testing is through a walk in health clinic.

Walk in health clinics are becoming more and more commonplace as health care is more attainable to those who previously might not have been able to afford it. These days, there are nearly 6,800 urgent care facilities in the country, and that number is climbing at a rapid rate.

Look for a local health clinic for women, as they often have doctors who specialize in reproductive and women’s health and will be able to answer any initial questions about stds you might have. They can also refer you to a specialist if need be.

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Think Twice Before Heading to an ER Urgent Care Services

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If you ever find yourself needing immediate medical care, one thing you might want to consider is going to an urgent care center rather than an emergency room (ER). Urgent care units are generally smaller than ERs but are just as effective for treating most medical emergencies. It is always advisable to go to an ER for life threatening conditions but for everything else, urgent health clinics will do just fine.

There are many similarities between ERs and urgent care clinics — but what about the differences? Here are two features of walk in medical clinics that make going to one much more appealing than heading to the ER:

    It’s Less Expensive: Health clinics are generally less expensive than ERs for the same kinds of services. For the same treatment, urgent care clinics cost between $228 and $583 less than an ER visit.

    It’s Quicker: Urgent care units have lower weight times than ERs on average, mostly due to the fact that they see fewer patients. Sixty-nine percent of urgent care units have a waiting time shorter than 20 minutes; 28% have a time between 21 and 40 minutes; and the remaining 3% have a waiting time longer than 40 minutes. Anyone who’s ever been to an ER knows that 40 minutes is relatively quick for ER standards!

Of course, there is one major similarity ERs and health clinics share: they have the same kind of equipment, staff, and resources. With the exception of special trauma units and other speciality services, ERs and urgent care units have basically the same things, making the medical care equally as good. A good 70% of urgent care clinics, for example, have intravenous (IV) fluids in stock, a resource that is quite common for emergency treatments.

For more information about urgent care, feel free to leave a comment or question at the bottom.

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Forget Liposuction, Cryolipolysis is the New Procedure

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Cosmetic clinics are always looking to find the latest, greatest, and most efficient methods in skin rejuvenation and body contouring procedures to achieve the look their patients seek. One such state-of-the-art procedure is cryolipolysis.

About cryolipolysis Often referred to as fat freezing, this is a medical treatment with the purpose of destroying fat cells. It is called fat freezing for a reason because temperatures reach sub-zero when applied topically to a specific part of the body. A far freezing treatment can occur just about anywhere: on the arms, legs, stomach, and back.

The FDA approved this technique, which was invented by Zeltiq Aesthetics in California, in 2010. Although slow to catch on to the general public, those who seek the procedure are satisfied with their results.

Procedure details: This non-invasive procedure has the ability to reshape the body, with result appearing in just two to four months. For these results to appear, the exposure to the freezing causes fat cells to die. What is so unique and ingenious about this technique is that the freezing apparently does not damage the dermal layer of skin cells — it just targets the subcutaneous fat.

Alternative method: Cryolipolysis is the non-invasive form of liposuction. Liposuction requires patients to undergo surgery and it can often be very expensive and the healing process is much more lengthy. The only requirements for post-cryolipolysis treatment (also known as a coolsculpting) are that the treated areas need to be massaged for roughly two minutes following the less than an hour long procedure which includes a local anesthetic for comfort purposes.

Side effects: As with any cosmetic procedure there may be some side effects in the coolsculpting areas. Some of these include local redness and swelling, bruising, and temporary numbness due to such freezing temperatures. All documented side effects have been subtle and fleeting. Liposuction’s side effects, on the other hand, may include infection, excessive bleeding, and burning of the skin.

Is a coolsculpting experience worth it? In a recent study involving cryolipolysis patients, nearly 86% of those treated saw improvements in body image. During a single treatment, subjects can see up to a 20% reduction in fat cells in the area after just two months, and a 25% decrease at the six month mark.

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Health Care Confusion Understanding the Difference Between Urgent and Emergency Care

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Do you know the difference between the health care services emergency room doctors, primary care providers, and urgent care providers offer? All health care services aren’t created equal, and some can be more appropriate than others depending on the nature of your illness or injury. However, understanding these difference is critical in that it can not only save you money, but may even save your life as well.

Many emergency room doctors harbor concerns over patient confusion in terms of seeking the appropriate level of care for their conditions. In fact, an online poll conducted last year by the American College of Emergency Physicians revealed that the overwhelming majority — 75% — of emergency room doctors are concerned that patients who have true medical emergencies are first seeking treatment at urgent care clinics that are ill-equipped to treat them.

In addition, ninety percent said patients are often redirected to the emergency room due to the severity of their condition, which proved to be more than what an urgent care clinic could treat. Every second counts in terms of a medical emergency, and making this mistake can prove fatal in instances of severe medical emergencies such as heart attacks and stroke.

While urgent care facilities are able to treat a variety of conditions, they are not a replacement for emergency or primary care. Rather, urgent care is designed to evaluate and treat conditions that require immediate medical attention, but are not severe enough to warrant emergency care. Examples of this include rashes, the common cold, the flu, stomach bugs, and even urinary tract infections.

Emergency medical, while similar, should be reserved for true medical emergencies. This can be difficult to determine, especially give the fact that many urgent care centers continue to expand the range of care and services they provide. However, it’s best to err on the side of caution when in doubt, especially if you have an underlying medical condition that my cause further complications.