Archive for June, 2012

Vacuum Erection Device Therapy for Erectile Dysfunction

Sunday, June 24th, 2012

Vacuum Erection Devices (V.E.D.s) are a safe and effective therapy for most men suffering with erectile dysfunction. Erectile Dysfunction Disorder or Impotence affects more than 30 million men in the United States so you are not alone. The number of men affected by Erectile Dysfunction Disorder or Imptence will continue to increase due to; medical technology advancements in detecting diseases that are know to cause erectile dysfunction which in turn leads to more official diagnoses of erectile dysfunction. Some other common medical problems that can lead to erectile dysfunction include but are not limited to: Cardiovascular disease, Diabetes, Hypertension/High Blood Pressure, Low Testosterone levels, Spinal Cord injuries, Age, Drug Abuse and Depression. To make matter worse, many of the medications used to treat some of the listed diagnoses above may also result in erectile dysfunction as a side effect from the medication.

We always recomend speaking with your physician before trying a VED. Although it does not require a prescription to purchase, there are certain conditions where a VED should not be used. Such conditions include but are not limited to:

Men undergoing anticoagulant therapy
History of sickle cell or any other bleeding disorder
Men who have experienced any sort of pelvic trauma
Men who are not healthy enough to engage in sexual activity
After removal of a penile implant

For men who’s doctors agree that the use of a VED is an appropriate treatment, this is a great alternative to medication treatment. When used properly, there are no side effects and you do not have to wait for a pill to begin working. VED units are easy to operate and you get quick and long lasting results.

VED units are sold with everything you need including an instruction manual, accessories and many units also include an instructional DVD.

If a VED unit is the right treatment for you, you can click here to go directly to our online store for great pricing!

Tags: Erectile dysfunction, Erection problems, Impotence
Posted in Erectile Dysfunction, Medical | Comments Off

Compression Stockings and Socks

Thursday, June 21st, 2012

How graduated compression garments work?

Graduated compression garments are made to have the most compression at the ankle and gradually decreases up to the top of the garment. Most people in need of compression garments experience most of their pain and swelling in the ankle and foot area. Since the foot and ankle are the furthest from the heart, those veins have the most difficulty pumping blood through the body. Compression garments assist your veins by increasing your circulation to get blood pumping back up to the heart to be re-oxygenated and distributed back into the blood stream.

How do I know what compression strength I need?

Compression garments are available in many different compression strengths. The lower the numbers the are the less compression the garment contains. For example, if you are looking at two garments and one says 15-20 mmHg and the other says 30-40 mmHg then the 15-20 mmHg garment will contain less compression. The mmHg indicates millimeters of mercury which is the unit of measure of the compression strength.

8-15 mmHg – Used for the treatment of tired or aching legs in need of a little circulation help. This compression is also useful for those who do not experience any circulatory problems but sit or stand on their feet for several hours a day. By sitting or standing on your feet all day you are not moving around to keep your circulation pumping as it should. In this case 8-15 mmHg compression stockings or socks should be worn as a preventative measure.

15-20 mmHg – Used to treat leg fatigue, mild foot and ankle swelling; also commonly refered to as edema, mild varicose veins and DVT prevention; commonly refered to as a blood clot.

20-30 mmHg – This is a firm compression so it is recommended that you speak with your physician for an official diagnosis prior to purchasing this compression. This compression is used for the treatment of mild venous insufficiency, moderate varicosities, DVT/Blood Clot, prior to and/or after a vein procedure, mild edema, mild lymphedema and superficial thrombophlebitis.

30-40 mmHg – This is a firm compression so it is recommended that you speak with your physician for an official diagnosis prior to purchasing this compression. This compression is used for the treatment of severe and painful varicosities/varicose veins, chronic venous insufficiency, chronic edema, chronic lymphedema, DVT/blood clot or any condition indicated from the 20-30 mmHg that is not being controlled by that compression.

How do I get my compression garment on?

Getting your compression garments on can be a difficult thing to do for some people. We already talked about the most compression being present in the ankle area, this is the reason most people experience some difficulty. No worries though, we are here to help!

Rule #1 – DO NOT bunch up the graduated compression stocking or sock!!

Since the strongest compression is at the ankle and the compression decreases up to the top of the garment try to picture it as an upside down pyramid of rubber bands. If you bunch all of the rubber bands together you are not able to stretch them very far, right? This makes it almost impossible for you to get your foot in the garment, especially if you require one of the stronger compressions.

First – Put your hand in the stocking down to the heel, pinch the heel and turn the garment inside out to that point (the toes should still be in the stocking. Now you only have 2 layers of compression to try to get your foot through and you should be able to strech the fabric apart to get your foot in place

Second – Stretch the fabric apart and make sure the heel is in proper position. Insert your foot into the garment and pull up over your heel.

Third – Grab the band of the stocking and pull up into position.

Fourth – Use donning gloves to distribute the compression and smooth out any wrinkles.

Repeat for the other leg if necessary and get on with your day!

Click here for a helpful tutorial from Juzo to help you visualize this technique.

How do I get my compression garmnet off?

This is not as complicated as getting them on.

First – Turn the band of the garment over and pull the garment off inside out.

What if these techniqes do not work for me?

No worries, if these techniques do not work for you there are other options. The Juzo Slippie Gator or Jobst Stocking Donner are wonderful options.

Where can I buy graduated compression socks and stockings?

Visit our online store! There are many different fabrics and styles to choose from at great prices!

Helpful Tip to save you money!

Visit our homepage and sign up for our monthly newsletter. Signing up for our newsletter will deliver you important information such as specials, discount codes, free shipping codes and much more. These codes are not posted anywhere else so you have to be a subscribed member to receive these discounts. It is our way of saying thank you to our subscribers!

Tags: Compression garments, Compression socks, Compression stockings, Doffing, Donning, Jobst, Juzo
Posted in Compression Therapy, Medical | Comments Off

Childhood Asthma and Obesity

Friday, June 1st, 2012

Asthma is a chronic disease that causes airways to become inflamed. Does your child have this disease? If so, you’re no doubt familiar with symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, and trouble breathing. Today, a whopping nine million children under age 18 have asthma – or have had it in the past.¹

But with rates of childhood obesity climbing faster than a ten-year-old scrambling up a tree, this number could quickly skyrocket. Why? Because children who are overweight or obese are more likely to have asthma than children of a healthy weight. The strength of this link varies by race and ethnicity. It hurts Hispanic children the most.²

Extra weight isn’t considered a cause of asthma, simply a contributor. But what, then, accounts for the connection between the two ? One theory is that a hormone found in fat tissue increases the body’s chronic inflammation. And this may increase the risk of asthma. ^3,4

Overweight or obese children have double the risk of asthma as their normal-weight peers if they become or remain heavy in their early school years. But, parents, listen up. Here’s the good news: If children slim down by age seven, they may wipe out that increased risk. It’s not quite as easy as erasing a string of numbers from a blackboard. But it’s way more powerful. That’s especially true given that childhood obesity is not only linked to asthma, but to a whole host of other health problems, including diabetes and high cholesterol.⁴

Extra weight also sends kids with asthma to the doctor and emergency room more often and requires higher doses of asthma medications.² In fact, a recent small study found that overweight and obese children needed about twice as much of a commonly used asthma medication (an inhaled corticosteroid) as healthy-weight kids. These findings are similar to those reported on earlier in adults. The response to the medication decreased as weight and body mass index (BMI) rose, according to study researcher Pia Hauk, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics at National Jewish Health in Denver, CO.³

If your child has asthma, don’t forget that we are here to help you and your child manage this condition as well as you can. Remember that your child’s asthma management plan may be different than another child’s. We can help guide you in understanding how and when to use asthma medications. Getting the right care by a knowledgeable allergist is also key. This is someone who has special training and experience in figuring out whether a child has asthma, what is triggering it, and how to move forward to treat it effectively. Together, we can form an awesome team!⁵

Contact us for more information!

Sources

MedlinePlus: “Asthma in Children.” Available at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/asthmainchildren.html. Accessed March 5, 2012.
MedlinePlus: “Obesity Linked to Asthma in Children.” Available at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_122445.html. Accessed March 5, 2012.
MedlinePlus: “Heavy Kids May Not Respond as Well to Asthma Meds.” Available at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_122575.html. Accessed March 5, 2012.
MedlinePlus: “Overweight 7-Year-Olds Face Higher Risk of Asthma.” Available at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_120071.html. Accessed March 5, 2012.
American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology: “Childhood Asthma: Tips to Remember.” http://www.aaaai.org/conditions-and-treatments/library/at-a-glance/childhood-asthma.aspx

Tags: Childhood Asthma, healthcare, Obesity
Posted in Asthma, Medical, Obesity, Pharmacy | Comments Off