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Arthritic Relief
Arthritic Relief

Best Medical Products for An Arthritic Relief

With more than 10 million cases per year, arthritis has become a severe health condition that causes pain, swelling, and stiffness. Not only does it affect joints and cause inflammation but it also leads to several other concerning health issues. The symptoms may worsen over time and also cause problems in other organs such as the eyes, heart, or skin. Apart from going for a proper medical diagnosis, it is important that patients suffering from arthritis opt for self-care and therapies to reduce the effects and symptoms of this disease. This blog will thereby offer a brief discussion about the best products available for people living with arthritis:

Heat and Cold Therapies

Medical professionals highly recommend using hot and cold therapy to lessen inflammation and soothe the affected parts of the body. Since there are distinctive types of arthritis with different symptoms, it becomes quite essential that you use therapies that are effective for the particular type.

  • Heat Therapy

Heat therapy for instance is suitable for Rheumatoid Arthritis applying heat to the inflamed area will offer a soothing touch. The heat will allow oxygen and blood in the body to move freely while relaxing muscles. Some of the best products to reduce stiffness include heating pads and paraffin bath units. Heating pads like the Battle Creek Thermophore Classic Moist Heat Pack are expertly crafted with a special hand-held switch for convenience and come with a size twice larger than average heat packs. These easily provide a sufficient area of heat therapy to cover the entire spinal area, the length of a hip and leg, or all across both shoulders to effectively relieve pain from all affected areas.

  • Cold Therapy

Cold therapy which is popularly known as cryotherapy is likewise a convenient way to treat pain and swelling in joints. This is also a pain relief option for injuries. Cold therapy involves using cold packs and cooling wraps and gently pressing them on the targeted area to get rid of pain, swelling, or muscle cramps. The BodyMed Cold Compression Therapy Wrap for example features four different therapy wraps including shoulder, back, knee and ankle. This hassle-free removable gel pack stays pliable throughout treatment and the self-controlled compression with inflating pump ensures great relief.

Arthritis Gloves

Offering both support and compression, arthritis gloves have heating capabilities that effectively try to relieve hand arthritis. Consider gloves like the Thermoskin Premium Arthritis Gloves for a clinically validated heat treatment where pain and swelling in joints can be naturally and comfortably relieved sitting at home. Innovatively crafted gloves like these come in three layers for an effective healing process. The soft inner layer draws moisture away, the middle layer contributes to temperature rise during heat therapy, and the outermost layer offers minimal compression. Besides being an effective treatment of pain relief for achy joints, these arthritis gloves are also helpful in releasing pain from sports injuries and repetitive strain injuries.

Arthritis Support for Knees and Ankles

One of the most widely effective medical products for arthritis is knee and ankle support. Using these in a prescribed way provides enhanced joint mobility which gradually hastens the healing process allowing you to participate in everyday activities with absolute freedom.

Some recommendations for the same include highly-effective arthritis knee supports like the Actimove Arthritis Care Knee Support offers gentle compression and reduces swelling. What makes them a perfect pick is the four-way stretch design and ceramic fiber construction that lets therapeutic heat penetrate deeply into the sore joint, muscles, and surrounding tissues, offering a comforting relief. For minor arthritis, ankle sprains, strains, or muscle tears, you may also consider the streamlined and comfortable ProStyle Performer Knee Support. These are available in various sizes to fit you with perfection and to make the healing process faster and more soothing.

Lift Recliners

Lift recliners serve as essential equipment for people suffering from arthritis. Managing operations becomes convenient with the remote and its soft-touch buttons that each function as per the user’s preferences. Due to joint aches and swelling, it may become difficult for individuals to step out or carry out operations with ease. A perfectly-sized lift recliner will be a beneficial addition for such patients. Recliners like the Power Lift Recliner, for example, feature a contemporary design and come with additional padding for improved comfort. With such functional equipment, easy movement will never be restricted for you.

To Sum It Up….

Besides opting for healing and therapeutical products, it is also important that you be mindful of creating a safe living atmosphere for arthritic patients. Begin by adding useful medical products to your bathrooms which can become a dangerous spot for such patients. A Heavy-Duty Commode, Bath Stools, and Shower Chairs are ideal to make things easier for people living with arthritis. For more such healing medical equipment or bathroom safety medical supplies you may scroll through popular websites like ACG Medical Supply which features a fine collection of useful medical products for arthritic patients.

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Adults Knee Walker
HEALTHCARE

Injured – Go for a Knee Walker Scooter to Heal Faster

It can be tough to get around when you have a knee or lower leg ailment. Although crutches or a cane can be useful for support, these devices have limits. While your injury heals, a knee walker or knee scooter is a more convenient, safer, and faster method to get around.

You do not need difficult-to-use crutches or a cane for easy mobility. Buying or Renting knee scooters from ACG Medical Supply can be an excellent choice to explore because you need them until you have fully recovered from your injury. Knowing more about knee walkers might help you comprehend how they provide dependable mobility aid.

Knee Walker for All…

Knee walkers are types of mobility aid that allows you to move around safely while recovering from a lower leg or knee injury. When suffering from such injuries, you should avoid putting weight on the injured limb, which makes it tough to move around both inside and outside. Crutches, for example, have limitations in terms of how much weight-bearing assistance they can provide. Knee walkers provide superior weight-bearing support as well as other features that make getting around while wounded easier and more convenient.

A knee walker scooter can help people with many ailments get around. Achilles injuries, foot injuries, ankle injuries, and knee injuries are just a few examples. These knee walkers are especially useful following surgery, such as foot or ankle surgery. Knee scooters allow you to move around easily indoors and outdoors, allowing you to complete your normal activities. They are made to spin effortlessly, even in tight quarters. These devices assist you in remaining mobile while safeguarding your injuries as it heals.

Pediatric knee scooters

Pediatric knee walkers provide a secure and stable way for youngsters with lower leg injuries to move around indoors or outdoors. These scooters are perfect for youngsters with injuries below the knee who need to keep their weight off the damaged side. Using crutches can be difficult for youngsters, especially if they have difficulty in balancing.

A pediatric knee walker has four wheels, a hand brake, and steering capability. The four-wheel design provides increased stability on floors or some outdoor surfaces, and a hand brake provides children with an easy method to stop when necessary, these steerable scooters are simple for youngsters to maneuver while resting their wounded limb thereby allowing them to get around at home, school, or wherever they need to go.

Indoor Knee Scooter

When you are unable to put weight on your leg due to injury or sickness, such as ulcers, indoor knee scooters provide a sturdy and safe way to move around. These knee scooters are designed to be used indoors, such as at home or work, so you can easily move from one room or area to another. Some, however, can be utilized outside on specific sorts of terrain.

Indoor knee scooters are intended for use in tight or small locations. You can use these scooters to travel around corners, turn around, and move in other directions as needed without putting weight on your wounded leg.

Buy or Rent a Knee Walker Scooter

You have injured your leg or ankle and are recovering at home; lying in bed for the duration of your recovery isn’t an option, after all, everyone needs to get around. But now you do not have to rely on wheelchairs or deal with the agony of crutches because ACG Medical Supply provides knee walker rental but, now the question is whether to buy or rent a knee scooter for adults.

Rent it out for minor injuries

Renting knee walkers makes more financial sense if you only require one for a short period. For example, you may only need to utilize a knee scooter for a few weeks while recovering from a broken foot or an ankle surgery. Buying a knee walker is more expensive up front, especially if you buy a new one rather than a used one. Renting a knee scooter instead is affordable. You pay a set fee for the time you require the knee walker. When you are finished with it, you may return it rather than having to find a place to store it at home.

Buy it for a long-term use

You receive safety, security, and choice when you buy a Knee Scooter. While people expect temporary obstacles, catastrophic injuries can take months or years to heal. By purchasing a knee walker scooter, you can ensure that you get a model that meets your demands, whether you are an active walker seeking something all-terrain or simply looking for some assistance with your daily run errands. 

ACG Medical provides a wide range of knee walkers, Buy or Rent Knee walkers online to recover soon.

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bath chairs for disabled
Bath Chairs

Benefits of Bath Chair for Disabled and Elderly

Bathing is not an easy process for people with disabilities. Even though bathing is meant to be soothing, it can occasionally feel downright frightening. This can be a terrifying task because there’s a chance of tripping and getting hurt, waking up in the hospital, or both. A chair made especially for use in a bathroom is known as a shower chair. For the elderly or those with disabilities who require assistance using the restroom, a shower chair is a necessary piece of equipment. Some chairs feature wheels to function as a form of wheelchair, while others have strong, rubber feet to prevent slipping on wet surfaces. They are safe to use in water because they are waterproof and rust-resistant.

If you are elderly or a person with a disability, here are a few reasons why buying a personal shower chair for you is a smart choice rather than putting your health at risk.

Reasons For Buying A Shower Chair

  • Using a shower chair or bath chair reduces the risk of falling by giving people a secure platform in a slippery shower or bath, which increases safety. For individuals in wheelchairs, seniors, or anybody who finds moving on their own more painful or difficult, shower chairs and bath chairs are very helpful.
  • Limited mobility is only one of the many hardships experienced by those with disabilities or those who are wheelchair-bound. When they can’t do the little things for themselves anymore, they feel like they need other people and start to depend on them, which can have a very bad effect on their quality of life. Being and feeling more autonomous might be facilitated by having a shower or bath chair.
  • It’s supposed to be relaxing to take a shower. But for many, taking a bath each day can be a dreaded or difficult experience. A shower chair can help create a spa-like ambiance that enhances your sense of relaxation. For the benefit of mobility, a shower chair could also be utilized. For instance, if someone has a compound fracture from an accident, they can still take a shower without needing to stand.

Your hygiene and security can significantly improve with the use of a shower chair. Finding the ideal shower chair does not need to be a difficult effort. ACG Medical Supply helps you find the best bath chairs for disabled and elderly people. We deliver necessary medical supplies at affordable prices to those who require them.

Points To Remember When Buying The Bathing Chair

  • Size: Whenever you are buying a bathing chair, always consider the ratio between the space of your bathroom and the space that the bath chair is going to take. You should always choose the chair which not only fits right in your bathroom but also leaves enough space after being placed inside.
  • Height: Just like size, considering height before buying the shower chair also becomes crucial. Always consider buying a chair with a comfortable height. If not, buy a chair that has adjustable legs and a changeable seat height.
  • Weight capacity: Weight capacity becomes an important factor for people who weigh more than 300 lbs. hence, people who weigh more than 300 lbs, might need a bariatric shower chair
  • Support: Always buy bath chairs depending upon your comfort and your living style. Sometimes, shower chairs with arms and backrests make a huge difference in the user’s choice. These choices depend on the sitting habits of the person using the chair. Moreover, some people like using wheelchairs but have more mobility around the house, whereas, some prefer fixed non-slippery chairs in the bathroom.

Having necessary and proper shower accessories is important for the elderly and people with disabilities. Nothing is more important than their safety and comfort and these two factors should be primary when buying a shower chair.

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healthcare
HEALTHCARE

Keeping Patients Safe and Ensuring They Don’t Take tumble

Falls can be classified into two different categories Organic and Mechanical. Mechanical falls are caused by an individual & their environment. Like slipping on a wet floor, or tripping over kids toys. Organic falls, on the other hand, are caused by a body system failure. While it is fairly simple to remove trip hazard, preventing an organic fall is a bit more complicated.

Orthostatic Hypotension (Light-Headedness after standing) can be experienced by those who have been seated/standing for an extended period of time- or due to vascular damage; Both resulting in a fall. Gravity causes a pooling of blood in our lower extremities. Our bodies will use a “Calf Muscle Pump” to move blood back up the body. Any activity that limits calf movement causes blood to remain in the lower half. Arising too quickly can result in a fall due to the lack of blood available to the brain.

A 2018 study shows Compression can help. Wearing medical compression has previously been shown to assist the veins with moving blood up the leg decreasing Orthostatic Hypotension falls. Not as simple as cleaning up a spill to prevent a fall, but Medical Compression is readily available.

Tips to remember:

Reducing Mechanical Falls                                                                                      

  • Remove trip hazards in home. Always use handrails.
  • Remove trip hazards in home.
  • Avoid shiny floors which are often slippery.
  • Wear shoes that fit well.
  • Put nightlights in rooms or hall.

Reducing Organic Falls  

  • Move feet up & down Move feet up & down x3 and slowly rise from a seat
  • Wear Medical Grade Compression                                    
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shower chairs
HEALTHCARE

Things To Consider While Buying a Bath Chair

Here are some pointers we should consider when we are shopping for a bath chair for ourselves or a loved one:

  • A bath chair is essential for the safety of anyone who is weak, unsteady or recovering from surgery.
  • The bath chair is available in padded or non-padded versions. Most all bath chairs are height adjustable.
  • Bath benches or bath chairs are available with arms or without arms.
  • Bath chairs can include a backrest or you can get a simple bath chair without a back.
  • Some bath chairs are designed to hold up to 250 pounds, while others can hold up to 500 pounds or more.
  • Bath chairs are designed to go in a shower stall or a bathtub with a shower head installed.
  • I like to suggest grab bars and hand held showers any time we are using a bath chair.

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Nova Padded Drop Arm Commode Chair
HEALTHCARE

Shopping for Bedside Commodes: Factors to Consider

Elderly people or a person with a disability find difficult to do their daily routine activities. They need assistance that would help them carry out these chores. However, buying high-quality bathroom accessories like bedside commodes, bath chairs, shower stool, commode liners and other bathroom aids can help them enhance their mobility and safeguard them from accidents. Safety, comfort, and enhancing mobility are three essential purposes a bathroom accessory should serve when you are considering buying such aids from a renowned and experienced supplier.

Whether you are looking for a bath chair or a bedside commode for your elderly parent, you should consult an experienced bath accessories supplier. Based on your specific needs, the supplier will help you get quality products fulfilling your requirements offering maximum value and satisfaction. Shopping for a high-quality bedside commode can be a breeze only if you know well about different types and models of commodes and crucial factors to consider before the purchase.

Here is some information to consider if you are considering a bedside commode provided by David Gampher, the president of ACG Medical.

1. Bedside Commodes

Bedside commodes are available with different dimensions, options and weight capacities. A standard size bedside commode gives you 18’’ between the arms and will hold from 250 pounds to 300 lbs. Bedside commodes come in various designs, models and colors made from different materials, such as aluminum, steel, plastic and PVC. The five types of bedside commodes suited for people with various mobility issues are fixed arm commode, drop-arm commode, bariatric, bench style, and three-in-ones.

2. Traditional Fixed Arm Commode

The fixed arm commode is suitable for bedside use for self-sufficient users who do not need any assistance.

3. Drop Down Commode

Some bedside commodes have arms that drop down out of the way. This makes it easier to transfer a person from a wheelchair or the bed to the commode. This is known as a drop arm commode.

4. 3-in-1 Bedside Commode

Bedside commodes known as 3-1 commodes are free-standing frames that include a removable bucket that helps a person perform toileting activities by the bed. Bucket liners are especially helpful for this. A bedside commode or 3-1 frame can also be adjusted up to provide an elevated seat over the toilet. The arms of the frame act as safety rails to help the person get up and down off the commode frame. The bedside commode should come with a splash guard to be used when the 3-1 frame is being used over the existing commode. The splash guard acts as a shield to keep waste from going outside the toilet.

5. Bariatric Bedside Commode

Bedside commodes are also available in “extra-wide” models or suited for heavy-duty or both. The standard bedside commodes can handle the weight capacity of up to 300 pounds, while the bariatric bedside commodes can handle the weight of up to 1000 pounds.

When shopping for a bedside commode we need to think about the person’s ability to transfer, what is the weight and waist circumference of the person that may determine the seating width of the commode? Also, consider how much room we have to work with.

Once you have considered these features you can purchase online or in the store for an affordable price from ACG Medical Supply. Order online for the required bathroom product and get it delivered to your doorsteps or pickup from store.

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HEALTHCARE

Choosing Skin and Wound Care Products: Factors to Consider

Skin acts as a barrier that protects internal organs from damage and helps in temperature regulation. It requires proper care that helps you look healthy and beautiful. Following a proper skin care routine is essential that would help you maintain sound health and integrity of your skin. Genetic and situational causes or lifestyle factors may lead to common skin diseases like acne, psoriasis, hives, moles, rosacea, eczema, vitiligo, and even skin cancer. Choosing the most suitable skin care products as per your dermatologist’s recommendation is crucial for the treatment of skin disease and maintaining your skin’s health as a part of a normal skin care routine.

Check out some crucial factors to consider when you are choosing medications or skin and wound care products:

1. Know Your Skin Type

If you are investing in medical-grade skin care products, you must first know your skin type- be it oily, dry, normal, and sensitive or a combination of oily and dry skin. Many people wrongly choose products with a cult following or those that contain ingredients not suitable for their skin types. People with sensitive, acne-prone skin should choose skin care products that contain oatmeal, aloe vera, vitamin E and shea butter. Oily skin persons should select products that contain benzoyl peroxide, hyaluronic acid and alpha hydroxy acids that check excess sebum production. People with dry skin should go for products with lactic acid and shea butter that provide hydration and mild exfoliation to keep dry skin looking radiant.

2. Consult a Certified and Experienced Dermatologist

Whether you are looking for an antifungal cream or topical ointments and gels for acne or rosacea, you should consult an experienced dermatologist who would prescribe the right medications. Your dermatologist will diagnose your skin disease or condition, find out the root cause of the problem and would help you get the right medicated creams, antibiotics, antihistamines, steroid pills or other medicines for the treatment of your skin disease. Your healthcare provider may suggest some lifestyle changes like managing stress, avoiding or limiting carbonated drinks, sugar or dairy products, smoking and alcohol and practicing proper hygiene.

3.  Follow an Individualized Approach in Skin Care

Although many beauty influencers promote a variety of skin care and beauty products, you should not buy into the hype or go with your friend’s recommendation or cult-following to choose specific skin care products. You must follow an individualized approach to your skin care and choose the right products with ingredients suited to your skin type or based on a dermatologist’s expert advice.

4. Check Out Ingredients

Before you finalize your decision to purchase specific skin care products, you should check out the ingredients and know more about their suitability and benefits. You should go for products that contain glycerin (moisturizing), vitamin C and vitamin E (both for collagen production and reversing damage from UV radiation), retinol (for skin exfoliation, boost skin cell turnover and collagen production) and vitamin B3 (for controlling sebum production and hydrating the skin). Ensure that the product doesn’t contain parabens, sulfates, formaldehyde and added fragrances.

5. Do a Patch Test

A patch test helps you know the suitability of the product. Find out whether the product or ingredients are safe to use or they cause skin irritation or any kind of allergic reaction. If it causes any allergic reaction, you should not buy the product or stop using it.

6. Choose Suitable Wound Dressings

Selecting the right kind of wound dressing that is easy to apply and remove and facilitate quick healing of the wound is crucial. Giving high priority to the function and wound needs rather than the form of dressings would help you choose suitable wound dressings from alginate fibers, amorphous hydrogels, hydrocolloid wafers, or collagen sheets.

Be it choosing a wound care product or skin care ointment or medication, you must choose products of a well-reputed brand or company that has several years of experience. It would help you maintain the sound health of your skin and keep skin diseases at bay.

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Electric Hospital Beds
HEALTHCARE

How to Buy Electric Hospital Beds for Home Care

Whether you require hospital beds for your hospital or home care for your parent or loved one, you should consider their quality and durability before the purchase. Based on your needs and budget, you can choose to buy fully electric or semi-electric hospital beds that have the desired features and fulfill your requirements seamlessly.

With a huge number of online suppliers and a plethora of hospital bed options, choosing the right supplier to buy a superb-quality hospital bed can be a daunting task. You should consider various crucial factors to make the right choice and get the desired electric hospital beds at a competitive price.

Check out the essential factors to consider that will help you make an informed decision and choose a renowned and experienced supplier to get the desired products.

Assess Your Requirements

The first thing you need to do is evaluate your needs and check out the size or weight capacity and features you would be looking for in the hospital bed before procurement. The clarity on this part will help you choose the right kind of bed with the desired features. A standard homestyle hospital bed provides a 36” wide by 80” long sleeping surface. For a taller person consider an extension for the bed with a longer 84” mattress. For a heavier person you should look at beds 42” 48” or even 52” wide.

Make a List of Desirable Features and Extras

Hospital beds come in different types like fully electric, semi-electric, manual, and luxury hospital beds. You must make a list of features and extras that you would love to see in your bed which make it easy for you to take care of your loved one. Some of these features include full length side rails or half-length side rails. Do you need a trapeze for the patient? If your patient has a history of skin break down consider an air mattress or an overlay to prevent bed sores.

Height Range of an Electric Hospital Bed

Based on your patient’s needs and comfort, you should check the height range of your electric hospital beds and ensure that it is comfortable and provide a rejuvenating sleep and relaxation to your loved one. If your patient is prone to slipping out of bed you should go for full electric low beds with an 8”-20” height range.

Go for High Quality Adjustable Beds

When looking for a semi-electric or electric hospital bed, you must check out the quality of the bed before the price. Choosing a quality bed with at least 1year of warranty will be the right fit for you that offers mental peace and value for money. The bed should deliver a high level of flexibility, blend with other furniture in your home and accommodate the mattress that provides proper relaxation and facilitate a speedy recovery.

Choose a Reputed and Experienced Supplier

Check out and choose a committed and experienced supplier who provides you best quality bed, impeccable customer service, and helps you get dependable after-sales services. You must check out their online reviews and ratings or clients’ testimonials to get quality assurance.

Get Bed Installed Properly By Professionals If Needed

Whether you can install the bed yourself or need professional help, you must check out this factor and then choose the supplier. A top-notch supplier will deliver quality medical equipment and bed and provide professional installation service to fulfill your requirements. You are most likely to get maximum satisfaction from the superb-quality hospital bed that would last for years.

Takeaway

Considering these essential factors will help you make the right decision to get the most suitable hospital bed for your home care.

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Grab Bars
HEALTHCARE

Top Quality Bath Accessories to Purchase for Elderly Care

Bathroom accessories can transform the aesthetics of the room and enhance comfort. They are essential for all. When it comes to making the bathroom safe for your elderly parents or any loved one who is disabled, owning suitable bath care accessories is crucial. Getting premium quality bathroom care accessories like grab bars, handheld shower, toilet seat risers, toilet safety frame, automatic lightening, bath chairs, and bedside commodes will help elderly people get assistance in bathrooms.

If you are looking for premium bath care accessories that will help lower the risks of falls or slips and minimize contact with toilet germs, you should consider getting them from an experienced supplier. You will find a wide range of bathroom care accessories in the market. Assessing your requirements, bathroom area and space and quality of the products are some crucial steps you need to undertake before finalizing your decision to purchase bath care accessories.

Here is a checklist of some bathroom accessories that are designed for safety and convenience and make it a breeze for seniors, disabled persons, and others to use bathrooms.

Grab Bars

Grab bars provide a secure grip and facilitate easier movement. They reduce the chance of slipping and/or falling and help older adults or disabled persons lift themselves from the toilet or bath easily. They enhance safety and comfort and give peace of mind to seniors and their caregivers. They are installed in the shower, the tub, or around the toilet.

Bath Chairs

Bath chairs are crucial for old age persons or disabled who are in wheelchairs. They enable such people to enjoy their bathing with increased safety and flexibility. They may be lightweight with height adjustable legs and wheels that can help them conveniently get to the showers or bath tub and get their bodies cleaned thoroughly.

Bathtub Mat

A Bathtub mat gives a safe bathing experience that can help you upgrade your daily bathroom routine. It provides a large anti-slip surface on the floor of your bathroom. It cushions your footfall and makes your showering more enjoyable and least stressful.

Bedside Commodes

Disabled persons with restricted movement would find it difficult to use normal commodes. Bedside commodes are portable, free-standing toilets that may come with backrest, padded seats and other features to accommodate patients’ specific needs.  Whether you need bedside commode or toilet chairs for your nursing home or hospital, you should check out all their features and assess them vis a vis your requirements to make the most of your purchase.

Handheld Showerhead

Handheld showerheads are yet another piece of luxury bath accessory that will give you more personalized showering experience. The handheld showerheads can be highly beneficial to people with limited mobility. As they are attached to shower walls with a long rubber hose, they make it easy for persons on wheelchairs or shower chairs to enjoy bathing. Handheld showerheads thus let them feel empowered and independent as they may not require the aid of a caregiver to shower.

Toilet Seat Risers

Lower toilet seats can aggravate the joint pain in people with arthritis. It may be uncomfortable for disabled persons. Installing a toilet seat riser can be the best way to say goodbye to the discomfort and help people attend to their vital lavatory activities. Besides, toilet seat risers with arms or height adjustable standing toilet safety rails make it a breeze for old adults and taller people to use commodes effortlessly. Getting them from a premium supplier at a low cost would help enhance the safety and comfort and make it easier for caregivers to take care of them. 

Based on your bathcare accessories requirements, you can easily shop online from a reputed medical supplies store to get impeccable quality products at a pocket-friendly price.

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HEALTHCARE

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)

What is deep vein thrombosis?

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a serious condition in which a blood clot forms in one or more of the deep veins.

The symptoms of a DVT can go unrecognised.

What causes DVT?

Deep vein thrombosis is usually caused by a combination of different underlying conditions:

Restricted movement

Blood flow in the veins is slowed down because of restricted movement for a long period of time (illness, after surgery, long-distance traveling).

Blood clots form more easily than normal

The risk of getting DVT is increased with a condition that causes blood to clot (coagulate) more easily than normal. Some of these conditions include:

  • cancer and cancer treatments
  • heart disease and lung disease
  • thrombophilia, a genetic condition where the blood has an increased tendency to clot

Infections or inflammation

Infections or inflammation can promote thrombus formation by affecting the lining surface of the vein, e.g. through vessel wall damage and increased coagulability.

Damaged blood vessels

If the wall of a blood vessel is damaged, it may become narrowed or blocked, which can cause a blood clot to form. Blood vessels can be damaged by injuries such as broken bones or severe muscle damage.

Pregnancy

DVTs are rare in pregnancy, although pregnant women are 3 to 4 times more likely to develop thrombosis than non-pregnant women of the same age. A clot can form at any stage of pregnancy and up to six weeks after giving birth.

In addition, several risk factors for the development of DVT exist.

What are some potential complications of DVT?

About one of every two to three patients with previous DVT will develop a long-term complication known as post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS), despite optimal anticoagulant treatment. PTS is a progressive disease and it can show up as chronic pain, swelling, and discoloration of the leg and, in late stages, as open leg ulcers.

The likelihood of another clot forming is high once you have had aDVT event. The effects of PTS are long lasting and can lessen your quality of life substantially.

Another complication of DVT is a condition known as pulmonary embolism (PE) which occurs when a blood clot breaks loose and travels through the vessel to the lungs. A pulmonary embolism can be fatal if the blood clot significantly blocks blood flow through the lungs.

What are the symptoms of a DVT?

Nearly 50% of all DVT cases have no noticeable symptoms. If symptoms are present, they can include leg pain and tenderness, swelling in the calf muscle, ankle, foot, or thigh – usually in one leg only. At times, the skin feels warm and is reddened.

Am I at risk for developing a DVT?

Are you over 60? Are you traveling long distances, thereby sitting for prolonged time withrestricted mobility? Are you overweight and/or lead a sedentary lifestyle? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be at risk for developing DVT.

Other risk factors include:

  • Surgery (especially orthopedic) or major injury
  • Smoking
  • Varicose veins
  • High levels of estrogen, such as during pregnancy or when using birth control pills (hormonal contraception)
  • Cancer
  • Prolonged bed rest or immobility, e.g. during hospitalization

How is DVT diagnosed?

Diagnosis of DVT can be made quickly with a simple ultrasound scan that is painless and risk-free. A specific blood test may be performed to measure the level of “D-dimers” which is a sign of recent clotting. Early diagnosis and treatment greatly reduce your risk of serious complications.

There are other tests that your physician may recommend depending on your medical history.

“More than two million Americans are affected by blood clots every year.”

Did you know?

  • 74% of adults have little to no awareness of DVT.
  • A pregnant woman is 5 to 6 times more likely to develop a DVT than a non-pregnant woman.
  • 40% of patients with an existing DVT will experience a further DVT within 1 to 2 years.
  • Wearing compression stockings or socks reduces the risk to develop DVT and associated complications.

Summary

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is classified as an acute venous disorder.

Basic medical knowledge on venous disorders

  • With the term Chronic Venous Disorder (CVD) we describe a long-standing condition involving impaired venous return.
  • If vein valves don’t close properly, a reflux results: the blood leaks downwards and stagnates in the vein, thereby leading to venous hypertension. This condition is known as chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) which may cause edema, skin change, and, in some cases, ulcerations.
  • If left untreated, chronic venous insufficiency can result in the formation of serious disorders, including phlebitis and pulmonary embolism. To distinguish the different manifestations of CVD, the CEAP classification system is used.
  • Acute venous disorders usually occur without pre-existing conditions, but they can also be triggered by chronic venous disorders. In any case, medical treatment is immediately required. Acute venous disorders include superficial thrombophlebitis, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism, post-thrombotic syndrome, and variceal bleeding.

SOURCE: https://bit.ly/3tjoDKe

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