MAKE YOUR DOCTOR LISTEN

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Visit http://americanacupuncture.com for indepth information on acupuncture, point locations, and all facets of american acupuncture, of which Dr. Sarnacki is the webmaster and medical director of the Acupuncture Institute of Michigan for over 27 years.

MAKE YOUR DOCTOR LISTEN TO YOU

Your doctor will always say he is always making the right decisions for you. Yet, most of you readers think drug companies and insurance companies influence doctors in their decisions.

The real problem is, doctors don't seem to be really focused on actually treating your disease. Simple things he should do are not done.

Doctors often fail to remind mothers to keep feeding their babies who have diarrhea. They don’t offer HIV testing to teenagers who have a sexual transmitted disease. After changing your medication, they fail to schedule a follow-up visit.

Doctors are among the most educated professionals. They spend thousands of hours in training, after finishing eight years of higher education, and another 10 years of residency and subspecialty training. Their licensing examinations are exact and complex, and require weeks and weeks of dedicated study to pass their board certification. After all this training, why on earth can't they give you simple optimal care?

During their residencies, doctors spend many hours learning how to diagnose rare ailments that have no successful treatments. All doctors can write prescriptions for your illness: but before they do, many protect themselves from medical liability, by ordering numerous lab tests, MRIs, and CAT scans. After your doctor has covered all his options, he can finally write your prescription.

WHAT ARE DOCTORS TAUGHT?

Acquire all the knowledge you can that is not related to patient care. As a pre-medical college student, he memorizes physics, organic chemistry, molecular biology, pharmaceutical complications, and anatomy.

The only skill that now matters to him is to keep gathering as much information as possible that may help him treat you the patient. As a doctor, he has learned, that he must somehow match your symptoms with the Harvard published clinical trials (which by the way, he never reads).

There is no longer any need to review, learn, or interpret, your symptoms. It is better for him to rely on his second hand wisdom. Your heart doctor can quickly describe the branches of the major coronary arteries, but rarely does he know all the cholesterol- lowering agents that can cut your heart disease risks.

Your doctor has found the value of websites. Often he searches medical websites for a cookbook recipe on how to best treat your symptoms and match them with available drugs. A favorite website, called “UpTo Date.com", is a subscription website which refuses advertising unlike rivals sites, Medscape and E-medicine.

This site relies on a couple of authors for its entire program. The quality of information on this site is quite good, but the treatment guidelines favor heavily medication over changing your behavior and lifestyle. The site, to his credit, is not affiliated with any government or professional association.

Such websites, help your doctor outsource his treatment plans to private contractors, who have no responsibility and don't have to answer to any authority. Drug company marketing campaigns mislead your doctor without any objection by him. Infections are often over-treated with very powerful antibiotics.

DOCTORS BLOCK THEIR EMOTIONS

Doctors are taught to block their emotions and feelings. They are not allowed to show empathy to you because you are a CASE, not a human being. He never asks your life experiences, your former occupation, your fears or hopes you have, and certainly not what your future dreams are. The only things important to him are your symptoms, his diagnosis, and his medical treatment.

He will not ask you to fight to live, nor encourage you to fight for survival. Your pains and fears are not important to him. Since your doctor holds all the power of healing over you, he has no need to be kind. There is no place for small talk and subtle words in the office. He has a busy schedule, and quickly asks all the proper questions. He sidetracks all your questions with new questions. He is not concerned about how you'll pay the hospital bill, or who would take care of your family.

You feel alone, confused, and afraid to take care of yourself. If only someone could help you make the right decisions, you could be made healthy again. Unfortunately, all you’re emotional needs and your medical problems have no place in the current medical world that lacks compassion.

GET YOUR DOCTOR TO TALK!

I know you trust your doctor to make your decisions for you. Asking him some questions is very uncomfortable. But it's time to take control of your situation, and ask some pointed questions. You can't be silent, since healthcare is all about you. Don't be intimidated and be put in a box with your doctor asking questions. Make a decision on what is important to you.

Don't be afraid to ask your doctor some very tough questions. Doctor, how long have you been in practice? Have you treated conditions like mine before? Are there any other possible treatments than the one that you are giving me? Would you repeat your explanation of my condition and how you plan to treat me? I could use some more information doctor. How much will all this cost me Doctor? I am financially strapped right now with this recession. Can you reduce your usual fee doctor?

COMMENTARY

It's going to take a lot of effort to refocus our doctors on how to treat you the patient. Things that your doctor should have learned in medical school are rarely considered. Your doctor never was trained in medical school to talk to you, told how to control your symptoms without antibiotics, nor create his own handouts for your education.

Some day, ask your doctor to describe the reasons and evidence for his choice of treatment. His answer will tell you a lot about the care you are getting.

Visit www.drneedles.com and www.americanacupuncture.com for more controversial medical commentaries affecting your health. Your comments are always appreciated,

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ACUPUNCTURE FOR BACK PAIN

Visit http://drneedles.com for more controversial medical blogging.
Visit http://americanacupuncture.com for indepth information on acupuncture, point locations, and all facets of american acupuncture, of which Dr. Sarnacki is the webmaster and medical director of the Acupuncture Institute of Michigan for over 27 years.

ACUPUNCTURE FOR BACK PAIN

Acupuncture for back pain has become a viable alternative to back surgery. It is safe when performed properly, has few side effects, can complement other treatment methods, can control pain, and is readily available in conventional medical settings

Acupuncture involves inserting extremely thin needles through the skin to various steps at strategic points in your body. It originated in China thousands of years ago, but only now over the last two decades, has its popularity significantly grown in the United States.

Although Western scientists don't fully understand how or why acupuncture works, it provides a number of medical benefits, from reducing pain, smoking addictions, to helping with chemotherapy induced nausea.

The following is an example of acupuncture back treatment in a patient who recently came to see me for low back pain. The results were rather quick, dramatic, and successful. Many of my acupuncture colleagues report the same success as well. He writes:

June 26,2009

Doc

I want to thank you for treating my severe sciatica problem - and healing it virtually in one fell swoop. Before my visit the pain was excruciating. I couldn't even tie my shoestrings. It was so bad, that when I dropped a dollar bill in a K-Mart lot, I was unable to pick it up. I couldn't even get to my knees without something to lean on: and there wasn't even a parked car nearby. So I kissed the dollar goodbye. As you know, I am an author and I couldn't even sit at my word processor beause of the pain. Thank you for making me feel like a million bucks again.

Sincerely James Falk (my e-mail is james@jamesfalk.net.)

NB. Mr. Falk, a former crime newspaper reporter, formerly from Pittsburgh, writes murder mysteries. They are available @ Amazon. His latest books are: “Sitting Duck”, “The Pen Pal Murders”, and one due this Nov. “Bow Wow,Why We love Them From Head to Tail”.

COMMENTARY

Doctors now combine acupuncture with drugs to control pain and nausea after surgery. It is used with much success in treatment of many diseases and other conditions including fibromyalgia migraines, osteoarthritis headaches and low back pain.

I have been doing acupuncture since 1982, and finally find my colleagues realize the importance and benefits of this treatment. I urge you to try acupuncture as a viable alternative to the pain you are experiencing.

To find all you need to know abut acupuncture, visit my web site: http://americanacupuncture.com.For more blogging visit www.drneedles.com

Your comments are always welcomed.

CLEANER INDOOR AIR FOR A HEALTHIER YOU

PURIFY YOUR HOME AIR FOR BETTER HEALTH

With allergy season beginning, you might be looking for air purifiers to help relieve your running and stuffy nose and dry cough. Is an air purifier your answer to better breathing?

Your home is loaded with many pollutants, especially if you are a smoker have pets or have allergies. To improve the air in your home you must eliminate all these microscopic particles. This can be done with an air purifier.

There are three ways to purify the air in your home.

You can purify your home air mechanical, by getting a premises high-efficiency particulate air filter( HEPA), , which uses a filter to retain the particles and pollutants.

Another way is, electronically, by using a purifier, which has an electric field, is that sucks particles into the machine adhering them to the negatively charged filter.

A third way is through ionization, where negative ionized particles are suspended in the air, and become attached to positively charged pollutants in your house making them inactive.

The best way to purify your home:

If you have symptoms of asthma or bronchial problems, ultraviolet purification is the most effective way to clean and remove pathogenic particles from your home. UV light definitely kills bacteria, viruses, molds fungi, and organic pollutants (dust, feces, and standard dust particles). They do this by inducing a chemical reaction in the indoor air pollutants.

These purifiers remove 99% of the dust, pollen, mold, tobacco, and pet dander in the air. All bacteria, fungi, and mold that are in suspension in the air are destroyed. It is ideal for areas such as, restaurants, casinos, prisons, and most smoking areas.

A second choice would be a HEPA air purifier. It will capture most bacteria, but does nothing to remove viruses, since they are too small to be trapped by the air purifier. Since viruses are so small, they can’t be trapped as bacteria are captured. Air purifiers can also accumulate several fungi species. Once present in the air purifier filter, they can reproduce. In an attempt to solve this problem, manufacturers are now using anti-bacterial filter media on their filters.

In areas where there is moisture, food, dead insects, or bug buildup, the HEPA filter can build up with bacteria and reproduce. Several fungal species have been found to accumulate in these air purifiers. In an attempt to solve this problem, an anti-microbial air filter media has been added, with little success.

Sterilization is the only way to completely destroy all microbial species. A big issue is whether an ultraviolet air purifier can successfully sterilize the air in a room or the entire home. In the laboratory, ultraviolet light that is used long enough, with intensity 10,000 times higher than that of sunlight, will result in sterilization.

Ultraviolet air purification systems use lamps up to 40,000 watts. The dosage will vary, depending on the distance the lamp is from the area lit, as well as the chamber design. Lamps lose their power when they become covered with dust.

A conflict results between the need for higher fan speeds to clean the air of particulates, and effective air sterilization. Either the light is less effective, or not enough air is purified.

UV—C light certainly can sterilize in any still environment. However, when air is moving through an ultraviolet air purifier filter system, it must pause under the ultraviolet light. Each machine has a different ability to irradiate bacteria. The light intensity, chamber design, and exposure time all play roles. The bacteria must be exposed long enough for bacterial DNA to be damaged.

Unlike a controlled laboratory setting, once a purification system is put into a home, there is a big difference in its efficiency. Where there is high traffic and pets running around, bacteria grow in crevices and cracks, surface colonies, and protected insulated areas. Here the ultraviolet air purifier can’t capture the bacteria.

Many manufacturers, rather than design air purifiers to solve room distant factors, choose to use the light to just protect their air filters. They use optional lamps that cost another $150 to the purifier price. The life of a light bulb is one year. After that time, even though the bulb still produces light, the ability of the lamp’s germicidal action deteriorates.

Exposure to the UV light, results in temporary skin redness and irritation to the eyes. Wearing eyeglasses and more clothing help solve this problem.

OZONE

Many of these UV-C light systems produce ozone. The larger the lamp, the greater the dosage, and the more ozone created.

These purifiers also have an indirect air cleaning action, by converting molecules of oxygen and water from the air into ozone, hydroxyl (OH), and hydrogen peroxide. These active molecules then react with the air pollutants, destroying and decomposing them into water and carbon dioxide.

Ozone is a very harmful pollutant in itself, and is not needed to effectively clean the air in an UV air purifier. A better alternative would be to use hydroxyl molecules, which can still clean the air and do not have the harmful effects of ozone. Fortunately, hydroxyl and ozone molecules are produced at different wavelengths of the ultraviolet spectrum.

A good UV air purifier minimizes or eliminates ozone formation by operating at a 254 nm wavelength, which stimulates more hydroxyl production to effectively clean the air.

Since the purifier effectively depends on the wattage of the light, you want a high wattage lamp. These lamps lose 15% of their intensity each year, and need replacement.

HOW PURIFIERS WORK

Air purifiers use a relatively short wavelength of 254 nm, which works quite well for disinfection, but not for sterilization. UV damages the e DNA of the bacteria, preventing reproduction. Since germs do not develop immunity, and viruses lack cell walls to protect them, they are both vulnerable to ultraviolet light.

Air purifiers use a photocatalytic method to make the ultraviolet rays attack fungi, bacteria, viruses, mold, and mildew odors. Passive negative ions pass through warm air that enters the purifier. This results in a reaction between super oxide ions and hydroxyl radicals. As the negative ions move very fast, dust and airborne particles are displaced from your breathing area, and polluted air is prevented from entering the purifier.

This process reduces pollen and dust allergens. It also helps reduce viruses, bacteria, and molds from the air. Look at the CADR rating (clean air delivery rating), to determine your purifier’s capacity, the volume of air that it will clean, and the size of the unit you will need.

You often can’t be sure if ionic technology is used in your hybrid air purifier. Manufacturers use words such as “electrostatic precipitate” instead of saying that low amounts of ozone are created inside the unit.

Ultraviolet air purifiers decontaminate 100 to 2000 times faster than other air purifiers. When shopping for an air purifier, read the fine print if you are looking exclusively for ultraviolet technology, as opposed to filter purifiers. These purifiers improve air quality reduce respiratory infections, and asthma. They destroy bacteria, fungi, and molds. They purifiers are use everywhere smoking occurs-- bars restaurants casinos prisons. UV purifiers can be used in small rooms as well as large areas, as hospital operating room's and sterile manufacturing processes.

Disinfection means, reducing the bacterial population count. This is the correct term for air stream and error cleaning applications. However, to achieve sterilization, complete disruption of all bacterial species must occur. An ultraviolet light that is 10,000 times stronger than sunlight is enough to result in sterilization.

PROBLEMS

When you place these purifiers in high traffic areas where a lot of people pass, bacteria can grow in cracks surfaced colonies or protected areas as insulation for organisms don't circulate through the ultraviolet air purifier.

Ultraviolet air purifiers use up to 40,000 µW per second in their bulbs. The larger the lamp, the more power will be lost. These purifiers use fluorescent low-pressure mercury- vapor lamps that produce UV-C radiation by releasing low-pressure mercury gas. They emit 86% of their light at 254 nm, which is the best germ-killing wavelength. Often these glass mercury bulbs break, easily releasing mercury.

Ultraviolet C. can sterilize any environment that's still enough, but air moving through as air purifiers filter, must pause under the ultraviolet light. The effectiveness of the machine the fans on light intensity chamber design and exposure time. The bacteria must be exposed to light long enough to have their internal structure of DNA, and RNA damage.

The higher the fan speed the less the error is cleaned up other particulates. And the less effective it is the air sterilization. A conflict results between the two. Either the light is less effective or not enough air is purified. Many manufacturers look for light that will just protect the air filter.

If you are continuously using the radiation, the life of your filter will be shortened. The HEPA material in the filter becomes brittle develops cracks and replacement time is short.

Since the purifier effectively depends on the wattage of the light, you want a high wattage lamp. These lamps lose 15% of their intensity each year, and need replacement. Most bulbs last one year. If the bulb is still producing light after that time the quality of the germicidal light deteriorates.

Ultraviolet-C can penetrate your skin and irritate your eyes. You are safe by wearing eyeglasses and clothing since ultraviolet light does not penetrate either.

These fluorescent lamps that produce ultraviolet-C. radiation by emission, do so from low-pressure murky gas. These low-pressure mercury vapor lamps emit 86% of their light at 254 nanometers. This is the best germ-killing wavelength.

Many ultraviolet systems have a glass mercury bulb that are not protected from breakage make sure that your shield your bulb is sealed so that mercury is not released.

Ultraviolet systems can reduce the incidence of bacteria in indoor environments. However, they are not completely effective. Ultraviolet light works by stimulating chemical reactions and have a strong indirect air cleaning action. They convert molecules of oxygen and water into ozone, hydroxyl radicals, and hydrogen peroxide. These active molecules react with air pollutants, destroy them, and decompose them--turning them into harmless components of water and carbon dioxide.

A good ultraviolet air purifier should minimize or eliminate ozone formation, have a wavelength and intensity around 254 nm, and stimulate hydroxyl production for effective air cleaning.

COMMENTARY

If you have in your home an infant, an elderly person, or someone immune suppressed, they are susceptible to infection, and you must be particularly careful about ozone purifiers. I don't know why anyone would want an air purifier that produces a hazardous air pollutant

None of these ultraviolet systems completely remove bacteria from your home. Hospitals also find these ultraviolet lights do not add to the effectiveness of HEPA air purifying equipment.

My motto is: success equals failure minus one. Why not first remove the humidity in your home, second hand smoke, pet pollutants, and dust all your furniture. Remove from your counter space all those pictures, vases and souvenirs that are dust catchers.

Remember, that indoor air is 2- 5 times more pollutant than outside air. Spend more time enjoying our beautiful summer outdoors and you will be reducing your pollutant air by 500%. Take that saved money, and invest it in the rising stock market. Hah!

Visit www.drneedles.com for more discussions of controversial medical subjects. And as always, your comments are always appreciated.