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Medical Negligence and Litigation In The UK

July 17, 2021Medical Negligencemedical negligenceadmin

Medical Negligence Claims By Natalie Thomas. Last Updated 7 March 2022: Medical negligence or as its often referred to now as clinical negligence as it covers all types of negligence that effects the well being of a person in its self is quite a broad term. In this article pacifically we are going to look at medical negligence, medical error that happens within a medical environment that causes ill effects up on a person health and how medical negligence is viewed within the UK legal system.

Clinical Negligence Litigation Information Covering The UK

Our advisors can provide you with instant free legal advice about making a clinical negligence claim. As well as this, they could connect you with an expert from our panel of medical negligence solicitors, wherever you are in the country. They also have a guide on medical negligence law in the UK, so why not read through to find out more?

You may have concerns about the cost of legal representation or how you might find a good medical negligence lawyer near to you. They offer a service that can save you time by connecting you with a panel of expert lawyers.

This service is available to you wherever you live. Our panel can assess cases remotely on a nationwide basis, which means that you are not limited to options local to you. Much of the communication can be online or over the phone, which means a No Win No Fee medical negligence specialist could start work for you sooner than you think.

Furthermore, our panel offer No Win No Fee agreements for all claims they accept. Essentially, there’d be no upfront medical negligence solicitor fees. Whilst it is not a legal requirement to have a solicitor, it’s important to note that medical negligence claims can become complex. A solicitor acting on your behalf could devote the time and attention that your claim needs, while you concentrate on getting well.

Clinical negligence is a serious issue that can leave patients with life-altering health problems. Don’t feel that your claim should suffer because of poor access to legal help. Speak to one of their experts today and see if you can get the damages you deserve.

Medical Negligence Statistics In The UK

While many of us will go through our lives with little cause to use the National Health Service (NHS), some of us aren’t so lucky. And our luck can further dry up when an operation goes wrong, or we’re misdiagnosed or prescribed medication that does us more harm than good.

These incidents are rare, and the service the NHS provides is one of the best in the world. But mistakes do happen, and they’re costly. In 2019/20, the NHS paid out just over £2 billion settling clinical negligence claims. £61.4 million alone was spent on settling claims relating to GP surgeries, according to NHS Resolution’s annual report.

Claims appear to be on the rise too. In 2018/19 there were 10,672 new cases lodged against the NHS. In 2019/20, that figure rose to 11,682. More figures can be found on NHS Resolution’s statistics page.

How Do You Prove Clinical Negligence?

Just like any other negligence case, it’s necessary to establish three key criteria:

That the defendant owed you a duty of care
They breached that duty
And as a result, you suffered harm

From a medical negligence perspective, the duty of care element is straightforward to prove. If you’re undergoing treatment at, for instance, your local GP or hospital, the healthcare professionals treating your injury or illness will owe you a duty to provide care of the standard expected of them and to inflict no avoidable harm.

Proving breach of duty is more difficult, however. Using legal tools such as the Bolam Test, claimants can assess whether a medical professional has fallen below the standard expected of them. The Bolam Test involves a panel of similarly qualified medical professionals assessing the alleged incident of negligence to determine whether they would have acted differently in the circumstances. If they would have done so, the healthcare professional will likely have breached their duty of care.

The final element, damage or harm, relates to the consequential impact of a doctor breaching their duty of care. Under this, it’s necessary to show that the breach caused or contributed to your injuries. This is otherwise known as causation.

Medical Negligence Claims and the Law

If a patient has a bad or poor experience while receiving medical care or treatment it does not always mean that medical negligence has been committed and this is even more so true when it comes to legal litigation and pursing a claim in court. It is fair to say that a patient can receive poor treatment from a medical care provider but unless such treatment has caused them to suffer further health wise then no claim for medical negligence can be pursed. In order for a victim to make an eligible claim for medical negligence it must be proven that the treatment or care that has been provided by a person who had responsibility for a person’s health has provided a service that was of poor care. Furthermore that care provided must have in some way had a direct effect up on the patient’s health. Within the boundaries of the law a medical negligence case will only be heard if the victim has suffered, it is not enough just for the standard of service to be poor.

For a case to be able to stand up in a court there must be evidence to show that a person of the same capabilities in a similar situation would not have caused or provided the same type of care. In layman’s terms it means that no other health care worker would have caused the negligence that the patient experienced given the same circumstances. In some situations it is not always transparent when negligence has been committed, some victims of Medical Negligence do not suffer the fall out till some time later, or may even ever be aware of the error committed. However, a recent change to the law now means that doctors must admit if a medical mistake has taken place. It is in the effort to prevent cover ups that have in the past meant that many patients have experienced negligence but it has never been brought to light and it has allowed medical staffs to continue to work at a poor standard. Shockingly in the past it was not compulsory for doctors to admit when they had made mistakes therefore many types of medical malpractice was swept under the carpet and as other medical staffs where afraid to tell the appropriate people as they feared being labelled as a whistle blower often medical negligence was not brought to light.

Many critics feel that this statutory Duty of Candour needs to go further as if examined correctly doctors are only admitting to harm that has already materialised, critics believe that any harm whether it has come to the surface or not must be admitted to in order to make a fundamental difference.

Time Limitation Boundaries and Medical Negligence

Medical Claims Time Limit It is vital to say that in most cases there is a time limitation period and that if claims are not brought in the first three years of the incident happening then they can no longer be pursed. Of course like most things there are exceptions to the rule, as was mentioned previously not all medical mistakes are apparent straight away they may take some time to surface and for this reason a victim of the negligence has three years form discovering the negligence took place to make a claim. If a person is redeemed to have a mental issue then they have three years from the time that they make a full recovery to purse a claim within the courts, if the person is unlikely to make a recovery then there is no limitation and they can make a claim at any time. If a minor is subjected to negligent treatment they have three years from the time they turn eighteen to make a medical negligence claim if they choose to do so.

It is always advised if you believe that you have experienced negligent treatment to seek legal advice as soon as possible while the event is still fresh in a person’s mind and the appropriate witnesses and evidence can be obtained. Leaving such a decision for a long period of time can mean that evidence may be lost or witnesses cannot be found as people move around. Most legal law firms that deal with medical negligence now offer free legal advice without entering in to any legal litigation to people who believe that they have a case for medical negligence. Appointing a solicitor who specialises in the area of medical negligence that a person has experienced is always crucial in order to receive maximum results. Many are always in doubt as to whether to pursue a claim for medical negligence as they fear it is can be a complex case however with the right legal team behind them much of the work is carried out by them and little input from the client is needed.

Are NHS Specialists as Good as Private Health Experts And Do I Have to Pay?

November 19, 2018Newshealth expertsadmin

Using the NHS e-Referral Service your doctor can refer you for treatment at a private medical facility like a BMI Healthcare hospital

If your GP decides that you need to see a specialist, you can request to have treatment from a list of private hospitals or clinics. The e-Referral Service allows you to choose the time, date and hospital or clinic for your required treatment.

This choice is a legal right and if it’s not offered at the point of referral, you should discuss the options available to you with your GP or the GP practice staff.

If you choose to have your NHS treatment at one of our hospitals in England, all the costs will be covered by the NHS. You only pay for extra personal items, just as you would in any NHS hospital.

Could I Be Entitled to Treatment at a Private Medical Facility Like BMI Hospitals

Once your GP has confirmed that you need treatment, please ask if you can have your NHS treatment at a BMI Healthcare hospital.

Our consultants and nursing staff offer the same level of care as you would get on the NHS, as well as:

Fast access to a consultant
Continuity of care with the same consultant, caring for you throughout your treatment
Treatment within an 18-week referral to treatment pathway
Comfortable facilities in a private setting
Excellent record of infection prevention and control

The quality of medical care provided by the health experts has been praised by patients throughout the country, with 98.5% extremely likely or likely to recommend private treatment to their friends and family.

HOW TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT

Once your GP has decided you need to be referred to a hospital, you can choose your preferred hospital or clinic. The booking process varies between GP practices; however, your options are likely to be:

Your GP or other practice staff will book your appointment for you while you are in the surgery and give you a Unique Booking Reference Number (UBRN)

You can contact the NHS Telephone Appointments Line on with your Unique Booking Reference Number (UBRN), which is given to you by your GP on your appointment request letter

Use the patient booking app or visit the NHS e-Referral Service website to book your appointment online.

ONCE YOUR APPOINTMENT IS BOOKED

Your appointment with a private Health Expert like BMI will be confirmed by letter, along with any instructions to follow in preparation of your appointment. A copy will also be sent to your GP.

*Not all NHS treatments are available at private hospitals. Please visit www.nhs.uk for a full list of treatments.

At present the e-Referral Service does not cover NHS patients in Scotland or Wales.

Broken Toe Symptoms, Signs, Treatment, and Healing Time.

November 19, 2018Broken-Bones, Newsadmin

Broken toe overview

Often, a broken toe is caused by injury or trauma. Repetitive movements over a prolonged period can result in a hairline or stress fracture.
Broken toe symptoms include having difficulty walking, a toe being deformed in some way, bruising on the toe or foot, stiffness, swelling and pain.
Complications can occur with broken toe injuries including arthritis, deformity of the toe, infection, compound fracture and nail injury.
Seek broken toe NHS treatment if your toe has suffered an open fracture, if it is bleeding, or has an odd sensation such as pins and needles or numbness. If the toe is pointing in the wrong direction, or the area of the injury is blue or grey in colour.
Diagnosis of a broken toe is done via a combination of x-ray and medical examination.
For a broken toe what to do to manage the pain yourself is keep it raises, apply an ice pack, and stay off it.
For a severe injury such as a broken big toe joint the toe may need to be put back in place. Complex fractures may require surgery to do this.
Over-the-counter painkillers are a good broken toe treatment for managing pain.
Buddy taping is a good treatment for toe fractures. For example, taping a broken 4th toe to a healthy 3^rd
Broken pinky toe healing time as well as the rest of the toes, is on average six weeks.

What is a broken toe?

A Broken Toe overview guide — A-Broken-Toe-overview-guide

Toes are a commonly injured part of the foot. Each toe has 26 bones, and these bones are called phalanges. 14 of these are at the front or tip of the toe, and 5 of them, the metatarsals are at the back of the toe. Trauma such as a stubbed pinky toe is the most common reason for a fractured toe to occur.

What are the symptoms of a broken toe?

To answer the question is my toe broken? You need to know the symptoms, which are:

There will be difficulty in walking, especially if you have broken your big toe, which is crucial to balance. There will be pain, stiffness and swelling. To answer can you move a broken toe? Depends the break. A broken pinky might be much less painful and will be able to move and bend when you walk with little discomfort.
Other broken toe symptoms include:
- Bruising on the toe
- Bruising of the skin around the toe.
- A toe bent out of shape due to a displaced bone.
A fractured toe can cause other problems, these complications will either happen during recovery or further into the future, possibly many years later.
People who have weak bones are likely to fracture a toe more often.

What are the causes of a broken toe?

Blunt trauma such as jamming or stubbing the toe, or having a heavy object falls on the toe are common causes of a toe fracture. Our toes, located at the front of our feet, are easily damaged during an accident involving the foot.

Stress and repetitive movements over a long period of time can result in a stress or hairline fracture of the toe. Certain people with medical conditions such as osteoporosis are at risk of developing hairline fractures simply through walking if they are wearing the wrong kind of footwear.

Do I need to call a doctor if I think I may have a broken toe?

The question, should I go to hospital for a broken toe? is that even if you can still walk on your injured toe, it is best to have it checked over anyway. Only a doctor can answer the question is my big toe broken? for you.

If you have any of the following symptoms, you should visit the hospital, a sprained big toe vs. broken big toe share many common symptoms so it is best to be sure:

For a broken toe little in the way of symptoms may be visible. But for a complex or compound fracture, there may be an open wound, with blood loss, on or near the toe.
Your toe may have an odd sensation such as pins and needles, numbness or cold.
The skin may be discoloured, being grey or blue.
Your toe might be pointing in the wrong direction, or it could be pointing straight up or straight down.

Do you need to know what can a doctor do for a broken toe? If you have any of these symptoms:

If the pain of your broken toe keeps getting worse, and painkillers are no longer having an effect.
There is an open wound, soreness or redness near the toe.
There seems to be blood underneath the toenail, and the toenail has become very painful.
The broken toe cast or splint that your doctor fitted has broken, or come off.

How is a broken toe diagnosed?

If you need to visit the hospital to get treatment for broken toe injuries the following procedure will usually be followed:

The doctor will ask you questions about how the fractured toe occurred. If it is a broken toe in child then the parents will also answer these questions. The toe will be examined to see if there are any additional injuries.
You will be given an x-ray so that the broken toe images they produce will let the doctor know how badly the bone is broken. However, for minor breaks such as a pinky toe, an x-ray might not be required, as the doctor will simply treat it.
For hairline and stress fractures, an x-ray may not uncover them so an MRI will need to be used instead.

Which specialities of doctors treat a broken toe?

When you first report your broken toe, you will usually do so to either a Primary Care Provider (PCP) such as your GP or to a child specialist for injuries in young children. You will then be referred to an orthopedist, who specialises in musculoskeletal issues, or to a podiatrist, who specialises in foot issues.

If you have gone straight to the Accident & Emergency Department of your local hospital, you will be seen by a member of the general nursing staff, and then referred to a radiologist for x-ray or MRI tests. However, these will report directly to the doctor managing your case.

What is the treatment for a broken toe?

In many cases, a fractured toe can be cared for at home. Simply reducing the swelling and alleviating the pain are the only requirements. In these cases, the answer to the question how long does it take for a broken pinky toe to heal? Would be only as long as it is still causing pain as it is a very trivial injury. An ice pack, keeping the foot elevated and resting the foot is all that is needed to treat a minor injury.

For more severe injuries, the toe might need to be put back in place and a special cast or splint used to immobilise. You may also be given a special broken toe boot or broken toe shoe to help support the toe until it heals.

Can I care for a broken toe at home?

Many minor toe fractures such as a stubbed pinky toe can be cared for at home. If you suspect you have a more complex fracture, you should seek medical attention. If you are treating a broken toe what to do is the following:

Keep the foot well rested. Avoid walking on it, and don’t take any form of exercise. You may be able to get around by using crutches or a special broken toe boot or broken toe shoe. If you are using some sort of walking aid, make sure not to put too much weight on the affected foot.
You can take ice straight out of your freezer, and put it into a plastic bag. Take this bag of ice, and then place a towel over the skin of the fractured toe. Then apply the bag of ice to the towel. Don’t apply the bag of ice directly to the skin. Do this every couple of hours, for 15 to 20 minutes each time. You can use a bag of frozen vegetables instead of ice if you wish.
Keep your foot well elevated, ideally well above the level of your heart. This will reduce the blood flow to your foot, and will help to reduce the swelling and also lessens the pain to some degree. The best way is to be in a reclining position and prop your foot up on a small stack of pillows or cushions.

What is the medical treatment for a broken toe?

Depending on where the toe fracture has occurred, and how severe it is, then the doctor may need to realign the bones of the toe before it can heal. Once this has been done, a splint or a broken toe cast will be applied.

It the answer to is my big toe broken? is yes, then you may well need surgical treatment to make sure the bones are pinned in place as they heal. The big toe carries much of our weight as we stand and walk, and it needs to be secured in place to begin healing.

If you have a compound or open wound fracture, a course of antibiotics might be described to prevent infection from setting in.

What medications can I take for a broken toe?

Over-the-counter painkillers such as ibuprofen and paracetamol are generally all that is needed to deal with the pain of a toe fracture. In severe cases, the hospital doctor may prescribe some stronger painkillers for the first few days of broken toe recovery time.

Buddy tape for a broken toe

Buddy taping is the process of taping a broken toe to an adjacent toe for support. This is generally the treatment used for a minor injury it would not work for more severe injuries such as a broken big toe joint.
A buddy taped toe can have the tape repaired or reapplied after bathing if the tape has become loose or come off entirely. Check with your doctor to make sure this is safe in your specific case.

How to buddy tape a broken toe

Put a piece of gauze or cotton wool between the two toes which are going to be taped together to prevent chafing, and blisters from being caused.
Using tape frugally, gently wind the tape loosely around the broken toe and the one adjacent to it.
Don’t tape too tightly as this can stop blood flow, or cause the toe to swell up.

WARNING: If your doctor gives you advice on how best to buddy tape a broken toe then make sure to follow it.

Casting a broken toe

It is not usually a requirement for broken toe treatment to apply a cast. Buddy taping is usually enough. However, a doctor might suggest you use a special boot or shoe that will support your broken toe as it heals, especially if the toe is very swollen.

A plaster cast (or surgery) might be needed for severe toe features such as a broken big toe. If the fracture is in the joint, surgery might be required to realign the bones so they heal straight.

Reduction for a broken toe

If the toe fracture has left the two ends of the bone displaced, or the fracture has resulted in the bones twisting apart from each other, a doctor will need to reduce it, this is the process of moving the bones to the right place so they can heal correctly.
You may be given a local anaesthetic to make sure your toe is numb before the doctor performs the reduction.
A splint or cast is applied after reduction, to prevent the bones from moving out of place again.

What are the possible complications of a broken toe?

Complication can occur with a broken toe injury such as a broken 4th toe. These complications will either occur fairly immediately in the course of short-term recovery or much later, sometimes many years in the future. Even the best treatment for broken toe can result in complications such as:

Injured nail – when blood collects underneath the toenail and cannot escape, this is a subungual hematoma. A large subungual hematoma can be extremely painful, and they will need a doctor to drain the blood from them. This is generally done by drilling a small hole in the toenail to let the blood escape. In more serious cases, the entire toenail may need to be removed.
Compound fracture – when the bone of the toe sticks out through the skin. This is quite rare, but it will need emergency surgery to correct.
Arthritis – a long-term side effect of a broken toe, leaving the toe joints stiff and painful.
Nonunion – when the two parts of broken bone fail to knit together because they were too far apart.
Malunion – when the two parts of the bone knit back together crookedly, leading to a deformed toe.

How Long Does It Take For A Broken Toe To Heal?

To find out about broken pinky toe healing time you should take to your doctor so that they can evaluate the healing, and make sure all is OK. If any complications occur before your next appointment, you should go to the A&E department of your local hospital.

Most broken toe injuries heal within six weeks. A further x-ray may be needed to check if your fracture is healing correctly. Your doctor will evaluate the healing, and let you know when he feels you are coming to the time to have your cast removed.

Simple fractures, almost always heal with no complications of ongoing health problems. Compound and complex fractures may result in the toe losing flexibility, and one or more of the long-term side effects of a broken toe setting in, such as arthritis.

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Women’s Health Asthma & Heart Attach Signs

March 10, 2015Womens Healthadmin

Woman and Doctor The field of medicine has advanced at a phenomenal rate in the recent years and that has led to some of the most amazing discoveries that mankind has ever seen in the field of medicine. We are learning more and more about our anatomy every passing day and with each new research, we are taking a step towards a future where we can ensure that all human beings live a long and healthy life, free from all the problems that we are currently facing. The role of both men and women in that development is equally important and at the same time, each of them has their own unique abilities and subsequent responsibilities. Talking about women, it is extremely important to make sure that every effort is being made to ensure their safety and good health since they play a very important role in several parts of the society. Given the fact that women are the ones responsible for bringing children into the world after a long and laborious several months, providing them with the best medical care will only ensure a bright and healthy future for the mankind itself. To find out what the latest developments are in the field of medicine regarding women’s health, keep reading.

Teen girls from rural areas highly prone to undiagnosed asthma

In a recent study that was focused on finding out the spread of asthma in teenagers, researchers found that teenage girls who lived in rural areas were much more likely to have cases of undiagnosed asthma in them as compared to the male teenagers living in similar conditions. The research also found out that these teenage girls were also at a greater risk of developing depression. There has been a lot of speculation on why the number of undiagnosed cases was more in girls as compared to boys and Dr. Jana Bush believes it may be because of the fact that boys usually catch it in physical activity and get identified whereas girls happen to catch it due to emotional reasons like anxiety. However, this is still speculation and a lot of further research needs to be conducted before a probable cause can be identified. The most staggering part of the research however was the rate of depression that was associated with asthma and the numbers gathered during the study showed that the depression rate surpassed that of several other much more serious problems like diabetes and even that of cancer survivors.

Young women ignore heart attach signs

Heart In a recent study, there has been a new discovery that could be the answer to why women of a particular age group are having much more heart attacks as compared to men. The age group in question is 30-55 and according to the research which was conducted researchers by Yale, the women are more likely to ignore early warning signs of heart attack by thinking they may be occurring due to some other reason. The study involved interviewing women between 30 and 55 years of age and the results showed that women frequently ignored signs like dizziness and pain. The research strongly suggested that there is an immediate need to educate women at an early stage in identifying what the trigger points are and then being able to spot them in case they occur to anyone during the coming years of their lives. The study also strongly suggested towards the need of change in the attitude towards the problem in order to avoid any unnecessary complications including heart attacks.

Autoimmunity and exposure to mercury

Autoimmunity is a disease that occurs mostly in women where the body starts to produce antibodies that are against the body’s own tissues and that can cause serious health problems. According to a recent study, the key factor that may be inducing the risk of the onslaught of this problem is exposure to mercury. The exposure can happen in a number of different ways as suggested by the research e.g. through seafood. It was found that even at levels of exposure that are considered to be safe for the body, there were developments of autoimmunity cases in women. The thing that makes it difficult to address this issue is the fact that very little factual knowledge is available about the development of autoimmune disorder and therefore doing solid progress is extremely difficult. However, after this research, scientists have given a lot of stress that women, especially those in childbearing age should keep a proper track of their seafood consumption.

To find out more about issues and developments related to women’s health, you can visit this www.womenshealth.gov/news.

Curing Cancer With Grapheme & Why Cola Can Increase Cancer Risk?

March 8, 2015Cancer Newsadmin

Lab Staff The world of medicine has been seeing some of the most amazing advancements in the recent years and one field that has always had the most attention when it comes to curing diseases is cancer. The research for cancer is an on going effort that is being carried out by multiple institutes around the world, each one trying to find newer and more advanced and effective ways of treatment. The end result is a whole stream of researchers that are thinking in every possible direction to combat the different types of cancer that we have discovered over the years. However, the thing that is really important for us is to know what these researchers have been up to and what are the latest findings regarding cancer so that we may be more aware about the possibilities. To help you with that, we will share some of the most important cancer related news here so that you can be well informed about the top stories in the fight against cancer.

Curing cancer with graphene

The technological advancements that cancer research has brought to us are simply amazing and in a recent study, scientists have taken a rather huge leap by researching the possibilities of effective cure techniques using nanotechnology. Graphene, which is a nanomaterial made out of ultrathin carbon flakes that have a thickness of just one atom, it seems as the latest weapon against removing cancer cells from the body. The traditional method of treatment for cancer which is chemotherapy was able to wipe out nearly all the cancer cells from the body but what it wasn’t able to do was remove the cancer stem cells completely which are the root of the production of different cancer cells in the body. With graphene it seems that the scientists have finally found a way in as this thin layer can block the stem cells from reproduction by attaching itself to their cell membrane. The results were quite amazing but the scientists say there is a lot of work to be done before graphene can be used in actual clinical trials.

Gene key in pancreatic cancer identified

Pancreatic cancer is probably the ugliest of all types of cancer and it can have a drastically negative impact on the patient. While doctors have been treating it just like other types of cancer, removing it completely hasn’t really been possible due to the lack of knowledge about its root and spreading mechanism. However, in a recent publication of a study in the Nature Communications, it has been reported that the gene that is directly related to the spreading of pancreatic cancer has finally been identified. The gene in question here is the protein kinase D1 (PKD1) and it has been found that this gene helps in both the development and the spreading of pancreatic cancer in the body. Equipped with this new knowledge, the scientists are quite positive about finally being able to work on a way to eradicate this problem completely. To provide further help with the study of this new development, a 3D computer model has also been created that shows the virtual development of the whole problem. Equipped with this knowledge, the scientists are quite positive that they can now derive a solution that can either block or treat the development of cancer.

Increased cancer risk from daily cola consumption

Cola drink The consumption of cola is something that has been spreading an air of panic in the medical circles for a very long time now and the negative impacts that it has on health are no secret. We are quite familiar with the direct relationship that consuming cola has with the onslaught of obesity and several other serious problems as well. However, in a recent study conducted in the United States, solid evidence has been revealed that shows how the consumption of cola can also lead to an increase risk of cancer. The study showed that drinks that involved the use of caramel colouring in their manufacturing led to the production of a carcinogen termed 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI) and consuming drinks that involve the use of caramel colouring like cola can lead to the production of 4-MEI to a level that can potentially cause cancer. More than 110 brands were tested and it was also mentioned that consuming these drinks can take the exposure to 4-MEI to an amount greater than 29 mcg, the point above which the onslaught of cancer is triggered for every 1 in 100,000 people.

To find out more about what’s the latest in the field of cancer, you can visit this
Link.

Alternative Medicine

March 8, 2015Alternative Newsadmin

The world of medicine is extremely fascinating and taking a deep look into the achievements that we have made over the years makes us realise how far we have come. However, this fast growth is actually quite necessary to keep up with the way new diseases are spreading around us and only a non-stop effort can make sure we are not overtaken at any point. While all this and the countless technological advancements in medicine may be something that would keep us fascinated for a long time, we also need to be reminded that there is nothing more powerful than the nature itself. In the recent years, experts in the field of medicine have started to delve into something that has been around for a much longer time than modern medicine and it is the field of alternative medicine. Using formulae derived from nature and using them to cure problems that we thought were otherwise untreatable is a big marvel in itself. Finding out about the developments in this field and using it to our advantage is something that we should really be keen about and to help you with that we are sharing some of the latest developments in the field of alternative medicine so keep reading to find out more.

Green tea may protect from supplement toxicity

The use of supplements made from the extract of green tea have become extremely popular in recent days and while it may be a natural way of losing weight the researchers are quite concerned about its impact on the liver. In a recent study it was found that the people who used these supplements were taking the level of toxicity to in the liver to very high levels that could result in serious damage. However, another study has also been conducted that was focused on finding the impact of using green tea prior to taking the supplements and the impact it could have on the situation. Surprisingly enough, the people who took green tea showed highly reduced levels of toxicity as compared to those who did not. The test was initially conducted on mice and results showed an amazing 75% reduction in the toxicity level. However, the researchers also went on to say that the use of supplements was not exactly a good idea to begin with and those who consumed only green tea instead of supplements could also gain the same benefits without providing any toxicity to the liver at all. The supplements are said to contain the same effect that one would have if they drink up to 20 cups of green tea in a day which is impossible. This gives a clear indication as to how using the supplements would develop the toxicity.

Treating oral cancer with green tea

The benefits of using green tea are simply mind boggling and the more research that is being done on this topic the more potential is being unlocked. In a recent study, scientists have found that green tea has a particular compound in it that can actually lead to the removal of oral cancer completely. This compound named epigallocatechin-3-gallate or EGCG is basically able to damage the mitochondria of the cells and that triggers a complete cycle that eventually leads to the death of cancer cells. The researchers said that the traditional cancer treatments like chemotherapy generally targeted all fast growing cells and that led to several side effects. With this new breakthrough, it is possible to treat cancer without having any side effects whatsoever.

Hospital-based exercise programs for arthritis patients

Hospital exercise In a recent study, scientists have found evidence that involving patients of arthritis in exercise programs that are based in the hospital can have a really good impact on their overall physical condition. The study was conducted by Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) and the results of the study were quite amazing. A huge number of patients that were a part of the program not only showed improvements in their physical condition, they also showed a noticeable amount of flexibility while performing routine tasks. The medical tests that were taken after the exercise also showed clear signs of improvement in their musculoskeletal health and it was concluded that these practices were having a very positive impact on the patients. The researchers highly recommended that hospitals develop such programs to facilitate the patients in improving their conditions and also said that HSS will continue to provide this service to all its patients in the future.

You can find out more about alternative medicine and the developments in the NOAH-Health.org Alternative News page.

Making Hospital Digital & Longest Operations For Conjoined Babies

March 8, 2015Hospital Newsadmin

The field of medicine carries more importance than any other field of life and the reason for that is pretty simple. It is the fact that everything that is done in it is related to the sustenance of the human life and nothing carries more important than that. In that perspective, the most important part of the field of medicine is the place where it is practised and that is the hospitals. What goes on in our hospitals and what role they are playing in combating the many deadly diseases that are all around us, is a question that holds a lot of importance. Therefore, it is our responsibility to keep ourselves well informed about the things related to hospitals and the purpose of that is to make sure that we benefit from them to the max. To help you out with keeping yourself well informed with regard to hospitals, we are sharing with you some of the most important news related to hospitals. Keep reading to find out more.

Making hospitals digital

MRI Scan The use of technology in the field of medicine has had a tremendous amount of positive impacts and in recent times, there has been a new development that seems to be taking it to a whole new level. The Humber River Regional Hospital in Toronto is breaking ground for a whole new institution that will be seeing much more technologically advanced environment than you would find in a traditional hospital. The focus of this new hospital is to provide patient-centred care to every individual that comes to this new hospital for treatment. The whole idea behind this is to use technology for creating an environment that is capable of performing integrated communication between the patient, the staff and the relatives of the patient. The introduction of digitised systems in areas that are related to quality assurance will mean a much more efficient and greener delivery of service. Patients will experience the maximum amount of comfort, privacy and security in this new institution and as a result, this hospital will be the first of its kind in all of northern America.

Texas hospital performs “marathon” operation to separate conjoined babies

One of the longest operations ever conducted of its kind, this operation has achieved the improbable in an impossible amount of time. The surgeons at the Texas Foetal Centre at the Children’s hospital were already preparing for the long upcoming procedure when they found out after multiple ultrasounds that the two babies were sharing a chest wall. Preparations were also made to ensure a safe delivery and soon after the birth, the two girls, Knatalye and Adeline were taken for the surgery. The surgeons worked with Knatalye for 23 hours and with Adeline for 26 hours before they were both declared safe. The separation happened after 18 hours had already passed. The two teams of surgeons who worked on the babies said that the babies also shared organs and due to that, there will be a need for further surgeries too after they have recovered fully. This is the first successful surgery of its kind and the parents of the girls were extremely thankful to all the staff involved in the surgery.

Patient regains sight after 10 years

Eye examination The Mayo Clinic in Minnesota achieved a whole new level in eye surgery when recently they operated a 68 year old man and gave him a bionic eye implant. The second implant that was placed into his right eye had an electronic chip with it too which together with the implant is capable of bypassing the damaged retina and send light wave signals to his optic nerve. The patient whose name is Mr. Allen Zderared started losing his sight about two decades ago due to retinitis, an incurable eye disease and by 2005 his sight was completely gone due to which he also had to stop working. After the implant, the scenes were quite emotional as the man started to see again after such a long time and hugged his wife who he recognized after all this time in blindness. The doctors also praised Mr. Allen as a very courageous and remarkable man who kept on going through all those years and dealt so bravely with his disability. The process of restoration is slow but steady and now Mr. Allen can make out shapes and recognise himself in the mirror. Seeing this amazing feat of medical science shows how far we have come and what we are capable of and it also opens doors for new possibilities in terms of medical research.

You can read more publications provided by the UK department of health by visiting this Link
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Medical Negligence Statistics & Medicine Mistakes

March 8, 2015Medical Negligenceadmin

The field of medicine is not like any other field of study. The work that is performed here has a direct impact on our lives and this is why there is a need to have very strict rules in the code of conduct for every medical institute. This includes hospitals, medical training institutes and other academic and practical entities. In most of the places, you will find that there actually are good and strict codes of conduct in place that ensure a responsible working environment in all aspects. However, not everyone acts the way they should and there are often incidents reported that involve malpractice and medical negligence. While most of the times it is not directly related to any person or patient, there are even cases where the lack of diligence results in the loss of lives. While addressing these issues is extremely important in every part of the world, it is also just as important that we are well aware of the problems that are occurring around us in this regard. Keeping yourself informed about these incidents is actually important if you want to make sure you don’t find yourself in a bad situation. To help you with that, we will be sharing some of the latest news regarding medical negligence here so keep reading to find out more.

Medical Negligence statistics on a rise

In a recent study carried out researchers at Johns Hopkins, it has been discovered that the number of medical negligence cases in the UK & US have been rising quite rapidly in the recent years. In an issue of 2013 of BMJ Quality and Safety, they mentioned that errors caused by doctors in diagnosis resulted in deaths that numbered from 80,000 to 160,000. The research also found that over the past 25 years, there have been more than 350,000 claims for medical negligence and the result of this was severe health problems to patients and subsequently a massive payout. The study found that between the years 1986 and 2010, patients were compensated with a total amount of 38.8 billion, most of which was related to diagnostic errors. While the sum is itself quite huge, the real concern here is the fact that the issue is continuing to grow and there is no proper mechanism in place to ensure that such negligence is avoided at all cost.

Jury awards 1.5 million to family of man who committed suicide after using Paxil

Joseph was a 51 year old teacher, basketball coach and father who was prescribed 20mg doses of the antidepressant Paxil which he was taking for 10 years before his suicide in 2009. The doctor did not even once see the Joseph in person during all this time to assess the effects that the drug was having on him and every time Joseph needed pills he would call the doctor and would get a new subscription without any follow up check-ups. Doing so was completely unethical both morally and in terms of medical regulations and it kept on going regardless. Things suddenly got worse in the August of 2009 and when Joseph asked the doctor for a check-up, he simply doubled his dosage instead and also included Zyprexa in his medication which is an antipsychotic drug. As a result of this, Joseph, an otherwise cheerful and lover person, was found dead in his garage a month later by his wife. The jury fully agreed that the blame was completely on the doctor and the family was awarded 1.4 million in todays money that is the equivalent to £930,000 as compensation for the negligence shown by the doctor. It is a high amount compared to what some medical negligence solicitors can win a clinical negligence case for.

Drug companies easily manipulating doctors

Medicine Tests like this have been conducted several times in the past and have brought the same results every time. It is a very common sight to see that a drug that you see on the television suddenly ends up in your doctor’s office as well. In a recent test, it was seen that whenever patients went to the doctors and named a certain drug, there was a huge chance that they will be prescribed that drug. A test that was done in the past with Paxil showed the same scenario as the patients, even those who didn’t have any depression, when they took the name of Paxil; it became highly probable that they will be prescribed Paxil by the doctor. What it really has shown over and over and even in this recent test is that doctors are becoming less and less careful about their practice and could simply be termed as glorified drug dealers for pharmaceutical companies.

To find out what laws are in place regarding medical negligence, you can visit this Justice.gov.uk.

Pregnancy News Pain Relief & Risk Of Diabetes

March 5, 2015Pregnancyadmin

Nature has created countless amazing phenomena that continue to dazzle us every day and when it comes to the field of medicine, there is nothing as phenomenal and amazing as pregnancy and childbirth. Understanding the process of human birth and observing its developments is something that everyone should do because as adults, all of us will at some point come into a situation related to this. Considering that, it is important to make sure that we know what’s what and then be prepared for every possible scenario. One of the ways you can do that is by keeping yourself abreast with the latest developments in the field of pregnancy and to help you with that, we are sharing some of the latest and most important news regarding pregnancy. Read on to find out more about it.

Pain relief when you want it

The most difficult part of pregnancy is obviously the delivery and it is important that this process go as smoothly as possible in order to ensure a healthy child birth. One of the things that are used to help women in this situation is epidurals and so far there was a strict guideline as to when a woman should be allowed to use it. However, in a recent study, this restriction has been effectively trumped as scientists show that there are no negative impacts of using epidurals when the pregnant women ask for it, even if it is outside the prescribed time-frame. The study showed that the use of epidurals was in no way prolonging labour meaningfully and that there was no negative impact whatsoever of using it. The scientists involved said that the best way of approaching this situation is to provide epidural to the pregnant woman when she asks for it because she knows the best about her situation, making it the right approach. This means that if you are pregnant and in pain, you should not shy out and ask for the epidural whenever you feel that you want it.

Tobacco smoking parents and risk of diabetes to the foetus

In a recent study conducted at the University of California Davis, researchers have found a direct link between tobacco smoking parents and an increased chance of diabetes in the foetus. The study looked into about 1800 daughters whose mothers had participated in the study which is part of an on going project of Public Health Institute. According to the findings, the children who were born to parents, particularly mothers who smoked tobacco were three times more at a risk of contracting diabetes in the later years of their life. There were several other studies conducted too in the same parameters and the results showed a greater chance of obesity and underweight birth too. In addition to that, the parents were also made to realise that not only are they risking the lives of their own children, they themselves could also end up having diabetes, even if they were lean and fit.

Lower levels of arsenic in breastfed babies

Feeding Arsenic is one of the most dangerous elements to consume as it can lead to the development of very serious diseases like cancer and several gastrointestinal disorders. There are several other diseases too that can be caused from a high level of exposure to arsenic. According to a recent study, it has been found that the babies who are not fed breast milk by their mothers carry an amount of arsenic that is 7.5 times more than what is found in breastfed babies. Even in places where the mothers were drinking water with high arsenic content, the level of arsenic that the baby was being exposed to was much lower if it was being breastfed. The study was based on a research that included nine mothers whose ages were between 18 and 45 and thorough testing was done before the results were released. Not only were the arsenic levels so much lower in breastfed babies, the research also found that the babies who were not breastfed often showed immediate improvements in their arsenic levels when breastfed after a long time. It has been found that a major source of this arsenic is from the water that is derived from the wells. The researchers strongly urged that the households that used water from the well should get their water tested for arsenic to determine if it is safe to drink or not. But the one thing that is very clear is that using baby formula is really not the right thing to do at all.

You can find more information regarding pregnancy by visiting this Link.

Men’s Health IQ & Medical Risks

March 5, 2015Mens Healthadmin

Man with Doctor The health concerns that are related to men are given a lot of attention and it does not in any way mean that women are being looked into less than men for finding potential problems and solving them. However, since we are talking about men, it is important to understand that men work in a specific manner that has always been there and since there are clear physical and mental differences in men and women, understanding them also requires a different approach. The scientists have been busy studying the evolution of human males for a long time now and in that process they have also been discovering all the present and potential health related issues in men. It doesn’t matter if you are a man or a woman because in one way or another, it is important for you to understand the biological discoveries being made in the study of men. Knowing what the recent studies have been discovering in this area can be of great importance to you and to help you with that, we will be sharing some of the most recent and important medical developments in the field. Keep reading to find out more about these developments.

Lower IQ and its relationship with drinking problems

Over the years, countless studies have been conducted to find a link between the level of intelligence in a person and its direct impact on the way they take care of their health. They all came up with the same result and that is that the IQ level of a person didn’t have any relationship with him or her making bad health decisions. However, one of the most harmful things to the body, drinking has been researched in relation with the IQ levels in men recently and the results have been quite alarming. The research showed that the lower IQ levels caused adult young men to be more and more attracted to drinking. Several factors were kept in consideration while conducting the study including their backgrounds and other mental and physical factors as well and in most cases, the subjects with low levels of IQ showed a much greater attraction to alcohol as compared to those with higher IQs. What’s the most alarming thing though is that these bad choices are also often followed by more extreme choices in later years of life including suicide.

Smoking, loss of Y chromosome and cancer

Smoking We are all very familiar with how smoking can lead to an onslaught of cancer and the damage is not limited to just the lungs in a lot of cases. However, in a new study, the researchers have gone towards the root of the problem and have identified something that they already discovered from another angle. The study discovered that smoking also led to a loss of Y chromosomes in men and several earlier studies have already shown how Y chromosome loss is directly linked to the formation of cancer. Another study also showed that as compared to female smokers, it was a much more probable thing in men to develop cancer in places other than their respiratory tract. However, the good news is that the loss is only shown in people who are currently smoking. Even the men who used to smoke heavily but had quit showed the same number of Y chromosomes as those in men who never smoked at all. This means the process of damage is also reversible which very encouraging news for those who are planning to quit.

Pollution and increased suicide risk

In a recent study, there has been a new discovery that has directly linked the increase in the amount of pollution to the chances of suicide. With thousands of people committing suicide every year in the USA alone (40,000), this recent study conducted at the University of Utah has brought forward a major source of concern for everyone. The biggest thing that the study revealed however was that most of the people who committed suicide were actually men and that they had a much higher risk of committing suicide due to pollution as compared to women. However, the research did clearly identify that the increase in the level of risk was not entirely based on short term exposure to pollution but was actually long term and was usually complemented with several other physical and psychological factors too. The researchers have said that they will now be conducting the research much more thoroughly and will be including several other factors too in order to generate accurate statistics which may be helpful in reversing the problem.

If you want to find out more about cancer and how it may be affecting the health of men in general and the latest developments in the field, visit this link.