Category Archives: Health

What is new in the field of Health. Trending topics, and cutting edge research in the are of Health. Press Releases that give us updates on Health.

Health

The Latest on Cell and Gene Therapy Regulation Webinar, July 22, 2020

Leave a comment


WCG FDAnews

WCG FDAnews


FALLS CHURCH, Va. (PRWEB)

Overcoming Comparability Issues in Regenerative Medicines Manufacturing:

The Latest on Cell and Gene Therapy Regulation

An FDAnews Webinar

Wednesday, July 22, 2020 • 1:30 p.m.-3:00 p.m. EDT

https://www.fdanews.com/cellandgenetherapy

A product may need a comparability study, but what is the most effective way to complete one? Will the study comply with all FDA requirements? Understanding how to meet the expectations of this task is critical for anyone creating and manufacturing these therapies.

While the natural evolutions of a therapy may have improved it, the shifts risk its critical quality attributes, or CQAs. Comparability studies mitigate those risks and allow one to retain those CQAs. An effective study will match the level of changes, with stricter comparability needed as greater adjustments accumulate.

During this FDAnews webinar, attendees will learn the most effective ways to navigate the process and meet FDA expectations. Scott R. Burger, MD and principal of Advanced Cell and Gene Therapy, will share practical tips and guidelines around determining the level of a comparability study, planning and preparing for an analysis, and avoiding common mistakes before FDA interactions:


  • FDA Requirements for Comparability Studies


     a. Assembling the best comparability package

  • Risk Analysis and Mitigation


     a. Best practices around comparability study risks

     b. Determining the necessary rigor of a comparability study

  • Designing an Effective Comparability Protocol


     a. Using the right analytical tools, samples, and statistical analyses

     b. In vitro versus in vivo comparability studies

     c. Understand common mistakes and how to avoid them

  • Statistical Comparability Approaches

Managing comparability studies to achieve approval for cell and gene therapy products is a complicated but necessary process. Ensure products retain their CQAs and meet all FDA requirements.

Interested in registering multiple sites?

Call (888) 838-5578 in the U.S. or +1 (703) 538-7600 globally to learn about our special multisite discount.

Webinar Details:

Overcoming Comparability Issues in Regenerative Medicines Manufacturing:

The Latest on Cell and Gene Therapy Regulation

An FDAnews Webinar

Wednesday, July 22, 2020 • 1:30 p.m.-3:00 p.m. EDT

https://www.fdanews.com/cellandgenetherapy

Tuition:

$287 per site

Easy Ways to Register:

Online: https://www.fdanews.com/cellandgenetherapy

By phone: 888.838.5578 or 703.538.7600

About FDAnews:

FDAnews is the premier provider of domestic and international regulatory, legislative, and business news and information for executives in industries regulated by the US FDA and the European Medicines Agency. Pharmaceutical and medical device professionals rely on FDAnews’ print and electronic newsletters, books and conferences to stay in compliance with international standards and the FDA’s complex and ever-changing regulations

Share article on social media or email:

Health

CISCRP Launches Public Education Campaign on Clinical Trial Participation During the Pandemic

Leave a comment


Clinical Research Educational Resources

“The pandemic has presented a unique opportunity to provide public education because people around the world are hearing about vaccines and treatments in clinical trials,” said Ellyn Getz, Associate Director, Development and Community Engagement.


BOSTON (PRWEB)

The Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP) announces the launch of a new video series to educate the public and patients about the clinical research process and how it has been impacted by COVID-19. Global surveys conducted between April and June 2020 show that public awareness of clinical trial activity during the pandemic has increased sharply due to increased media attention. At the same time, public knowledge about the clinical research process is limited and public willingness to participate in clinical trials has declined dramatically due to concerns about exposure to the coronavirus. A global study conducted among 500 people this past April, for example, found that only 48% were willing to participate in clinical trials. This compares to 85% who were willing to participate pre-pandemic.

The new educational video series is designed to raise general knowledge about clinical research and to address concerns and questions about participating in clinical trials during the pandemic. The series has been developed in collaboration with patients and professionals. Several major pharmaceutical companies — Takeda, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Biogen, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Merck — also provided educational grants to support development and dissemination of the new programming.

“The pandemic has presented a unique opportunity to provide public education because people around the world are hearing about vaccines and treatments in clinical trials,” said Ellyn Getz, Associate Director, Development and Community Engagement. “We invite and encourage patient advocacy groups, research and health professionals to help disseminate this educational campaign and reach a diverse global audience to raise overall clinical research literacy.”

Each video in the series combines animation and live conversational discussion — in English and eventually in Spanish —with subject matter experts, patients and the public. The first video is already available, provides a general overview of clinical trials and discusses how new treatments and vaccines are developed. A second will explore key principles of all clinical trials and how they are adapting during the pandemic. A third video will examine COVID-19 clinical trials specifically. All of the videos in the series will be made widely available and free-of-charge through mass and social media, advocacy organizations, research centers, and clinical research-related websites. For more information, go to FindingTreatmentsTogether.org.

About CISCRP

The Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation is an award-winning nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and engaging the public, patients, research and health care professionals as partners in the clinical research process. http://www.ciscrp.org

Share article on social media or email:

Health

HealthPivots’ report compares COVID-19 patients’ post-acute discharge disposition with circulatory and respiratory patients

Leave a comment



PORTLAND, Ore. (PRWEB)

HealthPivots has published a publicly available white paper, Comparison of COVID-19 Dispositions to Circulatory and Respiratory Diagnostic Cohorts, exploring differences in disposition following hospitalization of COVID-19 patients compared to patients from circulatory and respiratory diagnostic groups. The paper is available on the HealthPivots website.

HealthPivots provides data analytics to post-acute providers including hospices, home care agencies, skilled nursing facilities and healthcare systems. “Whether they are hospices, home care agencies or skilled nursing facilities, all of our clients serve patients that may be at high risk for complications and death from COVID-19. Some of our clients have been heavily impacted by this pandemic. This white paper describes the hospital discharge profiles of the first wave of COVID-19 patients,” explains Jay Cushman, CEO of HealthPivots.

The results from analysis of these preliminary data show the COVID-19 patient population utilizing skilled nursing and hospice services at higher rates compared to Medicare patients discharged from hospitals with a circulatory or respiratory diagnosis. Comparison data were obtained from the CMS Chronic Conditions Warehouse in compliance with an executed Data Use Agreement.

HealthPivots provides business intelligence data to hospices, home care agencies, skilled nursing facilities, hospitals and healthcare systems. Non-clients with an interest in this data are permitted access to publicly available white papers and can view pertinent data on their organization by requesting an analysis from HealthPivots. More information is available at https://healthpivots.com/.

Share article on social media or email:

Health

InnovoSmile Announced Their New Teeth Whitening Services, Raviance System, as the Best in the Market When it Comes to Overcoming Stained-Teeth

Leave a comment


News Image

“The method used by our kits has been scientifically designed to whiten teeth dramatically, quickly and safely,” said Dr. Ray Besharati, CEO and co-founder.


ISSAQUAH, Wa. (PRWEB)

InnovoSmile PPLC announced today that it is launching a new direct-to-consumer delivery service for dentist-grade teeth whitening kits, Raviance.

This new and innovative subscription service means that people who want to brighten their smiles won’t have to deal with over the counter or ineffective online products.

Raviance delivers a premium kit with dentist-grade whitening gel, easy-to-use patented light, all for about 20% of the cost of over-priced, locked-up, Dental office whitening products. Members can elect to receive refresher kits delivered to their homes on a schedule that fits their needs and at significant discounts. Single stand-alone packages are also available for purchase.

“The method used by our kits has been scientifically designed to whiten teeth dramatically, quickly and safely,” said Dr. Ray Besharati, CEO and co-founder. “It’s essentially the same method that we use in our office– to get lightning-fast results. The lighting Device is an innovative design with 16 LED light bulbs and FDA registration to get the maximum effect in teeth whitening. It is a patented technology and very safe. And why would anyone pay a dentist $600 to $800 or more to whiten their teeth when they can put their feet up in the comfort of their own home and get their teeth just as bright, for about 20% of the cost and only 20 minutes compared to 2 hours that they spend in the office?” said Dr. Ray.

Raviance produces significant improvements in whiteness after just a few treatments. And, since the kit comes up with enough gel for 20 uses or more, you’ll have plenty left for any maintenance treatments you may want down the road. Our support team is friendly and helpful when customers contact them for help with the system, for advice on how to avoid gum sensitivity and any other needed recommendations for treatment.

Raviance System was created to be different from other oral care brands. All of their whitening gels contain the highest quality dental-grade ingredients. You can complete a full whitening session in just 20 minutes at home, while you go about your life as usual. Their teams of smile experts are available around the clock to help answer any whitening questions or concerns, and Raviance is backed by a 30-day satisfaction guarantee.

About:

Raviance is an Online Store that delivers professional quality, dentist-grade teeth whitening kits direct to consumers, at great prices. Their motto is “Smile and makes it your life Style.”

Product Features

Exclusive Bio Activated micro cleansing formula; gentle foaming action lifts away tooth stains

Formulated with fluoride to prevent cavities

Nano grade whitening agents quickly access hard to reach interproximal surfaces

Helps prevent gingivitis and plaque while fighting tartar buildup

Formulated with Potassium Nitrate to prevent Sensitivity

Gluten-free, sugar-free

Share article on social media or email:

Health

Lymphoma Research Foundation Scientific Advisory Board Gains New International Leaders in Lymphoma

Leave a comment


Our new members reinforce the unique nature of the Lymphoma Research Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Board as the leading advisory body in lymphoma research and education in the United States and around the world.


NEW YORK (PRWEB)

The Lymphoma Research Foundation (LRF) – the nation’s largest non-profit organization devoted exclusively to funding innovative lymphoma research and serving the lymphoma community through a comprehensive series of education programs, outreach initiatives and patient services – today announced it will welcome three new members to its elite Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). The three new members represent distinct specialties that will contribute to the international impact of the Lymphoma Research Foundation.

LRF’s volunteer Scientific Advisory Board, comprised of 45 world-renowned lymphoma experts, guides the LRF’s research portfolio, seeking out the most innovative and promising lymphoma research projects for support. In addition to their charter of reviewing grant proposals and making recommendations regarding research priorities and funding to the LRF Board of Directors, the SAB evaluates the progress of on-going research projects and guides the strategic direction of the LRF’s research programs and scientific consortia.

The new members of the SAB include Jennifer Brown, MD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Lisa Rimsza, MD, Mayo Clinic in Arizona; and David Scott, MBChB, PhD, BC Cancer (based in British Columbia, Canada). The new members will serve as volunteer advisors under the leadership of Andrew D. Zelenetz, MD, PhD, Medical Director of Quality Informatics at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, who began the second and final year of his term as Chair of the SAB in July.

“This year’s addition of members continues to add to the prominence of our Scientific Advisory Board,” said Dr. Zelenetz. “Our new members reinforce the unique nature of the Lymphoma Research Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Board as the leading advisory body in lymphoma research and education in the United States and around the world.”

This year’s cycle also sees the conclusion of terms of Nancy Bartlett, MD, Washington University Medical School; and Owen O’Conner, MD, Columbia University Medical Center, both of whom have made significant contributions to the Lymphoma Research Foundation and the field of lymphoma research.

“We are honored to continue our valued partnership with these elite thought leaders in the field of blood cancer research,” said Meghan Gutierrez, Chief Executive Officer at the Lymphoma Research Foundation. “We thank our transitioning Scientific Advisory Board members for their tireless commitment to our shared mission of eradicating lymphoma and serving those touched by this disease and stand in appreciation of our new members to lead our research program moving forward.”

Additional background information regarding the newly elected Scientific Advisory Board members can be found below:

Jennifer Brown, MD (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute)

Dr. Brown is Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Director of the CLL Center at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Her research interests focus on clinical trials for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), with a particular interest in the development of novel therapies targeting recurrent somatic mutations, characterizing the genomics of specified subgroups of CLL, identifying resistance mechanisms, and genetics and heritability of familial CLL. Dr. Brown received her MD from Harvard Medical School and completed her residency at Massachusetts General Hospital before a fellowship at Dana-Farber. She received a Career Development Award from LRF in 2005, has been speaking faculty for LRF patient education teleconferences and helped to develop LRF patient education publications.

Lisa Rimsza, MD (Mayo Clinic, Arizona)

Dr. Rimsza Pis the Getz Family Research Professor, a Consultant in the Division of Hematopathy and a Professor of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at Mayo Clinic in Arizona; Chair of the Southwest Oncology Lymphoma Translational Medicine Subcommittee; and current principal investigator of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Molecular Profiling Project. She received her MD from the University of Arizona College of Medicine before completing her residency at the University of Arizona and fellowship at the University of New Mexico. Her research interests include clinical assay development in B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), HIV-related lymphomas, and immune evasion and oncogene dysregulation in lymphomas. She is a leader in hemopathology and anatomic and clinical pathology, having received certifications in Hematology, Anatomic and Clinical Pathology from the American Board of Pathology. Dr. Rimsza is a past member of the LRF SAB (2008-2013) and a current member of the LRF Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL) Consortium. She has also been a faculty member (mentor) for the 2014 and 2020 LRF Lymphoma Clinical Research Mentoring Program (LCRMP)

David Scott, MBChB, PhD (BC Cancer)

Dr. Scott is Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia, Deputy Head at the Department of BC Cancer Lymphoid Cancer Research, and Clinical Director at the BC Cancer Centre for Lymphoid Cancer. He received his MBChB and PhD in from the University of Auckland in New Zealand and completed training for an FRCPA in Pathology/Hematology at the Royal College of Pathologists in Australasia as well as an FRACP in Internal Medicine/Hematology at the Royal Australasian College of Physicians before a clinical and research fellowship at BC Cancer. His research focuses on the discovery and development of clinically relevant biomarkers to improve disease classification, patient outcomes and reduce side effects, including genomic mechanisms underlying treatment failure in aggressive lymphoma and genome biology of relapsed lymphoid cancers. Dr. Scott is a past LRF grantee, having received an Adolescent/Young Adult Lymphoma Correlative Studies Award in 2015 and a Mantle Cell Lymphoma Correlative Studies Grant in 2016. He was also a visiting faculty member for the 2019 Lymphoma Clinical Research Mentoring Program (LCRMP) Workshop.

The new members will serve a five-year term beginning on July 1, 2020, while Dr. Zelenetz’s term as Chair will end June 30, 2021 in accordance with the SAB’s governing principles and standards.

About the Lymphoma Research Foundation

The Lymphoma Research Foundation (LRF) is the nation’s largest non-profit organization devoted to funding innovative research and serving the lymphoma community through a comprehensive series of education programs, outreach initiatives and patient services. To date, LRF has awarded more than $63 million in lymphoma-specific research.

For additional information on LRF’s research, education and services, visit lymphoma.org.

Share article on social media or email:

Health

Smile Brands Launches New Platform to Help Patients and Teams Thrive in Today’s Environment

Leave a comment


S3

The goal of this program is to establish the principles for how we want all to behave in our offices as a model for the broader social dialogue.


IRVINE, Calif. (PRWEB)

Smile Brands Inc., one of the nation’s leading dental support organizations (DSO) providing business support services to approximately 450 affiliated offices across 18 states, today announced its Safe.Smile.Space.™ platform with the goal of making each location a model community for infection control, inclusivity, tolerance, and civil discourse.

In these turbulent times, many people are struggling with heightened levels of stress and apprehension. Smile Brands is launching Safe.Smile.Space. to create a framework for making each office a protective tent or model community in which all can experience the organization’s vision for a safer world. “In the best of times, dentistry is a demanding profession,” explains Smile Brands CEO, Steven C. Bilt. “Our current environment has added tremendous stress from the challenges of COVID-19 and broad social discord. While many patients are expressing greater appreciation for our work, we have also seen this climate negatively impact some patient behaviors. The goal of this program is to establish the principles for how we want all to behave in our offices as a model for the broader social dialogue.”

Key principles of Safe.Smile.Space. include:

1. We adhere to the strictest safety protocols to protect ourselves and our patients from infection.

2. We do not adjust our protocols for patients unwilling to do their part to ensure their safety and ours.

3. We support each other and patients with kindness, understanding, and empathy.

4. We do not tolerate discrimination, harassment, or racism. This includes violence and hateful or hurtful language, including micro-aggressions.

5. We are attuned to each other’s needs and seek to uplift each other’s spirits when needed.

As part of the program, all patients will be asked to do their part to help keep Smile Brands locations safe from infection and incivility. Team members will receive tools and training to help manage their own anxiety and support patients having difficulty coping due to the current environment.

About Smile Brands Inc.

Based in Irvine California, Smile Brands Inc. is one of the largest providers of support services to dental groups in the United States. The organization’s award-winning culture has made it the only dental support organization on Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work for the past three years. Additionally, the Company was recognized by Comparably in 2019 as a top large employer for Diversity, Women, and Culture. Smile Brands’ affiliated dentists benefit from industry-leading business support services, so they can spend more time caring for patients and less time on the administrative, marketing, and financial aspects of operating a dental practice. The organization supports approximately 450 affiliated practices and 60 brands across 18 states, including Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio, Oregon, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. Smile Brands is a portfolio company of Gryphon Investors, a leading middle-market private equity firm based in San Francisco, CA. For more information, visit http://www.smilebrands.com.

Share article on social media or email:

Health

The Essential Inclusion of Caregiving Youth

Leave a comment


There are an additional 3.4 million children under the age of 18 years who are assisting with care, standing in the adults caregivers’ shadow.


WASHINGTON (PRWEB)

A new study from the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) and AARP finds that among the 48 million adult family caregivers of recipients aged 18 and over in the U.S., there are an additional 3.4 million children under the age of 18 years who are assisting with care, standing in the adults caregivers’ shadow. It is past time that public recognition and support is afforded to these children so they can achieve academic and personal success. The report is available here.

Managing the care recipient’s disease or condition has a ripple effect on the caregiver’s family unit, and children in the home may be called upon to carry out care tasks especially in the absence of resources. Among those who report the presence of other unpaid help (53 percent), 14 percent report at least one of those unpaid caregivers is a child under age 18. This data indicates that of the 48 million caregivers of adults, 7 percent report the presence of a child caregiver. The study also finds that financial impacts tend to be greater among young caregivers, with 39 percent of caregivers aged 18-49 facing impacts on their savings, and 37 percent experiencing impacts related to financial debt.

“Caregiving impacts families, communities, and children, who tend to be disproportionately affected. This research reveals the acute challenges that young caregivers face, and the need to support this growing population,” said C. Grace Whiting, J.D., President and CEO the National Alliance for Caregiving. “Other research also points to the impact of caregiving on multiple people in the family, and relationships between family members.”

Caregiving in the U.S. 2020 is not inclusive of single parent or grandparent households in which the child or grandchild are the sole providers of care. However, there is other recent data that points to the prevalence and challenges of youth caregiving. The spring 2019 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) sanctioned “Youth Risk Behavior Survey,” administered by the Department of Health in Florida public schools, included a question about caregiving. The survey found that 23.6% of middle school students and 16.4% of high school students in Florida public schools are participating in some type of care for a family member with a health condition.

Through its Caregiving Youth Project, The American Association of Caregiving Youth (AACY), based in Florida, has found that the trickle-down impact relative to health disparities is evident among the more than 1,700 youth who have been receiving free academic and youth development services in and out of school and at home. Among the identified risk factors within these ages include poverty, prenatal care, premature births, inability to achieve third grade level reading, teen births, child abuse, and high school graduation. With support the AACY has transformed lives resulting in a 98.3% average high school graduation rate with more than 90% going on to post-secondary education, including many entering healthcare.

“These children, whose education is an adult responsibility, must become recognized as providers of health care at home,” said Connie Siskowski, RN, PhD, President and Founder of AACY. “They must be included in public health policy for family caregiving, support, and solutions. That they are in this role is through no fault of their own; no child in our country should have to drop out of school to provide care for family members. With state and federal recognition and support, together we can help break the cycle of health disparities.”

One student recently wrote, “My mom didn’t have a car or her driver’s license, which meant that we had to catch a bus to get to the doctor’s office. When we were there I would be so scared when it came to translating for my mom, or explaining to her what her medication was and when she had to take them, scared to say the wrong things, but I had to explain the best way I could. At times my mom would be embarrassed that her daughter had to translate for her, but I felt as if it was my duty to care for her. I was all the help she really could get at that time… As the years went by, my mom’s sickness just kept getting worse and life was repeating itself. I wake up, clean, cook, help my mom with her medication, take her blood pressure, measure her blood sugar, and help my sister. I felt as if I never had time to enjoy my childhood.”

###

About the National Alliance for Caregiving

Established in 1996, the National Alliance for Caregiving is a non-profit coalition of national organizations focusing on advancing family caregiving through research, innovation, and advocacy. NAC conducts research, does policy analysis, develops national best-practice programs, and works to increase public awareness of family caregiving issues. Recognizing that family caregivers provide significant societal and financial contributions toward maintaining the well-being of those in their care, NAC supports a network of more than 80 state and local caregiving coalitions and serves as Secretariat for the International Alliance of Carer Organizations (IACO). Learn more at http://www.caregiving.org.

About the American Association of Caregiving Youth

The American Association of Caregiving Youth (AACY) is the only organization solely dedicated to the academic and personal success of children caregivers. Working within systems of healthcare, education and the community, AACY has been providing prioritized and needs-driven support services for caregiving youth and their families in Palm Beach County, Florida since 2006 through its Caregiving Youth Project (CYP). It has also established the Caregiving Youth Institute, an Affiliate Network and a growing number of national partnerships.

For more information, press only:

Charlotte Davidson, National Alliance for Caregiving

781-913-4288

media@caregiving.org

Connie Siskowski, RN, PhD President and Founder, AACY

connie@aacy.org

For more information on the research:

http://www.caregiving.org/caregiving-in-the-us-2020/

http://www.aacy.org/

Share article on social media or email:

Health

Simply Connect Honors Consana’s Karmen Stephens for Industry Recognition

Leave a comment


News Image

The President’s Standing Ovation Award “recognizes an exceptional ASCP leader for their service and contributions on an ASCP committee, task force, or focus group.”


MINNETONKA, Minn. (PRWEB)

Simply Connect is excited to highlight the outstanding achievements of one of our partners, Karmen Stephens, who was recently awarded the 2020 President’s Standing Ovation Award by the American Society for Consultant Pharmacists.

The President’s Standing Ovation Award “recognizes an exceptional ASCP leader for their service and contributions on an ASCP committee, task force, or focus group.” The award is selected by the ASCP President.

“We’re thrilled that ASCP has recognized what we’ve known for a long-time: That Karmen is an outstanding industry leader who brings both experience and intelligence to an industry that needs her insights now more than ever,” said Simply Connect CEO Craig Patnode. “Stephens’s work at Consana has already revolutionized medication management and her work there is only going to continue to transform patient outcomes.”

Stephens serves as the Vice President of Clinical at Consana, a person-centric model of pharmaceutical care that encourages communication and collaboration with all stakeholders within the continuum of care.

At Consana, Stephens’s primary responsibilities include strategic program development and implementation, including oversight of Consana clinical operations and service innovation. It’s a profession that she gravitated to during her teenage years as a pharmacy clerk.

“I immediately fell in love with pharmacy and never looked back,” said Stephens. “I worked my way up from clerk, to technician, to head technician, and so on, eventually putting myself through pharmacy school.”

Stephens graduated from Texas Tech Health Sciences Center School of Pharmacy in 2010 and eventually ended up in Long Term Care, looking for a way to improve patient care.

“I wanted so badly to use my education to make a difference for my patients and my profession, but dispensing pharmacists are often so pressed for time and pressured to focus on volume.”

At Consana, Stephens has been excited to give pharmacists the proper technology tools to optimize workflows, allowing them to more exclusively focus on person-centric medication management.

Share article on social media or email:

Industry: Healthcare

Interventional Pain Management Specialist Dr. Kaliq Chang with Atlantic Spine Center with tips on a common back injury and more serious symptoms to watch

Leave a comment


Dr. Kaliq Chang

Only headaches seem to occur more often on a daily basis to American adults than back pain, which is commonly caused by a pulled muscle, especially in the lower back.


WEST ORANGE, N.J. (PRWEB)

Think you’ve pulled a muscle in your back? Join the club, since this injury is one of the most common among adults, according to interventional pain management specialist Kaliq Chang, MD, of Atlantic Spine Center.

“Only headaches seem to occur more often on a daily basis to American adults than back pain, which is commonly caused by a pulled muscle, especially in the lower back,” Dr. Chang explains. “Nevertheless, not everyone knows the signs of a pulled back muscle or more serious symptoms that might emerge that should be checked by a doctor.”

Uncomfortable and often inconvenient – who has time for a problematic muscle? – a pulled muscle in the back also goes by another name: a strained muscle. With the back bearing much of the body’s weight and force while you walk, run, bend and lift things, it’s not surprising that pulled muscles can result.

“Several risk factors can also increase the odds you’ll experience a pulled or strained back muscle,” Dr. Chang notes. “These include carrying extra pounds, having weak back and/or abdominal muscles, and curving your lower back excessively. And pulling a back muscle is easy to do – it can happen after a fall or sudden twist or even from using the same muscle for a long time, like when you bend over to weed a garden.”

Symptoms of a pulled back muscle

If you think you’ve pulled a back muscle, what should you look for? According to Dr. Chang, signs and symptoms can include:

  • Sharp or dull pain

  • Pain with certain movements

  • Stiffness or tightness in the pulled muscle and surrounding area

  • Muscle spasms

  • Cramping

  • Tenderness when the muscle is touched

  • Swelling in the affected area

  • Pain relief when you rest in certain positions

  • Pain shooting down the legs, or numbness/weakness in the feet


Experiencing pain while doing specific things – such as bending over, or even standing still – is a key sign you’ve pulled a back muscle, Dr. Chang points out.

“It’s also common for those with a pulled back muscle to wake up to more pain and stiffness that eases when your muscles warm up and stretch a bit through the day,” he adds.

Serious signs and treatment

While the vast majority of pulled back muscles end up being minor problems that don’t last more than a couple of weeks, Dr. Chang recommends staying vigilant for more serious symptoms indicating you may need medical attention.

What are these more serious signs? “If your pain lasts for longer than 2 weeks, that should prompt you to see your doctor,” he advises. “Also, seek immediate care for back pain that’s accompanied by severe abdominal pain, loss of bladder or bowel control, or an unexplained fever.”

If medical attention is needed, your doctor may use X-rays or other imaging scans to determine what’s happening in or near the spinal cord that’s contributing to your symptoms, Dr. Chang says.

For most people with a pulled back muscle, simple treatments work well to ease pain and transition you to moving more with less discomfort. Dr. Chang says these include over-the-counter pain relievers; applying cold or heat; and gentle stretches several times a day.

Atlantic Spine Center is a nationally recognized leader for endoscopic spine surgery with several locations in NJ and NYC. http://www.atlanticspinecenter.com, http://www.atlanticspinecenter.nyc

Kaliq Chang, MD, is an interventional pain management specialist, double board-certified in interventional pain management and anesthesiology, at Atlantic Spine Center.

Share article on social media or email:

Health

HMP’s Why Wound Care?™ Initiative Launches Web Portal for Physical Therapy Students

Leave a comment


Why Would Care?

This is an incredible value added at no cost for students, practicing physical therapists, and physical therapy programs looking to augment existing curricula.


MALVERN, Pa. (PRWEB)

In an effort to further prepare physical therapy students and clinicians about the proper management and treatment of patients with wounds, HMP Global, a leading healthcare events and education company, today announced the launch of a new web portal designed for physical therapy students as part of its Why Wound Care? (WWC) initiative.

The WWC initiative works to inform physical therapy, medical, and nursing students; recent graduates; faculty; and practicing clinicians about rewarding careers in wound care, and offers educational resources to supplement current academic curriculum, where wound care education may be limited.

With the development of the new portal, physical therapy students and faculty now have access to the following complimentary evidence-based wound care resources:


  • Over 25 video modules covering the fundamentals of wound care, with a number presented by physical therapists, including: Basic Wound Management, Biophysical Energies in Wound Healing – Part One: Electric and Sound & Part Two: Light and Pressure, Edema & Lymphedema, Negative Pressure Wound Therapy, Basics of Burn Rehabilitation, and more

  • Downloadable PDFs of all 25 chapters of Chronic Wound Care: The Essentials e-Book, the “gold standard” of wound care textbooks

  • Information about other continuing education resources, including wound care conferences and medical journals

  • Virtual Wound Rounds (VWR) developed and hosted by Frank Aviles for physical therapy students who were unable to participate in wound rotations due to the COVID-19 pandemic this semester. VWR topic presentations include: Virtual Wound Clinic, Challenging Lower Extremity Wounds, Pressure Injuries, Wound Dressing Debate, and more

“The addition of the new physical therapy student portal continues the growth of our Why Wound Care? initiative,” said Peter Norris, Senior Vice President, HMP Global. “First we introduced WWC to nursing students, then medical students, and next practicing clinicians, with the portal becoming a go-to source of free wound care content, with thousands of vistors accessing modules and other materials. With the newest addition of the physical therapy student portal, we now have provided practical wound care educational resources that can augment teaching curricula or be utilized for independent study.”

The WWC physical therapy student advisory board—comprised of 11 world-class wound care educators teaching at top physical therapy schools—contributed to the development of the materials.

“The Why Wound Care portal for physical therapy students provides a much-needed resource in physical therapy education, as many schools don’t have the luxury of having a full-time faculty member with wound care expertise,” said Joseph McCulloch, PT, PhD, CWS, FAPTA, and retired Dean of the School of Allied Health Professions at LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, Louisiana, and co-chair, WWC physical therapy student advisory board. “Now students have access to the numerous physical therapy wound care practitioners who share knowledge in their areas of expertise.”

“This is an incredible value added at no cost for students, practicing physical therapists, and physical therapy programs looking to augment existing curricula,” added Heather Hettrick, PT, PhD, CWS, CLT-LANA, CLWT, and Professor in the Physical Therapy Program at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and co-chair, WWC physical therapy student advisory board. “The WWC initiative provides bite-size learning opportunities on numerous topics from leading experts in the field, with an emphasis on the role and value of physical therapists in wound management.”

To learn more about Why Wound Care?, or to take advantage of these free resources, please visit whywoundcare.com.

About HMP Global

HMP Global is the force behind Healthcare Made Practical—and is a multichannel leader in healthcare events and education, with a mission to improve patient care. The company produces accredited medical education events and clinically relevant, evidence-based content for the global healthcare community across a range of therapeutic areas. Its brands include Consultant360, the year-round, award-winning platform relied upon by primary care providers and other specialists; Psych Congress, the largest independent mental health meeting in the U.S.; EMS World Expo, North America’s largest EMT and paramedic event; and the Symposium on Advanced Wound Care (SAWC), the largest wound care meeting in the world. For more information, visit hmpglobal.com.

Share article on social media or email: