All About Bone Density Tests
A bone density test, which is also referred to as a DXA scan or densitometry, can determine whether
you are at risk of osteoporosis or currently have have osteoporosis. What is osteoporosis? Osteoporosis is a disease that causes fragility in bones and makes them much more likely to break.
In a bone density test, an X-ray is used to measure how much calcium and other bone minerals are in a particular segment of bone. The test is used to predict an individual's risk of fracture, to confirm a diagnosis of osteoporosis after a broken bone or to monitor treatment for osteoporosis.
According to the Mayo Clinic's site, The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends bone density testing if:
- You're a woman age 65 or older
- You're a postmenopausal woman under age 65 with one or more risk factors for osteoporosis
- You're a man age 70 or older
- You're a man between age 50 and 70 with one or more risk factors for osteoporosis
- You're older than age 50 and you've experienced a broken bone
- You're a postmenopausal woman and you've stopped taking estrogen therapy or hormone therapy
You can expect your bone density test to be quick, painless and easy, with no real preparation needed. A central (a large machine on which you lie down) or peripheral device (small, portable machine that measures bone density on the periphery of your skeleton) is usually used to measure bone density, and the test is commonly done on thigh bones, wrist or forearm bones or the bones of the lower spine.
The results of a bone density test are reported as a T-score number and a Z-score number. The number of units that your bone density is above or below the average is measured by the T-score, and the number of standard deviations above or below what's normally expected for someone of your weight, sex, race or age is measured by the Z-score.
In the past, osteoporosis could only be detected after you broke a bone. Thankfully, today a bone density test allows you to find out your risk of breaking bones before it occurs.
How Can Chiropractic Care Help Me?
Chiropractic care focuses on the relationship between the body's functioning and its structure—primarily the spine. Chiropractors perform adjustments to the spine and other body parts, as well as use a variety of other treatments in order to correct problems with alignment and encourage the body's natural healing abilities.
History of Chiropractic
The modern form of what we now know as chiropractic was founded in Davenport, Iowa in 1895 by Daniel David Palmer. Palmer believed in the natural healing abilities of the body, and that misalignment of the spine interfered with the healing flow of energy. Palmer emphasized the importance of normalizing the function of the nervous system and the spinal cord.
What Does a Visit to a Chiropractor Involve?
During your first visit, you can expect to have a health history taken as well as a physical exam performed. X-rays may also be performed. A treatment plan will be suggested if it appears chiropractic care will be beneficial.
In subsequent visits, the practitioner may perform different types of adjustments on the spine using the hands or a device to apply a controlled force to the joints. This is done in order to increase the range and quality of motion.
Other treatments that may be used include rehabilitative exercise, electrical stimulation, ice and heat, dietary supplements and rest.
Benefits of Chiropractic
People often seek chiropractic treatment due to pain-related, chronic health conditions. Headache, neck pain and low-back pain are some of the typical conditions for which people seek chiropractic care. Benefits include improved immunity, the restoration of normal mobility, improved spinal structure, stress relief, healthier spinal disks, increased energy, better sleep, restored nerve supply and more.
If you are looking for quality chiropractic care or would like to explore how chiropractic can help you, please contact Allegheny Medical at (412) 494-4550.
How Do I Know if a Burn Needs Medical Attention?
In order to figure out whether a person has a serious burn or a minor one, the first step is to determine the extent of the damage done to the body tissues. Burns are classified in degrees--first, second and third. A first degree burn is the least serious and only involves the the outer layer of skin with symptoms ranging from minor pain to redness and swelling.
A second degree burn means the second layer of skin, or dermis has been burned through. Intense redness can be seen, as well as severe swelling, pain and blisters. In a third degree burn, the skin may appear dry, white or charred and all layers of skin are damaged.
A first degree burn will not usually require medical attention unless it involves a major joint or large areas of the face, groin, buttocks, hands or feet. For second degree burns, according to the Mayo Clinic, if it is no larger than 3 inches in diameter, it should be treated as a minor burn. If it is larger or affects any of the previously mentioned areas, medical help should be acquired immediately.
Minor burns can be treated by taking an over-the-counter pain reliever, by being held under cool running water for fifteen minutes and by covering the burn with loosely-wrapped gauze. Minor burns usually heal on their own.
If a person is suffering from a major burn, while waiting for emergency help they should elevate the burned body parts, cover them with a moist towel or bandage and avoid immersing a large burn in water.
Allegheny Medical's Minor Emergency Medical Care is a multi-specialty, walk-in health care facility offering medical treatment for minor burns, as well as other illnesses and injury. If you or a loved one need emergency treatment in the Pittsburgh area, please call (412) 494-4550.
The Importance of Pre-Employment Physical Exams
Physical exams are required by many employers today. If it is a job that does not involve much physical activity, then there is little reason to require a physical. However, if the job requires any of the following then a physical may be appropriate:
*Working at heights which are elevated (ex: working on ladders)
*Physical exertion (ex: walking long distances, climbing)
*Heavy lifting (ex: equipment, boxes)
*Having to discern colors (ex: color-coded wire)
*Safety warning response (ex: alarms, lights)
Pre-employment exams and testing are important because employers are responsible for 
protecting their company against false claims, protecting employees from injuries and protecting customers and other co-workers from injury.
It is not necessary for a pre-employment physical exam to cover a job candidate's complete medical history. When an employer decides a pre-employment physical exam is needed, their priority should be to focus only on what is relevant to the position.
In addition to a physical exam, a drug screening may also be involved, where a urine sample from the job applicant is taken and then sent to a lab or special facility to be tested. If an applicant does not pass the pre-employment drug screen, they are usually not considered for employment. A pre-employment drug screen can usually detect the presence of drugs like marijuana, cocaine, opiates, amphetamines and more.
Allegheny Medical is a preferred panel provider for hundreds of companies, municipalities, and school districts throughout the tri-state area. For more information on their WorkCare offerings, including pre-employment physical exams and drug screens, please call (412) 494-4550 today.
What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a disorder marked by extreme fatigue that does not get better even after resting. There have been many theories about the true cause of CFS, but as of today it is still unknown.
Chronic fatigue was not always accepted as being a real condition, mainly because the symptoms are not always easy to measure. However, in recent years there has been a general consensus in the medical community that it is a serious and very real condition.
Fortunately, many people do end up recovering from chronic fatigue syndrome, and there are available treatments.
The main symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome include loss of memory, sore throat, fatigue, headache, extreme exhaustion, joint pain without swelling, enlarged, painful lymph nodes, muscle pain and more. Symptoms often come and go over time.
An individual must have fatigue that persists for six months or more that cannot be explained, along with at least four primary symptoms in order to meet the criteria for being diagnosed with chronic fatigue. In order to make a diagnosis, your doctor must rule out other conditions or diseases that may be causing the symptoms you are experiencing.
Chronic fatigue syndrome does not have any specific treatment, but usually doctors use a combination of treatments to relieve symptoms, including cognitive beahvioral therapy, depression medication, low blood pressure (hypotension) medication, sleep problem treatment, reduced physical activity, treatment of allergies and more.
Self care is also an important part of managing your fatigue--including reducing stress, getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly.
If you believe you are suffering from chronic fatigue or related symptoms, schedule your complimentary consultation with Allegheny Medical today by calling (412) 494-4554.
412-494-4550
2000 Cliff Mine Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15275
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