Medical Tourism - Are Hip Replacements in Mexico As Good As in the US

With America's changing population demographics, health care costs have risen along with the aging of the current population. As more senior citizens require increased care, Medicare and private insurers have had to increase rates and reduce services -- ultimately leading to hardships. Orthopedic hip and knee replacements, for example, have nearly doubled in the past five years and are expected to reach a total of two million procedures in the year 2015.

In order to address the issue of healthcare services, a whole industry of Mexico medical travel has been created. Mexico medical travel is an option for many Americans, providing access to healthcare services from doctors and hospitals in other countries. This allows patients to pay much less than what they would pay for the same procedure in the U.S., even if they have medical insurance or are on Medicare. Out-of-pocket expenses, like deductibles, are often more expensive than the total cost of a procedure in another country, especially for elective surgery.

Mexico Medical Travel

Low cost options for health travel, especially for those in need of orthopedic care, used to focus on taking patients to India for treatment. However, the 15-hour flight and language barrier quickly proved to be prohibitive for many Americans. The high cost of travel and lodging in a developing country was far from ideal.

Today, Mexico medical travel is among the best options for healthcare abroad. Health travel to Mexico combines the convenience of short travel times with reasonable prices and facilities and doctors that rival or surpass their American counterparts. The language barrier between Mexico and the US is practically nonexistent; English is very commonly spoken in nearly every major Mexican city.

Tijuana Medical Services

Tijuana exemplifies the benefits of health travel to neighboring Mexico. The metropolitan area is the sister city to San Diego, California, and sits directly across the border. This location offers American patients the ability to completely avoid international flights. For example, many patients use airlines that fly directly to San Diego and then cross the border via Hospital Angeles Tijuana or other hospital medical shuttle services.

Hospitals in Tijuana have treated more Americans traveling abroad than any other hospitals in the world. With a focus on delivering top tier medical care with the most modern technology and services - including state-of-the art operating rooms and diagnostic services across all medical fields - Mexican hospitals attract top medical talent from around the world.

About Hip Replacement Surgery

A total hip replacement, also called a hip arthroplasty, is a surgical procedure that re-forms the hip joint. In this procedure, the head of the femur is removed along with the surface layer of the socket in the pelvis. The head of the femur, which is situated within the pelvis socket, is replaced with a metal ball and stem. This stem fits into the shaft of the femur. The socket is replaced with a plastic or a metal and plastic cup.

For nearly a century, doctors have been putting various materials into diseased and painful hip joints to relieve pain. Up until the 1960s, outcomes had been unreliable. At that time, the metal ball and plastic socket for the replacement of the hip joint was introduced. Today, the artificial components used in a total hip replacement are stronger and more designs are available.

There are many different shapes, sizes, and designs of artificial components of the hip joint. For the most part these are composed of chrome, cobalt, titanium, or ceramic materials. Some surgeons are also using custom-made components to improve the fit in the femur. Hospitals in Mexico use the exact same medical implants for hip replacement (and all joint replacements) that are approved and widely used in the U.S.

The Future Of Medical Tourism

Medical tourism companies have been established to act as guides, facilitators, and translators for those in need for serious procedures like hip and knee replacements. Health travel packages are available that allow patients to pay one fee that covers all of their pre-operative testing and exams, the in-patient procedure and hospital stay. These days, no American has to face a health care crisis alone.
online pharmacy no prescription

Change may eventually come to the health care system in America, but for many people, waiting is not an option. There are many patients who have lived with pain far too long and are taking advantage of the care provided in Mexico. Health travel is predicted to continue to grow over the coming years and will be an important option for more and more Americans.

Can I Grow Taller?

So, you are asking yourself, "Can I grow taller?" well, the answer might surprise you. The answer is definitely yes. But first, let's take a look at why you want to grow taller.

Improving our looks is very important especially given the high standard for beauty these days. It is hard to be perfect especially when you compare yourself with the models and actors that are everywhere now.

Still, you cannot affect absolutely all aspects of your looks unless you use cosmetic surgery - at least this is what most people think. We all know that we can lose weight by putting in a little extra effort. The good news is that becoming taller is also possible without surgical intervention and without taking human growth hormones.

The most important thing is to be realistic though. The answer to the can I grow taller question is yes, but within reasonable limits. That is the key!

You have to be realistic about your height - it is primarily determined by the genes you have and these cannot be altered. Still, healthy and nutritional dieting helps for the growth of bones and muscles.

The right posture will also make you taller - you will be able to reach your optimal height by gaining two to four inches just by exercising.

Breathing deeply is another way to lift your chest and becoming taller and slender. Taking enough rest in the form of eight to ten-hour comfortable night sleep is also recommended to those who as the question of can I grow taller.

All these methods of achieving optimal height do not require any special efforts and expenses on your side. Plus, they will make you much healthier as well as taller.

It is a good idea to use all the tips you can get and prepare a special program that you can follow. You should take vitamins and minerals as food supplements. Your diet should contain meat, poultry, fish, seafood, dairy products whole grains and raw nuts. The fruit and vegetables should also be abundantly present.

Make sure you drink six to eight glasses of water a day - herbal teas and juices may be included as well. The exercising program should include at least three one-hour workouts each week. The stretching exercises and the hanging are obligatory. You should also focus on the back and abs workouts.

It is a good idea to complement your height gaining program with aerobic exercising - it is more than beneficial to jog, cycle and/or swim.

How to Become and Stay Healthy?

Most of us know the importance of being and staying healthy. However, even after this there are people who find it difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle. There are many people who are overweight, drink too much caffeine and alcohol, eat unhealthy food items or smoke incessantly.

In order to become and stay healthy, you first need to have a healthy lifestyle. Also, you need to burn more calories than the calories you take in. So, here are some important tips that will help you become and stay healthy.

• Make sure you drink a lot of water right through the day. This will help you lose weight while ensuring that your body is always hydrated. It will also help your body eliminate toxins. Women should follow this regimen diligently if they want to have good and clear complexion.
• Be active rather than being a couch potato. Being active does not necessarily mean working out in a gym. There are number of other ways to stay active. You can mow your lawn, you can take your dog out for long walks, you can clean your home or you can dance. This will help you lose weight and also aid in de-stressing you mentally and relieving stress. In fact, health experts have constantly been pointing out that the best way to relieve stress is by exercising or staying active. So, the next time the elevator is filled, take the stairs to reach your destination.
• Quit smoking. Besides being injurious to health, it is not the best way to attain optimum health. Remember, smoking can cause lung cancer or lung disease like emphysema. Both these diseases can be fatal. Also, secondhand smoke will be equally harmful for your family and friends.
• Try not be constantly stressed. Today's life is full of pressure as we are constantly on the move. Whenever you feel stressed out, take a break. This will also help you look at things with a different perspective and you will be able to resolve issues better.
• Avoid junk food. No doubt most of the junk food can be tasty, but it does your body no good. Instead concentrate on eating healthy food like vegetables, fresh fruits, chicken and fish. Also, cut down on your fat consumption while increasing your fiber content. This will help you to get rid of the excess weight you are carrying and also to become and stay healthy.

Herbs and Nutrients For Vein Health

Neglecting those bluish or reddish veins creeping under your skin may not be the wisest thing to do. These thread-like veins may be found any where on your body but are commonly seen on legs and facial skin. Initially, such veins may not cause discomfort which may be why we often neglect them. As time passes, however, veins may become swollen and add a blemish to smooth-looking, healthy legs. They can grow to appear as unsightly, bulging veins which spoil the looks of your legs.

Why do such veins appear in some people and not on others? It could be hereditary, but more often than not, it has to do with vein health. Such veins can begin to crop up around the age of 40 or 50. Bulging veins are experienced by more women than men. Advancing age can weaken the valves in the blood vessels. The main function of these valves is to push blood upwards in order to keep circulation flowing smoothly to all parts of the body. De-oxygenated blood is taken to the lungs for oxygenation and oxygenated blood is circulated to the whole body. Since legs experience the most pressure against gravity, valves need to work harder to push blood back up to the lungs for oxygenation. When these valves become weak there is a backflow of blood resulting in the accumulation of pools of blood, that collect to form bulgy-looking veins.

What can you do? Some natural means to help support vein health are given below. In addition, you may want to consider vein supplements.

Exercise. Regular exercise for at least 30 minutes a day helps to support circulation.
Keep your legs up against the wall for 10 to 15 minutes a day. This would force the blood to flow down from your legs. If you already have bulging veins, you may want to rest your legs on a pillow when you sleep to elevate them.
Avoid crossing your legs, or wearing clothes that obstruct circulation.
Avoid standing for long periods every day. If your job involves long hours of standing, take a 15 minute sitting break every 2 hours.
Wearing therapeutic stockings can help relieve much of the discomfort associated with swollen veins.
Maintaining an optimal weight.
While all these methods can help support vein health, proper nutrition and a vein supplement can also help to support healthy veins. Certain herbs and nutrients have been well-researched and studied for their role in supporting vein health. Look for vein supplements that contain the following:

Vitamin C is a major supporter of vein health. Research indicates that it nutritionally supports healthy blood viscosity, circulation. It also helps to maintain healthy blood pressures.
Horse Chestnut is known to support healthy circulation especially in the lower legs. It is used extensively in Europe as an important ingredient in vein supplements. Research provides suggestive evidence for the use of horse chestnut to support vein health.
Gotu Kola nutritionally promotes the growth of collagen and elastin. These are skin proteins which help to form a strong matrix both inside and outside blood vessels. Gotu Kola helps to strengthen vein health.
Butcher's Broom is a nutrient that helps to maintain healthy blood vessel walls. It also supports healthy circulation, and therefore a vital ingredient in vein supplements.
online pharmacy no prescription
Hesperidin is an antioxidant that supports vein health.
Diosmin is also an antioxidant which is believed to work predominantly to support vein elasticity and capillary integrity.
There are various means to address ugly, swollen veins but none of them are permanent solutions. Some may even involve surgical procedures. Since poor vein health is often associated with bulgy, swollen veins, nutritional support through vein supplements, like Vein Matrix, are the preferred choice of many women and men. A daily dose of targeted nutrients and herbs for vein health will help to support strong veins well into the advanced years of your life.

The "No Pain, No Gain" Principle - Fact Or Fiction?

We've all heard this expression. But is it true?

This motto was first aired in 1982, when actress Jane Fonda produced a series of workout videos (you know the ones!), in which she used phrases like "No pain, no gain," and "Feel the burn" to encourage her fat-burning viewers to work harder during exercise. And it's still used today. Thousands of personal trainers repeat this mantra to their clients daily, reminding them that there is no meaningful reward without sacrifice.

There's only one problem. Pushing yourself through pain can be dangerous. Just ask Tiger Woods. Rather than take some time off & rehab the cartilage injury in his knee, he decided to keep on playing "through the pain". You can see him clutching his knee in agony after this unwise decision.

Here's another example. A young woman came in to our office with pain in her right hip. She had been training to run a marathon, and her speed and endurance were improving nicely. Out of the blue, her hip started hurting when she ran -- even during the first few steps. The pain progressively worsened, eventually preventing her from running at all.

Her doctor had told her that she had a tendinitis in her hip, and said she should be fine after a little stretching, rest & ice. That didn't seem to help.

After performing an exam & x-ray of her hip, we suspected a stress fracture. An MRI confirmed this. Less than two months of rehab later, we had her running again, and her hip was healthy.

Here's the take-home point. If this young woman had followed the "No pain, no gain" theory and continued to run, she could have developed avascular necrosis of the hip, which could lead to a catastrophic fracture of the hip, and then required her to have a total hip replacement surgery. Not a very pleasant experience.

In fact, joint pain is never normal. Pain is like the red light on your dashboard, telling you when something is going wrong & needs attention. If your engine was overheating, would you keep on driving? Would stomping on the accelerator solve the problem?

We have a simple pain rule for our patients, called the "Rule of 3". Following this rule can help you avoid injury during exercise or everyday life. Here's how it works:

The Rule of 3

During any activity, rate your pain on a scale of 0 - 10, where "0" is no pain, and "10" is the worst pain you've ever experienced in your life. As long as you keep your pain rating at 3/10 or lower, you're almost always safe. If your pain reaches levels of 4/10 or higher, either modify the activity to bring it down to a "3" or lower, or simply stop the activity. (NOTE: This rule does NOT apply to "exercise discomfort" -- the burning feeling in muscles from straining during exercise.)

And, if you find yourself having to modify or eliminate activities on a regular basis, it's time for you to meet with a qualified health professional. Pain that occurs routinely, or pain that becomes more frequent or severe, is a sign that some underlying problem needs to be corrected. And with many conditions, the sooner you get the proper treatment, the easier it is to correct.

So, let's change the old saying, "No pain, no gain" to a new one. It's safer, it's more comfortable, and it's an easier motto to live by: "No pain, no pain!". Listen to your body -- it knows what it needs!

Frequent Heartburn Alarm

First of all, it is good to know that heartburn is not correlated with heart diseases. On the other hand, the symptoms of heartburn are identical to heart attack symptoms. Over-the-counter medications are available for purchase to ease the pain. But frequent heartburn is oftentimes considered to be a health concern because it cannot be cured sometimes by OTC medications.

Feelings of pain at chest the part is a usual indication of heartburn. Chest pain is common for heartburn patients. As a matter of fact, the pain suggests a burning sensation which in turn makes the patient uneasy.

Heartburn is usually experienced by the general population once in a while. But if ever the heartburn occurs more frequently than expected, then that should be a red flag or signal of a frequent heartburn condition. And as soon as possible, seek medical consultation especially when it is accompanied by a severe chest pain.

If the acid from the stomach goes to the esophagus, chest pain arises. Thus, there will be feelings of burning sensation over the chest, throat and stomach. Heartburn is frequently caused by poor lifestyle habits, like taking in the kind of foods and drinks that usually predispose to acquire the condition. It can also be due to obesity, stress and gluttony.

On the side note, symptoms of heart attack do not usually include a chronic state of heartburn. Symptoms like nausea and vomiting, sweating frequently, and difficulty or shortness of breath are symptoms that should never be set aside. It is advisable to seek medical consultation immediately. Medical attention is very crucial if a chronic heartburn still persists even with the use of an OTC drug.

Once again, even if frequent heartburn has nothing to do with heart disease, this condition should be dealt seriously to avoid further problems. Ignoring heartburn symptoms might eventually result to complications like esophagus-related diseases.

SUFFERING FROM PAIN - TRY ARTHRITIS HERBAL REMEDIES

Suffering from arthritis in his hands, joint? You live with the pain in his hands and fingers? Stiff joints, swollen and painful? Need help? Why not try arthritis Herbal remedies.

Herbal remedies for arthritis are designed to help relieve pain and increase circulation. They reduce the swelling and help to oxygenate the blood so that it can better reach the areas that need to be healed.

Arthritis is one of the most common causes of chronic pain. But, arthritis pain relief is not so common. There are over one hundred diseases associated with arthritis, affecting areas in and around joints. Just below heart disease, arthritis is the second leading cause of disability and incapacity for work. Pain of arthritis can limit the ability to perform simple, everyday activities. Many people believe that nothing can be done for arthritis - but there are ways to relieve the pain caused by arthritis. The most successful way is to manage your pain and try to avoid situations that aggravate the problem area.

In many cases, arthritis is caused by wear and tear of the joints. Some of this wear and is caused as the body ages naturally. Some is brought in earlier than normal by overusing certain joints. Maintain a healthy weight is essential in preventing the onset of the attack of arthritis. As with many other medical conditions, how you take care of your body will be a determining factor in whether or not you arthritis affects you and how soon you begin to see signs of the disease.

There are two common types of arthritis - osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. It commonly causes sleepless nights because of nightmares and often, even after a night of sleep sufferer’s wake up feeling un-rested.

You need a good night's sleep for your body to rejuvenate and heal itself. When you do not get that sleep you wake up in the worst pain. So getting a good night sleep is really important.

Eating well and regular exercise are also important. You should also add a supplement of Healthy diet that will help reduce the stress on your joints. Always try to avoid further damage to the joints.

And of course, Herbal remedies are essential for reducing their level of pain. You will get the maximum benefits using Herbal remedies regularly. There are many different Herbal remedies for arthritis on the market. Choose what is right for you.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that is a result of cartilage breaking. In general, affects the spine, hands, knees and feet or other weight bearing joints. It decreases your range of motion and the true cause is not completely understood.

Rheumatoid arthritis is inflammatory arthritis and is actually more common than you might have thought. It is caused when the membrane that lines joint thickens. It involves the hands, ankles, hips, elbows, knees and shoulders. He can remain continuously bad or can break and settle down.

There are several sites selling arthritis Herbal remedies all that are available online. Prices vary depending on location, so it certainly pays to spend some time researching the various retailers.