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How Does Using Ultrasound in Physiotherapy help?

    /    บทความ    /    How Does Using Ultrasound in Physiotherapy help?

Better Posture, Better Health.

How Does Using Ultrasound In Physiotherapy Help?

Ultrasound is a technology that has been used for physiotherapy with high frequency sound waves that produces heat to under the skin at 2-5 cm. It is used to reduce pain, tissue inflammation, increase flexibility of joints in deep layers, reduce swelling and accelerate tissue repair Including the release of muscle spasms. However, choosing the setting level, frequency, and waveform physicians and physical therapists will determine the individual patient’s suitability.

Benefits of Ultrasound Therapy

Ultrasound used in physical therapy can be used to treat the following symptoms as follows:

  • To reduce pain
  • To increase the flexibility of the muscle 
  • To reduce the spasms of tissues and fascia
  • To reduce swelling due to inflammation in the early stages
  • To treat deep tissue areas providing maximum heat to bone, cartilage, ligament and muscle
  • Can treat areas with metal

Which Symptoms Can Be Treated With Ultrasound Therapy?

Ultrasound waves are suitable for the treatment of recently injured tissues to accelerate the rebuilding process and reduce the duration of the inflammatory phase. The suitable symptoms for ultrasound treatment are as follows:

  • Office Syndrome: It is a group of symptoms in the muscles and fascia (Myofascial Pain Syndrome) due to a pattern of work that uses the same muscle repeatedly for a long period of time.
  • Knee Osteoarthritis: It is a disease caused by the degeneration of the cartilage of the knee joint in terms of shape, structure, function of joint bones and the bones near the joints wear and deteriorate with age.
  • Tennis Elbow Disease: It is pain of the elbow when moving the elbow, when flicking the wrist up vigorously or when clenching things in the hand.
  • Ankle Sprain: Injuries caused by stumbles, falls, twisted feet, sports or car accidents which may tear the ligaments of the ankle.
  • Lower Back Pain: It is the pain in the back, tight back muscles or stiff in the back from the back of the rib to the lower part.
  • Hip Flexor Nerve Symptoms (Piriformis Syndrome): It is a disorder of the nervous system and muscles. It occurs when the piriformis muscle in the buttock near the hip presses on the sciatic nerve resulting in pain in the buttocks spreading to the legs.
  • Shoulder joint pain (Frozen Shoulder): It is a pain in the shoulder area resulting in inability to fully raise arms or fully cross back. The pain increases with movement. The most prominent symptom is the inability to move the shoulder joint and having pain when lying down.
  • Finger lock (Trigger Finger): It is when the knuckle is painful or the finger is locked, unable to extend itself while the knuckle is moving.

However, the patient should be taking the physical examination by a physical therapist. or physician in detail to diagnose the disease and know the cause of the disease correctly in order to optimize the best treatment efficiency through the suitable treatment for each patient.

If you need consultation with a doctor about physical therapy, come down to PrimoCare Medical Clinic to receive advice from professionals. We have complete services from the physical examination including personal physical therapy. You can inquire or make an appointment in advance here.

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Get to Know the Effects of Different Fats on the Body and How to Have a Balanced Diet?

    /    บทความ    /    Get to Know the Effects of Different Fats on the Body and How to Have a Balanced Diet?

Better Posture, Better Health.

Get to Know the Effects of Different Fats on the Body and How to Have a Balanced Diet?

Fat is usually considered bad for the health. But nowadays, it is proven that not all fats are harmful to health. Although trans fats and saturated fats are the causes of obesity, heart disease, clogged arteries and many other health problems, healthy fats like polyunsaturated fats play an important role in the well functioning of the body. It also helps to balance your mood, increase your energy, and help you control your weight. 

How to Differentiate between Good and Bad Fats?

Fat is an important nutrient, just like protein, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins. According to the advice of doctors and nutrition experts, a healthy meal doesn’t have to be fat-free but should adhere to the principle of choosing to eat according to the following criteria:

  • Focus on consuming foods that contain good fats or unsaturated fats
  • Limit the amount of foods that are high in saturated fat
  • Avoid foods that contain trans fats

Trans Fats

Trans fats are also known as ‘bad fats’ and even if they are consumed in small amounts, they can increase your risk of various diseases as it is the type of fat that increases the level of bad cholesterol (LDL) and also reduces the level of good cholesterol (HDL), causing the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke including obesity and subsequent diabetes. We should limit our daily intake of trans fats to no more than 1% of total calories.

Most trans fats are produced in the food industry as from the introduction of vegetable fat or unsaturated fat that is in liquid state through a chemical reaction by adding some hydrogen until it coagulates into a solid mass so that it can be stored for a long time and does not smell rancid.

High Trans Fat Content Food

  • Margarine, white butter, creamer that is often used in fast food dishes such as fried food, baked goods, bakery and processed crispy snacks.
  • Occurs naturally in foods from animal fats and dairy products but in very small quantities so it is not as concerning as the partially hydrogenated trans fats in the first group.

With the rise in awareness of the dangers of trans fats, many countries around the world have passed laws prohibiting the production, import and sale of partially hydrogenated oil including Thailand, this law has been enforced since January 9, 2019.

However, some products may advertise that they are trans fat free. According to the law, if there is less than 0.5 grams of trans fat, it can be listed as 0 grams. 

Saturated Fat

Saturated fat is not as dangerous as trans fats but it may have negative effects on health so it should be consumed in moderation. The recommended consumption amount is approximately no more than 7% of calories received per day where this type of fat can occur naturally in food. 

High Saturated Fat Content Food

  • Red meat such as pork, beef, lamb, leather, lard
  • Some vegetable fats such as coconut oil, palm oil, coconut milk, etc.
  • Fast Food such as butter, cheese, ice cream, cookies, bacon, sausage
The health effects of saturated fat intake are unclear. A study that analyzed research over the past 20 years found that saturated fat did not increase the risk of heart disease and some saturated fats may be better than others. For example, the saturated fat in milk may be better than red meat.
 
Nowadays, many products and foods follow the health trend by choosing something else instead of saturated fat. Before buying, make sure the replacement ingredients are good fats that help reduce the chances of heart disease or is it a carbohydrate diet that may increase your risk of heart disease?
 

Unsaturated Fat or Good Fat

Unsaturated fat is heart-healthy fat. Research has shown that good fats help reduce blood cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, heart attack, blood pressure and also helps reduce inflammation in the body that is one of the causes of many illnesses and chronic diseases including various cancers. 

High Unsaturated Fat Content Food

Unsaturated fats can be divided into two types: monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats.

  • Monounsaturated fat is in liquid form at room temperature and clumps when refrigerated. It is found in a lot of vegetable oils like olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil and in nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, and avocados. 
  • Polyunsaturated fat is a liquid both at room temperature and when refrigerated and it can be found in sunflower oil, soybean oil, corn oil, flaxseed oil, flaxseeds and fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, sea bass, catfish and snakehead fish. It is an essential fatty acid that the body cannot produce by itself and is one of the types of unsaturated fat. It is recommended to consume the aforementioned fish foods 2-3 times a week to get enough omega-3s.

Does Each Type of Fat Contain the Same Calories?

Every gram of fat provides 9 calories, which is twice that of 1 gram of protein, which has only 4 calories. Eating too much fat can lead to weight gain. The recommended amount of fat per day is no more than 25-30% of total calories.

Fat is the building block of many cells in the body and is an essential part of a healthy diet. In addition, fat is beneficial for those who are losing weight as it helps to feel full and hungry more slowly, however, good fats such as nuts, fish and unsaturated fats such as oils should be consumed at the right amount. The portion of consumption can be arranged as per the following instructions.

  • Include the other types of food portions to complete the appropriate amount of calories that should be consumed each day.
  • Focus mainly on fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
  • Choose lean protein or lean meat. Avoid red meat. 
  • Reduce salty, sodium-containing foods including oily foods, fried foods, sweet foods, and sugary drinks.
Eating healthy is not difficult but it’s not easy to get started. Consult with a nutritionist/dietitian at PrimoCare about a healthy diet including how to eat to meet your lifestyle and health conditions. Make an advance appointment here.

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Facing Insomnia because of stress?

    /    บทความ    /    Facing Insomnia because of stress?

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Facing Insomnia Because of Stress?

During the outbreak of COVID-19 while working from home, many people are addicted to working irregular hours or working late at night, coupled with unfavorable work environments,  no concentration at work which are causing stress until insomnia. These result in exhaustion during the day and decreased performance and creates an ever-increasing amount of stress. So the insomnia became more severe. 

Is there any way that can help to get out of this endless cycle of stress until insomnia? Let’s learn the causes and ways to relieve stress by yourself recommended by doctors at  PrimoCare Medical. 
 

Why Do We Feel Stressed while Working from Home?

Some people may think that working from home should be comfortable as there is no need to leave the house to encounter traffic jams and pollution outside, without needing to worry about the chaos in the office and would be able to concentrate more on work

Indeed, working from home for extended periods of time can cause unconscious stress build-up. As some tasks require brainstorming together or need someone to give advice and talk to each other all the time, the work and rest time are overlapped until there is no real rest time resulting in the discomfort of working from home.

For all these reasons, working from home can be stressful. This stress is a major cause of insomnia, waking up in the middle of the night and not getting enough rest. By survey results in many countries around the world, it was found that the number of people with sleeping problems or insomnia has increased significantly during this COVID-19 period.

 

Causes of Insomnia

Our doctors at PrimoCare Medical explain the causes of insomnia that can happen from a number of factors as follows:

  • An environment that is not suitable for sleeping such as a room that is too hot or too cold, there is a light or noise that disturbs sleep, etc.
  • Certain foods and medications that induce a lack of sleep such as tea, coffee or caffeinated sodas that are stimulants that make you feel alert, nicotine. exposure from smoking including taking weight loss drugs, asthma medications and some nasal decongestants.
  • Working with irregular sleep hours, such as shift work, work that requires constant shifts in work hours until the body is unable to adapt.
  • Not exercising or exercising too little may make it difficult to fall asleep. Additionally, exercising too close to bedtime can cause your body to be so awake causing you insomnia.
  • Physical symptoms such as hunger, pain, aches and pains, breathing problems, etc.
  • Stress and anxiety is one of the main reasons why many people cannot sleep, especially working people who have to be stressed about work. Stress causes negative effects on both the body and the mind, such as headaches, stomach pains, frustration, discouragement, and depression. All of these symptoms further increase the severity of insomnia.

How to Cure Insomnia: De-Stress Before Going to Bed

Don’t let stress diminish the quality of your sleep. Let’s start changing behavior before bedtime to relieve stress and prepare the body and brain for sleep following these instructions:

  • Plan work to suit the available time. Separate work and rest time. When it’s time to get off work, stop thinking about work and give yourself time to relax.
  • Try to go to bed at a consistent time. Go to bed as soon as you feel sleepy for the body to remember sleep time. Adjust the biological clock in the body to balance.
  • Organize the environment in the bedroom appropriately. Adjust the temperature so that it is neither too hot nor too cold. Turn off lights and noises.
  • Eat foods that are high in magnesium, such as soybeans, peanuts, almonds, cashews. and whole grains to help relax the nervous system.
  • Stretch your muscles, massage them, twist them, or soak them in warm water to relieve tension.
  • Sip a warm drink that helps to relax, such as chamomile tea, etc.
  • Create a sleep environment by using scents that help sleep, such as lavender, chamomile, etc., to help relieve stress. Makes you feel calm and free.
  • Do some activities to help you feel relaxed  such as reading books, listening to music, drawing, meditating, etc. 
  • Exercise regularly. But do not exercise for 4 hours before bedtime as it will make the body awake and make it harder to fall asleep.
  • Avoid using your phone before bedtime. Place your phone away from your bed to prevent the light from your phone screen from disturbing your sleep.
  • Avoid having heavy meals before going to bed. If you feel hungry, eat light meals such as bread, juice, milk, etc.
  • Avoid drinking alcohol, tea, coffee and caffeinated soft drinks at least 6 hours before bedtime.
  • Stop thinking about things that make you feel stressed, worried and sad. Try not to think about the future that is yet to come.

If the insomnia has not improved after following the advice mentioned above, you need to consult with a doctor to find the cause, receive treatment and plan a sleep plan as recommended by your doctor. If it leads to chronic insomnia, it can affect the health, quality of life, work performance, contributing risk factors for medical problems like cardiovascular disease, anxiety and diabetes etc. 

Let the sound sleep be a time of true relaxation by starting to pay attention to healthy physical and mental health from today or get a further consultation with a doctor at PrimoCare Medical Clinic. Click here to visit us or make an appointment to enquire more about our services.

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Good Vaccine Checklist

    /    บทความ    /    Good Vaccine Checklist

Better Posture, Better Health.

When and how should you get vaccinated?

Vaccination is considered primary prevention, which means the prevention before the disease progresses. The vaccination can help stimulate the body to build immunity against the pathogen. Getting vaccinated can help reduce the intensity of infection and the mortality rate, as well as reducing the likelihood of infection and the severity of illness.

Influenza Vaccine

There are two types of Influenza Vaccine: 

  • Vaccine against 3 different types of influenza It protects 2 strains of A virus and 1 strain of B virus.
  • Vaccine against 4 different types of influenza It protects 2 strains of A virus and 2 strains of B virus. 
The influenza vaccine can be injected starting from the age of 6 months and should be injected once a year. We should get vaccinated every year because the composition of influenza vaccines are updated annually. The influenza vaccine in Thailand is highly safe and it is 70-90% effective in preventing infection.

Cervical Cancer Vaccine

There are three types of HPV (Human Papillomavirus) vaccines:

  • Vaccine that protects against two types of cervical cancer: strains 16 and 18.
  • Vaccine that protects against four types of cervical cancer: strains 6, 11, 16 and 18.
  • Vaccine protects against nine types of cervical cancer, including strains 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52 and 58.

The cervical cancer vaccine can be injected in women and men from the age of 9 to 45 years old and it can prevent cervical cancer, vulvar cancer and female uterine cancer. It can also prevent anal cancer and genital warts in males. Vaccination against HPV requires a total of 3 injections at the intervals of 0, 2 and 6 months.

Shingle Vaccine

The shingle vaccine (Zostavax) can reduce the chance of developing shingles by 51% and reduce the post infected symptoms by 67%. With or without having shingles or chickenpox before, the vaccine is recommended for only one injection for adults over 60 years old.

Diphtheria and Tetanus Vaccine

Diphtheria tetanus vaccine (dT) is a mandatory vaccine for all children 7 years of age and older, with three doses at intervals of 0, 1 and 6 months, followed by the booster every 10 years. Moreover, pregnant women and people with wounds should receive tetanus-diphtheria vaccination as they are more likely to be contaminated with tetanus.

Pneumonia Vaccine

Pneumonia vaccine (Pneumococcal vaccine) is a vaccine for preventing bacterial infections. Two types of pneumonia vaccine are:

  • Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV13, PCV15, and PCV20)
  • Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23)

The vaccination should start with 13 conjugated vaccinations and in order to build a high immunity, polysaccharides should be vaccinated after 1 year. It is recommended to use in the elderly 65 years and older. The pneumococcal pneumonia vaccine and the influenza vaccine are safe vaccinations and it has been widely used all over the world for a long time.


Hepatitis B Vaccine

Hepatitis B Vaccine prevents infection from the hepatitis B virus and it can help prevent liver cancer resulting from hepatitis B. Hepatitis B virus can cause 80% of liver cancer and is the second leading cause of cancer death. All Thai children should receive 3 doses of hepatitis B vaccination with intervals of 0, 1 and 6 months. In general, people after the injection can build up to 95% immunity to hepatitis B and can prevent lifelong infection.

If you would like to make an appointment for vaccinations or consult with a doctor, PrimoCare Medical Clinic is ready to take care of your health in its entirety. You can inquire or make an appointment in advance here.

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Healthy work-life balance

    /    บทความ    /    Healthy work-life balance

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Healthy Work-Life Balance

 Mental health refers to cognitive, behavioral, and emotional well-being in order to adapt to society and environment and live happily. Mental health in the workplace should be prioritized because work is an essential part of daily life. Also work-related stress and anxiety can be avoided. It is critical to manage your mental health at work in order to achieve work-life balance in your life.

Mental Health

Mental health is a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.

Mental health is fundamental to our collective and individual ability as humans to think, emote, interact with each other, earn a living and enjoy life. On this basis, the promotion, protection and restoration of mental health can be regarded as a vital concern of individuals, communities and societies throughout the world.

 

Work-related Stress

Pressure at the workplace is unavoidable due to the demands of the contemporary work environment. Pressure perceived as acceptable by an individual may even keep workers alert, motivated, able to work and learn, depending on the available resources and personal characteristics. However, when that pressure becomes excessive or otherwise unmanageable it leads to stress. Stress can damage an employees’ health and the business performance by following : 

  • Feeling bored, unwilling to work or lacking of enthusiasm 
  • Constantly experience stress
  • Problems with tobacco, alcohol and other drugs
  • Heart disease and other medical conditions  

Mental Health Assessment Form

The Thai Mental Health Questionnaire (short version) 15 questions by Department of Mental Health, Ministry of Public Health. The following questions will inquire about your experiences over the previous month. about your symptoms, or your thoughts and feelings. Then choose the answer that best describes you. The answer will have 4 options: Not at all (1 point), Slightly (2 points), Very (3 points) and Very Much (4 points).

  1. Do you feel satisfied in life?
  2. Do you feel comfortable?
  3. Do You feel disgusted with your daily life?
  4. Do you feel disappointed in yourself?
  5. Do you feel that your life is full of suffering?
  6. Are you willing to accept problems that are difficult to resolve?
  7. Are you confident that you can control your emotions when something serious happens?
  8. Are you confident that you will face stressful events in your life?
  9. Do you feel compassion when others are suffering?
  10. Do you feel comfortable helping others who have problems?
  11. Do you assist others when you have the chance?
  12. Do you feel proud of yourself
  13. Do you feel stable safe with family
  14. If you are seriously ill, do you believe that your family will take good care of you?
  15. Have your family members love and bond with each other?

Assessment Result

The Thai Mental Health Questionnaire (short version) 15 questions by the Department of Mental Health, Ministry of Public Health has a total score of 60.

  •  51-60 points indicate that you have better mental health than the average person (Good)
  • 44-50 points indicate that you have the same mental health as the general population (Fair)
  • 43 points or less indicate that you having poorer mental health than the general population (Poor)


Work-Life Balance

There’s no sure way to prevent mental illness. However, if you have a mental illness, taking steps to control stress, to increase your resilience and to boost low self-esteem may help keep your symptoms under control. Follow these steps:

  • Pay attention to warning signs: Work with your doctor or therapist to learn what might trigger your symptoms. Make a plan so that you know what to do if symptoms return. Contact your doctor or therapist if you notice any changes in symptoms or how you feel. Consider involving family members or friends to watch for warning signs.
  • Get help when you need it: Mental health conditions can be harder to treat if you wait until symptoms get bad. Long-term maintenance treatment may also help prevent a relapse of symptoms.
  • Take good care of yourself:  Sufficient sleep, healthy eating and regular physical activity are important. Try to maintain a regular schedule. Talk to your primary care provider if you have trouble sleeping or if you have questions about diet and physical activity.
  • Mindfulness causes imbalance: When you practice mindfulness techniques, like meditation or breath awareness, you become more in-tune with your emotions and physical sensations. 
  • Find something you love outside of work to engage in:  If you have something that you’re excited about doing after work, it will make it easier to disconnect from work. Hobbies boost our energy and vitality. When we play and feel creative, we bring our fresh selves back to work.

If you would like to make an appointment to consult with a psychologist, please make an appointment at PrimoCare Medical Clinic, where we are ready to care for your health. as well as your mental wellbeing. You can inquire or schedule an appointment here in advance. 

Reference

Work-Life Balanceปรับสมดุลชีวิตทำงาน

 

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