Motorcycles, Injury Prevention, and Safety – Oh My!

Posted by on May 15, 2012 in Wellness | 0 comments

By Michael H. Rosenzweig, Esq.

Thousands of motorcyclists are injured or killed in Pennsylvania every year. In 2011 alone, there were more than 3,600 accidents involving motorcycles, and 199 people died. The best way to prevent injuries, trips to the ER, and hospital stays is for motorcyclists to focus on safety.

May is Motorcycle Awareness Month, and Memorial Day weekend is quickly approaching. Soon thousands will take to the road to usher in another riding season, so there’s no better time to remind motorcyclists and drivers to be safe and vigilant at all times.

Safety Tips for Bikers

Riding a motorcycle can be one of the best ways to enjoy summer, but it carries responsibility. You should follow all traffic laws to lower your chances of being in an accident, and help prevent others from being injured in collisions as well.

Here are a few safety tips to follow:

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Hearing Loss Treatment, Technology and Solutions

Posted by on May 15, 2012 in Wellness | 0 comments

By Kathy Landon, V.P. Branding & Professional Services, Sonic

This is the third in a three-part series on hearing loss. The first article examined hearing loss in general terms and provided information on the various causes, types and effects hearing loss can have. The second piece highlighted how to get help if someone suspects they have hearing loss, and this article examines hearing loss treatment, technology and solutions.

Just like cars are available with different features, options and price points, hearing solutions are available with different features and options that meet various hearing, lifestyle, and pricing needs. When considering a hearing device, discuss the most appropriate options with a hearing care professional. Before discussing products with a professional, review the following basic information to be a more informed consumer, and to be more comfortable discussing the options with a provider.

Hearing Device Technology

Digital signal processing has revolutionized the hearing healthcare industry. Before the introduction of digital hearing devices, most instruments were very limited in how they could be personalized for an individual’s specific hearing loss. With digital signal processing, however, hearing technology has made tremendous advances. Today’s digital hearing devices have many sophisticated features that improve sound clarity and speech intelligibility, reduce noise, and provide connectivity to a host of other digital devices. Most importantly, modern hearing devices allow complete customization, allowing the hearing care professional to program or ‘tune’ the hearing device specifically to the patient’s needs.

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PTI Open Massage Clinics Define Hands-On Practical Experience for Students

Posted by on May 12, 2012 in Wellness | 0 comments

A small group of the 21 PTI graduates.

The Saturday Massage Clinic at Pittsburgh Technical Institute quite literally defines the concept of hands-on learning for students enrolled in the Therapeutic Massage Practitioner program in PTI’s School of Healthcare.

With faculty supervision, students welcome the public to perform traditional and innovative techniques such as Swedish (relaxation), deep tissue, reflexology, hot stone, pregnancy and geriatric massage. Through practice, students gain the skills needed to provide clients with relaxation and relief from pain associated with tension, injury and health problems.

Members of the communities surrounding PTI’s North Fayette campus have been taking advantage of the massage learning lab for years. “Most of our clients are people who live nearby and heard about what we offer,” said Jennifer Boal, a therapeutic massage instructor at PTI. Boal added that repeat appointments are in such high demand that they’ve had to set aside openings each week for new customers.

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May is National Meditation Month

Posted by on May 8, 2012 in Wellness | 0 comments

By  Mark C. Brown, Ph.D.

Americans lead busy lives. We work hard, we take less time off than workers in many other countries, and with our high tech devices and the 24-hour news cycle beckoning us to watch and listen, we experience a level of stimulation that previous generations could scarcely have imagined.

Add to this particular worries such as a faltering economy, unhealthy influences on our children, an unstable political world, and the care of aging parents, and it is easy to see why we are stressed.

And even if some of us can escape for a week to an isolated Caribbean island, we will likely carry a good deal of that “noise” along with us in our heads.

Sounds bleak. Fortunately, there is an effective method for quieting a busy brain, creating inner peace, and countering the effects of stress on our bodies and minds that anyone can do. That method is the practice of meditation. And since May is National Meditation Month, this is the perfect time to integrate the practice into your life.

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A Perfect Fit: Surgical Team’s Intricate Dance Results in New Life for An Old Knee

Posted by on May 4, 2012 in Patient Advocacy, Wellness | 0 comments

Last spring, I entered a local hospital operating room for the very first time (as an observer), that is. Four times previous, I was wheeled in (as a patient) for successive shoulder operations. It was a remarkable and personally meaningful experience getting to actually watch the intricacies of this surgical procedure that repaired both of my shoulders and helped me regain muscle strength and optimal mobility. The truth is, I was hooked. Having had the rare opportunity to actually see how a surgical operation plays out (especially after having undergone it myself) piqued my interest in a big way.

Since then, I started looking ahead and wondering what it would mean if I ever needed a hip or knee (or God forbid…shoulder replacement surgery). How similar would the recovery process be to my other surgical experiences? Would it take a longer or a shorter amount of time in terms of function and mobility? Are there special considerations I’d need to take into account that are unique to “replacement” surgeries versus the type of shoulder repair I’d already had? And finally, I just plain wondered, “How do they do it exactly?”

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The Bookworm Sez: “The Power of Habit” by Charles Duhigg

Posted by on May 3, 2012 in Wellness | 0 comments

c.2012, Random House                      $28.00 / $32.95 Canada                      373 pages
If there’s one thing in the world that everyone can count on, it’s that you’ll be in your office by a certain time each morning.
You get there via the same route, without fail. That’s, of course, after you get up at the same time each day and eat the same basic breakfast.  And why change? Your habits have served you well, and it’s nice not to have to think much about them.
So is it possible to prod others into similarly good habits?  How can a visit to your business become a part of your customers’ routine?  Read “The Power of Habit” by Charles Duhigg and find out.
Do you remember brushing your teeth this morning?
Chances are you don’t because you’ve gotten into the habit of brushing every day. Recent research indicates that over 40% of our daily actions are done by habit rather than by decision, which is why you probably don’t even recall grabbing the toothpaste. A part of your brain kicked in and did it automatically, since doing so – using a “habit loop” – saves effort by not having to think so hard.
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