Modern Living

Benefits of Having a C-Arm in Your Practice for Swallow Studies

A C-arm machine is an imaging scanner intensifier. It has a c-shaped arm that connects the x-ray source and the x-ray detector. These machines are often used for intraoperative imaging during a variety of surgical, orthopedic, and emergency procedures because of their unique capabilities, such as producing x-ray images in real-time and allowing doctors to monitor their progress during procedures or tests and make any corrections immediately.

Traditionally, a radiography and fluoroscopy room at a hospital has been considered necessary for swallowing studies for conditions such as dysphagia, aspiration, and esophageal modality disorders. However, small practices are beginning to perform these studies in their offices with C-arms. There are a few instances where these machines would be the ideal tool for these studies. 

Patients With Limited Mobility

If a patient has a condition that limits their mobility, a C-arm machine would be able to accommodate them. A C-arm makes it easier to perform any studies if patients cannot get out of their wheelchair, swallowing chair, or stretcher. A C-arm machine is also an accomodating tool if your patients cannot get comfortable on a radiography and fluoroscopy table. However, it is important to keep in mind that a C-arm machine does not give you the images you need to check for gastroesophageal reflux like a radiography and fluoroscopy room will. Instead, a C-arm is only capable of checking for esophageal modality, which will give you the information you need for most swallowing studies. 

Emergency Patients

If necessary, swallowing studies can be performed on emergency patients with a C-arm machine. This can save time since patients are not required to be transferred to a hospital with a radiography and fluoroscopy room. 

Rehabilitation Patients

Since using a C-arm machine allows doctors to get the images they need for swallowing studies outside of a traditional hospital setting, having one will prevent you from having to refer any patients to a different location for their test. This is especially helpful if you see a lot of patients undergoing rehabilitation after a surgery or injury because it can improve the patient’s experience and open new sources of revenue for your facility. 

Having a C-arm machine could save your patients time and discomfort in cases when a traditional radiography and fluoroscopy room just isn’t flexible enough. If your facility has been outsourcing swallowing studies, can be a great way to expand your offerings and better serve your patients. 

The Power and Versatility of Caster Wheels

The caster wheel may have a single or compound configuration. It is often found mounted at the base of a large object to make it possible to easily move the object around. Caster wheels come in a wide variety of sizes and could be made of aluminum, metal, nylon, plastic, or rubber. As technology advances, new methods of making the wheels are sure to come. What’s all the fuss about something as basic and common as a wheel? Learn more about the benefits of this tough little wheel that protects the ground it rolls on while moving heavy loads.

Multi-directional Movement

Many caster wheels are mounted inside a specialized housing in a swivel design. Depending on the specific type of wheel, it is often possible to move objects around in any direction. These specialized wheels provide 360 degrees of rotation, so you don’t need to push heavy carts forward and backward while trying to maneuver around a corner. Of course, you could also choose wheels in a rigid configuration that move in straight lines when you want a more controlled movement.

Powerful Weight-Bearing Performance

These wheels are found commonly in many settings, such as on shopping carts and moveable shelving. However, the wheels are very useful when it comes to industrial loads. When attached to heavy machinery, workers can position that machinery more easily, and technicians can move the machinery around as necessary during servicing. Additionally, because the caster wheel holds up under so much pressure, it also protects the ground below the machinery. One of the primary ideas of these wheels is to hold up a lot of weight while providing very little resistance.

Variety and Versatility

With so many options in size, shape, and composition, it’s pretty easy to find wheels for the project you have in mind. There are small wheels for small carts and very large wheels for industrial machinery. You can choose wheels designed to move around on cement surfaces while being exposed to grit and a lot of wear and tear, and you can find wheels designed to move without hesitation across a carpeted library room.

As you consider purchasing casters, think about the possibility of adding brakes or directional locks. These locks allow you to enjoy the functionality of swivel movement as you need it with the option of locking movement into straight lines when it becomes necessary. When you have a specific project in mind, and you want to improve the portability of shelves, carts, or machinery, check out caster wheels. There are plenty of options available, so you can find the one that is best suited to your requirements.

Tips for Working From Home

Working from home can sound like a dream, but it isn’t always as easy as it sounds. Many people imagine lounging around the house in their pajamas all day, but staying focused takes a lot of work. Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of working from your house.

Create a Space

Waking up, grabbing your laptop and working while still in bed isn’t ideal. Your mind and body are used to sleeping there, so it isn’t a great work environment. Although you can move to the couch, there will still be a lot of distractions around such as the television. Making your own office or having a desk set up can help keep you focused. You may find that you even need to look for office space for rent West Chester PA.

Set a Schedule

Your boss probably has hours that you’re required to work, but setting your own schedule can be beneficial as well. You should try to get up at the same time every work day, get ready and have breakfast before you go to your desk. You’ll also want to set a time for a lunch break. Sitting at your desk all day can be monotonous, so try to make time to get up and move around or take a walk.

Get Dressed

Constantly staying in your pajamas isn’t always the best idea. It can cause you to feel unmotivated and forget that you’re supposed to be working instead of lounging. Try to get up and put on fresh clothes every day even if they are comfortable ones.

Working at home has a lot of perks and can really help with work-life balance. However, you have to make sure you do it the right way. Follow these tips, and you’ll work your way towards being your most productive self.

3 Ways to Deter Thieves From the Job Site

Contractors face a growing threat of theft on their construction sites. Around $1 billion a year is lost to stolen equipment, whether by crimes of opportunity or by dishonest employees. It is difficult for law enforcement to trace down stolen items, and though insurance policies may cover the costs of replacement, theft causes serious disruptions to the commercial construction Montreal QC companies. Here are some ways to prevent and deter thieves from ransacking your job site.

Keep the Area Well Lit

This is probably one of the most important actions you can take. It is also one of the easiest. Thieves need the cover of darkness or shadows, and by keeping your job site illuminated, it is much harder for thieves to go unseen. Solar lights are a great way to affordable and flexible way to install lighting.

Set Up Surveillance

With many of the tech developments in cameras and wireless devices, it is fairly easy to install a surveillance system on your job site. You could hire a security company to patrol the sight, but battery or solar-powered cameras work well with the limited services found on a construction site. Many of the newer systems have text alerts that allow you to see what is going on in real-time when the camera has detected movement. You can then call the authorities to investigate. Motion sensors with spotlight features are a good deterrent, especially when established around the perimeter of the site or where the work trailer is.

Put Up Fencing

Though a more expensive and time-consuming option, installing temporary fencing makes it a lot hard for thieves to access your materials or equipment. It needs to be at least eight feet high to be effective, and it should have a gate that is locked each night. Only one entry to the site will make it harder for thieves to remain unseen, especially if you choose to install a security camera near the entrance.

These are some easy ways to keep thieves from taking advantage of your equipment and materials.

3 Ways To Improve a City’s Appearance

Cities can be awe-inspiring in their scope and grandeur. Tall buildings, old architecture and broad streets host hundreds or thousands of people every day. Over time, things may deteriorate or become obsolete, but there are plenty of ways to breathe life back into an area.

1. Adaptive Reuse

Old buildings have the potential to become eyesores. One way to get rid of them is by tearing them down and putting something else in their place. However, a big part of what makes a city special is its architecture and destroying old buildings can take a piece of history away from the residents. Adaptive reuse is a way to renovate structures that no longer serve their original purpose. An old hotel could be remade into an apartment complex, or an old storage facility can be turned into a shopping center.

2. Community Gardens

One way to beautify any urban area is with the addition of greenery. Urban gardens can grow fruits and vegetables for locals to enjoy. They could also provide a small space full of flowers and shrubs for people to relax in.

3. Clean Up

Any place that attracts large numbers of people can unfortunately also be a place that has litter. Organizing groups of volunteers to meet for a day of cleaning up an area of a city is a great way to bring people together for a good cause. Even if there are other things that need to be improved, clean streets and sideways instantly boost the look and feel of a city.

Whether the changes made are large or small, they all add up to create a city that is nicer to be in every day. If the changes that need to happen are too big to do alone or with available resources, contact city council members and other local authorities to ask for assistance.

Simple Ways To Improve Your Company’s Financial Standing

Money troubles are commonplace in the world of business. Whether you’ve made an investment that didn’t pan out or are dealing with a particularly slow quarter in terms of sales, there are countless reasons why you could be struggling with your budget. Luckily, there are just as many ways for you to improve your current financial standing. Take a look at these ideas and learn how to gain control over your funds in a useful way.

Pay Attention to Your Books

Keeping track of spending is a given when it comes to running your business. However, many people tend to note the amount spent without taking time to assess what the numbers mean. Analytics can do wonders for your ability to spot patterns in spending that can lead to helpful realizations. You may discover you’re spending too much or that there are better ways to manage how you pay your vendors.

Work With a Witness

There are also professionals who can help you when you need guidance with a financial problem. Attorneys will often work closely with experts who specialize in litigation that surrounds financial matters. A bank expert witness, for example, is one who can provide support to an attorney in a variety of situations. This can include testimony in court, depositions, and strategies surrounding a particular scenario. If your financial troubles are legal in nature, speak with your attorney about what using a witness while preparing your case.

Invest in the Future

Playing it safe might help you feel secure with your business, but you need to take risks to see significant gains. Expanding your company is an excellent way to take available capital and put it to good use. Researching an investment in advance will help you reduce the odds of seizing a bad opportunity.

While financial problems might be commonplace for businesses of all shapes and sizes, you can find solutions by practicing the right habits. Take time to learn more about what moves you can make with your money to stay on the best path.

How to Clear Blocked Drains

When you first begin to notice the tell-tale signs that your drains may be slowly becoming blocked, then its time to act. Slow sink drainage, extended gurgling noises and the occasional stagnant waft are the associated indicators that you need to consider your options. Depending on the severity of your blocked drains Brisbane there are a range of possible measures to combat the clog and our advice below outlines the increase level of options you can take, ranging from do-it-yourself to get the professionals in.

More often than not, blocked drains are caused by the steady build up of soap, fat and things such as coffee grounds that have gathered on the surface of the water in the pipe. The most effective first measure is to fill your sink (and the drainer too if you have one) with soapy boiling water, then pull the plug to release the full sink into the drain. Be very careful not to scald yourself in the full sink. The aim here is to provide a quick powerful flush which helps to break up the crust or blockage with heat and water-power. As an alternative to soapy or detergent based water, try adding a mixture of salt, bicarbonate of soda and vinegar – generally half a cup of each – with a cup of hot water and washing it down the drain. These ingredients help to break down soap and fat, but if these methods fail, read on.

In the old days a popular method of unblocking a drain was to use a plunger and plenty of elbow grease. Plungers were and still are very effective and work by forcing air through the pipes, which in turn helps to break the blockage free, because often they have bonded themselves to the insides of the pipe where they sit too. Depending on your set up you may have to block off the drain in the second sink or drainer, to ensure the air pressure is forced down the pipe, and not out of the nearest adjoining plughole.

Stage three drain clearance requires a more caustic approach. The use of drain un-blocker products that you can purchase at the supermarkets is one alternative, but others include caustic soda and hydrochloric acid which can be bought from DIY stores such as Bunnings. The general process of events with these solutions are to leave them in the affected pipes for about thirty minutes, to enable them to attack and break down the blockage. It is advisable not to leave them for too long because they can have the adverse effect of corroding the pipes if they are made of PVC. An additional word of advice is to begin flushing the chemicals out with cold water first. If they’ve not worked properly and are backed up in the pipe, and you then add boiling water, the chances are that the solution could spray back, and if it gets onto your skin or in your eyes then you will be in for a rather unpleasant time. Be sure to always wear protective clothing such as gloves and a facemask, and preferable wear old clothes so that they don’t get spoiled.

At this point, if your blockage is still evident then it’s time to call in a professional plumber or drain cleaning specialist. Drain cleaning technologies such as electric eels and hydro-jets can be hired but, if you don’t really know what you are doing then you stand every chance of making things worse. Plumbers have a wealth of technology to help them first locate and then either remove the blockage or repair the damage that caused it in the first place.

What are the Effects of Kratom?

Kratom is quickly taking the medical world by storm because of the inherent medical compounds that can be found inside of it. Originally native to Southeast Asia (and some parts of northern Asia), Mitragyna Speciosa, or Kratom, is a plant that can grow up to 30 feet tall in the right fertile, humid conditions. The most interesting part of the plant, however, is the leaf. The leaves are where the immense potential medical compounds and many alkaloids are found.

Origins of Kratom

According to the site Sacred Kratom, the plant was known to scientific and medical communities in Southeast Asia for years before its official discovery by Dutch botanist Peter Willem Korthals. However, once it was formerly identified and classified, it was written about in a medical journal called ‘Observasions de Nauclais Indicis’.  Today, scientists and botanists are continuing to study the plant to see what medical advances can be made from its unique leaf makeup.

Here are some of the potential known side effects of using Kratom:

1. Improvement in Focus

Kratom has some small sedating effects which can help to calm the mind and reduce anxiety. As a part of that, it also induces the release of a chemical called acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is a special chemical that can help with neurotransmission and enhance the body’s ability to focus. On top of that, some studies have shown that memory can also be enhanced because of the increased ability of cortical circuits to make a response to the stimuli they receive.

2. Improvement in Cognitive Ability

In addition to focus and memory improvements, Kratom also has other mental benefits that can occur. The alkaloids contained in Kratom can be metabolized and act on delta receptors and Mu receptors. When both these things happen, cognitive performance can be enhanced for the person affected.

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