10 shocking medical mistakes and ways to not become a victim

When you're a patient, you trust you're in good hands, but even the best doctor or nurse can make a mistake on you or someone you love.

The harm is often avoidable, and there are strategies you can use to help doctors and nurses get things right.

 

Here's a list of 10 shocking medical mistakes and ways to not become a victim:

1. Mistake: Treating the wrong patient • Cause: Hospital staff fails to verify a patient's identity.
• Consequences: Patients with similar names are confused.
• Prevention: Before every procedure in the hospital, make sure the staff checks your entire name, date of birth and barcode on your wrist band.
• Example case: Kerry Higuera

2. Mistake: Surgical souvenirs• Cause: Surgical staff miscounts (or fails to count) equipment used inside a patient during an operation.
• Consequences: Tools get left inside the body.
• Prevention: If you have unexpected pain, fever or swelling after surgery, ask if you might have a surgical instrument inside you.
• Example case: Nelson Bailey

3. Mistake: Lost patients• Cause: Patients with dementia are sometimes prone to wandering.
• Consequences: Patients may become trapped while wandering and die from hypothermia or dehydration.
• Prevention: If your loved one sometimes wanders, consider a GPS tracking bracelet.
• Example case: Mary Cole

4. Mistake: Fake doctors• Cause: Con artists pretend to be doctors.
• Consequences: Medical treatments backfire. Instead of getting better, patients get sicker.
• Prevention: Confirm online that your physician is licensed.
• Example case: Sarafina Gerling

5. Mistake: The ER waiting game• Cause: Emergency rooms get backed up when overcrowded hospitals don't have enough beds.
• Consequences: Patients get sicker while waiting for care.
• Prevention: Doctors listen to other doctors, so on your way to the hospital call your physician and ask them to call the emergency room.
• Example case: Malyia Jeffers

6. Mistake: Air bubbles in blood• Cause: The hole in a patient's chest isn't sealed airtight after a chest tube is removed.
• Consequences: Air bubbles get sucked into the wound and cut off blood supply to the patient's lungs, heart, kidneys and brain. Left uncorrected the patient dies.
• Prevention: If you have a chest tube in you, ask how you should be positioned when the line comes out.
• Example case: Blake Fought

7. Mistake: Operating on the wrong body part• Cause: A patient's chart is incorrect, or a surgeon misreads it, or surgical draping obscures marks that denote the correct side of the operation.
• Consequences: The surgeon cuts into the wrong side of a patient's body.
• Prevention: Just before surgery, make sure you reaffirm with the nurse and the surgeon the correct body part and side of your operation.
• Example case: Jesse Matlock

8. Mistake: Infection infestation• Cause: Doctors and nurses don't wash their hands.
• Consequences: Patients can die from infections spread by hospital workers.
• Prevention: It may be uncomfortable to ask, but make sure doctors and nurses wash their hands before they touch you, even if they're wearing gloves.
• Example case: Josh Nahum

9. Mistake: Lookalike tubes• Cause: A chest tube and a feeding tube can look a lot alike.
• Consequences: Medicine meant for the stomach goes into the chest.
• Prevention: When you have tubes in you, ask the staff to trace every tube back to the point of origin so the right medicine goes to the right place.
• Example case: Alicia Coleman

10. Mistake: Waking up during surgery• Cause: An under-dose of anesthesia.
• Consequences: The brain stays awake while the muscles stay frozen. Most patients aren't in any pain but some feel every poke, prod and cut.
• Prevention: When you schedule surgery, ask your surgeon if you need to be put asleep or if a local anesthetic might work just as well.
• Example case: Erin Cook

Do you have a personal story to tell about a medical mistake? Share it in the comments section below.

Best Vitamins and Food for cell growth division

All cells follow a similar pattern of development for at least part of their lifespans: cells first grow, then divide to produce two new cells. This is true of unicellular prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms, and it is true of the cells that make up multicellular eukaryotic organisms. Cells grow by adding materials to their cell membranes and cell walls, if present. Cells divide either by fission, as in prokaryotic organisms, mitosis, or meiosis. The process of cell division is inherently intricate cells must partition their DNA and cell contents appropriately into the new cells that result from division. In addition, organisms need to control when and how often cells divide in order to develop properly and ultimately to survive.

Vitamin B

The B vitamins often work together to deliver a number of health benefits to the body. B vitamins have been shown to:

1. Bolster metabolism

2. Maintain healthy skin and muscle tone

3. Enhance immune and nervous system function

4. Promote cell growth and division �” including that of the red blood cells that help prevent anemia

5. Together, they also help combat the symptoms and causes of stress, depression, and cardiovascular disease

Learning Objectives

1. Understand the concept of a cell cycle, and how it plays an important role in different types of organisms.

2. Understand several differences between the eukaryotic cell cycle and the prokaryotic growth cycle.

3. Understand how the eukaryotic cell cycle is controlled, and why this is important.

Cell division is the process where a single living cell splits to become two or more distinct new cells. All cells divide at some point in their lives. Cell division occurs in single-celled organisms like bacteria, in which it is the major form of reproduction (binary fission), or in multicellular organisms like plants, animals, and fungi. Many cells continually divide, such as the cells that line the human digestive tract or the cells that make up human skin. Other cells divide only once.

There are two major ways in which biologists categorize cell division. The first, mitosis, is simple cell division that creates two daughter cells that are genetically identical to the original parent cell. The process varies slightly between prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. In eularyotes, mitosis begins with replication of the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) within the cell to form two copies of each chromosome. Once two copies are present, the cell splits to become two new cells by cytokinesis, or formation of a fissure. Mitosis occurs in most cells and is the major form of cell division.

The second process, called meiosis is the production of daughter cells having half the amount of genetic material as the original parent cell. Such daughter cells are said to be haploid. Meiosis occurs in human sperm and egg production in which four haploid sex cells are produced from a single parent precursor cell. In both mitosis and meiosis of nucleated cells, shuffling of chromosomes creates genetic variation in the new daughter cells. These very important shuffling processes are known as independent assortment and random segregation of chromosomes.

Cell division is stimulated by certain kinds of chemical compounds. Molecules called cytokines are secreted by some cells to stimulate others to begin cell division. Also, contact with adjacent cells can control cell division. The phenomenon of contact inhibition is a process where the physical contact between neighboring cells prevents cell division from occurring. When contact is interrupted, however, cell division is stimulated to close the gap between cells. Cell division is a major mechanism by which organisms grow, tissues and organs maintain themselves, and wound healing occurs. Cancer is potentially a deadly form of uncontrolled cell division.

Reproductive Q&A for Cancer Survivors: Hormones and Ovaries

What is "normal" ovarian function?

Your ovaries are a part of your reproductive system and their normal function is to release eggs and make hormones. Hormones are chemical messengers in the body that are needed for healthy growth and development in girls and women. Estrogen and progesterone are two important hormones released by the ovaries. They are the hormones responsible for healthy bones, breast growth, and regular menstruation.

What is "normal" menstruation?

Menstruation, or your period, happens once a month for most women. Some girls don't get their period every month, and that can be normal too. Your period will usually last between two and seven days, although it may last longer for some girls. During the first year of menstruation it is common for your period to be irregular. Stress, intense physical activity, not eating well, pregnancy, and cancer treatments can all cause you to skip your period.

Will my ovaries work after receiving chemotherapy?

Both the type and amount of chemotherapy that you had could affect how well your ovaries will work. Your ovaries may have been hurt somewhat by the chemotherapy that was used to treat your cancer even if you still have periods after the chemotherapy is over.

During your chemotherapy, or for a period of time after your chemotherapy has ended, it is possible that your ovaries will temporarily stop working, even if they have not been permanently damaged. If the effect of the chemotherapy is temporary, your ovaries will begin to work again (they will make eggs) sometime after your chemotherapy has ended.

It has also been shown that women who receive certain types of chemotherapy may go through menopause earlier than women who have never received chemotherapy. This can happen even if your ovaries were okay right after the chemotherapy treatments. This means, instead of going through menopause at the average age of 52 years old, it's possible that you may begin menopause early (premature ovarian insufficiency) in your 20's, 30's or 40's. This is important for you to consider when planning a family.

Will my ovaries work after having had radiation?

If your ovaries were exposed to the radiation that was used to treat your cancer, they may have been damaged. This is particularly true if you received radiation to your pelvis (the lower part of your abdomen, beneath the belly button). If you received radiation to your entire body, this will also affect your pelvis and ovaries. If you received radiation to other parts of your body, it is unlikely that your ovaries were affected.

If I had chemotherapy or radiation, how were my ovaries affected?

Your oncologist or gynecologist should be able to tell you if your ovaries were affected by your cancer treatment(s). Your ovaries are part of your reproductive system. They make hormones and release eggs. Generally, if the chemotherapy and/or radiation you received affected your ovaries, your ovaries will stop making hormones and eggs and you will not have a period.

In some cases, ovaries may be partially affected by cancer treatment(s). Some young woman may ovulate occasionally and have light or infrequent periods because their ovaries are making only small amounts of hormones and some eggs.

7 Very Early Symptoms of Pregnancy

The early detection and symptoms of pregnancy is hard to tell as your body persistently gives you a soft and subtle sensation inside the body for relatively prolonged period of time. Some of the women as unaware of the pregnancy try to prevent it from securing themselves out of various methods available in a form of over-the-counter-drugs such as “Morning after pills” etc.

These medicines are extremely affective and might take 72 hours for the prevention process of the contraction of any nature. The days of intercourse with an opposite sex defines the particular stage of the pregnancy tests to be conducted regularly.

The sperm of the male reportedly clings to the vagina of a woman for up to 3 to 5 days continuously and that defines the overall structure of the contraction how successful was the intercourse and what shall be its repercussions to the lady suffering out of it.

There are mainly predictions which are termed as early warning signs or symptoms of pregnancy they’re as follows

7 Very Early Symptoms of Pregnancy

1. Missed periods: The periods are missed altogether sometimes if a woman isn’t aware of it in the first instance. Women searches upon and experience a much lighter form of pregnancy period as compared to their usual periods because they are different by nature. This has to be the earliest sign of pregnancy.

2. Breast tenderness: The noticeable early symptom for pregnancy is the tenderness in their breasts as she goes on the bed and senses up the swollen & sore breasts. The tenderness of the breasts could increase at the time of taking shower; exercising or wearing up tight woolen clothes too. It happens because at the time of pregnancy the body mass starts preparing your breasts for producing milk and to be used for breastfeeding. Hormones increases in number with remarkable changes. The color of the nipples darkens as they increase in size.

3. Frequent Urination process: There are no doubts frequent trips to washrooms whenever necessary when pregnant as the uterus of a woman increases up the pressure over the gallbladder that produces urine in larger quantity inside the body. Extra amount of fluids of the body are processed inside. The early symptom of such nature could last for nine long consecutive months.

4. Pregnancy sensation: The intuition of getting pregnant calls upon moody behaviors; light headedness; tiredness and fatigue with unexpected heartburn; stomach disorders such as constipation etc. There occurs a sense of lower backache as well with acute stiffness. She doesn’t fell her usual self when it starts taking place inside.

5. Excessive fatigue as major cause: Extreme exhaustion out of no work performed or simply getting tired of the activities with enormous amount of frustration/irritations. A woman feels like to lie down out of hectic schedule early over the bed or sofa immediately. To avoid such circumstance ladies take frequent cat’s nap of 15 minutes each to rejuvenate their body hormones and feel fresh again for a normal working course. Of course this can only be an early symptom of pregnancy if the above points too hold true otherwise you may just have anemia.

6. Nauseas and vomiting: These are the two most important predictions to find if a woman is pregnant as for many years it’s linked to frequent vomiting and nausea to stand inside the bathroom for many-many hours. The feeling emerges early in the morning when they consume a cup full of tea/coffee etc. Others fell queasy out of it.

7. Dizziness/fainting: This occurs so as to increase up the glucose level with the help of sugar intake in the diets. A lady could faint anywhere from climbing up to the stairs of the room or standing in a queue at a grocery shop etc. The blood pressure drops substantially. Portable lunch boxes loaded up with bananas; apples; Yogurt cups; carrots; celery; cheese; small cartons full of milk etc. increases up the glucose level. Food cravings and sensitivity to aromas also teaches about the early signs of pregnancy.

Migraine – Causes, Triggers, Symptoms, Treatments and Cures

Migraine, by definition, means half the head. The word migraine is most commonly used to describe an intense headache. The migraine headache affects approximately 15% of the population. Women are affected 3 times more than men. Children can also experience migraines, but they often experience abdominal migraines (stomach pain without the headache).

Causes of Migraine

In the past, scientists believed a narrowing and widening of blood vessels in the brain caused a migraine. Medical science now believes a migraine headache is caused by a disorder in the brain that may be genetic (passed through the family line).

In this disorder electrical changes in the brain cause the release of inflammatory (swelling) chemicals, irritating nerve roots in response to certain triggers.

Triggers of Migraines

Migraine triggers can include food or chemical (particularly alcohol) intolerance, bright flashing
lights, stress, physical activity, weather changes, hormonal changes, episodes of low blood sugar from poor food choices and nutritional deficiencies, or any combination of these.

Stages/Symptoms of Migraines

There are four stages typical to a migraine headache. Not all sufferers experience all stages.

1. The Prodromal Phase

This first phase experienced by 40-60% of migraine sufferers comes between just hours to several days before the headache. Symptoms include sleepiness, stiff neck, fatigue, irritability, depression, increased urination, altered bowel habits, and craving sweet foods.

2.The Aura Phase

This second phase is experienced by 20-30% of migraine sufferers. It comes just before the headache. Symptoms of this phase include seeing flashing/kaleidoscope like lights, dizziness, pins and needles/numbness on one side of the face or down one arm, difficulty speaking, an intense sense of smell, or hearing noises.

3.The Headache

The majority of migraine sufferers experience this third and main phase. It varies in intensity and is generally on only half the head. Vomiting and nausea, diarrhea, and sweating often accompany the headache. Many migraine sufferers find it necessary to lie down in a darkened room until the worst passes. This phase can last several hours to several days.

4.The Postdrome

Most migraine sufferers experience this final phase. The individual generally feels tired, irritable, and has difficulty concentrating.

Treatment

Conventional treatment includes medications to prevent the headache or to shorten the attack and relieve the headache.

Alternative treatment involves a holistic approach. This would involve identifying and reducing triggers with changes in life style and diet, reducing stress, correcting nutritional deficiencies and neck and spinal misalignments.

Here are my 8 top tips for curing your migraine:

1.Keep your blood sugar balanced by eating a wholefood diet with regular meals and avoiding refined foods made from white flour, sugar in any form including honey and syrup.

2.Take a nutritional supplement designed to correct a blood sugar imbalance.

3.Take a reputable food and chemical intolerance test to identify food and chemical sensitivities and avoid them.

4.Get a hair mineral analysis done to identify mineral deficiencies especially magnesium and use diet and supplements to correct these.

5.Take steps to balance your hormones through diet and nutritional supplements.

6.Reduce or avoid stress and practice relaxation techniques or yoga regularly.

7.Avoid known triggers like excessive or strenuous exercise or flashing lights.

8.Get an osteopath or chiropractor to check that your neck and spinal bones are not out of alignment.

By understanding more about migraine and finding the underlying cause or causes and correcting them may take time but will be well worth it in the end when you reduce or eliminate your migraines
for good.

Back Pain: Types of Back Pain, Causes, Remedies and Therapies

The ageing population is usually more susceptible to back pain back pain and many approaches have been developed to treat the backaches. However, to treat backache, the first step is to know what causes back pain. There are several causes including various physical and emotional factors that can give arise to back problems. Back pain, if left untreated, can lead to a debilitating degree of physical discomfort.

Causes of back pain

Among numerous reasons for backache, some of the most common causes of backache are:

• Strenuous physical exercises such as weight lifting
• Wrong posture while sitting or standing
• Sitting for prolonged hours in the same position
• Stomach disorder
• Pregnancy: Every pregnant woman goes through the backache suffering at some or the other point of time during the pregnancy period. This is especially so during the last few months of pregnancy.
• Use of high heels: This causes strain in the back muscles, leading to severe pain
• Open spine surgery can also give rise to FBSS (failed back spine surgery), which can lead to chronic ache in the back, arms or legs. Other causes include, spondylosis, herniated disc, sciatica, and spinal stenosis.

Back Pain Treatment

From medication to exercises, there are many types of treatment available for pain in the back. Majority of the people suffer from chronic backache because of which they remain absent from work for longer periods. This has also resulted in the advent of a large number of backache therapies. There are both long period therapies and short period therapies. For immediate relief, the latter is usually preferred. However, for eradicating backache problems from your life, one needs to follow long-term therapies. Whatever type of treatment you choose, you first need to know what causes back pain to you and eliminate or minimize that cause.

You can find relief from pain in the back with the help of physical exercises, yoga and acupuncture therapies. However, if the problem becomes unbearable, the only alternative would be to consult a doctor or chiropractor.

Apart from these, there are various other therapies and home treatments to minimize the pain. These include medications, exercises, physical therapy or electrical stimulation and surgeries. Surgeries involve spinal surgical procedures, which are also referred to as open procedures.These involve a longer recuperative time, larger incisions etc. Endoscopic surgical techniques make use of a larger view of the surgical passageway.

The Bonati procedure requires special mention here. In this procedure, the patient is able to communicate with the surgeons throughout the surgical operation. This is possible by the use of lower anesthesia and endoscopic surgery.

Therapy Through Yoga

Yoga helps to relieve stress from our lower back, spine, and muscles along the spine and neck. It encourages a positive view of life and helps us change the way we look i.e. our perception or the way we look at things. This goes a long way in easing our tension and helps through a series of exercises, meant to ease the muscle pain in our joints and back.

To find a suitable treatment for backache, you first need to find out what causes of back pain. Once back pain causes are identified, back pain treatment can be sought for.

Advantages of Herbal Medicines

The remedies implied thereupon are characterized to transform many criteria of healing process through availability of natural plants; trees and roots mixed or crushed with other forms of medicines to give extra impact of the curing capacity to the patient suffering from that specific disease.

Why does the importance of acquiring natural herbs and shrubs given so much of preference by practitioners of natural health? It is all because of the eradication of the accumulated forms of diseases from their roots and never permitting them to grasp the human body again ever in the near future with devotion; dedication and implied comprehensive knowledge pertaining to understanding of the herbs and shrubs and its utilization in the first instance to help many more in the coming dedicated years.

An estimated 4 billion or 80% of the world’s population is showing its dependence over the consumption of herbal medicines and is also contributing to search upon remedies for the ailments that grasp one’s life to a death. The specific remedies are used in a larger purview in the fields of naturopathy, homeopathy, Ayurvedic and traditional oriental medicines etc.

Of the acquired 119 plant-derivations for the treatment of certain specific forms of diseases. The pharmaceutical drug companies or agencies are moving pillar-to-post to acquire at least 74 % of the plants extraction because for a natural herbal remedy different plants are gathered from different specific regions of the world where the medicinal value of “Amazon basin” is at its highest.

The location of the value of the rain forests are been studied thoroughly for any possibility emerging out of the value of the consumption of the plants and trees in particular.

A plant based substance as a remedy is rather treated upon today with commercial availability of the medicines in the domestic market. Acute conditions such as high blood-pressure; cardiovascular diseases of the heart; asthma; acute pain in the muscles of the body parts; etc. are certain noticeable traces of the diseases which if handled with care and devotion could have the tendency to wipe out the disease from its root as discussed above. On a whole we could say that the introduction of herbal remedy came into the existence of the world due to the ultimate solution of searching symptoms of the disease.

The Natural Herbal Remedies helps in removing up toxin build-ups inside the bloodstream of the human body which is an accumulated toxin wastes of the colon and the digestive tract of the abdominal region. The remedy helps in supporting the specific diet chart plan where various changes has contributed to the well-being of the patient and due to which there experienced a weight loss in a person whether man or woman.

There is an increased rejuvenating assurance of the bowel movements for appropriate digestion of the stomach as well. Natural herbal cleansing of the body parts is also ensured before-hand with the use of a specific natural herb and shrub kit available in the market today. These kits are organic by nature or are harvested wild itself with no chemicals or foreign agents added to flees customers thereupon.

Around over ninety different herbs including salvia divinorum and shrubs in nearly thirteen special formulas the cleansing of the body is actuated for supporting the smaller and bigger intestinal features of the abdomen which also supports liver; lungs; blood; skin; kidney and gallbladder etc. There is a substantial reduction in the para-organisms population of the cells which corrects or rebalances the disturbing balance of such cells.

Herbal green tea is always soothing in the morning hours that work as an anti-oxidant to support the de-toxicities of the body fluids. Goldenseal; Garlic; Chamomile; Ginseng; Dandelion; spearmint and peppermint; Comfrey etc are some of those remedial names of the herbal medicines given to a specific patient suffering from a disease.

Crocin - Composition, Usage and Side Effects

Crocin

Crocin is a common paracetamol in every household.

Crocin is a common over-the-counter (OTC) drug, a mild to moderate pain reliever and a fever reducer. Crocin relieves headaches, menstrual pain and tooth ache, as well as backache and muscular aches and pain.

It is found in most homes as your fever medication or as a pain killer. Best used as medication for mild fever, headache, body ache and is also proven effective against cold and flu. Crocin is registered trade mark of the Glaxo Smith Knight company .The company claims that crocin is 5 times more better and quicker that paracetamol. Crocin is an anti-pyretic and anti-analgesic. Crocin also has a variety of different product in the market today from crocin 650Mg tablets to liquid formats for children. Sometimes ordinary paracetamol takes longer to release the medicines in the human body whereas in the case of Crocin there is no such problem arising.

Crocin as pain relief

It is a clinically proven pain killer. It has a high content of paracetamol along with caffeine making it a quick and effective pain relief medication.

Crocin for cold and flu

It gives relief from multiple symptoms of cold and flu. Has a non drowsy formula and provide relief from congestion.

Crocin Brands:

Crocin is registered trade mark of the Glaxo Smith Knight (GSK) company. Crocin is an analgesic and an anti-pyretic drug that goes under several brand names depending on the country that it is being marketed. In Brazil, Canada and South Korea and in the United States, Crocin is called Tylenol and Panadol. In the United Kingdom and in India it is called Crocin. Corcin contains paracetamol, which is also called acetaminophen in North America. Crocin is produced mainly in India and leads the market in its production. There is a range of Crocin products suitable for babies and kids available in the market today. Corcin is available in tablet or suspension form. D'cold total, dispren, Anacin, Saridon are competing brands of crocin.

Side Effects

Crocin when used at the normal dosage and frequency is a safe drug. Crocin as an OTC drug is easily available. If it is not used at the correct dosage and frequency, it may cause liver damage leading to liver failure and kidney impairment. Caution must be taken to avoid over dosage of this medication.

Signs and Symptoms of Overdose

If you think you took too much Crocin, seek immediate emergency medical care and attention. The initial symptoms of a Crocin overdose may include nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite, or sweating with stomach pain, confusion and weakness. Other symptoms that may develop are pain in the stomach and signs of jaundice, such as yellowish discoloration of the skin and white of the eyes or clay colored stool and dark colored urine. Seek immediate medical care if you experience any of these symptoms.

Allergic Reaction

An allergic reaction is a serious medical emergency. The symptoms may include a rash or hives with itching along with swelling of the face, mouth and tongue or throat. In addition there may be wheezing, shortness of breath and difficulty breathing. Seek immediate emergency treatment if you experience any of these symptoms.

Crocin during Pregnancy

For every ailment like fever, cold and flu OTC drugs are safe for pregnant women but it is always advisable that you consult your doctor before trying any new medication during pregnancy as an overdose of even OTC's can be harmful for the baby. But all OTC drugs are not safe during pregnancy so it is highly advisable that you consult your doctor before taking any new drug during pregnancy.

Warning

Consult with your doctor before taking Crocin if you have a history of liver disease or alcoholism. Do not drink alcohol while taking Crocin. Talk with your doctor if you are pregnant or breast feeding before taking Crocin. Do not take Crocin if you are allergic to acetaminophen.