Healthcare5 Injuries You Can Avoid With Preventative Care

“The doctor of the future will give no medication, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, diet and in the cause and prevention of disease.”

– Thomas Edison

Preventative medicine has long been ignored by our society, but in the past few decades physicians around the world have begun to recognize its value as health care costs increase to unsustainable levels. 

With that in mind, today we are going to go over 5 injuries that you can avoid with preventative medicine. Follow along and you may just save yourself some pain, and money. 

Root Canals

Root canals are one of the most common dental procedures in the country. They are used to treat teeth that have become infected down to the root. The procedure involves the removal of the root and the ‘pulp’ that surrounds it. Then the area is cleaned and filled. 

The sad fact is these are completely preventable procedures. With regular check-ups, proper brushing and flossing, and preventative care, your dentist should be able to catch any potential root canal and rectify the situation with a simple filling before it ends up getting any worse.

Unfortunately, these days root canals remain common, and even worse they often lead to the need for dentures or partial replacements. That means the dentist will have to reach out to a dental laboratory, order your new chompers and then implant them, and that’s expensive. 

So remember, if you want to avoid painful procedures like root canals, don’t forget to brush and get regular dental checkups. 

Herniated Disk

Herniated disks are another painful, debilitating injury that you can help to prevent with some simple exercises. Herniated disks occur when the rubbery disks between the vertebrae of your spine are pushed out, compressing nerves in the area.

Anyone who has experienced a herniated disk knows just how devastating the injury can be, but once again the majority of herniated disks are preventable. 

By simply improving posture(especially if you sit for long hours at work) and flexibility the chances of suffering a herniated disk drop dramatically. 

According to the Cleveland Clinic, reducing your weight, increasing muscle strength and using proper lifting techniques are also great ways to prevent a herniated disk. 

Of course, not all herniated disks are preventable, but with a little effort and forethought, you can greatly reduce your chances of suffering this terrible injury.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a condition caused by overuse, it affects the median lateral nerve in the hand causing pain, numbness, and weakness. 

The syndrome most commonly affects office workers, carpenters, and assembly-line workers, but it can affect anyone who overuses their wrist. 

Some common preventative methods that can help keep carpal tunnel at bay include, stretching, strengthening exercises, posture correction and avoiding long periods of overuse.

These days most carpal tunnel sufferers could have avoided their condition by simply putting down their iPhone or computers for awhile. Sadly, when they don’t it can lead to the need for surgery. The first carpal tunnel ‘release’ surgery as it’s called, was done in 1931, but since then the procedure has exploded in popularity, due to the common overuse of wrists in the modern work environment. 

So, if you want to avoid going under the knife, the least you could do is put down your computer and stretch for a while. 

Hamstring Strain

A hamstring strain is when one of the three muscles that make up the hamstring, the biceps femoris, the semitendinosus, or the semimembranosus are pulled to their limits, slightly tearing the muscle fibers. Hamstring strains can make daily tasks difficult, and keep you out of physical activity for weeks so avoiding the injury altogether is ideal. 

Hamstring strains are also the most common injury in all of sport, according to a recent study authored by Dr. Ernlund of the Instituto de Joelho e Ombro, in Curitiba, PR, Brazil. That means that preventing hamstring injuries could save this country and the world millions annually. 

Thankfully, there are many ways to do this, from regular yoga classes to simply warming up before exercise. 

Even better, recent evidence from a systematic review published by Doctors Porter and Rushton revealed eccentric strengthening exercises to be extremely effective at reducing the injury rates of male professional soccer players. 

So if you’re a ballplayer, remember to stretch those hammies. 

ACL Tears

Every year there are approximately 100,000 to 200,000 ACL ruptures in the U.S alone. That makes the ACL tear and the subsequent surgery two of the most common orthopedic conditions and treatments in all of sport. 

You can help prevent your chances of suffering an ACL tear by strengthening and stretching the muscles that surround the knee, improving core strength, and working on proper form in jumping. 

A recent systematic review of the hundreds of studies surrounding ACL tears, found that the best way to prevent the injury was to ‘improve faulty mechanics’ and take extra caution when tired. 

At the end of the day, preventative care can save you a lot of time and money, and that’s good for everyone. Whether it’s an ACL tear or just a mild case of carpal tunnel, preventing injuries is well worth the effort. You can check this blog out to learn about the type of injuries you can prevent and how to spot a trustworthy physician to treat you if you need Urgent Orthopedic Care.

So don’t wait, make sure you are investing in preventative care and working on preventative exercises as soon as possible. Or you might regret it.

This article has been sponsored by Markitors