• Health and Wellness
    Three popular variants of electric toothbrushes available online

    When it comes to maintaining that beautiful smile, you will do almost anything to ensure that your pearly whites enjoy a combination of the best products in oral hygiene. Your personal dental hygiene preferences will influence your decisions of the kind of toothpaste to the type of toothbrush you want to use for your daily routine. Everything matters, right from the strength of the bristles on the brush to its layout. Nowadays, electric toothbrushes are mostly in demand as the circular motion of the bristle head provides a thorough cleaning action in comparison to a regular toothbrush.

    Keeping your preferences in mind, dentists recommend regular use of the following electric toothbrushes that you can purchase online.

    Philips Sonicare DiamondClean
    Sonicare has a pressure sensor that activates when you apply too much force to brush your teeth. It stops the brush from damaging your gums and saves your enamel coating from excessive erosion due to an improper technique of bushing. Philips also features a smart timer that shuts the motor off at a calculated preset time, which varies depending on the various brushing modes. Its comfortable and intuitive design ensures a pleasant brushing experience. The DiamondClean variant is expensive, being priced at approximately $180, in comparison to the other popular brands of electric toothbrushes available online.

    Oral-B Genius Pro 8000
    If you have sensitive teeth, the Genius Pro 8000 is a better option. The toothbrush has an oscillating bristle movement effective in cleaning your pearly whites without putting too much pressure on the molars. You can change the settings to suit your preferences. Oral-B Genius Pro also has a reliable timer and is compatible with many types of brush heads. On the downside, the toothbrush can put pressure on the gums often during brushing. The Oral-B electric toothbrush also comes with a tag of approximately $140 and is available online.

    Philips Sonicare for kids
    Philips ensures a fun and engaging way to make brushing interesting for kids with the Sonicare variant. The electric toothbrush is designed for small hands so that children can hold it comfortably. The toothbrush also has a transition feature with a timer that gradually manages the intensity of the brushing action. The electric toothbrush is available online on popular e-commerce websites like Amazon for approximately $40.

    Philips Sonicare 2 and Oral-B Pro 1000 get a special mention for similar features and pricing; also, they are available across popular online stores.

  • Health and Wellness
    3 excellent stethoscopes for respiratory therapists, doctors, and nurses

    A stethoscope is one of the basic medical devices that a doctor needs to use every day and one of the most essential ones without any debate. The right stethoscope ensures that a doctor is able to hear clear and vivid sounds of the heart and the lungs. This plays an important role in diagnosing and treating the patients. The key factors to consider before choosing a stethoscope is price, comfort, acoustic clarity, and reliability.

    Below are the three excellent stethoscopes for respiratory therapists, doctors, and nurses.

    3M Littmann Classic III Stethoscope
    This is one of the best stethoscopes that one can opt to use on an everyday basis. It is available at a great price as compared to others in its class. Along with a great price, this stethoscope ensures great sound quality as well. The two-sided chest piece allows one to listen to the heartbeat and examine the lungs of both adults as well as of infants, children, and adolescents. Also, it is quite convenient to clean as the surface is smooth and contains no crevices. The stethoscope’s tube is quite durable, flexible, and comfortable to wear around the neck and keep even in a pocket.

    Omron Sprague Rappaport Stethoscope
    This is the cheapest stethoscope available on the list. It is the perfect choice if one is planning to purchase a stethoscope for the first time or starting their own medical practice. It offers a unique feature of dual tubing which is not found in any other stethoscopes in the list. Along with the stethoscope, two sizes of diaphragms, three sizes of open bells, two pairs of extra ear tips, and a vinyl storage case are provided when this stethoscope is purchase. It does not provide the best acoustic sound; however, it is decent enough to get the job done. This stethoscope is the best option for the nursing students or newly practicing doctors that are on a budget.

    MDF Rose Gold MD One Premium Dual Head Stethoscope
    The aesthetic appearance of the MDF Rose Gold MD One Premium Dual Head Stethoscope makes it even more appealing than it already is. It gets the job done as well as offers great functionality. This stethoscope works well in picking up both low as well as high frequencies with the help of its dual head. For anyone who wants to give an overall luxurious appeal to the clinic and get the best stethoscope at the same time, this stethoscope provides both.

  • Health and Wellness
    4 common types of stethoscopes

    You will rarely come across any physician who doesn’t carry a stethoscope with them. In fact, it is one of the most important devices of daily medical practice. A stethoscope is a medical device that every paramedic, nursing student, medical student, and the doctor should possess in person. Though the traditional stethoscope helped the doctor listen to the bodily functions like the heartbeat, the respiration, or the digestion, the modern day stethoscopes differ according to their application.

    The function of a good stethoscope is to allow you to perform the fundamental tasks like auscultation with the intention of assessing the condition of the thoracic organs, abdomen, and blood vessels. However, one stethoscope cannot be used to check different conditions, which is why there are different types of stethoscopes. The different types of stethoscopes include:

    Cardiology stethoscope
    Though this stethoscope looks like a regular stethoscope, it has the ability to give excellent acoustic sound quality. Also, it is accompanied by the ability to hear both low- and high-frequency sounds from the diaphragm, and you wouldn’t have to use a bell, which is commonly found in dual-headed stethoscopes. Moreover, these stethoscopes have thicker earpieces that block out unwanted noise and prevent any interference with the auscultation, which is why it is used to listen to heartbeats, S2, and murmurs.

    Infant stethoscope
    This type of stethoscope is used for newborn babies and are the smallest of the kind. It has a very small diameter of about 2cm that ensures that the auscultation is accurate and the surrounding noise doesn’t interfere with it. These stethoscopes are available in non-latex forms to avoid allergic reaction in infants and have a non-chill ring as well.

    Electronic stethoscope
    These stethoscopes can help solve sound problems as they amplify the sound obtained from the chest-piece electronically and then convert it into electric waves that are transmitted through particular circuits. When the electric waves pass, they are processed for better listening. These stethoscopes are available in two categories, namely, the amplifying and the digitizing stethoscopes.

    Teaching stethoscope
    As the name suggests, this stethoscope is used primarily for teaching purposes. It features a single-lumen tubing that is highly durable and comes with solid stainless steel chest piece and has a dual headset. This feature allows the teacher and student to use the stethoscope at the same time and the students gain a better understanding of what’s happening to a patient.

  • Health and Wellness
    Top 3 CPAP machines in the market

    Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes an interruption in breathing patterns when asleep. The condition, when untreated can become extremely serious as it cuts the supply of oxygen to the brain and other parts of the body. Sleep apnea is of two type i.e. Obstructive sleep apnea and Central sleep apnea. Anybody can be affected by the condition, including children.

    A CPAP machine or Continuous Positive Pressure Machine is one that is employed to treat the condition of sleep apnea. The electronic devices work by drawing air from outside with an internal fan, humidify and pressurize the same before delivering it to the user. There are several factors that must be considered before purchasing a CPAP machine and here are the popular choices you can avail of:

    Philips Respironics DreamStation – The Philips Respironics DreamStation is powered with the most high-tech features. With Bluetooth-compatibility and the ability to connect with the sleeping data track app, DreamMapper, this device is truly commendable. It comes in a compact and lightweight body that makes it a great option when traveling. This CPAP machine is backed by a two year warranty period.

    ResMed AirSense 10 Elite – A product of ResMed, the AirSense 10 Elite is yet another high-tech CPAP machine on the market. The device enables for customization of the full humidifier and lets you choose from different levels of humidification. It’s ‘auto-ramp’ feature begins the pressurizing of air upon sensing that the owner is asleep. The model also comes with the unique feature of Expiratory Pressure Relief; which reduces the pressure and eases the breathing function when exhaling. The ResMed AirSense 10 Elite is priced at a higher cost and comes with two years of guarantee.

    Fisher & Paykel ICON Premo – The Fisher & Paykel ICON Premo is a great CPAP machine as it has the advantage of convenience and ease of use. This machine embodies a built-in humidifier that can hold 420 mL of water, thus, increasing its average capacity. It comes with notable features such as an integrated alarm clock and the SmartStick Studio software which enables the user to even download songs. Just like the above CPAP machines, the Fisher & Paykel ICON Premo model is armed with a two-year warranty.

  • Health and Wellness
    Tips to overcome common problems caused by CPAP machines

    Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machines are lifesavers when it comes to treating people with obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a condition that causes one’s breathing to stop and start repeatedly, and if this condition is left untreated, it can have serious life-threatening consequences like high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and depression. CPAP machines are instrumental in delivering constant and steady air pressure, thereby stabilizing the condition. Though CPAP machines are quite effective in treating sleep apnea, people face certain problems like a leaky mask, trouble falling asleep, stuffy nose, and a dry mouth. These problems create an obstacle in allowing people to make the most of CPAP machines. Here are a few tips on how you can deal with these common problems.

    Leaky mask
    One of the common problems people face while using a CPAP machine is that the air leaks from the mask. If this is the case, then the problem might be the size or the style of the CPAP mask. In such situations, you can try out a different mask as there is a wide range of CPAP masks available. Also, before you buy a CPAP mask, consult with your doctor or a CPAP supplier to demonstrate how to adjust the mask to get the best fit. You wouldn’t have to face problems like an air leak or discomfort if you opt for a properly-fitted mask.

    Trouble sleeping
    It is difficult to sleep with the CPAP mask on, and this is one of the common problems people face while using the CPAP machines. So, before wearing the mask throughout the night, start wearing it for short periods of time while you are awake. This will help you to get used to the mask, and then slowly start wearing it during your naps. After a few weeks when you are used to wearing the CPAP masks during naps, you can start wearing it throughout the night.

    Dry and stuffy nose
    A leaky mask is what causes the nose to dry out. Therefore, you need to ensure that the mask fits well. You might have to tighten the straps often to prevent air from leaking if the mask doesn’t fit you properly. Also, CPAP machines have a heated humidifier, and you can adjust the level of humidification to prevent the inside of the nose from drying.

    Dry mouth
    If you usually breathe through your mouth while sleeping, CPAP machines can lead to dry mouth. In such cases, you can opt for a chin strap that will keep your mouth closed and prevent air leakage from the mask. A CPAP-heated humidifier which attaches to the air pressure machine can also prevent a dry mouth helping you have a comfortable night’s rest.

     

  • Health and Wellness
    Three popular rowing machines you can buy in 2018

    Rowing machines boost your strength and endurance while helping you burn calories at the same time. Rowing machines feature a broad range of motions that engage your upper body and lower body, thereby giving you a full workout. It is also one of the few fitness equipment that will help you increase your stamina and endurance for sporting and athletic events. Thus, you must have this fitness equipment at your gym or home.

    Here are some of the best rowing machines currently available in the market.

    Concept2 Model D Indoor Rowing machine
    The Model D is one of the most popular rowing machines that you can purchase online. If you’re worried about space constraints at your home, you can pick the Model D as it is around 9 feet in length and 4 feet in width. You can also dismantle the machine into two parts, making it easy for you to store the equipment. Unlike its competitors that have a weight capacity of 300 pounds, the Model D can manage weights of up to 500 pounds. The seat is made of firm rubber and features an ergonomic design with footrests and handles that can be adjusted for a firm grip. The machine comes with a performance monitor too. It is Bluetooth and USB compatible which means that you can transfer your fitness data to a computer.

    First Degree Fitness Newport AR Water Rower
    One of the highlights of this machine is that it mimics the sound of rowing on water. This fitness equipment with hydraulic power can support a maximum weight of 300 pounds. Users can adjust the levels of fluid to determine the amount of resistance. The comfortable seat and grip handle are designed to prevent any strain on the arms, wrists, or your hands.

    Stamina® 1215 Orbital Rower With Free Motion Arms
    The Orbital Rower is ideal for tight spaces. However, it still manages to provide a full range of motion during a workout. This piece of fitness equipment features a hydraulic cylinder which mimics the effect of resistance training. With a maximum load capacity of 250 pounds, the rowing machine has adjustable foot plates and a padded cushion to provide comfortable seating. This machine is also equipped with a fitness and performance tracking monitor to record your speed, time spent, row count, distance rowed, and the total number of calories burned during your workout session.

  • Health and Wellness
    Five benefits of using rowing machines

    More and more people are waking up to the importance of fitness in their daily routine because the obesity rate in the country is increasing alarmingly. Fitness no longer takes a backseat when it comes to healthy living, and the proof is in the number of people signing up for gym sessions. However, gyms have multiple types of fitness equipment that work on specific parts of the body. The rowing machine is one such piece of fitness equipment that burns more calories as compared to running or cycling.

    Here are a few known benefits of using the rowing machine.

    Cardio session
    Cycling and running will boost your cardiovascular activity, but rowing is specifically designed to keep your heart and lungs healthy. The rowing action helps pump more blood and fresh oxygen throughout your body while simultaneously burning calories faster than what you can achieve with running or cycling.

    Complete body workout
    Rowing is an exercise that engages most of the muscle groups in the body. It is one of the few fitness equipment that works on the upper back, shoulder, chest, arm muscles, lower quadriceps, glutes, calves, and hamstrings at the same time.

    Endurance
    If you are looking to prepare yourself for sporting and athletic events, a rowing machine will help you increase your stamina and endurance. Working out on this fitness equipment helps burn calories, builds muscle mass, and enhances your strength training.

    A broad range of movements
    Many fitness equipment limit your body’s motions, thereby failing to engage vital muscle groups. A rowing machine, however, has a broad range of movements that tone your muscles. Vigorous rowing not only strengthens the muscles but if done correctly, also enhance your form.

    Better resistance training
    Resistance training helps you increase your muscle mass, metabolic rate, improve insulin sensitivity, prevent weight gain, and increase bone mineral content. A rowing machine mimics the continuous pull-and-push motion of rowing to increase resistance in the workout. Thus, this fitness equipment aids in the overall development of your upper and lower body muscles.