Health Care Professionals and Medical Malpractice

What is Medical Malpractice?

Medical malpractice can be defined as professional negligence by omission or act by a provider of health care in which treatment that is provided falls to a level below what is the standard and results in the injury and even death of the patient.  Doctors must carry malpractice insurance to safeguard against this.

Anyone who tries to file a claim for medical malpractice must be able to prove 4 things:

  • There was a specific duty of care that was owed by a health care professional or physician

  • The health care professional or physician violated the standard of care

  • As a result, the patient suffered injuries or death that are compensable

  • The injury or death was caused by the conduct that was subpar

Forms

There are many forms that medical malpractice can take.  Just to give you a better understanding, here are a few of them:

  • Misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose

  • Ignoring or misreading lab test results

  • Surgery that is unnecessary

  • Errors with the surgery or even surgery at the wrong site

  • Improper dosage of medication

  • Wrong medicine prescribed

  • Aftercare or follow up care that is poor

  • Premature discharge

  • Not taking or disregarding appropriate patient history

  • Proper tests not ordered

  • Failing to recognize symptoms

As you can probably imagine, medical malpractice can result in a person getting significantly worse with their condition as well as more conditions arising as a result.  There are times when patients die from this type of activity.

Applicable to all Healthcare Professionals

Medical malpractice is not just an issue with doctors either.  This is also an issue that can occur with nurses, medical assistants, dentists and even pharmacists.

Here is a specific example of medical malpractice with a dentist.

A lady went to the dentist and he told her that she needed a root canal.  She had the procedure and was still having considerable pain a month after the procedure.  She went back to the dentist who performed the procedure where she was told that everything was fine.  After 2 more weeks of pain she went to a different dentist for a second opinion.  This second dentist listened and then did an x-ray.  The x-ray showed that the tip of one of the tools used in the root canal was in her gum!  As soon as the second dentist removed it, she was fine.

Pharmacist medical malpractice can include things like giving a medication that was not prescribed or giving the wrong dosage of the right medication.

There are a great many things that can be considered to be medical malpractice and a great many professionals who can be involved in medical malpractice.

If you think that you or a loved one has been a victim of medical malpractice then you should go to a different medical professional first to get a second opinion of your condition.  Once you have done that, if you are still of the belief that medical malpractice is indeed the case then you need to contact a good medical malpractice attorney and discuss it with them at length to determine whether or not you have a case.

A Merging of Health and Law: Becoming a Medical Malpractice Lawyer

Why Become a Lawyer?

Many people are not content in just pursuing one field and there is nothing wrong with that. For example, if you have an interest in both health and law you are not alone and you have many options. Many practice areas include a need for both a knowledge of health and law. Often times attorneys specialize in many areas that are health related to various degrees. An example of one such law firm that specializes in many practice areas that merge health and law such as medical malpractice, nursing home abuse and neglect, dangerous drugs food poisoning and more can be seen here.

 The decision of what course to take with your career is one of the most important choices you will ever make. It dictates your education track, and it lays the foundation for what kind of life you will make for yourself. If you haven’t yet determined what direction you want to take with your career, you’d be wise to add lawyer to your list of possibilities. There are endless benefits to choosing to embark on a career as an attorney, not the least of which is earning potential.

Choice of School

Your salary as a new lawyer will be impacted by which school you attend. Potential earnings should only be one factor in school selection though. Law schools offer niche courses in specific areas of law, and some are better than others. So, if you want to work in law, and have a specific field in mind, research the schools that can offer you the best education in your area of interest. A good example is the Vermont Law School. It’s not considered to be a top ten law school, but it is widely viewed as the best school to study environmental law.

 Here’s the October 2013 list of the top 5 schools that reported the highest post-graduate earnings (all with starting pay of $160,000+) and potential for employment (97% to 99% within 9 months), as ranked by The Princeton Review:

1. Columbia Law School

2. University of Chicago Law School

3. University of Pennsylvania Law School

4. Harvard Law School

5. New York University Law School

More Money

Even if you don’t earn $160,000 a year off the top, you’ll still be in one of the highest paid professions in the United States. The average annual salary for an attorney in the United States was over $130,880 in 2012. Of course, earnings vary depending on factors such as industry and specialty, but the highest paid lawyers (entertainment and corporate law) earn millions of dollars a year.

Helping Others

The lure of a lucrative career is the primary focus for many people when they consider what field to enter. However, altruism is a consideration for many as well. When you choose a career as an attorney, you get the best of both worlds. Whether you enter into the workforce as a litigation attorney or a public defender, the end goal is always to help people, and to be their advocates, whether it’s in a courtroom, or a conference room during mediation. Add to that the fact that you will be well paid for your services and you end up with a fulfilling, profitable career that is unmatched by most other professions.

Effect Change

As a lawyer, you are in the unique position of having the potential to shape law, at both the local and national levels, and the more experience you gain, the more influence you can have on the law. Lawyers with experience who have a desire to mold laws and policy often go on to become attorney generals, judges, politicians, and public policy advisors.

When you choose to pursue a law degree, you are opting for a career that offers you an opportunity to help others and effect positive change. All of this while earning a good living. How many other careers offer all of that? Not many.

When to Get Hormone Replacement Therapy

surprise Many women who go through menopause need Hormone Replacement Therapy to get their hormone level back to the correct levels, which is a symptom of menopause. Some women don’t think they need it, because it is not obvious, but there are certain signs that can give women a clue when they need to get it done. But first, let’s define what hormone replacement therapy is. hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, is given to women who experience a significant drop in estrogen and progesterone due to menopause. Estrogen is a hormone that is very vital to women’s health. It helps maintain bone density, skin temperature, and regular moisture of the vagina. This means that women with low estrogen experience vaginal dryness, problems with their urinary system, thinning hair, problems sleeping, sweating at night, mood swings, irregular periods, critical thinking problems, hot flashes, breast reduction, and increased fat in the stomach. As you can see, estrogen levels are vital for women’s health and sanity. Progesterone is a hormone that is supposed to prepare a woman’s womb for pregnancies, but also helps protect the inside lining of the uterus. So additionally, progesterone is also vitally important.

My mother, who is now 65, went through menopause some time ago. She experienced a significant drop in hormone levels and needed to get treatment done. She went to hormone replacement Denver to get her treatment completed for HRT. She said the process was just a little uncomfortable and didn’t hurt. It just required a few well placed shots. Because the shots worked so fast, she could feel the difference immediately. After the first day, she said it made her feel many years younger and it gave her more energy and put her in a better mood. Ever since, she has recommended all her friends and family to get the treatment done if they experience even the slightest of symptoms. The doctors will be able to measure your current estrogen and progesterone levels before the procedure so you don’t have to worry about getting too much.

My mother’s friend also had hormone replacement therapy done at Miami hormone replacement therapy. Although her symptoms weren’t as bad as my mother’s, she felt much better after the therapy and still recommended it. She said it just makes you feel like you again and that is very important not only to yourself, but also to your family and friends when you spend time with them. Even if it’s a small change, it has big results.

If you experience any of the above symptoms during menopause, you should call your local HRT doctor for a consultation to see what hormone replace therapy can do for you. The doctors will be able to accurately measure your current levels and give you the exact amount of hormones you need to be healthy. The treatment also isn’t too expensive and the return on your investment will be “exponential,” said my mother’s friend. To find the best HRT doctor, go online and search for “hormone replacement therapy” and look at all the reviews of the places near to you.

Diabetes and Social Security Disabilty Insurance

Diabetes is one type of ailment that falls into the category of endocrine disorders. Endocrine disorders are medical conditions which have the potential to cause severe hormonal imbalances, leading to disabilities. The endocrine system controls a number of processes in our body which we rely on every day to process our meals, create balance in our hormonal system, and regulate all bone and tissue growth. When one of these processes no longer works the way it should, this causes a massive breakdown in a tight-knit body system that can lead to disability and further complications.

Endocrine disorders, such as diabetes, may make it difficult or impossible for an individual to work and eligible for SSDI. If you suffer from diabetes convincing the Social Security Administration that you should receive SSDI is rarely straight forward, however, and according to one legal website dealing with SSDI issues:”Proving your diabetes case to the Social Security Administration can be a challenge.”

The Social Security Administration’s Reaction to Endocrine Disorders

The Social Security Administration analyzes each report of endocrine disorder to determine whether a disability exists. This is a five-step process which includes:

1. Determination of your current work activity – if you are completing substantial gainful work, you will not be considered disabled.

2. Determination of medical severity of your impairment by determining whether any physical or mental impairment.

3. Determination of the medical severity of your impairment based on whether your impairment meets the Administration’s listings and meets the duration requirement.

4. Analysis of your residual functional capacity and past relevant work. If you can still perform your past relevant work, you will not be considered disabled.

5. Analysis of your residual functional capacity and your age, education, and work experience to determine whether you can make an adjustment to other work. Depending on whether you can or cannot make an adjustment, the Administration will consider you to be disabled.

Endocrine Disorders

The endocrine system as a whole influences a wide variety of important processes in your body, such as your heart beat and tissue growth. The endocrine system is made up of major glands throughout your body which produce hormones (or chemical messengers), which include the following:

• Adrenal glands

• Hypothalamus

• Ovaries

• Islet cells in the pancreas

• Parathyroid

• Pineal gland

• Pituitary gland

• Testes

• Thymus

• Thyroid

These hormones in turn travel throughout the body’s bloodstream to organs and tissues. Hormones work slowly and affect the following body processes:

• Growth and development

• Reproduction

• Sexual function

• Mood

• Metabolism (digestion and maintaining body temperature)

Stress, infection, and other outside factors can cause your hormone levels to rise or fall, leading to hormonal imbalance, one type of endocrine disorder. If your hormone levels are too high or too low, your body may not react to hormones the way it is supposed to. Endocrine disorders can additionally be formed due to the development of lesions (or tumors) in the endocrine system which have the potential to affect hormone levels. The current most common endocrine disease in the country is diabetes, but endocrine disorders additionally include less-cited disorders such as Cushing’s disease, gigantism, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, hypopituitarism, and polycystic ovary system.

The Social Security Administration make their determination step by step. Once they reach a step that makes a determination of whether you are or are not disabled, the Administration will not go on to the next step. Before reaching step 4, the Administration will make a determination of your residual functional capacity to determine if you can do past relevant work or whether you can adjust to other work.

Living with an Endocrine Disorder

Endocrine disorders have the ability to drastically impact your way of life and create some massive hurdles to overcome. The Social Security Administration’s determination of your disorder as a disability an assist you in moving forward with your life and acclimating to all changes that you have to make.

Decrease the Risk of Cancer

Decrease the Risk-Cancer

Unfortunately, cancer remains one of the most deadly diseases in the nation. Despite some very impressive advances in treating this disease – or family of diseases – the chances of surviving advanced stage cancer are still quite low for most individuals. The best route to dealing with cancer is prevention. There are some ways that you can prevent the risk of cancer that should be obvious at this point, given the amount of publicity the issue has been given over the years. Some of the ways that you can prevent cancer, however, may surprise you.

Proven Methods

Some of the ways that you can prevent cancer involve adhering to health practices that are simply good for you all around. For example, the Mayo Clinic recommends being physically active and keeping your weight under control, eating good food and not smoking. These are all things that people are likely aware of, even if they aren’t particularly involved with their own healthcare.

Some of the other ways that the Mayo Clinic recommends that you can cut down on your risk of cancer, however, may surprise you. For example:

 

  • Be careful about how much time you spend in the sun
  • Get your immunizations
  • Get medical care on a regular basis

 

The advice about the sun has to do with reducing the risk of melanoma, one of the deadliest forms of cancer of all. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control, people who die from melanoma typically die 20 years prematurely, going by statistics gathered between the years 2000 and 2006. People who died of other forms of cancer generally died 17 years prematurely. One simple measure, limiting your exposure to the sun, could very well add 20 years to your life by helping you to avoid coming down with this one particularly deadly type of cancer.

Making it a Habit

Some of the ways that one can go about reducing the risk of cancer can be made into habits. For example, you could get into the habit of having fruits and vegetables for snacks rather than potato chips and other fatty food. You could get into the habit of taking your daily run in the early evening, rather than in the later morning when the UV radiation from the sun is starting to peak.

 

It’s important to remember that cancer prevention starts early. Using the melanoma example again, the CDC shows that 69% of adolescents were sunburned during 2004. Sunburn is a major factor in melanoma. By simply teaching young people to be careful when they are out in the sun, they can enjoy being out during the day and not increase their risk of cancer.

 

Take the time to learn more about reducing your risk of cancer. If you have good information to share with people, by all means, do so.

Quality of Healthcare

With all the recent changes to the healthcare landscape and the changes that are about to hit in the new year, people are confused about what is going to happen to their healthcare options. The one thing people are not really talking about with all the new legislation is how it will affect medical malpractice insurance and lawsuits that could very well increase in numbers if the care actually does deteriorate.

It is theorized that the quality of care received by patients will inevitably go down because of the new economics that will be involved with the new system. When you lower the incentive of the doctors in the system and restrict how much they can make by setting limits on how much will be paid for specific care it makes sense to say that the overall quality of healthcare will go down. You can read more about the legal aspects at http://www.bergeronclifford.com

Bergeron Clifford in Whitby will likely have more business than they can handle once the healthcare system degrades to the place it ultimately winds up at. More people will be looking for an injury lawyer whitby than normal. Lawyer offices around the country will probably be swamped with new business as the number of malpractice suits increase. This in turn will degrade the healthcare system even more as more and more doctors find themselves lacking the capital to stay in business due to astronomical malpractice insurance costs and finding it hard to find the motivation to work in an industry that is being attacked from all sides.

The only doctors that will want to or will be able to stay in business are those that create physician groups that can share in the rising costs of doing business as a doctor. This will increase their need to see more patients and cut down on seeing patients for anything outside the realm of ordinary. This of course will degrade the healthcare system even further. Basically the system will collapse on itself, perpetuating degradation further and further. It will become a disastrous situation in a rather short period of time.

The decline will take some time to initially show itself in the quality of healthcare but you can be sure that once the cycle starts its downward spiral that it will decline exponentially, getting worse and worse quicker and quicker. Everyone is focused on the costs in a monetary sense but no one is looking at how the system will be affected by an increase of lawsuits brought about by lower quality care that is inevitable. It’s pretty simple math when you think about it. The economics dictate that the quality of care has to go down and with that degradation of the quality of care will come more lawsuits which in turn will raise malpractice insurance costs which in turn will create the downward spiral that will be known as the new healthcare system in America.

If you are coming out of school looking for a career to get in to, hold off on medical school and opt for getting a law degree instead or offer medical malpractice insurance because that’s where the money is going to be going forward.

Dealing with Erythrophobia

There is a disease that plagues many modern people. It’s something that can be extremely embarrassing. Most people would never even think twice about it. The disease is called erythrophobia. When someone has this disease they have a fear of blushing. It’s something they can’t control and it’s something no one wants to deal with. When we say fear, we don’t just mean it’s some small thing they are scared of. The fear of blushing is so bad for many people, that they will have full on anxiety or panic attacks even at the briefest sign they are about to start blushing. This article will go into more detail about this disease, how it affects people, and how to stop blushing.

You might be curious as to why people even bluish in the first place. If you break it down to the bare bones science it is part of the fight or flight response that everyone has pre-programmed into his or her DNA. This response is usually triggered whenever we are anxious or embarrassed or even flustered. Blushing is basically just a result of what our body is doing in fight or flight mode. Blushing can even happen when you are drinking alcohol, which is why if you have erythrophobia, you should be careful whenever you are drinking.  Many times once you blush you just can’t stop.

This fear of blushing is an unusual phobia that most people don’t really understand. When you break it down to the bare psychology of the matter, the fear of blushing is not the fear of cheeks turning red or rosy. The fear of blushing is the fear of the reaction people have from blushing, the fear of embarrassment. With this fear usually comes lots of other symptoms such as excessive sweating, the case is so bad that some people become hermits, completely afraid to go outside.

The great news is there’s lots treatment for the fear of blushing. One of the best things if you are suffering from this fear is to see a professional. A therapist is trained to help people over come these issues. They can listen to the concerns you have and prescribe treatments and other medication to help.

Just remember that every day is a battle, and you will have to keep pusing to over come this fear. To learn more about how to stop blushing check out this website http://myerythrophobiacure.com . They have some of the best information on the Internet about blushing and steps you can take to over come it.

Some of are favorite treatment involve learning exercises to control your blood flow. There are people out there that have the ability to actually control where the blood goes in their body. This is no small feat, but it is something you can definitely learn, if you practice enough. One day you can live life and not be afraid of blushing.

Identify High Cholesterol Through a Biometric Screening

For most people, when they hear the term “biometric screening”, images of being poked and prodded by uncaring doctors in white coats comes to mind. Nothing could be further from the truth. According to biometricscreeninginfo.com, a biometric screening is as simple and stress free as a medical exam gets. Most screenings don’t involve anything more than a height and weight measurement and a small pin prick blood test.

One of the most important test results to come out of a screening is the status of your cholesterol. High cholesterol is responsible for a number of serious medical conditions including heart disease with an increased risk of heart attack. Cholesterol can build up in your arteries causing increased blood pressure which makes your heart have to work harder to pump blood through your body. Cholesterol build-up is also responsible for a hardening of the arteries which if left unchecked for too long is difficult to undo.

There are two types of cholesterol which are classified as either good cholesterol or bad cholesterol. The good type of cholesterol has a higher density of lipoprotein (HDL) which is low in fat content and performs the function of helping the body rid itself of the bad cholesterol.  Bad cholesterol, or low density lipoprotein (LDL) is higher in fat which is responsible for the plaque buildup in arteries. When your cholesterol is measured the doctor is comparing the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol.

Cholesterol tests are performed by taking a small amount of blood and having a lab analyze the makeup of HDL to LDL. It’s generally recommended you fast for at least 12 hours before your test so your diet doesn’t skew the results. Blood that has LDL levels above 200 or HDL levels below 40 is considered to have high cholesterol and to be unhealthy. Any LDL measurements above 240 generally means medication will be prescribed to start lowering bad cholesterol levels immediately.

The most common cause of high “bad” cholesterol is a diet that’s high in meat, cheese, butter, and saturated fats. Cholesterol is a fatty acid and is found in fatty and processed foods. So, the fastest way for you to control your cholesterol is to improve your diet by eating for fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

While diet is an important factor in reducing cholesterol exercise can play an equally important role. Exercising frequently to control your weight can often times help bring your cholesterol levels back to healthy levels. Other factors that play a role in your bodies cholesterol levels are your gender, age, and genetics.

To ensure your cholesterol stays within healthy limits it’s important to get checked at least annually. A great way to make sure you stick to your annual check-ups is to participate in your workplace’s biometric screening program. Screenings are provided free of charge and employees are generally given time off for their exam. To get more info and find out how your work site can schedule a biometric screening click here.

 

Three Natural Nail Fungus Treatments

3 Bizarre Natural Remedies for Nail Fungus

Nail fungus presents an ugly dilemma, especially when it’s wreaking havoc on our toenails in the summer months. After all, that’s when we want to break out with our flip flops and open-toed shoes. Even though nail fungus is a common problem that affects millions of people at any given time, no one wants to see it!

Prevention is always the best medicine, and there are plenty of online sources available that provide good information related to caring for your nails, protecting your hands and feet, and preventing nail fungus. For example, the world-renowned Mayo Clinic has some quick tips on fingernail care here, and there’s a free all-in-one nail care and treatment guide that can be found on this website.

If, however, you are one of the unlucky people who is currently contending with nail fungus, there are some effective and simple home remedies that can help get your nails back in tip top shape. Some of them are downright bizarre.

Cayenne Pepper

Most people are only familiar with cayenne pepper as an ingredient that’s used to enhance a recipe when the cook is looking to add some heat to the dish. Historically, however, cayenne pepper has been used to treat a number of ailments, including nausea, flatulence, fever, diphtheria, and yes, even nail fungus. To use cayenne pepper as a nail fungus treatment, follow these simple steps.

  1. Combine a pinch of cayenne pepper, one quarter cup vinegar and one teaspoon baking soda.
  2.  Mix to form a paste.
  3.  Apply directly to the infected nail and cover with a gauze bandage.
  4.  Repeat at night.

Vapor Rub

Known primarily as a topical agent that helps clear out congested noses and lungs, mentholatum ointment, or vapor rub, can also help combat nasty nail fungus infections. Here’s how to do it.

  1. For best results, either bathe or soak your feet first. The cuticle of the nail should be softened so the vapor rub can better works its way into and around the bed of the nail.Push the cuticle away from the nail using a Q-tip.

  2. Put a generous amount of vapor rub on the end of the Q-tip and gently massage it into and behind the cuticle, and up the nail’s sides.

  3. Next, coat the entire nail in vapor rub and, using the Q-tip, massage it in.

  4. Cover the entire nail with an adhesive bandage or gauze. Wrap it snugly, but not tightly, as you don’t want to cut off the circulation.

  5. Put on fresh socks, even when going to bed. This helps prevent the vapor rub from getting on your sheets, blanket and pajamas.

  6. Scrub the nail each morning, and repeat the process until the infection is gone.

Apple Cider Vinegar

This is the simplest remedy of them all. Pour apple cider vinegar into a small spray bottle and, after each shower, spray the vinegar directly onto your dried nails. It may not make sense to dry your nails just to get them wet again, but you don’t want to lock in the moisture from the water.

The unsightly appearance of nail fungus is enough to make anyone cover up their feet, even in the heat. Try one of these crazy home remedies though, and you’ll be showing off your toes in no time.

Three Fantastic Career Choices to Get Your Start in Healthcare

The medical field is no doubt, one of the most promising employment areas available today. Upon entering a hospital, you may notice that not all individuals working are nurses and doctors. There are several other personnel who are working on different functions.

If you are looking at yourself as someone who will play a role in the healthcare industry, you might be interested to know the three fantastic career choices to get you start in healthcare:

Phlebotomist

A phlebotomist is someone who draws blood from a patient. The blood collected is then used in the laboratory for different purposes. Some are used to identify whether a certain medical condition exists, while some need blood to check other issues in the body.

Becoming a phlebotomist usually depends on the requirements set by the employer. However, the requirements are generally the same. There is a need to finish high school in order to get the necessary documentation for requirements. An equivalent document may also be needed.

Nursing Assistant

Aside from becoming a Phlebotomy Technician, you can also test the waters out by becoming a nursing assistant. While in reality, you are not really among the mainline nurses, but since you are exposed to the different procedures involved in taking care of the patients, you can gain the necessary knowledge needed for you to make the right decisions.

Becoming a nursing assistant usually involves finishing a course for the field. These days, several medical institutions offer assistance in educating about phlebotomy, knowing that this field is a very good field where it is possible to earn money.

Laboratory Technicians

Aside from customer healthcare, a person who is adept in different laboratory techniques, tools and procedures is one who can say with confidence that he or she can become a good and full pledged doctor. With the advancements in modern technology, it is quite challenging to follow what’s new and what’s in also in terms of using laboratory tools properly.

Laboratory technicians are the people involved in everything: preparations, customer handling, customer service, etc. Therefore, a person with a strong interpersonal skill will be fit for this type of blood. However, if you feel that you do not have these qualifications, you can definitely learn, along the way, all the procedures and processes involved. Indeed, the careers being introduced are the most fantastic career choices that you can make.

Yes, the healthcare industry is a ripe field. You do not have to focus on a certain role to play. There are options and choices for you to avail of. All you need to do is to focus on which one you really want to do, one that makes you happy while doing the tasks involved. Then, make yourself qualified for the position. By doing so, you will be assured, not just of a stable job, but also one which can make you happy throughout the career. It should also prevent you from hitting the dead end.

Maintaining Work-Life Balance with Peace of Mind

There are a lot of things that keep us busy every single day – the work and life balance should always be intact as we try to cope with our day-to-day tasks. This is why getting insurance can always be a big plus as it gives us peace mind in case the untoward happens. However, paying the premiums every month can become a burden. I felt that some insurance companies would continuously adapt its rules to cope with our needs and preferences. Consulting an insurance broker is the key here to get the best policies that suits you. Based on our research, these brokers are earning quite well and if you work in a specific country – you will be compensated above your expectations.

For more tips:

France: http://www.autoassurancecle.fr
Canada: http://www.mortgagecalculatorx.ca
Germany: Risikolebensversicherungtests

Health Careers: Podiatrist

I’ve treated hundreds of patients. Ingrown hairs fall second only to one of my professional pet peeves: onychomycosis, or toenail fungus. Yeah, it’s one of the most common ailments that I see, and the funny thing is, I don’t need to. Toenail fungus is something that a primary care physician is licensed to treat, because he doesn’t need to do much of anything for it…his patients do.

See, many of my patients come to me wondering what they should do for nail fungus because it hasn’t gone away after they’ve been on prescription antifungal medication  or nail fungus cream for ‘nearly two weeks!’ Sadly, it takes toenail fungus a lot longer than two weeks to go away or even show signs of improvement, it takes time, but it does go away. The trick is to stay on top of it. It may sound like a lot of work to keep follow up appointments for something as simple as toenail fungus, sometimes for as long as a year, and it would be if you needed to keep coming back. Some people do, most people don’t.

Most people can knock out nail fungus within six months from the comfort of their own home, with follow-ups occupying less than three minutes of their time during sick visits and regularly scheduled physical examinations.

The first thing I suggest to my patients is tea tree oil. It’s not expensive and has a nice aroma. Not only that, but massaging tea tree oil into your feet every night before bed not only fights an infection you already have, but may serve to prevent future infections from occurring, especially since by virtue, you’ll be massaging the product into your fingernails as well. Besides, it’s relaxing. There are some other DIY nail fungus treatments out there but tea tree oil based remedies are considered the most effective.

Warm water and vinegar soaks are also relaxing. A fifteen minute soak with equal parts water and vinegar twice a day could mean the difference between slow eradication and a marked improvement in the condition of your toenails by the next follow-up appointment with your doctor.  It’s important to stay vigilant, though. Water and vinegar in the morning and at night, and tea tree oil before bed, will work if you let it, it just takes some time.

If you don’t like garlic, your toes will. Mash a raw garlic clove into a paste and apply it to the affected areas. Wrap some gauze around your toes and walk around all day. Yes, you can wear shoes, but make sure you wear socks over the gauze. Besides, it will help with the smell. Garlic is nice in moderation, but it does have an odor, so be careful. In the morning, rinse it with cold water and apple cider vinegar, towel dry the affected areas and let them air dry. Wait 24-hours before applying the paste again, but keep at it.

If you really want to speed up the process, pick up an over-the-counter antifungal ointment. Some ointments promise improvement within four weeks or your money back, but there are hundreds of them out there. Whatever you choose, go with something organic. If you’re lucky, you’ll find an ointment with apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is one of nature’s strongest antifungals. Do your research, though. You’d be surprised how quickly you’ll notice a difference with the right treatment plan.

<a href=”https://plus.google.com/105053818340922967376?rel=author” target=”_blank”>Kristie Collins</a> writes about healthy living, lifestyle design, and yoga.  She is a contributor to several health oriented publications and an advocate for exposure in health related marketing.