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Elon Musk claims that “disk replacement” worked for him. However, there is a lack of evidence that this surgery helps treat chronic pain

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Last week, in a post on X, the owner of the platform, Elon Musk Recommended people consider disc alternative in the event that they experience severe neck or back pain.

According to the billionaire’s biography, he suffered from chronic back and neck pain since he tried “judo throw” The 350-pound sumo wrestler was at a Japanese-themed event celebrating his forty second birthday in 2013 and blew out a disc at the bottom of his neck.

In the comments below the post, Musk said the surgery was a “game changer” and significantly reduced his pain.

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Musk’s original post has to date had over 50 million views and was generated dispute. So what is disk alternative surgery and what does the evidence tell us about its advantages and harms?

What does disk alternative involve?

Disc alternative is a type of surgery wherein a number of of the spinal discs (the cushion between the bones of the spine, also called vertebrae) are removed and replaced with a man-made disc to keep up movement between the vertebrae. Artificial discs are made of metal or combination made of metal and plastic.

Disk alternative could be performed in case many reasonsincluding slipped discs within the neck, as appears to be the case with Musk.

Disk alternative is possible major surgery. It requires general anesthesia and the surgery often takes 2-4 hours. Most people stay within the hospital for 2-7 days. After surgery, patients can walk, but must avoid physical exercise and driving for 3-6 weeks. You might have to wear a neck brace (after neck surgery) or a back brace (after spine surgery) for about 6 weeks.

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Costs vary depending on whether you might have surgery in the general public or private health care system, whether you might have private medical insurance, and in your level of coverage, if that’s the case. In Australia, even when you might have medical insurance, disc alternative surgery can leave you with over A$12,000 out of pocket.

Disc alternative surgery is not performed as often as other spine surgeries (spinal fusion, for example), but its use is increasing.

IN New South Wales for example, privately funded disc alternative rates increased sixfold from 6.2 per million people in 2010–2011 to 38.4 per million in 2019–2020.

What are the advantages and harms?

People considering surgery often consider this option before not having surgery. However, only a few studies have been conducted comparing disc alternative surgery with non-surgical treatment.

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Clinical trials are the most effective strategy to check whether treatment is effective. You first want to point out that the brand new treatment is higher than doing nothing, before you begin comparing it with other treatments. In the case of surgical procedures, the following step could also be to check the procedure with non-surgical alternatives.

Unfortunately, these crucial first research steps have been largely missed in disc alternative surgery for neck and back pain. As a result, there is great uncertainty about treatment.

We usually are not aware of any clinical trials examining whether disc alternative is effective in treating neck pain in comparison with nothing or in comparison with non-surgical treatment.

For low back pain, the one clinical trial to our knowledge comparing disc alternative with a non-surgical alternative found that disc alternative surgery was barely simpler than an intensive rehabilitation program after two years AND eight years.

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Many people experience chronic pain.
Yan Krukau/Pexels

Complications usually are not unusual and may contain artificial disc dislocation, artificial disc fracture (rupture) and infection.

In the above-mentioned clinical study 26 of 77 patients undergoing surgery a complication occurred inside two years of the follow-up visit, including one one who underwent revision surgery, which resulted in damage to an artery resulting in the necessity to amputate the leg. Revision surgery means redoing the unique surgery if something needs repairing.

Are there effective alternatives?

The very first thing to think about is whether surgery is mandatory. searching second opinion can aid you feel higher informed about your options.

Many surgeons view disc alternative as an alternative choice to spinal fusion, and that is the selection often presented to patients. Indeed, the research evidence used to support disk alternative comes primarily from comparative studies disk alternative Down spinal fusion. These studies show that individuals with neck pain can get better and return to work more quickly after a disc alternative in comparison with a spinal fusion procedure, and that individuals with back pain may get barely more pain relief after a disc alternative than after a spinal fusion procedure.

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However, spinal fusion is also not well supported by evidence comparing it to non-surgical alternatives and, like disc alternative, is also expensive and carries a significant risk of harm.

Fortunately, latest, non-surgical treatments can be found to patients neck and back pain, which evidence shows are effective – and less expensive than surgery. These include therapies that address each physical and psychological aspects that contribute to a person’s pain, similar to cognitive-functional therapy.



Although Musk reported good immediate results from disk alternative surgery, given the evidence – or lack thereof – we advise caution when considering this surgery. And for those who’re faced with a selection between disc alternative and spinal fusion, you could want to think about a third alternative: no surgery in any respect.

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This article was originally published on : theconversation.com
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Health and Wellness

Large changes are planned for the care of the old one in 2025. But you will never learn from the main parties

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There were few recent products in pre -election guarantees for Australian elderly employees, suppliers or 1.3 million people who use the care of the old one.

In March, he announced a piece party $ 2.6 billion For one other increase in payment for older nurses in addition to previous salary increases.

Since then, there was nothing significant for older care or opposition.

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The main changes are scheduled for the sector this yr, 4 years after condemnation Report of the Royal Committee on the care of the old. However, no additional funds were announced.

Estimates suggest that financing is brief About $ 5 billion cope with losses by housing providers or a shortage Home care packages.

What can we expect this yr?

AND New care for the care of the old He will enter into force on July 1 with a much greater emphasis on the rights of the elderly to acquire care, which meets their needs. It will mean:

  • recent old care regulation system

  • A brand new independent Commissioner for Complaints

  • recent House support A program for the elderly who wish to live at home and in the community

  • Changes in residential care fees.

However, there are many problems and it shouldn’t be clear whether the reforms introduced this yr will fix them.

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Access continues to be an issue

Access to old care it still is an issueEspecially in rural and distant areas. The system is difficult to navigate in the case of often sensitive and confused consumers and their families.

The government is essentially based on My website of old care To inform the elderly and their families about the Old Care options. But this only provides basic information and it’s difficult to get individualized support.

There can be a “digital division” for a big group that’s unknown and has no trust using online services.

So we want rather more emphasis on providing local “One Stop Shops” for personalized support and advice, especially when people enter the old care system for the first time. These services may be provided by Centrelink or recent regional offices.

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Not everyone can navigate your sites to get details about the care you need.
Screenshot/my older care

ABOUT One -third of the elderly Say they need assistance to live at home. But to get help, you need an older assessment and this process also requires improvement.

A waiting times for the evaluation I blew up, with delays to five months.

Older people prefer to remain home

There are some fears that the number of recent start beds is It didn’t grow fast enough. For example, there’s an absence of housing care in individual areas, similar to Canberra.

But the times of admission to housing care they’ve not increased and the occupancy rates are declining. This suggests the elderly I would favor a house for housing care.

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However, the increased demand for home care packages is not be met.

For those that need more intensive services at home, Waiting times Stay stubborn and unacceptably long because there shouldn’t be enough home care packages.

Despite the years of complaints, there are still greater than 80,000 people On the waiting list for care at home.

New Home support program It will introduce an eight -level support system. The highest level of financing for home care will be Grow to USD 78,000 To fill the gap between home financing and housing. But you will need many more intense home care packages to shorten the waiting time.

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The home support program also introduces much higher costs out of their very own pocket for the elderly. Such costs of day by day services – similar to meals, cleansing and gardening – currently financed from the Home Commonwealth Will support program will increase significantly.

It will be the most controversial too Higher costs out of your personal pocket In the case of “independence” services, including personal care, social support, foster care and therapy.

Personnel deficiencies are still an issue

For providers of care for the elderly, chronic labor deficiencies are still the biggest problem. The last increase in wages for older employees, including nurses, is a step in the right direction. But wages are still low.

It is difficult to draw staff, staff trading is high, and the staff is insufficiently trained, risking the quality of care. Deficiencies are particularly acute in rural areas.

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. The care industry is required by the elderly Improved migration, higher training and incentives for regional employees to complement the deficiency. But no recent election ads have been issued to this point.

A health care worker helps older men in a walking frame
Care for an old still requires more employees, including a nurse.
Whyframe/Shutterstock

Without real reform

Despite the changes that we will see since July, the organization and financing of the Old Care stays essentially unchanged.

In general, the Australian care system for the elderly continues to be heavily privatized and crushed. IN 2022-23 There were 923 home care suppliers, 764 housing providers and 1334 home service providers, just about all in the private and non-profit sectors.

Commonwealth still manages the sector through a difficult combination of highly centralized regulations and order agreements.

He didn’t introduce an efficient, regional management structure to plan, organize and rule the sector to extend quality, innovation, equality, response and performance.

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The community was also not able to finance the system via a fee, social insurance or increased taxation program. Instead, it increases the user’s fees to cover the costs of providing services.

This article was originally published on : theconversation.com
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Health and Wellness

OP-ED: You shouldn’t be thin to have a voice in health and well-being

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For so long as I can remember, I used to be larger than most of my friends and family. I have all the time been very aware of my size and still attracted the most recent food regimen trends, hoping for a quick way to reduce my body. When I got to highschool, I discovered the sector of dietetics and fascinated myself. I saw it as a perfect opportunity – not only to help myself shed extra pounds, but to lead others while traveling. Bearing in mind this goal, I selected dietetics as a student direction, but after I first entered the pitch, I quickly realized something disturbing – I didn’t see many individuals who looked like me.

The field of dietetics was and still consists primarily of thin, white women. Less than three percent of registered dietitians are black, and even smaller percent are crazy or black women like me.

At the start of my profession, I used to be searching for voices that supported integration health messages-Voices, which rejected the load, promoted body respect and recognized deeply rooted inequalities in health and well-being-but these voices were few. In a world that priority treats thinness over health, I knew that I had to turn into one among them.

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Harmful expectations

These harmful stereotypes and expectations will not be only a problem in the sector of dietetics – there are most health spaces and biological renewal. From fitness instructors to doctors, personal trainers to food regimen specialists, there may be an unspoken expectation that credibility is related to body size. The message is evident: it’s best to take seriously in the sector of health and well -being, you have to be thin. You must show a certain way based on the stereotype that healthy equals thin or fitted.

This belief shouldn’t be only false, but in addition deeply harmful. Creates a toxic exclusion cycle that follows:

  • Discredits are highly qualified, passionate professionals just because they don’t match the stereotypical image of “health”.
  • He alienates people in larger bodies who’re searching for suggestions, but don’t feel represented or respected.
  • It maintains a harmful narrative that “thin = healthy” and “fat = unhealthy”, ignoring the complex reality of general health and well -being.

People questioned my knowledge – not due to my references, education or a few years of experience – because I don’t match the “perfect” picture of a dietitian. I used to be told that my body one way or the other denies my knowledge. But here is the reality – my body is not going to disqualify me. My experienced experience makes me a higher lawyer, a higher dietitian and a more sympathetic skilled. The same applies to many other health and well -being specialists who may not match the narrow type of society, but bring invaluable perspectives and empathy to their work.

Influence on the people we serve

These stereotypical, focused on the load of expectations not only harm professionals. This harms people themselves we try to help. Imagine that you simply go to a doctor or dietitian, searching for health support, just to meet with the stigma of weight. Imagine that you simply are released, embarrassed or given general advice “just lose weight” as a substitute of real, based on evidence of suggestions. This happens daily. That is why so many individuals in larger bodies completely avoid looking for healthcare – not because they don’t care about their health, but because they felt unworthy of compassionate care. We cannot promote health, while maintaining a system that embarrasses and excludes people based on body size.

OP-ED: You shouldn't be thin to have a voice in health and well-being
Thanks to the kindness of Andrea Mathis, Ma, RDN, LD

Respect shouldn’t be a privilege – it’s true

And before someone tries to equate them (fighting the stigma of weight and in favor of switching on and accepting the body shouldn’t be to promote unhealthy behavior), it’s about advising respect, dignity and sympathetic look after all bodies, no matter size, ability or appearance. The assumption that the positivity of the body or switching on the load encourages “unhealthy lifestyle” is rooted in warning, not science.

The goal shouldn’t be to discourage behaviors promoting health, but to be sure that these behaviors can be found, balanced and free from shame or coercion. The fight for body acceptance and against harmful stereotypes means dismantling the harmful belief that only thin, efficient people deserve kindness, credibility or high -quality care. Each person, no matter the scale, deserves to be seen, heard and treated with dignity – because respect should never be conditional.

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Changing the narrative

Changing a conversation about body size, health and credibility shouldn’t be only my mission – it’s a collective effort that requires from all of us harmful norms and advising on inclusion. I stated that my goal is to push out the outdated standards of beauty and health in the sector of dietetics. However, a real change occurs when society, as a whole, does it too.

The role of media, health care staff, teachers and even every day conversations play the role. We can change the narrative by raising various voices of health and well -being, difficult a stigma once we see it, and ensuring that health messages can be found and incorporating for all bodies. When we define what it means to be healthy and press the world in which everyone seems to be treated with dignity, we’re heading towards a more efficient, sympathetic and truly focused society.

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This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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Health and Wellness

A 21-year-old man from Long Island is the first person in the history of New York who was cured of sickle anemia

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Medical history has recently been produced in a hospital in New York. This month, 21-year-old Sebastien Beauzile became the first man in the history of New York, who was cured of sickle anemia, genetic blood disorder, due to the recent form of gene therapy.

“Sieru’s sieve was like a blockade for me, but now it is like a wall that I just jumped,” said Beauzile CBS messages.

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Beauozile, who was a patient at the Medical Center for Children Cohen since he was two months old, was treated because of genetic disease from lyfgenia, a brand new approach to gene therapy developed by Biotechnology BlueBird BIO. In groundbreaking technology, Beaule’s own bone marrow was used in transfusions IV to create normal red blood cells.

Sickle disease that affects 100,000 people in the USA., jest odziedziczonym stanem krwi, który wpływa na kształt czerwonych krwinek, które przenoszą tlen do wszystkich części ciała. As a result of these abnormal red blood cells, individuals with sickle disease may experience a number of symptoms, including chronic pain anywhere in the body, stroke and blood clots; 90% of patients with sickle disease are black. The genetic disorder was previously considered a disease for all times, but in the case of treatment equivalent to lyfgenia, which, I hope, prognosis.

Since treatment in December 2024 Forbes.

“Klisza” The future is here “, in this case it is real,” said Dr. Charles Schleien from Cohen Children’s Medical Center, in response to NBC News

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“The sickle disease was described in contemporary medicine in 1910, and here we are over 100 years later, and this is the first medicine you see,” added Dr. Jeffrey Lipton.

For Beauozile and his mother, Magda Lamour, words don’t even begin to explain their gratitude to the medical team and life changing treatment. Now, cured of once devastating illness, the 21-year-old is looking forward to traveling, exercises and concentration on education, hoping to work in treatment at some point.

“You have really changed my life to the Med 4 team, hematology and transplant ensemble,” said Beauozle. “I can’t wait to go back to my everyday life because I feel unsuccessful now.”

In 1983, Kimberlin George-Wilson was the first known case of a person Cureing sickle anemia by bone marrow transplantation.

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The Tax Office approves two sickle generates that doctors hope to cure a painful disorder

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This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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