Talk About Insurance Reform…

This year the conversations were particularly interesting in light of the medical insurance reform. Some docs are elated by it, and others are terrified. The interesting thing is that again, I am dealing with a whole lot of folks who just spew back the talking points that their respective sides feed them. To date, I am the only physician I know who has actually taken the time to read the bill.

Do I like all of it? No- of course not. It would be impossible to create a bill which would ultimately satisfy everyone. As it stands, I like about 80% of what we got. I think the insurance & pharmaceutical industries got off easy with this legislation- I would have like to have seen accountability for how our premium dollars are being spent- but by and large I think the bill does more good than not, and at least it’s a start.

One of the things I see people focusing on more than any other aspect of the bill is the concept of mandatory health insurance. I don’t have as much as a problem with this as some of my colleagues do, in as much as we are already responsible for purchasing auto insurance- so I don’t see this as being very different. Some opponents say that rationale doesn’t hold up because you can choose not to drive. My response to that is that in most cities there is a federally subsidized mass transit system for those who choose not to drive- or simply cannot afford a car or insurance, so there is a safety net.

Look, I know a lot of you don’t like the idea of the Federal Government getting involved in health insurance, but the alternative would be to hyper-regulate the insurance industry (which has largely chosen to not self-regulate in any meaningful way) and that would not make free-enterprise folks happy either. I don’t know what the correct answer is, but it was interesting to speak with so many people on the front lines, and hear their opinions.

Osteopaths being Osteopaths…

On a slight side note, one of the most discouraging things about this convention was hearing about how many of my fellow Osteopathic physicians have given up Osteopathic Manual Medicine (manipulation) altogether. They all know it works wonderfully- they have other reasons. Many of them site the poor insurance reimbursement, or the commitment of time as reasons for forsaking this fantastic modality.

I became a physician because of my exposure to some wonderful Osteopathic physicians (my father being one of them,) and I had the opportunity to see hands-on medicine at work from a very young age. It saddens me that in this time when Americans are literally clamoring for all sorts of alternative approaches to medicine, that we have this long-tested modality at our disposal, and yet it is fading out of existence. D.O.s should be experiencing a renaissance, but instead are settling for assimilation.

Thankfully, not all of us are going that route. I maintain my commitment to Manual Medicine- and tomorrow’s ‘One Thing’ segment will be by a wonderful friend and physician, Matthew Dubrow, D.O.

I have known Matt for many years. His father was an extraordinary Opthalmologist in the hospital where I did my residency, and Matt is truly gifted at Osteopathic technique. I know his ‘One Thing’ will be a good one!

Thanks for stopping by, and I look forward to catching up with you here tomorrow.

Best,

Andy

Really, what could be more fun than a medical conference??

Drug companies showing you the latest pill for whatever ails you.

Hydration will help to flush out toxins from your tissues, and deliver needed electrolytes to your muscle tissue, preventing fatigue and injury.

Best,

Andy

One of the most effective techniques that we offer laboring couples, the tension/relaxation body scan, can be a great way to promote relaxation under any circumstance. You can work this technique as a couple or alone.  It works any time of day and some people find it especially helpful to promote sleep.  I often used it on my daughters if they’re a little antsy at bedtime.  When you work on it as a couple, you have the added benefit of the partner learning what tension and relaxation actually feel like in each of the muscle groups.  I will refer to the person experiencing the relaxation as the “subject” and the person guiding the technique as the “partner.” My husband and I have found that this type of technique is great for helping with back discomfort.

This technique works best when lying down, but can work anywhere in a pinch.

Have the subject lie down in a comfortable position.  Beginning with the forehead as them to tense up the muscle group.  Then say something like, “This is tension.  This is what we want to eliminate.”  Then ask the subject to relax and affirm that action with, “This is relaxation.  This is what we want.”  Next, take  the subject through the following body areas, using the same procedure of tension/relaxation and the same script:  Have them: scrunch up and then relax their nose and cheeks, clench and then relax their jaw, tense and relax their neck, shoulders, upper arms, lower arms, hands, chest, stomach, groin, buttocks, thighs, calves, feet and toes.  When you have completed this body scan, have them tense and relax their full bodies.  Remind them that they are in a state of physical relaxation and that this is good.

Many people find that it helps if the partner touches each of these areas.  This helps both because it physically guides the subject and because it teaches the partner what tension and relaxation feel like in the subject’s body areas.

You may find over time that you can alter the script a bit, making it your own.  The key is to work together to promote a sense of relaxation for both of you.  I also urge you to reverse the roles every once in a while.  This benefits both the partner, who then gets to receive the relaxation and both partners by promoting a sense of empathy.  Have fun with this and happy relaxing!

Thanks Donna.

This is just one relaxation ‘script’- I found a website which outlines a whole bunch, and while they are kind of crunchy, they do seem helpful. Take a look here.

It sounds like telling someone to relax would be an obvious help for pain conditions, but you would be surprised how few people take the initiative to give themselves the gift of a few minutes of relaxation a day. Keep in mind that physical relaxation and mental relaxation can both have positive benefits and that some activities can relax both the body and mind. One thing I do is try to set aside a small portion of every day to play the piano, and both my body and mind are acutely aware of the days when I don’t find the time.

The magnificent Black Forrest Steinway.