Dr. Jim Van Horne is making national headlines with his research on post-op pain relief using less opioids. Dr. Van Horne performed all 645 surgeries used in the study right here in Grants Pass. His findings could help you if you need orthopedic surgery in the future. Paragon Orthopedic Center is proud of his efforts and passion to help patients have the best all-around surgical outcome possible. Here is an article that details his amazing results:
Why can’t I remember what my doctor told me?
You just spent a half an hour talking to your surgeon about your upcoming surgery. Once you get home, you find yourself unable to remember what was said and cannot answer friends’ questions about the visit. Paragon Orthopedic Center hears this a lot. Why? A few of the possible reasons are well-known: 1-anxiety, 2-older age, and 3-preconcieved ideas that are stuck in your brain. Here are a few ways you can help yourself at the next healthcare appointment: 1-write out and bring questions with you, 2-ask the provider if it’s okay to take a few notes to help you remember during the discussion (but don’t make the provider wait for your note taking), 3-ask for handouts (if they aren’t provided), 4- bring a friend because four ears are better than two, and 5-keep your mind open as the conversation moves forward, trying not to stay focused on what was said in the last minute. You can think through your personal details about how, where, and when later. Paragon Orthopedics offers information and many videos to help you with information you might have missed during your appointment.
Click on the following to find:
patient education, videos, patient resources, patient instructions, and more in our patient center.
Exercise-Related Transient Abdominal Pain; where is the pain?
People tend to call the pain in their side that arises during exercise a “side stitch.” Did you know there is a medical term for this? Exercise-related transient abdominal pain, or ETAP, is what that side pain while you’re exercising is technically called. Despite a few studies on this, the causes prove to be too numerous and a standardized remedy cannot be found for all the causes. The best advice is to run down the possible causes for your situation and try to correct them. A few that might work are: not eating soon before your workout, check your posture during the activity, make sure you’re hydrated, and/or don’t drink too much before activity. It can be incredibly frustrating, but if the pain does not go away when your activity ends, check in with a professional.
Paragon Orthopedic Center answers: Why Can’t I Have My Joint Replaced?
We here at Paragon Orthopedics know there are assumptions about joint replacement. This newsletter is a must-read to understand joint replacement.
Are you learning anything?
Our blog is designed primarily to educate you, but what do you do with the newly found information? Do you forget it? Did you know you can cement it into your head more if you teach it? This is called the Protege Effect. You will also find the surgeons and staff at Paragon Orthopedics are very good at educating you, both at your visits and within our website, where you can find a multitude of patient education materials. Once you learn it, share it with someone to educate them and make yourself a little smarter than you already are.
Are teeth bones? Paragon Orthopedics will help you with this one….
You might think that teeth are bones, but they’re pretty different. Your first clue should be how they don’t heal the way your bones will after you break one. Chip a tooth and you’re stuck with the look. Teeth don’t contain the collagen found in bones that allows them to heal. They also don’t have the ability to generate red and white blood cells the way bones do. Believe it or not, teeth are the hardest part of the human body, and that’s because of dentine. Read more here:
https://www.livescience.com/33130-why-are-teeth-not-considered-bones.html
Dr. Van Horne and Dr. Bents are always ready to help you with your bone problems at Paragon Orthopedic Center, but don’t call them for your broken tooth.
How is a sprain different from a fracture?
Now that you know the word ‘fracture’ is the appropriate term for cracks or breaks in a bone, where does a sprain enter into the mix of terms? First, you have to understand that a sprain happens at a joint. A joint is not a bone, so it could not be termed a fracture because fractures are injuries to the BONE. Sprains involve injuries to the ligaments and surrounding tissues at the joint. Both hurt really badly and both will swell. So how can you tell the difference between a fracture and a sprain? An x-ray; it reveals what is going on beneath the skin. Paragon Orthopedics has an in-house x-ray technician ready to take care of your x-ray needs here in Southern Oregon.
A bone break, a fracture, a crack in the bone…what’s the difference?
You might have heard people refer to a bone injury as, “just a crack” or “completely broken.” Have you wondered what those terms mean medically? Believe it or not, in professional healthcare, the term fracture should be used for anything that has disrupted the continuity of the bone. Some medical professionals have spoken out about this because of media misinformation. Whether the bone is in 5 pieces or has a hairline crack, it’s a fracture, no matter what the medical television shows present. Dr. Bents and Dr. Van Horne are always looking to keep their patients very knowledgeable about their injuries and demonstrate professionalism in everything they do. You can trust them and the Paragon Orthopedic Center team for all your orthopedic needs!
Now a sprain is a completely different issue. Stay tuned to the blog to find out more on that!
