Philadelphia Medical Malpractice Attorney Blog

The amount of whooping cough cases reported in Pennsylvania is higher than usual this year with most cases occurring in Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs. Pennsylvania health officials are encouraging parents to ensure vaccinations are up to date before school starts to prevent a whooping cough epidemic.

Whooping cough is an extremely contagious bacterial disease. Symptoms begin as a sore throat that manifests into severe coughing. More often than not a "whooping" sound is heard with the cough. The disease is extremely dangerous to infants and small children. A similar epidemic in California claimed the lives of seven babies.

Related Sources:
Pa. seeing more cases of whooping cough

Strokes are the number three killer of adults in the United States and a new report has shown that five risk factors attribute for more than 90% of all strokes.

Risk Factors
1. Uncontrolled High Blood Pressure raises the risk of a stroke by 250 percent. Adults need to constantly monitor their blood pressure and talk to their doctors about medications to control it.

2. Smoking raises the risk of a stroke by 200 percent.

3. A bad waist to hip ratio is the third leading risk factor of a stroke. Your waist should not more than 80 percent as wide as your hips.

4. A poor fruit and vegetable diet. Adults should consumer five to six servings of fruit and vegetables a day.

5. Laziness checks it at the 5th leading cause of a stroke. Just twenty minutes of exercise a day, even just walking, will help protect your brain from a stroke.

Related Sources:
Study: Simple Lifestyle Changes Reduce Stroke Risk

Neurologists in Philadelphia area have begun to warn patients about overdosing on over the counter pain medications to treat headaches.

Neurologists have discovered that many patients are blindly taking over-the-counter and prescription medications for headaches. Patients are taking 4 to 6 pills a day which creates a rebound effect. The patient takes the medication at the onset of a headache, the pill works but then wears off and the headache comes back a bit stronger than before. The cycle repeats for months and the patient develops a severe and constant headache that no medication can help.

When the patient finally sees a neurologist they believe they have a horrible disease when in fact the pain is self inflicted. After time the medication changes the brain cells to be more sensitive to pain causing the severe and constant headaches. If you believe that you are suffering from severe and constant headaches visit your doctor immediately to discuss treatment options.

Related Sources:
Doctor Warns About Overdoing Headache Medicine

It was once believed that 2 in every 100,000 children are victims of a stroke but thanks to the work of doctors at the Pediatric Stroke Center at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia it is now estimated that 12 in every 100,000 children suffer from strokes.

Strokes are so uncommon in children that parents and many doctors never imagine the child is suffering from a stroke although they may be presenting with the signs and symptoms associated with a stroke. In most cases strokes aren't recognized in children until 24 hours after the first sign or symptom. In all stroke cases, time is of the essence, the faster a stroke is diagnosed and treated the less brain damage the patient will experience. Those at the highest risk for a stroke are children born with a hole in their heart and those with vascular problems however the risk is so low that they are not routinely screened for a stroke.

Children suffering from a stroke present the same symptoms of adults suffering from a stroke. The child may lose the ability to walk, speak, use one side of their body, and may become disoriented. Child stroke suffers are more capable of leading a healthy and active life than those who experience a stroke as an adult. A child's brain is still developing and is able to work around those areas affected by the stroke and many return to full health with no disabilities or impairments.

Related Web Sources:
Children Don't Have Strokes? Just Ask Jared

Thomas Jefferson University Hospital located in Center City Philadelphia is one of only six hospitals in the country to currently implement the newest MRI an "extremity MRI." This new machine is primarily used on the limbs and does not require patients to enter a confined space. The extremity such as the arm or the leg is the only part of the body placed in the machine leaving patients free from the feeling of claustrophobia. With the patient free to interact and less nervous doctors are noticing that less movement is taking place allowing for the highest quality image.

This MRI is one of the most powerful diagnostic tests a doctor can use to examine patients, especially a soft tissue injury. Unfortunately most patients are hesitate to enter the MRI machine and when inside fidget around due to feelings of claustrophobia. Patients must lie completely still for the best quality MRI and for many patients that requires sedation. Open MRI machines where the patient is not completely enclosed are an alternate but due to a lower magnetic field images are not as powerful and diagnosis can become more problematic.

Regrettably many patients do not receive MRIs and suffer serious medical injuries as a result. Our Philadelphia Medical Malpractice firm has handled hundreds of cases where tests are not administered properly or in a timely matter and the end result is harm to patients. As technology advances it is our hope that this trend is reversed patients can receive accurate and timely diagnosis.

Related Web Sources:
Action News Profiles Girl Helped by "Extremity MRI"

Neurologists can totally reverse the effects of a stroke if the stroke is diagnosed and treated within the first three hours. Recognizing a stroke can be a difficult task but bystanders now need only ask the potential stroke victim to perform four simple tasks that could save their lives.

First ask the individual to smile. If the person has difficulty smiling or only one side of their face moves, ask the person to raise both of their arms. If the person has difficulty completing this simple task ask them to speak a simple sentence. If the person cannot coherently complete the sentence ask them to stick out their tongue. If the tongue is crooked and goes to the left or right side contact an ambulance immediately.

These simple tasks can save a person's life.