Wearable Devices And Its Profound Impact on People’s Health

Every day the world of medicine becomes more and more interconnected. The advent of digital technology makes the sci-fi dreams of yesterday a present and imminent reality. The world of medicine has been the site of some of the most fundamental changes. The advent of wearable medical devices has utterly changed how the treatment is planned, diagnoses are made and carefully administered. Below we’re going to explore how healthcare has changed with the advent of wearable devices. We’ll also consider what we may expect in the future.

Physicians And Patients Both Benefit From Wearable Devices

Diagnosis can be difficult when a patient reports intermittent symptoms that occur unreliably throughout their normal day. These types of symptoms are common with numerous conditions and ailments, and physicians have devised numerous ways to provoke them. Treadmill stress tests and other approaches have always yielded dicey results and have been notoriously unreliable for more obscure symptoms. The introduction of wearable medical devices has been nothing less than revolutionary in cases like these.

Wearable medical devices serve many purposes, many of which contain answers to concerns like this. They can track heart rates, body temperature, electrical pulses within the body, blood pressure, oxygen levels, and countless other biometrics while the patient goes about their day. When events such as oxygen levels or low blood pressure drops occur, they can be recorded and reported to the physician. This allows the doctor to observe these kinds of events in the context of the patients day to day life.

• Immunotouch – This device was developed during the pandemic and aimed to help wearers reduce their risk of contracting COVID. Anytime a wearer would reach for their face, the device would issue an alarm to prevent them from doing so.
• VivaLNK Continuous Temperature Sensor Patch – This device was implemented to track the wearer’s temperature. It proved effective in providing meaningful feedback for those with fibromyalgia and aiding in treating and managing the condition.
• Mojo Lenses – These contact lenses are an advanced device that provides the wearer with a HUD (heads-up display). Various information can be provided through this interface, including biometrics like blood pressure and heart rate, as well as navigational information. These devices have been used to help the sight impaired get around easier.

These devices represent a movement in medical technology to improve health and quality of life through the melding of man and machine. This is currently being achieved through removable medical devices, but more advanced options are on the way. We may one day be able to address certain health concerns with a simple implantable device that compensates for biological shortcomings.

Ask Your Physician About Wearable Health Devices

If you live with the condition that you think may benefit from the aid of a personal wearable device, speak to your physician. Currently, devices like this tend to be specifically designed to handle a narrow range of conditions. However, there may be something that can benefit you in handling the struggles of certain medical complications. Reach out to a medical provider for a consultation today.

How Misinformation Has Impacted Public Health

If you’ve ever gone to look for information about health concerns online, you’ve probably noticed a disturbing trend. Many of the “sources” of information you find are dubious in their accuracy at best. Most of them seem designed for clickbait purposes to generate ad revenue or promote political ideologies regarding healthcare. The overreliance on the internet as a source of information has led to it being a significant risk to public health.

How Misinformation Has Impacted Public Health

One significant example of the impact of misinformation on public health concerns cancer treatments. Consider the case of Steve Jobs of Apple. When first diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, he opted to attempt various alternative therapies for treating cancer. These treatments include spiritual consultations, herbal remedies, acupuncture, fruit juice therapy, and special diets. None of these treatments were backed by evidence-based science, and he stated his regret over-relying on these treatments near the end of his life. While he began traditional treatments later in his life, even the best care available to a multi-billionaire couldn’t compensate for the time lost.

Sadly this story is not unique to eccentric billionaires with a central role in getting web access into the hands of people everywhere. People from far less prestigious positions have relied on supposedly effective treatments found online. Their reasons range from distrusting medical science to simply lacking the funds to afford more traditional treatment options. There is a worrying distrust in science-backed treatments due to the perceived trustworthiness of some authority sites that carry these alternative treatments.

Even more worrying was the coordinated assault on medical science during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter, dissidents reached out to the public with reams of misinformation in a well-organized campaign. This was no mistake, and a few conspiracy-minded nutjobs didn’t just drive it. Instead, this attack was backed by significant finances and those who saw an opportunity for political and financial gain. The result was a pandemic that impacted our day-to-day lives and was significantly more deadly than needed.

One disturbing aspect of this trend is the promotion of misinformation for financial gain. From social media companies to fraudsters selling snake oil remedies, many financially profit from misinformation.

Protecting Yourself and Your Family From Health Disinformation

With the wealth of disinformation and those invested in spreading it for personal gain, it’s important to learn how to protect yourself. This requires that you reach out to reputable sources of accurate information, such as the CDC and licensed medical professionals. These individuals are invested in ensuring that you and your family have the right information to protect your health. You can also research the treatments through sources such as the National Institute of Health, the CDC, and peer-reviewed medical journals. Vigilance and respecting the proper sources are essential in protecting your family’s health.

Can Vaccinations Protect You From Long COVID?

The battle against the COVID-19 pandemic has been long and full of unexpected events. Some of them, including the success and rapid delivery of the vaccine, have been positive. Others haven’t been so bright, such as the discovery that children can carry COVID asymptomatically (without symptoms). This battle is still ongoing, and we’re learning more about the disease every day. One such discovery is that of a condition known as Long COVID. Those who develop this condition will continue to experience symptoms for weeks, months, or even years after the initial infection passes. This has brought into question whether or not the vaccine is an effective defense against developing Long COVID symptoms.  

Can Vaccinations Protect You From Long COVID?

It appears to be a trend that answers related to this disease aren’t exactly clear-cut. When scientists first discovered the variants, there was worry that they would be worse than the original. It turned out that the answer was both yes and no. The transmission rates of the variants tended to be higher, with some seeming to be less affected by the vaccine. However, those variants that showed higher transmission rates tended to develop less severe symptoms than the original strain. Fears over children’s health determined that their survival rates were higher, but they could carry the disease without showing symptoms.  

When it comes to the effect of vaccines on Long COVID, the situation is much the same. There is no indication that vaccines will protect you from developing Long COVID. However, Long COVID tends to appear more frequently in those who had more severe cases of COVID. Vaccines have been revealed to reduce the risk of developing COVID and limit the severity in those who have them. As a result, vaccines can indirectly reduce the risk of Long COVID. While this seems like splitting hairs, the distinction is important. Further research is being done into new versions of the vaccine. One focus of this ongoing research is to determine if it’s possible to develop a vaccine that directly reduces instances of Long COVID.

Current studies show that it’s unlikely that Long COVID will ever be able to be completely prevented by vaccines. However, they can reduce the rate at which COVID spreads and better prepare the body to fight it. It’s also important that those who develop the condition get on antivirals. Early adoption of antivirals can reduce how high the virus population will get in the patient. Virus levels have been shown to directly impact the development of Long COVID, with higher populations increasing the risk.

Contact Your Doctor To Discuss Antivirals and Long COVID

You must speak to your doctor about getting vaccinated if you aren’t already. Keeping up with the vaccinations, including any available boosters, is the best way to protect you and your family. The most effective method of preventing Long COVID remains not catching COVID in the first place. Reach out to your physician and get your vaccines up to date today!