What is the biggest complaint(s) that patients have of their doctors?
The biggest complaint that patients have about their doctors appears to be related to time and attention issues. Long Wait Times Patients frequently complain about having to wait too long to see their doctor, both in terms of scheduling appointments and in the waiting room on the day of their visit[1][5][6]. Long wait times can be very frustrating for patients, especially if they arrive on time for their scheduled appointment[6]. Before I opened my practice in Portland, I often wondered how and why doctors were so often behind. One of the reasons that has become abundantly clear, is unexpected issues and concerns of patients. Something important to the patient comes up, and in an effort to spend enough time with them so that they feel heard and taken seriously, and the extra time for them, makes the doctor behind for you. What we do at our office is remind you that all patients will get the time they need at any given time, in order to help them understand their situation. The good news: This applies to you too. The bad news: This applies to you too. Some days you won’t need extra time but others will, so you...
read moreAre you dying for sleep?
Bad sleep is not due to a lack of medication. It’s due to life. If you are a patient of ours, we’ve probably had a discussion about sleep and its incredible importance. Part of our program for patients who don’t heal in an appropriate time frame, or whose stress level or anxiety impairs function, is to work on natural solutions to better sleep. Better sleep is one of our specialties, and we can help you and your body help itself. The following list is full of reasons to reconsidering letting your sleep “go” as less important than other parts of your life. If you are having issues with more than 5 of the items on the list below, it’s time to learn about getting help. Bottom line: Sleep cannot be compromised for an extended period of time if you want to have a happy, healthy life. If this seems a bit extreme, blame the research for quantifying the value of sleep. Sleep is essential for overall health and well-being. Here are some key reasons why sleep is so important: 1. Physical restoration and repair: During sleep, the body repairs tissues, synthesizes proteins, and releases growth hormones. This helps with...
read moreBreast Reduction Surgery For Back Pain – Dr. Lou Jacobs – Portland, Maine
MAJOR Surgery In the face of major surgery, we should always ask ourselves, “Is there a better, safer way to accomplish the same results or better?” Back pain is awful and chronic worsening back pain is even worse. It’s extremely common, affecting over 80% of Americans in their lifetime. At any given time, it is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Chiropractic offices are packed full of people wanting relief and better function in their backs. So it’s no wonder that some large breasted women consider breast reduction surgery to alleviate strain and compression of the back as well as the dysfunction that accompanies the pain. I have had many patients who have elected for the surgery and were very pleased with the results. They had tried weight loss and other methods to either shed some weight, or alleviate the pain without surgery or drugs, and it hadn’t worked. Breast reduction surgery is considered a major surgery. It is also a solution for back pain for many women who qualify for the surgery. Here are some key points that highlight why it is always a good idea to do your research, weigh your risks, and try noninvasive choices like chiropractic,...
read moreWhat is a neurologically, or neurology based chiropractor?
Chiropractors who say they are neurology based, are like Dentists who say they are teeth based. Sure, there are specialties within each professions, but without having the additional education and board certification for those specialties, the “Baseline” chiropractor is trained to be neurology based. Some chiropractors have additional training in neurology, pediatrics, sports, pregnancy, and without training and certification, claiming to be one of those specialists is dishonest and fraudulent. All chiropractors attend doctoral programs after undergraduate college that has a standardized curriculum. All Doctors of Chiropractic are required to fulfill the same graduate level coursework that ultimately amounts to roughly 4,400 hours of course work. Needless to say, anatomy and physiology as well as diagnostics are cornerstones in this education. Spinal anatomy is also a huge focus. The greatest focus though is neurology and its relationship to the structure, function, and biomechanics of the body. Neurophysiology, neuroanatomy, neuropathology (disease), and all other areas of neurology are standard in the studies to be a chiropractor. So what does it mean when a chiropractor says that they are neurology based? It means that they have attended and completed chiropractic school, have become board certified and been licensed by the state...
read moreDo you feel like you spend your life cleaning up after others? “The health of Mainers” ~ with Dr. Lou
The health of Mainers is in the balance while cleaning homes and businesses. In our office we see a lot of Mainers in professional housekeeping careers, as well as homemakers who work their butts off cleaning maine homes, businesses and their own spaces too. Injuries in housekeeping know no gender. They strike everyone equally. The most common housekeeping injuries appear to be musculoskeletal injuries, particularly those caused by slips, trips, and falls. What are the most common examples of injuries in the housekeeping workforce? 1. Musculoskeletal injuries are consistently mentioned as a major concern in the housekeeping industry. According to one source, hotel housekeepers have the highest rate of musculoskeletal injuries among service sector employees[7]. Most housekeepers aren’t salaried. If they don’t go to work, they don’t get paid. Addressing injuries quickly is the best way to get back to work quickly. 2. Slips, trips, and falls are frequently cited as a leading cause of injuries: – One source states that “falls, slips, and trips” contribute to 20.5% of injuries for hotel housekeepers, making it the main preventable cause of injury[13]. If you don’t feel like your legs are connected to your brain, a chiropractor can help with this....
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