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Everyone goes through cycles of health, but certain symptoms point to larger problems. Heart health experts tend to look for issues such as chest pain, dizziness, and shortness of breath. If any of these have occurred to you recently, read on to learn about heart valves and health upkeep.

1. Symptoms of Problems

While heart valves are essential for the functions of our body, it can be difficult to know when problems are arising. For instance, if you are used to performing certain activities with ease and are suddenly tired very easily, it can be a heart health issue. Same goes for feeling tired all the time in general. Also, if you feel lightheaded, dizzy, or experience fainting, you should see a doctor. Chest pains or irregular heartbeat are addition symptoms of problems.

It is unfortunately very common for postoperative complications to arise, and it is only wise and prudent for healthcare providers such as yourselves to foresee these issues and give your patients the best course of action for their immediate health. There are several different postoperative care options out there, but one that has stood out to healthcare providers is the HeartHugger. This noninvasive care option enables patients to manage their pain and recovery at a reasonable pace with relative ease.

As you develop relationships with your patients, as a doctor or nurse, you have to consider every aspect of their care, while also considering your medical institution's best interest. As you go through the process of your patient's care, you will want to consider the process of recovery. Each patient will recover differently, but there are recovery aids which could benefit your patients in a big way.

Post-operative sternal support should include various body types and consider women's structure. Providing sternal support is essential for recovery to avoid an incision opening. The surgi support vest was created with women in mind. Here’s a guide to choosing sternal support made for women.

Who Should Use a Surgi Support Vest?

A surgi support vest is for anyone who has undergone surgery that affects the chest such as heart surgery, a mastectomy, or a cosmetic procedure. The surgi support vest acts as a post-operative bra specially designed for women to support and comfort a patient's chest. There are various styles to meet unique challenges that different patients will face during recovery. Women will appreciate the easy-to-use front closure that causes the vest to act and feel like a sports bra for extended comfort.

It is critical to prepare for recovery after heart surgery and determine how you will aid your body. Here are two simples ways you can improve recovery after heart surgery.

1. Make Beneficial Eating Choices

• High-Fiber Foods: A high-fiber diet will normalize bowel movements while lowering cholesterol levels. You can find natural fiber in whole grains, oatmeal, and fruits and vegetables that are not canned.

• Fruits and Vegetables: Loading your plate with fruits and vegetables increases your intakes of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Try leafy greens like kale or spinach and citrus fruits high in vitamin C.

No matter who we are or what we do, one word that we all shudder at is complications. In the medical field, this is especially true. Everyone involved in the medical field--doctors, nurses, patients, even receptionists and delivery people--don't like hearing the word complications, because it means that there will be more pain, more suffering, and more danger. For example, one all-too-common complication is sternal dehiscence, and it can strike fear into the bravest heart. How can we avoid having to hear or use the infamous word complications? One crucial step in avoiding complications after surgery is ensuring that patients know what to do to take care of their bodies and how to do it properly. Often, they need a little help with that--and that's where Heart Hugger comes in.

Recovering from surgery requires care and consideration. In the case of open heart surgery, the sternal bone is cracked to access the heart and then sewn together with wires. Such a sternal wound has a few post-surgery consequences. One such complication is sternal dehiscence or the reopening of the sternal wound. Here are the do’s and don’ts of preventing sternal dehiscence.

What to Avoid Post-Surgery

It’s important to remember that it takes time to ease back into everyday activities. Refrain from returning to regular exercise routines if they include strenuous movement. Lifting heavy weights can cause excessive tension on wound openings. Holding back from asking for help can also negatively impact your recovery. Enlist the help of one dependable family member or friend in the first week or two. Preventing the sternal wound from opening should be your primary priority and will benefit from outside help.

After heart surgery, it’s normal to want to return to everyday activities. Your routine will occur with time, but first, your body needs proper rest to heal the sternum after the procedure. To ensure that you recover and advance at the appropriate rate, there are precautions to take for sternum stabilization.

1. Avoid Lifting Heavy Weights

It can be difficult to adjust to limited exercises, but it will help speed up recovery time. If you are used to performing arm exercises, do not lift anything heavier than ten pounds. For the first eight weeks of your recovery, you should only raise one-half or one pound weights to improve sternum stabilization. Ten bicep curls on each side is a gentle start. Make sure to have a pillow or some form of security harness to protect your sternum.

In today's world, we have a lot of questions and three times as many answers. Sometimes, that's a good thing. We can get second (and third) opinions on just about anything. We can get the same information from a variety of perspectives. We can choose how to solve problems because the power of technology and modern study has afforded us the ability to decide on the best option instead of the only option. However, more choices can also mean more confusion. How can anyone know if they're making the best possible choice when there are so many possibilities? The key is to get all of the information, study the facts, and then, ultimately, trust your instincts--and this is especially true when making patient care decisions.

What do you think of when you hear the word "healing?" It is a term that has countless positive connotations throughout our society. To be healed is to be cured of some pain, illness, or problem. To be healed is to feel strong and whole again. To be healed is to place a bandage over the wounds of the mind and the body--a bandage which, though it may work slowly and steadily, has the power to repair what has been broken. Of course, "healing" also has more literal meanings, the definitions that conjure up images of white lab coats, bottles of antibiotics, and glimmering medical utensils. However, no matter what comes to mind when you think about healing, the truth is that healing of all kinds can often use a helping hand.