Heartburn or GERD can Kill

Heartburn is a common annoyance. The busy lifestyle, quick meals, fatty or spicy foods all contribute to the occasional need of a chewable pain reliever. The acceptance of heartburn as an inconvenient, but natural, part of the daily grind can blind you to the warning that a severe heartburn symptom can bring.

Heartburn as a Disorder

Heartburn can be a symptom as well as a disorder. Simple heartburn or GERD can be controlled and dealt with. However, heartburn can signal the presence of a much more serious problem. If it’s heartburn, you will have a burning sensation in the chest usually after eating. There may be a spread of the burning to the throat, sometimes accompanied by a bad taste, difficulty in swallowing, belching, coughing, hoarseness and/or wheezing.

It can become worse by lying down or bending over or by eating. Relief can come from an antacid. While the more severe heartburn symptoms may be mistaken for a heart attack, simple heartburn is usually not made worse by exercise. If there is any concern that the pain may signal a heart attack, get help quickly.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Laser Hair Removal Pricing

By Robert Mary

As procedural and technological advancements improve the safety and reliability of laser hair removal, the rise in demand for this method of hair removal is no surprise and one of the first things people want to know is how much it costs to have hair removed by laser. Unfortunately, it is a little more complicated than a simple one answer for everyone. The bottom line is that the final cost, as with all cosmetic procedures, depends on the individual and the treatment that person requires.

The final price is determined by three main factors. The final price will differ according to where the hair will be removed, as well as how many sessions it will take to eliminate the hair entirely, and the doctor performing the procedure. So it is important to get information about the laser procedure as well as a price quote.

Different clinics will use a variety of pricing methods to come up with the final bill, be sure to make yourself aware of what method is used. Some places charge by the minute and your bill depends on the amount of time is involved. Other places will charge a flat fee for each session for each area of the body. This means any individual wanting work done in the same area should be priced equally. Still, some places will charge per pulse. There are a variety of other methods but these three are the most common.

When a clinic is using time as the basis for billing, there are a few key factors. The number one on the patient's part is the amount of hair involved. That is the overall amount of hair follicles regardless of whether it is across a large area, or a lot of hair in a small concentrated area. The other two factors depend on how fast the person performing the procedure operates the laser hair zapping equipment, and the speed of the laser machine itself. Most places use 15 minute increments so your final cost depends on how many 15 minute increments are needed to get the work done.

In the flat fee pricing method, the price is determined by the area that is to be treated. Every patient who is to have hair removed from the same area will be billed the same amount regardless of the amount of hair to be removed. It is usually determined for that particular session or series of sessions, whatever is typical for that area and how the area is treated.

The fee per pulse is another method of pricing the laser hair removal procedure. A pulse is each time the laser is fired, and pulses ordinarily last just under one second. A pulse can penetrate up to one hundred hair follicles, so the amount of hair that needs to be treated will determine the number of pulses necessary to complete the procedure.

In many cases where the per pulse pricing method is used, clinics will charge a minimum number of pulses to begin. This means if your hair removal needs requires fewer pulses than the minimum you will still be charged for that amount. Usually, the practice is quite fair and many patients are happy because they tend to go over the minimum, and anything over the minimum is charged a reasonable rate somewhere to the tune of one dollar per pulse. In repeat sessions when the hair grows back thinner, it is cost effective to go back for more treatment since less hair needs to be removed.

In the end, the final cost depends on the individual. The area of the body from which the hair will be removed, the thickness and amount of hair, and the total number of treatments required will all play a role in determining the final price of laser hair removal.

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