Most PPO insurances have lap band coverage for those who have a BMI higher than 35, or weight-related medical conditions. Sometimes insurances require you to undergo a nutritional evaluation, which involves a supervised 6-12 month non-surgical weigh-loss regime. For those who are on Medicare or an HMO plan, chances are your insurance does not cover the cost of lap band. The good news is, lapband financing is available for those who do not have bariatric insurance.

The FDA has recently approved the lap band system for patients with a body mass index of as low as 30, if they have at least one weight-related condition, such as diabetes or high blood pressure. Now it is easier than ever to lose weight with the lap band and start a new, healthier lifestyle.

Lap Band coverage still depends on the patient meeting the BMI requirements of 35 or higher should they not have any other weight-related illnesses. Should a patient’s insurance not cover the cost of lapband, Love Lap Band has several financing options to meet the needs of most people.

Love Lap Band believes that finances should never inhibit anyone from obtaining the tools they need for better health and works with each patient to find solutions. To learn more about our Lap Band financing programs, visit: http://www.lovelapband.com/financing/.

A recent study by the University of Michigan Health System showed that having a one-on-one discussion with teens who exhibit violent behavior after drinking can reduce future outbursts and other alcohol-related problems.

Alcohol can be a trigger for violent or aggressive behavior in anyone — all you need to do is think about how a simple disagreement at a bar, sporting event or concert between two people who have had too much to drink can turn into a brawl. This is especially true for teens, who are also going through hormonal changes and development of their brain which can make them more aggressive and more prone to drug, alcohol and prescription drug abuse.

Talking to teens about alcohol use can sometimes feel like a pointless task for many parents, who can never be sure that their message is getting through. It can be easy to assume that the only thing that will get through to a teen who is drinking too much — and acting violently when they do — is a stint in alcohol rehabs. However, a report published in the August 4 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that discussing alcohol addiction with a teen can have a positive impact.

The study by the University of Michigan Health System tracked 726 teens from 14-18 who were offered help by researchers after having reported feeling violent or overly-aggressive behaviors while drinking. Those who received a talk from an addiction treatment therapist about the dangers of alcohol abuse and the related rise in violent behavior saw a 34 percent reduction in outbursts of peer aggression. Patients who only received a brochure saw a reduction in their aggressive behavior but in a rate half of patients who received one-on-one counseling.

According to the University of Michigan report, having a chance to talk to an expert from an addiction treatment program not only reduces the frequency of peer violence with teens but also can help them reduce their overall alcohol use. The study found that counseling in an emergency department for teens after a violent incident while drinking reduced the frequency of alcohol-related issues by up to 32 percent for the following six months, reducing the odds that a teen would wind up in alcohol and drug rehab or injure themselves or someone else after drinking.

Equine Assisted Psychotherapy helps recovering addicts by giving them a deep connection with a majestic animal and teaching them the virtues of patience and self-confidence.

People who are dealing with drug and alcohol addiction often have trouble making meaningful connections with other people in their lives. Often times, mental health issues, past traumas or difficulty coping with stress can cause people to “shut off” from their friends and family. Abusing illicit substances becomes a substitute for contact with other people for the addict and can lead them to wall themselves off and sink further into their addiction.

One of the tools that can help people who are in a alcohol or drug rehabilitation is Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP). Within the past decade, a growing number of addiction programs have started to use EAP programs as a form of experiential therapy. Much like with other forms of experiential therapy, the goal of EAP is to use outside activities to help patients connect with hidden feelings that could provide obstacles to healing.

The concept of EAP is to have patients dealing with drug addiction perform tasks with specially-trained horses. Many of the tasks involve being physically active with the horse. Patients might be asks to chase down a horse that is running free in a stall. Another exercise that is frequently used is something called “Temptation Alley,” where patients guide horses through a series of obstacles — including many possibly tempting things for the horse such as water and snacks.

Accomplishing these tasks can often take multiple sessions and be very frustrating for the patient. However, this is one reason why EAP is frequently used in drug rehab. The process of treatment can be extremely frustrating and the temptation to quit the program or start using again after treatment can be great. Performing tasks with horses helps to teach people in a rehab program that the process is difficult and requires patience and hard work but the rewards can be great.

EAP is derived from the equine therapy which has been proven to work over the past several decades for people with autism and other mental challenges. Horses are a perfect animal for EAP purposes because they are very social animals who react to both positive and negative body language. Their size can be intimidating to some people but also creates a sense of accomplishment when a task is completed.

When used properly, EAP can help people struggling with drug and alcohol addiction connect with deep-seeded emotions and find the inner strength and confidence to complete their addiction treatment program.

During flu season, clinics get congested with patients wanting to get a flu vaccine. However, thanks to the wonders of modern medical technology, people can hope to one day administer flu vaccines to themselves and their families, without ever leaving their homes. Researchers have announced development in vaccine delivery and administration through a patch of microneedles. These microneedles are attached to a Band-Aid-like patch, which when applied to the skin will barely cause any pain or sensation, since the needles dissolve and release the medication almost in seconds. Mark Prausnitz led a team of researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology and announced their research in the Sunday edition of Nature Medicine.

According to Prausnitz, people who have tested the microneedle patch without vaccines reported very minimal discomfort (1/20th of the pain felt with a regular infection needle), and most of the testers reported painless administration. Patch technology isn’t something new. Hormone patches and nicotine patches have been around for years, delivering medication that is readily absorbed by the skin. But patches with flu vaccines have not been proven yet, and this is why the research is still ongoing. The microneedle patch that Georgia Tech is developing will not make use of patch technology, but will simply use the patch to hold tiny needles that don’t hurt on application.

This will solve two great issues, such as fear of needles and needle disposal, which has always been a crucial infection control concern. How does it work? The patch will be left on the skin for 5 to 15 minutes after it has been applied and will deliver a correct dose of the flu vaccine, without the risk of overdosing or any damage to the skin. The needles are only 300ths of an inch, or 650 microns in length, and about 100 of them are being used in research. One day, people will no longer sit in doctor’s offices waiting to get a flu shot. These vaccine patches will be delivered to homes where the whole family can benefit and ultimately be protected from flu virus.