— Peter Zipamoh Jr

Medbud Solutions, February 2022

Ergonomics is a science related to the suitability of an office design to people. By taking into account people’s capabilities and limitations, an ergonomically designed workplace design strives to be effective in fulfilling the functional requirements of users.

Hun The workplace design should aim to propagate intuition, teamwork, and more importantly, provide a safe and comfortable environment.

There is little doubt that there are many benefits of ergonomics and they are the basis of creating an efficient work environment.

You can utilize ergonomics to decrease injury and boost physical efficiency. 

Here are nine impressive benefits of ergonomics in the workplace from bostontec.

1. IMPROVES HEALTH

People who work in ergonomic workplaces have improved health. It typically starts within the cardiovascular system and spreads to other areas. Your heart will be healthier than it would be if you were working in a standard environment.

Also, you and your employees will feel less tension in your body because you’ll be adjusting the workstations to fit your height. These natural positions will prevent you from straining your eyes and necks. You’ll also reduce swelling in your legs because your blood flow will be optimal.

2. IMPROVES MENTAL INSIGHT

When you feel comfortable, you can focus better on the task at hand. Ergonomics decreases pain, strengthens muscles, and increases blood flow. Combined, this improves mental insight.

You and your employees will experience less anxiety, increased awareness, improved moods, and focus. This means everyone can concentrate on their work more. The better focused they are the higher productivity levels.

33. HIGHER PRODUCTIVITY LEVELS

The better focused your employees are, the high level of productivity they can have. Ergonomics combine different ideas to make workstations feel more natural. These lead to increased productivity because they’ll be more comfortable and focused.

Your business needs productivity levels to increase to be successful. You can change your workplace to be better for employees. The better they feel about their work, the more they’ll want to produce.

4. DECREASED PAINS

Ergonomics is meant to make things feel more natural and safe. Due to this change, your body will be less strained and your health will improve. These combined will lead to decreased pain.

When employees feel uncomfortable, it affects their ability to work. You can work at a standing desk, or trade the phone for a headset to start. The less pain your employees have, the better they can focus on the quality.

5. HIGHER QUALITY WORK

The benefits of ergonomic workspaces range from the body to the quality of work. Aches, pains, fatigue, and other problems can take a toll on a worker. Ergonomics can eliminate those issues and help workers work.

When people feel comfortable, they can focus on high-quality production. This combined with increased productivity levels will keep your consumers happy too.

6. ELIMINATES HAZARDS

Part of creating a more productive work environment is eliminating the daily hazards that can hurt your employees. These distractions are unsafe and can lead to worse consequences later. Pay attention and know your office so you can assess what hazards exist.

Another good idea is to ask your employees what hazards they face daily. By asking for their input, you’re showing that you care. Implementing the change will show them they’ve been heard.  

7. INCREASED EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

Your employees will notice that your business provides the best conditions for increased employees’ health and safety. Because they won’t be experiencing fatigue and discomfort, you’ll see an increase in the employees’ involvement. You’ll find their motivation will increase the more they feel taken care of by the company.

This can reduce the turnover rate and make your business one others want to work with. Your employees’ opinions matter, and you can benefit from it by utilizing ergonomics.

8. ENCOURAGES SAFETY

Ergonomics will create a safer work environment and increase awareness. You’ll remove hazards, improve workstations for less discomfort, and teach your employees to update their spaces with safety in mind.

Not to mention, the health benefits that come with ergonomics keeps employees healthy at work. This will encourage safety on another level. You can keep your work consistent and stable by providing employees with a safe environment they can thrive in.

9. HAPPIER EMPLOYEES, HAPPIER YOU

The better you utilize ergonomics, the happier your employees will be. They’ll enjoy coming into work more than they did before, and it will affect those around them. You will notice a difference in your own happiness.

When your employees are happy at work, their productivity levels will increase. The better they do, the better your business will do. These are all factors in keeping everyone safe and happy.

HOW TO ACCESS THE BENEFITS OF ERGONOMICS

The only way to access the benefits of ergonomics is to start implementing the changes. You can start with individual workstations, and remove hazards along the way. Talk to employees to get their opinions and combine them with your ideas.

Analyze your situation, the layout, and your needs before making changes. With proper planning, you will achieve the best possible workplace.

OTHER TIPS

There are more ways you can make working more comfortable. These tips include:

• Eye exercises

• Back exercises

• Warming up first

• Proper rest

You can share these ideas with your fellow employees by posting them up somewhere visible, or by sharing them via email reminders.

Benefits of Ergonomics

bostontec.com

— Ehi Ebodaghe, Medical Student.

Medbud Solutions, January 2022

Hi, my name’s Ehi and I’ll be graduating from St. George’s University, in June of this year. St George’s is a medical school on the island of Grenada, in the West Indes. I myself learned most of what’s in this article from first-hand experience and I thought it may help to share some of what I thought were the most valuable things I discovered. If you’re the plan and prepare type and you’re going to a medical school far from home, this may be the piece for you.

CULTURE SHOCK

If you’re from anywhere that’s not in the Caribbean, Grenada will likely be a novelexperience for you. It’s a beautiful island with a population of about 100,000 people, a small but exceptionally friendly and lively community that is welcoming but can take some getting used to. For those that grew up in the Caribbean, I reckon it takes a little less adjusting. But SGU has a massive international community of countless nationalities and ethnicities. So, at the very least, you’re surrounded by plenty people who are as new to the island as you.

NOT KANSAS ANYMORE

The SGU MD program is a post-grad degree and treats you as such. Most students have an undergraduate and have work experience in the medical field. Others, like myself, took a different path and thus have very little exposure to the field. The curriculum requires you to be much more self-motivated and self-directed. You are given the information that you need to know but it is entirely your responsibility to make sure that you know that information like the back of your hand. Nobody is going to spoon-feed you anything and you won’t get help unless you acknowledge that you need it and ask for it. While this may sound terrifying at first, SGU is/was home to some of the smartest, most driven people I know. It’s necessary to have a certain tenacity to make it through and that’s why it produces some truly phenomenal doctors.

INFORMATION INFORMATION AND MORE INFORMATION.

I’m sure you’ve heard before that med school is difficult and there’s a mountain of information to learn. Well, I hate to break it to you but it’s not an exaggeration! Medicine is vast and seemingly endless in its breadth and depth; it’s virtually impossible to know everything. However, this is not to say you cannot do well and become a great doctor. It takes a while to get into it, especially if you’re not used to the way the university delivers information, but once you find your own way of studying, you’ll hit your stride. It’s all about finding the most efficient and effective way to process information. For some who are visual learners, diagrams, flow charts and colourful visuals can help. For others who are more auditory, listening to lectures multiple times and watching videos of others explaining may work best. It all depends on you. Take time to get to know which methods work best for you as early as possible, you’ll make life so much easier for yourself down the road.

FRIENDS OR FOES?

One of the things that took a while for me to adjust to was the class size. Coming from a small school where my graduating class was under 30 people who all knew each other by name to a cohort of hundreds of students was a big shift. It was overwhelming sitting in the lecture hall that first day, but you just have to remember that you and everyone else in that class are at the same place in your journey. You’ll all listen to the same lectures, attend the same small groups and labs and write the same exams. Make friends, join study groups, and get to know your small group members. Med school may be hard but it’s that much easier when you have people to struggle alongside you. It’s also an effective way to make sure you cover everything you need to. Your study group and friends can hold you accountable on your progress and help identify (and even fill in) any gaps in your knowledge. There are no extra points for doing it all by yourself, and I think there’s no better time than med school to learn how to function well in a team.

OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM

Now although your education obviously takes priority, down time is so important. Nobody can function at their optimum level without rest and relaxation, and there is literally no better place to do that than the stunning island of Grenada. It’s home to arguably some of the most beautiful beaches in the world with bright white sands and clear blue waters. Lush greenery meets your eye basically wherever you look. Waterfalls, hiking trails, fish Fridays, there’s something for everyone on the island. It’s important to find the thing that helps you unwind. It would be such a shame to go to school in such a picturesque part of the world and spend the whole time studying. Make sure to make the most out of your experience

All of this said, everyone’s experience is bound to be different. You really get out what you put in. So go all in, learn as much as you can, find ways to stay motivated, and build in time to relax. The med school experience is really once in a lifetime, so enjoy it while you can!

— Dr. Jennifer Emeje, Optometrist.

Medbud Solutions, December 2021

Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide, classified as primary or secondary.

Glaucoma can affect anyone and is referred to as ‘the sneak thief of sight’ because it is asymptomatic (causes no symptoms) in its initial stages, and even the subsequent loss of peripheral vision easily passes unnoticed.

WHAT IS GLAUCOMA?

Once the damage has been done, it is irreversible, which is why building awareness and encouraging people to go in for regular eye examinations including glaucoma screening is mandatory. How regular these eye examinations should be is determined by several factors including age, race, and family history of the disease.

Glaucoma is an eye disease that causes permanent loss of vision by damaging your optic nerve. This damage occurs due to a rise in the pressure in your eye, caused by a buildup of fluid.  

The most common type of glaucoma, called “primary” open angle glaucoma, is a chronic disturbance of the normal fluid pressure inside the eye and is generally age-related. “Acute” or secondary closed angle glaucoma is rarer and is identified by a sudden, painful shutting down of the mechanisms controlling intraocular fluid pressure.

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness for people over the age of 60. It can occur at any age but is more common in older adults. Many forms of glaucoma have no warning signs. The effect is so gradual that you may not notice a change in vision until the condition is at an advanced stage. It’s important to have regular eye exams because vision loss due to glaucoma can’t be recovered. If glaucoma is recognized early, vision loss can be slowed or prevented.

If you have the condition, you’ll generally need treatment for the rest of your life.

SYMPTOMS OF GLAUCOMA

Most glaucoma sufferers experience no pain and almost no symptoms. Glaucoma may show some early symptoms including severe pain in the eye or forehead.

There are cases of redness of the eye, sufferers may also report decreased or blurred vision.

Some glaucoma patients see rainbows or halos around bright lights. Patients can also experience nausea and vomiting. 

Glaucoma sufferers usually experience painful light sensitivity or photophobia. This is primarily due to increased pressure in the eye. Crizal coatings for your lenses can help eliminate glare and soothe your eyes, helping alleviate eye discomfort.

The signs and symptoms of glaucoma vary depending on the type and stage of your condition. For example:

A: Open-angle glaucoma• Patchy blind spots in your side (peripheral) or central vision, frequently in both eyes.• Tunnel vision in the advanced stages

B: Acute angle-closure glaucoma• Severe headache• Eye pain• Nausea and vomiting• Blurred vision Halos around lights• Eye redness

If left untreated, glaucoma will eventually cause blindness.

TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR GLAUCOMA

There are different treatment options for glaucoma sufferers, depending on the type or severity of your disease.

Eye Drops these are used to lower the pressure in your eye and are usually a first attempt to control the onset of glaucoma. Often, a combination of several eye drops is required.

Laser Therapy – this treatment varies depending on the severity of your affliction and aims to reduce the pressure in your eye. 

Surgery – when all else fails, surgery is required to repair the damage caused by glaucoma and restore vision.

– Peter Zipamoh Jr.

Medbud Solutions, November 2021

Uterine Fibroids, which are medically known as leiomyomas or myomas, are muscular tumors that can grow on your uterus. Unlike most medical myths have stated, they rarely turn into cancer — and if you get them it doesn’t mean you’re more likely to get uterine cancer.

Fibroids come in different sizes, shapes, and position. They can grow in your uterus, uterine wall, or on its surface. They can also attach to your uterus by a stalk- or stem-like structure.

In regards to size, some are so tiny that they can’t be seen with the naked eye. While others are very large and come in big masses that can affect the size and shape of your uterus.

Statistically, Uterine fibroids are common in women of childbearing age (between 30-40 years old), but they can show up at any age. They’re more common in African-American women than in white women, and they also tend to show up earlier and grow quicker in African-American women.

Why? That is still unknown to the medical world.

So what causes Uterine Fibroids?

Just like it’s mostly associated with women with African decent, scientists still don’t have a clear cause of Uterine Fibroid.

However, there are a couple of causative reasons for fibroid.

These include:

⁃ hormones: progesterone and estrogen are the hormones that make the lining of your uterus thicken every month during your menstrual cycle. They also affect fibroid growth. When hormone production slows down during the age of menopause, fibroids usually shrink.

⁃ genetics: you’re more likely to get fibroid if your mom or sister has had them

⁃ substances that help with upkeep of tissue growth

Uterine Fibroids can be diagnosed using ultrasound, Hysterosonography, Hysterosalpingography, Hysteroscopy or MRI scans.

This is why regular check up is important as early detection can ease the treatment process.

Treatment can be done through prescribed— medication, various types of surgery if at an advance stage or waiting it out if you have only mild symptoms as Fibroids aren’t cancerous, and they grow slowly or not at all. They also may shrink or go away after menopause.

There are medical research that believe certain lifestyle habits can reduce your chances of uterine fibroids.

How can I prevent Uterine Fibroid?

Regular exercise, eating vegetables, meals rich in vitamins + fiber and avoiding high sugar diets

How do I know I have symptoms of Uterine Fibroid and when should I go to the doctor?

The most common symptoms of Uterine Fibroid include:

⁃ lower abdomen or back pain

⁃ pain during sexual intercourse

⁃ frequent urinating

⁃ pain in the rectum

You should see your doctor you have chronic pelvic pain, difficulty urinating or inability to control urine flow, very heavy and painful periods, lump or mass in your abdomen.

Finally, regular check up is important not just for Uterine Fibroids but for your general health.

Thanks for reading our blog and stay connected for more health tips.

(If you’re nurse, medical student/doctor, public health professional etc in Nigeria and currently doing research on Uterine Fibroid, please click the link below to get statistical information on Prevalence of Uterine Fibroids in Nigeria )

References

⁃ Ukwenya V, Maduemezia N, Afolayan O, Alese O, Thomas W. Prevalence of uterine fibroid in a South-Western Nigerian population: A sonographic study. J Exp Clin Anat [serial online] 2015

⁃ webMD