“I just want to thank all of the staff at WolMed for all of your help! I came here not knowing what I was getting myself into, but I was very happy when I found out.”
4/2/09 Felipe T. – WH
Certain procedures require constant care and follow-up, but not every Doctor’s office is equipped to handle the situation from start to finish. Other Doctor’s offices may be equipped to handle the procedure, but they don’t accept many insurance companies. This can leave you paying a lot out of pocket.
When you’re injured at work, it not only affects you at work, but also at home as well. It’s extremely frustrating when you are limited from doing simple things such as holding a cell phone.
WebMD estimates that up to 80% of Americans will at some point in their lives are affected by back pain. Of those, 85% will not find the cause of the pain despite a thorough medical examination.
Because of this, people who suffer from frequent pain, especially back pain; are scared to exercise for fear of hurting themselves. While their fears may seem warranted, studies prove just the opposite, demonstrating that strength training can actually reduce pain and prevent further injury if done properly.
Kettlebells are cast-iron weights that have been used for centuries to train Russian soldiers and athletes, appear to be a promising therapy for back and neck pain, new research shows.
The weights, named for their resemblance to a tea kettle with a looped handle, began showing up in American gyms about 15 years ago and have gained a popular following among exercise buffs looking for a quick full-body workout. Unlike traditional weight training, which typically focuses on lifting exercises, a kettlebell workout requires both swinging and lifting of the weights.
Studies have shown that people training with kettlebells in 20-minute sessions two to three times a week for eight weeks reported less pain as well as improved strength in the trunk and core muscles. Over all, working out with kettlebells reduced lower back pain by 57 percent and cut neck and shoulder pain by 46 percent.
Kettlebell training, while helpful in reducing pain and improving core strength, is also surprisingly aerobic. A study by the American Council on Exercise found that a 20-minute kettlebell workout burns about 21 calories a minute, the equivalent of running at a six-minute-mile pace.
Kettlebells are also an exercise of choice for many people because they are very portable, making it easier to exercise for people on the go.
Because Kettlebells are difficult to control, it’s important to consult with a pain management doctor to see if this exercise will benefit you before meeting with a certified instructor to learn proper form.
The road to better health is paved with the small decisions we make every day, and this quick exercise can help you take control of your back pain.
If you or a loved one is experiencing chronic neck or back pain and would like to see if rehabilitative exercises can help, visit www.wolmed.com to make an appointment to become part of the 15% who find relief from their chronic neck and back pain. WOLMED is a CARF certified full serviced Pain Management Clinic with locations to better serve you in Dallas and Denton.
The North Texas area has basically been snowed in for 3 consecutive days now. Yesterday, I thought for sure that it would all be over, but then I woke up this morning with what looks to be 6 inches of snow in my backyard. WOLMED Medical in Denton and Dallas, TX never close on bad weather days. I should know since I’ve been with this practice for 15 years. If it’s snowing, Dr. Wolski and Dr. Helsten make it to the office. If the roads are icy, Dr. Wolski and Dr. Helsten make it to the office. Yesterday, for example, both of the doctors were in the office ready to help sick and injured patients.
Like a lot of other business however, 80% of the WOLMED staff in Denton stayed home and 100% of the Dallas staff stayed home. The roads were just too bad for everyone to make it to work. I was watching the news and I’m always surprised at the number of cars on the road driving to work. So many people commute from outside of Dallas and Ft. Worth to get to work. It’s just so dangerous though, and for that reason, WOLMED’s policy is that during bad weather, we’re probably going to be open, but nobody should drive to work if they can’t do so safely.
Wednesday morning, the traffic report on the news showed car wrecks on every major highway. Today, the news showed fewer car wrecks due to people finally realizing they should just stay home, but one of the wrecks had an ambulance on the scene. Today, the Spur 408 and I-20 intersection was closed down to a single lane due to horrible road conditions. The DFW metroplex has been littered with auto accidents and auto injuries are most certainly inevitable.
Yesterday, Dr. Wolski and Dr. Helsten were in the office, like I said earlier, and we had several patients. People are still sick when the roads are bad. They’re still in pain when the roads are bad. They still need their doctor when the roads are bad. The WOLMED doctors are committed to helping their patients regardless of the weather conditions. Last year, I wrote a blog about the United States Postal Service because during bad road conditions, my mail was delivered.
Rain, sleet, snow – the mail man delivers. The same is true for Dr. Wolski and Dr. Helsten.
The annual report on the total number of Texas work injuries was recently published and it showed another drop in the overall number of reported work injury claims for 2010. This is the 4th consecutive year showing a reduction in Texas work injury claims. Some would have us believe that this number is a good thing, and from the standpoint of fewer people getting injured I would certainly agree. However, these numbers don’t necessarily tell the whole story. Take the following points for example.
Point #1 – Unemployment. When fewer people have jobs fewer people get hurt on the job.
Point #2 – Fear of Unemployment. When so many people are already out of work, many others fear being out of work. Lots of companies fire people after they are hurt on the job. It’s not fair, but it’s a reality for many injured workers.
Point #3 – Reduction of Doctors who Treat Injured Workers. Workers Compensation health care networks have drastically limited the number of qualified doctors who are allowed to treat many injured workers. If employees have reduced access to qualified workers comp doctors, who will they report their injury to? Not reporting an injury doesn’t mean that an injury never happened, but statistically, this will add to the supposed reduction in work injury claims.
Point #4 – Work Injuries that are Treated as Regular Health Insurance Claims. Many people who are hurt at work will not only not report their injury, but they will see a doctor and say that they don’t know how the pain started. They may get some treatment from their doctor, but it will be under their regular health insurance and not under Texas Workers Compensation. Many health insurers are very good at allowing treatment for these kinds of injuries. Blue Cross Blue Shield is one very good example of an insurance company that takes care of its customers. The problem is that Texas Workers Comp provides injured workers with many rights that the injured worker must forgo by not filing a work injury claim, and by taking this route annual injury statistics appear lower than they really are.
Now clearly some of the reason for the reduced number of Texas work injury claims is due to things like better employer education on workplace safety, OSHA regulations, and other workplace safety initiatives. Those points should not be overlooked. The point I want to drive home is that these numbers are most certainly skewed and the reasons are very sad. Unemployment, fear of unemployment, reduction of qualified Texas Workers Compensation doctors, filing on health insurance instead of workers comp insurance and anything else that might have an affect on the statistics.
WOLMED Texas workers compensation doctors want to help you when you’re hurt on the job. We can’t stop unemployment, but we can help you with the fear of unemployment by helping you get the treatment you need and by taking steps to help protect your job. And sure we accept Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance and most other insurances, but we don’t want you to waive your rights under Texas Workers Compensation. Instead, we want to help protect your rights. Finally, while there is a reduction of qualified doctors who treat workers compensation, we still treat injured workers and we have no plans whatsoever to stop helping injured workers. We want to be your doctor!
If you or someone you know what hurt at work, but aren’t exactly sure what to do about it, give us a call. The Medical Doctors and Chiropractors at WOLMED can help you. We are workers comp experts. We’re open 7am to 8pm on week days and 7am to 4pm on Saturdays and we welcome same-day appointments. Call us today in Denton and Dallas, TX.
Every January, people start to make their new year’s resolutions. What’s the #1 resolution? To get in shape. Join a gym. Lose weight. That’s a really great resolution. I’ve been working out at gyms for over 10 years and I see the same things every year. January rolls along and the gyms are full of people who are energized by their new year’s resolutions to get back in shape. Then February comes, and some of them drop out. March and April get here and half of them are gone. By the summer time, the gyms are left with the people who are regulars, plus some new folks who decided to stick with it (but very few of those).
Let’s all just face it. Resolving to get in shape, join a gym, eat better, etc, is hard to do when there isn’t a total commitment for a life change to go with it. Too many people view their health as a short-term project: I just need to lose 10 pounds. I want to get ready for the summer time. I want to fit back into those clothes I bought last July. Those goals are perfectly fine, but the bigger picture should give each one us the screaming motivation to get to it and stick to it and to make the serious lifestyle changes that will keep us healthy in our later years.
A person’s waist size is important, but not as much for how it relates to fitting into a pair of jeans. The more important concern for waist size is its affect on overall health. A lot of people don’t think about how that relates to things like diabetes, heart disease, and low testosterone (just to name a few). And sure, being thin may look good, but what about the fact that being overwheight is a factor in heart disease? Eating healthy will certainly help you take off some needed pounds, but it also will help to lower your bad cholesterol which can lead to very serious health problems.
Younger people especially have their blinders on when it comes to their health. They’re gong to live forever and they’re invensible. They don’t need to worry about that stuff and the way they fit into their clothes is the most important reason for them to be in shape. But then a funny thing happens. They hit their 30′s and then their 40′s. Then they have to start facing the reality that being healthy is so much more important than just the way they look in the mirror. Lots of younger people have never had any blood work done at a doctor’s office. They don’t know if their cholesterol is high. They hit their 30′s and notice that they are feeling more and more fatigued each day, but they’re doing the same things they’ve always done. Men start hearing about how their testosterone starts to decrease in their 30′s, but they’ve never had that checked out. What’s the point? Get a check up!
Your health is so much more important than just the way you look in a mirror. It’s important because you want to live a healthy life when you’re not as young as you once were. When was the last time you saw the doctor for something other than a cold, alergies, or the flu? When was the last time your medical doctor ran blood tests on you? Most people don’t realize that they should get annual blood tests because they can catch things that you don’t even know could be a problem. Once they become problems, you wish you would have known sooner. When was the last time you had a complete physical? Maybe that fatigue is a problem that a medical doctor can solve. And how’s your heart? Have you ever had an EKG? Did you know that you can get that done in less than 10 minutes at a doctor’s office.
Listen, you don’t need to go see your medical doctor only when you feel sick. That’s where so many people go wrong. No – you should see your doctor when you feel well. Get a full check-up by your medical doctor. Ask for lab work. Ask your doctor for a complete physical. These “well” visits will prevent you from having more than your share of the sick visits. So, if you’re going to make a new year’s resolution to get in shape, start by making an appointment with your medical doctor. Don’t ignore your overall health and focus only on your outward appearance. Those mistakes can lead to serious health problems down the road.
WOLMED Medical in Denton and Dallas have medical doctors who can help you with your well and sick visits. We can do you lab work in house and help you get in the best shape of your life. We accept most major insurances including Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, Aetna, United Healthcare, PHCS, Cigna, and many more. We welcome same-day appointments and we can usually get your lab results back withing a couple of days.
Make your new year’s health resolution the right way. See your doctor. WOLMED Medical Doctors want to be your doctor too.
Remember when you used to get a book from your HR department with all of the doctors in your PPO network? These PPO directories were great, but very easy to lose. Then, when you needed to find a medical doctor, you had to go back to the HR department and ask for a new directory. When you had your book, you could find your doctor based on his or her specialty, but lots of times the phone number or address was wrong or changed, or the doctor wasn’t practicing at that location anymore.
Now, we have the internet and the majority of people surveyed say they use the Internet all the time to look up just about everything, including their doctor. You can find a doctor on the internet in a matter of seconds. Google is awesome! You just type something like “Family Doctor Denton, TX” or “Medical Doctor Dallas, TX” and all fo the doctors close to your location will come up on the first page. Or, you can go to your specific PPO network’s web site. Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) has a very user-friendly web site for searching for medical doctors. To find your nearest family doctor, you just type in a city and state and the type of doctor and all of your options are listed instantly. Aetna and United Healthcare also have really great doctor finder tools. The internet is probably the easiest way to find a doctor.
Of course, you could go to the yellow pages in your phone book, but you never get all of the information that you want about your doctor. You get a phone number and address and if the doctor spent a lot of money on ad space, you can see some of the features of the medical practice. Otherwise, you still need the internet. That proably explains why so many people are switching from the phone book to the internet. My wife asked me the other day to look in the phone book for something. I said, “huh? we have a phone book? where at?”, then I used the internet. Google was way faster than looking through a phone book.
So, how do you find your family practice doctor when you need to see a medical doctor? Do you look in the phone book for a doctor or does your HR department still offer a directory of doctors. Or, are you like most people now and you use the internet: Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc. Doctors have to use a web site these days because you most likely want to see it.
WOLMED doctors have a web site (www.wolmed.com), but we can also be found on Twitter, Facebook, www.superpages.com, www.yellowbook.com, www.yellowpages.com, www.spineuniverse.com, Aetna, BCBS, United Healthcare, Humana, Cigna, Unicare, carfpainmanagement.blogspot.com, wolmed.blogspot.com, Technorati, BlogCatalog, Zimbio, and more to come. We recognized that patients want to have easy access to finding a medical doctor. We’re trying to help make it even easier.
How do you find a doctor when you need medical care?
A lot of people don’t realize that WOLMED doesn’t only treat work injuries and auto injuries. In addition to Texas Workers Compensation and Car Wrecks, WOLMED doctors also help patients with Family Practice needs. Our doctors are Medical Doctors who can treat a wide range of illnesses from the common cold to the flu and many other conditions such as infections, respiratory illnesses, and so much more. Our doctors use an in-house lab to draw blood and run tests to find the root causes of medical conditions. We also have in-house X-Rays and a laser for minor surgeries such as mole removals and skin tags. Medical Doctors can prescribe medications when you are sick usingelectronic submission of prescriptions to your favorite pharmacy. WOLMED’s Denton doctors and Dallas doctors treat far more than just work and auto injuries. Sure, we’re experts at workers’ compensation and auto accidents, but at the heart of things, we are Medical Doctors and we are trained and highly experienced to help you with all of your family medical needs as well.
The MD’s at WOLMED are on most PPO insurance plans, including: Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS), Aetna, United Healthcare, Cigna, Humana, and many more. The Denton, TX office has two Medical Doctors who are available 6 days per week and late on evenings, and the Dallas, TX office has one Medical Doctor. We also have experienced Physician’s Assistants and Certified Medical Assistants to help the doctors and ensure a thorough evaluation of your medical condition along with the best treatment available.
WOLMED is open Monday thru Saturday and always welcomes new patients. We have appointments available daily for new and established patients. You don’t need to wait days or weeks to see a doctor. Instead, you can see a WOLMED Medical Doctor today. WOLMED doctors have nearly 100 years of combined medical experience. They want to be your doctor too.
WOLMED treats patients who were injured working for the post office. Since 2008, the medical doctors at WOLMED have treated 134 people who work for the United States Postal Service. Federal workers comp has different rules than state workers comp. A doctor who treats patients under the Department of Labor must be more highly specialized in those federal rules than doctors who treat only state workers comp.
Federal workers comp has special forms that must be filled out and submitted to the DOL and to the employer. If these forms are not filled out correctly and on-time, it could cause serious problems for the injured worker, including loss of pay, loss of injury benefits, and loss of job.
If you’re hurt at work for the post office, you need to choose your doctor very carefully. There are a lot of really good doctors out there, but if your doctor doesn’t specialize in federal workers comp and doesn’t understand the rules that injured postal employees and other injured federal workers must follow, you could have a lot of problems – other than the injury itself.
WOLMED does specialize in federal workers compensation. We understand the rules set forth by the Department of Labor and we pride ourselves in having excellent patient outcomes and excellent patient satisfaction scores. Our patients get better. They are happy. And – they don’t experience the hassles that are possible when the doctor isn’t a federal workers comp expert.
If you or someone you know was injured working for the post office or any other federal agency, choose WOLMED for the treatment of your federal workers comp injury.
We want to be your doctor!
