A Handy Checklist for Your Pet Sitter

If you are planning to go out of town for a weekend getaway or for a much longer vacation and are not able to take your pet along. The best thing is to ensure that during your absence your pet’s stay is enjoyable and easy as much as possible. You can do this by hiring a pet sitter. But before you get one it is better to prepare for a checklist for hiring, so that during your absence your furry pal has the best comfort available. Some of the things that need to be kept in mind include:

Vacation itinerary

This would include the time and date of your departure and expected arrival.

Contact information

Ensure that you give your cell phone number, hotel information and room number in case you need to be contacted by the person you have hired.

Contact numbers of your immediate family members

There may be a possibility that the pet sitter might not be able to contact you. In such a situation, they should have an emergency contact number of your immediate family members who can take responsible decisions in your absence.

Key & security alarm information

Ensure that you provide requisite information to the pet sitting professional about the security of the house during your absence.

Primary vet information

Include the name of the practice and veterinarian they can contact providing clinic address and phone number.

Emergency vet clinic information

If there is an emergency with your pet after the primary vet’s office hours, the pet sitter should have an emergency animal hospital’s information which can get the pet treated quickly thereby easing the tension.

Feeding & walking schedule

As a pet owner, you know the feeding and walking schedule of your furry companion. In your absence, this task needs to be done by the person you have hired. Hence, provide him with the requisite information so that he/she can maintain the schedule of the pet in the best possible way.

List of treatments and usage instructions

If your pet is undergoing any treatment specify the instructions, so that the treatment can be given on time. This ensures that your pet does not miss out on the dosage in your absence.

List of food & treats

Although you might have made an arrangement of pet food in your absence it is always better to tell the pet sitter where they can procure the pet food in your absence. If your flight gets delayed or due to unforeseen circumstances you are not able to reach home on time, he/she should know where to procure pet food for the furry pal.

List of pet care items

Give the detailed directions about where have you kept different pet care items like brush, food, cleaning pads, sweater (if it is cold outside) and leash.

Favorite toys

Inform about the favorite toys of the pet so that the pet’s mind can be diverted easily.

Dangers Along Walking Route

Always specify if there is any unfriendly pet around in the neighborhood or if a neighbor yells if your pet pees in the yard. By telling them these things you can ensure that the pet sitter knows how to handle the situation if there is a need.

Room and furniture limitations

Provide a list of rooms or furniture that your pet is not allowed in or on.

Visitors

Always inform about the estimated date and time of visitors in the house like a house cleaner, lawn care company or pool person. This is particularly important so that your pet sitter does not think that your house has been broken into.

When your pet is well-cared off during your absence you will have a more enjoyable and carefree trip. The pet sitter will also have an easy time taking care of your pet. So, the next time you decide to go for a vacation without your pet do not forget to prepare a handy checklist for your pet sitter.

Ensuring That You Own Your Content’s Copyright

You have been a prolific writer for your business for a long time and, of course, just like all other writers, you use sources to back up the facts that you write in your content. Of course, there is no reason for you to assume anything other than the fact that you own the copyright of all of the content that you are writing.

Sometimes the line is obscured

If you own the copyright on specific content (including graphics, videos, etc), that means that you can do anything that you wish with that content. After all, it belongs to you. On the other hand, if someone else owns the copyright on the content, you are severely limited from doing what you want with that content. That means that you can’t recycle the content and use it over and over again, you can allow other people to post the content on their websites (for increased exposure and a wider reach), and you can’t touch the images (making them smaller, larger, wider, narrower). Your hands are tied in that case. However, you may not always understand when it is appropriate (legally and ethically) to alter the content in any way and when you really need to be hands off.

You probably have an accurate sense that you can’t just find a graphic image online, copy it, and embed it in your content. That is just common sense. If you use any portion of someone else’s content (words), you probably realize that you must give the author credit for what he or she has written. However, the copyright goes far beyond that. It is extremely important for you to understand the basics of copyright and how that applies to you and to your business. If you don’t pay attention to what you are allowed and not allowed to do, you may get yourself into trouble (legally and financially speaking). There are some concepts that will benefit you if you at least have a working knowledge of them. Hopefully, they will not actually apply to you at any time but being aware is very important for you.

  • Have a licensing agreement, including an invoice: That is an invoice from the person who owns the copyright. If you plan to use material of which someone else owns the copyright, you will probably need to pay that person (or that entity) some money. There may be rare occasions in which the person or entity will not charge you money but you need to have a written agreement between you so that you don’t get into trouble.
  • Lawsuit as a result of copyright infringement: This is a lawsuit that occurs in a federal court. The person or entity doing the suing is the owner of the copyright. The lawsuit will make demands, such as your eliminating all of the copyrighted material from wherever you have posted it online. You will also (most likely) be expected to pay some amount of money (damages) and there is also the potential that you will be asked to pay the lawyers’ fees.
  • Cease-and-desist communication: This is a communication (usually in the form of a letter) from the person who owns the copyright telling you that you must delete their content from wherever you have posted it.
  • Digital Millennium Copyright Act takedown notice: This is a notice that refers to the act on behalf of the copyright owner. It is sent to your web hosting service. It will insist that your web hosting service disables any access to wherever the copyrighted content appears.

The disturbing thing about this situation is that, depending on the whim of the copyright owner, you may end up paying in any number of ways. It might be minor but it might be major as well. You may be notified of the copyright violation in stages. If you respond immediately after you receive the first notice, you may get lucky and after doing whatever is demanded of you, that will be the end of it, as long as you never do it again. However, if you continue, the consequences will probably get more and more severe. You will need to tread lightly in this situation and do whatever you need to do quickly if you want to escape relatively unscathed.

Educate yourself about your rights

When you first write a piece of content, you need to make sure that you take all measures to ensure that you never run into these types of problems that are described above. If you don’t happen to be the one creating the content, you need to make sure that you get the other person to assign copyright ownership to you. It is critical that you have it in writing. The best thing to do is to have a written contract between you and the other person. Hopefully, in that case, there will be no question about anything. If you want the creator to be able to benefit from the content, it is safest to put that into the contract as well. The sorts of things that you will want to put into the contract are: exactly what is being created, how revisions are handled, deadlines and consequences if those deadlines are not met, the payment schedule, who will own the copyright, and who will be responsible for the consequences if the copyright is violated. If you have a long-term relationship with that person, you will probably find that you will need to revise your contract over time.

Conclusion

Copyright ownership may not have been something that you thought about very often (or at all); however, you need to have it in mind all of the time and be cognizant of doing the right thing. If you don’t, the consequences will probably not be pleasant. You need to protect your reputation and your bank account at all times. Copyright laws are very complicated and you may not even realize that you are violating any of those laws. However, you need to be aware of what you are doing and make sure that you don’t continue to violate any copyright laws. Interestingly, there are a few situations in which you don’t need to get permission from the copyright owner of the content. You should do the research and determine when those rules apply, which will ease the burden a little bit. Undoubtedly, you were not aware that you were doing anything wrong. However, once you are aware, you need to make sure that you do everything by the book.

Designing Small Outdoor Spaces in Your Hospitality Business

Every outdoor area, no matter how small it is, deserves to be treated with attention. This need amplifies when it comes to restaurants, hotels, cafes and resorts. So hospitality businesses should be extra careful when designing a small outdoor space like a balcony or even a limited terrace.

In order to turn a narrow area into an attractive place to hang out, two steps must be applied: choosing the right outdoor furniture and installing them effectively.

How to choose the furniture?

Selecting small furniture

When you have a narrow area, you can still furnish it with small items that fits. For example, instead of cramming the balcony with a single sofa, use a couple of chairs and a round coffee table so guests can enjoy a relaxing morning. Don’t forget to take measurements, here a few centimeters can make a difference.

Using multi-functional outdoor furniture

A small area limits the use of several furniture to suit all needs. Therefore, an effective solution would be to use multi functional patio furniture for your restaurant, hotel, resort or cafe. A modular outdoor setting allows you to have a minimum of items with the most uses possible. For example, if a daybed and living set don’t fit together next to the pool, replace them with an outdoor furniture piece that gives you both. In that case, Skyline Design’s Bishan can be an appropriate way to combine the two, as it can be used as a daybed or a sofa set.

Going vertical with decorations

One of the latest garden design trends is the adoption of the vertical space in the outdoors. In other terms, exploiting placing decoration accessories or even plants on the walls surrounding the outdoor living area. In addition, due to this new “wave”, brands are now creating items for vertical use. For example, the famous French brand, Maiori, produced chic planters that can be placed on top of each other, in order to save horizontal space.

How to design the small space to make it look wider?

Designating a focal point

Installing outdoor furniture in a small area can be messy. A bit of organization will turn a chaotic setting into a comfortable and relaxing spot. One of the first steps to take is to focus all the outdoor chairs and sofas to one direction. A focal point can either be external like the sea, the garden or a specific landscape, as well as internal like an outdoor lounge or a hanging chair. You can add accessories according to your needs, but make sure that you still have only one focal point.

Paving the path and the living area

Another way to embellish a small outdoor space is to pave the path and the living area. However, this is a delicate task that can either break it or make it. How? Applying geometrical designs in the pavement can make the outdoor area look smaller. And most probably, that’s not what restaurants and resorts are looking to accomplish, on the contrary.

Keeping it simple with only the needed furniture

One of the main issues in small areas is the lack of space for people to move around. This is mostly due to decoration items that can be dropped out. Therefore, removing all unneeded elements, like decorations and plants, will make the small area more spacious, allowing people to be more comfortable.

Designing a small outdoor space is definitely a challenge for any interior designer or hospitality furniture company. However, choosing the right outdoor furniture, and efficiently designing the area will transform your small outdoor space into an endless paradise. So don’t miss out on this opportunity.

The Telltale Signs of Gentrification in NELA: Garvanza and Hermon

The rapidly developing area of North East Los Angeles (NELA) lends new meaning to the name “Boomtown”. Following in the footsteps of Highland Park, their neighbor to the West, the picturesque communities of Hermon and Garvanza have been undergoing a major facelift since the nineties. That’s been good news for homeowners who have seen homes in Garvanza and Hermon spike in value as real estate in these areas become highly coveted.

The once neglected Craftsman-style residence has taken-on a new pride of ownership, making the region one of NEL.A.’s most hidden treasures. The ornate architecture of Garvanza encompass nearly every style popular from the 1880’s through the 1940’s including, Queen Anne, Shingle, Mission Revival, and Tudor Revival. The charm of this unique enclave, overflowing with historic buildings, is reminiscent of small towns in Northern California.

The ginger bread homes of Chico come to mind. These dilapidated beauties from yesteryear are being restored back to their original splendor with the ginormous wave of gentrification sweeping across NELA. The rejuvenation of these sad old buildings has helped to launch the local real estate market into the stratosphere. If to gentrify is to make a house or district more attractive to the up and coming “gentry”, then the dramatic improvement of Garvanza and has come to exemplify this very process.

Garvanza is generally considered to be the birthplace of the Arts and Crafts movement in Southern California, and many of these houses have been recognized as official historic landmarks. For the architecture enthusiast and tourist alike, these spectacular structures are a treasure trove of gems to behold. As the area has become more and more fashionable among prosperous hipsters, the local economies have grown as well.

Evidence of gentrification is apparent when hip organic restaurants spring up, able to accommodate all of your dietary needs. It wasn’t that long ago that you would be hard pressed to find a meal outside of what might be available from the street taco vendor, or pedestrian fare served at mediocre restaurants. In present day Garvanza, the gay couple on the go can delight to poached eggs, avocado toast and espresso after Pilates class. There is even a new café custom made for the cycling culture, taking shape on York Boulevard, of course, peddling cycling gear along with lattés and vegan scones to its athletic neighbors. Starbucks is perhaps the most obvious telltale sign of gentrification and York Boulevard is now bookended by the famous green lady logo.

Adjacent to Garvanza, lies the hilly hamlet of Hermon. This ever so quint residential district is known for its sycamore-lined streets and gorgeous period homes. In the not so distant past, you might find people wrenching on the old family car, parked haphazardly on the front lawn. Fences and walls of commercial buildings were “decorated” with gang graffiti. Legions of homeless folk set up camp under the freeway.

Today Hermon real estate is booming and homes for sale in Hermon are handsome and immaculate, the yards well groomed. There are only so many places to go around, in these parts, which make this cozy bedroom community difficult to get into. The limited supply of homes and the ever-growing demand makes Hermon all the more chic among the groovy people. The small town feel, and close proximity to the L.A. metropolis gives you the best of both worlds.

Healthy Eating – Three Super Reasons to Start Drinking Lemon Water Today

As you go about your healthy eating program, one thing you will want to ensure you are doing is drinking enough fluids. Staying hydrated is key to keeping your…

  • energy level up,
  • your hunger down, and
  • your blood sugar levels stable.

If you want to make the most of your hydration, there is one way to do it: lemon water. Why is lemon water so beneficial? Let’s look at the reasons…

1. Detoxification. First, lemon water is excellent for detoxifying your body. Water on its own is ideal for flushing toxins out of your system, but the added lemon helps cleanse your digestive tract and make sure everything is functioning optimally.

It is important to remember when you become overloaded with toxins, which you are exposed to on a daily basis, everything in your body performs less than optimally. You have to deal with this toxic load, and that can be very taxing and energy draining.

Once you remove those toxins, your energy level will increase, and you will start feeling noticeably better.

2. Low-Calorie. Next, you will benefit from lemon water because it is so low in calories. Lemons contain just mere calories per whole fruit, so the juice of a few slices of lemon may amount to two or three calories at most.

Consuming calorie-containing beverages is one of the leading causes of weight gain for many people, so the more you can swap this out with calorie-free drinks, the higher your chances are of reaching your body-weight goals.

Furthermore, the light flavor of this water will also encourage you to drink more. Thus it will be easier to get your hydration needs met.

3. Balances pH Levels. Lemons outside of the body are extremely acidic, but inside the body, it is a whole different story. When they move through the digestive tract, they become alkaline, so are great for keeping your body where it needs to be.

When you become very acidic, this can set you up for problems such as…

  • fatigue,
  • headaches,
  • sleepiness,
  • a lack of appetite,
  • an increased heart rate,
  • lightheaded, and
  • have difficulty concentrating.

Most of us are regularly in an acidic state due to consuming so much meat, dairy, and grains.

There you have three super reasons to drink lemon water today. Try putting a few slices of lemon in a pitch of icy cold water along with some fresh mint leaves for a great tasting drink you will look forward to having.

What Damages Can I Claim After a Drunk Driving Accident

Being injured in a drunk driving accident can be life-altering. You need to hire a professional personal injury attorney. Only he can educate you regarding the legal process and eventually help you win the case with the best possible compensation.

As per the Florida law, you are a victim of a drunk driving accident if the accident causes you loss of any form that demands compensation. Under Florida Statute for victims of DUI crashes, there are certain “allowances” provided for the victims. However, the victim or his lawyer often requires to pursue these allowances he is subjected to!

You must be aware about the multiple ways through which a victim can obtain benefits. A set of Qualification Requirements has been established by the Florida’s Bureau of Victim Compensation for receipt of funds under its Crimes Compensation Act. Here are the requirements:

  • The reporting of the crime to law enforcement needs to be done within 72 hours.
  • It is necessary for the victim to have suffered some form of personal physical injury. There is an automatic reduction in the funds for those who have just suffered psychiatric or psychological injury due to the accident.
  • Application needs to be filed within the time period of one year after the crime date. In case a valid cause is shown, the time period might be expanded up
  • to 2 years.
  • The victim must cooperate with law enforcement, State Attorney’s Office, and the Attorney General’s Office fully.
  • The victim must not have been engaged in any form of unlawful activity at the time of the accident.
  • The victim must not be responsible for the accident in any way.
  • The victim must not have a record of felony conviction.

What are the benefits available to the victim?

You need to meet all the above criteria in order to be proven as the victim. Only then, as per the Bureau you are entitled to the following benefits:

  • Loss of wage
  • Loss of support such as the death of a close relative etc.
  • Disability of any form
  • Expenses related to funeral
  • Expenses pertaining to medical treatments
  • Mental health counseling
  • Compensation for any kind of Property Loss

However, the truth is that you and your lawyer need to pursue your compensation actively in order to avail all the benefits available under the Florida Law. This specific statute helps to save you a good deal of your medical costs.

An injury caused due to drunk driving accident might cause you loss of time at work and subsequently loss of high wages. You might have to struggle to pay the bills. When your general bills are added on by your medical expenses, you might lose your sleep at night. So, it is more than essential for you to claim lost wages in a drunk driving accident. This includes future wages If the injuries you suffered leaves you disabled or incapable of functioning properly to provide output to the company, you need to count your future wages as well for compensation.
You are also entitled to seek damages for pain and suffering caused by such an accident. This involves the physical or mental distress caused due to someone’s death. You need to prove the nature and severity of your injury as well as the prognosis issued by the doctor with the intent to claim such damages.
Out of all the damages claimed, those related to medical expenses is the most common. This is because in most cases, medical expenses can add up at a striking rate into a lump sum. The situation might be the same even when you have medical and auto insurance. You can demand reimbursement for ambulance rides, consultations, medical equipment, physical therapy, in-home medical care and all other expenditures.
What to do just after a drunk driving accident occurs?
  • Dial 911

When you find out you are the victim in the crash, dial 911. Make sure to receive treatment for your injuries instantly, if possible. Police officials soon test the other driver for the accident.

  • Gather contact information

Collect important contact information. It includes the other driver’s name, contact number, address, and details related to insurance. Also, gather relevant info from the witnesses on the scene. Gather their basic contact information as well since it might come handy later.

  • Gather every possible piece of evidence

Click pictures of the crash scene, the vehicles or vehicles that were involved, and any injuries that you suffered. If there are other pieces of evidence like torn clothing, crashed debris etc., make sure you keep those handy as well.

  • Hire a drunk driving accident attorney

Only the qualified drunk driving attorney has an absolute knowledge on law. At first, the case might seem to be simple but things might get tense with the progression of the case. So, be on the safe side and get yourself a proper attorney with specialization in this field.

Who is usually responsible for drunk driving accidents?
If the person who apparently caused the accident is found to have a BAC that is higher than the legal limit, you can go ahead in filing a lawsuit against him. You can also file a claim against a restaurant or bar if it is responsible for providing alcohol to the person accused for the accident.
  • The accused person needs to be Under 21 years of age.
  • The accused need to be someone who is “habitually addicted” to alcohol.

It is pretty difficult to put the blame or a part of blame on the third parties that might actually be liable for the drunk driving accidents.

Office Design for Improving Productivity

Sometimes, adding chalkboards and whiteboards can seem handy, but there is more than you can do to improve your office space. Here are just a few office design tips to help improve your overall productivity.

1. Idea Storage

One of the worst things that can happen for creative people is that they have a great idea but do not have anywhere to write it down, and they lose it. There is also the chance that you will end up doing a huge amount of research on a topic that you are not going to use. Whiteboards and notebooks are a great option for writing your ideas down, so you can continue to work on your main task for the day.

2. Remove the Clutter

It is important that you are regularly cleaning your office. Clutter comes from your creative mind working, but it can make focusing and getting your work done difficult. You should make sure that you have enough storage for all your items and that you have access to your most used objects.

3. Bring in Some Nature

We are biological creatures, so we should be spending some amount of time outside every single day. However, being inside all the time has a huge effect on our work. While it would be nice to spend a lot of time outside, for most jobs, this is not really possible. If you cannot take your work outside, why not bring nature to you? Try opening the shades and letting fresh air. This could help you feel more energized and help you get more done. Plants can also be a great option to add to your office, you just have to remember to water it.

4. Table and Chairs

We have all experienced having to sit at a table and having to consistently having to readjust to be comfortable, so we could focus on our work. This is why you should take the time to find a desk and chair that both fits your body and the way that you sit. This can take some adjusting to if you are working on an office where you do not have control over when items are ordered. If you are working at home, try to sit in chairs that you are thinking about buying for around 30 minutes to find out if they are comfortable for you.

The 6 Most Popular Cars on TV

Cars get their reputations from being seen on TV. Some of the cars might have impossible capabilities and this is what makes them so interesting.

Chevy Impala in Supernatural – this car was known as the Winchester vehicle. It is definitely a highlighted car on anyone’s list. Although the car is incredibly heavy and slower than most cars today, it was still one of the most iconic cars that have been seen on television.

The Batmobile in The Dark Knight – Can you imagine a car like this on the roads? It might be perfect for the crime fighters in our countries but imagine how much maintenance it would need after a good crime fighting session? The Batmobile was equipped with all sorts of features and we see that it had the ability to fly too. Was it jet fuel or regular petrol?

The DeLorean in Back to the Future – This was the time travelling machine of the television world. At first, we saw that it could only drive but in the next two movies, the DeLorean could fly in and out of the future. It would be amazing if we could change the year we were in with a little bit of lightning and speed.

The Cadillac Ecto-1 in Ghostbusters – When this car was seen on the streets of New York, it meant that the Ghostbusters were here to save the city from a problematic ghost. With all those devices attached, they were safe wherever they went. Until they had to recharge their equipment.

The Mystery Machine in Scooby-Doo – Originally, Scooby-Doo was an animated TV series for children. With the live action reboot we were able to reimagine the van as a real car. The cartoon series always had a human behind the mask but in the first live action reboot we saw a small talking puppy as the bad guy controlling odd entities.

Mutt Cutts Van in Dumb and Dumber – Although, it was quite a dumb movie with funny moments, one of the most noticeable features was the van that the two main characters drove. The whole car was covered in faux fur material. The sides had what looked like dog ears and legs that were moveable. The front of the car had the face of a dog. This van didn’t look too stable and the brakes didn’t seem entirely safe too. What a lot of money spent on something that is probably difficult to clean.

Other famous cars that are popular includes the sports cars in The Transporter, Fast and Furious, and Iron Man. The most stunning cars in the movies made us feel like we could do anything. Their skills and braking abilities were excellent. But could you imagine how often these cars would have had to go for mechanical and brake repairs.

What Is Olympics Cupping Therapy?

Through Olympics cupping, designed for athletes you cannot only enhance your blood flow but at the same time reduce muscle tension and promote the cell repair. It is even beneficial for connective tissues and aids in the formation of new blood vessels present within them. Athletes make use of cupping services by sports physiotherapy centre to heal a host of conditions and aliments.

Different Types of Cupping
In the ancient era, cupping was performed with the help of animal horns. Later different cups made up of ceramic and bamboo evolved. Effective suction through these cups was possible with the use of heat, the cups were first heated in fire and then applied. Once they were cooled, they drew the skin due to pressure difference.

Modern cupping utilize cups that are crafted from glass and are rounded like balls. The two main types of cupping include:

• Wet Cupping
• Dry Cupping

In wet cupping a combination of medicines and suction is used to treat the patient, while for dry cupping only the suction method is implemented. Your preferences, present condition and the problems that you are going through help you choose the appropriate one.

What To Expect From Olympics Cupping Treatment
During the treatment, a specialized cup is placed on the skin and the vacuum sucks the muscle upwards. This creates a pressure onto the vessels, allowing the muscle to relax and relieves tension. The cups are usually allowed to settle for a period of 5 – 10 minutes after which they are removed and placed at another part of the skin. The process continues until a particular segment of the body has been rejuvenated by the cupping session.

To help athletes make the most of it, practitioners combine the power of cupping along with acupuncture to treat skin issues, digestions and other associated problems.

Cupping is able to cure a wide range of conditions that athletes often suffer at some point or the other and these include
• Facial Paralysis
• Lumbar disc herniation
• Herpes Zoster
• Cervical spondylosis

The best part about this therapy is that it has zero side-effects or risks, allowing you to attain a perfect body without any complications.

But, before you begin with your cupping session do make sure that you consult with qualified practitioners about your conditions, past medical records and your expectations from the treatment. Because this ancient integrative medicine requires the support of both practitioners and patients in order to achieve successful results.

Knowing the Basics of Interventional Pain Management

Anyone, who is dealing with chronic and/or acute pain, knows the “pain” associated with the condition. In most cases, patients spend a considerable amount of time with primary care doctors, physical therapist, and specialists, hoping to find a more permanent solution. Interventional pain management is a practical alternative in such cases, where the concerned patient has tried all other treatment options.

Understanding interventional pain management

Interventional pain management is a specialized field in medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of chronic and/or acute pain and other related disorders. This is more of a “multidisciplinary” approach, which is offered by a team of experienced doctors and healthcare professionals. With interventional pain management, doctors aim to reduce chronic and or acute pain, besides focusing on better living. The treatment is entirely different from other forms of pain management because there is no direct dependency on pain-relief medications. In most cases, a physician may refer the matter to a pain management doctor, who will decide on the line of treatment, depending on the facts of the case. In case of interventional pain management, pain management physician will work together with chiropractors, physical therapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, neurologist, and orthopaedic surgeon as needed to treat the condition by utilizing minimally invasive procedures such as epidural injections, facet blocks, trigger point injections, etc.

Things worth knowing

Interventional pain management is particularly beneficial for patients who are suffering from neck and back pain. Physicians may use more than one approach to the condition, depending on the diagnosis. The use of steroidal injections in the joints and epidural space is quite common, while injections are also used to treat a spinal nerve root, which is diagnosed as the source of pain. Branch blocks are also used for diagnostic purpose followed by radiofrequency ablation, while doctors may also use additional injections in the facet joints. Discography is also utilized to find the possible cause of pain, and in this procedure, a special dye is used in an injectable form into a disc to understand the pathology better.

In some cases, minimally-invasive procedures like “Radiofrequency Ablation” can be used for the medical branches, so as to restrict the movement of pain signals. Doctors may also suggest the use of heated electrodes for certain nerves that carry the pain signals, and this process is also known better as Rhizotomy. Not to forget, physical therapy and other forms of occupational therapies are also used for the treatment. Doctors also suggest lifestyle changes to patients, if they find any hope for better health.

The first appointment

You need to visit an Interventional Pain Management specialist, who will do a thorough exam to understand the possible concerns and issues related to the condition. Doctors may also suggest a few tests including x-rays and MRI for accurate diagnosis. You must also discuss the other kinds of treatments you have tried for your condition, and as required, doctors may suggest a line of therapy, after discussing the expectations, costs and other aspects.