Information about allergies, unknown medical conditions, medications and even implants are all something that need to be passed on to health care professionals. However, there is a concern about how to do this when we are impaired and cannot talk for ourselves. To remedy this problem many people are turning to medical identification to help them relay the message.
Types
Medical IDs are a piece of jewelry that lists any conditions, diseases, medications or allergies that a person may have. These IDs can come in many different forms. There are bracelets and necklaces in either sterling silver, gold or even stainless steel that can be purchased. For the hipper or younger people there are bracelets made of plastic or even velcro cuffs. For people with large amounts of information that needs to be relayed there are flash drives that are made into jewelry.
Allergies
According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, 54 percent of all U.S. citizens to at least one type of allergen. Some allergies can be life threatening, such as asthma, bee stings, or peanut allergies. There are also allergies to x-ray dyes, latex and even drugs such as penicillin that are common throughout the United States. In fact, allergic reaction to penicillin alone kills 400 Americans every year. When a person is incapacitated and cannot speak for himself he has no way to communicate these allergies to health care professionals. This problem leads to thousands of injuries and deaths every year. Using a medical ID necklace, bracelet or dog tag that list these allergies independently is very helpful for this problem. You can also list any medications that might be needed if you were to become incapacitated. For example, people who are allergic to bee stings need lifesaving epinephrine to recover from this.
Medications
Many people who are on multiple medications choose to list these medications on some type of medical alert, rather than trying to dictate them to every physician or health care facility that they visit. People who take medications for illness or diseases like heart conditions also use this method so that if they are ever incapacitated, someone will know what medications they need for survival. In addition, people who have had organ transplants and need to take life sustaining medications also turn to a medical ID for this. A dog tag style of medical ID is a practical way to list medications. However, if you have a very long list of medications, there are medical IDs that are flash drives that can list more information and be accessed electronically.
Incapacitating Medical Diseases
Some people suffer from serious medical conditions and may become unconscious or comatose due to the condition. Those who suffer from a serious illness that may cause incapacitation at some point should use a medical ID, which will alert others to this condition. A piece of medical ID jewelry should list medical conditions such as heart failure, diabetes or seizure disorders that can cause you to become debilitated. You can also include any medication that may be needed for these conditions.
Alzheimer's
According to the Alzheimer's Association 2009 statistics, Alzheimer's disease affects 5.3 million people in the United States. The disease causes unfortunate confusion and disorientation as well as a tendency to wander. Unfortunately, even with the best of care and watchfulness some Alzheimer's sufferers still manage to wander away. Using a medical ID bracelet or necklace to list their home information or a phone number to call if they are lost is a great way to help ensure their safety when lost.
Try a Velcro bracelet or a rubber bracelet that is smaller and more difficult to remove, if you are concerned about them removing the jewelry. In addition to emergency contact information, you can also include any illness or diseases that may require daily medications. It also brings a piece of mind to the family or caregivers that look out for this person.
Implants and Medical Devices
With the advance of technology in the medical field there are an increasing number of implants such as the Amplatzer implant that is used to close holes in the heart. Medical ID may be a beneficial way to alert others to these implants so they are aware of them when doing diagnostic tests, treatment or surgeries. In addition, medical devices such as pacemakers can be reported on medical IDs to warn others about not using certain devices such as a CAT scan machine on patients that have one of these devices. Listing this information on a piece of jewelry with the medical alert sign is a great way to alert others to any medical devices that you have that they may need to know about.
