Comments on: Scary Needles and Japanese Health Care

By: Saimu-san

Saimu-san — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 04:17:00 +0000

We had a smaller-scale version of that in my high school for our Heaf tests. I got mine done just before they discontinued them in ’05. Don’t remember it being used with a gun, though. It looked more like a little purple stamp you got on your forearm. I can still make mine out from time to time. Can’t imagine what the hell that thing shown above would look like…

By: Mathias richter

Mathias richter — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 07:10:00 +0000

Thank you.

By: scottwright

scottwright — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 17:32:00 +0000

There are several rounds of shots that US children have to go through while in school. These shots are normally called ‘booster shots’, and they start when you are a child. US children also get a TB test (not a vaccine), which is pretty painless. Healthcare workers (and certain other fields) have to get regular TB tests as well.

By: Jonadab

Jonadab — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 02:09:00 +0000

> Japan actually has a higher rate of TB than the US does,
> once
again proving that there’s no problem Americans
> can’t solve with guns
(or something like that).

Actually, I’m pretty sure the most important method the US uses to keep TB under control is the relentless testing every two years of all workers in certain key fields (particularly doctors, nurses, and teachers). Because TB (typically) has such a long lead time between infection and the onset of symptoms, this policy allows early detection of outbreaks that might otherwise continue undetected for a long time. Why doctors, nurses, and teachers? Because they consistently get exposed to every readily communicable disease that makes the rounds in their community.

Yeah, it’s weird. But it works.

By: Jessica R-E

Jessica R-E — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 13:30:00 +0000

THANK YOU for explaining that scar. I see it ALL the time on people, often fresh on little babies, and it has been one of those things I’ve wondered about without knowing how to ask or what to search for. I stumbled on this post as a fluke and am so relieved to know WTF that scar is now. I’ve actually been tested for TB and received a vaccination against it while in the US (not with a 9-tipped needle, though, thankfully) because I spent some time working in a home for the elderly.

By: Amakusa Ichiro

Amakusa Ichiro — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 09:41:00 +0000

That needle used by us clinic as well. There was 20 needles, not 9, when I got shot required by US Immigration before leaving Japan. When my son got high school he had smiler shot at our doctor’s office. I was informed by a nurse that I could sue my doctor because I had the scare from the TB shot. I told about my scare on left shoulder to mom. She said she knew about that law, she didn’t want to persuade it because he was our family doctor. This was 35 years ago. My aunt passed away several years ago. She was told by her doctor she got lung cancer and 6 month to live. She didn’t want to get treatment for her cancer. She changed her diet and did what she wanted to do. She died 10 years later, age 82. I was visiting my mom when my son got bit by some insect. I needed to take him to a hospital for his treatment. One hospital told us my waiting time is over one hour so they already called other hospital and set up an appointment for him. 10 minutes later we were at other hospital and got treatment. While a doctor was examining my son I had go through paper work and they asked I have an insurance or not. I told no. They told me it would be expensive without insurance. Total was 35 dollars including doctor’s and medication. I remember that our house had a medicine box and every three months or so a pharmacy visited our house went through the box and re-supplied medicines. The government health care is required some degree. Modern technology is helping us or hearting us. We should be more active physically. Human should be walking more instead of driving, standing instead of sitting. Too much technology is only use finger tip, not whole body. My mother is 93 years old. Her doctor told us her body is 50 years old and my body is older than my age. She used to climb mountain to take care of her farm everyday. She learned how to ride her bicycle when she was 70 years old since my father was in hospital. She cooked breakfast and dinner for him and took to his hospital. She gets Dr. visit every week, of cause it’s free.