What happens in the Emergency Department?
"Emergency medicine is a specialty. Yes, we actually did residency training to learn how to work in the ED. This training lasted three to four years after medical school and is sometimes followed by another one to three years of additional training for subspecialty certifications, like pediatric emergency medicine, toxicology, hyperbaric and undersea medicine to name a few. In addition to being specialists in medical emergencies, we are trained to be the extension of all of the other specialists in medicine to figure out whether you have an emergency and how to best direct you from there because, unlike other specialists, we are available to see you 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year."
Read more https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2017/12/10-things-might-not-know-emergency-department-2.html
Simple Health Symptoms to Check
9 Symptoms We Shouldn't Ignore
By Paula Spencer Scott, Caring.com senior editor
Causes of chest pain - signs and symptoms.
Certain health warning signs are well known -- like chest pain (heart attack), fever (infection), yellow eyes (jaundice), and irregular moles (skin cancer).
Heart Failure
As most people know, the heart has 2 main steps as follows:
1. Collect oxygen from the lungs and deliver to the heart and distribute it to the rest of the body
2. Collection of carbon dioxide from the body and deliver the carbon dioxide to the lungs for expelling
The right side of the heart collects the carbon dioxide from the body and then pump it to the lung to receive oxygen and then return the oxygenated blood to the left side of the heart to be distributed to the rest of the body.
If the right side fails, then the level of oxygen in the blood drops as there isn't enough blood being pumped to the lungs at a fast enough rate. This means that the oxygenated blood being delivered to the left side of the lungs is lower and it has more pressure to take most of the work of pumping around the body. This may lead to swelling (fluid build up) in the extremities like fingers, feet, etc... as there is a lower amount of oxygen being delivered, resulting in the cells becoming acidic and releasing more lactate, also known as lactic acid.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - -
Be aware that Heart Attack Symptoms and Signs in Women can be different:
The classic symptoms of heart attack include a feeling of extreme pressure on the chest and chest pain, including a squeezing or full sensation. This can be accompanied by pain in one or both arms, jaw, back, stomach, or neck. Other symptoms of heart attack include shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, lightheadedness, and a feeling of breaking out in a cold sweat.
Although chest pain and pressure are the characteristic symptoms, women are somewhat more likely than men to experience heart attack that does not occur in this typical fashion. Instead, some women with heart attacks may experience more of the other symptoms, like
National Foundation of Australia and Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand: Guidelines for the Prevention, Detection, and Management of Heart Failure in Australia 2018 - Heart, Lung and Circulation
When a coronary artery becomes blocked (usually by a blood clot), an area of heart tissue loses its blood supply. This reduction of blood can quickly damage and/or kill heart tissue, so quick treatments in an emergency department and/or catheterization suite are necessary to reduce the loss of heart tissue. Loss of heart tissue due to a blockage can cause symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness, and even death. Quick treatments have reduced the number of deaths from heart attacks in recent years. About 790,000 people suffer from heart attacks in the U.S. each year.
https://www.medicinenet.com/heart_disease_pictures_slideshow_visual_guide/article.htm
Your hands can save a life – the importance of bystander CPR
Supplier: AED Authority 03 August, 2021
No one wants to be faced with the unthinkable, someone dropping to the ground and ceasing to breathe. Would you be prepared? Could you, as a bystander act quickly to administer CPR and help save a life?
What is bystander CPR?
Bystander CPR is exactly how it sounds, CPR performed by someone who has witnessed a medical emergency such as a sudden cardiac arrest. CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) is a basic first aid technique used to help save the life of someone whose heart has stopped or has stopped breathing. CPR is performed by opening a person’s airway and performing chest compressions to push oxygen into the lungs so that oxygenated blood can get to the brain and keep the person alive. Compression only is a newer way to perform CPR. It’s easier than the traditional method, and it saves lives.
Why is bystander CPR important?
The Australian Resuscitation Council answer to this is clear: Any attempt at resuscitation is better than none. Over 33,000 out of hospital cardiac arrests occur in Australia each year. Less than 12% survive. Chest compression from an onlooker can keep a person experiencing cardiac arrest alive until the paramedics arrive. It more than doubles the survival rate. Combine it with early use of an AED (automated external defibrillator) and the statistics improve even further.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
But other concerning symptoms often get overlooked.
Though they're common indicators of important health problems, people find them easier to dismiss or ignore.
Vaccines: inoculating against fear
14 November 2019
Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to prevent diseases. A vaccine helps the body’s immune system to recognise and fight pathogens like viruses or bacteria, which then keeps us safe from the diseases they cause. Vaccines protect against more than 25 debilitating or life-threatening diseases, including measles, polio, tetanus, diphtheria, meningitis, influenza, typhoid and cervical cancer.
The history of vaccines(link is external) is a long and fascinating one.
YOU Are looking after YOUR health too - as a man?
You will find out why certain foods play special health roles in a man’s diet for prostate problems, staying lean, and putting on muscle. There are even some in the list that may help your bedroom performance.
Red Meat: If you closed your eyes and imagined a meal made for a man, there’s a good chance you’d dream up an imaginary steak. Men eat a lot more protein than women on average. And for the most part, all that additional protein is healthy. If you want to watch your weight, protein may be a better choice than carbs because your body spends more calories burning protein. It also helps build and retain muscle mass. The key is to have lean red meat in small portions and not eat it daily.
https://www.medicinenet.com/pictures_slideshow_foods_to_boost_male_health/article.htm
"I find that many people feel too busy to have a seemingly minor complaint looked into," says San Francisco internist and geriatrician Leslie Kernisan, who is also Caring.com's senior medical editor. "But a regular doctor's visit can often lay the issue to rest. With a little investigation, we can figure out whether there really is something to worry about, and, if so, treat."
. A full list of affected medicines is provided on the TGA website.
Published in Medicinewise Living
01 May 2020
Here, nine often-overlooked symptoms that warrant a medical checkup:
Overlooked symptom #1: Sleepy during the day (for no reason)
Stress or "burning the candle at both ends" (late to bed, early to rise) can leave anyone yawning midday. So can insomnia, where you awaken and just can't get back to sleep. But sleep deprivation for these reasons is different from the all-day-long fatigue -- even to the point of nodding off -- that you might feel even when you believe you had a decent night's sleep. It's especially concerning if feeling tired and unable to concentrate strikes you day after day, and you can't fathom why.
Could indicate: Sleep apnea. This sleep disorder occurs when the soft tissues at the back of the throat disrupt normal breathing patterns. Unable to get oxygen, the body struggles for breath and you wake up briefly -- perhaps not enough to notice, except that this pattern occurs over and over, for hours, affecting overall sleep.
Our entire digestive tract is composed of a single tube running from our mouth to anus. When we are inclined in bed, no matter which position we sleep in, gravity is positively acting upon the digestive system by helping to move food more quickly, which helps to prevent constipation and diarrhoea and avoid scybala (Hardened masses of faeces) from causing a blockage in the colon.
What else to notice: You may also have sleep apnea if you snore, especially if the snoring is loud or uneven, or erupts in snorts, or if you awaken with a sore throat or headache. Anyone can develop sleep apnea, but being overweight puts you at higher risk.
Overlooked symptom #2: For men, erectile dysfunction Symptoms to Check:
It's not that men don't notice difficulty getting or maintaining an erection, of course. The problem is that they tend to consider impotence an emotional matter rather than a physical one. Or they get the immediate problem treated (with Viagra, for example) without having the underlying causes evaluated or treated.
Could indicate: Heart disease. Impotence is a hallmark sign of cardiovascular disease in men. In fact, men with erectile dysfunction are twice as likely to have cardiovascular disease or to die of a heart attack, according to a 2010 study of more than 1,500 men in the journal Circulation.
What else to notice: There may be no other symptoms; because penile arteries are smaller, so system-wide arterial problems often show up there sooner -- making the erectile dysfunction a kind of distant early-warning system. In other (typically more advanced) cases, the man has other symptoms consistent with cardiovascular problems, including high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Having diabetes, being overweight, smoking, and inactivity are other risk factors, as is age. (Although men of any age with erectile dysfunction can develop heart disease.)
Overlooked symptom #3: For women, excessive hair growth Symptoms to Check:
Both men and women have hair all over their bodies, including the face. But it typically grows in differing patterns. In a woman, it's unusual for coarse hairs to sprout on the face, chest, belly, or around the nipples. Some women who develop facial hair growth feel a need to shave several times a day.
Could indicate: Polycycstic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This hormonal imbalance isn't completely understood but is linked to changes in the levels of estrogen, progesterone, and especially androgen (a male hormone). The ovaries fail to release eggs and instead form small ovarian cysts. Infertility can result. As many as one in 10 to one in 20 American women are thought to have it, according to government data.
What else to notice: Other male-like PCOS symptoms include weight gain, decreased breast size, an enlarged clitoris, thinning hair or even balding, and a deepening voice. A hallmark symptom is irregular periods or the loss of periods after they'd begun during puberty. Acne may also worsen. Women with PCOS often also have diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol and are overweight.
Overlooked symptom #4: Unintentional weight loss Symptoms :
This isn't the kind of weight loss that results from diligent exercise and bypassing the office vending machine. It's the kind you notice when you hug your dad and he feels thinner, or you find yourself surprised to be cutting new notches in your belt.
Could indicate: Cancer. Unexplained weight loss (roughly ten pounds in a month) is a common warning sign of cancer. It can also indicate a possible thyroid problem.
What else to notice: With cancer, there are often other accompanying symptoms, such as (depending on the type of cancer) persistent pain, bloating, indigestion, or other sensations of something "not right." Other symptoms of hyperthyroid disease include fatigue and insomnia.
Overlooked symptom #5: Persistent cough symptoms:
Everybody gets a cough now and then. And some cold-type irritations can linger for weeks. But if a cough wasn't necessarily triggered by a cold and never seems to go away, another kind of respiratory problem may be at its root.
Could indicate: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, more commonly known by its acronym, COPD. Once called emphysema, this group of progressive lung diseases starts as a chronic cough that may not seem worrisome but represents permanent lung damage already taking place. Less commonly, a new chronic cough can be the first sign of lung cancer.
What else to notice: The other hallmark symptom of COPD is shortness of breath on exertion (climbing stairs, for example). Occasional wheezing and tightness of breath are other symptoms. Smokers are at high risk for COPD and lung cancer. Lung cancer may bring on a bloody cough, frequent bouts of pneumonia, or weight loss.
Overlooked symptom #6: Frequent urination Symptoms:
Running to the bathroom more than you used to? Some people write this off to an "aging bladder" -- if they pay any attention at all. But if the problem is a recent one, your body may be trying to tell you something.
Could indicate: Diabetes. Too much glucose in the blood can trigger a need to urinate often as the kidneys struggle to draw water out of the body in order to help them filter the glucose. Frequent urination is a warning sign of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
What else to notice: With diabetes, other symptoms include extreme thirstiness (again, as the body works to get rid of excess glucose), weakness, fatigue, blurry vision, and a tingling sensation in the fingers or toes.
(Especially in women, a sudden onset of frequent urination can also indicate a urinary tract infection. In men, it's also an indicator of possible prostate problems.)
Overlooked symptom #7: Slipping, falling, and losing your balance a lot:
Everybody can take a tumble. But slipping or falling into things often isn't normal, even for a self-proclaimed klutz. Nor is losing your balance something that happens to every older adult. Yet people often fail to connect these "accidents" with an underlying problem.
Could indicate: A neurological problem. Many different things can cause wiring problems that result in a loss of balance and falls, including motor diseases (such as Parkinson's), autoimmune diseases (such as multiple sclerosis), and diabetic neuropathy (caused by diabetes).
Overlooked symptom #8: Muscle weakness... or pain:
People with neurological disorders may also notice muscle weakness, numbness or tingling, twitching, or pain, though the exact constellation of symptoms depends on what's wrong. It's also worth noting whether the person falling has started a new medication recently.
Overlooked symptom #9: Medications and your balance:
Many medications that affect balance include over-the-counter sleep aids and some medications used by people with dementia.
------------------------------------------------
WHAT YOUR URINE SAYS ABOUT YOUR HEALTH
http://parkinsonsresource.org/news/articles/what-your-urine-says-about-your-health/
You or your doctor may be able to tell some things about your health simply by looking at the color of your pee and how clear it is. But a urinalysis, a test of your urine, can tell a lot more. Your doctor can use it to diagnose or keep an eye on several health conditions.
Blood in Your Urine – Call your doctor right away if you see blood in your urine. It could be caused by something fairly harmless, like hard exercise or medication. Or it may be a sign of something more serious like kidney disease, an enlarged prostate, bladder cancer, or sickle cell anemia.
A Closer Look – Some foods and medicines can change the color of your pee. For example, beets can make it reddish or dark brown, asparagus can make it green, and carrots can turn it orange. Certain antacids can turn your pee a shade of blue, and some chemotherapy medicines can make it orange. Sometimes an unusual color can be a sign of a health problem. Talk to your doctor if your pee suddenly changes color and you’re not sure why.
A Closer Smell – Foods, vitamins, and medication can all change the way your pee smells. For example, asparagus causes an ammonia-like odor for some people. Your pee also may smell stronger if you don’t drink enough water or you take vitamin B-6 supplements. But some health conditions can do it, too. Diabetes, bladder infections, kidney infections, and liver failure can all change the way your pee smells. Talk to your doctor if there’s a sudden change and it doesn’t go away.
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) – If you have one of these, your pee may be red or brownish or have spots of red in it. Or it might be green or cloudy and have a strong smell. UTIs usually happen because bacteria has gotten into your bladder or your urethra, the tube that carries pee out of your body. Your doctor can test a sample of your urine to find out if you have one. If you do, it can be treated with antibiotics.
Hyperglycemia – This is when you have too much sugar (glucose) in your blood. High levels of glucose also can show up in your urine. You can’t tell by looking at it, but your doctor can check by testing a sample. It can be a sign of diabetes and can lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, and other problems.
Dehydration – If your pee looks dark and you’re not going as often as usual, that could mean you don’t have enough water in your body. You also might feel tired, nauseated, or groggy. Your doctor may test a sample of your urine to see how much water is in it.
Vasculitis – If this affects your kidneys, your pee may be tea-colored and you may have a fever and body aches. It happens when your own antibodies —which your body makes to fight germs—attack the small blood vessels in one of your organs instead. It may lead to blood and protein in your urine and can make your kidneys stop working.
Glomerulonephritis – Bloody or foamy urine can be a sign of this disease. It also can make your face or ankles swell and cause muscle cramps and itchy skin. It happens when the tiny filters in one of your kidneys get inflamed. That can make fluid and waste build up in your body and cause problems like high blood pressure or kidney failure. Glomerulonephritis can be brought on by several health issues, including diabetes, an infection, or an autoimmune disease.
Blockage – If you can’t go or you feel like you have to go often but don’t pee much when you do, that can mean something is keeping it from coming out. You may also see blood in your urine, or it might look cloudy. A blockage can be caused by an enlarged prostate, kidney stones, bladder cancer, or blood clots, among other conditions.
Kidney Stones – If your doctor thinks you have kidney stones—when certain minerals form tiny rocks that block the tubes you use to pee—she’ll test your urine for calcium and a certain kind of acid. These tests can also help find problems with your small intestine, parathyroid glands, or kidneys.
Liver or Gallbladder Problems – If your pee is very dark, something could be going on with one of these organs. Too much of certain drugs, like acetaminophen (Tylenol), can lead to problems. And cancer, a stone blocking the way to your gallbladder, viruses like hepatitis C, and other illness can, too. These issues can cause your body to make a yellow fluid called bilirubin that turns your pee very dark. And it can leak out of your liver and into your blood and make your skin and eyes turn yellow (this is called jaundice). Blood and urine tests can measure your level of bilirubin.
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Function of the Vegas Nerve:
Human Beings have an Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) that is actually comprised of three separate subsystems, the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS), the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) and the Enteric Nervous System (ENS). The enteric nervous system has been described as a "second brain", which communicates with the central nervous system (CNS) through the parasympathetic (e.g., via the vagus nerve) and sympathetic nervous systems. However, vertebrate studies show that when the vagus nerve is severed, the enteric nervous system continues to function.
We now know that the ENS is not just capable of autonomy but also influences the brain. In fact, about 90 per cent of the signals passing along the vagus nerve come not from above, but from the ENS and that is why many consider it as a backup brain centered in our solar plexus. Our gut instincts are not fantasies but real nervous signals that guide much of our lives.
It is our vagus nerve that provides the gateway between the two parts of the autonomic systems. The vagus acts as a bio-informational data bus that routes impulses going in two directions. Since the vagus nerve acts as the central switchboard it should come as no surprise that impaired functioning of this one nerve can lead to so many different conditions and problems. Some neurological diseases actually come up from the gut spreading to the brain via the vagus nerve.
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"I hope you realize, when you have mates, buddies and old friends, brothers and sisters, who you chat with, laugh with, talk with, have sing songs with, talk about north-south-east-west or heaven and earth, that is true happiness!"
Steve Jobs died a billionaire at age 56. This is his final essay.
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Free downloadable information on Alzheimer's disease, Huntington disease, Muscular Dystrophy, Motor Neurone, Parkinson's, Multiple Sclerosis and Stoke with a free booklet on BrainLink.
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Taking a range of medications? Are you inadvertently overdosing?
Do check with your Doctor and Pharmacist that you fully understand your medications. Do ask if some of your medications have the same side effects. You may inadvertently be overdosing... ASK...
and don't forget to have a regular Home Medicines Review
Suspect you are taking TOO MANY MEDICATIONS?
QUALITY USE OF MEDICINES TO OPTIMISE AGEING IN OLDER AUSTRALIANS:
Recommendations for a National Strategic Action Plan to Reduce Inappropriate Polypharmacy.
As our population ages, more people are living with multiple chronic diseases with an associated increase in polypharmacy (multiple medicines use). Medicines use in older people is a complex balance between managing disease and avoiding medicines related problems. Supervised withdrawal of unnecessary medicines (deprescribing) is safe and may improve quality of life in older people.
If you are using multiple medications, have difficulty managing your medication, or have been recently discharged from hospital or other care facility, or are having an adverse reaction to a medication. This involves your medical practitioner and pharmacist working together to review all the medicines you are taking, including prescription medicine, over-the-counter and complementary medicines.
How the pharmacist can simplify a dosing schedule during an Home Medicines Review:
• Reduce dosing frequency and recommend long-acting dosage forms where possible
• Recommend a higher strength to reduce the number of dosage units for a specific medicine where two tablets of the same medicine are taken at different times in a day
• Recommend a lower strength product where the person is cutting tablets in half or into quarters
• Consolidate dosing times to fit in with the patient’s lifestyle
• Recommend a combination product if suitable to reduce the number of medicines being used
• Recommend a suitable adherence aid for the patient with cognitive or dexterity issues
for a closer look:
https://www.veteransmates.net.au/documents/10184/38810/Nov_2016_GP_Insert.pdf/e9b3126e-bf0e-4238-bd74-8cdd617458d0
"With the focus on medicines and older Australians in these lists, we urge people to consider if they are on the right medicine, or whether they could be taking too many medicines and if you are due for a review. It’s always timely to check with your doctor or pharmacist to see if any medicines are unnecessary and if they could cause harm if taken together."
Your doctor will use the results of this review to develop a medication management plan for you.
--------------------
Look here to find out about any potential inappropriate medications...
Beers Criteria (Medication List)
Potentially Inappropriate Medications for the Elderly According to the Revised Beers Criteria (2012)
The American Geriatric Society has updated the Beers Criteria based on evidence-based recommendations. The updated report was published in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society.
13 August 2021
"Emergency medicine is a specialty. Yes, we actually did residency training to learn how to work in the ED. This training lasted three to four years after medical school and is sometimes followed by another one to three years of additional training for subspecialty certifications, like pediatric emergency medicine, toxicology, hyperbaric and undersea medicine to name a few. In addition to being specialists in medical emergencies, we are trained to be the extension of all of the other specialists in medicine to figure out whether you have an emergency and how to best direct you from there because, unlike other specialists, we are available to see you 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year."
Read more https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2017/12/10-things-might-not-know-emergency-department-2.html
Simple Health Symptoms to Check
9 Symptoms We Shouldn't Ignore
By Paula Spencer Scott, Caring.com senior editor
Causes of chest pain - signs and symptoms.
Certain health warning signs are well known -- like chest pain (heart attack), fever (infection), yellow eyes (jaundice), and irregular moles (skin cancer).
Heart Failure
As most people know, the heart has 2 main steps as follows:
1. Collect oxygen from the lungs and deliver to the heart and distribute it to the rest of the body
2. Collection of carbon dioxide from the body and deliver the carbon dioxide to the lungs for expelling
The right side of the heart collects the carbon dioxide from the body and then pump it to the lung to receive oxygen and then return the oxygenated blood to the left side of the heart to be distributed to the rest of the body.
If the right side fails, then the level of oxygen in the blood drops as there isn't enough blood being pumped to the lungs at a fast enough rate. This means that the oxygenated blood being delivered to the left side of the lungs is lower and it has more pressure to take most of the work of pumping around the body. This may lead to swelling (fluid build up) in the extremities like fingers, feet, etc... as there is a lower amount of oxygen being delivered, resulting in the cells becoming acidic and releasing more lactate, also known as lactic acid.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - -
Be aware that Heart Attack Symptoms and Signs in Women can be different:
The classic symptoms of heart attack include a feeling of extreme pressure on the chest and chest pain, including a squeezing or full sensation. This can be accompanied by pain in one or both arms, jaw, back, stomach, or neck. Other symptoms of heart attack include shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, lightheadedness, and a feeling of breaking out in a cold sweat.
Although chest pain and pressure are the characteristic symptoms, women are somewhat more likely than men to experience heart attack that does not occur in this typical fashion. Instead, some women with heart attacks may experience more of the other symptoms, like
- lightheadedness,
- nausea,
- extreme fatigue,
- fainting,
- dizziness, or
- pressure in the upper back.
National Foundation of Australia and Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand: Guidelines for the Prevention, Detection, and Management of Heart Failure in Australia 2018 - Heart, Lung and Circulation
When a coronary artery becomes blocked (usually by a blood clot), an area of heart tissue loses its blood supply. This reduction of blood can quickly damage and/or kill heart tissue, so quick treatments in an emergency department and/or catheterization suite are necessary to reduce the loss of heart tissue. Loss of heart tissue due to a blockage can cause symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness, and even death. Quick treatments have reduced the number of deaths from heart attacks in recent years. About 790,000 people suffer from heart attacks in the U.S. each year.
https://www.medicinenet.com/heart_disease_pictures_slideshow_visual_guide/article.htm
Your hands can save a life – the importance of bystander CPR
Supplier: AED Authority 03 August, 2021
No one wants to be faced with the unthinkable, someone dropping to the ground and ceasing to breathe. Would you be prepared? Could you, as a bystander act quickly to administer CPR and help save a life?
What is bystander CPR?
Bystander CPR is exactly how it sounds, CPR performed by someone who has witnessed a medical emergency such as a sudden cardiac arrest. CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) is a basic first aid technique used to help save the life of someone whose heart has stopped or has stopped breathing. CPR is performed by opening a person’s airway and performing chest compressions to push oxygen into the lungs so that oxygenated blood can get to the brain and keep the person alive. Compression only is a newer way to perform CPR. It’s easier than the traditional method, and it saves lives.
Why is bystander CPR important?
The Australian Resuscitation Council answer to this is clear: Any attempt at resuscitation is better than none. Over 33,000 out of hospital cardiac arrests occur in Australia each year. Less than 12% survive. Chest compression from an onlooker can keep a person experiencing cardiac arrest alive until the paramedics arrive. It more than doubles the survival rate. Combine it with early use of an AED (automated external defibrillator) and the statistics improve even further.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
But other concerning symptoms often get overlooked.
Though they're common indicators of important health problems, people find them easier to dismiss or ignore.
Vaccines: inoculating against fear
14 November 2019
Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to prevent diseases. A vaccine helps the body’s immune system to recognise and fight pathogens like viruses or bacteria, which then keeps us safe from the diseases they cause. Vaccines protect against more than 25 debilitating or life-threatening diseases, including measles, polio, tetanus, diphtheria, meningitis, influenza, typhoid and cervical cancer.
The history of vaccines(link is external) is a long and fascinating one.
YOU Are looking after YOUR health too - as a man?
You will find out why certain foods play special health roles in a man’s diet for prostate problems, staying lean, and putting on muscle. There are even some in the list that may help your bedroom performance.
Red Meat: If you closed your eyes and imagined a meal made for a man, there’s a good chance you’d dream up an imaginary steak. Men eat a lot more protein than women on average. And for the most part, all that additional protein is healthy. If you want to watch your weight, protein may be a better choice than carbs because your body spends more calories burning protein. It also helps build and retain muscle mass. The key is to have lean red meat in small portions and not eat it daily.
https://www.medicinenet.com/pictures_slideshow_foods_to_boost_male_health/article.htm
- Reviewed By: Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD
"I find that many people feel too busy to have a seemingly minor complaint looked into," says San Francisco internist and geriatrician Leslie Kernisan, who is also Caring.com's senior medical editor. "But a regular doctor's visit can often lay the issue to rest. With a little investigation, we can figure out whether there really is something to worry about, and, if so, treat."
. A full list of affected medicines is provided on the TGA website.
Published in Medicinewise Living
01 May 2020
Here, nine often-overlooked symptoms that warrant a medical checkup:
Overlooked symptom #1: Sleepy during the day (for no reason)
Stress or "burning the candle at both ends" (late to bed, early to rise) can leave anyone yawning midday. So can insomnia, where you awaken and just can't get back to sleep. But sleep deprivation for these reasons is different from the all-day-long fatigue -- even to the point of nodding off -- that you might feel even when you believe you had a decent night's sleep. It's especially concerning if feeling tired and unable to concentrate strikes you day after day, and you can't fathom why.
Could indicate: Sleep apnea. This sleep disorder occurs when the soft tissues at the back of the throat disrupt normal breathing patterns. Unable to get oxygen, the body struggles for breath and you wake up briefly -- perhaps not enough to notice, except that this pattern occurs over and over, for hours, affecting overall sleep.
Our entire digestive tract is composed of a single tube running from our mouth to anus. When we are inclined in bed, no matter which position we sleep in, gravity is positively acting upon the digestive system by helping to move food more quickly, which helps to prevent constipation and diarrhoea and avoid scybala (Hardened masses of faeces) from causing a blockage in the colon.
What else to notice: You may also have sleep apnea if you snore, especially if the snoring is loud or uneven, or erupts in snorts, or if you awaken with a sore throat or headache. Anyone can develop sleep apnea, but being overweight puts you at higher risk.
Overlooked symptom #2: For men, erectile dysfunction Symptoms to Check:
It's not that men don't notice difficulty getting or maintaining an erection, of course. The problem is that they tend to consider impotence an emotional matter rather than a physical one. Or they get the immediate problem treated (with Viagra, for example) without having the underlying causes evaluated or treated.
Could indicate: Heart disease. Impotence is a hallmark sign of cardiovascular disease in men. In fact, men with erectile dysfunction are twice as likely to have cardiovascular disease or to die of a heart attack, according to a 2010 study of more than 1,500 men in the journal Circulation.
What else to notice: There may be no other symptoms; because penile arteries are smaller, so system-wide arterial problems often show up there sooner -- making the erectile dysfunction a kind of distant early-warning system. In other (typically more advanced) cases, the man has other symptoms consistent with cardiovascular problems, including high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Having diabetes, being overweight, smoking, and inactivity are other risk factors, as is age. (Although men of any age with erectile dysfunction can develop heart disease.)
Overlooked symptom #3: For women, excessive hair growth Symptoms to Check:
Both men and women have hair all over their bodies, including the face. But it typically grows in differing patterns. In a woman, it's unusual for coarse hairs to sprout on the face, chest, belly, or around the nipples. Some women who develop facial hair growth feel a need to shave several times a day.
Could indicate: Polycycstic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This hormonal imbalance isn't completely understood but is linked to changes in the levels of estrogen, progesterone, and especially androgen (a male hormone). The ovaries fail to release eggs and instead form small ovarian cysts. Infertility can result. As many as one in 10 to one in 20 American women are thought to have it, according to government data.
What else to notice: Other male-like PCOS symptoms include weight gain, decreased breast size, an enlarged clitoris, thinning hair or even balding, and a deepening voice. A hallmark symptom is irregular periods or the loss of periods after they'd begun during puberty. Acne may also worsen. Women with PCOS often also have diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol and are overweight.
Overlooked symptom #4: Unintentional weight loss Symptoms :
This isn't the kind of weight loss that results from diligent exercise and bypassing the office vending machine. It's the kind you notice when you hug your dad and he feels thinner, or you find yourself surprised to be cutting new notches in your belt.
Could indicate: Cancer. Unexplained weight loss (roughly ten pounds in a month) is a common warning sign of cancer. It can also indicate a possible thyroid problem.
What else to notice: With cancer, there are often other accompanying symptoms, such as (depending on the type of cancer) persistent pain, bloating, indigestion, or other sensations of something "not right." Other symptoms of hyperthyroid disease include fatigue and insomnia.
Overlooked symptom #5: Persistent cough symptoms:
Everybody gets a cough now and then. And some cold-type irritations can linger for weeks. But if a cough wasn't necessarily triggered by a cold and never seems to go away, another kind of respiratory problem may be at its root.
Could indicate: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, more commonly known by its acronym, COPD. Once called emphysema, this group of progressive lung diseases starts as a chronic cough that may not seem worrisome but represents permanent lung damage already taking place. Less commonly, a new chronic cough can be the first sign of lung cancer.
What else to notice: The other hallmark symptom of COPD is shortness of breath on exertion (climbing stairs, for example). Occasional wheezing and tightness of breath are other symptoms. Smokers are at high risk for COPD and lung cancer. Lung cancer may bring on a bloody cough, frequent bouts of pneumonia, or weight loss.
Overlooked symptom #6: Frequent urination Symptoms:
Running to the bathroom more than you used to? Some people write this off to an "aging bladder" -- if they pay any attention at all. But if the problem is a recent one, your body may be trying to tell you something.
Could indicate: Diabetes. Too much glucose in the blood can trigger a need to urinate often as the kidneys struggle to draw water out of the body in order to help them filter the glucose. Frequent urination is a warning sign of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
What else to notice: With diabetes, other symptoms include extreme thirstiness (again, as the body works to get rid of excess glucose), weakness, fatigue, blurry vision, and a tingling sensation in the fingers or toes.
(Especially in women, a sudden onset of frequent urination can also indicate a urinary tract infection. In men, it's also an indicator of possible prostate problems.)
Overlooked symptom #7: Slipping, falling, and losing your balance a lot:
Everybody can take a tumble. But slipping or falling into things often isn't normal, even for a self-proclaimed klutz. Nor is losing your balance something that happens to every older adult. Yet people often fail to connect these "accidents" with an underlying problem.
Could indicate: A neurological problem. Many different things can cause wiring problems that result in a loss of balance and falls, including motor diseases (such as Parkinson's), autoimmune diseases (such as multiple sclerosis), and diabetic neuropathy (caused by diabetes).
Overlooked symptom #8: Muscle weakness... or pain:
People with neurological disorders may also notice muscle weakness, numbness or tingling, twitching, or pain, though the exact constellation of symptoms depends on what's wrong. It's also worth noting whether the person falling has started a new medication recently.
Overlooked symptom #9: Medications and your balance:
Many medications that affect balance include over-the-counter sleep aids and some medications used by people with dementia.
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WHAT YOUR URINE SAYS ABOUT YOUR HEALTH
http://parkinsonsresource.org/news/articles/what-your-urine-says-about-your-health/
You or your doctor may be able to tell some things about your health simply by looking at the color of your pee and how clear it is. But a urinalysis, a test of your urine, can tell a lot more. Your doctor can use it to diagnose or keep an eye on several health conditions.
Blood in Your Urine – Call your doctor right away if you see blood in your urine. It could be caused by something fairly harmless, like hard exercise or medication. Or it may be a sign of something more serious like kidney disease, an enlarged prostate, bladder cancer, or sickle cell anemia.
A Closer Look – Some foods and medicines can change the color of your pee. For example, beets can make it reddish or dark brown, asparagus can make it green, and carrots can turn it orange. Certain antacids can turn your pee a shade of blue, and some chemotherapy medicines can make it orange. Sometimes an unusual color can be a sign of a health problem. Talk to your doctor if your pee suddenly changes color and you’re not sure why.
A Closer Smell – Foods, vitamins, and medication can all change the way your pee smells. For example, asparagus causes an ammonia-like odor for some people. Your pee also may smell stronger if you don’t drink enough water or you take vitamin B-6 supplements. But some health conditions can do it, too. Diabetes, bladder infections, kidney infections, and liver failure can all change the way your pee smells. Talk to your doctor if there’s a sudden change and it doesn’t go away.
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) – If you have one of these, your pee may be red or brownish or have spots of red in it. Or it might be green or cloudy and have a strong smell. UTIs usually happen because bacteria has gotten into your bladder or your urethra, the tube that carries pee out of your body. Your doctor can test a sample of your urine to find out if you have one. If you do, it can be treated with antibiotics.
Hyperglycemia – This is when you have too much sugar (glucose) in your blood. High levels of glucose also can show up in your urine. You can’t tell by looking at it, but your doctor can check by testing a sample. It can be a sign of diabetes and can lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, and other problems.
Dehydration – If your pee looks dark and you’re not going as often as usual, that could mean you don’t have enough water in your body. You also might feel tired, nauseated, or groggy. Your doctor may test a sample of your urine to see how much water is in it.
Vasculitis – If this affects your kidneys, your pee may be tea-colored and you may have a fever and body aches. It happens when your own antibodies —which your body makes to fight germs—attack the small blood vessels in one of your organs instead. It may lead to blood and protein in your urine and can make your kidneys stop working.
Glomerulonephritis – Bloody or foamy urine can be a sign of this disease. It also can make your face or ankles swell and cause muscle cramps and itchy skin. It happens when the tiny filters in one of your kidneys get inflamed. That can make fluid and waste build up in your body and cause problems like high blood pressure or kidney failure. Glomerulonephritis can be brought on by several health issues, including diabetes, an infection, or an autoimmune disease.
Blockage – If you can’t go or you feel like you have to go often but don’t pee much when you do, that can mean something is keeping it from coming out. You may also see blood in your urine, or it might look cloudy. A blockage can be caused by an enlarged prostate, kidney stones, bladder cancer, or blood clots, among other conditions.
Kidney Stones – If your doctor thinks you have kidney stones—when certain minerals form tiny rocks that block the tubes you use to pee—she’ll test your urine for calcium and a certain kind of acid. These tests can also help find problems with your small intestine, parathyroid glands, or kidneys.
Liver or Gallbladder Problems – If your pee is very dark, something could be going on with one of these organs. Too much of certain drugs, like acetaminophen (Tylenol), can lead to problems. And cancer, a stone blocking the way to your gallbladder, viruses like hepatitis C, and other illness can, too. These issues can cause your body to make a yellow fluid called bilirubin that turns your pee very dark. And it can leak out of your liver and into your blood and make your skin and eyes turn yellow (this is called jaundice). Blood and urine tests can measure your level of bilirubin.
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Function of the Vegas Nerve:
Human Beings have an Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) that is actually comprised of three separate subsystems, the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS), the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) and the Enteric Nervous System (ENS). The enteric nervous system has been described as a "second brain", which communicates with the central nervous system (CNS) through the parasympathetic (e.g., via the vagus nerve) and sympathetic nervous systems. However, vertebrate studies show that when the vagus nerve is severed, the enteric nervous system continues to function.
We now know that the ENS is not just capable of autonomy but also influences the brain. In fact, about 90 per cent of the signals passing along the vagus nerve come not from above, but from the ENS and that is why many consider it as a backup brain centered in our solar plexus. Our gut instincts are not fantasies but real nervous signals that guide much of our lives.
It is our vagus nerve that provides the gateway between the two parts of the autonomic systems. The vagus acts as a bio-informational data bus that routes impulses going in two directions. Since the vagus nerve acts as the central switchboard it should come as no surprise that impaired functioning of this one nerve can lead to so many different conditions and problems. Some neurological diseases actually come up from the gut spreading to the brain via the vagus nerve.
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"I hope you realize, when you have mates, buddies and old friends, brothers and sisters, who you chat with, laugh with, talk with, have sing songs with, talk about north-south-east-west or heaven and earth, that is true happiness!"
Steve Jobs died a billionaire at age 56. This is his final essay.
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Free downloadable information on Alzheimer's disease, Huntington disease, Muscular Dystrophy, Motor Neurone, Parkinson's, Multiple Sclerosis and Stoke with a free booklet on BrainLink.
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Taking a range of medications? Are you inadvertently overdosing?
Do check with your Doctor and Pharmacist that you fully understand your medications. Do ask if some of your medications have the same side effects. You may inadvertently be overdosing... ASK...
and don't forget to have a regular Home Medicines Review
Suspect you are taking TOO MANY MEDICATIONS?
QUALITY USE OF MEDICINES TO OPTIMISE AGEING IN OLDER AUSTRALIANS:
Recommendations for a National Strategic Action Plan to Reduce Inappropriate Polypharmacy.
As our population ages, more people are living with multiple chronic diseases with an associated increase in polypharmacy (multiple medicines use). Medicines use in older people is a complex balance between managing disease and avoiding medicines related problems. Supervised withdrawal of unnecessary medicines (deprescribing) is safe and may improve quality of life in older people.
If you are using multiple medications, have difficulty managing your medication, or have been recently discharged from hospital or other care facility, or are having an adverse reaction to a medication. This involves your medical practitioner and pharmacist working together to review all the medicines you are taking, including prescription medicine, over-the-counter and complementary medicines.
How the pharmacist can simplify a dosing schedule during an Home Medicines Review:
• Reduce dosing frequency and recommend long-acting dosage forms where possible
• Recommend a higher strength to reduce the number of dosage units for a specific medicine where two tablets of the same medicine are taken at different times in a day
• Recommend a lower strength product where the person is cutting tablets in half or into quarters
• Consolidate dosing times to fit in with the patient’s lifestyle
• Recommend a combination product if suitable to reduce the number of medicines being used
• Recommend a suitable adherence aid for the patient with cognitive or dexterity issues
for a closer look:
https://www.veteransmates.net.au/documents/10184/38810/Nov_2016_GP_Insert.pdf/e9b3126e-bf0e-4238-bd74-8cdd617458d0
"With the focus on medicines and older Australians in these lists, we urge people to consider if they are on the right medicine, or whether they could be taking too many medicines and if you are due for a review. It’s always timely to check with your doctor or pharmacist to see if any medicines are unnecessary and if they could cause harm if taken together."
Your doctor will use the results of this review to develop a medication management plan for you.
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Look here to find out about any potential inappropriate medications...
Beers Criteria (Medication List)
Potentially Inappropriate Medications for the Elderly According to the Revised Beers Criteria (2012)
The American Geriatric Society has updated the Beers Criteria based on evidence-based recommendations. The updated report was published in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society.
13 August 2021