Pharmacy Week - Pharmacy Info

Medi-Park
Medico
Central Park Centre,
c/o Old Main &
Frank Bull Roads,
6 Byrne Street,
Empangeni
Tel: (035) 792 3470,
Fax: (035) 792 3472
Empangeni
Tel: (035) 772 6734/5,
Fax: (035) 772 6734/5
FREE NEWSLETTER
5 Ways Umhlatuze
5 Ways Mall, Cnr Baines
Road & Paul Avenue,
Empangeni
Tel: 035 772 1005
Pha rmac ies
Shop 10,
Lakeside Mall,
c/o Lira Link &
Mark Strasse,
Richards Bay
Tel: (035) 7890106/7
SEP. / OCT. 2014
Pharmacy Week
(1 - 8 September 2014)
Pharmacy Week 2014, which takes place from
1 to 8 September, focuses on the theme,
Rational use of medicines and Antimicrobial
Resistance (AMR). The topic of the theme,
‘Use antibiotics wisely?’, talks directly to the
patients’ responsibility to avoid resorting
to antibiotics for a common cold which
will increases the risk of AMR which means
loss of effective medicines as the incorrect
usage of antibiotics can stop them from
working when you really need them. In
addition patients should know, for example
what is an antibiotic,
how to keep antibiotics
strong enough to fight
infection and to practice
hygienic measures to
prevent infections.
Antibiotic misuse puts
you and others at risk;
Antibiotics can be lifesavers, but misuse
has increased the number of drug-resistant
germs.
If you think antibiotic resistance isn't a
problem or doesn't affect you, think again.
Although experts are working to develop
new antibiotics and other treatments to
keep pace with antibiotic-resistant strains
of bacteria, infectious organisms can adapt
quickly. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria will
continue to be a global health concern —
and using antibiotics wisely is important for
preventing their spread.
Antibiotics are effective
against bacterial infections,
certain fungal infections
and some kinds of parasites.
Antibiotics don't work
against viruses. Taking an
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Protect Your Eyes When Hitting the Pool
Chlorine helps
keep pool water
clean, but it
can also make
swimmers more
likely to develop
eye infections.
Pool swimmers
can also develop red, irritated eyes as well as
blurry vision.
Swimming in chlorinated pools washes
away the outer film layer of the eye that
helps protect against infection. And chlorine
might not completely rid the water of dirt
and bacteria. As a result, swimmers may
develop pink eye or other eye infections.
Chlorine can irritate the cornea and cause
the eyes to become dry. This can lead to
blurry vision.
Our Pharmacist offers several tips to
help swimmers prevent or ease these
uncomfortable symptoms:
• To prevent eye issues while swimming,
wear water-tight goggles.
• Remove contact lenses. The space
between the eye and the contact lens
may provide a breeding ground for
bacteria and viruses.
• For dry or irritated eyes, use lubricating
eye drops.
• Flush irritated or burning eyes with an
eye wash or tap water for 15 minutes after
swimming.
Although these steps can help ease minor
redness and irritation, it's important to
recognize signs of a more serious problem.
Swimmers who notice the following
symptoms should seek immediate medical
attention:
Red eyes that are draining fluid;
Blurry or distorted vision;
Severe pain.
Fruits, Veggies May Have Their Limits in Boosting Lifespan
Study shows a benefit, but
that tapers off after 5 servings
per day.
The nutrients in fruits and
vegetables are vital to good
health and a long life, but only
up to a point. Once you've
hit five servings of fruits
and vegetables each day,
additional daily servings don't appear to
boost longevity.
The human body may only be able to
effectively process a certain amount of
fruits and vegetables every day, limiting
its ability to absorb important nutrients
from extra helpings. "It is possible that the
digestibility of fruits and vegetables and the
availability of nutrients and other bioactive
2
compounds of these foods
may have reached a plateau at
five servings per day for most
people."
The review suggests that the risk
of death from any cause drops 5
percent for each additional daily
serving of fruits or vegetables
consumed. And the risk of death
from heart disease seems to decrease 4
percent for each additional daily serving of
fruits and vegetables.
Fruits and vegetables contain a broad
variety of essential vitamins, minerals
and nutrients, but not a load of calories.
Consuming them allows a person to get
much of the nutrition they need without
risking weight gain.
’n “Vuistik” kan dalk ’n handdruk
vervang ter wille van higiëne
Britse navorsers sê dat
’n alternatief vir die
tradisionele handdruk dalk
minder kieme sal versprei.
Wetenskaplikes het deur
middel van eksperimente
bevind dat om hand te
skud ongeveer 10 keer meer kieme van een
persoon na die ander oordra as wanneer
hulle hulle vuiste teen mekaar sou tik.
Hulle stel voor dat hierdie meer informele
aanraking as ’n kulturele plaasvervanger vir
die ferm handdruk kan dien.
Die aanvaarding van die vuistik as groet
kan die oordrag van besmetlike siektes
tussen individue drasties verlaag. Dit is
onwaarskynlik dat ’n groet wat nie kontak
insluit nie die handdruk kan vervang. Mense
behoort egter aangemoedig te word om ter
wille van die verbetering
van openbare
gesondheid die vuistik as
eenvoudige, vrye en meer
higiëniese alternatief vir
die handdruk te gebruik.
Vanuit ’n mediese en sosiale oogpunt is
die vuistik dalk die pad wat gevolg moet
word wanneer mense mekaar op sosiale
vlak ontmoet, en terselfdertyd kan die
oordrag van bakterieë en virusse – alles van
gewone verkoues tot MRSA – wat deur ’n
handdruk oorgedra kan word, verminder
word. Ons raak regdeur die dag vele kere
aan deurknoppe en handrelings. Ons nies
en hoes in ons hande en dan skud ons met
mense hand en dra hierdie kieme na hulle
oor. Die vuistik is ’n vinnige interaksie en
verminder die oordrag van kieme.
Tetanus
Make Sure Your Family Is Fully Immunized
Make sure your family
is up to date with their
tetanus vaccine so they are
protected against this serious
infection commonly known
as "lockjaw." The bacteria
that cause tetanus can be
found everywhere in the
environment.
The vaccine is recommended
for all 11 through 18 year olds,
preferably at age 11 or 12 years. After getting
the vaccine as a preteen or teen, adults need
to get a booster shot every 10 years to stay
protected.
Tetanus is an infection caused by bacteria.
When the bacteria invade the body, they
produce a toxin, or poison, that causes your
muscles to tighten and cramp painfully.
Tetanus infection mainly affects the neck,
chest, and stomach. Tetanus is also called
"lockjaw" because it often causes
a person's neck and jaw muscles
to lock, making it hard to open
the mouth or swallow. It can also
cause breathing problems, severe
muscle spasms, and seizures. The
muscle spasms can be strong
enough to break your bones, and
you might have to spend several
weeks in the hospital under
intensive care. Complete recovery
can take months. If left untreated,
tetanus can be deadly.
Tetanus is different from other vaccinepreventable diseases in that it does not spread
from person to person. Instead, the bacteria
are usually found in soil, dust and manure, and
enter the body through breaks in the skin usually cuts or puncture wounds - including
dog bites.
3
Is Coffee Aggravating Your Hot Flashes?
Women should consider skipping caffeine if
they're bothered by menopausal symptoms.
Drinking caffeine may worsen the hot
flashes and night sweats
that affect roughly
two-thirds of women
as they go through
menopause. While these
findings are preliminary,
the study suggests that
limiting caffeine intake
may be useful for those
postmenopausal women
who have bothersome hot
flashes and night sweats.
But caffeine - a stimulant found in coffee
and colas - appears to have a different effect
on women beginning the transition into
menopause (known as perimenopause). In
their case, caffeine might boost their mood,
memory and concentration.
The findings stem from a poll of more than
1,800 menopausal women. Symptoms were
compared between caffeine users and
nonusers.
Menopause symptoms can be challenging
and there are many
management strategies to try.
One way to gain some control
over bothersome symptoms is to
be careful about what one eats.
That means generally forgoing
spicy food and hot beverages,
as well as caffeine, alcohol and
tobacco.
Prior research on the question
has offered mixed results. But responses to
the current survey suggested that caffeine
intake does appear to aggravate and worsen
such symptoms.
Avoiding caffeine, maintaining a healthy
weight, staying active and adopting
meditative techniques can help, as well as
dressing in removable layers, and sleeping
with moisture-control bedding.
Best Way to Brush Your Teeth?
When it comes to the best way
to brush your teeth, experts do
not agree. British researchers
surveyed 15 dental association
guidelines in the United States,
Britain, Japan and seven other
countries; searched the dental
literature for studies; recorded information
by toothbrush manufacturers; and read 10
dental textbooks searching for advice on
how, how long and how often to brush.
The review found no randomized trials
of brushing technique and very little
agreement on how to go about cleaning
teeth. Some sources recommended holding
the brush at a 45-degree angle to the
gum and making very short back-andforth movements. Others preferred large,
4
sweeping circles over the
teeth with the toothbrush
at right angles to the tooth
surface.
At least three other variations
were suggested by other
sources. Some said to brush
for two minutes, some for two to three,
and others for at least three minutes. Some
experts said twice a day; others said three
times at least.
“Despite all the techniques described by
experts, there’s no evidence to suggest that
any of them is more effective than a simple
scrub. Expert opinion is worth something,
but it’s low on the hierarchy of solid
evidence.”
NOROVIRUS SPREAD BY RESTAURANTS?
In the USA, most outbreaks of norovirus
from contaminated food happen in food
service settings, primarily in restaurants,
according to the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention. The report notes that
infected food workers are frequently the
source of outbreaks of the "stomach flu"
bug, often due to touching ready-to-eat
foods served in restaurants with their
bare hands. Ready-to-eat foods are foods
that require no additional preparation
and include washed raw fruits and vegetables for salads or
sandwiches, baked goods, and foods that have already been
cooked.
The stomach bug can cause outbreaks anywhere people get
together, anywhere food is served. Every year, around 20
million Americans fall sick with vomiting and diarrhoea from
norovirus infection. The most commonly reported route of
transmission for the gastric bug is direct person-to-person
spread, followed by foodborne transmission.
"Norovirus outbreaks from contaminated food in restaurants
are far too common. All who prepare food, especially the food
service industry, can do more to create a work environment
that promotes food safety and ensures that
workers adhere to food safety laws and
regulations that are already in place." The
report identifies raw foods such as oysters and
leafy vegetables as the most common foods
implicated in outbreaks.
It is recommended that food service workers
should practice correct hand washing and use
single-use gloves and utensils so they do not
touch ready-to-eat foods with their bare hands.
Sick and infected food service workers should
stay home until at least 48 hours after symptoms like vomiting
and diarrhoea have ceased.
Researchers analyzed which foods and food preparation
processes were most commonly implicated in norovirus
outbreaks. In 324 outbreaks where a specific food item was
implicated, over 90% became contaminated during the last
stage of preparation (for example, making sandwiches using
raw or already cooked ingredients), and 75% involved raw
foods. Fruits, leafy vegetables and oysters were the most
mentioned single raw foods that were a major part of the
problem.
WHAT ARE THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF HONEY?
Honey is a sweet liquid produced by honey bees using
nectar from flowers through a process of regurgitation and
evaporation. It has high levels of monosaccharides, fructose
and glucose, vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, and B6 and contains
about 70 to 80 percent sugar, which gives it its sweet taste minerals and water make up the rest of its composition.
The health benefits of consuming honey date back to Greek,
Roman, Vedic, and Islamic texts. The healing qualities of honey
were referred to by philosophers and scientists all the way
back to ancient times, such as Aristotle (384 - 322 BC) and
Aristoxenus (320 BC).
Over four thousand years
ago, honey was used as a
traditional ayurvedic medicine,
where it was thought to be
effective at treating material
imbalances in the body.
Honey has been consumed
for thousands of years for
its supposed health benefits. In pre-Ancient Egyptian times,
honey was used topically to treat wounds. Egyptian medicinal
compounds more than five millennia ago used honey. The
ancient Greeks believed that consuming honey could help
make you live longer.
The beneficial properties of honey have been explored in
modern times, and there is evidence to suggest that these
historical claims may hold some truth.
 Honey may be helpful in preventing GERD
(Gastroesophageal reflux).
 Honey shortens the duration of bacterial diarrhoea in
infants and young children.
 Topically applying honey is an effective way of treating
diabetic ulcers that don’t respond to antibiotics.
 Honey has successfully helped to heal burns,
 Honey may be useful in minimizing seasonal allergies.
 Honey is useful in treating children with night-time
coughs.
5
Green Bean Bredie
Serves 4
My grandmother was a very good cook;
everything done with a lot of heart, care
and attention to fresh, natural, good basic
ingredients. This dish bears her stamp. She
never browned the meat beforehand for this
plain homestyle bredie.
600- 800g lamb shanks, cut into 3-5cm
lengths
1½ cups (375 ml) water
2 x 25 g Concentrated Beef Stock
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 T (15 ml) Ina Paarman's Vegetable Stock
Powder
1 t (5 ml) Ina Paarman's Rosemary & Olive
Seasoning
1 red chilli, finely sliced
1 large onion, chopped
¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
2 large potatoes, cubed
500g green beans, finely sliced ( frozen work
well)
1 T (15 ml) butter or 2 T (30 ml) olive oil
Ina Paarman's Garlic Pepper Seasoning to
taste
2 t (10 ml) fresh lemon rind, grated
onion and lemon juice until nearly tender,
about 1 ½ hours. Add potatoes, simmer
until done and add beans. Cook for about
14 more minutes. Add butter, Garlic Pepper
Seasoning and grated lemon rid.
VARIATION:
Tomato bredie. Replace the beans with 1
x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes and 1 x
200ml Ina Paarman's Sun-dried Tomato
Cook Sauce. Add at the same time as the
potatoes, omitting the lemon juice as
tomatoes are naturally acidic.
CHEF'S TIP:
Before squeezing the lemon, grate off the
rind as it is easier to grate the rind while the
lemon is still whole.
Simmer meat in water with garlic, stock
powder, Rosemary & Olive Seasoning, chilli,
le
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6
Eating more fruits and veggies won’t make you
lose weight: We’re often told to eat more fruits and
vegetables, but the chances that you’ll lose weight just
by eating more of these foods are slim. New research
suggests increased fruit and vegetable intake is only
effective for weight loss if you make an effort to reduce
your calorie intake overall. In other words, you need to
exercise or consume fewer calories to shed those kilos.
KIDZ FUN PAGE
Spot the 5
differences!!!
JOKE OF THE
MONTH
B e a u t i f u l?
A man was just waking up from
anesthesia after surgery, and his
wife was sitting by his side. His
eyes fluttered open and he said,
"You're beautiful!" and then he fell
asleep again. His wife had never
heard him say that so she stayed
by his side.
A couple of minutes later, his
eyes fluttered open and he said,
"You're cute!" Well, the wife was
dissapointed because instead
of "beautiful," it was "cute."
She asked, "What happened to
'beautiful'?" His reply was "The
drugs are wearing off!"
7
Kan probiotika help om hoë bloeddruk in
toom te hou?
’n Studie beweer dat nuttige
mikrobes in jogurt en
aanvullers doeltreffend kan
wees.
’n Nuwe studie dui daarop
dat die verlaging van hoë
bloeddruk dalk so naby as
jou yskas kan wees. Die
gereelde inname van probiotika, soos wat in
sekere soorte jogurt en aanvullers aangetref
word, kan dalk hierdie toestand help verlig.
Mense wat probiotika ingeneem het, het
’n gemiddelde verlaging van sistoliese
bloeddruk (die boonste lesing) van
ongeveer 3,6 mm kwik (mm Hg), en ’n
gemiddelde verlaging van diastoliese
bloeddruk (die onderste lesing) van
ongeveer 2,4 mm Hg ervaar, vergeleke met
dié wat nie die probiotika ingeneem het nie.
Dit wil voorkom of die voordele van
probiotika die grootste is onder mense met
verhoogde bloeddruk (hoër as 130/85), en
probiotikum-aanvullers met veelvuldige
tipes bakterieë het die bloeddruk meer
verlaag as dié met ’n enkele tipe bakterie.
Dit wil voorkom of die duur
van die inname belangrik is –
mense wat vir minder as twee
maande probiotika ingeneem
het, het nie ’n verlaging in hulle
bloeddruk ervaar nie.
“Die klein versameling
studies waarna ons gekyk
het, beweer dat die gereelde inname
van probiotika as deel van ’n gesonde
leefstyl hoë bloeddruk kan verlaag, en ook
gesonde bloeddrukvlakke handhaaf,” sê
die hoofouteur van die studie. Dit sluit
probiotika in jogurt, gefermenteerde melk,
suurmelk en kaas in, asook probiotikumaanvullers.
Probiotika kan bloeddruk op verskeie
maniere gunstig beïnvloed, soos om die
LDL-bloedvlakke (“slegte” cholesterol)
te verlaag, bloedsuiker te beheer en
insulienweerstandigheid te verminder, en
deur te help om die hormoonstelsel wat die
bloeddruk en vloeistofbalans reguleer, te
beheer.
Health Tip: Act Fast After Sunburn
Get to a shady spot at the first signs of burn.
Sunburn is not only painful, but can help
cause serious long-term damage to your
skin.
Our Pharmacist offers these suggestions for
prompt treatment of sunburn:
• Get out of the sun as soon as you see the
first hint of sunburn. It can take several
hours for the full effects to appear.
• Take a cool bath or shower, then
slather on a rich moisturizer. Moisturize
frequently with a product containing
vitamins C and E.
8
• Never pick, peel or rub sunburned skin.
• Drink plenty of water as sunburn can
dehydrate you or your child. Carefully
monitor children for signs of dehydration.
• Take ibuprofen right away to ease pain
and swelling.
• Blistering sunburns
that cover more than
20 percent of the body
or sunburns that cause
chills and fever should
receive additional
medical assistance.
Block Tick Bites
Before you head out on
a hiking trail, you’ll want
to protect yourself and
your loved ones from
ticks that often lurk in
tall grass, thick brush,
and wooded areas. Many
ticks carry disease, so
do what you can to keep ticks from taking
a bite out of you. Tick-Bite Fever is the most
common tick-borne illness.
Ticks are tiny 8-legged creatures that can be
hard to see. The young “nymphs” are only
the size of poppy seeds. Adult ticks aren’t
much larger—about the size of a sesame
seed. If an infected tick chooses you for its
next blood meal, that bite can transmit TickBite Fever to you.
Ticks can be so tiny that most people who
get ill don’t recall a tick bite. But if you have
symptoms of the disease, the earlier you get
treated, the better.
Symptoms can include fever, headache,
muscle or joint pain, sometimes
a rash, and extreme fatigue. If
left untreated, the infection can
spread. Some people may develop
nerve problems, arthritis, or other
disorders. But most people fully
recover after treatment with
antibiotics.
Help keep ticks off your skin by wearing long
sleeves, long pants, and long socks. You
can also ward off ticks by using an insect
repellant that contains at least 20% DEET
(for the skin) or permethrin (for clothes). To
avoid ticks, walk in the center of trails and
steer clear of tall vegetation. If you’ve been
in an area where ticks are common, bathe
or shower as soon as possible, and wash or
tumble your clothes in a dryer on high heat.
Check your body carefully for ticks. They
dig and burrow into the skin before they
bite and feed. Removing ticks right away
can help prevent disease. So watch out for
ticks! Make a habit of tick prevention as you
venture into the great outdoors.
Why is my urine red?
There are many things that can turn a
person's urine red, pink or any number of
different colours. Having red urine may
mean that blood is present, such as from
a woman's menstrual cycle. Strenuous
exercise may also cause red blood cells to
show up in the urine. In addition, red urine
may be a sign of kidney stones, urinary tract
infections, injuries, liver disease, a blood
clotting disorder or multiple other medical
conditions. Beets, berries and rhubarb have
been known to make a person's urine turn
red. Red dyes such as those found in candy
or sugary cereals may do the same thing.
9
Vitamin D: A Key to a Longer Life?
Higher levels of vitamin D may
protect people from an earlier death,
particularly from cancer and heart
disease, suggests a new analysis of
existing research. And, the opposite
may also be true -- low levels of
vitamin D may be linked to a higher
risk of premature death. But the researchers
acknowledge that the review's findings aren't
definitive.
"People with low vitamin D die more
frequently from heart disease and cancer,
but it is not known if the low vitamin D is a
cause of these diseases or just a by product of
generally poor health," said study lead author.
Still, the research published online June 17 in
BMJ does hint at the possibility that vitamin D
may benefit people across genders, ages. The
findings are "compellingly consistent.”
The researchers examined eight studies
from Europe and the United
States that together tracked
more than 26,000 nonsmoking
men and women. They were
all between ages 50 and 79.
About 6,700 participants died
during the time period of the
studies, mostly of heart disease or cancer.
Those with the lowest levels of vitamin D were
about 1.5 times more likely than those with
the highest levels to die from any cause and
from heart disease during the periods of the
studies. Those with low levels of vitamin D
and a history of cancer were 1.7 times more
likely to die of the disease. People who hadn't
previously had cancer saw no change in the
risk of cancer death by vitamin D levels. It's not
clear how vitamin D could help people live
longer, but it might have something to do with
the way it acts like a hormone.
High Blood Pressure May Sometimes Be Over-treated
Bringing systolic readings below 120-139 might not provide
added benefit. Lower is not necessarily better when it
comes to treating high blood pressure, researchers report.
It appears that reducing systolic blood pressure below 120
mm Hg, provides no additional benefits for people with
high blood pressure, according to new findings from a twodecades-long study of heart disease risk. This could mean
fewer medications for people who have high blood pressure
within the "normal" range of 120 to 139.
Uncontrolled high blood pressure increases your risk of
heart failure, stroke and heart attack. About one in three
people has high blood pressure, and only half of those have
their condition under control.
Systolic pressure is the top number in a standard
blood pressure reading -- for example, 120/80 -- and
represents the pressure in the arteries when the heart
muscle contracts. The bottom number, diastolic pressure,
represents pressure in the arteries between
heartbeats.
Up till now, many heart doctors have
tackled high blood pressure by trying to get
a patient's blood pressure as low as possible
through drugs and lifestyle modifications
10
such as diet and exercise. “It's turning out that sometimes
less is more, in terms of medications to control blood
pressure."
Previous studies have shown a progressive increase in heart
disease risk as systolic blood pressure rose above 115, the
researchers said. But it was not known whether systolic
pressure below 120 in patients with high blood pressure
lowered their risk of stroke or heart attack.
To test this, researchers followed 4,480 people for about 22
years, tracking their blood pressure and monitoring their
heart health. Participants were an average age of 55 at the
start of the study, and more than two of every five had high
blood pressure. The results confirmed that people with high
blood pressure have a greater risk of heart attack or stroke,
and that the risk increases as blood pressure rises.
But the researchers also found that once systolic pressure
drops lower than the 120 to 139 category, driving that
number even lower did not improve patients'
heart health. It appears that the optimal
blood pressure range for people with high
blood pressure is 120 to 139 systolic. When
the blood pressure goes below 140, there's
definite cardiovascular health benefits.
Hooikoors
Die term hooikoors is ’n verkeerde
benaming: die toestand word nie deur hooi
veroorsaak nie, en dit het ook nie koors tot
gevolg nie. Die kliniese naam is seisoenale
allergiese rinitis wat ’n soort allergie is.
By sommige mense is die immuunstelsel
ooraktief en identifiseer deeltjies was
gewoonlik skadeloos is, as gevaarlik. Dit
het ’n oormatige reaksie tot gevolg. Hierdie
reaksie lei tot die vrystelling van kragtige
chemiese stowwe, waarvan histamien die
bekendste is. Hierdie stowwe veroorsaak
baie erge swelling van die slymvliese wat
die neusholtes en die konjunktiva van die oë
uitvoer, asook ’n intense gejeuk en niesery
en die produksie van groot hoeveelhede
waterige mukus.
’n Persoon kan enige van of al die volgende
simptome hê: erge niesaanvalle, veral
in die oggend; ’n intense gejeuk van
die neus en die verhemelte, en selfs die
oorkanale; waterige mukus in die neus;
’n toe neus deurgaans of gedurende
bepaalde seisoene; jeukerige en tranerige
oë; oë wat ligsensitief is; rooi, vlekkerige
voering van die onderste ooglede; donker
kringe onder die oë as gevolg van die
druk wat die verstopte neusgange op die
klein bloedvate het; hoofpyn as gevolg
van druk aan die binnekant van die neus
of van die sinuskanale wat verstop is, en
’n negatiewedruk-sinushoofpyn. ’n Toe
neus met gepaardgaande hoofpyn, ’n
aanhoudende gedrup agter in die keel en
slegte asem dui op chroniese sinusitis eerder
as rinitis.
Allergene wat hooikoors veroorsaak, is
stuifmeel van grasse, bome en ’n paar
onkruidspesies, wat alles deur die wind
bestuif word. Dit is slegs die klein, ligte
windgedraagde stuifmeel wat die allergiese
reaksie in die neus veroorsaak. Allergiese
rinitis wat regdeur die jaar voorkom, word
hoofsaaklik deur die huisstofmyt, diere en
skimmels veroorsaak.
Dit is onmoontlik om die allergene, soos
grasstuifmeel, wat hierdie vorm van rinitis
veroorsaak, te vermy. Mediese behandeling
is dus in die meeste gevalle onvermydelik.
Praat met jou apteker oor die geskikste
behandeling vir jou. Behandeling vir
hooikoors sluit gewoonlik antihistamientablette en antihistamien-neussproei en
sproeibehandeling met steroïede in.
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11
Continued from front page ....
antibiotic when you have a viral infection
won't make you feel better - and can
contribute to antibiotic resistance.
If antibiotics are used too often for things
they can't treat - like colds, flu or other viral
infections - not only are they of no benefit,
they become less effective against the
bacteria they're intended to treat.
Not taking antibiotics exactly as prescribed
also leads to problems. For example, if
you take an antibiotic for only a few days instead of the full course - the antibiotic may
wipe out some, but not all, of the bacteria.
The surviving bacteria become more
resistant and can be spread to other people.
When bacteria become resistant to first line
treatments, the risk of complications and
death is increased.
Other consequences are the increased
costs associated with prolonged illnesses,
including expenses for additional tests,
treatments and hospitalization, and indirect
costs, such as lost income.
Taffy & Staff
Ebola
What you need to know
The Ebola virus has now hit four
countries: Sierra Leone, Guinea,
Liberia, and recently Nigeria. The
virus - which starts off with flu-like
symptoms and often ends with horrific
hemorrhaging - has infected 1,201
people and killed an estimated 672
since this winter, according to the
numbers in late July from the World
Health Organization.
Ebola is both rare and very deadly.
Since the first outbreak in 1976, Ebola
viruses have infected thousands of
people and killed roughly 60 percent
of them. Symptoms can come on very
quickly and kills quickly. Ebola viruses
are constantly circulating in animals,
most likely bats. Every once in a while,
the disease spills over into humans,
often when someone handles or
eats undercooked or raw meat from
a diseased ape, monkey, or bat. An
outbreak can then happen for several
months.
Social stigmas and a lack of awareness
12
may lead people to avoid
seeking medical care. In
many ways, how well a country deals
with Ebola comes down to basic health
care and public education.
Bleeding from orifices is one of
the more unusual and memorable
symptoms of viral hemorrhagic
fevers like Ebola. In later stages of
the disease, some people bleed from
the eyes, nose, ears, mouth, and
rectum. External bleeding can be one
of the main symptoms that can help
people realize they're dealing with a
case of Ebola, since other signs - first
fevers and headache, then vomiting
and diarrhea - can be caused by any
number of illnesses. Internal bleeding
can happen, as well.
What actually kills people is shock
from multiple organ failure, including
problems with the liver, kidneys, and
central nervous system. Symptoms
come on abruptly after an incubation
period of 2 to 21 days. And people
generally die between day 6 and 16 of
the illness.
Ebola is relatively hard to catch
compared to some other viruses like
measles, SARS, or the flu because it
doesn't spread through the air. In
order to contract Ebola, someone
must touch the blood or bodily fluids
(including sweat, urine, and semen)
of a person or animal who's infected
(alive or dead). People can also catch it
through indirect contact with victims'
fluids, such as via bedding or medical
equipment. People generally aren't
infectious until they get sick.
Ebola's limited transmission ability
is one of the main reasons why
outbreaks can often be stopped within
weeks or months. What it takes is
public education and good healthcare hygiene like isolating patients,
sterilization procedures, and the use
of gloves, masks, and other protective
gear.