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- Ear infection.
- Eating disorder.
- Eczema.
- Elderly health - Exercise regularly.
- Emphysema.
- Endometriosis.
- Ergonomics.
Ear Infections
Infection or inflammation of the middle ear (Otitis Media) is the most common cause of earaches.
Ear infections occur more frequently in infants and children but can also affect adults.
It is common for ear infections to develop when a person suffers a cold, flu or another type of
respiratory infection. This is because the middle ear is connected to the upper respiratory tract
by a pair of tiny conduits known as Eustachian tubes.
Symptoms:
In Adults:
- Earache (this may be felt as a sharp, sudden pain or a dull, continuous pain).
- Fever and chills.
- Nasal congestion.
- Feeling of fullness in the ear.
- An earache may be accompanied by nausea and diarrhoea.
- Muffled hearing.
In Children:
- Tugging at the ear.
- Poor sleep.
- Fever.
- Irritability or restlessness.
- Ear drainage.
- Nasal discharge.
- Diminished appetite.
- Crying at night when lying down.
Treatmen:
Ear infections caused by viral infections are treated with decongestants to
reduce the swelling in the Eustachian tubes. Ear infections caused by bacteria
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Eating Disorders
The eating disorders that are becoming more common especially among teenage
girls and young women are anorexia nervosa and bulimia. Eating disorders frequently
develop during adolescence or early adulthood, but some reports indicate that this
can occur during childhood or later in adulthood.
Eating disorders frequently co-occur with other psychiatric disorders such as depression,
substance abuse, and anxiety disorders. If untreated, the disorders may become chronic and
lead to severe health problems such as kidney damage, heart failure, and even death.
Parents frequently ask how to identify symptoms of anorexia nervosa and bulimia.
Unfortunately, many teenagers successfully hide these serious and sometimes fatal
disorders from their families for months or years.
Bulimia:
People with bulimia go on massive binges of food and then attempt to lose as much
as possible by self-induced vomiting and/or purging with laxatives or enemas. They
manage to appear normal, healthy and of appropriate weight. But actually, they have
very low self-esteem and are often depressed. They may also exhibit other compulsive
behaviour such as constant hand washing or praying continuously.
Extreme purging rapidly upsets the body's balance of sodium, potassium, and other chemicals.
This can cause fatigue, seizures, irregular heartbeat, and thinning of bones. Repeated vomiting
can damage the stomach and oesophagus, the gums and erode tooth enamel. Other effects include
various skin rashes, broken blood vessels in the face, and irregular menstrual cycles.
Anorexia Nervosa:
The person with anorexia nervosa is convinced that she is too fat although she may be grossly
underweight. It most commonly begins in the teens, but can start at any age. Social and environmental
factors such as famous movie stars, glamour magazines and fashion models are believed to be strong
influencing factors.
Basically, anorectics avoid food as though it is poison. They will eat as little as possible,
spend more time cutting food into small pieces than actually eating. They constantly stand in
front of a mirror and criticise themselves for being too fat.
They embark on regular strenuous exercise excessively in their efforts to lose even more weight
and are so obsessed with losing weight that they are unable to perform other normal life functions
such as schoolwork or even sleep properly.
Anorexia may be a single, limited episode with large weight loss within a few months followed by
recovery. Or it may develop gradually and persist for years. The illness may go back and forth
between getting better and getting worse. Or it may steadily get more severe.
The body responds to starvation by slowing or stopping certain bodily processes. Blood pressure falls,
breathing rate slows, menstruation ceases (or, in girls in their early teens, never begins), and activity
of the thyroid gland (which regulates growth) diminishes.
Skin becomes dry, and hair and nails become brittle. Lightheadedness, cold intolerance, constipation,
and joint swelling are other symptoms. Reduced fat causes the body temperature to fall. Soft hair called
lanugo forms on the skin. Body chemicals may get so imbalance that heart failure occurs.
Treatment/Prevention:
Treatment of eating disorders usually requires a comprehensive team approach including psychiatric therapy,
family therapy, working with a primary care physician, a nutritionist, and medication. Many adolescents also
suffer from other problems, including depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. It is important to recognise
and get appropriate treatment for these problems as well.
Research shows that early identification and treatment lead to more favourable outcomes. Parents who notice
symptoms of anorexia or bulimia in their teenagers should ask their family physician or paediatrician for a
referral to a child and adolescent psychiatrist who works comprehensively in the treatment of eating disorders
and can co-ordinate the team for a more holistic management.
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Eczema
Eczema is a condition of chronic itchy and inflamed skin. Eczema can appear on any part of the body but is most
frequently found on the face, wrists, elbows and knees. The skin may become thickened and appear brownish gray
in colour.
Eczema is hereditary. It is common among infants, but most infants grow out of it before their second birthday.
If it persists beyond that age, the child is likely to be a chronic sufferer. Asthma sufferers often also suffer
from eczema, so children with asthma may be at greater risk of skin problems.
Symptoms:
Symptoms include:
- Patches of chronically itchy, dry, thickened skin, usually on the hands, neck, face and legs. In children, this
may appear in the inner creases of the knees and elbows too.
- Skin lesions, patches of redness, scaling and, in dark-skinned people, changes in skin colour.
- Small bumps or blisters which ooze fluid.
Treatment:
To relieve itchiness, a room temperature bath can help remove crusted skin. Immediately after the bath, apply a
moisturizer (preferably without fragrance or additives) such as an ointment or coal-tar preparation on to the skin
surface.
In more severe cases, Hydrocortisone creams are prescribed. A prescription cream containing doxepin also may be effective
at relieving itchiness associated with eczema.
If the eczema is allergy related, oral antihistamines are prescribed. In severe cases, oral corticosteroid medication is prescribed.
Self help remedies:
- Take room temperature baths and moisturise after that.
- Reduce stress levels and improve circulation by taking brisk walks or exercise on a regular basis.
- Cut down on red meat. Stay away from highly allergenic foods such as cow's milk, wheat and eggs.
- Get adequate amounts of vitamin A and zinc.
- Put mittens on your baby before bed to keep him from scratching.
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Elderly Health - Exercise Regularly
Exercise can help you:
- Improve your general health and well-being.
- Strengthen your heart and lungs.
- Lose excess weight.
- Sleep better.
- Relieve stress.
Get Enough Exercise
Make exercise a part of your routine. Plan to exercise 3 to
5 days a week for 20 to 60 minutes each time. You should exercise until
you sweat and breathe deeply but without getting breathless.
There are many different things you can do for exercise:
- Swimming.
- Brisk walking or jogging.
- Cycling Playing racquet games.
Choose an exercise that you can enjoy with friends so that it is fun to do it regularly.
Control Stress:
Maintain good relationship with your family and friends.
Keep your mind and body active:
- Take up hobbies like playing chess, carpentry, painting, playing a musical instrument
or any form of exercise.
- Do things for others. Cook a meal for your family or baby-sit your grandchildren.
Conduct classes at community centres.
- Try to be independent. Learn to sew on buttons or mend tears. Learn to change
a plug or cook a new dish.
- Keep up with the latest news.
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Emphysema
Emphysema is a disease of the lungs characterised by the reduced ability of the lungs to oxygenate the blood.
It is usually caused by many years of cigarette smoking. Over the course of many years, the small air sacs
within the lungs (called alveoli) are damaged and there is less surface area left for the exchange of oxygen
and carbon dioxide. This leads to the emphysema sufferer become increasingly short of breath.
Emphysema is associated with chronic bronchitis. Chronic bronchitis is an ongoing inflammation of the lining
of the breathing tubes (the bronchi), which is caused by bacterial infection or smoke irritation. As the inflammation
progresses, the bronchi fill up with mucus and this results in a chronic cough, as the body attempts to rid itself of
the excess mucus that is irritating the lungs.
This mucus is also known as phlegm or sputum. The excess mucus in the bronchi also makes the diameter of the bronchi
narrower and reduces the amount of air that can pass through.
Symptoms:
Symptoms include:
- Chronic cough.
- Chronic shortness of breath or shortness of breath with mild exertion.
- Wheezing.
- Bluish coloration of the skin due to lack of oxygen.
- Dizziness.
- Fatigue.
- Temporarily absent breathing.
- Breathing difficulty when lying down.
- Nasal flaring and bulging eyes.
- Vision abnormalities.
- Anxiety, stress, and tension.
- Ankle, feet, and leg swelling.
- Unintentional weight loss.
- Headache (especially in the morning).
- Excessive daytime sleepiness.
- Insomnia.
Treatment:
There is no cure for emphysema. Relief of symptoms and preventing the progression of the disease is
all that can be done for sufferers. It is also recommended that emphysema sufferers stop smoking and
avoid exposure to air pollution, dust or secondhand cigarette smoke.
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Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a disorder of the female reproductive system. Endometrial tissues that line a woman's
uterus are implanted in places outside the uterus, usually in other parts of the pelvic cavity and abdomen.
In healthy women, menstrual blood flows out through the vagina. However, in women with Endometriosis, blood
from the implanted endometrial tissue is trapped inside, becomes inflamed, and develops into scar tissue.
It is also due to this inflammation that severe pain, infertility and bowel problems occur.
Symptoms:
Endometriosis start years after the periods begin and symptoms may worsen as the endometrial area increases
in size. After menopause however, the implanted tissue shrinks away and the symptoms subside. Common symptoms include:
- Severe menstrual cramps.
- Pelvic pain apart from menses.
- Menstrual diarrhoea.
- Painful intercourse.
- Backache.
- Painful bowel movements.
- Bloating.
- Constipation.
- Fatigue.
- Pain with exercise.
- Painful pelvic exams.
- Painful and frequent urination.
Diagnosis:
A diagnosis can only be made via laparoscopy. A laparoscope (a tube with a light in it) is inserted through a
small incision in the abdomen. The doctor can then check on the condition of the abdominal organs and see the
misplaced endometrial tissue. The laparoscopy will determine the location, extent and size of the implants.
Causes:
The cause of endometriosis is still not known. There are two common theories. The first suggests that during menstruation,
some of the menstrual tissue backs up through the fallopian tubes into the abdomen where it implants and grows. Another
theory suggests that it may be due to a genetic process or that certain families are predisposed to endometriosis.
Treatment:
There is no cure for endometriosis. For those whose symptoms are mild, only medication for pain is required. If these
women want to be pregnant, the best course of action is to have a trial period of unprotected intercourse for 6 months
to 1 year. If pregnancy does not occur, then further treatment may be needed.
For those not seeking pregnancy and where specific treatment of the endometriosis is required, hormone suppression
treatment may be tried. This prevents ovulation. Some others may require surgical treatment to remove the disease tissue.
In severe cases, where the uterus and ovaries are affected, removal by surgery is required.
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Ergonomics
Ergonomics is defined as the science of work. It improves quality of work, productivity and safety by fitting products,
tasks, and environment to people. In simple terms, it is the science of adapting the environment to the needs of the
worker.
The work setting is characterized by an interaction among the following parameters:
- A worker with attributes of size, strength, range of motion, intellect, education,
expectations, and other physical and mental capacities.
- A work setting comprising parts, tools, furniture, control/display panels and other physical objects.
- A work environment created by climate, lighting, noise, vibration, and other atmospheric qualities.
Work Risk Factors:
The risk of injury increases as the physical demands of a task increase. When the physical demands of a
task exceed the physiological capabilities of a worker, an injury is likely to occur.
Certain characteristics of the work setting have been associated with injury. These work characteristics
are called risk factors and include:
Posture: In an industrialised society, there is a significant mismatch between people and the furniture
in their working environment, especially when it is transforming into an information processing society in
which more workers sit for long periods of time. This has resulted in increasing numbers of employees
suffering from chronic back pain.
The most likely explanation is that we are sitting in the wrong way, thereby injuring our backs, necks and arms.
Poor posture, however, is more than the wrong sitting positions that we have adopted, it is the position of the
body while performing work activities. Awkward posture is associated with an increased risk for injury. It is
generally considered that the more a joint deviates from the neutral (natural) position, the greater the risk
of injury.
Work methods or workplace dimensions can create posture problems. Examples of poor practices include bending
and twisting to pick up a box; bending the wrist to assemble a part; and kneeling in the storage bay of an
airplane because of confined space while handling luggage.
Sitting:
A seat that tilts forward encourages the natural posture of the curve of the spine. Opposing muscle groups
are balanced and the lumbar curve is preserved, producing balanced seating in which the back is straight,
the joint angles are open and the muscles are relaxed. This position provides greater mobility and relieves
pressure on the lungs and stomach.
Force: This factor is determined by the effort that is needed for the task. In general, the greater the
force needed, the more serious the injury suffered by internal body tissues as a result of the task. For
example, lifting heavy weights may result in compression or protrusion of the spinal discs.
Static Exertion: This reflects the difficulty and danger of maintaining an abnormal posture over an extended
length of time in order to complete a task. This occurs in situations such as when a picture frame has to be held
up at an awkward angle for the drilling of attachment hooks to be completed. The more awkward the position and the
longer it is held, the greater the risk of injury.
Gloves: Although gloves exist to protect workers from harm, they are not good in maintaining dexterity.
If a worker is not used to working with gloves, he may use greater muscular exertion to achieve a certain grip,
thus increasing the risk of injury. However, if workers have become accustomed to working with gloves, and if
the gloves fit well, dexterity will not be compromised, and additional muscular strength will not be needed.
Repetition: Chronic repetitive injury of the wrist is common among typists. Repetitive motion has been
associated with injury and worker discomfort. Generally, the greater the number of repetitions, the greater
the risk of injury.
Recovery time: Workers should be given breaks from performance of repetitive or long-drawn activity.
This allows strained body areas to rest. Short work pauses reduce perceived discomfort and rest periods
between exertions have been shown to reduce incidences of repetitive strain injury.
Segmental vibration (Hand-Arm vibration): Studies have shown that chronic vibration applied to the
hand can cause a decrease in blood flow to the hands/fingers (Raynaud's disease or vibration white finger).
Carpal tunnel syndrome and segmental vibration have also been linked in some studies. It can also damage the
sensory receptor feedback leading to increased handgrip force to hold the tool.
What can be done?
Ergonomics seeks to improve worker health and efficiency through the design and engineering of the work
environment, and also through the education and training of workers in healthy work practice.
Thus ergonomic concerns are now a key factor in the design of working environment, and employees are encouraged
to learn and apply good health practices in their workplace. With effort from all parties involved, workplace health
and safety can be greatly improved.
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