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DIARRHOEA

Staff WriterJanuary 17, 2011 August 6, 2020 D

DIARRHOEA What is it?Diarrhoea occurs when very loose and frequent stools are passed. Symptoms: Passing of runny, watery faeces abnormally frequently. Cramp-like abdominal pain which comes and goes in waves. Sometimes associated with vomiting.Causes: Food poisoning, viral infection, antibiotics, stress, nervousness or excitement. In children. Food allergy may also be a cause of diarrhoea.Treatment in the home Adults: Increase fluid intake. Drink plenty of flat coke, ginger ale or diluted apple juice. Do not eat solid foods for 24 hours. When you start eating again, avoid fatty foods, coffee and milk-these can

SHINGLES

katswinkJanuary 17, 2011 S

SHINGLESWhat is it?Shingles is a viral infection of the nerves that supply certain areas of the skin. Usually affects people over 50 years of age.Symptoms: Usually affects area of skin supplied by the affected nerve on one side of the body or face. Severe burning pain in the affected area often precedes the rash. After about one to four days a painful, itchy rash of small crusting blisters appears. Over the next few days the blisters dry out, scab over and drop off. There may be small scars which fade away over

BREAST ABSCESS

Staff WriterJanuary 17, 2011 August 6, 2020 B

BREAST ABSCESS What is it?A Breast abscess occurs when infection enters the breast often through a cracked nipple, which is usually due to breast-feeding. Symptoms: A red tender swelling or lump in the breast. The glands under the arm next to the affected breast may also be tender. Fever and Pain can be severe. Possible complications: if not treated, a large amount of pus may collect. Treatment in the home: Make sure the breast is well supported. Take painkillers in recommended doses. Massaging the breast during breast-feeding can help to expel all

EARACHE

Staff WriterJanuary 17, 2011 August 6, 2020 E

EARACHE What is it?Earache is pain in one or both ears that may be either dull and constant, throbbing or sharp. Earache may be due to infection of the outer ear canal or the middle ear (acute middle ear infection and glue ear}INFECTION OF THE OUTER EAR CANAL (otitis externa)Symptoms: The ear canal is itchy, mild to severe pain, a feeling of fullness in the ear, sometimes a clear or yellowy discharge and temporary deafness. Causes: Swimming, Scratching the inside of the ear, a foreign body in the ear, bacteria, allergic reaction

JAUNDICE

Staff WriterJanuary 17, 2011 August 6, 2020 J

JAUNDICEWhat is it?Jaundice is not a disease as such, but a sign of a disorder. When jaundice is present the skin and the whites of the eyes turn yellow.Symptoms: Nausea and vomiting, dark urine and light coloured stools, the skin and the whites of the eyes turn yellow and generalized itching.Causes: Build-up of bilirubin in the blood.(Bilirubin is a waste product that forms when red blood cells are broken down. Normally it is removed from the bloodstream by the liver, collected in the gallbladders as bile and excreted in the faeces). Jaundice

SINUSITIS

katswinkJanuary 17, 2011 S

SINUSITISWhat is it?Sinusitis is an inflammation of the membrane lining of the sinuses i.e. the air-filled cavities in the bones surrounding the nose and eyes.Symptoms: Nasal discharge and congestion, Headache over one or both eyes if the frontal sinuses are affected, pain in one or both cheeks if the sinuses in the cheek bones are affected. Pain is worse when leaning forward.Causes: Bacterial, viral or rarely fungal infection, Often follows a cold, Allergic rhinitis, dental infection and exposure to temperature extremes.Possible complications: Pain, nasal blockage, secondary respiratory tract infections, rarely meningitis

BRONCHITIS

Staff WriterJanuary 17, 2011 August 6, 2020 B

BRONCHITIS What is it?Bronchitis is an inflammation of the mucous lining of the main air passage of the lungs. There are two main types- acute and chronic bronchitis.Acute Bronchitis is a sudden onset of chest symptoms in normally healthy person. Chronic bronchitis is usually associated with heavy smoking. ACUTE BRONCHITIS Symptoms: A productive cough with grey, watery phlegm, Breathlessness, wheezing, pain in the upper chest, made worse by coughing. Fever.Causes: Untreated respiratory infections such as a head cold or sinusitis which spread to the bronchial tubes.Possible complications: BronchopneumoniaTreatment in the home: Acute

ACUTE MIDDLE EAR INFECTION

Staff WriterJanuary 17, 2011 August 6, 2020 E

ACUTE MIDDLE EAR INFECTION (Acute otitis media) Symptoms: Comes on suddenly, Severe throbbing pain, which can become stabbing, Fever, temporary hearing loss, vomiting and pulling at the ears, is a common sign in babies and young children.Causes: Complication of a cold or other upper respiratory infection.Treatment in the home: Take aspirin or paracetamol to ease pain and reduce fever. Do not give aspirin to children under the age of 12.Possible complications: If not treated, the eardrum may burst or chronic middle ear infection may develop, with further hearing loss and pain.When to

LARYNGITIS

Staff WriterJanuary 17, 2011 August 6, 2020 L

LARYNGITISWhat is it?Laryngitis is an inflammation of the vocal chords.Symptoms: Hoarseness or loss of voice, sore throat, dry, irritating cough and mild fever.Causes: Viral or bacterial infection, smoking, heavy drinking, chronic bronchitis or sinusitis, repeated overuse of the voice, for example shouting or singing, exposure to dust or irritants.Treatment in the home: Do not smoke or drink alcohol, rest your voice as mush as possible, drink plenty of fluids, take aspirin or paracetamol to relieve cold-like symptoms.When to consult a doctor: Recurrent or persistent loss of voice.What the doctor may do:

STYE

katswinkJanuary 17, 2011 S

STYEWhat is it? A stye is a boil-like infection at the base of an eyelash.Symptoms: A red painful swelling on the edge of the eyelid. Later a white head of pus forms. Bursts within a few days and relieves pain.Causes: Bacterial infection in the hair follicle of an eyelash.Possible complications: eye infectionTreatment in the home: To relieve pain and to bring the stye to a head, apply hot compresses every three to four hours. Wrap clean cotton wool around the bowl of a wooden spoon. Dip it in hot water and