Healthy advice from your family doctor
Australians in their late 20s are most at-risk from mumps and should consider further vaccination, according to an article in this week’s issue of the Medical Journal of Australia. The number of cases of mumps has risen dramatically over the last few years and adults account for more than three quarter of them. People in their twenties
Swelling of the arm, leg or other body part after cancer treatment may be caused by ‘secondary lymphoedema’ and should be treated early. A new, free information booklet on lymphoedema is now available from the National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre (NBOCC). What is secondary lymphoedema? Lymphoedema is swelling caused by the buildup of lymph
Do pregnant women need, or should they be given the flu vaccination? Read on to find out… In Australia flu vaccination is recommended for: All women planning a pregnancy, and Women who will be in the second or third trimester of pregnancy during the influenza season (June to October) … according to the 2008 Australian Immunisation
There is no evidence that measures to reduce exposure to house dust mites (a tiny organism found in house dust) are of any benefit for people with asthma. This was the conclusion of a recent Cochrane review (an analysis of all the latest scientific evidence). Many people with asthma are sensitive to the house dust
Health authorities have recently issued warnings for listeriosis (infection with listeria bacteria) which can be a serious risk for pregnant women. Listeriosis is usually caught from contaminated food. It is generally a mild infection causing fever, headache, muscle aches and tiredness. However those at high risk, such as pregnant women, those with a weakened immune system
Australia’s national guidelines recommend vaccination for anyone from 6 months of age who wants to reduce their risk of catching the infection. Influenza is a serious disease in young children. Furthermore, children often transmit the infection to other family members. In the US, the government immunisation advisory committee recently recommended that all children from 6
From this week (March 2008), tough new laws begin in South Australia regulating solarium use. This follows the introduction of similar laws in Victoria last month. Solariums (sunbeds or tanning booths) are fitted with light tubes that release concentrated artificial ultraviolet (UV) radiation. They are used for tanning the skin but are not a safer way