 Sore throats left untreated can cause Rheumatic FeverTamariki at risk of developing rheumatic fever from a sore throat can be swabbed at community pharmacies listed belowTamariki are at risk of developing rheumatic fever if they are aged between 3-19 years, have a sore throat and have one of these criteria:
These pharmacies are able to provide antibiotic treatment for sore throats of high-risk tamariki and/or others in your home aged 3 years or older. If the swab is positive for strep then we can also swab and treat household contacts 3 years and above.
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 A Urinary Tract Infection (UTIs) is a reasonably harmless, though painful, condition that many people are too embarrassed to get help for. In some cases ignoring the pain and discomfort can lead to serious complications so it’s important to get it checked out.
The urinary tract consists of the kidneys, the ureter (which connect the kidneys to the bladder), the bladder and the urethra. A UTI is caused when this area becomes over populated with bacteria. Although most common in women, because they have shorter urethras then men, it is still possible (although rare) for men and children to get a UTI. Symptoms are often specific to either the upper or lower areas of the urinary tract. An upper UTI can often be an indicator of more serious complications such as kidney infection and should be seen by a doctor. Any child with a suspected UTI should be seen by a doctor promptly.  If you do not mind cleaning your menstrual aids there are some non-disposable products available that will not result in increased landfill or waste. They do require you to be vigilant in your cleaning and skilled in their use. Often it is costly to purchase these products, but they may be reused over several years, so may work out less expensive than needing to keep purchasing disposable pads and tampons.
Sea sponge tampons can be used as you would use a disposable tampon. They are natural sponges which have been thoroughly cleaned to remove any sea creatures and debris. They are inserted dry and removed as you would a tampon. They should also be changed every four to six hours, and replaced with another dry sponge. You need to thoroughly clean each sponge after use and then boil them in order to ensure that they will not harbour any infection. You will need at least two sponges and they will probably last at least six months.  Menstrual aids have been used for centuries to soak up the flow of blood from menstrual periods. Since the middle of the 20th century, it has been possible to buy disposable menstrual aids rather than use rags or cloths which needed soaking and cleaning as they were re-used.
Disposable pads used to be secured to the underwear or around the body by pins and ties, but these days are secured to the crotch of the underwear by adhesive strips. Other names for these pads are sanitary towels, pads or napkins. Different brands and ranges have varying degrees of absorbency and shapes (such as ‘wings’ that wrap around the underwear). You can even buy scented or even coloured pads.  Thrush may be a regular nuisance for some women, while others never experience this infection. If you are taking antibiotics, are pregnant, going through menopause or are on the contraceptive pill you are more susceptible to this infection. But it can easily affect any woman at any stage in their life – many find it unnecessarily embarrassing.
Vaginal thrush (candida infection) is caused by an overgrowth of yeast called Candida albicans. Candida albicans lives quite harmlessly in our bodies until something upsets the body’s natural pH balance. This causes Candida albicans to multiply and symptoms of thrush to appear. Women, who are HIV-positive, have diabetes or other immuno-compromising conditions, are more likely to experience infections. Some women also get vaginal thrush just before or just after their periods. Antibiotics can cause vaginal thrush, while tight-fitting pants or underwear made of synthetic fabric, heavily perfumed vaginal deodorants, bubble baths or certain soaps, can also aggravate your body’s normal flora and cause thrush.  Every woman’s experience of menopause is different. And whether you suffer from hot flushes, mood swings or sleeplessness, this “change of life” does not have to mean the end of your way of life.
Menopause is the natural process of your periods becoming irregular and eventually stopping. This means your body has ceased preparing every month for pregnancy - your ovaries stop releasing eggs and your hormone production decreases. How do you know if you are going through menopause? The symptoms for menopause are varied and vast. You could experience any or all of the following symptoms:
 Years ago it was taboo to talk about erectile dysfunction but thankfully attitudes have now changed. Although some patients may still find it embarrassing to talk to their health care professional about sexual issues, getting help for erectile dysfunction is worth the effort. This is a condition that cannot be taken lightly especially as it can be a sign of a more serious health problem.
Erectile dysfunction occurs when a man is unable to maintain an erect penis sufficient for satisfactory sexual intercourse. It also occurs when sexual stimulation or arousal does not result in enough blood flow to the penis which leads to an erection . This condition only affects men and is more likely to increase with age. Erectile dysfunction is often confused with impotence – this term is used to describe other problems that interfere with sexual intercourse and reproduction, such as lack of sexual desire and problems with ejaculation or orgasm. This condition is often hard to measure as men are less likely than women to talk about physical conditions as they find it uncomfortable. Erectile dysfunction may be as a result of psychological or physical reasons but either way this condition is distressing. It could lead to a loss of confidence and self-esteem or depression, as well as relationship problems. Physical reasons for erectile dysfunction could include the following: • Cardiovascular disease • Nerve damage (which is common in men with diabetes) • Brain and spinal injuries • Smoking • Fatigue • Excessive intake of alcohol • High cholesterol which narrows the blood vessels. Psychological reasons for erectile dysfunction could include: • Stress • Relationship problems • Depression • Existing values and attitudes to sex • Anxiety • Intimacy problems • Guilt. But help is available and the condition is totally manageable.  Toxoplasmosis is a condition that can be transmitted by cats. It is caused by a parasite that lives in the faeces of cats, so it usually only occurs when handling cat faeces, such as changing cat litter trays. Young children may also catch this parasite after playing in soil that may have been contaminated by cat faeces. It may also be present in meat from animals that have been exposed to cat faeces.
Generally toxoplasmosis is not dangerous, unless you are pregnant. It can cause birth defects in the unborn child, or when you have lowered immunity, such as those undertaking chemotherapy. Those infected with this parasite may develop aches and pains, and may develop swollen lymph glands, for example in the armpits or groin. The parasite may result in damage to the eyes or brain in those affected.  Stress incontinence occurs when urine leaks out of the bladder due to physical activity, coughing, sneezing, or laughing. It is not confined to leaky old ladies but can occur in men and women, and in the young as well as the old.
Control of the urge to urinate generally occurs before the age of seven. Children older than seven that still suffer from incontinence should see their doctor to rule out any condition that may be causing this. Deterioration in bladder control, such as stress incontinence, usually occurs in women, particularly after childbirth; but may also occur from chronic coughing from as poorly controlled asthma or smoking, heavy lifting, constipation, obesity, and advancing age, as our muscle control becomes less efficient. It may also arise from surgery to the prostate gland in men.  Multiple Sclerosis is commonly abbreviated as MS. It is a condition that affects the nerves of the body and eventually affects the brain and spinal cord. The coating of the nerves deteriorates with MS, and as a consequence impulses no longer travel along the nerves as efficiently as before developing the condition. The nerves become damaged as a result, and this is called sclerosing, or scarring. The ‘multiple’ means that more than one nerve is affected by the scarring.
The exact cause of MS is unknown, but the condition is called one of the ‘auto immune’ diseases where the body appears to fight itself. MS is more common in people exposed to some risks, such as smoking, and it appears to be more common in those people who have relatives who have had the condition. Other risk factors, such as stress, diet and solvents, have not been definitely proven to be the cause of MS, but it is always helpful to avoid these if at all possible. Symptoms of MS are often vague, so often the condition may be present for some time before definitely being diagnosed. However, at least half of those with MS complain of visual disturbances, memory loss or difficulty concentrating, limb weakness and tingling or muscle spasms causing some difficulty coordinating movement. |
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