Day: November 4, 2023

What is botulism? Botulism is a serious illness that causes paralysis (meaning that you are unable to move your muscles). It is caused by a toxin (poison) produced by the bacteria clostridium botulinum. The toxin can severely damage your nerves, and can cause death. Bacteria spores (cells) are present in soil, dust, and some foods. The toxin is sometimes found in food that has not been prepared or stored safely. Botulism is very rare. It usually affects one person a year in Australia. How is botulism spread? There are several types of botulism, which are spread in different ways. You can’t

Expressing and storing breast milk What is expressing? Expressing is a way to get milk from your breasts when your baby is not breastfeeding. You can express milk by hand or with a pump. There are manual pumps and electric pumps available. Not everyone will need to express breast milk. Why would I need to express? Being able to express breast milk is useful in several situations. Such as if your baby has been born prematurely is unwell and is not able to breastfeed can’t attach and suck effectively is refusing the breast your breasts are very full and uncomfortable needs to be fed

Bones, muscles and joints hat are bones, muscles and joints? Bones, muscles and joints make up the musculoskeletal system, along with cartilage, tendons, ligaments and connective tissue. This system gives your body its structure and support and lets you move around. The parts of the musculoskeletal system grow and change throughout life. Injuries and various illnesses can damage bones, muscles and joints. Parts of the musculoskeletal system Skeleton — this is the framework of the body. The adult human skeleton is made up of 206 bones. There are 5 main shapes of bones: long (such as the upper arm), short

Healthy bones What are ‘healthy’ bones? Healthy bones are bones that are dense and strong. Your bones are a living part of your body and despite their strength, they are flexible. They can heal themselves when broken, and are constantly being renewed by your body. Your bones grow throughout childhood and adolescence, and bone renewal (known as ‘remodeling’) occurs throughout life. Key components of bones include calcium, collagen and bone marrow. Your bones are affected by the foods you eat and your lifestyle, so looking after your general health will help to keep your bones healthy. Why is bone health

What are boils? Boils are painful, red, pus-filled lumps on your skin caused by an infection of hair follicles. One infected hair follicle is called a furuncle, and a group of infected follicles joined together is known as a carbuncle. Boils can occur anywhere, but most often in hairy areas that sweat or rub, such as your: face or neck armpits groin or vagina inner thigh or buttocks. What are the symptoms of boils? Symptoms of boils include: a red, tender lump with a white or yellow centre pain feeling unwell and having fevers, particularly with a large boil A photo showing a

What is body piercing? Body piercing is traditionally done by pushing a needle through skin and inserting a piece of jewellery. Ears are pierced more often than other parts of the body, but other sites that are sometimes pierced include: eyebrows nose lips tongue nipples navel genitals What is tattooing? Tattoos are permanent designs made with ink injected under the skin. The tattoo gun used to inject the ink pierces the skin, so tattoos have their own set of health risks. See this Queensland Government page for advice on what to ask if you are considering getting a tattoo. What are the

What is body image? Body image refers to the way you see your physical self — your body — and the thoughts and feelings that are caused by the way you see it. Having a healthy body image means being comfortable and knowing that there is more to you than just your physical appearance. You accept your body, including its limitations, and appreciate it. Conversely, having an unhealthy body image involves always thinking your body is unattractive. This ‘body dissatisfaction’ is driven from an internal process, but can be influenced by external social factors. Sometimes, it can make a person

How to reduce visceral body fat (hidden fat) What is visceral body fat? Visceral body fat, also known as ‘hidden’ fat, is fat stored deep inside the belly, wrapped around the organs, including the liver and intestines. It makes up about one tenth of all the fat stored in the body. Most fat is stored underneath the skin and is known as subcutaneous fat. That is the fat that is visible and that you can feel. The rest of the fat in the body is hidden. That is visceral fat. Visceral fat makes the belly stick out or gives a

What is body dysmorphic disorder? Body dysmorphic disorder is a mental illness where a person believes there is a flaw or defect in their body and this leads to distress and repetitive behaviours. If you have body dysmorphic disorder, you feel a part of your body is unusual or deformed, so that you feel ashamed, distressed or depressed. These feelings may affect your wellbeing and prevent you from living a normal life. Body dysmorphic disorder can lead a person to try and fix or change the perceived defect, for example with make-up, exercise or surgery. The face and facial features — such as the size

What is body mass index (BMI)? Body mass index (BMI) is calculated from your weight and height. BMI is calculated by dividing your weight by the square of your height as follows: BMI = Weight in kilos/Height in metres x Height in metres You can find your BMI using the healthdirect BMI calculator. The calculator can give you an idea of any health risks related to your BMI or waist circumference. It also offers information based on your personal results. Once you know your BMI, you can find your weight classification. For adults, the BMI ranges and classifications are: BMI under

What is blurred vision? If you have blurred vision, the things you see will not look sharp and clear. You may experience blurred vision in both eyes or just in one eye, depending on what is causing it. Sometimes everything you look at will be blurry, while sometimes just part of your field of vision will be blurred. You can also have other symptoms along with blurred vision, including headaches, sensitivity to light, or red, irritated eyes. What causes blurred vision? Blurred vision can be caused by eye conditions, including: difficulty focusing your eyesight, such as with near-sightedness or far-sightedness

Sea creature bites and stings Box jellyfish, Irukandji and other tropical stingers Tropical stingers (jellyfish) live in tropical waters around Australia’s coastline north of Bundaberg in Queensland through to Geraldton in Western Australia. The most dangerous are the box jellyfish and Irukandji. The stinger season usually peaks from November to March. The symptoms of a box jellyfish sting are severe pain and red or purple marks on the skin. It can cause increased heart rate, severe pain elsewhere in the body, sweating or anxiety, nausea or vomiting or cardiac arrest. The symptoms of Irukandji sting are severe backache or headache,

What is a blood transfusion? A blood transfusion is a medical procedure in which donated blood is given to you. It is a safe procedure and can be life-saving. If complications occur, they are typically mild. Why might I need a blood transfusion? You might need a blood transfusion if: you have lost a lot of blood because of surgery, childbirth or a serious accident you have severe anaemia (a lack of red blood cells), which cannot be treated in any other way you are having cancer treatment or stem cell transplants that affect your blood cell count you have a bleeding disorder What are the risks of having a blood

Guide to blood testing Before having a blood test If you have been referred for blood tests, you might ask: Do I really need to have these blood tests? What are the risks? What happens if the tests aren’t accurate? What happens if I don’t do anything? How much will the tests cost? How will I get the results and when? Some tests require preparation, such as: fasting (not eating for several hours beforehand) not having certain foods or drinks before the test changing how or when you take a medicine or supplement before the test having the test at a certain

How to lower your blood pressure What is blood pressure? Blood pressure is the pressure of your blood pushing on the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps blood around your body. It is measured and described with 2 numbers (for example, 130/90mmHg). The pressure is measured in mmHg, which is short for ‘millimetres of mercury’. Systolic pressure is the higher number and is the pressure of your heart contracting and forcing blood through your arteries. Diastolic pressure is the lower number and is the pressure in the arteries between heart beats (when the heart is resting and filling with blood).

What is a healthy blood pressure? What is blood pressure? As blood is pumped by the heart around the body, the pressure with which it pushes against the walls of blood vessels changes. When the heart squeezes blood into the arteries, the pressure goes up. When the heart is relaxed, the pressure is lower. Your blood pressure is a measurement taken of the highest reading and the lowest reading. It is given as 2 figures highest (systolic) over lowest (diastolic). Systolic is the pressure in the artery as the heart contracts (squeezes). This is represented by the first number. Diastolic is the

Sepsis What is sepsis? Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body damages its own tissues and organs in response to an infection. Sepsis can lead to septic shock, organ failure and even death if it’s not diagnosed and treated early. What is the difference between sepsis and septicaemia? Septicaemia is when bacteria enter the bloodstream and cause blood poisoning. This can trigger sepsis, but sepsis can also come from other infections. Sepsis is sometimes referred to as septicaemia; however, they are not the same thing. What are the symptoms of sepsis? The symptoms of sepsis vary. They

Blood in urine (haematuria) What causes blood in urine? Urinary tract infection (infection of the bladder or kidney) is one of the most common causes of blood in the urine. Other common causes are: exercise, sexual intercourse or injury a kidney stone cysts blood-thinning medication a disease of the blood a medical procedure Blood in the urine can also be caused by: kidney disease injury to the kidney, ureter, bladder or urethra tumours of the bladder, kidney or prostate How is blood in urine diagnosed? Your doctor will talk to you and will examine you. They will ask for a urine sample for urine tests, and may