Day: December 10, 2023

What is the flu? Influenza (the flu) is a viral infection affecting your nose, throat and sometimes your lungs. What are the symptoms of the flu? The symptoms of flu may include: fever dry, chesty cough headache tiredness chills aching muscles limb or joint pain diarrhoea or upset stomach sore throat runny or blocked nose sneezing loss of appetite When should I see my doctor? If you are otherwise fit and healthy, there is usually no need to see a doctor if you have flu-like symptoms. But you should see your doctor if you or your child have flu symptoms and: are younger than

What is infertility? The term infertility is used if a woman is not pregnant after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sex. Having regular sex means having sex every 2 or 3 days throughout the month. Infertility is common. Whether you are trying to fall pregnant for the first time, or are already parents who would like more children, infertility can be a stressful and frustrating experience for everyone involved. It takes time for many people to fall pregnant. Many couples with fertility problems go on to get pregnant, with or without fertility treatment. What are the causes of

Glandular fever What is glandular fever? Glandular fever is a viral infection usually caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). It is also called infectious mononucleosis or ‘mono’. It is sometimes known as the ‘kissing disease’ because it is spread through saliva. Glandular fever can affect people of all ages but is more common in young adults and teenagers. What are the symptoms of glandular fever? Symptoms of glandular fever include: sore throat fever swollen glands, usually in the neck fatigue (tiredness) nausea Other signs and symptoms can include: rash abdominal (tummy) pain swelling of your spleen (a large organ in the

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ health Who are the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia? Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the first peoples of Australia. They have lived in Australia for more than 60,000 years. There are many different Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups across Australia. Each group has their own: culture language beliefs practices The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander concept of health isn’t about the individual person. Health is a whole-of-life view that includes: social emotional cultural wellbeing of the community In 2021, the number of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples was about

Faecal incontinence What is faecal incontinence? Faecal incontinence is when you experience leakage from the bowel or pass a poo at the wrong time or in the wrong place due to poor bowel control. You may also have trouble with excessive wind or staining of underwear. As many as 1 in 20 people have poor bowel control, but there are treatments available. It’s more common as people get older, but young people experience faecal incontinence too. People with the condition may also have problems with bladder control. What are the symptoms of faecal incontinence? The symptoms of faecal incontinence include: being

Travel vaccinations What is vaccination? Vaccination is a way to protect yourself against certain infections. Vaccines contain tiny amounts of dead or weakened viruses, bacteria, or other substances that help your immune system prepare to fight a future infection. Vaccination is safe and effective and is especially important when travelling. Why should I get vaccinated before I travel? Many infectious diseases are uncommon in Australia, due to widespread vaccination and other public health measures. This is not the case in many other countries. Travelling can expose you to infectious diseases that are very rare in Australia. These infections can cause serious illness, even in people who are

Vaccinations and pregnancy What is vaccination? A vaccination is a safe and effective way to protect your body from specific diseases before you come into contact with them. It helps your body’s natural defence system, your immune system, to become stronger and resistant to specific diseases and infections. You can have a vaccine by needle or liquid drops into your mouth by a doctor, a nurse, or sometimes a pharmacist. Before vaccines become available in Australia, they need strict medical testing and must pass the approval processes of the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). This includes checking every ingredient in the vaccine for safety, quality and

Immunisation and vaccinations for your child How does immunisation work? Immunisation protects against infectious (contagious) disease. Your body’s immune system responds to each vaccine to protect you from a specific disease, and to reduce your chance of becoming sick from the disease in the future. Once your child is vaccinated for a specific disease, they are immune to that disease if they come into contact with someone who has it. Vaccines use either inactive or weakened viruses to make your body believe it has already been infected with the disease. Your body’s immune system makes specific antibodies (special proteins that can fight germs

What is the immune system? The immune system defends the body from infection. It contains a complex network of cells, chemicals, tissues and organs. An underactive or overactive immune system can cause health problems. The immune system’s job is to protect the body from infection. It recognises ‘invaders’ such as bacteria, viruses and fungi and abnormal cells like cancer cells. It creates an immune response and helps the body fight the invasion. When harmful germs enter and invade the body, the body produces white blood cells to fight the infection. The white blood cells identify the germ and produce antibodies to fight it. Antibodies

What is an imaging-assisted wide local excision? An imaging-assisted wide local excision (lumpectomy) involves removing the cancer with a rim of breast tissue around the cancer. Before the operation, if your surgeon cannot feel the cancer, they will plan for a breast radiologist to carry out a marking procedure. Your surgeon will tell you if your nipple needs to be removed. As well as removing your breast tissue, your surgeon may remove lymph nodes in your armpit to find out if there are any cancer cells in them. What are the benefits of surgery? Removing the cancer by surgery gives you the

Implantable cardioverter defibrillators What is an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD)? An implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) is a small battery-operated medical device. It is placed in the body and connected to the heart to detect and correct abnormal rhythms of the heart. It is also called an ICD. What does an ICD do? An ICD, also sometimes called an AICD (automated implantable cardioverter defibrillator), sits under the skin near the heart. It monitors the heart’s rhythm 24 hours a day and detects abnormal rhythms in the ventricles (these are the parts of the heart that pump blood around the body). If the heart

What is ibuprofen? Ibuprofen is a type of anti-inflammatory pain-relief medicine that treats fever and mild to moderate pain caused by inflammation. It belongs to a group of medicines called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs. How does ibuprofen work? Ibuprofen works on one of the body’s chemical pathways for pain. It reduces your body’s ability to make prostaglandins — these are the natural chemicals that trigger pain, inflammation and fever. With fewer prostaglandins in your body, pain and inflammation are reduced, and your fever goes down. What is ibuprofen used for? Ibuprofen can be used for the short-term relief of fever, mild to moderate pain and

What is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)? Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common condition where you experience symptoms related to your digestive system. This is sometimes linked to certain foods, lifestyle habits and stress levels or mood. IBS affects around 3 out of every 10 people. Females are more likely than males to be affected. In IBS, medical investigations such as blood tests, endoscopy and imaging tests don’t show any abnormalities. IBS is a different disease from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis). IBS symptoms can have a huge impact on your quality of life. What are the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome? Some key