Day: December 15, 2023

What is a liver biopsy? A liver biopsy involves removing small pieces of tissue from your liver using a needle. What are the benefits of a liver biopsy? Your doctor is concerned that there may be a problem with your liver. Your doctor will tell you which of the following problems is most likely in your case. inflammation (hepatitis) cirrhosis a tumour The position of the liver. Are there any alternatives to a liver biopsy? A blood test or ultrasound scan may show that you have a problem. Specialised scans can tell your doctor how serious it is. However, a

Listeriosis is a type of food poisoning caused by eating foods contaminated with Listeria bacteria. While it’s not always dangerous, it can cause serious problems for some people. What is listeria and listeriosis? Listeria (full name Listeria monocytogenes) is the name of a type of bacteria. If you get infected by this bacteria, you can get an illness called listeriosis. Listeria bacteria are widespread in the environment. However, the illness listeriosis is not common — in Australia, only about 150 people are hospitalised because of listeriosis each year. Infection with Listeria bacteria doesn’t usually cause illness in healthy people. However, certain

What is a lipoma? Lipomas are harmless, fatty lumps. They are benign, meaning they are not cancerous, and are quite common. Lipomas can appear anywhere where you have fat cells and most commonly grow on the neck, chest, back, shoulders, arms and thighs. Sometimes lipomas grow inside the body, and you may not be aware they are there. In most cases, people only develop 1 or 2 lipomas. Occasionally, however, some people develop many lipomas. This is most likely due to rare inherited conditions, such as familial multiple lipomatosis. What are the symptoms of lipomas? Lipomas typically: feel soft and

What is lipoedema? Lipoedema is a chronic (long-term) health condition that causes an abnormal build up of adipose (fatty) tissue in the body. Lipoedema usually affects the legs, thighs and buttocks but it can also impact the arms. Lipoedema can cause significant pain and swelling. Females are more often affected by lipoedema than males. It is thought to affect around 1 in 9 females in Australia. Lipoedema usually starts during times of hormonal change like puberty, pregnancy, in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and menopause. There is no conclusive research to say whether taking the oral contraceptive pill influences lipoedema. Some people have noticed the beginning of,

What is limb numbness? Numbness, sometimes called ‘paresthesia’, means you lose some or all sensation in the affected part of your body. You won’t feel a light touch, pain or temperature. Numbness is due to a problem with the nerves sending signals to the brain. You can experience numbness anywhere in your body, but it’s most commonly felt in the fingers, hands, feet, arms, or legs. You might also feel a tingling, prickling, or ‘pins and needles’. Having a numb limb can lead to other problems, such as falling or not noticing an injury, infection or sore. What causes limb numbness? There

What is lightheadedness? Lightheadedness is when you feel like fainting or about to pass out. Some people call it feeling woozy. Lightheadedness is related to dizziness. Dizziness is, when you feel unsteady or are having trouble keeping your balance. When you are feeling lightheaded, you might also have these other symptoms: nausea sweating vision changes such as blurring or seeing spots or lights feeling that your body is heavy What causes lightheadedness? Light-headedness can have a range of different causes. Some of the main causes are: dehydration (not having enough fluids in your body) a drop in blood pressure when you stand up quickly feelings

What is loss of female libido? Loss of libido (low libido or low sex drive) is a reduced desire to have sex. It can also mean a low sex drive that is persistent and won’t go away outside of the normal changes of your interest in sex. What are the symptoms of low libido? Symptoms of low sex drive or loss of libido might be: having no interest in any type of sex including masturbation rarely or never having sexual fantasies or thinking of sex being unhappy with your low desire for sexual activity or thoughts of sex It’s not

If you are part of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer/questioning (LGBTIQ+) community and are struggling with your mental health, you’re not alone. Research has shown that LGBTIQ+ Australians experience higher rates of mental illness and distress than those that are not sex, gender or sexuality diverse. This is often related to the stigma, discrimination and abuse faced by the LGBTIQ+ community. Sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity are deeply personal and can be complex. If you’re given a hard time about your identity, help is available. What is sex, gender, and sexuality? Sex is assigned to you at

What is vardenafil (Levitra)? Vardenafil is a medicine used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED, also called impotence) in males. It is sometimes known by its generic name, vardenafil and sometimes known by its trade name, Levitra. How does vardenafil work? Vardenafil works by helping to relax the blood vessels in the penis, allowing blood to flow in more easily. If you have erectile dysfunction, this can make it easier to get an erection. Vardenafil doesn’t cause erections on its own — sexual stimulation is still needed. Vardenafil does not: cure erectile dysfunction (ED) increase your sexual desire protect from sexually transmitted infections (STIs) serve as contraception How do

What is leptospirosis? Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection caused by the bacteria Leptospira. It occurs in both humans and animals, and mainly in tropical areas where conditions are humid, such as northern Queensland or south-east Asia. How does leptospirosis spread? It starts with an infected animal such as a rodent, cow, horse, sheep, pig, dog, possum or bandicoot. These animals can pass the infection on through their urine, or in infected tissue after they die. People come in contact with the bacterium in soil, mud or flood waters. The bacterium gets into the body: through cuts or abrasions in the skin through the

What is leprosy? Leprosy is an infection of the skin and nerves caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae. It is rare in Australia, and can be easily treated and cured with antibiotics. Leprosy is also known as Hansen’s disease. Leprosy mainly affects the nerves of the hands, feet and face, and also the skin. What are the types of leprosy? The type of leprosy you get depends on how your body’s immune system reacts to the bacteria. If you have little resistance to the bacteria, the bacteria may multiply and cause more widespread disease. If a person has a high level of resistance to

What is Legionnaires’ disease? Legionnaires’ disease is an uncommon, severe and sometimes life-threatening form of pneumonia, or lung inflammation, caused by legionella bacteria. There are many different species of legionella bacteria found in damp environments. The two most common in Australia are legionella pneumophila (found in water) and legionella longbeachae (found in soil). Legionella pneumophila bacteria can contaminate air conditioning cooling towers, decorative fountains, humidifiers, whirlpool spas, shower heads and other bodies of water. Legionella longbeachae can contaminate soil or potting mix. How is Legionnaires’ disease spread? You can get infected with Legionnaires’ disease by breathing in contaminated dust or water vapour. You can be exposed to the bacteria at home, at

What are leg ulcers? Leg ulcers are deep sores in the skin of the leg that often take a long time to heal. Unlike a graze, which only affects the first few layers of skin, an ulcer is deep and affects many layers of skin. A leg ulcer can be acute or chronic. An acute ulcer usually starts to heal in less than 4 weeks. It might be from an injury. A chronic ulcer takes more than 4 weeks to heal and the cause is often complex. Leg ulcers are the most common wounds in Australia. About 1 or 2

What is leg pain? Leg pain can be described as any feeling of pain or discomfort in the area between your groin and ankle. Depending on the cause, leg pain can vary from moderate to severe, and the symptoms may be continuous (non-stop) or intermittent (come and go). Leg pain can be acute, meaning it comes on quickly and then goes away. Or it can last for weeks or months. Then it is called chronic leg pain. For some people, chronic leg pain can last for years and can affect their lives. What symptoms are related to leg pain? Leg

What are learning disabilities? The terms ‘learning differences’, ‘learning difficulties’ and ‘learning disabilities’ are often used to mean the same thing. However, there are differences between these terms. Learning differences — are the different ways and speeds at which people learn. Learning difficulties — are things other than learning differences or disabilities that may affect someone’s ability to learn. These things can include not going to school and poor teaching. Learning disabilities — are usually specific learning disorders and do not respond to typical interventions. People with learning disabilities are of average or above average intelligence. They do not have an intellectual disability.

What is lead? Lead is a type of metal usually present in very small amounts in soil. High levels of lead exposure can harm you. There is no safe level of lead exposure for anyone but the risk of lead poisoning is highest for unborn babies, infants and children. You may be able to reduce your exposure by learning more about the potential sources of lead in your environment. What are sources of lead exposure? Lead can enter your body mainly through breathing in or swallowing materials contaminated with lead. Lead used to be added to paint and petrol, but

What is amblyopia? Amblyopia is a condition where one eye develops abnormally in early life. The weak, or ‘lazy’, eye often wanders inwards or outwards. In rare cases, both eyes can be affected. If left untreated, amblyopia can lead to permanent vision loss in the affected eye. The condition usually occurs in children between birth and age 7 and is the leading cause of decreased vision in one eye in children. Amblyopia is more common in small or premature babies, or children with a family history of the condition. What are the symptoms of amblyopia? Signs that your child might

What are laxatives? Laxatives are medicines used to help prevent or treat constipation. There are many different types of laxatives. Each type works in a different way, but the goal of all types of laxatives is to make it easier to pass bowel motions (poo). For most laxatives, you will not need a doctor’s prescription. You can buy laxatives over the counter from a pharmacy. However, some types of laxatives may not be suitable for everyone. It’s important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking them. What is constipation? Constipation is when you have trouble passing stools (poo). Symptoms of

What is an anal fissure? An anal fissure is a tear in the skin around your back passage. It is a common problem that causes severe pain, especially after a bowel movement. It may also cause bleeding. The condition is associated with spasm of the internal anal sphincter. This reduces the blood supply to the area and prevents healing. The treatment is aimed at breaking this cycle to allow healing to take place. What are the benefits of surgery? Surgery should help the anal fissure to heal and is usually recommended if the fissure has not healed with non-surgical treatments. Are there

What is LASIK surgery? LASIK (laser in situ keratomileusis) is an operation that uses a laser to correct your vision by changing the thickness of your cornea. The cornea is the transparent (clear), dome-shaped outer layer in front of the black pupil and coloured iris. What are the benefits of surgery? The aim of LASIK is to correct your vision so you do not need to wear glasses or contact lenses. The eye. Are there any alternatives to LASIK? Non-surgical alternatives glasses contact lenses Surgical alternatives natural lens replacement. The surgery is the same as cataract surgery phakic intraocular lens

What is a laryngoscopy? A laryngoscopy is a procedure to look at your voice box (larynx) using a rigid telescope. What are the benefits of a laryngoscopy? Your doctor is concerned that you may have a problem in your larynx. A laryngoscopy is a good way of finding out if there is a problem. A laryngoscopy. If your surgeon finds a problem, they can perform biopsies (removing small pieces of tissue) to help make the diagnosis. For some people, the treatment can be performed at the same time. For some people minor treatments can be performed at the same time.

What is laryngitis? Laryngitis occurs when your voice box (larynx) becomes inflamed, and your vocal cords become swollen and can’t vibrate properly. This will cause your voice to sound hoarse (rough or scratchy) or you might lose your voice. Most people recover from laryngitis without any medical treatment. What are the symptoms of laryngitis? The symptoms of laryngitis include: low, hoarse voice difficulty speaking sore, dry or tickly throat mild fever irritating cough Laryngitis is often part of another illness such as a cold, so there may also be other symptoms such as: headache runny nose swollen glands painful swallowing What causes laryngitis?

What is a laryngectomy? A laryngectomy is an operation to remove the larynx, or voice box. Why is a laryngectomy performed? A laryngectomy is most commonly performed to remove a cancer of the larynx. Either the whole larynx (total laryngectomy) or part of the larynx (partial laryngectomy) can be removed. The surgery involves creating a new airway that opens in the lower neck for breathing. This new airway is permanent following a total laryngectomy, and temporary after a partial laryngectomy. Because it seriously affects quality of life, a total laryngectomy is usually only recommended for advanced cancers that can’t be successfully

What is a laparotomy? A laparotomy is an operation to look inside your abdomen, and at the organs there. There are many reasons why this operation might be performed. Why might a laparotomy be needed? A laparotomy might be needed to look for problems in the abdomen or internal organs, or to treat a particular condition. For example, it might be done to find out why you have abdominal (tummy) pain, if you have an injury to your abdomen, to look at the spread of certain diseases such as endometriosis and cancer. Sometimes it’s done in emergency situations. A laparotomy needs a fairly

What is a laparoscopy and dye test? A laparoscopy and dye test is an operation using keyhole surgery to look at your abdominal and pelvic organs, particularly your fallopian tubes. It is used to help find out why you are having difficulty becoming pregnant. For some women minor treatments can be performed at the same time. The womb and surrounding structures. What are the benefits of surgery? The dye test will show if your fallopian tubes are blocked and may identify other conditions associated with infertility. The laparoscopy will help to find out if you have one of the following

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Laparoscopic subtotal hysterectomy What is a subtotal hysterectomy? A subtotal hysterectomy is an operation to remove your uterus (womb), leaving your cervix (neck of your womb) in place. Your ovaries may need to be removed at the same time. What are the benefits of surgery? The womb and surrounding structures. There are common reasons for having a subtotal hysterectomy. Heavy or painful periods not controlled by other treatments. Fibroids, where the muscle of your womb becomes overgrown. A subtotal hysterectomy may cure or improve your symptoms. More than 18 in 20 women will no longer have periods. Are there any