Day: December 16, 2023

What is lumbar spinal stenosis? Lumbar spinal stenosis is where the spinal canal narrows in your lower back. The spinal canal tends to narrow as we get older caused by bony overgrowth from wear and tear in the facet joints, thickening of surrounding ligaments and bulging of the discs. A narrowed spinal canal means that there is not enough space for the nerves and blood vessels. You may have difficulty walking and leg pain, often with a tingling sensation. What are the benefits of surgery? The aim is to prevent your symptoms getting worse. You may get less pain and

What is low back pain? Back pain is a very common problem, with 1 in 6 Australians reporting having back problems. About 4 out of 5 people have low back pain at some time in their lives. People experience low back pain in different ways — most feel pain, stiffness and soreness. Some people say it feels like a sharp pain; other people report dull aches or spasms. You may feel stiff or find it hard to turn or bend in certain directions. If you have sciatica, the pain can travel down one or both of your legs. Back pain can

What is LSD? LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) is an illicit hallucinogenic drug. It’s a chemical extracted from a fungus. It comes as an odourless white powder. LSD is also sometimes sold as: a liquid in tablets in capsules The pure form of LSD is very strong, so it’s usually diluted with other things. It’s usually taken by dropping LSD solution onto a material such as: gelatine sheets pieces of blotting paper sugar cubes These materials release the drug when swallowed or dissolved under your tongue. LSD can also be: sniffed injected smoked applied to the skin LSD is also known

Lower limb angiogram and angioplasty (radiology) What is an angiogram and angioplasty? An angiogram is a procedure to look for any problems with your arteries using dye and x-rays. Sometimes an angioplasty is performed at the same time to widen or unblock an artery. It involves inflating a small balloon inside the artery. A stent (metal mesh tube) is usually used to hold the artery open. What are the benefits of an angiogram and angioplasty? An angiogram will give a detailed picture of your arteries. The procedure should help you to walk further and with less pain. If you have ulcers or gangrene it should

Low blood pressure (hypotension) 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 numbers — 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

Back pain What is low back pain? Back pain is a very common problem, with 1 in 6 Australians reporting having back problems. About 4 out of 5 people have low back pain at some time in their lives. People experience low back pain in different ways — most feel pain, stiffness and soreness. Some people say it feels like a sharp pain; other people report dull aches or spasms. You may feel stiff or find it hard to turn or bend in certain directions. If you have sciatica, the pain can travel down one or both of your legs. Back

Motor neurone disease (MND) What is MND? Motor neurone disease (MND) is the name for a group of diseases. These diseases affect nerves known as motor nerves, or motor neurons. In MND, these neurons degenerate and die. This causes the muscles to become weaker and weaker. This eventually leads to paralysis. The MND disease group includes: Lou Gehrig’s disease, also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) progressive muscular atrophy (PMA) progressive bulbar palsy (PBP) primary lateral sclerosis (PLS) Kennedy’s disease, also known as spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) MND is an uncommon disease. The average age that people are

Grief and loss What are grief and loss? Grief is the natural emotional response to the loss of someone close, such as a family member or friend. Grief can also occur after a serious illness, a divorce or other significant losses. Grief often involves intense sadness, and sometimes feelings of shock and numbness, or even denial and anger. For most people, the intensity of grief eases over time and the episodes of grief become less frequent. Grief is a process or journey that affects everyone differently. It can be exhausting and emotionally draining. This can make it hard to do

Losing interest or pleasure in activities or people that once gave you enjoyment, may be due to overworking, relationship problems or being in a temporary rut. However, a loss of interest in many things or people, that is ongoing, can sometimes be a sign you have a mental health condition. What symptoms are related to losing interest? If you have lost interest in activities that used to give you pleasure, you may also lose motivation to do things. You may feel that you don’t want to go out, which can leave you isolated. You may not be able to concentrate.

Diarrhoea What is diarrhoea? Diarrhoea is having 3 or more loose or liquid stools (poos) in one day, or more frequently than normal. If you have diarrhoea, you will experience an increase in the volume, wateriness or frequency of your bowel movements. Diarrhoea episodes are often caused by a stomach bug (gastroenteritis) and clear up on their own in a few days. However, there are many other causes of diarrhoea. Most diarrhoea is mild, but it can also be severe — even needing admission to hospital. This article covers diarrhoea in adults and children over 12 years. See diarrhoea in children for

Eye care There are simple steps you can take to care for your eyes, and to protect them with essential eye care habits every day. Here are some things you can do to care for and help protect your eyes. How can I protect my eyes at work and at home? If you work in an environment where there’s a risk of getting something in your eyes (such as dust, wood chips, metal fragments or chemicals), protect your eyes by wearing a face visor or a pair of wrap-around goggles. You may also want to ask your employer to provide protective clothing.

What does caring for someone with dementia involve? Caregiving can be both rewarding and challenging. Some carers are in paid roles, but often carers are family or loved ones of the person with dementia. This is often unpaid. It involves managing many things every day. In some cases, this may include working or studying while you care for someone with dementia. Caregiving can be physically and emotionally demanding, so you need to look after yourself. You may feel you need to give more time and energy as the person with dementia needs more care. Caring for someone with dementia may involve

Are you a carer? Carers provide unpaid assistance and support to people who need help with their daily activities because of age, illness or disability. People who have cancer often need carers. Carers may help in many different areas of life including: personal care, such as dressing, showering and feeding medical care, such as giving medicines and monitoring symptoms emotional support, such as providing companionship and encouragement practical support, such as providing transport or helping with shopping managing finances, such as paying bills legal matters, such as planning a will or an Advance Care Directive Many people, especially those who care

After a diagnosis of long-term, or chronic illness, there may be a few practical things to think about. You may need to consider the costs of treatment and support. In turn, you may then need to think about factors such as: travel and accommodation costs childcare costs if you can work while receiving treatment If you are in hospital, or if you can’t work, this can have a financial impact. You may be worried about your family, and how they will cope with this. Worrying about practical issues can affect the way you feel. It is important to think about

What is long-sightedness? Long-sightedness (also known as hyperopia) is a common eye condition that can be hard to detect. It makes close objects appear blurry, or you might be able to focus clearly but get tired eyes or headaches. For people with significant long-sightedness, vision can be blurry for things in the distance as well. How is long-sightedness caused? The size and shape of the eye largely causes long-sightedness. When light enters the eye, it is bent by the cornea, the clear layer on the front of the eye, and the lens. This process is known as refraction. If you have

Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a disorder of the heart’s electrical system that can cause fast, chaotic heartbeats, called arrhythmias. It is named after the distinctive pattern seen on an electrocardiogram (ECG or heart tracing). If you have LQTS, you may have been born with a gene that puts you at risk. It might also be caused by certain medications. People with LQTS may experience fast or irregular heartbeats, fainting or seizures. If the heart is beating erratically for a long period it can cause cardiac arrest in some people, and possibly sudden death. Treatment for LQTS often involves limiting physical activity, avoiding certain medications or taking medications

What can I expect while recovering from COVID-19? Everyone will have a different experience in their recovery from COVID-19. Some people may recover in days or weeks. But in some people, recovery may take months. Although each case is unique, people recovering from more severe symptoms are likely to face a longer recovery period. Schedule regular appointments with your GP to discuss your symptoms and how best to manage them. Your GP will tell you about any medicines that might suit your needs. Symptoms recovering from COVID-19 Some common symptoms you may experience during your recovery: fatigue cough breathlessness joint or muscle

At some time in your life you may feel lonely or isolated from other people and the world around you. These feelings are normal, but there are many things you can do to overcome them. Why do I feel lonely or isolated? You can feel lonely or isolated for many reasons even when other people are around you. Some reasons you might feel lonely or isolated may come from what is happening in your life, especially if you’ve experienced major changes. These include: living alone or lacking close family around you grieving for a friend, a spouse or your partner going