Day: March 1, 2024

What are wounds, cuts and grazes? A wound is a break or damage to the skin surface. Minor wounds do not usually need medical attention and can usually be treated with first aid. What causes wounds, cuts and grazes? Wounds can be caused by something sudden, such as a cut, a fall or a bad knock. Cuts, grazes and lacerations are all examples of wounds. Cuts are usually caused by a sharp object like a knife or glass, or even a sheet of paper. Lacerations are a deep cut or tear of the skin – they usually have irregular jagged

What is memory loss? If you are getting forgetful or confused, you might be worried it’s dementia. Everyone forgets things from time to time, but memory loss (amnesia) is linked with many conditions, including dementia. Some memory loss can happen as a part of normal ageing. Memory change with healthy ageing doesn’t interfere with your everyday life. But everyone is different and the effect of getting older on memory will be different for everyone. However, major changes in your memory are not normal at any age. What causes memory loss? There are many causes of memory loss, such as: dementia depression, stress and anxiety traumatic

Worms in humans What is worm infection in humans? Many types of worm can cause problems in humans. In Australia, worms that may infect people include: threadworms tapeworms whipworms hookworms Strongyloides These intestinal worms are parasites – they survive by living in another living thing (the host) and getting their food from it. What are the symptoms of a worm infection? A person with intestinal worms may not have any symptoms, but threadworms (Enterobius vermicularis), the most common worm infection in Australia, often do cause symptoms. A person with threadworms (also known as pinworms) may have an itchy bottom or

What is ‘workplace health’? Australians spend, on average, about one-third of their time working. Having a safe and healthy workspace is an important part of looking after your physical and mental health. Learning how to work safely and maintain a proper work environment can help prevent injury and illness, help you stay healthy and improve your wellbeing. How can your workplace affect your mental health? An unhealthy workplace can cause stress. Sometimes a little bit of stress can be a good thing, since it can push you to complete tasks and help you to reach your work goals. Seeing how much

What is workplace bullying Workplace bullying is repeated unreasonable behaviour directed towards a worker in the workplace, creating a risk to health and safety. Bullying can involve just one person or groups of people. Workplace bullying can be physical, verbal or psychological, and can include victimisation, humiliation, intimidation or threatening behaviour. Bullying can take place in any workplace, including offices, shops, factories, cafes, restaurants, workshops, and within community and government organisations. Anyone can be bullied, including casuals, temps, subcontractors, work experience students, interns, volunteers, permanent employees and managers. Bullies can be managers, bosses, or co-workers. What are examples of workplace bullying?

What is workers’ compensation? Workers’ compensation is a compulsory insurance for employees who are injured or get sick at or because of their work. Most employers are required by law to take out this insurance, however there are some exceptions depending on the size of the business and the state or territory it’s in. Further information on the Commonwealth and state and territory workers’ compensation schemes is available below. What does workers’ compensation cover? Workers’ compensation schemes are designed to compensate you if you need medical treatment, rehabilitation or time off to recover after being injured at work. It also covers

What is work-related stress? In general, work is good for your mental health. It can give your life a sense of meaning and help you connect to other people. Having some stress at work from time to time can be good too — it can motivate you to do your job better. If you have too much stress at work, it can harm you both professionally and personally. You may feel stressed if there’s a mismatch between what’s expected of you at work and what you’re able to do. You might feel you’re under too much pressure, or that you

What is work-life balance? Work-life balance refers to the juggle between the demands of work and your home and family life. If you struggle with work-life balance, you might find that you are often rushing to manage different commitments, often left feeling like you are doing no areas well. If you work long hours, it can be more difficult to achieve a healthy balance between work and your personal life. Working long hours may impact your health, make your work unsafe, increase your stress levels and cut into time for leisure activities. A good work-life balance means you have harmony

What is Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome? Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW) is a condition that causes episodes of tachycardia (fast heartbeat). These episodes usually last between a few seconds and a few hours. They might be frequent (for example, every day) or occasional (for example, a few times per year). They can happen when you are exercising or resting. WPW is a common cause of tachycardia in infants and children. What are the symptoms of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome? As well as extremely fast heartbeat, symptoms of WPW include: palpitations (being aware of your heart beating) dizziness or light-headedness fainting feeling short of breath chest pain sweating a feeling of anxiety fatigue,

Addiction withdrawal symptoms What is addiction? Addiction, also known as dependence, is when someone finds it hard to stop doing something that makes them feel good. You can have a physical or psychological addiction, or both. Physical dependence means that withdrawal symptoms appear if you stop the addictive substance or behaviour. Psychological addiction occurs when you believe you need the addictive substance or behaviour to function. You might think you need the substance at certain times. For instance, to be social at a party or to unwind after work. Or you might think you need it all the time. What

Opioid withdrawal symptoms What is an opioid? Opioids are a group of strong medicines your doctor may prescribe to help you manage your pain. Your doctor might prescribe an opioid for the short-term treatment of moderately severe or severe pain, such as pain after surgery or an injury. They also help people manage pain caused by cancer and terminal illness. What are opioid withdrawal symptoms? Opioid withdrawal symptoms are unpleasant effects that can occur if you suddenly stop or suddenly reduce your dose of opioid medicines. They can also happen if you take another medicine that blocks the opioid from working. Opioid withdrawal symptoms can make