News

Premenstrual syndrome or PMS is the term used to describe a wide variety of physical and emotional symptoms that women commonly experience in the days leading up to a menstrual cycle (period). They can also continue for the first few days of a period.

Blood pressure is a measurement of the force placed on the walls of the blood vessels as blood is pumped around the body. It naturally varies throughout the day, depending on what your body is doing.

This year’s influenza season is well and truly underway, with many thousands of confirmed reports of flu virus being made early as March. As at 24th June 2019, there were over 21,500 lab-confirmed, reported cases of flu. This figure represents only cases where a test was performed, so the true number is likely significantly higher.

Autumn has arrived, and with it – I’m afraid – the barrage of mischievous little microbes to wreck havoc on our bodies! Most upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) are viral in origin, so antibiotics make no diddly squat of a difference. But the common cold is by no means a trivial issue – ask any man beleaguered by ‘man flu’, and he will no doubt bemoan his suffering and sorrow.

‘Tennis elbow’ is the common terminology for a painful condition that affects the elbow(s). The medical name for this condition is lateral epicondylitis.

Mastitis is an inflammatory condition of the breast tissue that commonly affects mothers within the first four to six weeks following birth. It affects around 1 in 5 mothers in Australia and can be very painful and distressing.

Every year, thousands of Australians are hospitalised with influenza. It is a major cause of illness in our community and was attributed to around 57 deaths last year. The 2018 flu season was very mild compared to previous years. There were just under 50,000 laboratory confirmed cased, which is less than half of the annual average. The burden placed on hospitals and time off work was significantly lower than in previous years.

A colonoscopy is a procedure performed to visually examine the bowel. It is performed using a long, thin plastic tube with a light and camera at one end. The tube is flexible, allowing the Doctor to examine the inside the large intestine (colon) from all angles. The images from the camera are projected onto a screen for the Doctor to view. The tube is inserted into the rectum, under sedation so the patient does not feel anything. It is then manoeuvered through the colon to examine the health and appearance of the tissues that line the large intestine.

It is with a great deal of love and respect, that we announce the retirement of Dr Diana Rattray at the end of May this year.

As we age, our susceptibility to a whole variety of medical conditions increases.

Definition

‘A secure, legislated, patient-controlled, electronic summary of an individual’s key health information, able to be accessed by authorised individuals and registered healthcare providers involved in a person’s care anywhere in Australia at any time.’

We are thrilled to introduce patients to our new doctor – Dr Min Teo. Min graduated from the University of Auckland in 2007 and gained his Royal Australian College of General Practitioner’s Fellowship in 2014.

The plantar fascia is a strong, thick piece of connective tissue that joins the heel bone to the toes. Inflammation of this tissue is referred to as ‘plantar fasciitis’ and it can be quite painful and debilitating. It is the most common type of heel pain.

The pain associated with plantar fasciitis is usually worse in the morning and aggravated by standing and exercising. The pain the usually reduces after a bit of walking around but then returns on rest.

Clinically known as Otitis Externa, Swimmer’s Ear is an inflammatory condition/infection of the outer ear through to the ear drum.

It is a very common problem and can affect anyone at any age. It is usually linked to water exposure or excessive cleaning of the ear canal.

Travellers to countries in South East Asia, including Bali and Thailand are being encouraged to vaccinate themselves against Japanese Encephalitis in light of a recent spike in reported infections.

Tuesday 6th November

Although it does not happen every year, the events that unfolded in 2016 were a powerful reminder that it is best to be over prepared than under prepared.

Crying is a normal part of your baby’s development. We sometimes use the term ‘colic’ which suggests there is an illness causing your baby’s crying. We now understand that prolonged episodic crying in young babies is common and usually normal. Mostly we can’t find a medical cause for the crying. As parents we are often distressed and exhausted which is understandable! There is much confusing and conflicting advice on the internet which can add to the burden. Crying begins in early weeks and peaks around 6-8 weeks of age. Crying may last for several hours and is often worse in the late afternoon and evening. Thankfully crying usually improves after 3-4 months of age.

September is World Prostate Health Awareness Month

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men in Australia, affecting one in seven men. There are around 20,000 new diagnoses and sadly, close to 3500 deaths annually.

It has been well established that participation in regular physical activity has a multitude of health benefits. It can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, dementia and certain types of cancer. It can also improve emotional, psychological and physical wellbeing. Physical ‘inactivity’ is therefore considered the world’s leading risk factor for non-infectious diseases, mental health and poor quality of life.