TAKING CARE OF ELDERLY PEOPLE: THE MENTAL HEALTH ACT 1983

September 22nd, 2010

This allows for the compulsory admission to hospital of people who, because of their mental illness, are either a danger to themselves or others or who will get much worse unless treated. Sufferers from dementia rarely fall into these categories, though occasionally the behaviour disorder is severe enough to warrant it. The elderly suffering from severe depression or paranoia may need compulsory admission and these will recover.
If an admission of an elderly mentally ill person is to occur there is a set format depending on the section of the Act used. The request can come from the nearest relative but is usually from a social worker specializing in the field. Two doctors have to recommend the admission, usually the patient’s GP and either a psychiatrist or psychogeriatrician. Often the GP has been alerted to a serious problem by a family member and consults the social worker who assesses the situation and in turn alerts the psychiatrist, who must examine the person. The whole procedure can be organized and carried out within a few hours.
One section lasts 28 days, though if the person is still in need of treatment they can be kept in for up to six months (though many remain in longer as voluntary patients after 28 days). As stated before, though, it is commonly thought that most cases of dementia do not fit under the umbrella of the Mental Health Act.
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HOW TO SURVIVE YOUR DOCTOR: INTERCOURSE

September 22nd, 2010

Much has been written about love, sex and marriage; but intercourse requires little more than the insertion of the penis into the vagina with a modicum of rhythmic pelvic thrusting. This essentially pleasurable procedure continues until such time as orgasm or ejaculation occurs. The ways and means these simple manoeuvres can be accomplished are legion and fill the pages of many a novel and text book.
Intercourse poses many problems for the sick and the handicapped who have the same drive to complete the act of sexual intercourse as the walking well. Special attention is drawn to the plight of patients in hospital. If anything, this group of people has their sexual appetites increased because of the special need for reassurance and support. These people have less chance of gaining sexual satisfaction in their hospital beds than do inmates of maximum security prisons who at least manage to avail themselves of the homosexual option.
Home Remedies
When sexual intercourse results in back pain in the male and Urinary Tract Infection in the female, a change of position is the desiderata. The male is advised to adopt the reverse “missionary position” with the female on top. Conversely he may lower his sights by avoiding the urethral and lumbar trauma consequent to the aggressive habit of “riding high”.
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COMMON INFECTIONS OF CHILDHOOD: EPIGLOTTITIS

May 21st, 2009

Epiglottitis is less common than croup but more serious. It occurs most commonly in the toddler and preschool age group.

Cause

Epiglottitis is caused by a germ (Haemophilus influenzae) which causes inflammation and swelling of the epiglottis. The epiglottis normally sits at the top of the windpipe and prevents food and liquid entering the windpipe during swallowing. When it is inflamed and swollen, the epiglottis blocks air flow, causing breathing difficulty and marked distress.

Clinical features

The onset of epiglottitis is very rapid. Unlike croup, where the child has symptoms of a cold before he develops a barking cough and stridor, epiglottitis develops rapidly in a child who has previously been perfectly well. Within a few hours the child is often desperately sick. He looks toxic and unwell, pale, with saliva drooling from his open mouth. He will often have a soft snoring noise when he breathes, and will sit well forward, refusing to lie down because it causes him further respiratory distress. He is irritable and restless, feels hot, and it is difficult to console him.

No investigations are indicated. The diagnosis of epiglottitis is made on the basis of a very rapid onset of symptoms in a previously well child, and characteristic clinical signs. In fact, no investigations or procedures (such as taking blood, measuring temperature) etc. should be performed if epiglottitis is suspected because they may distress the child and precipitate obstruction of the windpipe.

Treatment

If epiglottitis is suspected, the child must be transferred immediately to a hospital which has an intensive care unit. There a breathing tube is usually inserted to help the child breathe, and antibiotics given intravenously.

When to see your doctor

Epiglottitis is a medical emergency, and if it is suspected then medical assessment must be obtained immediately. Do not delay — it is literally a matter of life and death.

Prevention

Epiglottitis is preventable by having your child vaccinated against Haemophilus influenzae. This is commonly called the Hib vaccine, and is now available in Australia. Make sure your child is fully immunised. This will prevent him from contracting this and other potentially fatal diseases.

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COMPLICATIONS OF PREGNANCY: MISCARRIAGE

May 19th, 2009

Losing a baby, at any stage of pregnancy, can be a devastating experience for parents. No matter how much we try to rationalise this experience or to be philosophical about it, we cannot negate the fact that emotionally we have experienced a loss. The conspiracy of silence that has surrounded miscarriage for so long only serves to reinforce the sense of isolation that parents may feel regarding their loss.

Miscarriage is common. One in five pregnancies ends in miscarriage, and 75% of these occur within the first 10 weeks. Most miscarriages that occur in the early stages of pregnancy are a result of an abnormality in the foetus. Sometimes the miscarriage is due to a blighted ovum, that is, an egg that was not fertilised but caused a ‘phantom pregnancy’. Some fertilised eggs simply do not develop properly, and are rejected by the mother’s body.

Miscarriages during the later stages of pregnancy can be due to numerous factors, cental insufficiency (a placenta which stops functioning properly).

Having a miscarriage is not an experience that you need to go through alone, and talking over your feelings with others who have had similar experiences may help to ease the burden of guilt (unfounded) that you may be carrying. It may also give you the opportunity to air the sadness that you are bound to feel. This will help to rebuild your confidence, and make you feel more positive about trying again. Talk to your partner, who will also be feeling down. Share your concerns, feelings of guilt, fantasies with each other. Couples who have gone through repeated miscarriages, or who have had difficulty conceiving, may experience a sense of grief with the onset of each period, as if they have lost another ‘potential child’. This is a perfectly normal reaction, and you both need to mourn for this too, in order to achieve acceptance of the loss and to heal the ‘wounds’. Not discussing these feelings openly with each other can lead to a sense of resentment and anger which may interfere with sexuality too. This can lead to a vicious cycle of anxiety about sex, which is exactly what you don’t need if you are trying to conceive again.

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YOUR MARITAL HEALTH/THE MOST OFTEN ASKED QUESTION: WHY WOULD ANYBODY WANT TO DO THAT?

May 18th, 2009

“He wants to put it up my butt. I hate it. It hurts. Why would anybody want to do that?”

ANSWER: Even though the rectum has connotations in our culture that make it seem dirty and corrupt, it is actually a very sensitive area. You know that, because you know how much it hurts you when he tries to enter you there. There is nothing unnatural about anal penetration. It is purely a matter of two things, preference and knowledge. The issue of preference can be addressed only by open communication. The issue of knowledge may help in this situation, because the facts may help you both to come up with a solution to your differences. The tissue in that area of the body is not only sensitive but can be damaged easily. Lubrication is important, so if you ever decide to do it, use a well-lubricated condom. Infection can be a problem, too, so make sure there is no cross-stimulation from the rectum to other areas of the body. Finally, it takes practice and cooperation to accomplish penetration of the anus. Practicing with slight insertion of the little finger and moving on to more and more penetration can help, and learning to relax the muscles in that area facilitates entry. Super marital sex rules indicate that the small-step approach can help here, with approximations of penetration aided by verbal fantasy of penetration. Surrendering or forcing only causes you both to relate such activity to the cultural orientation of “a pain in the ass.” An important super marital sex rule is that there should never be intentional mental or physical pain or coercion during any sexual interaction.

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HYSTERIA – TREATMENT AND CORRECT DIAGNOSIS

May 15th, 2009

Treatment of hysteria is always difficult. It may take some time to arrive at the correct diagnosis and to exclude underlying organic illness.

Sometimes, hospitalisation may be necessary but this may give the hysteric an opportunity to observe those with organic illness, and so the symptoms may become more definite and closer to real illness and further delay proper evaluation.

The underlying inadequate personality of the hysteric makes complete recovery difficult. The aim of treatment should be to restore the person as a functioning unit of society, rather than seeking to fully unravel all the hidden conflicts which have precipitated the illness or remove all the symptoms which have developed.

Too many medical opinions and examinations are only likely to reinforce the symptoms and to create further invalidism. Those treating hysteria should remain non-judgmental and should not react to attempts to manipulate them.

Those of us with an uncompromising view of life may deplore malingering and even hysteria and show this in our attitudes to those exhibiting such symptoms.

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ANAEMIA – IRON DEFICIENCY

May 15th, 2009

An iron deficiency anaemia is likely to occur if there is blood loss and therefore iron loss as well.

The symptoms that may result from anaemia are tiredness and shortness of breath. With iron deficiency anaemia there are other symptoms such as a sore red tongue and there may be a reduced amount of acid secreted by the stomach leading to digestive problems.

The diagnosis of iron deficiency anaemia is made by simple tests of the blood to determine the amount of haemoglobin and also by looking at the red blood cells under the microscope.

They will be less in number and they are also smaller and paler than normal.

The amount of iron in the blood may be measured and this reflects the amount of iron stored in the tissues.

Treatment is simple — iron tablets are given by mouth, usually in the form of the salt, ferrous sulphate which is cheap and effective.

Sometimes iron tablets may upset the bowel, causing diarrohoea or constipation. The iron will also stain the patient’s motion black and the patient needs to be warned about this.

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WEIGHT LOSS

April 29th, 2009

Weight loss can be caused by a number of physiological and psychological disorders, and if unexplained weight loss occurs, a medical practitioner should be consulted.

Intended weight loss for health or other reasons involves a number of factors. There are many theories regarding weight loss which encompass genetics, food intake and exercise. There is some evidence of a genetic predisposition to obesity and variations in metabolic function. There is also evidence, however, that while some people weigh considerably more than others but have the same food intake, those who weigh more do less exercise.

Most nutritionists agree that effective weight reduction involves a long-term change in eating patterns and behaviour and a gradual but significant increase in exercise. Fad or crash diets used for a short period actually reduce the amount of muscle and water in the body and weight is rapidly regained once the diet is discontinued.

Approaches to gradual weight loss include lowering fat and kilojoule intake while increasing the amount of fatburning exercise. Fat content is reduced by eliminating junk foods and refined sugar and reducing dairy products and fatty meats. Lowering the amount of fat in the diet should correspond with an increase in the intake of fruit, vegetables, legumes and grains. Drinking around 8 glasses of water a day is also recommended. Exercise involving at least three 20 minute periods per week will increase the metabolic rate and burn fat.

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PAIN: MUSIC PRACTICE

April 28th, 2009

When musicians suddenly increase the duration and intensity of practice or playing they risk getting the overuse syndrome, a disorder that causes pain, weakness, and loss of function in certain muscles, the Lancet (2:728) reports. Playing string instruments causes this problem to occur in the upper limbs, but, with wind instruments, it is the lips, tongue, throat, and chest that are affected. In severe cases, stiffening and deformity may occur, with arthritis in the joints of the hands, arm, or spine.

To avoid the problem, musicians should not play continuously for long periods. Parents and teachers of children learning to play an instrument should not insist upon unbroken hour-long sessions of practice. Sporting activity and exercises that extend the range of motion of the spine and strengthen the muscles are helpful. Any repertoire that brings on pain or discomfort should be abandoned.

Lastly, supporting devices that take the weight of an instrument off the musicians’ arms can make a considerable difference. If partial resting fails to alleviate the pain and tenderness, the musician should give up playing completely for many months, until all of the symptoms have disappeared altogether. Other activities (e.g: writing or turning taps) that also bring on the symptoms must be abandoned, too. Medical care is necessary.

Only after the symptoms have cleared completely can the musician safely resume playing, starting with one minute twice daily and extending the time very gradually. Since the overuse syndrome can be so disabling and difficult to overcome, music performers need to be alert to the danger of playing for too long.

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CHILDREN’S HEALTH: INNOCENT HEART MURMURS

April 28th, 2009

Symptom: Extra sounds made by the heart that are known not to indicate an abnormality

Home care: No home care is required for an innocent murmur.

Precautions:

-    Believe your doctor’s assurance that innocent murmurs are normal.

-    Do not make the mistake of over-protecting a child who has an innocent murmur; it is not necessary.

-    Try not to be alarmed by the long medical names given to innocent murmurs.

-    Most innocent murmurs disappear by the time the child is a teenager.

A heart murmur is an extra sound made by the heart as it pumps. A heart murmur may indicate abnormalities in the heart, or it may simply be a normal sound caused by turbulence as the blood rushes through the heart. The sounds that do not indicate heart disease or abnormalities are called “innocent murmurs,” “insignificant murmurs”, or “functional murmurs.” They are perfectly normal. Some experts believe that almost every healthy child has at least one innocent murmur, and if the child will stay still long enough in a quiet room a doctor will eventually be able to hear it. Other experts put the figure lower, at half of all normal children. As the child grows, the extra sound or sounds usually become increasingly hard to hear. By the time the child is a teenager, the murmur usually disappears, or becomes so quiet it cannot be detected. Only 15 to 20 percent of innocent murmurs continues into adolescence or adulthood.

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