Express.co.uk |
Eczema: Met Office hot weather forecast could cause dry skin symptoms
Express.co.uk You can prevent eczema symptoms from flaring up this summer by avoiding getting too sweaty, said medical website WebMD. “Sweating dries out your skin, and the salt in sweat can sting and irritate it,” it said. “So try to stay cool. Take it easy on hot … |
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Eczema: Met Office hot weather forecast could cause dry skin symptoms – Express.co.uk
Express.co.uk |
Eczema: Met Office hot weather forecast could cause dry skin symptoms
Express.co.uk You can prevent eczema symptoms from flaring up this summer by avoiding getting too sweaty, said medical website WebMD. “Sweating dries out your skin, and the salt in sweat can sting and irritate it,” it said. “So try to stay cool. Take it easy on hot … |
#ThinkHand campaign could be a game-changer
I feel like Thursday 22nd February 2018 is going to be one of those days when in years to come I’ll look back and know that I was part of what will hopefully be a game-changer in the world of healthcare. It was the official launch for the #ThinkHand campaign by the MS team at Bart’s, led by Prof. Gavin Giovannoni and Dr. Klaus Schmierer.
As someone with MS who is still fully mobile, what worries me about the future isn’t necessarily that I might need to use a wheelchair, it’s that I won’t be independent. Retaining upper limb function is critical to avoiding that situation.
Why is the campaign needed? Well (and many people, even within the MS community, don’t know this), currently NHS guidelines state that once someone has developed secondary progressive MS and/or starts to use a wheelchair, their medication needs to stop. In addition, the primary outcome measure for testing the effectiveness of MS disease modifying therapies is currently walking ability. So essentially, once you develop progressive MS and/or start to use a wheelchair, you’re written off by the “system.”
The ThinkHand launch featured three MS patients, all of whom can demonstrate why hand function is so important. One is a musician, one is an artist and one is a jewellery maker. During the evening we had the chance to meet them and see/listen to their work. It wasn’t just important for me as an MS patient to see that a change is needed, it was also important for the other attendees who came from MS charities, pharmaceutical companies and the media. Michelle Mitchell, Chief Executive of the MS Society, was the guest speaker, and it’s incredibly important to have this visible backing for the campaign from the largest MS charity in the UK.
The campaign has achieved or is trying to achieve the following:
- Get the research community to study several hypotheses that underpin the science behind the preservation of hand function in MS and to design better trials for people with more advanced MS.
- Design, test and validate an environmentally friendly cardboard 9-hole peg test to allow people with MS (PwMS) to self monitor their arm and hand function.
- To survey UK MSologists’ attitudes on the importance of hand function in MS.
- To perform a clinical trial to study the effect of subcutaneous cladribine in MS wheelchair users (CHARIOT-MS study).
- To challenge NHS England guidelines for stopping disease modifying therapies when people with MS develop secondary progressive MS and/or start using a wheelchair.
- To get the pharmaceutical industry to do trials in more advanced MS, focusing on hand and arm function as the primary outcome.
- To validate the 9-hole peg test as a primary outcome measure in clinical trials.
- To develop a new personalised or humanised outcome measure to asses hand function in MS.
If you’d like to get involved in the campaign then follow the #ThinkHand hashtag on social media.
For more information about ThinkHand: https://www.standard.co.uk/news/health/lift-drugs-ban-on-ms-patients-who-can-no-longer-walk-say-doctors-a3772906.html
For a video of the launch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0HLSq3nzHQ
To keep up to date on the campaign subscribe to the Bart’s MS research blog: www.multiple-sclerosis-research.blogspot.com
The post #ThinkHand campaign could be a game-changer appeared first on talkhealth Blog.
Persistence saved my life, it could save yours too
Losing weight, diarrhoea and loss of appetite are symptoms associated with a number of common health issues, and may not cause alarm for many but did for me when I suddenly started experiencing them in the summer of 2007. After several visits to the GP, I was told that I had Irritable Bowel Syndrome – but that diagnosis wasn’t good enough for me.
I pestered my GP to refer me to a specialist after I was prescribed painkillers that didn’t ease the mid-back pain that I was experiencing. But when the pain shifted round to my ribcage, I fast-tracked myself, with the help of a locum GP and my husband’s private medical insurance, to a specialist who arranged for me to have a scan.
This saved my life. I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, which was absolutely devastating, but I was very lucky to be diagnosed early enough to have surgery that would increase my chances of surviving the disease. Life-saving treatment may not have been an option if my scan was delayed to the following week but here I am, 10 years on.
Pancreatic cancer is so aggressive that early diagnosis and treatment are essential. Yet very few people are aware of the signs and risks so early detection is extremely uncommon. I was stunned to hear that for nearly my entire lifetime, treatment options and diagnostic tools have remained relatively unchanged.
More than 90% of the population knows little to nothing about pancreatic cancer and its symptoms. I was one of those people. I hadn’t even heard about it until the consultant surgeon sat me down on August 30, 2007 to tell me I had a tumour in the body of my pancreas, and that I needed surgery as soon as possible. It seemed impossible to all of us. I was 41 and otherwise healthy. I didn’t smoke. I drank in moderation. I was not a candidate for pancreatic cancer and the diagnosis wasn’t even considered by any general practitioner I saw.
It wasn’t until after the surgery – which removed my spleen, part of my pancreas and affected lymph nodes – that I understood that only one in 10 patients with this diagnosis can be operated on at all. Even fewer survive the first five years.
A slow diagnosis delays patient’ referrals to the right specialists, which is crucial. I would advise anyone with symptoms not normal for them to be persistent. The speed of my diagnosis meant it was still possible to remove the tumour followed by chemotherapy.
I have made it my mission to help others survive. I founded Pancreatic Cancer Action to ensure more are diagnosed sooner by raising awareness of the disease, funding research into early diagnosis, and pushing for greater investment into research, to discover more treatment options for those who are diagnosed.
Ali Stunt, founder and CEO, Pancreatic Cancer Action
The post Persistence saved my life, it could save yours too appeared first on talkhealth Blog.
HealthWatch: Mom’s Diet Could Affect Child’s Risk Of Allergy, Eczema – CBS Boston / WBZ
CBS Boston / WBZ |
HealthWatch: Mom's Diet Could Affect Child's Risk Of Allergy, Eczema
CBS Boston / WBZ BOSTON (CBS) – In one of the largest reports of its kind, researchers in London find that a mom's diet can affect her baby's risk of allergies. Researchers from Imperial College London analyzed more than 400 studies involving 1.5 million people and … |
What sort of impact could ‘Aussie Flu’ have on the UK?
A virulent strain of influenza, H3N2 has severely hit the UK this flu season. The number of patients combating the virus at one point rising by 78% in just a week, according to statistics from the Royal College of GPs.
The strain this is putting on an already stretched NHS is noticeable, and with Australian scientists revealing that their previous outbreak of H3N2 lasted for almost three months it is important to ensure that steps and precautions are made to help deal with symptoms and also prevent the spread of the virus.
How much has Aussie Flu spread?
Across the UK several areas are approaching what are classified as epidemic levels of H3N2. This equates to 108.9 cases per 100,000 doctor’s consultations, meaning the reach of this strain of flu is potentially massive.
Flu seasons are often difficult to predict, especially when different strains and mutations of the virus come to the fore.
The length of time the Australian scientists suggested an outbreak can last for can be an invaluable insight when ensuring health services are prepared for worst-case scenarios and a lengthy period of dealing with patients suffering with the illness.
This length of time also means the public in general need to be alert in order to avoid catching and spreading the virus themselves.
The Symptoms
Being aware of the symptoms and understanding what is wrong can go a long way to helping treatment and also easing the potential burden on your GP’s surgery, at least initially.
According to the NHS symptoms of the flu can include:
- Sudden fever
- Temperature of at least 38C
- Diarrhoea
- Stomach pain
- Nausea
- Vomiting
Normally the symptoms are manageable, however the elderly, the very young, and people with underlying medical conditions, such as heart, lung or kidney disease, diabetes or a neurological disease – are the most at risk.
Dealing with flu
The symptoms of flu will often leave a patient feeling rotten.
It’s important if you’re suffering from the flu that you prioritise rest and keeping warm while taking paracetamol or ibuprofen to help keep your temperature down and help with coping with the aches and pains the flu can cause. You should also ensure you drink lots of fluids to help stave off dehydration.
A GP isn’t likely to prescribe antibiotics to treat the flu, the best way to prevent contracting flu is still a vaccination.
Aside from making yourself more resistant to the flu there are other preventative steps you can take to avoid contracting and spreading the flu virus.
The flu virus can live on hands and surfaces for up to 24 hours. It’s important to prevent the spread of germs from coughs and sneezes by washing your hands with soap and warm water.
If you can’t wash your hands when out in public, such as when you’re travelling on public transport, consider using an antibacterial hand gel.
You should keep in mind that while trying to avoid infection sometimes this will be inevitable, either through contact with the public or a family member. Following the necessary steps to aid recovery is important, but bear in mind that if symptoms persist, or your condition deteriorates that should seek the advice of your GP.
Content supplied by:
Shamir Patel is a pharmacist and director of leading online pharmacist https://www.chemist-4-u.com/ a website that provides the public with a range of treatments and medications for a variety of conditions. From cold and flu treatments, to hay fever and allergies to more sensitive conditions like hair loss and sexual wellbeing.
May 26, Ragweed Pollen Could Increase Hayfever In Europe
Scientists are saying that climate change and seed disposal are the main reasons for the increase. Ragweed is found in North America, but it is quickly coming to Europe. The main areas that will be affected are Northern Europe, UK and Northern France. The results of a study show that in the next 35 years the instances of hayfever will increase by up to 4 times in these areas. This is not good news for hayfever sufferers, and will mean that even more people will become sufferers. If you are, or a family member suffers from eczema then this is something to keep an eye on, as you could be in the high risk group likely to develop hayfever due to ragweed in the future.
Eczema Blog
Cancer Vaccine to Prevent Breast, Ovarian Cancer Recurrence Could be Close
In partnership with the several big-name cancer centers, one company has commenced clinical trials. Find out how this cancer vaccine would work.
Managed Healthcare Executive – Health Management
Psoriasis could be prevented with artificial vanilla extract
In mouse models of psoriasis, researchers found that oral administration of a synthetic vanilla extract called vanillin reduced skin inflammation.
Eczema / Psoriasis News From Medical News Today
Could Alzheimer’s be prevented with a vaccine?
Researchers are hopeful that one day, Alzheimer’s disease could be prevented with a vaccine that has recently shown positive results in mice.
Eczema / Psoriasis News From Medical News Today