Berwick Medical Centre

Diverticular disease occurs in about  10% of people over 45 YO and  65% for those  older  than  70. Only 15-20% of  patients  have  symptoms  but a  quarter of these  will develop inflammatory diverticulitis which may be  associated with significant  infection   abscess formation or  haemorrhage. Consideration should be  given to colonoscopy or    ct  colonography   follow up following severe  episodes of diverticulitis unless recently performed prior to the  episode. Antibiotics  and  resting the  bowel during  acute  diverticulitis is   commonplace  during bouts of diverticulitis  but   a  high fibre diet  when the  bowel is asymptomatic  is the  main stay of  treating diverticular  disease and ...read more

Osteoporosis   can be  treated  with  medication ,  adequate   Vit D  and Calcium  in the diet .               Exercise   can  delay  the onset of  osteoporosis Appropriate  vigorous exercise includes :- Basketball, netball, impact aerobics, dancing, gymnastics , tennis  and skipping Moderate    benefit  can be derived from Running, jogging , brisk walking , walking  hills, resistance training and stair climbing  

  Destinations above 2500 metres may expose the traveler to possible altitude sickness by reducing the amount of inspired oxygen. Presenting symptoms may include headache, faintness or giddiness, breathlessness, nausea, vomiting or reduced exercise tolerance. Symptoms often present within 36 hours but may appear at a few days. Previous altitude sickness increase the risk of recurrence.   Ascents greater than 500 metres / day above 3000 metres increase the likelihood of altitude sickness. A rest day every 3-4 days   is recommended to assist acclimatization. Spending 2 nights at high altitudes in the 30 days preceding, before ascending further is beneficial....read more

Most   ankle injuries are soft tissue damage diagnosed at clinical examination. X-Ray / Ultrasound/MRI   are only required if a fracture joint disruption or arthritis is suspected.   Initial treatment – usually for the first 8 hours R est I ce  - icepacks (wrap in cloth) 20 minutes 2 hourly during waking hours C ompression firmly bandage the injured part E legate the injured part   Avoid the following HARM in the first few days after injury No Heat, No Alcohol, No Running No Massage

Reported pharmacological interactions of common herbal preparations with prescription medication from Medical Journal of Australia Feb 2017   St John’s Wort interferes with cyclosporine used to maintain transplants leading to rejection causes intermenstrual bleeding  for women using the oral contraceptive reduces effectiveness of warfarin reduces bioavailability of theophylline , amitriptyline,, methadone, digoxin potentiates side effects of tricyclic and SSRI antidepressants   Asian Ginseng reduces effectiveness of immunosuppressive drugs increases effects of oral hypoglycaemic ( diabetes ) drugs increases side effects of MAOI antidepressants has accumulative effect on benzodiazepines ( Valium, Serepax)   Garlic increases liver toxicity of paracetamol increases effects...read more