MEDICAL MATTERS

[Stanley]

Maz, if that is true I am in trouble, I have more spanners than you can poke a stick at! Onward and upwards and don't let the bugger grind you down!

[Tizer]

No wonder we are now being told that air pollution is causing a lot of health problems in Britain. It's now revealed that the government quietly stopped testing old cars for dangerous levels of exhaust pollutants five years ago!

"A programme to double-check if older cars are breaking pollution laws was dropped by the government five years ago, the BBC can reveal. The Department for Transport used to take random cars off the road and then test the levels of dangerous gases coming from the exhaust pipe. But a Freedom of Information request for the BBC shows that the spot-check scheme was dropped in 2011." LINK

[Stanley]

But there will be less of them as time goes on Tiz....

[Stanley]

I'm sad to have to report that despite all my fine words and theorising about pain killers I was forced by the pain to crack on Friday night. I am back on the aspirin to make life bearable. The sooner this back storm abates the better I'll be pleased. Note to self, Bugger the Abwood machine vise!

[Marilyn]

You can combine them you know ( aspirin or paracetamol with one iboprofen)?
Covers your bases better...and in the process you use less of each.
That's what I'm do when I am desperate...

not that I wish to give medical advice on this forum...

[Stanley]

Yes thanks Maz I know that but Ibuprofen doesn't suit me at all. At the moment I'm sticking to straight aspirin.... I'm holding the pain in check but only just as I don't take too many...... Careless use of anti-inflammatories is as bad for you as lifting heavy weights awkwardly! One good thing is that straight lifts and bending, if done carefully, don't cause me pain. Gott Sei Dank!

[PanBiker]

I have a bloodshot eye. Sally noticed it yesterday, started as a blob in the top quarter of my eye. It has since dissipated overnight but my eyeball has an overall dark pink tinge to it.

NHS choices says it is nothing to worry about unless accompanied by a headache and nausea or actual sickness, I have neither. Probably a broken blood vessel which apparently can be caused by coughing, sneezing or blowing you nose as well as being poked in the eye. It's an interesting look, a bit like a vampire.

[Tizer]

Some years ago my father suddenly had a bloodshot eye for no obvious reason. The white of the eye went completely red but he had no headaches or nausea or any other unusual symptoms. I took a photo of the eye (having ensured the flash and the infrared beam were switched off) and emailed it to his GP who judged that it was harmless and not to worry about it. It never happened again and he didn't have any after effects or side effects. As you said, a very interesting look!

[Stanley]

A red eye is closely related to a nose bleed and has the same cause. The time to worry is if it is accompanied by a black patch in the vision itself when it is possibly the start of a detached retina. Or at least that was my experience when I went blind for that reason. Now that was interesting!
Back a bit better this morning, no doubt due partly to taking it easy. Have taken the Aspirin and rubbed with my oils just in case. I shall have another easy day today.....

[Tripps]

I had a 'bad back' last month. Absolutely no idea what caused it. Worried at first that my hip might have gone astray, but then decided that was too horrible to contemplate, so ignored the possibility. Confined to quarters for a week. Recliner chair from Gumtree earned its cost. Panadol first, but (as usual), little effect, so double dose Ibuprofen for two days. Back to what masquerades as 'normal in about a week.

Never considered embrocation at all. Seven days with, and a week without.

[Stanley]

David, I remember once tearing a tendon in my arm and the doctor told me that the only thing that could be done was to rub it. I pulled his leg about the limits of medicine but did as he said. It cured it in the end..... I have little doubt that rubbing does help and the active ingredients, though slow, do make a difference. Comfrey wasn't called Knitbone for nothing!

[Tizer]

Rubbing the skin increases blood flow to the affected area which helps the body do its own repair job. It gives a better supply of the molecules needed to make the repair and to the signalling molecules which control the repair mechanism.

[Stanley]

That's always been my understanding Tiz, same reason heat helps. It's definitely a useful tool in my case! I think I got the latest mix right, I can feel the heat after I have used it....

[Tizer]

A lot is being made this morning over a claim that dementia rates in British men have fallen a lot in the last 20 years. It's being put down to men living a healthier lifestyle. From what I've seen I suspect it's also because doctors are not so quick to give a diagnosis of dementia now.

[Cathy]

Had to attend an annual skills update yesterday at the hospital where I volunteer.
One of the topics was Manual Handling. They have changed the instructions of how pick up a box (or whatever) from the floor. Instead of just bending at the knees and picking up the box, the now suggest that the box should be 1/3 - 1/2 way between your (spread) feet, then bend at the knees to pick it up. It keeps your centre of gravity and helps your core muscles to protect your back.*Also to test the weight first by tilting the box , if you can't tilt it then it is too heavy for you to pick up.
Also when raising yourself (or a patient) from a chair you should never try to just stand up straight, you should always edge yourself to the front of the chair then bend your body forward and using the chair arms then raise yourself up to standing.
(which I imagine a lot of us - over 50 - automatically do anyway... Haha).

[Stanley]

Not too sure about the tilting bit Cathy. You could tilt a 44gallon drum......

[Sue]

Just when I thought my triceps and shoulder were recovering I have had a terrible night taking painkillers. I think it was the pilates'wot done it' , as my wrist hurts as well from supporting said arm in a side plank( well sort of a side plank more of a warped side plank) . I was even up to thirty repeats of my Physio exercise with no problem. I feel the anti inflammatories will be in use today

[Whyperion]

A lot is being made this morning over a claim that dementia rates in British men have fallen a lot in the last 20 years. It's being put down to men living a healthier lifestyle. From what I've seen I suspect it's also because doctors are not so quick to give a diagnosis of dementia now.

I think that is the rate of diagnoses per age year. I reckon it is because in the past the fitter young men had been sent either to war, or toxic industries, and had died of other causes , leaving others when they reached dementia ages to have the greater rate per population, also I wonder if the incidence per '000 is different for differening ethnic groups, I cannot think of factors per se that a healthy lifestyle would do to delay the onset of dementia - maybe some smoking can influence brain cell and connections, along with other environmental factors.

[Marilyn]

Hubby just read me a snippet from the newspaper...
"People with long legs have a greater chance of getting Colon Cancer."
(Now who would have thunk?)

My family all safe then...we are all on the short side.

[Stanley]

I have short legs as well Maz.....
Sue, snap! I had to get up during the night and take two aspirins, am considering having a rest from the shed for a day or so..... Bugger old wounds!

[Sue]

Maz, statistics can prove anything !

[Marilyn]

I take most things like that with a big pinch of Salt, Sue...and the older I get the more sceptical I get. I am sick of being bombarded by perceived "health" messages. Doctors die too, and many of them quite young. They also succumb to every medical condition they tout their pills for...

[Wendyf]

Maz, when Febby was diagnosed as pre-diabetic was he advised to go on a low carb diet or is that something you chose to do yourselves?

[Stanley]

When I was first diagnosed I was told that the thinking had changed on diet and carbs were not seen as the great danger they once were. Once again things seem to be changing.... Perhaps the answer is that we are all responsible for our own bodies so it's a good thing to listen to what it is telling us. I haven't cut carbs out, just reduced them and I think it is better for me.

[Marilyn]

I tend to agree with Stanley.
Hubby had a strong family history of Type 2 diabetes, and his Mother never felt well unless her blood sugar was over 10. She used to complain about that often.
When I met my husband he was still quite sporty and had always played Soccer and jogged several times a week. However, his bachelor diet was just awful. His idea of evening meal was to come home from work and put frozen chips on one oven tray and either frozen fish or frozen (formed) schnitzel on another, shove them both in the oven and go for a shower! He ate when the timer rang. Then he added drifts of Salt and puddles of Sauce. Being sporty and having two teenage sons (who couldn't be filled for more than an hour...always hungry), they all ate easy to grab rubbish.
His freezer was full of frozen jam doughnuts, apple pies, custard tarts.
Then he met me, with my Soup Pot, fridge full of veggies, and fruit bowl full of fruit, and my slow cooker.
He stayed pre-diabetic for a long time...I reckon about 14 years after he switched to my lifestyle...
So I can't say it was just a carbohydrate thing. He aged, stopped playing sport, and always had the family curse hanging over him. Plus, he will always eat whatever is served and can't push his plate away when he is full - he says that is due to being a post war baby.
He maintains a good weight and can cut back if he puts weight on.
But he has blood tests coming up next month and I think he may get a shock for the first time. We have been on two camping trips recently with friends who "graze" all day and he slipped into their habits. I tried to warn him about it, but I am very interested in his next GHb.