A study in Glasgow in 1985 showed that patients with Raynaud’s syndrome definitely appeared to benefit from treatment with evening primrose oil. The study, which was carried out at the Centre for Rheumatic Diseases at Glasgow Royal Infirmary, found that six out of 11 patients felt a definite benefit from evening primrose oil, while two [...]
Diarrhea constitutes loose bowel motions with an increased frequency and the causes of diarrhea range from viruses, through alcohol, anxiety and inflammatory bowel disease to cancer of the bowel. Cancer of the large bowel typically presents with alternating diarrhea and constipation. Given an innocent diagnosis, medical management of diarrhea involves the use of a synthetic [...]
You can minimise the amount of distress at separation in a number of ways. First, you should acknowledge that for toddlers in particular, some initial and usually transient distress is developmentally normal and appropriate. In fact, we would be a bit concerned if the young child did not exhibit some feelings at initial separation. Second, [...]
Most diagnoses are made on the history alone but the majority of the others require a physical examination as well. Few diagnoses require the use of special tests such as X-ray or blood tests, which are more often of use to confirm or deny a diagnosis already made or to establish the extent of the [...]
Heavy bleeding, which has many causes, is NOT good for a woman — she may become anaemic from the repeated heavy losses of blood, and may not be able to replace this blood loss by the production of new red-blood cells. The emotional upset of a girl changing jobs or having a tiff with her [...]
Tuberculosis is a serious destructive infection of the lungs. In years past it was a significant cause of death in the community. But in recent times, with improved conditions and especially with improved forms of treatment, it is now rarely seen. However, it must never be dismissed, for it still exists in this country, and [...]
Infants and children invariably go through stages of being shy, timid and fearful. Shyness usually starts early in life, frequently in the 5-6 month age group. The infant is starting to differentiate between people, starting to know who are strangers and who can be trusted. Some scepticism is good and is part of the natural [...]
Parkinson’s disease is named after the doctor who first identified it in the early nineteenth century. It is also known as paralysis agitans and shaking palsy. The disease, which affects the nervous system, has a slow onset and usually occurs in people over sixty, although some cases occur as early as forty. Parkinson’s disease is [...]
A dislocated hip occurs when the thigh bone is out of its proper place in the hip socket. Before or after birth, a baby’s hip socket may develop too shallowly. Eventually, the thigh bone (femur) dislocates from the socket, either before or at the time the child begins to stand and walk. The condition may [...]
If you wait for something funny to happen to lift your spirits and lengthen your life, you may be frowning a long time. In these serious times, you have to be proactive about soliciting joyfulness, says Dr. Lee Berk of Loma Linda University School of Medicine. “You have to push your behavior,” he says. “When [...]