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- Faecal Occult Blood Test.
- Fever.
- Fitness and Exercise - Anaerobic or Aerobic.
- Flu.
- Food Poisoning.
- Frozen Shoulder.
Faecal Occult Blood Test
Faecal Occult Blood Test is a chemical test to detect small amount of blood in faeces (stools).
The test is often performed together with a rectal examination by a doctor to observe any slow
bleeding from colon polyps or cancers.
Why is the test necessary?
Stools may look normal even if they contain small amount of blood. The test is hence necessary
to detect these traces of blood which are usually invisible to the "naked" eye.
Why would there be blood in the stools?
Bleeding may occur in the intestine because of cancer or for a number of other reasons. Possible
causes include ulcers, colitis, polyps and bowel/colon cancer.
How is the test carried out?
There are currently two commonly used tests:
The stool guaiac test: You will be asked to abstain from certain food a few days before the
test e.g., red meat, horseradish, turnips, among others. A small sample of faeces is collected on
paper cards. A chemical will then be added to these samples. If there is a change in colour of the
samples, it means that blood is present.
As you may bleed only now and then, not all your samples may contain blood. As such, more than one
sample may be needed for the test to achieve accurate results.
The immunochemical test: A small sampling bottle with a probe attached to the inside of the cap
is used. The probe is used to poke in the stools at six different areas such that a sufficient sample
of the stool is collected.
The probe is then replaced into the bottle , the cap tightened and the bottle is shaken vigorously.
The stool sample is then sent to the laboratory for testing. With this test, you do not need to abstain
from any kind of food.
Any preparation needed for the test?
For both types of the above-mentioned tests, avoid taking Non-steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDS)
e.g. aspirin, indomethacin, diclofenac, ibuprofen and alcohol, three days before the test as these may
cause bleeding in the intestine and give rise to false positive results.
Patients with bleeding piles and menstrual bleeding should not be tested while this bleeding persists.
What happens if the test is positive?
If the test shows positive result, it means that blood is present in the faeces. You would be asked
to go for a colonoscopy examination, endoscopy, barium enema or various scans to determine the source
of the bleeding.
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Fever
The normal body temperature is 37.0 degrees Celsius. Above this, it is classified as a fever.
Body temperature can be influenced by factors such as infection, activity, metabolic rate and
environmental temperature.
High fevers (above 39 degrees Celsius) do not directly cause brain damage, but it can cause seizures.
High fever, especially, in children below the age of five can lead to convulsions (febrile fits).
Toxins from bacteria and viruses released into the bloodstream can cause chills and shivering in
between or sometimes during temperature spikes.
Common causes of fever include:
- Viral and bacterial infections.
- Sore throats and strep throat.
- Colds or flu-like illnesses.
- Earaches (otitis media).
- Viral gastroenteritis or bacterial gastroenteritis.
- Pneumonia, appendicitis, tuberculosis (TB), and meningitis.
- Upper respiratory infections such as tonsillitis, pharyngitis or laryngitis.
- Dehydration.
- Medications such as antibiotics, antihistamines, barbiturates, and drugs for high blood pressure.
Treatment:
Fever is the body's natural response to a variety of conditions, such as infection. If the fever is
mild and no other problems are present, no medical treatment is required. Drink water frequently and
rest.
Sponging or bathing in a tub of tepid water may help reduce the fever. Evaporation cools the skin and
thereby reduces body temperature. Do not wrap a patient with a blanket as this will raise the body
temperature further. The following are simple home remedies that can be tried:
- Loosen or remove clothing.
- Sponge or towel the person with cool water.
- Give the person a correct amount of paracetamol.
- Let the person drink water frequently.
- Watch for drowsiness. See the doctor if the fever does not subside.
When to see doctor?
Go to your family doctor or a government clinic:
- If a child of less than 6 months old has a fever.
- If a fever of more than 39 Degree Celsius cannot be brought down by paracetamol and sponging.
- If fever lasts for more than 5 days.
- If you have a stiff neck.
- If you develop other symptoms such as rash, sever sore throat, cough with green phlegm, ear or
abdominal pain, diarrhoea, painful and frequent urination.
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Fitness and Exercise - Anaerobic or Aerobic
Which is a better way to lose weight?
About 90% of the people on a weight management program failed either to lose weight or in keeping
weight loss off for more than a few years. And here's the good news: The same group of people who
kept their weight off followed some sort of regular exercise program.
The implication here is that if one wants to be successful in losing weight permanently, an
exercise program must be included. But how must one exercise for best results? To answer this
question, we must understand the simple physiological mechanism our body operates on.
Calorie balance:
The key to weight management is keeping energy intake (food) and energy output (physical activity) in balance.
- If calorie input is more than calorie output, weight gains occurs.
- If calorie input is less than calorie output, weight loss occurs.
- If calorie input equals calorie output, weight maintenance occurs.
We will next focus on the caloric output here through a discussion on how
our body utilizes different energy systems, mainly aerobic and anaerobic,
during exercise of different intensities and duration.
Aerobic system:
Any activity that involves sustained, rhythmic movement using large muscle
groups uses the aerobic system for energy where the body's fuel reserves are
broken down in the presence of oxygen (aerobic=with oxygen). It is thus known
as an aerobic exercise. Examples of aerobic exercise are brisk walking, stair
climbing, swimming, rowing, and cycling.
Aerobic exercise makes the heart beat faster and increases breathing rate and
body temperature leading to perspiration. It will make you breathe harder, but
should not leave you winded. This is how 'aerobic' which means 'with oxygen',
got its name from. The main source of fuel for aerobic exercise is fat.
Anaerobic system:
When the body's energy demands are such that the cardio-respiratory system is no
longer able to meet the muscles? demand for oxygen, the anaerobic energy system
comes into operation. In this instance, fuel reserves are broken down without
oxygen (anaerobic=without oxygen).
This allows the muscles to provide extra energy but the system is much less
efficient than the aerobic system and as a result anaerobic exercise can only be
sustained for short periods. Anaerobic exercise can be activities like weight training.
It can also be an activity that is rhythmic and uses large muscle group that is performed
at high intensity. The main source of fuel for the anaerobic exercise is carbohydrate.
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Flu
Influenza, also known as the "flu", is a contagious disease that is caused by the influenza virus.
It attacks the respiratory tract in humans (nose, throat, and lungs), causing inflammation of the
mucous membranes. Sneezing, sore throat, and coughing are some of the common symptoms.
Other symptoms include:
- Muscle and joint aches.
- Nasal congestion.
- Headache.
- Fatigue.
- Fever.
- Weakness.
- Runny nose.
- Chills.
Is it a cold or a flu?
Sometimes, it seems that everyone you know is having cough, running nose and bodyaches.
With so many symptoms, how do we tell the difference between a cold or a flu? Over a
hundred different viruses can cause colds. However, not many viruses cause flu. This is
why vaccinations are available for flu but not for colds.
Although colds and flu seem to be more common in cold weather, you don't `catch? flu
due to the cold temperature. Experts believe that many people develop flu because they
tend to spend more time indoors with others during cold weather, which increases the chances
of a virus spreading. Though not foolproof, here is a guide to help differentiate between a
cold and a bout of Influenza.
How is influenza spread?
Influenza can be spread when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or speaks and sends flu viruses
into the air, and other people breathe in the viruses. When these viruses enter the nose, throat,
or lungs of a person, they begin to multiply, causing symptoms of the flu. The viruses can also be
spread when a person touches a surface with flu viruses on it (for example, a door handle) and then
touches his or her nose or mouth.
Why is influenza dangerous?
A severe case of influenza can lead to pneumonia and other complications such as bronchitis,
sinusitis, ear infection and meningitis.
Who are more likely to develop complications from an influenza infection?
- Persons aged 65 years and older;
- Residents of nursing homes and other chronic care facilities;
- Adults and children who have chronic disorders of the lungs or heart, including asthma;
- Adults and children who suffer from chronic metabolic diseases (including diabetes),
kidney or blood diseases, or lowered resistance caused by medications or the Human
Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV);
- Children and teenagers aged 6 months to 18 years who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy;
- Women who are in the second or third trimester of pregnancy
How can you prevent getting influenza?
Get enough exercise and rest. People can combat influenza by building up their body resistance,
by having a proper balanced diet with adequate exercise and rest.
Get a flu vaccination. Flu vaccination is available as a preventive measure against the disease.
Currently used vaccine viruses include B/Shanghai/361/2002, B/Jilin/20/2003 and B/Jiangsu/10/2003.
What do you do if you have influenza?
People who develop influenza-like symptoms should consult their family doctors promptly.
Strenuous physical activities like running and jogging should be avoided during the illness
until complete recovery.
Persons who develop symptoms of acute respiratory infection are advised not to go to work or
school and avoid crowded places to minimise the transmission of the infection to others.
They should seek medical attention promptly.
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Food Poisoning
Food poisoning is the result of eating food contaminated by viral, bacterial or chemical agents.
Depending on the severity of the poisoning, the symptoms of food poisoning range from diarrhoea
and vomiting to fever and severe abdominal cramps, lasting from anywhere between a few hours to
a day or two.
In the case of Botulism and certain forms of chemical poisoning, the symptoms are severe and
possibly life-threatening if medical treatment is not sought.
Symptoms:
Some common symptoms of food poisoning are:
- People eating the same foods all became ill.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Abdominal cramps and diarrhoea.
- Fever and chills in more severe cases.
- Weakness.
Treatment:
Drink plenty of fluids to replenish the fluids lost from vomiting and diarrhoea, to avoid dehydration.
If fluids cannot be kept down, intravenous fluid replacement may be required.
Where symptoms are severe or persistent, anti-diarrhoeal or antiemetic drugs are prescribed until the
condition is under control. Infants, children, elderly people and anyone with diabetes or other chronic
conditions should be monitored for dehydration and other potential complications.
Botulism requires immediate hospitalisation. Botulism can lead to respiratory failure and
even death; prompt treatment greatly increases the chances for a full recovery.
Chemical poisoning may require the person's stomach to be pumped out as soon as possible,
to minimise the effects of the poison on other organs by the time treatment is received for the
specific toxin.
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Frozen Shoulder
This shoulder joint condition presenting with pain and severe loss of shoulder movements is due to the
inflammation of the shoulder joint tendons and capsule. The patient usually cannot lift the arm up past
shoulder height, and has difficulty reaching across under the other arm.
Symptoms:
Primary symptoms include soreness, stiffness and restricted range of motion of the joint. The pain
becomes more pronounced with increased range of motion and it may be impossible to move the upper
arm past a certain point due to pain. This pain is usually over the front of the shoulder or down the
outside of the arm. However there may be just a general shoulder ache.
Most patients with frozen shoulder report that their pain levels fluctuate over time. In the beginning
phase the pain is usually the most acute, especially at night and this may cause significant sleep disturbance.
Cause:
The exact cause of a frozen shoulder is not clear. Possible explanations include an auto-immune reaction which
causes inflammation, extended periods of upper arm immobility (for example, having the arm in a sling during
recovery from a wrist injury), and other shoulder problems such as inflammatory bursitis or mechanical impingements
or irritation caused by repetitive stress such as in weightlifting or playing tennis.
Treatment:
There are many treatments that try to combat a frozen shoulder, but unfortunately most of them have not been proven
to be effective. Physiotherapy, acupuncture, massage and chiropractic treatments do not help in the initial inflammatory
phase.
Anti-inflammatory painkiller medicines or direct shoulder joint injections given by a doctor and rest appear to be the best
treatment in the early painful stage. Only after the acute painful phase (1-2 weeks) has settled then do appropriate physiotherapy
and massage techniques become very effective in regaining mobility. Surgery is another option for those with very severe and chronic
cases.
New techniques have been developed using keyhole incisions with the assistance of a microscope. The operation usually involves
very specific removal of the inflammatory and scar tissue from the joint capsule. Most people eventually regain nearly full
shoulder range of motion and strength once the symptoms resolve and usually do not suffer from it again unless it is due to
a recurring known cause such as weightlifting.
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