Get Diabetes Smart! The hardest part is taking in all the information thrown at you, all the giving out from your Nurse! (We Doctors would never give out!) https://www.diabeteseducation.ie This a nice interactive and informative look at Diabetes which might help encourage healthy changes if you have diabetes.

November is Men’s Health Awareness Month. https://www.cancer.ie/sites/default/files/content-attachments/spot_cancer_early_-_manual_for_men_2017.pdf This manual from the Irish Cancer Society is a helpful guide to explain what to watch out for, and more importantly what to come a talk about! For some reason men are slower to come to talk about issues that are bothering them, but if it is something that could be potentially serious it is important to diagnose things early.

You may have read that there have been cases of measles in Dublin and Meath. We had our own outbreak in Cork not so long ago. Thankfully we have no cases in Cork! Read on to know what to watch out for. Measles is an infection that mainly affects children but can occur at any age. It is rare in Ireland due to immunisation. The illness is unpleasant but most children fully recover. However, some children develop serious complications. What is measles? Measles is a highly infectious illness caused by a virus. The virus lives in the mucus of the nose and throat of people with this infection. Physical contact, coughing and sneezing can spread the infection. In addition, infected droplets of mucus can remain active and can be passed on by touching (they are contagious) for around two hours. This means that the virus can live outside the body - for example, on surfaces and door handles. What are the symptoms of measles? Once you are infected with the virus, the virus multiples in the back of your throat and in your lungs. It then spreads throughout your body. The following are the most common symptoms of measles: A high temperature (fever), sore eyes (conjunctivitis) and a runny nose usually occur first. Small white spots usually develop inside the mouth a day or so later. These can persist for several days. A harsh dry cough is usual. Going off food, tiredness and aches and pains are usual. Diarrhoea and/or being sick (vomiting) is common. A red blotchy rash normally develops about 3-4 days after the first symptoms. It usually starts on the head and neck and spreads down the body. It takes 2-3 days to cover most of the body. The rash often turns a brownish colour and gradually fades over a few days. Children are usually quite unwell and miserable for 3-5 days. After this, the fever tends to ease and then the rash fades. The other symptoms gradually ease and go. Most children are better within 7-10 days. An irritating cough may persist for several days after other symptoms have gone. It is rare to have more than one bout of measles. Some people mistake rashes caused by other viruses for measles. Measles is not just a mild red rash that soon goes. The measles virus causes an unpleasant and sometimes serious illness. The rash is just one part of this illness. How is measles diagnosed? Your doctor will usually be able to diagnose measles from the combination of your symptoms, especially the characteristic rash and the small spots inside your mouth. However, a simple blood or saliva test is usually done to confirm the diagnosis. What are the possible complications of measles? Complications are more likely in children with a poor immune system (such as those with leukaemia or HIV), those who are malnourished, children aged under 5 years and adults. There are still the occasional reports of children in Ireland who die from complications of measles. These children have usually not been immunised. The MMR IS FREE AND SAFE More common complications include: Eye infection (conjunctivitis). Inflammation of the voice box (laryngitis). Ear infection causing earache. Infections of the airways, such as bronchitis and croup, which can be common. Although these are distressing, they are not usually serious. Less common complications of measles are listed below: A febrile fit (convulsion) occurs in about 1 in 200 cases. This can be alarming,but full recovery is usual. Brain inflammation (encephalitis). This is a rare but very serious complication. It occurs in about 1 in 5,000 cases. It typically causes drowsiness, headache and being sick (vomiting) which start about 7-10 days after the onset of the rash. Encephalitis may cause brain damage. Some children die from this complication. Liver infection (hepatitis). Pneumonia. This is a serious complication that sometimes develops. Typical symptoms include fast or difficult breathing, chest pains and generally becoming more unwell. A very rare brain disease called subacute sclerosing panencephalitis can develop years later in a very small number of people who have had measles. This can sometimes occur several years after getting measles. This condition can be fatal. What are the treatments for measles? There is no specific medicine that kills the measles virus. Treatment aims to ease symptoms until the body's immune system clears the infection. For most cases, rest and simple measures to reduce a high temperature (fever) are all that are needed for a full recovery. Symptoms will usually disappear within 7-10 days. The following measures are often useful in any person with a virus: Children should drink as much as possible to prevent lack of fluid in the body (dehydration). Ice lollies are a useful way of giving extra fluid and keeping cool. Paracetamol or ibuprofen can be taken to ease fever and aches and pains. You should keep the child cool (but not cold). Antibiotics do not kill the measles virus and so are not normally given. They may be prescribed if a complication develops, such as a secondary bacterial ear infection or secondary bacterial lung infection (pneumonia). Cough remedies have little benefit on any coughs. When to see a doctor? Most children recover. A doctor will normally confirm that the illness is measles. However, you should see a doctor again if symptoms get worse, or if you suspect a complication (see above). The main serious symptoms to look out for are: Drowsiness. Lack of fluid in the body (dehydration). This may be developing if the child drinks little, passes little urine, has a dry mouth and tongue or becomes drowsy. Breathing difficulties. A fit (convulsion). Measles immunisation Immunisation is routine in Ireland as part of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Two doses are usual - the first for children aged between 12 and 13 months and the second usually given at age 3 years and 4 months to 5 years. Immunisation gives excellent protection. However, unfortunately, measles is becoming more common again in children. This is due to some children not receiving the MMR vaccine. Measles immunisation can be given at any age and is sometimes offered to older children during outbreaks. Is measles infectious? Yes - it is very infectious. You are infectious and can pass it on to others from four days before to four days after the onset of the rash. Therefore, children with measles should not mix with others and should stay off school.

https://www.hse.ie/eng/health/az/P/Postnatal-depression/Symptoms-of-postnatal-depression.html Postnatal depression (PND) is a type of depression some women experience after they have had a baby. It usually develops in the first four to six weeks after childbirth, although in some cases it may not develop for several months. There is often no reason for the depression. There are many symptoms of PND, such as low mood, feeling unable to cope and difficulty sleeping, but many women are not aware that they have the condition. It is important for partners, family, friends and healthcare professionals to recognise the signs of PND as early as possible so that appropriate treatment can be given. It is very important to understand that having PND does not mean you do not love or care for your baby. Who is affected PND affects about one in 10 mothers. If you feel depressed most of the time and the feelings do not go away, you may have PND. Your GP will be able to determine whether you have the condition and suggest an appropriate course of treatment. Also, although postnatal depression is more common in women, men can be affected too. The birth of a new baby can be stressful for both parents and some fathers feel unable to cope, or feel they are not giving their partner the support she needs. They can also find it difficult to adjust to the big changes and demands made by a new baby. Outlook PND can be lonely, distressing and frightening, but you should be reassured that there are many treatments available. As long as PND is recognised and treated, it is a temporary condition that you can recover from. Take the test! https://psychology-tools.com/epds/ Glossary Depression Depression is when you have feelings of extreme sadness, despair or inadequacy that last for a long time.

This might be one for your Dentist.....

There is a bit of this going around West Cork at the moment. It is relatively harmless and self limiting. Hand, foot and mouth disease is a common infection that causes mouth ulcers and spots on the hands and feet. It's most common in young children – particularly those under 10 – but can affect older children and adults as well. Hand, foot and mouth disease can be unpleasant, but it will usually clear up by itself within 7 to 10 days. You can normally look after yourself or your child at home. The infection is not related to foot and mouth disease, which affects cattle, sheep The symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease usually develop between three and five days after being exposed to the infection. The first symptoms may include: a high temperature (fever), usually around 38-39C (100.4-102.2F) a general sense of feeling unwell loss of appetite coughing abdominal (tummy) pain a sore throat and mouth Mouth ulcers After one or two days, red spots appear on the tongue and inside the mouth. These quickly develop into larger yellow-grey mouth ulcers with red edges. The ulcers can be painful and make eating, drinking and swallowing difficult. They should pass within a week. Spotty rash and blisters Soon after the mouth ulcers appear, you'll probably notice a rash made up of small, raised red spots on the skin. These typically develop on the fingers, the backs or palms of the hand, the soles of the feet, and occasionally on the buttocks and groin, thighs and front of knees! The spots may then turn into small blisters with a grey centre. The spots and blisters can sometimes be itchy or uncomfortable and typically last up to 10 days. What to do if you or your child has hand, foot and mouth disease: If you have hand, foot and mouth disease, the best thing to do is to stay at home until you're feeling better. There's no cure for it, so you have to let it run its course. To help ease your or your child's symptoms: drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration – water or milk are ideal; it may help to give a baby smaller but more frequent bottle or breast milk feeds eat soft foods such as mashed potatoes, yoghurt and soups if eating and swallowing is uncomfortable take over-the-counter painkillers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, to ease a sore throat and fever – aspirin shouldn't be given to children under the age of 16 try gargling with warm, salty water to relieve discomfort from mouth ulcers – it's important not to swallow the mixture, so this isn't recommended for young children alternatively, use mouth gels, rinses or sprays for mouth ulcers – these are available from pharmacies, but aren't routinely recommended, and some aren't suitable for young children; ask your pharmacist for advice and make sure you read the instructions first You should keep your child away from nursery or school until they're feeling better. Adults with the condition should stay away from work until they're feeling better. When to get medical advice: You don't usually need medical attention if you think you or your child has hand, foot and mouth disease. The infection will usually pass in 7 to 10 days, and there isn't much your doctor can do. Antibiotics won't help as hand, foot and mouth disease is caused by a virus. You should also get medical advice if: your child is unable or unwilling to drink any fluids your child has signs of dehydration, such as unresponsiveness, passing small amounts of urine or no urine at all, or cold hands and feet your child develops fits (seizures), confusion, weakness or a loss of consciousness your child is under three months old and has a temperature of 38C (101F) or above, or is between three and six months old and has a temperature of 39C (102F) or above the skin becomes very painful, red, swollen and hot, or there's a discharge of pus the symptoms are getting worse or haven't improved after 7 to 10 days Get advice from your GP if you're pregnant and you become infected within a few weeks of your due date. Infection in pregnancy is usually nothing to worry about, but there's a small chance it could make your baby ill if you're infected shortly before you give birth.

While we will be there tomorrow, unless you need to see the doctor urgently, maybe stay home and be safe! We can always reschedule....

National Suicide Prevention 1800 247 247 It's Ok Not To Be Ok No one is truly alone Talk

Dementia is a misunderstood condition. Many people believe it’s just a by-product of ageing. We tend to not think beyond memory loss when it comes to symptoms. The reality is that dementia is a condition caused by diseases, most commonly Alzheimer’s, that damage different areas of the brain leading to a variety of challenging symptoms. Because dementia is so complex, and each person’s experience of it is unique, every story is different. DEMENTIA SYMPTOMS It is simple to say it’s all about poor short term memory, but memory and cognition are vital to every day functioning. Simple tasks become difficult. AT THE SUPERMARKET Popping to the shops is no easy task. It requires planning, decision making, concentration, spatial navigation and calculation. All of these get harder when you have dementia. Did you struggle to read your shopping list? Damage to the back of the brain which controls how we process our visual world means that people with some visual forms of Alzheimer’s can also have real trouble reading words and following lines of text. Short term memory loss is common to many dementias. It can be particularly frustrating, but lists can help make life a little easier. Changes in food preferences and eating habits can happen in any dementia, but people with frontotemporal dementia can particularly crave sweet foods. We all feel the frustration when a supermarket changes its layout. Spatial memory and navigation problems mean that people with dementia can experience that feeling every time they go shopping. Anxiety is common early in dementia and social situations can be intimidating. How did you feel at the checkout when you struggled to find the right change? ON THE ROAD Busy streets and noisy crowds can be overwhelming for someone with dementia, full of unfamiliar places and people. Getting lost is common. Sometimes people don’t recognise where they are or how they got there, other times people struggle to find the right route. Failing to recognise people you know can be an embarrassing and heartbreaking experience for someone with dementia. Sadly, this happens more often as diseases like Alzheimer’s progress. Was it a puddle or a hole? The brain can play tricks on us all sometimes, but these misperceptions are more common for someone with dementia. Shiny floors can look wet, puddles can be mistaken for holes. Judging speeds and distances is a complex task for our brains. When this goes wrong, people have difficulty climbing stairs, crossing roads or driving. AT HOME Home is more familiar and comforting. Many people with dementia spend more time at home, where they feel safer. But even your own home can present challenges. Remembering lists of instructions can be hard – people with dementia often write these down or keep a note of the steps they need to follow. If someone has a form of dementia that affects their vision, they may struggle to see things that are directly in front of them, so-called ‘blind spots’. Did you notice the box of teabags was there one minute and gone the next? Hand-eye coordination is controlled by an area at the top of the brain called the parietal lobe, which can be damaged by diseases like Alzheimer’s. This caused you to pour boiling water on the kitchen surface by accident. Our frontal lobes help us to start and stop multi-stepped tasks, doing them in the right order and the right number of times. There are around 30 different steps to making a cup of tea and a breakdown in this ordering caused you to forget the milk and add too much sugar. Understanding these types of difficulties allow us to help and care better for people with dementia, helps us be more empathetic. ALZHIEMERS RESEARCH UK.

Have you had a pneumonia vaccine? After all pneumonia can be dangerous, ending people up in hospital and scarring lungs. This is especially true if you are over 65 years old. A once off vaccine may reduce your risk..... It is recommended that children and adults who are 2-64 years of age should have PPV if they are at higher risk of developing a pneumococcal infection than the general population. You may be at a higher risk if you have: had your spleen (an organ that helps filter your blood) removed, or your spleen does not work properly chronic (long-term) respiratory disease, for example, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (the name for a collection of lung diseases that make it difficult to breathe) chronic heart disease, for example, congenital heart disease (a birth defect that affects the heart) chronic kidney disease, for example, nephrotic syndrome (when protein leaks from the blood into your urine) chronic liver disease, for example, liver cirrhosis (when healthy tissue in the liver is destroyed and replaced by scar tissue) diabetes (a long-term condition that is caused by too much glucose in the blood) that requires insulin or other medications to lower blood sugar levels a suppressed immune system (the body's defence system) caused by a health condition, such as HIV a suppressed immune system caused by medication such as chemotherapy (a cancer treatment) or steroids (medication that contains powerful chemicals called hormones) a cochlear implant (a small hearing device that can be fitted inside your ear if you have a hearing impairment) had cerebrospinal fluid (CSF: the clear fluid that surrounds the brain and spine) leaking from its usual position, for example, as the result of an accident or surgery Adults aged 65 or over If you are 65 years of age or over you will need to have the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV). This vaccination will protect you against serious forms of pneumococcal infection. Booster doses If you are at increased risk of a pneumococcal infection you will be given the PPV just once. In most adults, this is enough to provide protection for life. A once only booster vaccination may be given: If you are aged 65 years and older and received the vaccine more than 5 years before and were less than 65 years of age at the time of the first dose. If your spleen does not work properly, or if you have a chronic kidney condition, you may need one further booster dose of PPV after five years. This is because your levels of antibodies (proteins that destroy disease-carrying organisms) against the infection will decrease over time.

It’s here!! Call and make an appointment and get your flu shot! Who is most at risk from flu? Anyone can get the flu but it is more severe in people aged 65 years and over and anyone with a chronic medical condition. Chronic medical conditions include chronic heart conditions, chronic respiratory disease, diabetes mellitus and immunosuppression due to disease or treatment including all cancer patients. Pregnant women have also been found to be at increased risk of the complications of flu. These groups of people are targeted for influenza vaccination. Who should be vaccinated? Vaccination is strongly recommended for: Persons aged 65 and over Those aged 6 months and older with a long-term health condition such as Chronic heart disease (this includes anyone who has a history of having a "heart attack" or unstable angina) Chronic liver disease Chronic renal failure Chronic respiratory disease, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis, moderate or severe asthma or bronchopulmonary dysplasia Chronic neurological disease including multiple sclerosis, hereditary and degenerative disorders of the central nervous system Diabetes mellitus Down syndrome Haemoglobinopathies Morbid obesity i.e. body mass index (BMI) over 40 Immunosuppression due to disease or treatment (these include anyone on treatment for cancer) Children aged 6 months and older with any condition that can affect lung function especially those attending special schools/day centres with cerebral palsy or intellectual disability on long-term aspirin therapy (because of the risk of Reyes syndrome) Pregnant women (vaccine can be given at any stage of pregnancy) Healthcare workers Residents of nursing homes and other long stay institutions Carers (the main carers of those in the at risk groups) People with regular contact with pigs, poultry or water fowl. What is influenza (flu)? Influenza is a highly infectious acute respiratory illness caused by the influenza virus. Influenza affects people of all ages. Outbreaks of influenza occur almost every year, usually in winter. This is why it is also known as seasonal flu. How serious is flu? Flu is often self-limiting. Healthy people normally recover within 7 days but some people recover more quickly. People who are at risk of the complications of flu will usually feel better in about 10 days. However, flu can be severe and can cause serious illness and death, especially in the very young and in the elderly. Serious respiratory complications can develop, including pneumonia and bronchitis, to which older people and those with certain chronic medical conditions are particularly susceptible. Pregnant women have also been found to be at increased risk of the complications of flu. Some people may need hospital treatment and between 200 and 500 people, mainly older people, die from influenza each winter

Www.AMD.ie Age-Related Macular Degeneration (commonly referred to as AMD) is the leading cause of sight loss for those aged over 50 in Ireland. Over 7,000 new cases of Age-Related Macular Degeneration are diagnosed every year in Ireland, often at a stage when damage has already been caused to vision. Early diagnosis by an eye care professional can allow for treatment and prevent any further deterioration. As part of AMD Awareness Week, FREE Age Related Macular Degeneration testing is available at locations nationwide from Monday 25th to Saturday 30th September. Please make sure you and your family See the Whole Picture for years to come by getting your sight tested. What’s on? AMD Awareness Week September 2017 Now in its 10th year, AMD Awareness Week aims to raise awareness of the condition and encourage the public to avail of a free AMD eye test. From Monday 25th to Saturday 30th September, to raise awareness of Age- Related Macular Degeneration and to identify people who could be at risk, the Association of Optometrists Ireland (AOI), Fighting Blindness, the Irish College of Ophthalmologists (ICO), NCBI – the national sight loss organisation, and Novartis Ireland are working together to educate the public about AMD as well as offering a programme of FREE AMD eye testing. You can avail of a FREE AMD eye test at our testing unit in Dublin, Waterford, Limerick, Galway and Cork during AMD Awareness Week as well as at participating Optometrists nationwide