Articles
SHINGRIX Vaccination - Shingles protection
Get your Shingles Vaccine now!
- 2 doses of SHINGRIX separated by 2-6 months
- Indicated for ages 50 years and up
- Risk of shingles increases with age, and comorbidities like Diabetes, Hypertension, Heart disease, and Kidney disease
- Reduces risk of Post-herpetic neuralgia, chronic pain, and associated disability
- Common side effects: Pain, redness, swelling at the injection site, headache, fever
- Protection up to 11 years
- Overall efficacy of 87-89% post vaccination
What is Croup/Acute Laryngotrachobronchitis (ALTB)?
- Cause by common cold viruses
- Affects children 6 months-5 years
- Fever, seal-like barking cough, runny nose.
- Duration usually lasts about 7-10 days.
- Worse in the evenings, colder temperatures
- Characteristic cough is due to upper airway swelling from the viral infection
- Some children will develop a stridor (high-pitched squeal when they breathe in)
- Treatment is usually supportive
- Encourage child to eat and drink regularly
- Run a hot shower to create a steam-filled bathroom to sit your child for 5-10 minutes
- Mist humidification may help.
- Nasal saline/suction may help nasal discharge and congestion.
- Your doctor may prescribe steroids or nebulized adrenaline for sicker cases.
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Immunisation
- Female ladies aged 18 to 26 years old (based on birthdate)
- 3 doses taken at 0, 1, 6th month interval
Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA)
What is the Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) that is so talked out nowadays?
- Legal document and a deed, for your benefit regarding the future
- You are at least 21 years of age ('Donor')
- You voluntarily appoint 1 or more persons ('Donee') whom you really trust to make decisions in (1) Personal welfare, &/or (2) Property & affairs
- Your donee(s) will be given authority by you to act on your behalf should you lose mental capacity one day in the future.
GARDASIL 9 (HPV 9-Valent Vaccine)
- 3 doses, given over 6 months at a 0-2-6 interval
- Protects from Human Papillomavirus (HPV) strains 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, 58 (9 strains, high risk)
- HPV affects men and women
- Most common high-risk HPV subtypes are 16 and 18, & they account for 70% of cervical cancer cases
- HPV transmission via intimate skin to skin contact, sexual intercourse etc
- Most cases are asymptomatic, and up to 90% of early HPV infection clear up on their own via the body's immune system
- Persistent HPV infection is associated with genital warts, cervical cancer, etc
- Cervical cancer vaccination can be used for both women and men
- Other risk factors for cervical cancer include: Multiple sexual partners, early age onset of sexual intercourse, co-infection with other sexually transmitted diseases (STD) such as genital herpes chlamydia gonorrhoea etc, tobacco smoking, immune system state
- All women aged 25 and above who have ever had sex should have a Pap smear every three years (women 25 to 29 years old) or a HPV DNA test every five years (women 30 years & above)
- Regular cervical cancer screening is the most effective way to detect high-risk HPV types that lead to cervical cancer
What is Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)?
- Common bothersome symptoms include slow urine flow, feeling of incomplete bladder emptying, frequent trips to the toilet to pee, or even waking up more than often to pass urine at night, resulting in difficulty going back to sleep!!
- Affects older men, as high as 50% of men aged 60 years & above
- If left untreated can cause complications such as Urinary Tract Infections (UTI), bladder stone formation, and urine reflux or back-pressure to the kidneys.
- Lifestyle changes such as reducing caffeine intake and managing the timing of fluid intake can help with mild BPH
- Some foods like tomatoes and turmeric have been thought to help prostate health.
- Some patients with BPH will need medications. One such medication is called Tamsulosin, which is an Alpha Blocker. They work by relaxing the smooth muscles around your prostate and urethra, allowing urine to pass through more easily.
- Some patients will need a Urologist review for further work up
