Your A to Z directory of naturopathic advice on symptoms and management of common health conditions.
Symptoms and naturopathic treatments for acne. Acne doesn’t just affect adolescents; many suffer this ignominious condition well into their twenties and thirties. Acne occurs when sebaceous glands become blocked, causing blackheads or a pustule…
Acne rosacea is not a form of acne, rather it is a condition which reddens the face, especially over nose and cheeks, and mostly affects fair-skinned, middle-aged women. Symptoms, herbs, foods and supplements to treat acne rosacea naturally.
Redirection page for symptoms and natural medicine treatments of alopecia
Natural therapies to treat Anaemia. Symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia may include: fatigue, irritability, poor concentration, muscle weakness, dizziness, spots before the eyes, looking very pale, headaches and palpitations.
Natural remedies for Anorexia nervosa, which usually begins at adolescence, but will sometimes affect people in their 20s and 30s. It is characterised by a disturbed sense of body image, marked weight loss and a fear of obesity.
The characteristics of anxiety include tension, apprehension, helplessness, uncertainty and inadequacy, over-excitedness, distress, jitteriness, fear and worry. Mim Beim shares food, herbs and supplements to help.
Our bodies are creatures of habit, and if lunchtime is always 12.30, the odds are that we will feel hungry at 12.25. Just like Pavlov’s dog we salivate at the right trigger, such as the jingle on TV for a snack food.
In our ‘thin is beautiful’ society, we can easily forget that a good appetite is a measure of good health. Just what is a normal appetite? Having no appetite for food usually means that you are not well…
Osteoarthritis (OA), also known as degenerative joint disease, occurs when the cartilage between the joints of certain bones degenerates. Naturopath Mim Beim discusses symptoms, herbs and supplements to treat OA naturally.
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory condition that affects the entire body but especially the synovial membranes of the joints. Naturopath Mim Beim outlines the symptoms and natural medicine treatments.
Worldwide incidence of asthma has skyrocketed in the last decade, nowhere more so than Australia where it is estimated that between 10-20 per cent of the population suffers asthma to some degree.
Atherosclerosis involves the hardening and narrowing of arteries, the blood vessels which carry oxygenated blood away from the heart. See also ‘Cholesterol, High’ and ‘Blood Pressure, High’ in Beaming with Health Conditions.
Redirection page for Athlete’s Foot - see Fungal Infections at Beaming with Health Conditions
Redirection page for Atopic Dertmatitis. See See “Eczema, Dermatitis” at Beaming with Health Conditions
Many of us experience bad breath after eating garlic, onions or smelly cheese. This kind of bad breath doesn’t tend to hang around. Long-term bad breath can be a source of embarrassment and self-consciousness and the cause needs to be uncovered.
The average head loses 70-100 hairs a day. The hairs which fell out this morning probably died two or three months ago… it takes that long for the hair to fall out.
The bit that we preen and perm is the shaft of the hair which protrudes from the surface of the skin. Beneath the skin lies the hair root, made up of the hair follicle, bulb and sebaceous gland. It is here that hair is nurtured or tortured.
As if being confined to a bed or wheelchair isn’t bad enough, bedsores are a constant threat to the health and comfort of the bedridden person. They are created by consistent pressure on one part of the body, usually a bony bit like the heel or back.
See Incontinence
See Cystitis
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is one symptom that indicates the presence of cardiovascular disease. ‘Blood pressure’ means the pressure of blood flow against the wall of the major arteries (blood vessels).
Low blood pressure is not a specific disease, but abnormal blood pressure regulation. Symptoms may include faintness, light-headedness, dizziness, confusion and visual blurring.
Low blood pressure is often experienced after standing up suddenly from a bath or bed, or after a heavy meal when much of the blood has gone to assist digestion.
Perspiring is an important elimination mechanism, as well as an efficient cooling system for the body. Sweat comprises mostly water with some minerals and waste products. On its own, perspiration has little if any odour… until it combines with the bacteria normally residing on skin.
A boil is an infected hair follicle, in which the infection (usually staphylococcus aureus) has spread to surrounding tissue.
Bottoms and inner thighs are common locations for boils, but they may also grace the face, neck and breasts. A sty is a tiny boil in the eyelash follicle. Naturopaths have historically loved treating boils and carbuncles.
See Mastitis
See Cough
A bruise is blood that has accumulated under unbroken skin because small blood vessels there have been damaged. While the body repair system becomes activated, the area becomes deprived of oxygen for a short while, and the bruise changes colour from purple to blue, and if you are really lucky to green, yellow and brown.
See also Wound Healing
Bulimics eat excessively or binge, and then induce vomiting within an hour of the meal, or purge themselves with laxatives. The foods they eat are often high carbohydrate and fat, such as sweet biscuits, icecream, chips and cake. Many are closet bulimics; even their family might not be aware of their secret. Few people with bulimia look as if they are either too fat or too thin. Most bulimics are women. This eating disorder has many similarities to anorexia, and the two may coexist.
See also Anorexia
See Bulimia
See Wound Healing
See Tendinitis
Cancer is not a new disease. Evidence of it appears in the skeletons of prehistoric man. By 1991 cancer had become the leading cause of death in Australia, pipping heart disease to the post…
There are many wonderful results from modern oncological treatment. Sometimes, however, I am reminded of a quote from Francis Bacon: ‘Cure the disease and kill the patient’. This article outlines surgery, chemotherapy, diet and other cancer treatment steps.
Candida albicans is a yeast which lives in 90-98 per cent of humans. Yeasts, related to moulds and fungi, prefer to live in a warm, dark and moist environment, such as the intestines, vagina and between soggy toes…
See Candida
See Mouth Ulcer
A cataract is a painless degenerative cloudiness of the lens of the eye. The lens becomes opaque, decreasing visual clarity and colour perception. Mim outlines symptoms and treatment, including effective dietary changes.
Sometimes called ‘the mattress phenomenon’ or ‘the orange peel effect’, cellulite is not a health problem (unlike cellulitis, a bacterial infection of connective tissue) and can affect women who are not overweight. Some tests and treatments.
Chickenpox, also known as varicella, is caused by a herpes virus, the same virus which causes shingles later in life. The virus hangs around in nerve endings and may become reactivated. Mim outlines how it’s spread and what to do.
Chilblains are a mild form of frostbite. When exposed to severe cold for long periods, the body hoards heat to keep the vital organs functioning by reducing blood circulation to the extremities…First, affected bits redden, tingle or ache, and feel cold; then they become swollen…
See Gallstones
Cholesterol occurs in animal products such as chicken, eggs, lamb, beef, milk, shellfish, cheese and pork. It is a type of fat manufactured in the liver. ‘High’ cholesterol means higher than normal levels of cholesterol in the bloodstream. The condition sometimes indicates atherosclerosis.
Unfortunately, as yet there is no definitive test for the diagnosis of CFS. To be classified as suffering with CFS you must be someone who has had tiredness in mind, body and muscles for at least six months…
See Emphysema
Coeliac (pronounced ‘see-lee-ak’) disease was not fully identified until 1950, even though the symptoms had been observed for many years. It is an intolerance to alpha-gliadin, a component of gluten which in turn is a protein that occurs in certain grains, particularly wheat…
Cold sores are little blisters which spring up mainly on and around the lips, but sometimes elsewhere on the face and on the genitals… An outbreak can last from a couple of days to a couple of weeks and most people feel generally run down before the blisters appear…
There is a difference between the ‘good’ cold, where symptoms progress rapidly from sore throat to drippy nose, all over in a few days, and the ‘bad’ kind that persists and escalates to become bronchitis, sinusitis or even pneumonia.
Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the conjunctiva, the membrane that lines the eye. Occasionally there is a discharge but most often the eyes are just bloodshot and itchy. Conjunctivitis can look like another common condition called blepharitis, which is a bacterial infection of the eyelash follicles. Eyelashes can gum together, and there is a noticeable crusty mucus. The natural treatment for blepharitis is similar to the treatment for conjunctivitis.
Straining to defecate or going to the toilet less frequently are signs of constipation. Other symptoms include a small stool, bad breath, tiredness, headaches, loss of appetite, coated tongue, bloated tummy, wind and skin problems. Although you can suffer an isolated bout of constipation, more commonly it is a long-term condition… but it is a symptom, not a disease. A little detective work to find the cause will hopefully cure constipation forever.
A cough is an important body function. Normally the cilia, tiny hairs which line the airways, wave in synchronism, transporting mucus and particles up from the lungs and bronchi, to be cleared from the throat, resulting in a little ‘humphing’ sound. Coughing can be a more forceful removal of unwanted matter, ejecting particles snared in mucus from the lungs at a velocity of up to 160 kilometres an hour.
See Dandruff
See Muscle Cramps
‘Like weeing razor blades’ is a vivid description of one symptom of cystitis, the result of an inflamed bladder and urethra. Cystitis is quite common in women and young girls, and very unusual in adult men.
Dandruff is a dry or greasy, sometimes itchy, scaling of the scalp. It is officially called seborrhoeic dermatitis.
There appears to be a link with a yeast called Pityrosporum ovale. The condition can get more troublesome if it spreads: it may travel to the hairline, behind the ears, eyebrows, bridge of the nose, around the nose, genitals and anus. The same condition is called ‘cradle cap’ in babies less than a month old.
Depression, known as the common cold of psychiatry, is for many a well known companion.
The American Psychiatric Association defines depression as having 5 of the following symptoms for at least one month:
There are several types of diabetes, but the most common is adult onset diabetes or non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), formally known as Type II diabetes. Over 500 000 Australians have this disorder of sugar metabolism, and it is to a large extent preventable, and treatable, by adopting changes to diet and lifestyle.
Diarrhoea is the body’s way of getting rid of toxic substances or germs promptly.
For this reason, wait for 12 hours or so to let nature take its course before considering any treatment. However, if blood or mucus appear, or fever begins, best consult your doctor.
Thirty to forty per cent of people over the age of 50 have diverticulosis; many remain oblivious of this fact unless they experience a flare up, known as diverticulitis, the symptoms of which include cramping, bloating, flatulence, diarrhoea and constipation.
See Stomach Ulcer
See Period, Painful
See Heartburn
Infection of the middle ear, otitis media, and infection of the outer ear, otitis externa, are two common conditions affecting the ears, particularly children’s ears.
Eczema is a skin complaint that can occur pretty much anywhere on the body. Favourite places include hands, the backs of the knees, and inside the elbows. It can be mild or severe, usually itchy and red, sometimes oozing, crusting or scaling.
It is part of a group of allergic atopic conditions which also includes hayfever and asthma. Some unlucky people suffer from all three, but if you successfully treat the eczema, your hayfever and asthma symptoms should abate as well.
Eczema caused by an allergy to external agents is called dermatitis.
Emphysema is a condition involving permanent damage to the architecture of the lungs. A loss of tissue elasticity and destruction of alveoli (the oxygen exchange centres), means that breathing becomes difficult and oxygen exchange restricted. Poor function means that mucus tends to accumulate and cause fruther difficulties.
The lining of the uterus is called the endometrium. It tends to thicken before ovulation, awaiting the arrival of a sperm or two, preparing a comfy bed for the embryo to implant. However, if conception does not occur, the endometrium sheds and forms what we know as a menstrual period.
Where would you rate your energy on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being full of beans? Anywhere under 8 is just not good enough. But many people drag themselves around feeling (and often looking like) something the cat dragged in.
Defining fatigue is difficult. It can be hard to put your finger on whether you feel mentally or physically tired; it is often a mixture of the two.
Two-thirds of the wind we expel is formed by bacteria in the bowel, the rest being made up of air we swallow. A certain amount of flatulence is normal, however excess flatulence can be a social encumbrance.
See Colds and Flu
See Boils
A food allergy is an immune system response. The two major kinds of food allergy are systemic allergy and fixed allergy. When someone says they have a food allergy, they usually mean the systemic type. Systemic allergy is the most common kind of food allergy. It’s not as dangerous as the fixed allergy, but a health problem nevertheless.
See Body Odour
See Sprain
Various fungi like to live on parts of us, particularly in warm moist areas and on skin and nails. The most common fungal infections include ringworm, athlete’s foot and jock itch. Symptoms range from negligible to painful and unsightly, and it is most often the latter that attract our attention.
However, many skin problems look similar, and a dermatologist can distinguish your fungus from other skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.
See also Candida
Gallstones occur in the gallbladder, a pear-shaped sac which is just near the liver and holds bile produced by the liver.
When we have eaten, the gallbladder contracts, squeezing out concentrated bile via the bile duct into the intestines. Bile is part waste product and part digestive juice, particularly helpful for emulsifying and digesting fat. Most gallstones are formed by the crystallization of cholesterol, a major constituent of bile.
See Stomach Ulcer
See Stomach Ulcer
See Heartburn
See Herpes
See Warts
See Gum Disease
While glandular fever is not a cold or flu, it is caused by a virus - the Epstein-Barr virus… with many symptoms similar to the flu.
See Diabetes
See Ear Infection
See Coeliac Disease
Gout conjures up images of a hefty King Henry VIII lolling around with an ermine coat and copious jowls. However, gout can strike even the most humble. It is an arthritic condition which affects mainly men, generally those over 30, and is caused by a higher than normal concentration of uric acid (a derivative of purines in food) in the blood.
Purines, namely adenine and guanine, are the nitrogen-containing structures called bases found in the DNA in the nucleus of cells.
If lately you have noticed you’re a little longer in the tooth, the cause may well be gingivitis, the first and most common sign of periodontal disease.
Periodontal means ‘around the tooth’ and refers to any disorder of the gums and jawbone. Symptoms may be redness, bleeding, bad breath or a bad taste in the mouth, and the gums around the teeth tend to be a little swollen and tender. All this means a risk of toothlessness, a most distressing proposition.
Haemorrhoids, also known as piles, are veins which become distended and weakened. Sometimes you may feel a little lump at the perimeter of the anus, or they may be hidden within the rectum. They are apt to bleed, itch and burn.
If you see blood on toilet paper or stool you must find out the cause. Take your nether regions to the doctor, who has seen it all before, to confirm whether it is a simple haemorrhoid or further investigation is necessary.
See Bad Breath
Most civilisations have enjoyed their own particular celebratory brew. All you need is a rotted or fermented vegetable, grain or fruit to create alcohol. Not surprisingly, the body has evolved to cope with alcohol, with assorted enzymes and biochemical pathways. However, even in small amounts, alcohol is toxic to all cells, particularly nerve cells and the liver.
The liver treats alcohol as a VIP, metabolising it as quickly as possible, before it causes major destruction elsewhere in the body.
The symptoms of hayfever, otherwise known as allergic rhinitis, include itchy red nose and eyes, sneezing and industrial quantities of watery clear mucus. It occurs when an allergen (a substance foreign to the body) provokes an allergic response from the immune system.
Common allergens including dust, pollen, mould, animal dander (fur, etc.), food additives, detergents, the ubiquitous dust mite and cockroach droppings.
Being an allergic person is usually hereditary, along with eczema and asthma.
The ‘ache’ part of a headache is not derived from the brain, which feels no pain itself, but from highly sensitive nerve endings within the walls of the arteries (blood vessels) that supply blood to the brain. Pain registers when these arteries constrict or dilate.
Whatever causes this change in blood vessels causes the headache. Headaches are rarely life-threatening, but can make your life miserable. The odd painkiller is fine for the odd headache, but if you suffer headaches every week or more often, the cause should be sought and attended to.
See Atherosclerosis, Blood Pressure, High and Cholesterol, High
Heartburn strikes in the upper chest, feeling frighteningly like a heart attack, hence the name. The pain, however, comes from acidic fluid rising up the oesophagus from the stomach.
Normally the sphincter (ring of muscle) at the top of the stomach is tightly shut, preventing stomach juices from travelling upwards.
See Liver Problems
Genital herpes are blisters which can burst into small ulcers. They occur on a man’s penis, scrotum and groin and in a woman’s vagina, vulva and cervix. They can also spread to the buttocks and thighs.
See also Chickenpox, Cold Sores and Shingles.
See Cold Sores
See Herpes
See Shingles
See Heartburn
Usually more of a nuisance than a medical problem, hiccups are the result of a spasm of the diaphragm.
No one is sure why they happen… possibly from swallowing too much air, or a nervous reaction.
HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), like other viruses, targets specific cells, in this case T4 cells. T4, or Helper T cells, are agents of our immune systems. Helper T cells are important communicators, relaying information to T8 cells, B cells and natural killer cells, all important members of an effective immune system. If T4 levels are down, the delicate system breaks down.
See Menopause
Naturopaths and mainstream medicine regard hypoglycaemia quite differently. This is due to a confusion in terminology. Hypoglycaemia cited in medical texts literally means ‘low (hypo) blood (aemia) sugar (glyc)’, where the circulating blood sugars stay below normal levels for a prolonged period. This can be life-threatening and is usually drug or alcohol induced. On the other hand, the hypoglycaemia that natural therapists frequently diagnose is a condition of fluctuating or see-sawing blood sugar levels.
Few words are as guaranteed to strike dread and terror into the hearts of men as ‘impotence’. Few men have the courage to talk about it openly, yet this is what they need to do.
Frank and open discussion with a compassionate and sympathetic friend, lover or professional person is necessary to put this not uncommon problem in perspective and is the first step to treatment.
Urinary incontinence, the involuntary loss of urine, can erode your self-confidence and curb your lifestyle.
Worrying whether or not you may lose control over your bladder takes away the joy from simple everyday activities. Many sports become impossible since vigorous movement can cause an embarrassing accident. Wearing bulky absorbent protection is a nuisance. Bedwetting, a problem for adults as well as children, can be the result of incontinence.
See Flatulence and Bloating and Heartburn
Some people live out their lives without feeling the urge to have children. Others feel it as an incredible longing, and cannot imagine a life without the experience of having and rearing children. Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive a baby after one year of unprotected sex, or the inability to maintain a pregnancy to term.
The two major forms of chronic inflammatory disease (IBD) are ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. They are discussed together as many of their symptoms are similar, and so are the treatments.
See Colds and Flu
The textbook definition of insomnia is the ‘chronic inability to sleep or to remain asleep during the night’. The insomniac’s definition of insomnia might be ‘chronic torment of body and mind’. Losing a good night’s sleep every now and then is one thing, but night after night of lying awake is slow torture.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a very common condition affecting the large intestine or colon. About half the people who go to a gastroenterologist (bowel specialist) leave with a diagnosis of IBS.
The medical lingo for jet lag is ‘circadian dysrhythmia’ which is a precise description of our body clock (circadian rhythm) being out of sync.
In every 24-hour period more than 100 bodily functions go through their highs and lows. Mostly these rhythms coincide with night and day. For instance, at night when we are meant to be sleeping, the immune system is working on healing, while most other systems are in low gear.
Our kidneys filter all our blood every eight hours. Kidney tubules select substances to return to the general circulation or for excretion. These are funnelled through to the bladder, and then passed out via urine.
Kidney stones are crystallised minerals that become lodged in kidney tissue. The crystals are usually calcium oxalate, but sometimes mixed with calcium phosphate. Occasionally they consist of uric acid (as in Gout): in rare cases they consist of cystine, although this is usually a glitch in the genes.
See Impotence
Rather than dealing with various diseases of the liver, here we review the food and remedies which help liver function. This is the way naturopaths heal the liver.
Mastitis refers to inflamed, engorged, hard, lumpy and acutely painful breast(s), especially during the first month of breastfeeding. The rest of you doesn’t feel so good either, usually sporting a high temperature.
Mastitis is usually caused by a bacterial infection, and is often a sign of not enough rest.
Measles is one of the most contagious viral diseases. It can occur at any age, but usually affects children aged one to three. Once you have had measles you should have lifelong immunity.
An infant whose mother has had measles is immune for the first year of life, after which time they are susceptible. Although children are more likely to catch measles, adults can too.
Loss of memory means the loss of an integral part of ourselves. Memory gives us a sense of who and what we are, something we take for granted until we start to lose it. What are we without our memories?
See Tinnitus
Menopause signals the end of a woman’s reproductive years, when the menstrual cycle ceases, and quantities of the two female hormones, oestrogen and progesterone, dwindle.
See Period, Heavy
See Period, Painful and Muscle Cramps
See Period, Heavy
Only those who have had them can understand the exquisitely tender pain caused by a coven of mouth ulcers. Mouth ulcers or canker sores, (or if you’re in the mood for ancient Greek, ‘aphthous stomatitis’) affects around 20 per cent of the population.
They are generally less than one centimetre in diameter, and start life as little red craters which soon fill with pus from white blood cells and bacteria. Mouth ulcers tend to recur, each episode lasting from five to seven days.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune condition in which patches of myelin sheath (surrounding nerves) begin to dissolve, leaving the nerve beneath exposed and vulnerable. The myelin sheath not only protects nerve cells but promotes their electrical transmission. Depending on where and how severely it occurs, symptoms vary from dizziness and visual disturbances, to numbness and weakness in one or both hands. Because of the range of symptoms and the fact that MS usually strikes people in their 20s to 40s, correct diagnosis can take a while.
Mumps is a viral infection mainly affecting children between the ages of five and fifteen. The parotid glands, which are salivary glands along the jaw, become swollen and painful, making the patient look like a toad. Other symptoms include headache, fever, and agony when consuming acidic foods. Mumps is less communicable than measles or chicken pox, and… thankfully… one attack usually confers lifelong immunity.
A muscle cramp is more a symptom than a disease. Wherever you have a muscle, you can have a cramp.
Skeletal muscles are most cramp-prone, but smooth muscle such as that lining the digestive tract can also experience its share of spasm and cramp. The usually painful contraction of muscle is very often caused by overexcitability of the nerves controlling these muscles.
Few people admit to having nasal polyps. After all, the name conjures up images of warty pedunculated alien growths incubating in an unsuspecting nostril. Nasal polyps are invisible to others, they just make breathing through the nose a challenge.
A nasal polyp is an outgrowth, resembling a peeled seedless grape, protruding from the mucous membrane lining inside the nose and sinuses. Symptoms include pain, blockage and mucous discharge.
Nausea is the stomach-turning sensation that usually precedes retching or vomiting. Vomiting is one of the body’s more ostentatious methods of elimination.
Nausea and vomiting may be due to a variety of causes:
Smoking cigarettes has been proved to be associated with cancer of the lungs, larynx, stomach, pancreas and bladder; heart attacks and strokes; lung disease; stomach ulcers; diabetes; vascular disease; gangrene of the extremities; wrinkling such as crows feet and prune mouth; gum disease; impotency; abnormal sperm; a greater chance of miscarriage and low birth weight babies. Non-smokers live an average eight years longer than smokers.
See Incontinence
Most nasal bleeding, or epistaxis, occurs from a plexus (congregation) of blood vessels at the root of the nose.
See Overweight
Osteoporosis is a condition that will affect one in three Australian women. It is a progressive diminution in bone mass, which includes a loss of calcium as well as the protein matrix inside bone, affecting mostly the spine, hips and ribs. Many people are unaware of the condition until backache or a fracture confirms the diagnosis. One in every two women over the age of 70 has suffered a fracture related to osteoporosis… ten times as many as in 1950. Osteoporosis is much more common in women, although men are also at risk, particularly over the age of 70.
Isn’t it weird how people with sparkling personalities, witty repartee, spirituality, and a lifetime of wisdom can be eclipsed by a twit with a good figure? To call yourself officially overweight, your Body Mass Index (BMI) must be over 25. Obesity is more than 30. Unfortunately one needs a mensa IQ to calculate BMI.
The formula is weight (kg) / height (m)2.
See Anxiety
See Stomach Ulcer
See Period, Painful and Muscle Cramps
Excessive menstrual bleeding may be considered any one of the following; the period continues for more than seven days; the period occurs more frequently than every 21 days; bleeding lasts for three days longer than normal; each day two or more pads or tampons are required than is usual on your typical heaviest day.
See also Period, Painful
More than 50 per cent of women between the ages of 15 and 25 are affected by painful periods (dysmenorrhoea).
It is caused by an excess of an inflammatory substance called prostaglandin F, produced by the lining of the uterus (endometrium), which makes the smooth muscle of the uterus contract, causing painful abdominal cramps.
The chief symptom of dysmenorrhoea is pelvic pain which may radiate into the groin and even down the thighs. The pelvic pain may be accompanied by backache, vomiting, diarrhoea, and headache.
See Gum Disease
See Sore Throat
See Haemorrhoids
See Acne
See Conjunctivitis
See Warts
See Chilblains
See Wound Healing
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) was first described in the medical literature in 1931, but it took over 50 years to be recognised. PMS is taken so seriously now that in several countries it is regarded as justifiable grounds for committing homicide.
A woman’s menstrual cycle averages 29.5 days, a lunar month.
See Bedsores
The prostate, a small organ about the size of a walnut which snugly fits at the base of a man’s bladder, is involved in providing and storing some of the secretions that make semen. A large proportion of men over 60 in Australia develop benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), an enlargement of this gland.
Psoriasis is an accumulation of cells that divide up to 1000 times faster than normal, resulting in silvery scale and lumpy skin. This condition affects two to three in every 100 people. Some may have a little patch on their scalp that appears only when they are stressed, other poor souls may be covered from top to toe with itchy, white scales.
Eczema and psoriasis are often confused; however, psoriasis usually visits the knobby bits of elbows and knees, whereas eczema affects the inner bends. Psoriasis also often visits the scalp and shins.
See Gum Disease
See Heartburn
See Kidney Stones
See Chilblains
See Arthritis, Osteoarthritis and Arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis
See Hayfever
See Depression
See Dandruff
A member of the herpes family, shingles is caused by varicella zoster, the same virus that causes chickenpox in children. Shingles, on the other hand, affects mostly those over fifty.
The sinuses are hollow bones, as narrow as a pencil lead, in the bony structure of the head. They are lined with mucous membranes, like the rest of the respiratory system. Sinusitis is sometimes referred to as ‘asthma of the nose’. Indeed, many asthmatics also suffer sinusitis and the mechanisms of the conditions are similar. (See Asthma.) In response to a trigger such as an allergy or a head cold, nasal and sinus mucous membranes can become swollen and secrete mucus.
See Insomnia
See Liver Problems
See Hayfever
Snoring is usually more of a health problem for others sleeping near the snorer. However, snoring indicates an obstruction of the airways.
Snorers often wake with a dry throat after breathing through their mouth for much of the night. Breathing through the mouth increases your chances of contracting a cold.
A sore throat upon inspection looks red and puffy, and sometimes mucus is present. If your sore throat is called tonsillitis, the treatment remains the same, however more care must be taken of the immune system.
A sprain is when the ligaments which hold joints together become overstretched or rupture. The most vulnerable joints are ankles, wrist, knees, and fingers.
Some people are predisposed to sprains. Oddly enough, these folk are usually flexible… in fact, too flexible, with comparatively loose ligaments.
See Bedsores
Stomach, or peptic, ulcers occur when the protective lining of the stomach wall is disturbed, not necessarily because of too much acid.
Once the lining is damaged, hydrochloric acid and pepsin (a protein-digesting enzyme) eat away at the muscle beneath, causing an ulcer.
Stress is not a newfangled invention of the ’90s. Remember when someone was called ‘nervy’ or ‘highly strung’? Incidentally, what ever happened to the good old-fashioned nervous breakdown?
Whatever the terminology, in Australia in 1996, prescriptions for anxiety and depression were made out in the millions: there were 1,500,000 prescriptions for Serapax, 2,200,000 for Valium and 620,000 for the newer drug, Prozac. Total cost: $60 million.
See also Anxiety.
See Incontinence
See Boils
See Wound Healing
See Ear Infections
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (commonly known as SLE) is an autoimmune condition. The most common symptom are painful joints, but the whole body can be affected by SLE, including kidneys, spleen and lungs.
Symptoms can arrive slowly or rapidly, gently or savagely. Hair loss frequently occurs during the active phases. A telltale sign is a red rash over the bridge of the nose and both cheeks, known as malar butterfly erythema. (Malar means cheekbones; ‘butterfly’ refers to the shape of the rash; and erythema just means red.)
Tendinitis and bursitis are similar inflammatory conditions, but tendinitis affects tendons and bursitis affects bursae. Tendons are the strong white cords of connective tissue that attach muscle to bone.
Some are covered by a sheath which produces lubricating synovial fluid for the tendon’s easy gliding movement. Tendinitis often involves inflammation of both tendon and the surrounding sheath. (If the sheath alone is inflamed the condition is known as tenosynovitis.)
See Tendinitis
See Sore Throat
Thrush is an infection caused by an excess of Candida albicans, a yeast which normally inhabits the intestines and vagina.
For women, the most common symptoms of thrush are a vaginal itch and a discharge that ranges from white to creamy yellow.
Men can get thrush too. Although often free of symptoms, the glans of the penis may become irritated and red after sex. Sometimes there is a trace of thrush on the penis. Thrush in the mouth and on the skin is common in babies.
Tinnitus makes you hear things no-one else can. It may be a buzzing, ringing, roaring, whistling or hissing sound. It may be continuous, intermittent or somewhere in between.
Meniere’s disease often has tinnitus as a symptom, along with dizziness, nausea and a sense of pressure in the ears. Episodes may occur once in a lifetime, or once every few hours.
No-one knows exactly what causes tinnitus or Meniere’s. However, the following list might offer some clues.
See Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fatigue
See Sore Throat
See Bedsores
See Chickenpox
Varicose veins are veins which have become enlarged, twisted and swollen. They occur most commonly in the legs. Symptoms include aching, discomfort, swelling, feelings of heaviness, and pain. Four times as many women as men are afflicted with this wretched condition. Spider veins are mini versions of varicose veins and can be found elsewhere on the body including face and breasts.
Vitiligo is an absence of melanocytes, the cells which produce melanin, the skin pigment. The characteristic patches of ivory white may affect one small area or occur all over the place. Vitiligo affects all races, although it’s more obvious on darker-skinned folk.
This condition baffles everyone. Some theories include:
The wart (verruca) is one of 60 types of papilloma virus. They can range from the size of a pin-head to the size of a 20 cent piece. Warts can appear anywhere on the body. If unsure, always check with your doctor to verify it is a wart.
Other types of warts are:
See Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia and Overweight
The moment we are injured (whether by accident or by surgical scalpel) the body goes on red alert. Stress hormones are released and there is a cascade of biochemical reactions. The first is inflammation, a process which blocks off the area, reducing the range of damage. Immune cells then enter the fray, helping to prevent infection from spreading, and clearing away any debris… such as injured tissue.
Finally, healing can take place with the formation of new, healthy cells and repairing of the wound.
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