ASK YOUR DOCTOR

The upcoming holidays often offer opportunities for many people here in Anguilla to abuse alcohol. Anytime anyone abuses alcohol there are many negative consequences. These consequences can leave us more than holiday stress, but a lifetime of heartache.

This is a very private topic and often girls are reluctant to even discuss it with their parents. Many people are often not sure what is normal and even many doctors give wrong advice on this topic. Young girls should be made to understand that menstruation is a normal part of development and should be instructed on use of feminine products and on what is considered normal menstrual flow. Ideally, both parents and health care providers can participate in this educational process. Teachers also have a crucial role to play in this process as well.

December 1st is recognized worldwide as World’s AIDS day and the slogan for this year and for the following years until 2010 is “STOP AIDS. KEEP THE PROMISE”. The global theme for World’s AIDS day 2006 is accountability.

Epistaxis or nose bleeding can be a scary symptom if you get it. In a few cases it can be a life-threatening medical emergency but, fortunately, the majority of nose bleeds can be treated at home.

Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder that affects about 1% of the population worldwide. This disorder occurs in Anguilla and can cause much distress to the individual affected as well as other family members, relatives and friends.

November 14th is World Diabetes Day and this year the theme for activities is “Diabetes care for everyone”. World Diabetes Day is a time to bring greater awareness to Diabetes mellitus, a condition that affects more than 200 million people worldwide and appears to be significantly increasing in Anguilla every year.

This very common disorder affects all races and ethnic groups and has been around for centuries. It is estimated that 70% of the population will be affected with tinea pedis at sometime in their lives.

Systemic lupus erythematosus, also called SLE or lupus, is a chronic disorder that can cause inflammation, pain and tissue damage throughout the body. SLE is an autoimmune disease in which a person’s immune system attacks its own tissues as though they were foreign substances. This disease is very common in females and affects a significant number of Anguillian women.

In Anguilla, National Breastfeeding Week will be celebrated 16th -20th October under the theme, “Breastfeeding and Family foods: Loving and Healthy”. There is evidence that more women in Anguilla are exclusively breastfeeding their infants. This is commendable as many mothers face many challenges in doing this. The drive to get more women to exclusively breast feed their infants for the first six months of life should continue.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the most common hormonal disorder affecting women -affecting 5-10% of the population. The symptoms of this disorder may be depressing to the woman and can often be embarrassing. Treatment often involves lifestyle changes as well as medications.

World Mental Health Day is October 16th.This year’s theme is “Building Awareness-Reducing Risk: Mental Illness and Suicide”. On this day mental health services, education and advocacy groups will conduct public awareness, education and advocacy events that will bring issues related to mental illness and suicide to the attention of the general population, primary healthcare professions, public health officials and, most importantly, policymakers.

Kidney disease is a growing problem here in Anguilla and many other countries worldwide. There has been an exponential rise in the number of people developing end-stage kidney disease requiring either dialysis or kidney transplants.

Spontaneous abortion is generally defined as loss of the products of conception before the 20th week of pregnancy. This relatively common disorder of pregnancy can have a devastating effect on the pregnant woman and her partner.

The adolescent years are challenging for both parents and adolescents. Many gynaecological disorders occur in young girls, but fortunately many of them can be prevented or treated. Only in a small percent of cases are serious conditions diagnosed.

This disorder affects approximately 10% of the male population, many of whom fail to seek treatment and suffer unnecessarily. It affects men from all social structures, backgrounds and ages but many younger men are reluctant to admit to this disorder due to embarrassment.

Motor vehicle accidents are becoming a major public health issue in many Caribbean countries including Anguilla. There is evidence that alcohol use and other drugs are a factor in many motor vehicle accidents in Anguilla.

Strokes affect many individuals in Anguilla and many survivors require extensive rehabilitation that can be very costly and burdensome to the survivors and their families. Unfortunately stroke is also a leading cause of death in Anguilla.

The Anguilla Diabetic Association is using the month of July to highlight various aspects of Diabetes Mellitus in Anguilla. Diabetes continues to affect many individuals living in Anguilla, with estimates suggesting one in every ten persons being affected by this chronic disorder.

Genital herpes is just one of the many sexually transmitted infections that occur in Anguilla. Approximately 90% of individuals who have the virus that causes genital herpes are not aware of the infection. Like other sexually transmitted diseases, prevention is vital in decreasing the spread of this condition. The physical symptoms of genital herpes can be tremendous, but its psychological impact can also be severe, resulting in feelings of depression, fear and isolation.

Prostate cancer is a common cancer affecting men especially over the age of 50 years. The exact cause of prostate cancer is not known at this time but researchers are busy working on ways to prevent and improve its treatment.