TrendsWide
[email protected]
Contact
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • National
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Sports
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • National
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Sports
No Result
View All Result
TrendsWide
No Result
View All Result
Home Trending

Dr MARTIN SCURR answers your health questions

souhaib by souhaib
September 29, 2020
in Trending
0
0
SHARES
23
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter


QUESTION: My granddaughter, who is in her mid-20s, has always suffered from constipation. She sometimes goes for up to six days without using the toilet. What can she do to keep regular?

Name and address supplied.

ANSWER: The term ‘constipation’ can refer to different things, even among doctors. 

It may mean infrequent passage of stools, or that what is passed is too hard or too small. Some would say that a stool frequency of less than three in one week amounts to constipation.

An international committee recently outlined diagnostic criteria for what is called functional constipation — that is, constipation without sinister cause. 

Constipation may mean infrequent passage of stools, or that what is passed is too hard or too small. (Stock image)

These include a history of three months or more of at least two of the following symptoms: straining, hard stools, incomplete evacuation and fewer than three spontaneous bowel movements per week. 

This is the nearest thing to a general agreement among specialists about what constitutes constipation.

The best rule is to consider, over a period of time, what is normal for that person. 

If there is a pattern of one bowel motion every three or four days, occasionally extending to once a week, that might be normal, assuming that person is well and not complaining of pain, bloating, or worrying symptoms such as passing blood, weight loss, or loss of appetite.

Encouraging more regular bowel movements should focus on dietary change rather than using laxatives or enemas.

Enhancing fibre intake and ensuring a high enough fluid intake (a glass or two of water or any non-alcoholic drink with, or after, meals, and at least six a day) is a good start.

Dr Martin Scurr (pictured) examines how to deal with constipation

Dr Martin Scurr (pictured) examines how to deal with constipation

The recommended amount of fibre is 25g to 35g daily and you can get this by increasing your consumption of fruit, vegetables and wholemeal bread.

Start with a small extra amount of fibre, such as adding grains or leafy green vegetables to your diet, and gradually work up the quantity over a period of months. Changing too quickly could lead to bloating and wind.

Another tactic is to focus on the gastrocolic reflex, which controls the movement of the lower bowel after eating and encourages emptying your bowels. Bowel function is most active after eating, and ignoring that reflex over time means those triggering signals eventually fade away. 

ADVERTISEMENT

This can be re-established within a few weeks of deliberate focus on the urge to go and answering it.

I understand your concern, but could I suggest that perhaps your anxiety is rooted in the more rigid concepts of the past, when it was believed that nothing less than daily bowel movements was normal?

If your granddaughter’s general health and diet are good, then there may be no cause for concern.

QUESTION: I have glaucoma and have been called for a routine check-up at the local eye unit. The examination involves someone being inches from my face and I am concerned. 

Should I wear protective equipment to reduce the risk of catching coronavirus, or should I simply delay the visit until the R number has reduced?

Maureen Whittle, Bolton.

Even before Covid-19, great care has always been taken to clean and sterilise equipment. (Stock image)

Even before Covid-19, great care has always been taken to clean and sterilise equipment. (Stock image)

ANSWER: Most cases of glaucoma are caused by a build up of pressure in the eye when fluid is unable to drain properly. Once it has been diagnosed you need treatment for life to prevent damage to the optic nerve and loss of sight.

It’s also vital you have frequent check-ups to ensure that the treatment — usually the regular use of eyedrops — is effective.

During the consultation there is normally a sight test, a check on the pressure in each eye, an examination of the visual fields and an inspection of the optic disc, the point where the optic nerve (which sends messages from the eye to the brain) can be seen on the retina at the back of the eye.

The check-up is conducted by a trained technician, an optometrist, or by an ophthalmologist (a doctor who diagnoses and treats eye disorders).

The pressure measurement is typically carried out by shooting a puff of air at the front of the eye while you are seated at a slit lamp, a microscope with a bright light that provides a greatly magnified view of the inside of the eye.

The specialist can then inspect the optic nerve and check for any damage. During the whole examination you are close to the doctor or technician.

Even before Covid-19, great care has always been taken to clean and sterilise equipment.

True, the examining technician will be close to you, but careful protocols have been put in place to minimise the possibility of infection for both technician and patient.

There is a risk of infection but, in this case, I believe it is minuscule.

Set against the considerable importance of ensuring that your glaucoma treatment is effective, unless you are particularly vulnerable (for example having immunosuppression for the treatment of another medical condition), I believe the benefits very much outweigh the risks in this case.

Apart from wearing a clean mask, there are no other protective measures to be taken.



Source link

Tags: dailymail
ShareTweetPin
Previous Post

Patek Philippe Complications Steel 5212A-001 with Silvery Opaline dial

Next Post

Best critical illness insurance: What you need to know before taking out cover

souhaib

souhaib

Related Posts

Trending

Global Health: There is no need to vaccinate participants in the Tokyo Olympics in the first place

January 26, 2021
Trending

Biden reveals the expected date for achieving herd immunity against Corona

January 26, 2021
Trending

What are the chances for the successful launch of “Northern Torrent-2”

January 26, 2021
Next Post

Best critical illness insurance: What you need to know before taking out cover

Manchester authority tells care homes to accept Covid patients being discharged from hospital

Barcelona 'will try again in bid to to re-sign Man City defender Eric Garcia before window shuts'

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Recommended

Britain’s oldest person Joan Hocquard dies aged 112 

3 months ago

Have Eurostar ‘fallen through the cracks’ of the transport bailout safety net?

7 days ago

Podcast: Discussing IGN's Game of the Year Noms

1 month ago

French hunter who shot and killed a British cyclist is jailed for a year 

2 months ago

Categories

  • Australia
  • Business
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Deals
  • Discounts
  • Economie
  • Euro
  • Gaming
  • Lifestyle
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Travel
  • Trending
  • Uncategorized

Topics

bbc bbc health cnn ar business dailymail dailymail australia dailymail heath dailymail money dailymail sport day 7 euronews Health IGN rt arabic usa today usa today money usa today sport Women Fashion
No Result
View All Result

Highlights

Global Health: There is no need to vaccinate participants in the Tokyo Olympics in the first place

Twitter’s ‘Birdwatch’ pilot programme to allow users to flag misinformation

Pro-anticut PRO ANTI-CUT-resistant Ice Hockey Foot Sock Compressed Shaft Quick Dry, Knee High

Quaden Bayles and his Aboriginal activist family march in ‘Invasion Day’ protest in Brisbane

Biden reveals the expected date for achieving herd immunity against Corona

WESIDOM Baby Boys Girls Snowsuit,Toddler Winter Outfit Sets Kids Hooded Artificial Fur Down Jacket Coat and Ski Bib Pants

Trending

Euro

Italy’s under fire PM Giuseppe Conte to resign on Tuesday, his office announces

by souhaib
January 26, 2021
0

Italy’s prime minister Giuseppe Conte is to offer his resignation one week after he survived two...

ZHHO Snow Boots Rubber Sole,Fur Lined with Velvet Thick-Soled Warm Casual Fashion Flat Cotton Shoes in Winter,Women’s Round Head Plush Warm Snow Shoes

January 26, 2021

FitWaffle Kitchen baker Eloise Head shares her simple recipe for Kinder cookie pie 

January 26, 2021

Global Health: There is no need to vaccinate participants in the Tokyo Olympics in the first place

January 26, 2021

Twitter’s ‘Birdwatch’ pilot programme to allow users to flag misinformation

January 26, 2021

Follow us on social media:

UK Jobs

Recent News

  • Italy’s under fire PM Giuseppe Conte to resign on Tuesday, his office announces
  • ZHHO Snow Boots Rubber Sole,Fur Lined with Velvet Thick-Soled Warm Casual Fashion Flat Cotton Shoes in Winter,Women’s Round Head Plush Warm Snow Shoes
  • FitWaffle Kitchen baker Eloise Head shares her simple recipe for Kinder cookie pie 

Category

  • Australia
  • Business
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Deals
  • Discounts
  • Economie
  • Euro
  • Gaming
  • Lifestyle
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Travel
  • Trending
  • Uncategorized

Recent News

Italy’s under fire PM Giuseppe Conte to resign on Tuesday, his office announces

January 26, 2021

ZHHO Snow Boots Rubber Sole,Fur Lined with Velvet Thick-Soled Warm Casual Fashion Flat Cotton Shoes in Winter,Women’s Round Head Plush Warm Snow Shoes

January 26, 2021
  • Contact
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

© 2020 - TrendsWide

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Politics
  • News
  • Business
  • Culture
  • National
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Opinion

© 2020 - TrendsWide