Whelehans Health News

Halitosis (Bad breath)   Up to 50% (22 to 50%) of the population suffer from bad breath and approximately half of these experience a severe problem leading to personal and social discomfort and social embarrassment.  The “mouth air” of those suffering from more severe halitosis is tainted with compounds including hydrogen sulphide, methyl mercaptan and organic acids leading to foul smelling air.   Aetiology The source of the bad odour is located within the oral cavity in approximately 90% of cases of halitosis meaning only a small percentage of cases are due to non-oral causes such a a serious underlying...

Urinary Incontinence Part 4 Antimuscarinic medicines used to treat urge incontinence include Oxybutynin Tolterodine Fesoterodine Solifenacin Flavoxate   Antimuscarinics take up to 4 weeks to see full benefit. Side effects can include blurred vision, flushed and dry skin, dry mouth, fast heart rate, high blood pressure and fever. They are started at the lowest possible dose to minimise side effects and increased only if not working. Some conditions can be exacerbated due to antimuscarinics; for example, antimuscarinics can worsen symptoms of constipation, glaucoma, dry eyes, and poor bladder emptying. Care must be taken when used with other medication that also...

Urinary Incontinence Part 3: Treatment Overactive bladder (OAB) is the most common cause if urinary incontinence. I discussed types, causes, symptoms and diagnosis over the last two week. This week I discuss treatment.   Changing drinking habit and diet Some drinks may irritate the bladder including carbonated drinks, diet drinks with the artificial sweetener aspartame, tea, and coffee (both caffeinated or decaffeinated), hot chocolate, blackcurrant juice and citrus fruit juice and alcohol. Drinks that will not irritate the bladder include water, milk, diluted fruit squash and herbal tea. Some foods such as tomatoes and spicy food irritate the bladder. People...

Urinary Incontinence Part 2 Overactive bladder (OAB) is the most common cause if urinary incontinence. Last week I discussed types.   Causes OAB is common and can affect people of any age from children to elderly. Over one in ten adults have OAB. The cause is often unknown. Anxiety can make the problem worse, but this becomes a vicious cycle as OAB can exacerbate anxiety. Stress can also have an influence. The amount and types of fluids drank can influence symptoms. Some drinks such as tea and coffee, alcohol and sugary drinks can make it worse. Nicotine can irritate bladder...

Urinary Incontinence Part 1   Urinary incontinence is any involuntary loss of urine. Urinary incontinence can have a significant detrimental impact on the physical, psychological, and social wellbeing of a person. Urinary incontinence is approximately twice as common in women as in men.   There are three main subtypes of urinary incontinence: Stress urinary incontinence: involuntary leakage caused by effort or exertion such as sneezing, coughing or exercise Urgency incontinence (or urge urinary incontinence): involuntary leakage caused by a sudden compelling desire to pass urine which is difficult to defer. Mixed urinary incontinence: involuntary leakage associated with both urgency and...