Whelehans Health News

Foot Care in the Older Person (Part 2) This is a continuation of last week’s article on tips on how foot problems can be prevented through proper daily care on the older person.   Make sure your shoes fit Protect your feet by wearing shoes whenever you go outdoors. Shoe size may change as you age so always have feet measured before buying shoes. The best time to measure feet is at the end of the day when feet are largest. Most people have one foot that is slightly larger than the other; fit your shoe to your larger foot....

Foot Care in the Older Person (Part 1) Our feet consist of skin, bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves and blood vessels. Our feet are vulnerable to repetitive mechanical stress and skin irritations due to repetitive daily usage. Foot problems get more common as we get older as years of use start to take their toll and medical problems such as diabetes, arthritis and poor circulation can cause foot problems. While this article is titled “foot care in the older person”, the advice here is relevant for any age-group. Whelehans Chiropody Service offer reduced price foot treatments for over 65’s.  ...

Repetitive Strain Injury Repetitive strain injury (RSI) is an injury caused by repetitive use of muscles. I will shorten the term repetitive strain injury to RSI for this article. It usually occurs in the back, shoulders, arms, wrists and hands. Contrary to popular belief, you do not have to be undertaking heavy manual work such as drilling or shovelling to develop RSI. Most RSIs are caused by seemingly safe jobs such as writing, using a computer or packing boxes. The most important factor is that the activity is continuous, usually for a long period of time.   Causes Causes include:...

Hayfever (Part 3) Treatment (Continued) Last week I discussed anti-histamine medication, this week I discuss other options.   Decongestants                                   Decongestants have a limited role in hay fever and should be reserved for periods of severe nasal congestion. Nasal decongestants sprays and drops such as Otrivine® should not be used for longer than three to five days because of the possibility of rebound congestion which makes the problem worse.   Corticosteroids Nasal drops and sprays reduce inflammation and swelling of the nasal mucosa and in normal dosage side effects are minimal. It is best to start treatment a few weeks before...

Hay fever- Part 2 Last week I explained, Hay fever is a type of allergic rhinitis caused by pollen or spores.   Pollen Count Hay fever symptoms are likely to be worse if the pollen count is high. This is not determined simply by how many flowers there are, but also by the weather. The amount of sunshine, rain or wind affects how much pollen plants release.  Hay fever symptoms tend to begin when the pollen count is over 50. The pollen count is highest in the early evening, so hay fever sufferers are advised to avoid going outdoors early evening. ...