Whelehans Health Blog

 Question Part of my large toenail on one foot has turned yellow over the last 6 months. My wife thinks it is a fungal nail infection. Sean, Mullingar   Response  Approximately half of nail problems are due to a fungal infection. Fungal nail infection is about four times more common in toenails than fingernails and can involve all or part of the nail, including the nail plate, nail-bed and root of the nail. The chances of fungal nail infection increases as we get older. Several types of fungus can cause nail infections. 93% of fungal nail infections are caused by...

Halitosis (Bad breath) Part 2   Interventions to stop bad breath Improving oral hygiene is the number one step to improving bad breath and some of the other interventions can help: Regular brushing: Brushing teeth morning and night with fluoride and anti-microbial toothpaste. Do not rinse the mouth out with water straight away after brushing as this will rinse away the fluoride and anti-microbial benefits of brushing in the minutes after brushing. Dental flossing: Should be done daily using the proper technique. Regular dental check-ups: A dental check-up with dentist once a year and cleaning with dental hygienist every 6...

Halitosis (Bad breath) Part 1   Causes 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 as a serious underlying medical condition which warrants immediate referral to a doctor (eg.) Diabetes   The tongue is considered the biggest source of bad breath and is considered the main cause in up to 90% of cases by some experts; so other causes like gingivitis are considered a cause in only a fraction of causes compared to tongue hygiene.  ...

Flat Feet (Part 3) Treatment (Continued) Children with an abnormal foot that has not developed properly may require an operation to straighten the foot or to separate bones that have fused. Luckily operations are rarely needed as these are rare causes of flat feet in children. Most children with flat feet have a mobile form of flat feet which generally does not need treatment, or if treatment is needed due to pain or excessive wear of shoes, an insole is often sufficient to rectify the problem. Flat feet that develop due to a disorder of the nervous system may require...

Flat Feet (Part 2)   When is treatment needed? Most flat feet do not cause any problem, so no treatment is needed. Reasons to look for treatment include: Pain (not eased by any type of footwear). Flat feet do not usually cause pain but can put strain on muscles and ligaments (connect two bones together at a joint). This can use leg pain when walking. Pain from flat feet can occur in several areas including inside the ankle, at arch of the foot, the outer side of the foot, calf, knee, hip or back. Wearing out shoes quickly Feet appear...