Whelehans Health Blog

Asthma Part 1   Asthma is a long-term condition that can cause a cough, wheezing and breathlessness. Earlier in 2021, I discussed new medication recently on the market for severe asthma. Over the next few weeks in the Topic, I give a more general overview of asthma.   Causes                                                                                                                      The airways become over-sensitive and react to stimuli that would normally not cause a problem, such as cold air or dust. Muscles around the wall of the airway tighten up, making it narrow and difficult for air to flow in and out. The lining of the airway’s swells, and sticky mucus...

Lower back pain and pilates Part 2   Flexibility Hamstring tightness and decreased low back flexibility have been highlighted as risk factors for low back pain. Pilates exercises encourage a combination of static and dynamic stretching, pushing the muscles to an end of range of tightness rather than discomfort. The response of contractile tissues to stretch is improved muscle length, which allows a more efficient pattern of movement and reduces stress on stiff muscles and joints. What does Pilates entail? Pilates exercises are primarily floor based. Some exercises are also performed in standing, which have the added advantage of training...

Lower back pain and pilates Part 1 Low back pain is a common problem associated with significant negative effects, physically, emotionally, and socially. The majority of low back pain (LBP) cases are diagnosed as non-specific low back pain, meaning there is no known cause for the pain. Acute non-specific low back pain (ANSLBP) is defined as pain lasting less than 4 weeks duration, while chronic non-specific low back pain (CNSLBP) refers to pain persisting for longer than three months duration. There are a range of evidence based therapeutic interventions designed for the management of low back pain. Among these, exercise...

Children Flu Vaccines   Flu vaccine for children Children are more likely than adults to get severe complications of flu. Children who are sick with flu miss days in crèche, childcare and school. They also miss out on their usual activities such as hobbies and sports. For the second year in Ireland, children aged 2 to 12 can get the nasal flu vaccine for free. It is available from Whelehans Pharmacies. The flu vaccine will help protect your child against flu and reduce the spread of flu to others.   The vaccine is given as a single spray in each nostril of your child's nose....

Get the flu vaccine...not the flu! Part 2   Influenza (flu) is a highly infectious acute respiratory illness caused by the influenza virus. You can get the flu vaccination your GP surgery or local pharmacy. You can get your flu vaccine at Whelehans Pearse St and Whelehans Clonmore. For convenience you can book your flu vaccination online on the Whelehans Pharmacy website.   Those considered more “at-risk” from flu Some people are more at risk of getting complications if they catch flu. You can get the flu vaccine for free if you: are 65 years of age and over are...