SEX, its benefits

• sex stimulates the immune system
• sex makes you less vulnerable to cold and flu
• prolonged deep kissing lowers blood pressure and cholesterol on the long run
• kissing releases bacteria that stimulates the body to produce protein (antibodies) which helps fight infections 
• sex triggers release of growth hormone 
• sex aids weight loss
• sex releives pain
• Having sex 3 times daily regularly can make you look younger 
• orgasm triggers oxytocin release causing you to feel relaxed, energetic with a clear mind
• sex decreases anxiety 
• sex is a beauty treatment, when women make love, they produce estrogen which makes the hair shine and the skin smooth 
• sex is a tranquilizer, it is more effective than a sleep medication 
• sex relieves headache, a love making session can release the tension that restricts blood vessels in the brain
• love making is a natural antihistamine, it can end an allergy
• sex stretches and tones up all muscles in the body 
• sex can cure mild depression, endorphins are released into the blood stream producing a sense of euphoria leaving you with a feeling of good well being 
• sex reduces the risk of heart disease 
• sex reduces the risk of prostate cancer 
• sex is a natural cosmetic, it firms your tummy and buttocks. 

SEVERE MALARIA

Severe malaria occurs when plasmodium falciparum infections (malaria infection) are complicated by organ failures or abnormalities in the patient’s blood and or metabolism.

SYMPTOMS OF MALARIA

• shaking chills that can range from moderate to severe
• high fever
• profuse sweating 
• headache
• nausea 
• vomiting 
• abdominal pain
• diarrhea
• anemia
• muscle pain
• convulsions 
• coma
• bloody stool

The presentations of severe malaria include malaria symptoms and the following:

1 Cerebral malaria, this is associated with abnormal behavior, impairment of consciousness, seizures and or coma

2 Severe anemia due to hemolysis (destruction of the red blood cells)

3 Hemoglobinuria, (hemoglobin in the urine) due to hemolysis(Blackwater fever)

4 Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), an inflammatory reaction in the lungs that inhibits oxygen exchange(Malarial lungs)

5. Abnormalities in blood coagulation

6. Low blood pressure caused by cardiovascular collapse (Algid Malaria)

7 Acute kidney injury, (kidney damage)

8 Hyperparasitemia, where more than 5% of the red blood cells are infected by malaria parasites

9. Metabolic acidosis (excessive acidity in the blood and tissue fluids)

10. Hypoglycemia,(low blood sugar)

Malaria is a life threatening disease and one of the leading cause of under 5 mortality rate.

CONSULT YOUR GP (General Practitioner)
Ask questions.
We are just a phone call away.

ASTHMA

Asthma is a disease of the lungs in which the airways narrows and swells and produces extra mucus. This makes breathing difficult and trigger coughing, a whistling sound (wheezing) when you breathe out. It also causes shortness of breath. 
Asthma causes about 2 million visits to the emergency room yearly. With proper treatment, an individual with asthma can live a quality life

SIGNS
There are 3 major signs if asthma 

• Airway blockage. When you breathe, the bands of muscle around your airways are relaxed, and air moves freely. But when you have asthma, the muscles tighten. It’s harder for air to pass through.
• Inflammation. Asthma causes red, swollen bronchial tubes in the lungs. This inflammation can damage your lungs.
• Airway irritability. People with asthma have sensitive airways that tend to overreact and narrow when they come into contact with slight triggers

SYMPTOMS 
The symptoms of asthma vary from person to person. You may seldom have asthma attacks, have symptoms only at certain times such as when exercising or have symptoms all the time.

Asthma signs and symptoms include:

• coughing
• shortness of breath
• Chest tightness or pain
• Wheezing when exhaling
• Trouble sleeping 

Signs that asthma is probably worsening include:

• Asthma signs and symptoms that are more frequent and worrisome 
• Increasing difficulty breathing, as measured with a device used to check how well the lungs are working (peak flow meter)
• The need to use a quick-relief inhaler more often

For some people, asthma signs and symptoms flare up in certain situations:

• Exercise-induced asthma, which may be worse when the air is cold and dry
• Occupational asthma, triggered by workplace irritants such as chemical fumes, gases or dust
• Allergy-induced asthma, triggered by airborne substances, such as pollen, mold spores, cockroach waste, or particles of skin and dried saliva shed by pets (pet dander)

WHEN TO SEE YOUR DOCTOR 

See your doctor:

• If you think you have asthma. If you have frequent coughing or wheezing that lasts more than a few days or any other signs or symptoms of asthma.
• To monitor your asthma after diagnosis.If you know you have asthma, work with your doctor to keep it under control. Good long-term control helps you feel better from day to day and can prevent a life-threatening asthma attack.
• If your asthma symptoms get worse.Contact your doctor right away if your medication doesn't seem to ease your symptoms or if you need to use your quick-relief inhaler more often.
• To review your treatment. Asthma often changes over time. Meet with your doctor regularly to discuss your symptoms and make any needed treatment adjustments

Get EMERGENCY help if you have serious symptoms including:

• Fast breathing
• Pale or blue face, lips, or fingernails
• The skin around your ribs pulls inward when you breathe in
• Trouble breathing, walking, or talking
• Symptoms that don’t get better after you take medication or a quick relief of inhaler. 

HOME REMEDY FOR FEVER

Fever occurs when the body temperature rises above the normal range of 98–100°F (36–37°C). It is a common sign of an infection.

Home Remedy for fever

• DO NOT PANIC.
• Remove clothings.
• Sit in a bath of lukewarm water, which will feel cool when you have a fever. (Cold water will cause your body to warm up instead of cool down.)
• Give yourself a sponge bath with lukewarm water.
• Take frequent baths.
• Wear light clothing. 
• Stay in bed and rest.
• Check temperature regularly with a thermometer. 
• Avoid using too many extra blankets when you have chills. 
• Drink plenty of room-temperature water.
• keep hydrated.
• Eat meals frequently.
• Use a fan to keep air circulating.
• Take analgesics (paracetamol or ibuprofen.)
• Stay indoor.

IF FEVER DOES NOT ABATE IN 24HOURS, CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR.

LIDWIG's ANGINA

Ludwig’s angina is a rare skin infection that occurs on the floor of the mouth, underneath the tongue. It is a bacterial infection that often occurs after a tooth abscess which is a collection of pus in the center of a tooth. It can also occur after other mouth infections or injuries. This infection is more common in adults than children

The bacteria Streptococcus and Staphylococcus are common causes.The following may also contribute to developing Ludwig’s angina:

• poor dental hygiene
• trauma or lacerations in the mouth
• a recent tooth extraction

THE SYMPTOMS OF LUDWIG's ANGINA ARE 

• pain or tenderness in the floor of your mouth, which is underneath your tongue
• difficulty swallowing
• drooling
• problems with speech
• neck pain
• swelling of the neck
• redness on the neck
• weakness
• fatigue
• an earache
• tongue swelling that causes your tongue to push against your palate
• a fever
• chills
• confusion

WHEN TO SEE YOUR DOCTOR 

Call your doctor if you have symptoms of Ludwig’s angina. As the infection progresses, you may also experience trouble breathing and chest pain. It may cause serious complications, such as airway blockage or sepsis, which is a severe inflammatory response to bacteria. These complications can be life-threatening.

DIABETES

Diabetes mellitus commonly known as diabetes is a metabolic disease that causes high blood sugar.

The hormone insulin moves sugar from the blood into your cells to be stored or used for energy. With diabetes, your body either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t effectively use the insulin it does make.

There are  different types of diabetes.

1. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. The immune system attacks and destroys cells in the pancreas where insulin is made.

This causes diabetes by leaving the body without enough insulin to function normally.

This is called an autoimmune reaction, or autoimmune cause, because the body is attacking itself

2. Type 2 diabetes occurs when your body becomes resistant to insulin, and sugar builds up in your blood.
Type 2 diabetes causes are usually multifactorial, more than one diabetes cause is involved. Often, the most overwhelming factor is a family history of type 2 diabetes. There are a variety of risk factors for type 2 diabetes, any or all of which increase the chances of developing the condition.These include:

• obesity
• Living a sedentary lifestyle
• Increasing age
• Bad diet

Other type 2 diabetes causes includes pregnancy or chronic  illness.

3. Prediabetes - this occurs when your blood sugar is higher than normal, but it’s not high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes

4.Gestational diabetes - high blood sugar during pregnancy. Insulin-blocking hormones produced by the placenta cause this type of diabetes

5.Diabetes Insipidus - It’s a differentiated condition in which your kidneys remove too much water from the body

EARLY SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF DIABETES 

1. Frequent urination

When blood sugar levels are high, the kidneys try to remove the excess sugar by filtering it out of the blood. This can lead to a person needing to urinate more frequently, particularly at night.

2. Increased thirst

The frequent urination that is necessary to remove excess sugar from the blood can result in the body losing additional water. Over time, this can cause dehydration and lead to a person feeling more thirsty than usual.

3. Always feeling hungry

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Constant hunger or thirst can be early signs of type 2 diabetes.

People with diabetes often do not get enough energy from the food they eat.

The digestive system breaks food down into a simple sugar called glucose, which the body uses as fuel. In people with diabetes, not enough of this glucose moves from the bloodstream into the body’s cells.

As a result, people with type 2 diabetes often feel constantly hungry, regardless of how recently they have eaten.

4. Feeling very tired

Type 2 diabetes can impact on a person’s energy levels and cause them to feel very tired or fatigued. This tiredness occurs as a result of insufficient sugar moving from the bloodstream into the body’s cells.

5. Blurry vision

An excess of sugar in the blood can damage the tiny blood vessels in the eyes, which can cause blurry vision. This blurry vision can occur in one or both of the eyes and may come and go.

If a person with diabetes goes without treatment, the damage to these blood vessels can become more severe, and permanent vision loss may eventually occur.

6. Slow healing of cuts and wounds

High levels of sugar in the blood can damage the body’s nerves and blood vessels, which can impair blood circulation. As a result, even small cuts and wounds may take weeks or months to heal. Slow wound healing also increases the risk of infection.

7. Tingling, numbness, or pain in the hands or feet

High blood sugar levels can affect blood circulation and damage the body’s nerves. In people with type 2 diabetes, this can lead to pain or a sensation of tingling or numbness in the hands and feet.

This condition is known as neuropathy, and it can worsen over time and lead to more serious complications if a person does not get treatment for their diabetes.

8. Patches of dark skin

Patches of dark skin forming on the creases of the neck, armpit, or groin can also signify a higher risk of diabetes. These patches may feel very soft and velvety.

This skin condition is known as acanthosis nigricans.

9. Itching and yeast infections

Excess sugar in the blood and urine provides food for yeast, which can lead to infection. Yeast infections tend to occur on warm, moist areas of the skin, such as the mouth, genital areas, and armpits.

The affected areas are usually itchy, but a person may also experience burning, redness, and soreness.

COMPLICATIONS OF DIABETES 

• Cardiovascular disease. Diabetes dramatically increases the risk of various cardiovascular problems, including coronary artery disease with chest pain (angina), heart attack, stroke and narrowing of arteries (atherosclerosis). If you have diabetes, you're more likely to have heart disease or stroke.
• Nerve damage (neuropathy). Excess sugar can injure the walls of the tiny blood vessels (capillaries) that nourish your nerves, especially in your legs. This can cause tingling, numbness, burning or pain that usually begins at the tips of the toes or fingers and gradually spreads upward.
  Left untreated, you could lose all sense of feeling in the affected limbs. Damage to the nerves related to digestion can cause problems with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation. For men, it may lead to erectile dysfunction.
• Kidney damage (nephropathy). The kidneys contain millions of tiny blood vessel clusters (glomeruli) that filter waste from your blood. Diabetes can damage this delicate filtering system. Severe damage can lead to kidney failure or irreversible end-stage kidney disease, which may require dialysis or a kidney transplant.
• Eye damage (retinopathy). Diabetes can damage the blood vessels of the retina (diabetic retinopathy), potentially leading to blindness. Diabetes also increases the risk of other serious vision conditions, such as cataracts and glaucoma.
• Foot damage. Nerve damage in the feet or poor blood flow to the feet increases the risk of various foot complications. Left untreated, cuts and blisters can develop serious infections, which often heal poorly. These infections may ultimately require toe, foot or leg amputation.
• Skin conditions. Diabetes may leave you more susceptible to skin problems, including bacterial and fungal infections.
• Hearing impairment. Hearing problems are more common in people with diabetes.
• Alzheimer's disease. Type 2 diabetes may increase the risk of dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease. The poorer your blood sugar control, the greater the risk appears to be. Although there are theories as to how these disorders might be connected, none has yet been proved.
• Depression. Depression symptoms are common in people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Depression can affect diabetes management.

PREVENTION OF DIABETES 

Type 1 diabetes can't be prevented. However, healthy lifestyle choices can help treat prediabetes, prevent type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes.

• Eat healthy foods. Choose foods lower in fat and calories and higher in fiber. Focus on fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Strive for variety to prevent boredom.
• Get more physical activity. Aim for 30 minutes of moderate physical activity a day. Take a brisk daily walk. Ride your bike. Swim laps. If you can't fit in a long workout, break it up into smaller sessions spread throughout the day.
• Lose excess pounds. If you're overweight, losing even 7 percent of your body weight — for example, 14 pounds (6.4 kilograms) if you weigh 200 pounds (90.7 kilograms) — can reduce the risk of diabetes.
  Don't try to lose weight during pregnancy, however. Talk to your doctor about how much weight is healthy for you to gain during pregnancy.
  To keep your weight in a healthy range, focus on permanent changes to your eating and exercise habits. Motivate yourself by remembering the benefits of losing weight, such as a healthier heart, more energy and improved self-esteem

WHEN TO SEE YOUR DOCTOR 

• If you suspect you or your child may have diabetes. If you notice any possible diabetes symptoms, contact your doctor. The earlier the condition is diagnosed, the sooner treatment can begin.
• If you have already been diagnosed with diabetes. After you receive your diagnosis, you'll need close medical follow-up until your blood sugar levels stabilize.

MALARIA

Malaria is a parasitic disease typically transmitted through the bite of an infected Anopheles mosquito. Infected mosquitoes carry the parasite. The parasites are called Plasmodium. When this mosquito bites you, the parasite is released into your bloodstream. Once the parasites are inside your body, they travel to the liver, where they mature. After several days, the mature parasites enter the bloodstream and begin to infect red blood cells.

Within 48 to 72 hours, the parasites inside the red blood cells multiply, causing the infected cells to burst open. The parasites continue to infect red blood cells, resulting in symptoms that occur in cycles that last two to three days at a time.

There are four kinds of malaria parasites that can infect humans: Plasmodium vivax, P. ovale, P. malariae, and P. falciparum

P. falciparum causes a more severe form of the disease and those who contract this form of malaria have a higher risk of death. An infected mother can also pass the disease to her baby at birth. This is known as congenital malaria.

Malaria is transmitted by blood, so it can also be transmitted through:

• an organ transplant
• blood transfusion 
• use of shared needles or syringes

The symptoms of malaria typically develop within 10 days to 4 weeks following the infection. In some cases, symptoms may not develop for several months. Some malarial parasites can enter the body but will be dormant for long periods of time

STYMPTOMS INCLUDE

• shaking chills that can range from moderate to severe
• high fever
• profuse sweating
• headache
• nause
• vomiting 
• abdominal pain
• diarrhea
• anemia
• muscle pain
• convulsions 
• coma
• bloody stool

COMPLICATIONS OF MALARIA 

• swelling of the blood vessels of the brain, or cerebral malaria
• an accumulation of fluid in the lungs that causes breathing problems, or pulmonary edema
• organ failure of the kidney, liver, or spleen
• anemia due to the destruction of red blood cells
• low blood sugar

ANY SYMPTOMS ? 

Your doctor will be able to diagnose malaria. During your appointment, your doctor will review your health history, including any recent travel to tropical climates. A physical exam will also be performed.

Your doctor will be able to determine if you have an enlarged spleen or liver. If you have symptoms of malaria, your doctor may order additional blood tests to confirm your diagnosis.

PREVENTION OF MALARIA 

• Removal of stagnant water from your environment 
• Cut all bushes in your environment 
• Use insecticide treated net
• Apply insect repellant on exposed skin
• Wear long sleeve cloths when outdoor at night
• seek medical advice if you have symptoms