Blog
April 30, 2018
Allergy and Asthma Allergies play a significant role in asthma. Allergies are one of the major contributing factors that are linked to the cause and persistence of asthma. Approximately 80% of people with asthma have positive results for allergy testing. People who have a diagnosis of asthma may experience a narrowing of their airways. This means that air can not flow properly in and out of their lungs. With the help of medications, and regular care from health professionals, these symptoms can be reversed. People who experience asthma may show the following symptoms: Wheezing Shortness of breath Irritable long lasting […]
April 23, 2018
Allergy Testing Allergy testing is commonly performed on patients who present with likely reactions to foods, or insects, or who are showing symptoms of their asthma being exacerbated with link to exposure to an allergen. Allergy testing can be done by blood tests and also by skin prick testing. At the Panaceum, our GPs can offer both forms of testing. We also have 3 specialised GPs who oversee the service of Skin Prick Testing to patients over the age of 5 years and specifically focus on grasses, dust mites, olives and cat hair. We perform the test by using a […]
April 6, 2018
Allergies – what are they? An allergy occurs as a result of a person’s immune system reacting to something in the environment that is usually of no harm to others. These substances are known as Allergens. Examples of allergens include dust mites, pets, insects, moulds and foods. When a person has an allergic reaction to a substance, it triggers an antibody response and our body produces histamine. When histamine is released, the body may show signs of swelling and inflammation which becomes uncomfortable. Around 1 in 3 people will develop an allergy at some point in their life. The most […]
March 2, 2018
Part 4 of Physiotherapist Thomas Knight’s Pain Series. What to do about it / Management: Turning down the volume… Slow down, trying to fight pain is like putting petrol on a fire Remember that it is just pain. It’s not fun but it’s also not dangerous Breath slowly and deeply, When pain strikes, slowly breath in for 5 seconds and out for 5 seconds Work back into the things in life that pain has caused you to stop or avoid. Set small goals and celebrate each one you achieve Pace yourself slowly and don’t jump into doing too much too […]
February 23, 2018
Part 3 of Physiotherapist Thomas Knight’s Pain Series. A few things you may not know regarding pain, particularly Low back pain (LBP): LBP is a common and normal experience, much like a sprained ankle. 80% of the general population will experience LBP at some point in their life Scans will not show the cause of persistent pain. That is not to say that the pain isn’t real but chasing after the pain with an X-ray or scan is not always helpful and can sometimes make the pain worse Back pain is not caused by something being out of place Bed […]
February 16, 2018
Part 2 of Physiotherapist Thomas Knight’s Pain Series. As Human beings our nervous systems are plastic and are designed to learn. What this means is that we are not hard wired and are capable of change and adaptability. These changes can be good, such as the body learning to walk again after a spinal cord injury or the ability for us to learn new skills, however it can also be unhelpful. As pain persists our body learns that this is normal behaviour and gets better at experiencing it. Despite the injury healing, our body continues to be in pain. This […]