Do I need to test my DNA?
Good question.
A fair few medical conditions have a genetic component. Breast cancer and celiac disease for two example.
Them there are other condition like autism where the jury is still out but it does seem a strong possibility!
So it can be worth checking. This infographic gives you a bit more information on DNA testing should you chose to do so!
From Visually.
C. diff infection
Clostridium difficile, also known as C. difficile or C. diff, is a bacterium that can infect the bowel and cause diarrhoea.
The infection most commonly affects people who have recently been treated with antibiotics, but can spread easily to others.
C. difficile infections are unpleasant and can sometimes cause serious bowel problems, but they can usually be treated with another course of antibiotics.
Symptoms of a C. difficile infection usually develop when you’re taking antibiotics, or when you’ve finished taking them within the last few weeks.
The most common symptoms are:
In some cases, serious complications can develop, such as damage to the bowel or severe dehydration, which may cause drowsiness, confusion, a rapid heart rate and fainting.
C. difficile mostly affects people who:
Many C. difficile infections used to occur in places where many people take antibiotics and are in close contact with each other, such as hospitals and care homes.
However, strict infection control measures have helped to reduce this risk, and an increasing number of C. difficile infections now occur outside these settings.
Visiting your GP surgery with a possible C. difficile infection can put others at risk, so it’s best to call your GP or NHS 111 if you’re concerned or feel you need advice.
Get medical advice if:
Diarrhoea can be caused by a number of conditions and is a common side effect of antibiotics, so having diarrhoea while taking antibiotics doesn’t necessarily mean you have a C. difficile infection.
Your GP may suggest sending off a sample of your poo to confirm whether you have C. difficile. A blood test may also be carried out to help determine how severe the infection is, and sometimes you may need tests or scans in hospital to check if your bowel is damaged.
Your GP will decide whether you need hospital treatment (if you’re not already in hospital). If the infection is relatively mild, you may be treated at home.
If you’re in hospital, you might be moved to a room of your own during treatment to reduce the risk of the infection spreading to others.
Treatment for C. difficile can include:
C. difficile infections usually respond well to treatment, with most people making a full recovery in a week or two. However, the symptoms come back in around 1 in 5 cases and treatment may need to be repeated.
If you’re well enough to be treated at home, the following measures can help relieve your symptoms and prevent the infection spreading:
Your GP may contact you regularly to make sure you’re getting better. Call them if your symptoms return after treatment finishes, as it may need to be repeated.
C. difficile bacteria are found in the digestive system of about 1 in every 30 healthy adults. The bacteria often live harmlessly because the other bacteria normally found in the bowel keep it under control.
However, some antibiotics can interfere with the balance of bacteria in the bowel, which can cause the C. difficile bacteria to multiply and produce toxins that make the person ill.
When this happens, C. difficile can spread easily to other people because the bacteria are passed out of the body in the person’s diarrhoea.
Once out of the body, the bacteria turn into resistant cells called spores. These can survive for long periods on hands, surfaces (such as toilets), objects and clothing unless they’re thoroughly cleaned, and can infect someone else if they get into their mouth.
Someone with a C. difficile infection is generally considered to be infectious until at least 48 hours after their symptoms have cleared up.
C. difficile infections can be passed on very easily. You can reduce your risk of picking it up or spreading it by practising good hygiene, both at home and in healthcare settings.
The following measures can help:
Read more about preventing germs from spreading.
Body Odour
Body odour is the unpleasant smell produced by bacteria on the skin that break down the acids in your sweat.The medical term is bromhidrosis.
Anyone who has reached puberty can produce body odour, as this is when the apocrine sweat glands develop, which produce the sweat that bacteria can quickly break down.
Men are more likely to have body odour, because they tend to sweat more than women.
Things that can make body odour worse include:
Hyperhidrosis is a condition where a person sweats excessively and much more than the body needs to regulate temperature.
If you have hyperhidrosis, you may also have smelly feet (bromodosis). Smelly feet are caused by wearing shoes and socks that prevent sweat evaporating or being absorbed, which attracts bacteria.
See your GP if:
Excessive sweating and body odour is an unpleasant problem that can affect a person’s confidence and self-esteem.
A body odour problem can usually be managed by getting rid of excess skin bacteria – which are responsible for the smell – and keeping the skin in the affected area (usually the armpits) clean and dry.
Your armpits contain a large number of apocrine glands, which are responsible for producing body odour.
Keeping your armpits clean and free of bacteria will help keep odour under control. Following the below advice can help you achieve this:
The active ingredients used in antiperspirants and deodorants differ, so you may find some more effective than others.
Deodorants work by using perfume to mask the smell of sweat. Antiperspirants contain aluminium chloride (see below), which reduces the amount of sweat produced by your body.
Use roll-on antiperspirants if you sweat heavily, as they tend to be more effective.
Aluminium chloride is the active ingredient in most antiperspirants. It helps prevent the production of sweat.
If the above self-care advice doesn’t improve your body odour, you may need a stronger antiperspirant that contains more aluminium chloride.
Your GP or pharmacist can recommend a suitable product and advise about how often you should use it.
Aluminium chloride solutions are usually applied every night before bed, and washed off in the morning. This is because you stop sweating in your sleep, so the solution can seep into your sweat glands and block them. This reduces how much you sweat the next day.
As the aluminium chloride solution begins to take effect, you can use it less often (every other night, or once or twice a week).
Surgery may be recommended for severe body odour that can’t be treated by self-care measures and over-the-counter products.
One type of surgery involves removing a small area of skin from your armpit and the tissue just below it. This gets rid of the most troublesome sweat glands.
It may also be possible for the sweat glands to be drawn out from the deeper skin layers using liposuction – a technique that’s often used to remove unwanted body fat.
Another option is a type of surgery called endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS), which uses keyhole surgery to destroy the nerves that control sweating.
During ETS, the surgeon makes two or three small incisions under each arm. A tiny camera (endoscope) is inserted through one of the incisions so the surgeon can see the inside of your armpit on a monitor.
The surgeon will insert small surgical tools through the other incisions, allowing them to cut the nerves. Alternatively, a thin electrode that emits an electrical current will be used to destroy the nerves.
Risks associated with ETS include damage to nearby arteries or nerves, and compensatory sweating (increased sweating from other areas of the body). You should fully discuss the risks of the procedure with your surgeon beforehand.
Botulinum toxin, often referred to as Botox, is another possible treatment for people with excessive underarm sweating.
Botulinum toxin is a powerful poison that can be used safely in minute doses. Between 12 and 20 injections of botulinum toxin are made in the affected area of the body, such as the armpits, hands, feet or face.
The toxin works by blocking signals from your brain to the sweat glands, reducing the amount of sweat produced.
The procedure takes 30-45 minutes, and the effects of botulinum toxin usually last for between two and eight months. After this time, further treatment will be needed.
