OLDER PEOPLE LEFT AT RISK AND UNAWARE OF GAS DANGERS

Gas Safety Week 2016

Gas Safety Week 2016

Nearly eight million older people could be at risk from unsafe gas appliances  in the UK as Gas Safe Register reveals that three quarters of Britons have never discussed gas safety with older family members. Therefore, during this year’s Gas Safety Week (19-25 September), Gas Safe Register is urging friends and family to help older people avoid gas dangers in their homes.

Jonathan Samuel, managing director for Gas Safe Register, said: “We’re urging the nation to reach out to those who are more vulnerable when it comes to gas safety. Together, we can help prevent deaths and injuries and reduce the number of dangerous gas appliances.”

More than 260 over-65s are injured by gas appliances every year[ii], accounting for the majority (57%) of deaths from gas fire heaters at home. As a result, Gas Safe Register is providing three tips to help keep older friends and relatives gas safe at home:

 

Sign up for an annual gas safety check – Only 16% of people speak to their older relatives annually about gas safety. To make it easier, sign up on their behalf for an annual gas safety check reminder at www.staygassafe.co.uk.

Get savvy with CO poisoning symptoms – One in 10 (11%) over 75s has little or no knowledge of the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) and less than half (47%) of Britons can recognise CO poisoning symptoms in their older relatives. Although CO has no smell, taste or colour, symptoms of poisoning include: headaches; dizziness; nausea; breathlessness; collapse and loss of consciousness – all of which can be mistaken for something else.

Recognise unsafe gas appliance signs – Just over half of Britons (53%) know the signs of unsafe gas appliances, which include: a lazy yellow flame instead of a crisp blue flame; soot or staining on or around the appliance; excess condensation in the room.

 

Mark Jones, Station Manager, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, recalls a recent call-out handled by his team:

 

“Recently a man in his 80s was found by his stepson collapsed on his bedroom floor. His stepson called an ambulance and, on arrival, paramedics immediately removed the man from the property, taking him to hospital to be treated for suspected carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.

“We were called to investigate and our crews entered the property using breathing apparatus that monitored the CO levels within the property. The detector registered 650 parts per million (ppm), which is an extremely high and dangerous level that can potentially be fatal within minutes. The gas supply was isolated and the property ventilated.

“The man is very lucky to be alive. Although older people are at particular risk from the effects of CO poisoning, it is an indiscriminate killer and can be fatal to anyone. This is not an isolated incident – similar cases have resulted in fatalities that could potentially have been avoided if people had fitted a CO alarm in their property and had an annual safety check carried out by a Gas Safe Registered engineer.”

Gas Safe Register investigations find around one in six gas appliances are unsafe, with half of the gas fireplaces investigated found to be dangerous.

Worryingly, older people are half as likely (6%) as other age groups (15%) to have a gas installation or service carried out by a professional to ensure their gas appliances are safe. Make sure they know to ‘Trust the Triangle’ by asking to see their engineer’s Gas Safe ID card and checking it to make sure the engineer is covered to check or fit the appliance in question.

September is Breast Cancer Awareness – Please like and share this Facebook Page Cover to show your support.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Tomorrow sees the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2016.

This dreadful cancer has affected far to many of us but until a cure is found we must push for greater awareness everyday not just in September.

So to help this vital cause we have created a Facebook page cover to commemorate Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2016. We would ask you to put it up om your page or share via Twitter even for a few minutes.

Thanks very much in advance.

PS As part of our medical education offering we have produced a post looking at the what every woman needs to know about breast cancer. To find out more please read the post here.

Allergic rhinitis – what are the cause of Allergic rhinitis? Part 2

Allergic rhinitis - a guide

Allergic rhinitis – a guide

Allergic rhinitis is caused by an allergic reaction to an allergen, such as pollen, dust and certain animals.

Oversensitive immune system

If you have allergic rhinitis, your immune system – your natural defence against infection and illness – will react to an allergen as if it were harmful.

If your immune system is oversensitive, it will react to allergens by producing antibodies to fight them off. Antibodies are special proteins in the blood that are usually produced to fight viruses and infections.

Allergic reactions don’t occur the first time you come into contact with an allergen. The immune system has to recognise and “memorise” it before producing antibodies to fight it. This process is known as sensitisation.

After you develop sensitivity to an allergen, it will be detected by antibodies called immunoglobulin E (IgE) whenever it comes into contact with the inside of your nose and throat.

These antibodies cause cells to release a number of chemicals, including histamine, which can cause the inside layer of your nose (the mucous membrane) to become inflamed and produce excess mucus. This is what causes the typical symptoms of sneezing and a blocked or runny nose.

Common allergens

Allergic rhinitis is triggered by breathing in tiny particles of allergens. The most common airborne allergens that cause rhinitis are described below.

House dust mites

House dust mites are tiny insects that feed on the dead flakes of human skin. They can be found in mattresses, carpets, soft furniture, pillows and beds.

Rhinitis isn’t caused by the dust mites themselves, but by a chemical found in their excrement. Dust mites are present all year round, although their numbers tend to peak during the winter.

Pollen and spores

Tiny particles of pollen produced by trees and grasses can sometimes cause allergic rhinitis. Most trees pollinate from early to mid-spring, whereas grasses pollinate at the end of spring and beginning of summer.

Rhinitis can also be caused by spores produced by mould and fungi.

Animals

Many people are allergic to animals, such as cats and dogs. The allergic reaction isn’t caused by animal fur, but flakes of dead animal skin and their urine and saliva.

Dogs and cats are the most common culprits, although some people are affected by horses, cattle, rabbits and rodents, such as guinea pigs and hamsters.

However, being around dogs from an early age can help protect against allergies, and there’s some evidence to suggest that this might also be the case with cats.

Work-related allergens

Some people are affected by allergens found in their work environment, such as wood dust, flour dust or latex.

Who’s most at risk?

It isn’t fully understood why some people become oversensitive to allergens, although you’re more likely to develop an allergy if there’s a history of allergies in your family.

If this is the case, you’re said to be “atopic”, or to have “atopy”. People who are atopic have a genetic tendency to develop allergic conditions. Their increased immune response to allergens results in increased production of IgE antibodies.

Environmental factors may also play a part. Studies have shown certain things may increase the chance of a child developing allergies, such as growing up in a house where people smoke and being exposed to dust mites at a young age.

How diet can improve your Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

Not just diet but much more is covered in this infographic looking at Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

This include signs, symptoms , causes and treatments of Irritable Bowel Syndrome as well.

You can see our previous blogs on IBS here.