a) What is thrombosis?
b) What is the differences between arterial thromboembolism (ATE) , venous thromboembolism (VTE) and pulmonary embolism (PE)?
c) What is hospital-acquired VTE?
d) What are the early signs and symptoms of the different types of thrombosis?
e) What treatments are available?
f) What are the long term effects of thrombosis?
g) What are the plans for World Thrombosis Day 2019?
h) Where can people go for more information?
Over 40% of adults in the US have vitamin D deficiency, according to a 2011 study. It is estimated that about 1 billion people worldwide are deficient. In this video we’re looking at the 5 biggest symptoms linked with low vitamin D level
Whether you struggle with nausea from morning sickness, illness or you just drank too much last night, here are my top tips for cures. Take it from a girl who spends hours every day feeling sick: this stuff works!
Many women take their reproductive health for granted but it can prove vital to understand your own body and identify what normal is for you. So, join us as we discuss all things related to PCOS and tackle the truth behind the taboo, with help from some genuine PCOS experiences.
With September marking Polycystic Ovary Syndrome awareness month, we believe that it is time to put a spotlight on the condition. According to NHS England, PCOS affects 1 in 5 women here in the UK but do we know enough about it?
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a condition which affects a woman’s hormone levels, specifically involving the production of androgen — male hormones. This imbalance can lead to irregular periods, which means that your ovaries do not release eggs regularly.
One common misconception is that having polycystic ovaries means that you have cysts — this isn’t the case. They are not true cysts in the sense that they aren’t filled with liquid and they don’t grow large and burst. In actuality they are follicles that contain immature eggs and because they have not matured enough, they don’t trigger ovulation.
The signs of PCOS will usually become apparent during a woman’s late teens or early 20’s — but it can affect women of all ages. The severity and range of symptoms experienced is likely to differ between people but some of the possible signs to look out for include:
Your GP should be your first port of call if you are worried about experiencing any of the above. The problem that many women face with PCOS is that it is often misdiagnosed with a whole array or other conditions that can mimic the symptoms. This can make the diagnosis a long, difficult process.
Niamh, 22, describes that she had ‘’experienced severe cramps that were getting in the way of my normal routines, as well as period irregularities, so I was really concerned at the time. Before the PCOS diagnosis my doctor suggested trying over the counter painkillers but after few trips back to the surgery I was finally told that I had the condition’’.
Get familiar with what is normal for you and your body and if you are concerned about anything then be sure to make an appointment with your GP. Irregular or heavier periods are some of the most common symptoms of PCOS and managing them from month to month can be difficult. Your period shouldn’t get in the way of your normal routine, so make sure you look for the right product for you, with the correct absorbency for your flow. You could try using tampons for heavy periods, as they are available in the widest range of absorbencies. By finding the absorbency that suits your individual flow, you won’t have to worry about leaks.
Whilst there is no cure for PCOS, after a woman is diagnosed with the condition the symptoms can be managed and relieved through multiple approaches. Various medications might be prescribed by a doctor following diagnosis: Clomifene is usually the first option prescribed to help ovulation resume, or Metformin (used commonly to treat type 2 diabetes) can be given to women — although for PCOS it is used ‘off-label’ as it isn’t actually licensed for treating the condition in the UK. There’s also medication options for targeting other PCOS symptoms such as acne and unwanted hair loss/ growth.
Becca, 24, spoke about the treatment options following her PCOS diagnosis, saying that ‘’People are very unaware of how different the symptoms can be, and treatment needs to be quite personalised’’. As well as the options we’ve discussed, there are treatments based on naturopathy that women could opt for. For PCOS it is important that as women, we deconstruct the ‘one size fits all’ approach to managing the symptoms, both visible and not. Becca added that ‘’it is possible for treatments to mask your symptoms rather than alleviate the root of the problem — and some women don’t even get a PCOS diagnosis before they’re offered medication for the signs’’.
For many women, fertility after a PCOS diagnosis is a big concern but the outcome isn’t always negative. With treatment in place, getting pregnant naturally is possible and there are multiple medications that are commonly prescribed to treat symptoms and stimulate fertility.
A fertility specialist will be able to provide more guidance for women who have PCOS and struggle to conceive naturally. However, you can take positive steps to manage symptoms and boost fertility, including modifying your diet and lifestyle. Unfortunately, some women do require further help to get pregnant in PCOS cases and in vitro fertilization might be recommended.
However, it’s important to remember that PCOS doesn’t affect fertility in the same way for all women with the condition and natural pregnancies are possible!
September is PCOS Awareness Month, but do we know enough about how it affects our bodies and do we feel that it is approached in the right way? Jade, 23, described her frustration during her PCOS diagnosis, saying ‘’From my experience, PCOS isn’t treated with enough sensitivity and as few of the symptoms are visible, people can often pass it off as period pain which makes you feel invalid’’. She adds that she ‘’went through so many tests, from bloods to thyroid examinations, with no clear diagnosis, it felt like I was just being passed back and forth between doctors’’.
As the signs of PCOS affect everyone differently, there is a vast spectrum for experiencing the condition and you might only notice one or two mild symptoms. All of the women that we spoke to expressed an unawareness of the condition prior to their diagnosis and this poses the issue of education — should schools be sharing more with their female students on this, in order to develop better understandings of our intimate health? Tackling a taboo of this nature is essential in helping women normalise their experiences and seek the right guidance and healthcare.
So, let’s all become more PCOS aware this September and as always — know what is normal for your body and don’t be afraid to voice any concerns!
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos/symptoms/
https://www.healthline.com/health/polycystic-ovary-disease
https://www.self.com/story/pcos-and-endometriosis-causes-symptoms-and-treatment
https://www.pcosoracle.com/celebrities-with-pcos/
https://helloclue.com/articles/cycle-a-z/deep-diagnosis-a-naturopathic-approach-to-pcos
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1334192/
https://moodymonth.com/articles/what-is-polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos-and-how-can-you-treat-it
https://www.glamour.com/story/living-with-pcos-taught-me-to-redefine-my-standards-of-beauty
Morton’s neuroma
Morton’s neuroma is a painful foot condition that affects one of the nerves between the toes.
It’s also known as Morton’s metatarsalgia or interdigital neuroma.
In Morton’s neuroma, a nerve in the foot becomes irritated and thickened, which can cause severe pain.
The condition can occur in one foot or both feet. It usually affects the nerve between the third and fourth toes, but sometimes the second and third toes are affected.
Morton’s neuroma can occur at any age, but most often affects middle-aged women. This may be because women tend to wear tight or high-heeled shoes that can put pressure on the feet.
It’s also increasingly seen in runners, possibly because of the increased pressure on the toes that occurs when running.
You may initially experience a tingling sensation in the space between your toes, which gets worse over time. This eventually develops into a sharp shooting or burning pain in the ball of your foot or at the base of your toes. There may also be some numbness in your toes.
The pain is often worse when walking or wearing shoes that squash the feet. Some people describe walking with Morton’s neuroma as feeling like there’s a small stone stuck under your foot. Removing your shoes and rubbing your foot may reduce the pain.
It’s a good idea to make an appointment to see a podiatrist (specialist in foot problems) if you have persistent symptoms of Morton’s neuroma, as the condition is unlikely to improve on its own. You could also visit your GP, who may refer you to a podiatrist.
Your GP or podiatrist may examine your foot and ask you some questions to find out:
about the pain and what it feels like
when your symptoms started
what type of shoes you usually wear
about your work, lifestyle and sporting activities
They can also suggest simple measures you can try at home to reduce your symptoms, or recommend other treatments.
Find a podiatrist near you.
Morton’s neuroma occurs when one of the nerves between the toe bones becomes irritated, which causes it to become thicker. The exact cause of the irritation is unknown, but it may be caused by the nerve being squashed (compressed), stretched or damaged.
The condition has been linked to:
wearing tight, pointy or high-heeled shoes
being active and playing sport – particularly running or sports that involve running and placing pressure on the feet, such as racquet sports
other foot problems, such as flat feet, high arches, bunions and hammer toes
It’s not clear if these directly cause the condition or just make the symptoms worse.
Treatment for Morton’s neuroma will depend on how long you’ve had the condition and its severity. Simple non-surgical treatments are effective for some people. Others may need surgery.
At first, your podiatrist or GP may recommend:
changing your footwear – shoes with a wider toe area may help ease the pressure on the nerve in your foot
orthotic devices – a soft pad for the ball of your foot may help relieve the pressure on the nerve
painkillers – taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory painkillers, such as ibuprofen, may help ease the pain and inflammation
losing weight – if you’re overweight, losing weight may reduce the strain on your feet
injections – injections of a steroid medication or alcohol solution alongside a local anaesthetic may offer some pain relief
Resting your foot and massaging your toes may also help relieve the pain. Some people also find it useful to hold an ice pack against their foot.
A relatively new procedure called cryosurgery (or cryotherapy), where a small probe is inserted into the foot and used to destroy the thickened nerve tissue by freezing it, is also sometimes used to treat Morton’s neuroma. However, this is still fairly experimental and isn’t widely available in the UK. You’ll usually have to pay for it privately.
Surgery for Morton’s neuroma is usually only recommended if you have very severe pain or if the treatments above haven’t worked. In this case, your GP can refer you to a podiatric or orthopaedic surgeon to discuss whether surgery is suitable for you.
During the operation, a small incision is made on the top or bottom of your foot so the surgeon can access the affected nerve. They will then either:
increase the space around the nerve by removing some of the surrounding tissue, or
remove part of the nerve – if this is done, the area between your toes will be permanently numb
The procedure is usually carried out using a general anaesthetic or local anaesthetic. You normally won’t need to stay in hospital overnight.
After the procedure, you’ll need to wear a special protective shoe until the affected area has healed enough to wear normal footwear. You can usually walk soon after the operation, although it will take weeks or months to make a full recovery.
Most people who have surgery to treat Morton’s neuroma have positive results and their pain is relieved afterwards.
As with all types of surgery, however, complications can occur, such as swelling, infection and pain. You should discuss the risks with your surgeon before having the procedure.