Posted by admins on March 9, 2011 under Diseases and Conditions | 
What is methadone?
Methadone belongs to a group of strong pain-killing drugs called opioids. They include codeine, morphine, and heroin.
How is methadone used?
Methadone comes in the form of a syrup and is used to treat heroin-dependent people.
Who can receive methadone treatment?
Generally, a person has to be over 18 years of age and can only go on a methadone treatment program after being assessed by a doctor who is an approved methadone prescriber. Usually people pick up their daily dose at a clinic or pharmacy.
Why is methadone a better alternative to heroin?
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Posted by admins on under Diseases and Conditions |
What is Chickenpox?
- Chickenpox is a viral illness caused by the herpes zoster virus (also known as the Varicella-Zoster virus)
- In children it usually causes a relatively mild illness.
- Chickenpox in adults and immunosuppressed people can be severe.
- Infection in pregnancy can cause foetal malformations, skin scarring, and other problems in the baby.
- The incidence of chickenpox is likely to decrease as more people receive the vaccine.
What are the symptoms?
- Chickenpox begins with a sudden onset of slight fever, runny nose, feeling generally unwell and a skin rash.
- The rash usually begins as small lumps that turn into blisters and then scabs.
- The rash appears over three to four days. At any one time, the lesions of the rash vary in stages of development.
- Symptoms usually occur two weeks after exposure to the virus.
- Most people recover without complications, but sometimes the infection can lead to serious complications, such as pneumonia and inflammation of the brain. Rarely, the infection can be fatal.
How is it spread?
Posted by admins on under Diseases and Conditions |
What is Circumcision?
Circumcision is the removal of the foreskin or loose sleeve of skin covering the end of the penis so as to permanently expose the glans (or knob). Ideally it should result in full exposure of the whole glans and what is named the ‘coronal groove’ behind it. In such examples there is no bunching of shaft skin in the groove, leaving it smooth and unable to trap ‘smegma’. Smegma is a disagreeable smelly cheesy-white substance formed in damp folds of skin on the human body. It accumulates when such places are not cleaned in normal hygiene routines and has been implicated as a possible cause of cancer of the penis in uncircumcised men and of the cervix of their partners.
Worldwide, around a quarter of all adult men are circumcised. This varies from country to country. Over 85% of Americans are done (in part because of the great economic emphasis placed on preventative health issues in that country). Around 20% of British men have been circumcised and higher proportions in Canada, New Zealand and Australia. It is the norm amongst most African tribes and a strict religious requirement for Jewish males, who are ritually done eight days after birth, and a custom amongst Muslims who have it performed at varying ages before puberty. Indeed almost the only groups worldwide that have not practised circumcision regularly are the Mediterranean Europeans, South Americans, Scandinavians and non-Moslem Asians. Read more of this article »