ASK YOUR DOCTOR

Pregnancy brings with it important concerns about prescription and non-prescription drugs. Not every medication poses a risk to the unborn baby, but some do. Only a limited number of drugs have been shown conclusively to be dangerous during pregnancy. Tertogenic drugs should be avoided at all costs.

Attentive-deficit/hyperactive disorder (ADHD), is a common developmental disorder that affects 3-9% of school aged children worldwide, but can also affect adolescents and adults as well.

Many individuals suffer from acute sinusitis every year. Although this condition can become a chronic one the majority of patients recover with treatment and have few complications.

Bleeding during pregnancy is a cause for concern in many pregnant women and most often requires expert clinical management to prevent serious complications that may include death.

The hectic lifestyles of many Anguillians have resulted in many individuals being deprived of adequate sleep. Sleep deprivation is one of the most common sleep-related problems seen in Anguilla. Sleep related disorders can have an adverse effect on health and safety as well as mood and behaviour.

Bipolar disorder, previously known as manic depressive illness is chronic mental illness, that affects millions of people in many countries including Anguilla. Although cure is not possible there are many treatment options available for individuals with this disorder.

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that is very common in Anguilla. Many people can live successful lives with this disease once it is fully controlled, but in many cases the disease is not well controlled and many preventable complications develop that can have devastating effects for the individual and can have severe financial costs for the health care system of the country.

Of the estimated 210 million pregnancies that occur throughout the world each year, about 38 % are unplanned. The percentage of unplanned pregnancies occurring in Anguilla is not known but it is estimated that it is significant and tends to occur at certain peak times in the year like the August festivities.

Tuberculosis, also called TB, is a contagious disease that usually affects the lungs, but can spread to other parts of the body. Like the common cold, it spreads through the air, but only people who are sick with TB in their lungs are infectious.

Many individuals have suffered from food poisoning at one time or the other in their lives. In many countries the incidence of food poisoning appears to be increasing especially during the warmer months of the year. In Anguilla the number of cases of food poisoning tends to increase during the August festivities. Food poisoning can be a very serious illness although in most instances it is just a mild illness and clears up within a few days.

Bronchial asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases of children and is the most common causes of school absenteeism. Although there is no cure for asthma, at this time, it can be successfully controlled. The diagnosis of asthma should not be a cause of shame. Many olympic athletes, famous leaders and others live successful lives with asthma. The incidence of childhood asthma appears to be increasing in Anguilla.

Sexually transmitted infections are some of the most common infections in Anguilla. Some of them can be very severe with deadly consequences and add thousands of dollars to the country’s health care costs.

Chronic pelvic pain is a common problem and presents major challenges to the health care provider. In many cases there is no clear cause for this, making it difficult to cure or manage. It is estimated that approximately 15 to 20% of women aged 18-50 years have chronic pelvic pain of greater than one year’s duration.

Strokes affect many people in Anguilla and many survivors require extensive rehabilitation that can be very costly and burdensome to themselves and their families. Uncontrolled high blood pressure is a leading risk factor for strokes in Anguilla. Unfortunately, stroke is also a leading cause of death in Anguilla.

World Blood Donor Day is celebrated on 14 June as a worldwide celebration to honour and thank those people who donate their blood on a voluntary, unpaid basis to give the most precious gift of all the gift of Life. This year the focus is on thanking blood donors and on raising awareness of the role of safe blood transfusions in preventing maternal deaths.

Stress must be the most popular word in Anguilla. We hear it in our homes, at school, at church, and on the job. The reason it is such a popular topic is due to the fact that too much stress can affect all of us and can lead to several diseases that can affect our health.

Many individuals suffer from heartburn at least once a month and others more often. Symptoms of GERD are often controlled with modifications in lifestyle or medications but when they persist they may indicate a more serious condition and individuals should see their doctor.

This common skin disorder, although not life threatening, can cause much distress to its sufferers especially teenagers. Fortunately, virtually every case of acne can be resolved but this often is a long process and requires much patience.

Sickle cell disease is a complex inherited disorder of the red blood cells. This disorder was first discovered in 1910 and has a variable clinical course and, at present, has no universal cure. The disease occurs in Anguilla and many other Caribbean countries.

Urinary tract infections are a common cause for individuals to see their physician. Urinary tract infections rank closely behind colds and flu in frequency. Urinary tract infections can cause much discomfort to the individual and can restrict activity and also cause time lost from work. Left untreated urinary tract infections can lead to serious kidney complications.