ASK YOUR DOCTOR

The birth of a new born baby can create powerful emotions from excitement and joy to fear and anxiety. Unfortunately, many mothers also experience depression. This varies from mild forms of baby blues to the more severe form of depression called post partum psychosis. It is estimated that approximately 10 percent of new moms experience a more severe form of emotional distress known as postpartum depression.

Every pregnancy has some risks, but there are more dangers to the health of pregnant woman and the health of the developing fetus with a high risk pregnancy. It is important that all high risk pregnancies be identified early and seek appropriate medical care.

Many individuals living in Anguilla suffer from one or more allergies at sometime in their lives. While the majority of patients do not have severe symptoms some do have severe symptoms some of which can be life threatening.

Bacterial vaginosis is one of the most common causes of vaginal complaints and is a common cause for women to see their gynaecologist. Bacterial vaginosis is further associated with a sizeable burden of infectious complications.

Bed-wetting also called nocturnal enuresis occurs in some children in Anguilla, although embarrassing it seldom causes health complications. It is often just a developmental stage delay especially if it occurs in children under seven years. Bed-wetting can cause much embarrassment to the child and much concern for their parents. Bet-wetting can be treated but requires much patience and understanding.

Cancer of the ovaries is one of the leading causes of death in women who develop cancer. Until recently, ovarian cancer was known as a “silent killer” because it usually was not detected until it had spread to other areas, and the prognosis was dismal. Recent research have now shown that there are symptoms in early stages of the disease and new tests can help to diagnose the cancer at an early stage which can result in better survival rates and even cure. The challenge for health professionals here in Anguilla is to get more women (especially those over fifty years) to see their doctor when they have symptoms suggestive of ovarian cancer.

Peripheral artery disease, also known as peripheral vascular disease, is a common circulatory problem in which narrowed arteries reduce blood flow to your limbs. It can cause a variety of symptoms some of which can be life-threatening.

Female infertility, male infertility or a combination of the two affects many couples in Anguilla. In most cases these couples have been trying to get pregnant with frequent, unprotected intercourse for at least a year with no success. This problem can cause much distress, both emotional and financial, to the couples. In many cases treatment is now possible.

Sickle cell disease, also known as sickle cell anaemia, is an inherited blood disease that mainly affects people of African descent but can occur in other races. The disease can cause problems from childhood and in the past resulted in premature deaths at an early age, but thanks to recent advances in medicine many individuals with sickle cell disease now live healthy and long lives.

The skin of pregnant women can be affected in a number of ways. Pregnancy can leave some lucky ladies looking luscious. For others, all that extra hormonal activity can have the opposite effect, causing a variety of pregnancy skin problems.

Irritable syndrome is being recognized as a leading cause of many abdominal symptoms especially in women. These symptoms can vary in intensity but seldom produce life threatening symptoms. Living with irritable bowel syndrome presents daily challenges. It may be painful or embarrassing and can seriously affect the quality of your life.

While many of us at this time might be suffering from sleep deprivation, many other individuals have sleep deprivation for many months of the year. Sleep related problems have substantial health consequences for individuals of all ages and can have a major impact on society.

A tension headache — or tension-type headache is the most common type of headache, but it is not well understood. A tension-headache can cause much distress to the individual and is a common cause for individuals seeing their doctors. Tension headaches are so common that their effect on job productivity and overall quality of life is considerable.

Heart disease is a leading cause of sickness and death in Anguilla. The large number of individuals with poorly controlled high blood pressure is one factor contributing to the large number of cases of heart disease on the island. Many individuals who have symptoms of heart disease also fail to seek medical attention and this also contributes to the increasing incidence of deaths secondary to heart disease.

Many residents of Anguilla continue to develop strokes and suffer from the complications of strokes. Identifying the early symptoms of strokes can be important in the management of this common disorder. A stroke is a medical emergency and early treatment is important in preventing complications.
What is a stroke?

Childhood obesity is a serious condition that affects many children and adolescents in Anguilla and many other countries. It is estimated that 10% of children worldwide are either overweight or obese. Several strategies are needed if we are going to address this growing problem. Childhood obesity is particularly troubling because the extra pounds often start children on the path to health problems, such as diabetes mellitus, arthritis, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, that were once confined to adults.

At the beginning of a new year many of us make resolutions, some of which have to do with health matters. One resolution that all of us should make is to make taking care of our health a top priority. Too often many of us pay so much attention to various aspects of our lives and often ignore our health. Simple warning signs are ignored and some of us fail to visit our doctor unless we are on the verge of death. Many of us need to stop and prioritise our lives. We must take better care of our lives for it makes no sense accumulating much wealth and plenty assets and then having a premature or preventable death.

The Christmas holiday period is a time of happiness and joy for many but sadly for some it is a time of sadness as a result of injuries and accidents that tend to occur at this time of the year. Many of these can be prevented if simple common sense measures are taken.

The Christmas season is here and it is time of joy, peace on earth and good will towards men and optimistic hope for the New Year. For others it is a time of self-evaluation and loneliness, to reflect on the past accomplishments and failures. These feelings may result in a condition that has been termed the Christmas Holiday Blues or Holiday Depression. There are many different causes and many different factors.

Premenstrual syndrome, commonly called PMS, is a medical condition that has symptoms that affect a significant number of women of childbearing age. PMS can cause a variety of physical and psychological symptoms that occur just before the menstrual period.