Crazy little thing called love!

 Unconditional love- a way in which we all want other people to love us.  Some say it is love without rules, others say it is to love in spite of anything?  What is unconditional love for you?  In almost every adult life there are needs that were probably not met by our parents or caregivers. Some of us still live with the after effects of a critical, absent, busy or tired parent that tried to give their children the best they could within their realm of experience.  We desperately try and do better, but sometimes it feels like running the Berg marathon without enough training!

A new Medical Centre for Harrismith!

There is an excitement in the air within the medical circles of Harrismith. The first Medical Centre in Harrismith's history is opening. The Medical Centre will consist of general practitioners, Dr Charlene Kemp and Dr Christine Boshoff, who are going to start practising at 17 Warden street (The old Dreykon building) on the 3^nd of  January 2012.

Antibiotics: Are they always the answer?

You wake up feeling you have a scratchy throat. As the morning goes by the nose starts running. By the evening the headache and muscle pains have developed, and by the next morning the chills and coughing cause you to call in sick at work. At the doctor, the words we so often use are, ”Doctor, I can't afford to be off for much longer. I need something to make me feel better quickly.”

I grew up thinking that antibiotics were the cure for all infections. With my dear mother being a pharmacist, the antibiotic would come home almost as soon as any of us developed a cough. But let's look at the word  'Antibiotics': The Latin word  'anti' means against and 'biotics' means bacteria. Hence antibiotics are active against bacterial infections. But were you aware of the fact that 80 to 90 % of the upper respiratory, and even lower respiratory infections that we get are actually viral infections?

Sien jouself SEXY Damestee

Understanding more about Hay Fever.

The incidence of Allergic Rhinitis, more commonly known as Hay Fever, nasal allergies, or ‘sinuses’ is extremely high in the Harrismith area. This is directly linked to all the different grass, pollen and tree types found in our area.

Allergic Rhinitis presents as a collection of symptoms occurring mostly in the nose and eyes, as a response to the inhalation of an allergen that you are allergic to, such as dust, pollen, animal hair, house dust mite, or mold. Interestingly, the trees, commonly implicated are pine, birch, cedar, horse chestnut, willow and poplar, which are found widely in Harrismith. Because the pollen causing the disorder is wind-borne, it occurs more often on hot, dry and windy days, than the wet rainy seasons when the pollen is washed to the ground.

The Role of Physiotherapy in Sinusitis and headaches

Millions of people suffer from a headache from time to time. Physiotherapy aims to restore the body to normal function by employing techniques such as massage, manipulation, mobilization, heat, hydrotherapy and electrotherapy. Headaches are a complex type of pain and physiotherapy can help put a stop to them.

After determining the cause of your headache, a physiotherapist will use many techniques and methods to treat the problem. The physiotherapist will suggest exercises and they will also give advice on correcting posture. This advice may include adjusting your work station or alternating furniture at home.

More than 90% of headaches fall into the following four categories:

• 1.       Tension or stress headache: The pain is often described as tightness or pressure and may feel like a band around the forehead.
• 2.       Migraine headache: These tend to give more intense and pulsating pain, mainly on one side of the head. Sometimes the pain may be preceded by an aura, visual sign, and often other symptoms may accompany the headache, such as loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting.
• 3.       Cervicogenic headache: This headache develops from pressure or damage to the neck or spine. They can be caused by incorrect posture, a whiplash injury or from certain diseases.
• 4.       Sinus headache

Spelterapie - meer as net speel?

 Spelterapie word al vir meer as 50 jaar nagevors en benut deur sielkundiges as deel van hul terapie met kinders.  Vir baie ouers is spelterapie opsigself nog ‘n onbekende veld wat dikwels verwar word met praktyke wat kinders leer hoe om te spel.  Spelterapie behels egter iets heeltemal anders en word erken as ‘n suksesvolle sielkundige intervensie met kinders, wat beoefen word deur ‘n opgeleide spelterapeut of sielkundige.