Flu

With the flu season upon us, it is important to make informed decisions on how to protect yourself and those around you.

What is Influenza/Flu ?

Influenza/Flu is a viral infection that effects almost all Australians every year.

Symptoms include:

Fever
Chills
Sore throat
Fatigue
Muscle pains
Coughing
Congestion

It is difficult to predict who will get the flu and how severely they will react. More extreme cases can lead to hospitalisation and could be fatal. Cases of hospitalisations are in the thousands in Australia each year.

If you currently have the flu, make sure to prioritise rest, stay hydrated and warm and keep your diet healthy. Seek help immediately if symptoms include vomiting, chest pain, shortness of breath or dizziness.

It’s time to get on top of your health this flu season!

What is the most effective method to prevent the flu?

The best way to prevent the flu is to get vaccinated. It is the recommended method to proactively combat influenza for everyone 6 months and older.

According to health direct, the immunity is strongest 3 to 4 months after getting the vaccine. It is important to be getting the vaccine as soon as able to keep yourself strong through the upcoming flu season.

Who is able to get the flu vaccine for free?

Those who are considered at high risk are eligible for free influenza vaccines. This includes:

People under 5 years old or over 65 years old
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
People with a condition that affects their immune system
People who are pregnant
People who are obese
People receiving cancer treatment, a stem cell transplant or organ transplant
People with Down Syndrome
People with a chronic illness

What are my next steps?

Book in for your vaccine with one of our GP’s here at Familywise Medical Practice.

At Familywise Medical Practice we provide a comprehensive range of services for your medical and healthcare needs. Bulk billing is available. Book in with one of our GP’s

Meet our team and book a visit now

Dr May Chung book an appointment here
Dr Kevin Ng book an appointment here
Dr Sumathy Thangavelu book an appointment here
Dr Peter Lau book an appointment here
Dr Harsika Nagahawatte book an appointment here

Movember

On average, Australian men are expected to live 4.2 years less than their female counterparts, dying from largely avoidable complications. Movember raises awareness for men’s health issues, supporting men to live happier, healthier lives.

What is Movember?

Each November men are encouraged to grow out their facial hair to show their support for men’s health, ranging from mental health to male-specific cancers. Aside from growing a Mo, supporting Movember can involve moving 60km within November to remember the 60 men lost to suicide globally each hour, checking up on the men within your life or making a donation to Movember.

Men’s health

As part of Movember, is it important to engage with regular check ups with your GP, ensuring early stages of preventable illnesses don’t fly under the radar. Stigma around men’s health contributes to the culture of late diagnosis, making largely preventable illnesses more complicated to treat.

Prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men over 45, being relatively undetectable in the early stages. It is important for men over 45 to regularly check in with their GP, even if they feel fine. In Australia, 66 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer a day, with 24,217 Australian men diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2022.

However, the good news about prostate cancer is when detected early, it is one of the most curable forms of cancer. Early detection is key to a good prognosis.

Early symptoms of prostate cancer include:

Trouble urinating
Pain or burning when urinating
Blood in the urine
Unexpected weight loss

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, then we encourage you to seek further help and consider seeing one of our trusted GPs at FamilyWise Medical Practice.

Testicular cancer

Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in adolescent and young men. Learning how to do a self-check is important in the early detection of testicular cancer, as well as booking in with a GP whenever an unexpected lump, unusual soreness or general change occurs.

Early symptoms of testicular cancer include:

Pain or discomfort of the scrotum
A lump or swelling in one or both testicles
A dull ache in the belly or groin
feelings of heaviness in the scrotum

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms then we encourage you to seek further help and consider seeing one of our trusted GPs at FamilyWise Medical Practice

Mental health

On average, one in seven Australian men will experience depression and one in five will experience anxiety within their lifetime. Men’s mental health is a serious issue with Movember aiming to look at mental health through a male lens, focusing on starting discussions to prevent the escalation of mental health issues. In Australia, men make up 75% of deaths attributed suicide, so checking in with yourself, a trusted friend/family member or your GP is crucial when feeling overwhelmed, hopeless or depressed.

This Movember, don’t only grow out your Mo, check in with one of our GPs to make sure you are performing at your best, and ensuring your health for years to come.

Support is available:

Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636

Lifeline 13 11 14

Concerned about a close friend or family member?

Healthdirect, How to talk to men in your life about mental health https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/blog/how-to-talk-to-the-men-in-your-life-about-mental-health

Beyond Blue, Talking with someone you’re worried about https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/support-someone/how-to-talk-to-someone-you-re-worried-about

Additional resources/references

Movember https://us.movember.com/?home
Beyond Blue https://www.beyondblue.org.au/who-does-it-affect/men
Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia https://www.pcfa.org.au/
Cancer Council, Testicular Cancer https://www.cancer.org.au/cancer-information/types-of-cancer/testicular-cancer
Healthdirect https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/

Meet our team and book a visit now

Dr May Chung book an appointment here
Dr Kevin Ng book an appointment here
Dr Sumathy Thangavelu book an appointment here
Dr Peter Lau book an appointment here
Dr Harsika Nagahawatte book an appointment here

Safe and Healthy Christmas

Holiday traditions are important for families and children. There are several ways to enjoy holiday traditions and protect your health. Best way to minimize COVID-19 risk and keep your family and friends safer is to get vaccinated if you’re eligible.

How to Protect Yourself and Others

Get a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as you can.
Wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth to help protect yourself and others.
Stay 1.5 meters from others who don’t live with you.
Avoid crowds and poorly ventilated indoor spaces.
Test when you are unwell to prevent spread to others.
Wash your hands often with soap and water. Use hand sanitizer if soap and water aren’t available.

Checklist for safe and healthy Christmas and New Year,

Do you have enough scripts and medications to get you through the public holidays?
Christmas can be stressful or lonely. The Mental Health Line can offer support: 1800 011 511
If you have a health concern but your GP is closed, you can call Health Direct for trustworthy health advice: 1800 022 222
Avoid hurting yourself or others, drink safely this Christmas. Visit https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/managing-your-alcohol-intake for information on managing your alcohol intake
Using Dr Google? These tips will help you understand if you are reading reliable information:
- Is it clear who wrote the material? e.g. is the author a government organisations or qualified health professional?
- Is the site trying to sell a product or is sponsored by a product? Information may be biased
- Is the information current? When was it last reviewed?
- Is the site Australian? Information from other countries may not be relevant here

May the magic of the Christmas season fill your home with joy and peace. Sending lots of love to your family, and looking forward to the day we can see you again. Take care of yourselves and stay safe.

Please refer to the below links for more details:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays/celebrations.html

https://hopperslanegp.com.au/12-tips-to-stay-healthy-over-the-holiday-season/

https://healthliteracy.nnswlhd.health.nsw.gov.au/tips-for-a-safe-and-healthy-christmas/

Ovarian Cancer

2021 is the year we celebrate 20 years of improving support and awareness for ovarian cancer and making incremental progress in care and treatment.

February is Australia’s Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, to raise awareness of signs and symptoms and to highlight the risk factors for ovarian cancer.

In 2016, 1289 new cases of ovarian cancer were diagnosed in Australian women. The risk of being diagnosed before age 85 is 1 in 85.

In 2018, there were 968 deaths caused by ovarian cancer in Australia.

The five year survival rate for ovarian cancer is 45.7%.

What is ovarian cancer?

Ovarian cancer occurs in female organs(ovary) when cells in one or both ovaries become abnormal, grow out of control and form a lump called a maglignant tumour.

The ovaries are typically a pair of essential organs in the female reproductive system located in each side of the uterus. They produce eggs and hormones

Sometimes an ovarian tumour is diagnosed as borderline (also known as a low malignant potential tumour). This is not considered to be cancer.

Ovarian cancer symptoms

Ovarian cancer can go undetected until it has spread within pelvis and stomach. Often this cancer can be difficult to diagnosed as it has no symptoms in early stages. Here are some symptoms you may experience one or more of the following:

abdominal bloating
difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
frequent or urgent urination
back, abdominal or pelvic pain
constipation or diarrhoea
menstrual irregularities
tiredness
indigestion
pain during intercourse
unexplained weight loss or weight gain.

These symptoms can be caused by other conditions but if you are experiencing any of these symptoms, contact your local doctor.

What causes ovarian cancer?

The causes of most cases of ovarian cancer are unknown, but some factors below can increase the risk include:

age – risk increases in women over 50 and in women who have stopped having periods (have been through menopause), and the risk increases with age
genetic factors – up to 20% of serous ovarian cancers (the most common subtype) are linked to an inherited faulty gene, and a smaller proportion of other types of ovarian cancer are also related to genetic faults
family history – family history of diagnosed with ovarian, breast, bowel or uterine cancers & Ashkenazi Jewish descent
endometriosis – this condition is caused by tissue from the lining of the uterus growing outside the uterus
reproductive history – women who have not had children, who have had assisted reproduction, or who have had children over the age of 35 may be slightly more at risk
lifestyle factors – some types of ovarian cancer have been linked to smoking or being overweight
hormonal factors – such as early puberty or late menopause. Some studies suggest that menopause hormone therapy (MHT), previously called hormone replacement therapy (HRT), may increase the risk of ovarian cancer, but the evidence is not clear.

Some factors reduce the risk of developing ovarian cancer. These include having children before the age of 35; breastfeeding; using the combined oral contraceptive pill for several years; and having your fallopian tubes tied (tubal ligation) or removed.

Diagnosis of ovarian cancer

If you are experiencing possible symptoms of ovarian cancer your doctor may suggest several tests or scans to look for cysts, tumours or other changes. These may include:

Physical examination

In which the doctor will check your abdomen for any lumps and do an internal vaginal examination.

Blood tests

To check for a common tumour marker for ovarian cancer, CA125.

Pelvic ultrasound

A pelvic ultrasound uses echoes from soundwaves to create a picture of your ovaries and uterus.

CT scan

A CT (computerised tomography) scan uses x-rays to take images of the inside of your body to check for cancer and to see if it has spread.

PET scan

A PET (positron emission tomography) scan highlights abnormal tissues in the body.

Why regular health checks are important

It is a good idea to visit a doctor regularly, even if you feel healthy. The purpose of these visits is to:

check for current or emerging medical problems
assess your risk of future medical issues
prompt you to maintain a healthy lifestyle
update vaccinations.

Health checks are usually incorporated into routine medical care. Your doctor will often perform these checks when you are visiting for another condition, such as a cold or another problem. Your doctor will then tell you how often you need to have a health check.

Get to know our GP doctors:

At Familywise Medical Practice we provide a comprehensive range of services for your medical and healthcare needs. Bulk billing is available. Get to know our General Practitioners:

Would like to see a GP ?

Book easily online on Health Engine https://healthengine.com.au/medical-centre/nsw/castle-hill/familywise-medical-practice/s42733, or give us a call on 8660 2100 or 4039 6130

October is the Breast Cancer Awareness month. It is estimated that 19,800 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in Australia this year. Our practice would like to raise more awareness of breast cancer. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) this year 3,000 will lose their life – 8 every day. In Australia, 55 Australians are diagnosed every day. Screening programs are designed for people without any signs or symptoms. Early detection will save lifes.

One in five Australians aged 16 to 85 years will experience mental health conditions at some point in their life. The most common conditions are:

anxiety
affective disorders, especially depression
substance use disorders, especially alcohol use

Preventative care

Preventative health care is important. Screening programs at your doctors are designed for people without any signs or symptoms. Therefore it is important to keep your doctors appointments for any health checks even when you feel healthy.

Why regular health checks are important

check for current or early warning signs
assess your risk of future medical issues
prompt you to maintain a healthy lifestyle
update vaccinations.

Health checks for older people

As you get older, keeping an eye on your health becomes more important. Speak to your doctor about:

abdominal aortic aneurysm screening – former and current smokers (particularly older men) can consider having an ultrasound to screen for abdominal aortic aneurysms, a blood-filled bulge in a major blood vessel in your abdomen called the aorta
blood pressure screening – every year. If you have diabetes, heart disease, kidney problems, or certain other conditions, you may need to be checked more often
bowel cancer screening – a simple test for signs of bowel cancer is recommended once every two years if you are over 50
cholesterol screening and heart disease prevention – every five years if levels are normal. If you have high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, kidney problems or certain other conditions, you may need to be checked more often
diabetes screening – every three years. If you are overweight and have other risk factors for diabetes, ask your doctor if you should be screened more often
lung cancer screening – for current smokers and those who have quit within the past 15 years
osteoporosis screening – if you have risk factors for osteoporosis, you should check with your doctor about screening. Risk factors can include long-term steroid use, low body weight, smoking, heavy alcohol use or a family history of osteoporosis
a physical exam – every year or as recommended by your doctor. Your doctor will check and record your weight, height and body mass index (BMI).

Speak to your doctor about immunisation:

a pneumococcal vaccine – every 5 years
an annual flu shot
a tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis booster every 10 years
a shingles or herpes zoster vaccine.

Health Checks with other health professionals may include:

Dental – every 6 months
Eye test – yearly if you have vision problems or glaucoma risk
Hearing test – if you have symptoms of hearing loss.

Regular health checks for adults

Regular health checks can help to identify early warning signs of disease or illness. Heart disease, diabetes and some cancers can often be picked up in their early stages, with a more successful treatment plan.

When you have a check, your doctor will talk to you about your medical history, your family’s history of disease and your lifestyle. Your diet, weight, how much you exercise, and whether or not you smoke and drink alcohol or take illegal drugs will also be discussed.

If you have high-risk factors, such as a family history of a condition, it may be more likely that you will develop a particular disease. Regular checks may help your doctor pick up early warning signs.

If you have a high risk of a particular health condition, your doctor may recommend more frequent health checks at an earlier age.
Your GP may also recommend other tests based on your family history, your medical history or current symptoms. Depending on the results of those tests, your doctor may then want to provide a course of treatment, investigate further or refer you to a specialist for diagnosis and treatment.

Where to get help

Your general practitioner (GP) https://familywisemed.com.au

Meet our GP doctors:

References:

Health checks by age: the tests you should be having https://www.hcf.com.au/health-agenda/health-care/treatments-and-procedures/health-checks-by-age-the-tests-you-should-be-having

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/servicesandsupport/regular-health-checks

https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/manage-your-health-in-your-40s

https://www.racgp.org.au/clinical-resources/clinical-guidelines/key-racgp-guidelines/view-all-racgp-guidelines/red-book/preventive-activities-in-middle-age

Image source from freepik

Flu Shot

Winter is coming….so is the flu. The vaccine prepares and boosts your immune system to help fight the flu but not the coronavirus if you are exposed to it. This will reduce your risk of influenza which kills hundreds of people.

Department of Health has recommended you get vaccinated prior to the peak of the flu season, which starts from mid-April to August. The most effective way to protect yourself and your family is book in for an appointment with your GP for the flu shot.

To book in for flu shot please call us on 8604 2338 or book online: click here- Health Engine.

Why is the flu vaccine free for some people?

The National Immunisation Program (NIP) Schedule has provided free flu for some groups of people who are considered at increased risk of complications :

Pregnant Woman
Chronic Disease (eg Asthma)
Over 6 months of age
65 years and older
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander over 6 months of age.

Signs and symptoms include:

fever and chills
headache and muscle aches
feeling tired and weak
sneezing, and stuffy or runny nose
sore throat and cough

This can go on for some weeks. Children may also have abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting.

If your symptoms get worse, see a doctor. You should seek help straight away if you feel chest pain, short of breath, dizzy or confused, or you are vomiting a lot. During this time it is important to take care of yourself by resting, keeping warm, drink lots of fluids and eat light non oily food when hungry.

References:

https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/blog/why-getting-your-flu-shot-in-april-2020-will-help-in-the-fight-against-covid-19

https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/influenza-a-flu

https://www.health.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/national-immunisation-program

The Flu Vaccine, the_gp_mum

Coronovirus news

It’s been a stressful time all around the world as we deal with coronavirus (COVID-19) and the uncertainty it brings. What life will look like over the next few months has changed and you might be feeling anxious about what this means.

COVID-19 is a respiratory illness caused by a new virus. Symptoms include fever, coughing, sore throat and shortness of breath. The virus can spread from person to person, but good hygiene can prevent infection. Find out who is at risk and what you should do if you think you have COVID-19 from below reference links.

Good tips to prevent you from COVID-19:

Wash your hand
Avoid crowds and stay at home,
Disinfect surfaces
Do not panic
Eat healthy

Reference:

Coping during the coronavirus (COVID-19)

https://au.reachout.com/collections/coping-during-coronavirus https://au.reachout.com/collections/coping-during-coronavirus

COVID-19 support

https://headtohealth.gov.au/covid-19-support/covid-19

Australia Government Health Department

https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert/what-you-need-to-know-about-coronavirus-covid-19

How To Avoid Covid-19: The Best Tips To Stay Healthy and Sanitised

https://sg.asiatatler.com/society/how-to-avoid-covid-19-tips-to-stay-sanitised

https://www.racgp.org.au/coronavirus#update16

https://www.racgp.org.au/running-a-practice/technology/clinical-technology/teleheath

Approximately, two in three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer by the time they are 70. Non-melanoma skin cancer is more common in men, with almost double the incidence compared to women. Excluding non-melanoma skin cancer,* melanoma is the third most common cancer in Australians

Everybody is free to wear! It looks like warmer sunnier days are on which is a good opportunity to talk about sunscreen. It’s time for prevention.

First, let’s talk about UV rays. Sunlight is made up of different wavelengths of light. The most damaging are UVA and UVB radiation. UVA penetrates deeper and is thought to be responsible for skin ageing e.g. wrinkles, pigmentation. UVB radiation is responsible for sunburn.

Older Posts

Flu

What is Influenza/Flu ?

Meet our team and book a visit now

Dr May Chung book an appointment here

Dr Kevin Ng book an appointment here

Dr Sumathy Thangavelu book an appointment here

Dr Peter Lau book an appointment here

Dr Harsika Nagahawatte book an appointment here

What is Movember?

Men’s health

Prostate cancer

Testicular cancer

Mental health

This Movember, don’t only grow out your Mo, check in with one of our GPs to make sure you are performing at your best, and ensuring your health for years to come.

Support is available:

Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636

Lifeline 13 11 14

Concerned about a close friend or family member?

Meet our team and book a visit now

Dr May Chung book an appointment here

Dr Kevin Ng book an appointment here

Dr Sumathy Thangavelu book an appointment here

Dr Peter Lau book an appointment here

Dr Harsika Nagahawatte book an appointment here

Ovarian Cancer

What is ovarian cancer?

What causes ovarian cancer?

Diagnosis of ovarian cancer

Physical examination

Blood tests

Pelvic ultrasound

CT scan

PET scan

Would like to see a GP ?

Preventative care

Health checks for older people

Regular health checks for adults

Where to get help

Meet our GP doctors:

Flu Shot

Why is the flu vaccine free for some people?

Coronovirus news