Health

BAMP: Take that back, Santia

The Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners (BAMP) is calling on Deputy Prime Minister Santia Bradshaw to withdraw comments that a “medical mafia” could influence access to transplant surgery at...

No cases of cyclosporiasis in Barbados, says Ministry of Health

The Ministry of Health and Wellness says there are no suspected or confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis in Barbados...

Site checks the norm, says Ishmael

Officials from the Environmental Health Department are inspecting migrant worker accommodations across Barbados and have identified compliance issues...

QEH to dispose of unclaimed bodies

Backed by recent legislative changes, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) is preparing to dispose of 65 bodies left...

‘No new cases’ of scarlet fever

Chief Medical Officer Dr The Most Honourable Kenneth George says there have been no new cases of scarlet...

Cramping Legs

Dear Doc, Sometimes in my sleep when I am turning, I feel my leg cramping up. At these times I will just try to relax and breathe deeply, and slowly flex the muscles until I feel relief. Once the cramp happened in my toes and at the bottom of my feet, and it felt like my foot was being folded in half so my big toe would touch my little toe. What is the cause of this kind of cramping, or any kind

Dry Between Your Toes

Dear Doc, I read somewhere recently that you shouldn’t cream the bottom of your feet, or soak them in water because the soaking would make the bottom of the feet soft. Then I also saw don’t cream between the toes. So, which is it? And if between your toes are white and you can’t cream them, how is that treated? - Vincent Dear Vincent, It is good to apply moisturiser to the bottom of your

Runny Nose Problem

Dear Doc, Why does my nose run even though I don’t have a cold or allergies? - Ms. Frank Dear Ms. Frank, Liquid running from the nose is what we medically term rhinorrhea. As you stated, the usual causes are the cold or “allergies”, the latter is correctly termed allergic rhinitis. It is not uncommon to not have “allergies” as a child, but it can be a problem in an adult due to overexposure

Editor’s Note

How many of us have ever heard of Myasthenia Gravis? Well, this month of June is dedicated to Myasthenia Gravis (MG) which is “ a chronic neuromuscular disease which derives its name from the Latin and Greek words meaning “grave muscle weakness”.The disease is characterised by abnormal weakness of voluntary muscles (those controlled by will). This weakness increases with activity

CARCINOPHOBIA

by Behavior Change Specialist Cecelia Neblett-Brathwaite CARCINOPHOBIA, OR FEAR OF GETTING CANCER The word cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to spread to other cells. Even though individuals may have different levels of fear to being diagnosed with cancer, a general approach to managing that fear is not applicable to individual problems

Living with FIBROMYALGIA: ANDRINA ALLEYNE

Living with FIBROMYALGIA: ANDRINA ALLEYNE by Katrina Welch One day life was normal for Andrina Alleyne and in a flash it all changed. That day, she woke up and went about her usual business without the slightest inclination that one brief incident would occur and completely change her entire life. She recounted the unfortunate experience which she endured 18 years ago saying, “While