Blog Posts by Health Xchange

Ovarian cancer is often diagnosed only in advanced stages. (Thinkstock photo)

Ovarian cancer, often referred to as a “silent killer” because of its lack of specific symptoms, is striking more women in Singapore, with its incidence doubling in the past 30 years.

The age-standardised rate of ovarian cancer in Singapore has increased from six per 100,000 women per year in 1975 to 12 per 100,000 women per year in 2005.

However, the treatment options for this deadly cancer have also increased. Now a new post-surgery method, known as targeted therapy, can be used in combination with conventional chemotherapy to block the growth of cancer cells.

“On average, more than 250 cases are diagnosed annually and there are about 90 deaths per year. The high mortality is attributed to the fact that ovarian cancer is usually diagnosed in advanced stages,” says Dr Timothy Lim Yong Kuei, Consultant and Head, Pre-invasive Disease and Screening Unit, Department of Gynaecological Oncology, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital sees about 100 to 150

Eating a balanced diet and getting sufficient exercise are crucial to maintain a healthy weight. (Thinkstock photo)

Weight gain is common as we age. As you move through your 20s on to your 30s, you may notice subtle changes in your waistline, and an increasing tendency to gain weight.

Many attribute age-related weight gain to a slowing metabolism. Slow metabolism however is rare, and it’s usually not what’s behind being overweight or obese. Rather than slow metabolism, factors more likely to contribute to weight gain with ageing include:

1. Overconsumption of calories
2. Physical inactivity
3. Genetics and family history
4. Certain medications
5. Unhealthy lifestyle habits such as skipping breakfast or not getting enough sleep

We should however be mindful that metabolic rate does change as we get older because of the decline in our muscle mass. This reduction in muscle mass begins relatively early at the age 35, becomes more profound with time and continues until the end of our life.

Since our resting metabolic rate is dependent on our body composition – muscle being more metabolically active and burning more

During a medical emergency, always make a quick assessment of the situation first. (Thinkstock photo)

The A&E (Accident and Emergency) departments of public hospitals have been seeing a continuous rise in the number of patients for the past five years – going up by approximately 5.4 percentage or an additional 36,000 visits per annum.

However, the main cause for this increase isn’t a rise in the number of actual emergency cases in Singapore.

On the contrary, based on recent studies conducted at public hospitals including Singapore General Hospital (SGH), more than half of the cases that the A&E sees are for non-emergencies or what hospitals classify as P3 (Priority 3) cases.

Hence, if you require medical attention, before you head straight for the nearest emergency department, quickly assess the situation and see if it warrants emergency treatment.

“Doing this simple initial step can help save lives as it frees up A&Es of non-emergency cases. Plus, if you have a non-emergency condition and visit a GP instead, you’ll probably get treated sooner,” says Dr Jeremy Wee, Consultant,

Before going overseas, make visiting a travel clinic your first stop and get the necessary vaccines you need to stay protected. (Thinkstock photo)

Cases of rabies may be unheard of in Singapore, but you may want to take precautions if you are travelling overseas. Left untreated, this viral infection of the nervous system is nearly always fatal.

Annually, there are about 50,000 deaths from rabies in Asia and Africa. In a majority of these cases, infection is transmitted by dog bites and scratches. Besides dog bites, rabies can also be spread by infected bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes.

“An animal infected with rabies carries the virus in its saliva. When it bites, it can transmit the infection to a human,” explains Dr Limin Wijaya, Consultant, Travel Clinic, Singapore General Hospital (SGH). “The virus can also spread if you come into contact with the animal’s saliva through broken skin like cuts and scratches.”

One of the most recognisable signs of a rabies infection is a tingling or twitching sensation around the bite area. This is often accompanied by a fever, headache, muscle aches, loss of appetite, nausea and fatigue.

But

Dengue-Fever-Symptoms-and-Prevention-Pic

The dengue fever epidemic in Singapore is on the rise and does not appear to be slowing down. With three strains of the virus being equally active – a rare occurrence – weekly infection cases are at a six-year high.

As dengue cases tend to peak from May to July, experts fear that this year’s outbreak could even surpass Singapore’s worst dengue outbreak in 2005 (14,000 people fell ill and 25 died). Although there have been no deaths so far, more than 3,100 have been infected. A quarter of cases have been admitted into hospitals.

Figures from the Ministry of Health show that the long dormant Den-1 strain of the virus has resurfaced and is currently responsible for more than 50 per cent of infections.

“Those that contract dengue develop an immunity to the particular strain that infected them. However as the Den-1 strain has stayed low key for several years in Singapore, most do not have immunity to it,” explains Dr Jenny Low, Senior Consultant at the Department of Infectious Disease,

Losing just 5% of your body weight can give you significant health benefits (Thinkstock photo).

By losing 5 per cent of their body weight, those at moderate or high risk of obesity-related diseases can start to experience significant health benefits. The recommended weight loss is 0.5 to 1kg a week, through diet and exercise. To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume.

“Moderation is key to weight loss and excessive or fad dieting can harm your health. For instance, a high-protein diet can raise your blood level of uric acid and cause kidney stones. Crash dieting can cause nausea, dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, menstrual irregularities, and even osteoporosis in the long term,” says Dr Tham Kwang Wei, Senior Consultant and Director of the Obesity Metabolic Unit, LIFE Centre, Singapore General Hospital.

Related article: Shed excess weight with 5 simple tips

According to the Health Promotion Board of Singapore Calorie Calculator, a 75kg-man aged 30 to 49 with a light activity level should consume 2,200 calories a day. A 60kg woman of a similar age and

If you travel often or are fond of consuming shellfish, protect yourself by getting hepatitis A vaccinated. (ThinkStock photo)

Your chances of getting infected by the hepatitis A virus increase if you travel often and consume plenty of raw or partially cooked shellfish. But you don’t have to quell your wanderlust or your love of seafood if you take some basic precautions against hepatitis A infection.

“Plan to have hepatitis A vaccination one to two weeks before travelling, particularly if you are visiting places where sanitary conditions and hygienic practices are poor,” says Dr Limin Wijaya, Consultant at Singapore General Hospital’s Travel Clinic.

A booster shot (given six months later) could give you immunity for another 20 years.

Maintaining good personal hygiene, such as washing your hands after visiting the toilet, and avoiding raw foods and unbottled water when you are overseas, are among other precautions you can take to prevent an hepatitis A infection.

Related video: Health tips when travelling overseas

Most reported cases of hepatitis A infection acquired in Singapore are due to eating

Got a bad skin rash? You could have eczema. (Thinkstock photo)

Itchy, swollen, dry skin, fluid-filled blisters, a red rash… does this sound familiar? These are the common symptoms of atopic eczema or atopic dermatitis, a skin condition which affects nearly 21 per cent, or one in five people in Singapore.

Atopic eczema is the most common form of eczema, an itchy skin disorder that can occur at any age. It is particularly common in babies and young children and can be caused by a combination of factors including a genetic predisposition, skin irritants, allergies, the environment and stress. Eczema is not infectious or contagious.

“The rash may appear red, wet and weepy or dry, thickened and scaly. Scratching often aggravates the rash,” says Dr Pang Shiu Ming, Head and Senior Consultant, Department of Dermatology, Singapore General Hospital (SGH).

“The skin thickens and becomes darker after repeated scratching and rubbing. The rash can affect any part of the body, particularly the elbow bends, back of the knees and the neck.”

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