10 minute read
HEALTHZONE
MEDICAL NOTES
Signs you may need help with hearing
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DO YOU feel worn out after talking with others? If so, there could be more to it than simply needing a good night’s sleep.
When you don’t hear all of the sounds of speech, your brain has to fill in the gaps and help make sense of what people are saying.
This requires extra focus and makes the brain work harder, leading to extreme tiredness, says hearing expert KATIE OGDEN, who outlines five other signs of hearing loss to look out for.
Asking you to repeat yourself
Everyone can mishear things, but if you or your loved one is constantly asking for things to be repeated, or muttering the phrase “what did you say?” this could be a sign you’re lacking the sounds and signals needed to process speech properly.
Complaining about mumbling
Those struggling with hearing loss often complain that people aren’t speaking clearly or are mumbling. This can be due to people with hearing loss not being able to hear high-pitched speech frequencies –hearing the vowels, which is the sound of words, but not the consonants, which is
the clarity and meaning of words.
Trouble with phone conversations
Notice if your loved one has their mobile phone volume set to maximum or is having to use the speakerphone to hear.
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Having the TV at a high volume
Television shows with fast-paced dialogue or a substantial amount of background noise can be hard for those with hearing loss to follow, as crucial dialogue can be drowned out, leading people to listen at a volume uncomfortable for others.
Appearing withdrawn, or becoming quiet Individuals with hearing loss often
become quieter or appear to become withdrawn in social situations or noisy environments.
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How to get help
Treating hearing loss can not only improve the health of the person suffering but also those around them, having a dramatically positive effect on their social relationships and love life.
If you recognise a number of these signs in your loved one, it may be time to consult a professional audiologist and see if they could benefit from a hearing aid.
There are also online hearing tests for those not comfortable going straight to an audiologist.
n Katie Ogden is training manager at ReSound North-West Europe.
ROBOTS and artificial intelligence are being developed to spot one of the world’s most common infections earlier – and cut the number of antibiotics prescribed as a precaution.
Every year, urinary tract infections, or UTIs, affect 150 million people globally. When diagnosed early, they can be treated with antibiotics. If left untreated, UTIs can lead to sepsis, kidney damage and even loss of life.
Now UK researchers are aiming to reduce both the number of serious adverse outcomes resulting from late or misdiagnosis of UTIs, and the amount of antibiotics prescribed while doctors wait for test results.
The FEATHER project, involving the University of Edinburgh and the city’s Heriot-Watt University, has been awarded £1.1m of Government money to carry out ground-breaking research.
Robotic devices will be used to gather information about people’s daily activities in their homes. Behaviour changes like kettle use, a change in walking pace, cognitive function through interaction with a socially assistive robot, or a change to sleep patterns will all be analysed and could help flag up a potential infection before an individual or carer is even aware there is a problem.
Professor Kia Nazarpour, from the University of Edinburgh, said: “This unique data will help individuals, carers and clinicians to recognise the signs of potential urinary tract infections far earlier, helping to prompt the investigations and medical tests needed. ”
UTIs can be difficult to diagnose, particularly in people receiving formal care, for whom there is significant antibiotic overtreatment while clinicians wait for lab results to return.
“Earlier detection makes timely treatment possible, improving outcomes for patients, lowering the number of people presenting atA&E, and reducing costs to the NHS, ” added Professor Nazarpour.
“We also believe it will help to minimise the amount of antibiotics that are necessarily prescribed as a cover while waiting for lab results. ”
TAKING antibiotics for illnesses they won’t help is adding to what health experts are calling the “silent pandemic” .
The North West is experiencing a particular problem as the overuse of antibiotics results in more and more infections becoming resistant to them.
Every year thousands of people die due to infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
And the North West has the second highest rate of resistant bloodstream infections in the country.
In 2022 there were 3,276 estimated resistant bloodstream infections in the region, according to the latest report from the UK Health Security Agency.
An expert in health protection at the agency warned that unnecessary use of antibiotics risks them failing to work against life-threatening conditions.
Dr Will Morton said: “In the absence of effective antibiotics, cancer treatments and common surgeries like caesareans would become very high-risk procedures and, for many people, could lead to infections that cannot be treated and may become fatal.
Nathan Hall, 23, on being diagnosed, relapsing, and life after leukaemia
TWO months after my 15th birthday, in March 2015, I was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia.
When I began feeling worn out from walking upstairs, I went to my GP.
The following night, I was called and told to go for further tests. Within 48 hours of diagnosis, I was transported to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, not knowing this is where I would spend the next four months battling cancer.
I quickly become accustomed to hospital life, placing myself into a positive mindset. I was unfortunate to have been dealt a bad card, so I dealt with it and used it as a means of building myself as a person.
By mid-summer 2015, I had battled through four rounds of intense chemotherapy which wiped me out – I was underweight, tired and, primarily, bald. But finally I was declared in remission and allowed home.
The next few months were scary, constantly worrying if my cancer would return. But a whole year had passed when our family planned a break in sunny Florida.
Around a week before the holiday, I began feeling a little more lethargic than usual, so, decided to err on the side of caution.
I biked two miles to the hospital, walked into the ward, and asked them to take a blood test.
Aweek later, I was on a train to the airport, suitcase overhead, earphones in, when I got a call from the hospital telling me I needed more tests. Back at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital came the news I suspected, the cancer had returned.
The next few weeks were relatively easy for me as I was already accustomed to the process and symptoms, but the news took a toll on my family. Everyone thought I was in the clear, but life screws you over somehow.
Professor Rob Wynn and his team proposed I undergo a bone marrow transplant and I began conditioning chemotherapy in preparation.
During this time, my lungs were affected by a fungal infection and filled with fluid, impairing my breathing, putting me in intensive care under the influence of a lot of painkillers and drugs.
I then had severe, life-changing hallucinations from an allergic reaction to an antibiotic drug used to treat my infection. After recovering, I was moved into a room with its own controlled climate. For six months I was given food devoid of flavour due to the intense heat needed to sterilise it.
On December 23, theAnthony Nolan charity delivered my new bone marrow and by the end of the day I officially had the immune system of a new-born.
Fast forward to 2019, aged 20, I went back to college and secured a place at the University of York to study biomedical sciences, fulfilling my passion to understand more about the human body, disease and advancing treatments.
I will be forever grateful for my family and the support and sacrifices they have made.
A longA long at lastat last road – butroad – but I couldI could followfollowmymypassionpassion Two days before Christmas Day, I marked seven years in remission. Everyone around me has been supportive and caring. I was self-conscious about my lack of hair, and reluctant to go outside without a beanie hat. This continued until my wonderful girlfriend gave me the courage to be happy with myself and not care what others think. Catching leukaemia in its early stages is the key to effective treatment. If it was not for the quick reactions of both my GP, hospital and consultants (Professor Wynn, Dr John Grainger and Dr Denise Bonney), I don’t think my outlook would have been so great. I owe them my life, literally.
Knowing the signs is key to getting better
SPOTTING leukaemia early saves lives and means a better quality of life for those with the disease.
But new research shows only 1% of people surveyed in the North West could identify the most widely reported symptoms – fatigue, bruising, unusual bleeding and repeated infections.
Every day in the UK, 28 people are diagnosed with leukaemia, a form of blood cancer that can affect people of all ages.
Overall survival for the disease stands at just over 50% – making it one of the deadliest forms of cancer, and one often diagnosed too late.
Fiona Hazell, chief executive of Leukaemia UK, said: “People underestimate their risk by thinking that leukaemia is a childhood disease. In reality, both incidence and mortality rates rise sharply after the age of 55.
“Raising awareness in this age group is critical in order to treat it early and effectively; and ultimately to improve survival rates overall. ”
n Leukaemia UK: Tel. 0207 299 0722.
MEDICAL NOTES
Look after your gut and it will look after you
THAT “gut feeling” we’ve all experienced is genuine and based on the connection between brain and gut.
Known as the “gut-brain axis” , it is responsible for sending signals between the heart and brain, influencing your mood, appetite, immunity, and ability to think clearly.
Health and well-being company, Westfield Health, shows how to ensure your guts are healthy and sending the right signals to your brain.
Why is gut health important?
OUR guts are home to billions of fungi and bacteria – perhaps not a pleasant thought, but the reality of being human.
Ahealthy gut can positively affect our mood and mental well-being. The stomach produces around 90% of our body’s serotonin, a neurotransmitter that affects our social behaviour, mood, appetite, and sleep.
Signs of an unhealthy gut
AN imbalance in gut bacteria can heavily impact your overall health. An upset stomach, digestion issues. migraines and skin irritation can all be signs of an unhealthy gut.
How to feed your gut
There is no denying the symptoms of an unbalanced gut can be rather unpleasant. If you’re experiencing severe gut problems, such as abdominal pain, diarrhoea, or constipation, you must visit your GP.
These could be signs of a more severe problem, such as irritable bowel syndrome or celiac disease.
But prevention is better than cure, which in this case is eating the right food.
So, what should you add to the menu? l Fibre: Fruits, vegetables, nuts, and
whole grains work wonders for gut bacteria and keep them healthy.Adiet low in fibre can increase bloating.
l Probiotic food: Probiotics are
naturally found inside the gut and have a range of digestive benefits such as helping irritable bowel syndrome. Live yoghurts are a great source and can actively encourage more good gut bacteria to develop.
l Antioxidant-rich foods:Antioxidants
are compounds that help to protect cells from damage. Foods rich in antioxidants include berries, dark chocolate, and green tea.
l Healthy fats: Healthy fats, such as
