Uncategorized Archives - Illawarra Medical Centre https://illawarramedical.com.au/category/uncategorized/ Providing superior health care to families and local businesses in the Ballajura area for more than 25 years Mon, 16 Dec 2024 06:23:46 +0000 en-AU hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 Prostate cancer in Australian men https://illawarramedical.com.au/prostate-cancer-in-australian-men/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=prostate-cancer-in-australian-men Tue, 27 Sep 2022 02:38:28 +0000 https://illawarramedical.com.au/?p=6129 Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australian men, with more than 240,000 Australian males currently impacted by the disease and another 66 men diagnosed each day. With September being Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, we thought we’d take a closer look at the disease in this month’s blog. What is Prostate Cancer? Prostate […]

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Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australian men, with more than 240,000 Australian males currently impacted by the disease and another 66 men diagnosed each day.

With September being Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, we thought we’d take a closer look at the disease in this month’s blog.

What is Prostate Cancer?

Prostate cancer occurs when abnormal cells in the prostate gland develop more quickly than in a normal prostate, forming a malignant tumour.

The prostate is a small gland that is about the size of a walnut and sits below the bladder near the rectum. It surrounds the urethra, the passage of the penis through which urine and semen pass.

Only men have a prostate and it forms part of the male reproductive system. It produces some of the nutrients that sperm need once they leave the body and secretions from the prostate make up a large part of semen.

It is generally a slow growing disease and has one of the highest survival rates of all cancers. Those diagnosed with the disease have a 95% chance of survival beyond 5 years, when detected early. If found late, however, those survival rates drop to below 26%.

What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?

In the early stages, there are rarely symptoms. In later stages of the disease, some symptoms may include:

  • frequent urination, particularly at night;
  • a delay in starting when wanting to urinate;
  • a weak stream when urinating;
  • dribbling at the end of urinating;
  • a lack of bladder control (incontinence);
  • pain when urinating or ejaculating;
  • blood in the urine or semen; and
  • bone pain, particularly in the lower back or pelvis.
prostate-urinals

These symptoms may not mean that you have cancer. However, if you do experience any of these symptoms, it is best to speak with your GP immediately to find out why they may be occurring.

Risk factors of prostate cancer

There are a number of factors that can increase your risk of developing the disease. These include:

Family History – a family history of prostate, breast or ovarian cancer increases your own risk of developing the disease, particularly if your father or brother developed prostate cancer at a young age. If this is you, make sure you speak to your doctor about getting a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test at 45 years of age.

Race – those of African and Caribbean descent are at slightly more risk of developing the disease. If this applies slot hoki to you, it is recommended you speak to your doctor about getting a PSA blood test at 45 years of age.

Diet and Lifestyle – while there is no direct evidence to suggest diet and lifestyle increase your risk of developing the disease, it is still recommended that you maintain a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, remain physically active and minimise alcohol consumption to improve your overall health.

Age – this is the main risk factor and your risk increases rapidly after 50 years of age. The risk of developing prostate cancer increases to 1 in 7 by the age of 75 and 1 in 5 by the age of 85. The disease is uncommon in men under 50.

How is it diagnosed?

There is no simple, single test to detect the disease. If your doctor suspects you may have prostate cancer, they will generally recommend you undergo one or more of the following tests:

  1. Digital Rectal Examination. This involves your doctor inserting a gloved finger into your rectum to feel your prostate to tell if it is enlarged or not.
  2. Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) Blood Test. This measures the PSA levels in your blood. Most of the PSA in your body is made by the prostate. When the prostate is damaged, PSA leaks into the blood. PSA levels can be variable and an elevated PSA level does not mean you have prostate cancer. In fact, some men with prostate cancer have normal PSA levels and only one in three men with elevated PSA levels has cancer.
  3. Prostate Biopsy. A biopsy is the only way a firm diagnosis of prostate cancer can be made. It involves removing small samples of tissue from your prostate using very thin, hollow needles, guided by an ultrasound. The tissue is then sent to a pathologist to determine whether the cells are malignant (cancerous) or benign (non-cancerous). It will also help determine the aggressiveness of the disease, if present.

How is it treated?

There are a number of different treatment options available, depending on your prognosis and the progression and growth of the disease.

Treatment options generally include:

  • Active surveillance
  • Prostatectomy
  • Radiotherapy
  • Hormone therapy
  • Chemotherapy

If you are diagnosed with prostate cancer, your doctor will discuss the treatment options available to you and recommend the best course of action.

To make a booking with one of our GPs to discuss any concerns you may have regarding your prostate or overall health in general, visit our Online Bookings page or contact us on (08) 9208 6400.

Where can I find out more information?

For more information on this topic, visit:

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]]> On a quest to stamp out Strep A https://illawarramedical.com.au/on-a-quest-to-stamp-out-strep-a/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=on-a-quest-to-stamp-out-strep-a Tue, 24 Aug 2021 12:33:09 +0000 https://illawarramedical.com.au/?p=4863 A sore throat is one of the most common reasons for patients, particularly children, to visit their GP. In a large number of these cases, the sore throat is caused by Strep A bacteria which can lead to severe diseases, if left untreated. In fact, Strep A infections are a major cause of illness and […]

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A sore throat is one of the most common reasons for patients, particularly children, to visit their GP. In a large number of these cases, the sore throat is caused by Strep A bacteria which can lead to severe diseases, if left untreated.

In fact, Strep A infections are a major cause of illness and death throughout the world each year. Illawarra Medical Centre has recently partnered with the Australian Strep A Vaccine Initiative (ASAVI) to help researchers learn more about what causes sore throats and how a vaccine may be developed to help prevent Strep A in the future.

What is Strep A?

Streptococcus A, or Strep A for short, is a bacteria also known as Streptococcus pyogenes. This bacteria is often responsible for mild infections, such as pharyngitis (better known as sore throat or strep throat), scarlet fever, and impetigo (commonly known as skin sores).

Strep A infections are highly contagious and are usually passed directly from person to person through talking, coughing or sneezing. It is very common in school-age children, with one in 10 children having the bacteria in their throats at any one time.

When left untreated, Strep A can lead to severe diseases which can cause heart and kidney failure. One of the most severe diseases to result from Strep A is rheumatic heart disease, which involves damage to one or more of the four small heart valves and can often require heart surgery in more severe cases.

Strep A can become life threatening very quickly if the bacteria invades the body’s blood stream, muscles or lungs. This video from the Telethon Kids Institute shows just how quickly that can occur>>

What are the symptoms of Strep A?

The common symptoms of a Strep A infection include:

  • sore, red throat and tonsils;
  • pain when swallowing;
  • fever;
  • chills;
  • headache;
  • muscle aches and pains;
  • feeling tired;
  • swollen, tender lymph nodes in the neck; and
  • loss of appetite.

Preventing Strep A

The best way to help prevent the spread of Strep A is to continue the good hygiene practices that we’ve all become accustomed to during the COVID-19 pandemic. These include:

  • Avoid close contact with other people until you feel well.
  • Use tissues when you cough and dispose of them carefully and straight away.
  • Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly, especially after you cough and before touching food, dishes, glasses, eating utensils etc.
  • Do not share food, drinking cups, eating utensils or hand towels with others.
  • Do not prepare food for others if you are unwell.
  • Do not go to day care, school or work until you are no longer contagious.

Unfortunately, there is no vaccine currently available to help prevent Strep A. However, the Australia Strep A Vaccine Initiative (ASAVI), led by researchers from the Telethon Kids Institute and Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI), is currently looking at sore throats in children, as an important first step towards a vaccine for Strep A.

About the ASAVI Sore Throat Study

The ASAVI Sore Throat Study is open to children aged 3-14 years old and will help researcher learn more about:

  • how many children get sore throats;
  • what is the most common cause of sore throat in children;
  • how sore throats can change during the different seasons of the year; and
  • how a vaccine could be used to prevent sore throats caused by Strep A bacteria.

Children taking part in the study will have their health monitored for 12 months. The study uses cutting edge technology to diagnose sore throats. This means that a child’s sore throat can be diagnosed within minutes of a visit to their local GP, so that the best possible treatment can be provided.

Illawarra Medical Centre is one of the general practices participating in this important study, which is currently looking for participants.

If you and your child would like to take part, please speak with one of our GPs or contact ASAVI on 0422 581 816 or email sorethroatstudy@telethonkids.org.au. To find out more visit the ASAVI website>>

For more information on this topic, visit:

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]]> Why you should get your flu vaccine this year https://illawarramedical.com.au/flu-vaccine/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=flu-vaccine Thu, 22 Apr 2021 05:56:02 +0000 https://illawarramedical.com.au/?p=4451 With all the focus on COVID-19 vaccines in recent months, many people may be wondering if they need to bother with their annual flu vaccine this year. The short answer is YES! Flu remains a potentially serious disease and it is important to continue to vaccinate against it each and every year. What is influenza? […]

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With all the focus on COVID-19 vaccines in recent months, many people may be wondering if they need to bother with their annual flu vaccine this year.

The short answer is YES! Flu remains a potentially serious disease and it is important to continue to vaccinate against it each and every year.

What is influenza?

Influenza, or the flu, is a highly contagious viral disease that is easily spread through coughing, touching and sneezing. It can often be mistaken for a common cold. However, flu tends to last longer and be more debilitating.

While most people experience symptoms such as fever, headache, sore throat, runny nose, cough, tiredness and general aches and pains, children can experience more uncommon symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.

Influenza can cause severe illness or death, particularly among high risk groups, including children under five, the elderly, pregnant women, and those with serious medical conditions.

Who should get vaccinated?

Anyone over the age of 6 months is encouraged to get vaccinated annually against influenza.

Those at greatest risk of serious complications from influenza are eligible to receive the vaccine for free, through the Australian Government’s National Immunisation Program (NIP). This includes:

  • Children aged 6 months to <5 years
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
  • Adults aged 65 years and over
  • Pregnant women
  • Anyone aged 6 months and over who has:
    • heart disease
    • severe asthma (requiring frequent medical consultations or use of multiple medications)
    • chronic lung conditions
    • diseases of the nervous system that affect breathing
    • impaired immunity
    • diabetes
    • kidney disease
    • haemoglobinopathies
    • children aged 6 months to 10 years on long-term aspirin therapy

In Western Australia, all primary school aged children from pre-primary to Year 6, are also eligible to receive the influenza vaccine for free.

While social distancing, travel restrictions and good hygiene measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to a decline in flu cases and deaths last year, the flu vaccine remains key to helping reduce the severity and spread of seasonal influenza this year.

This brochure from the Australian Government Department of Health provides more information on how to protect yourself from influenza in 2021. View brochure here>>

Is the flu vaccine safe for children?

Children under 5 years of age are one of the groups at greatest risk of developing this highly contagious viral disease and experiencing serious health complications as a result.

Flu vaccines are perfectly safe for children. Like any vaccine, it is possible that some children may experience a reaction; however, the risk of the flu vaccine causing serious harm is very low.

In Australia, all vaccines must pass strict safety testing before being approved for use by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). We also have a national program – AusVaxSafety – that monitors the type and rate of reactions to each year’s new influenza vaccine in young children.

At Illawarra Medical Centre, we utilise the SmartVax system as an additional vaccine safety measure for our patients. SmartVax uses SMS and smartphone technology to actively monitor vaccine safety in real time and feeds into the AusVaxSafety program.

How safe is the vaccine for pregnant women?

The influenza vaccine has been given safely to millions of pregnant women worldwide over many years and pregnant women are strongly recommended to get the influenza vaccine.

Those who do get influenza while pregnant are at higher risk of hospitalization, and even death, than non-pregnant women.

Not only does the vaccine protect pregnant mothers against influenza, it also helps to protect their unborn babies from the disease.

In fact, research shows that the risk of stillbirth is reduced by 51% in pregnant women who are immunised against influenza. The antibodies produced by pregnant mothers from the influenza immunisation can also help to protect their babies for up to 6 months after birth.

Click here for more information on the influenza vaccine in pregnancy>>

Which vaccine should I get first – COVID or flu?

With both COVID-19 and influenza vaccines available at the same time in Australia, it can be difficult to know which vaccine to get first and when.

COVID-19 vaccination remains a priority, so if you meet Phase 1a or 1b eligibility, it is recommended you book in for your COVID-19 vaccine first.

Those in these categories include:

  • Quarantine, border and front line health care workers
  • Frontline health care workers
  • Aged care and disability care staff
  • Aged care and disability care residents
  • Patients aged 70 years and over
  • Health care workers
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders aged 55 years and over
  • Adults with an underlying medical condition or significant disability
  • Critical and high risk workers, including defence, police, fire, emergency services, and meat processing workers.

Check your eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine here>>

Even if you do get your COVID-19 vaccine first, the flu vaccine can be given in between your two COVID-19 vaccine doses, so long as they are given 14 days apart.

If you are not yet eligible to receive your COVID-19 vaccination, then you should book in for your flu vaccine as soon as it becomes available.

When booking in for your flu vaccination, it’s important to tell your vaccination provider if you have received the COVID-19 vaccine and when, so that they can best plan your appointment.

Flu Clinics at IMC

Illawarra Medical Centre will be running flu vaccination clinics at our practice, as stocks become available. We currently have flu vaccines available for those aged 65 years and over.

Our flu clinics will be held at our adjacent DermCosmesis building and are available Monday to Friday from 9am-12pm and 2-3pm.

Bookings are essential. Visit the website for further details or to make a booking.

For more information on this topic, visit:

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]]> Australia’s COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout https://illawarramedical.com.au/australias-covid-19-vaccine-rollout/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=australias-covid-19-vaccine-rollout Thu, 25 Feb 2021 06:59:50 +0000 https://illawarramedical.com.au/?p=4243 With the rollout of the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines in Australia currently underway and two vaccines already approved for use, we thought we’d take a closer look at the Australian Government’s COVID-19 vaccination program and see how the vaccines will be rolled out across Australia. Why are vaccines important? Vaccines save millions of lives […]

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With the rollout of the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines in Australia currently underway and two vaccines already approved for use, we thought we’d take a closer look at the Australian Government’s COVID-19 vaccination program and see how the vaccines will be rolled out across Australia.

COVID Vaccine

Why are vaccines important?

Vaccines save millions of lives each year and are recognised as one of the most successful and cost effective health interventions.

They work to strengthen your immune system by training it to recognise and fight against specific viruses.

What we know about COVID-19 is that it can spread quickly and widely and has resulted in the death of over 2.3 million people worldwide, including over 900 deaths in Australia (as at 15 February 2021).

Having enough people in the community vaccinated against COVID-19 will help to slow down the spread of the disease and make outbreaks much less likely. It will also mean less need for preventative measures, such as border closures and travel restrictions, as well as improvements to the health, social and economic wellbeing of all Australians.

Which vaccines will Australians receive?

At the moment, two vaccines have been approved for use in Australia:

  1. Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine – the first vaccine approved for use in Australia for people 16 years of age and over. Two doses of this vaccine will be required, administered at least 21 days apart. It will initially be given to the first priority groups from the end of February. This includes aged care and disability care residents and workers, frontline health care workers, and quarantine and border workers.
  2. University of Oxford AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine – the second vaccine to be approved for use in Australia for people aged 18 and over. Two doses of this vaccine will be required, with the second dose administered between 4 to 12 weeks after the first. This is the vaccine that most Australians will receive. While initial doses will come from overseas and be delivered in early 2021, ongoing supply of the vaccine will be manufactured right here in Australia.

For a good overview of the COVID-19 vaccines that will be used in Australia, watch this short video>>

Who will receive these vaccines and when?

Everyone in Australia will be offered a free, safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine.

As COVID-19 vaccines become approved and available, they will be rolled out in phases, with the aim of having as many people in Australia vaccinated as possible in 2021.

The national COVID-19 vaccine rollout strategy outlines the phases in which vaccines will be made available to different groups. Priority groups, identified using public health, medical and epidemiological evidence, will be the first in Australia to be vaccinated.

While waiting for your turn to be vaccinated, it’s important to continue the good COVIDSafe habits adopted over the past year, including:

  • practising god hygiene;
  • maintaining physical distance;
  • staying at home and getting tested for COVID-19 if you are sick; and
  • downloading the COVIDSafe app.

 Are COVID-19 vaccines safe?

All vaccines used in Australia, including those being developed for COVID-19, are thoroughly tested and monitored to ensure their ongoing safety.

Before vaccines can be used in Australia, they must be rigorously tested on thousands of people in progressively larger trials.

If they are found to be safe and effective during the trial process, they can then be registered for use with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). The TGA undertakes a rigorous assessment and approval process for the safety, quality and effectiveness of all vaccines used in Australia.

For a more detailed look at how vaccines are tested and monitored for safety, watch this video>>

SmartVax’s role in monitoring COVID-19 vaccine safety

Once vaccines are used in Australia, they continue to be monitored for safety.

smartvax_immunisation_vaccination_logo

SmartVax, established by Illawarra Medical Centre’s Principal GP, Dr Alan Leeb, is one tool that plays a major role in monitoring the safety of vaccines in Australia.

In partnership with AusVaxSafety, SmartVax has developed a new COVID-19 vaccine-ready version to specifically monitor the safety of COVID-19 vaccines in Australia.

It works by sending a text message with a survey link at 3, 8 and 42 days after receiving a COVID-19 vaccination. The survey asks whether any reactions to the vaccine were experienced and invites you to provide more information regarding:

  • the nature, severity and duration of any reactions;
  • past medical history; and
  • lost time from work.

Your GP is informed of any medically attended reactions and a public health notification is made to the relevant public health authority, in keeping with local legislation.

The de-identified data from this is stored and monitored by AusVaxSafety – Australia’s national safety surveillance system responsible for the analysis, collation, visualisation and dissemination of Australia’s vaccine safety data – and used for communication with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and Australian Government Department of Health (DOH).

SmartVax’s active adverse event surveillance following COVID-19 vaccination will form an important role in the monitoring of the safe roll out of this vaccine program across Australia.

For more information on this topic, visit:

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