Dr Mutiara Budi Azhar

Page 1

4/9/2014

Faculty of Medicine Sriwijaya University

Block 1 Medical English

Cramps 1!
Night cramp is something from which a great many people occasionally1 suffer - and they dont easily forget it. Even the healthiest people may get a short, sharp pain in the legs after a strenous2 day. Many older people can bring it on by ma!ing powerful stretching" movements while lying down in bed. #f this sort of night cramp becomes a real nuisance$, avoiding overstretching% and tablets containing &uinine sulphate at bed-time may be all that is needed. ' very small number of patients, however, cannot ta!e &uinine without becoming di((y) or getting bu((ing* in the ears. +hey may have to decide whether they would rather have cramp and no di((iness, or the reverse,. -ut cramp in the lower limbs1. in the daytime and in younger, active patients can be very distressing11 and is more serious. #t is not uncommon12 and has the rather clumsy1 name of intermitten1" claudication1$.

"lossary
1. 2. . ". $. %. ). *. ,. 1.. 11. occasionally/ happening infre&uently0irregularly strenuous/ re&uiring energetic effort bring it on/ cause it to happen stretching/ to e1tend your limbs0body nuisance/ something which causes problems over-stretching/ stretching too much di((y/ tending to cause vertigo bu((ing/ a confused low sound reverse/ the opposite of something limbs/ the pro2ecting parts of a person3s body distressing/ causing severe pain

Dr Mutiara Budi Azhar

Page 2

4/9/2014

Faculty of Medicine Sriwijaya University

Block 1 Medical English

12. 1 . 1". 1$. uncommon/ unusual4 not common clumsy/ strange intermittent/ occurring at intervals claudications/ cramping pains in the leg

Cramps #!
+he patient first complains of aching1 legs after e1cercise2. #t may be slight , but gradually becomes more pronounced". +hen the pain is not merely$ an ache, but a definite, crippling% cramp, which can become so severe that the patient finds he or she cannot stand after much wal!ing. #ntermittent claudication is caused by the narrowing) of the arteries and often starts in the .s. #t generally means that the arteries everywhere in the body have become narrowed and blood cannot reach) the muscles fast enough when they are in use*. +he heart muscles may be e&ually affected,.

"lossary
1. 2. . ". $. %. ). *. ,. aching/ suffering from an ache4 being very painful e1ercise/ slight/ of little significance pronounced/ strongly mar!ed merrily/ solely4 which is nothing more than crippling/ not being able to use one3s legs 5because of the cramp6 narrowing/ ma!ing narrow in use/ when something is being used affected/ produce an effect on4 attac!ed

Dr Mutiara Budi Azhar

Page 3

4/9/2014

Faculty of Medicine Sriwijaya University

Block 1 Medical English

Cramps $!
+his condition may be a good enough e1cuse for not doing 2obs you dont li!e doing, but that is poor1 consolation. #t is a disease which affects men far more2 than women and attac!s are more common in cold weather, or even after sitting in a chair at the office in a draught . #t is also a slightly hereditary" complaint. +his is by no means$ the same as the night-time cramp already mentioned, and there is no absolute% cure. +he patient learns to regulate) the amount of e1ercise he or she can comfortably ta!e. No drugs offer a complete relief* but there is one habit which the sufferer, must give up1. -- smo!ing. 7hatever may or may not be ones views about the habit, it undoubtedly ma!es intermittent claudication far more troublesome. ' number of patients will secretly admit that so long as they !eep of11 tobacco they do not get this fearsome12 cramp.

"lossary
1. 2. . poor/ less good than is usual or e1pected far more/ a lot more draught/ a current of air in a room

Dr Mutiara Budi Azhar

Page 4

4/9/2014

Faculty of Medicine Sriwijaya University

Block 1 Medical English

". $. %. ). *. ,. 1.. 11. 12. hereditary/ descending by inheritance by no means/ certainly not4 not at all absolute/ complete4 total regulate/ to control relief/ deliverance from pain sufferer/ he0she who suffers give up/ to stop doing something4 to cease an activity !eep off/ to abstain from4 to stay away from fearsome/ frightening, appalling

Could it %e dia%etes&
Everyone thin!s that diabetes is a disease where the patient e1cretes a lot of sugar, is very thin and is inordinately thirsty. -ut there are many people who probably have diabetes and won8t !now they have it until a severe symptom arises. 9owever, there are some minor warning symptoms to loo! out for. :iabetes tends to be hereditary. #f you have a diabetic parent, brother, sister or even aunt, there is an increased ris! of the disease. -ut people often don8t reali(e that although it often causes youngsters to lose weight, later on in life there may be a filling out of the waistline. 'nd on the sub2ect of weight, overeating can also trigger off diabetes.

Dr Mutiara Budi Azhar

Page 5

4/9/2014

Faculty of Medicine Sriwijaya University

Block 1 Medical English

#f a woman who une1pectedly has one or two failed pregnancies, it will need to be investigated in several ways, but the possibility of her being a diabetic must be rec!oned with. ;imilarly, a mother who produces a really large child < for e1ample, over four and a half !ilos < needs to consider this possibility. 'nother way the diagnosis can arise is when a patient goes for a life assurance medical e1amination and is re2ected when they believed they were fit and healthy. #f this happens, the patient needs to go and see their own doctor and ta!e a specimen of urine with them. =ne of the early signs of diabetes is when the patient becomes plagued with boils for no apparent reason. 'nother s!in condition associated with diabetes is when there is infuriating itching < generally at night < after a visit to the loo. ' few final points also need remembering. :iabetes is not really a definite entity of a disease, but it is said that about 1 people in every 1,... n 7estern Europe has a sugar defect in the urine < and about half of them are unaware of the fact. +he outloo! is vastly better for diabetics than it used to be. -efore insulin, a diabetic 1.year-old only had a life e1pectancy of less that two years < this e1pectancy is now about "$ years. =lder patients will generally get less serious effects. >astly, if it turns out that you do have diabetes, don8t 2ump to the conclusion that in2ections will be essential. #t may well be possible to treat you either by diet alone or by insulin ta!en by mouth. ;o, if you have any suspicions at all that you may have diabetes, don8t be afraid to consult your doctor.

Bulimia
Most people !now about anore1ia nervous < when people deliberately starve themselves to !eep their weight down < but bulimia, or e1cessive vomiting, is another e1treme of the disorder. 'lthough bulimics have near normal weight, it comes at a price, and that is their health. +hey delude themselves into thin!ing that the only way to !eep the calories they have eaten from turning into fat is to ma!e themselves vomit or by ta!ing e1cessive amounts of la1atives. 7hat they don8t reali(e is that it is not an effective way of preventing the absorption of e1tra calories.

Dr Mutiara Budi Azhar

Page 6

4/9/2014

Faculty of Medicine Sriwijaya University

Block 1 Medical English

#t isn8t 2ust women who can suffer from anore1ia or bulimia, although women are 1. times more liable to succumb to eating disorders. -ulimia may start after months or years of anore1ia. #t is essentially a teenage problem, though it may e1tend into adult life or even begin then. +he fre&uent food binges by bulimics can lead to depression. +he physical and psychiatric complications of his behaviour lead to educational, occupational, social and family problems. =ne of the obvious signs of bulimia is hard s!in or mar!s on the bac! of the hand due to repeated abrasion of the s!in as the hand is thrust down the throat to produce vomiting. ' dentist may also spot the condition as the salivary glands can become enlarged as well as the teeth losing their enamel through repeated vomiting < which causes the teeth to come into contact with abnormal amounts of gastric acid. 'nd it is not 2ust the outside appearance of the body that suffers. ?epeated vomiting also upsets the chemical balance of the blood, which can result in painful cramps, fits and even !idney damage. ' sympathetic ear is the first priority when it comes to treating the disorder. =nce the problem is out in the open, the sufferer and their doctor, friends and family can 2oin together to fight it. +he person who has the disorder will need psychotherapy to tac!le and overcome their behaviour. +his will reveal why they feel they have to binge and vomit, and brea! the cycle. +here is help out there for anore1ics and bulimics, but they must ta!e the first step and see! help from their doctors as soon as possible before they seriously damage their health.

'aughter is the Best Medicine

't least nine out of every ten illnesses are caused < or at least made worse < by stress, pressure and an1iety. #t seems that the way we respond to problems and troubles can produce many symptoms of ill health. -ut although our minds can ma!e us ill, they can also ma!e us better and help us to stay healthy. +here are a number of ways in which you can use your mind to improve your health/

Dr Mutiara Budi Azhar

Page 7

4/9/2014

Faculty of Medicine Sriwijaya University

Block 1 Medical English

1. 2. >augh as much as you can. >aughter is a positive, natural phenomenon which helps by improving respiration, lowering blood pressure and @toning up8 the heart. :on8t be cool or unemotional. #nsurance companies in the A;' have shown that if a wife !isses her husband before he goes to wor!, then he8ll be less li!ely to have an accident on the road. 9e will, on average, live five years longer than if she doesn8t give him a morning !iss. #f you feel sad, then cry. ?esearch has shown that tears don8t 2ust provide an important stress relief valve < they help the body get rid of harmful chemical wastes. #f you suppress your natural instinct to cry, than you are increasing your chances of ac&uiring a stress-related disorder. 'nger is a !iller. :iseases such as high blood pressure, stro!es and heart disease are all common conse&uences of uncontrolled anger. Bind a positive way to release it, such as through physical e1ercise or tal!ing about your problems. ' lac! of confidence can be very destructive, so build it up. Cou can do this by imagining that you are creating an advertisement for yourself, writing down all your good points. Cou8ll probably be surprised to find out how many virtues you have. ;mile as much as you can. 7e all respond to the face we see < for e1ample, if you see someone yawn, you feel tired and if you see someone scowling, then you8ll feel cross. #f people see you smiling, then they8ll smile bac! at you. +hey8ll li!e you, too. >earn to assert yourself. #n hospitals the patients who live longest are the ones who stic! up for themselves. +he same is true of life. -oredom is one of the biggest !illers in our society. -e prepared to ta!e ris!s and chances to add e1citement to your life. #f you don8t ta!e ris!s, you8ll never !now what you can achieve. Dut purpose into life. -y adding ambition, hope and purpose, you8ll give yourself new powers with which to combat the stresses and strains associated with frustrations, boredom and pressure. Eet into the habit of following your instincts. Dractice first with minor decisions < what to eat and wear. Cou8ll be surprised at how good your unconscious mind is at ma!ing decisions for you.

".

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Dr Mutiara Budi Azhar

Page 8

4/9/2014

Faculty of Medicine Sriwijaya University

Block 1 Medical English

(ravel Sickness
Motion sic!ness < or travel sic!ness < spoils many 2ourneys. Cet it is possible to control this unpleasant and often embarrassing condition. 'lthough it most traditionally occurs when travelling by sea, motion sic!ness can also affect travellers on trains, aeroplanes, buses and motor cars. #n fact, so many more people travel by road than by sea that the number of children who suffer from motion sic!ness in cars and buses is higher than in any other category. #t is children rather than who suffer mostly from motion sic!ness. -ut, for some reason that researchers don8t entirely understand, the problem tends to disappear with time. ?esearchers are constantly studying the sub2ect of motion sic!ness. Brom what we !now, it seems that the special organs of balance inside the ear have a vital part to play. +he physiological pathways are still something of a mystery, but it is now recogni(ed that any type of regular movement can cause motion sic!ness. Bor e1ample, motion sic!ness is common among people who go on roundabouts and rides at the fairground. =ver the years, #8ve lost count of the number of @cures8 for travel sic!ness that #8ve come across. =ne of the most convincing pieces of research #8ve seen suggests that when the brain is receiving plenty of visual information about what is going on, it balances that information against the motion and is less li!ely to become disturbed. +his is why most car drivers, aeroplane pilots, boat helmsmen and bi!e riders don8t suffer from motion sic!ness. 7ith this evidence in mind, one of the best ways to avoid motion sic!ness is to ta!e an active interest in what is going on outside. +rying to read or play a game inside a car will ma!e things worse because the information being received through the eyes won8t match the info. +ry games such as counting lorries, loo!ing for blue cars or counting sheep in the fields instead. Cou can also help minimi(e the problem by avoiding rich, spicy or fatty foods before travelling. =f the many drugs available to stop motion sic!ness, the best ones are antihistamines. -ut since they cause drowsiness in many cases, they could be problematic for drivers and people doing dangerous wor!.

Dr Mutiara Budi Azhar

Page 9

4/9/2014

Faculty of Medicine Sriwijaya University

Block 1 Medical English

Miscarriage
:E'>#NE with repeated miscarriages is one of the many distressing situations that a doctor has to deal with in his professional life. ' miscarriage can be triggered by a whole host of factors. +he most common ones are anatomical and genetic abnormalities but there are others. Bor e1ample, smo!ing increases the ris! and diseases are also associated with miscarriages. +hese include thyroid trouble, diabetes and a wide range of infections, from Eerman measles 5rubella6, mumps, influen(a, listeriosis and to1oplasmosis to herpes and malaria. Bactors in repeated miscarriages are more li!ely to be hormonal imbalance or an abnormality of the womb. +he uterus may have two horns instead of one cavity and there is less room for baby to grow. Drevious womb infections or D#: - pelvic inflammatory disease, where the genital organs are damaged and scarred, can also be a cause. -abies in the wrong place - in the confined space of a Ballopian tube, which normally conducts the egg from the ovary to the uterus - miscarry around si1 to ten wee!s. +his is an ectopic pregnancy. =ne in 1". pregnancies are ectopic and are more common in women over the age of .. -ut there are also many myths about recurrent miscarriages. =ne is that a bac!wardspointing womb, or retroverted uterus, causes abortions. #t definitely doesn3t. ;e1ual intercourse doesn3t either, nor an e1amination by your doctor. Miscarriages are traumatic events and in cases of recurrent miscarriages, # suggest a low!ey approach. :on3t tell anyone but your doctor at first. >et your partner into the secret later at an opportune moment and rest as much as possible. Eet a scan after si1 wee!s as this will show if baby is developing and in the right place. Cour doctor can arrange this. 7hen you3ve got to the magic 12 wee!s or later, when miscarriages are less li!ely to happen, then you can let everyone in on your happy news.

Dr Mutiara Budi Azhar

Page 10

4/9/2014

Faculty of Medicine Sriwijaya University

Block 1 Medical English

(he )eaf )river

:E'B DE=D>E do not get their share of sympathy and are often not fully understood. +his is particularly true of deaf drivers. #t is often suggested that the hard of hearing cannot be as good or as safe drivers as others. Cet research carried out in New Fealand into the causes of more than .,... accidents showed that deafness was not regarded as responsible in a single incident. #n the Anited ;tates, almost all licensing officers consider deaf drivers to be &uite as safe indeed safer - than average. +here is a reason for this. +hese drivers are so well aware of their disability, and of the pre2udices against them, that they ta!e more than average care when driving. +hey concentrate more on the 2ob. #ndeed, one insurance company revealed that although eight per cent of policy-holders ma!e some sort of claim each year, only between three and four per cent of claims are made by people with defective hearing. +here are, of course, varying degrees of deafness. +here is the deafness of the lad who never hears his mother as!ing him to do something. 'nd at the other end of the scale there is the so-called stone-deaf patient. #f a driver has some degree of deafness and wears a hearing-aid, the &uestion is often as!ed whether, if he wears it during his driving test, he ought never to drive without it. ;ome countries insist on this, but # feel it is unreasonable. ' hearing-aid does not clarify sound as much as it may increase the volume, and this can be a distraction to the driver, especially in town areas. ' hearing-aid is not comparable with spectacles. +he latter can improve vision to such an e1tent that it becomes normal. ' hearing-aid does not ma!e hearing perfect. +here have been suggestions that a certificate of sound hearing should be incorporated in every application for a driving license. #n view of the statistics, however, this would seem unreasonable. 7e all suffer at times from the other driver who thin!s we must be deaf, 2ust because we don3t do e1actly what he wants us to do. 9e shows this by hooting and bad manners. +here is reason to believe that the driver with poorer hearing is spared some of this sort of annoyance, as well as the distraction of a tal!ative passenger. +he only thing that may possibly suffer a little as the result of the disability is perhaps, the gearbo1G +o sum up, # would maintain that the deaf driver is as safe as the rest of us and # would never support any legislation against him.

Dr Mutiara Budi Azhar

Page 11

4/9/2014

Faculty of Medicine Sriwijaya University

Block 1 Medical English

*mpotence
79EN >':; get problems with their se1ual performance it is usually temporary and due to the stress of the moment or e1cessive alcohol. 'lcohol brea!s down the barriers of se1ual taboos and reticence, thereby increasing desire. -ut there is another side to the increase in desire - namely a decrease in performance, which is sometimes referred to as Hbrewer3s droopH. #n all cases of impotence, the main difficulty is failure to sustain an erection. Dremature e2aculation is another complication of the problem. +he reasons for this are mi1ed - about ". per cent of cases have physical causes, such as diseases, drugs and in2ury, and . per cent have psychological causes. 'nother . per cent have a mi1ture of both physical and psychological precipitating factors. #t is also more common among men over the age of "$. # find that fear is a potent cause of impotence, such as the fear of doing damage to oneself after an operation or heart attac!. Cour se1 life can continue - after a coronary thrombosis - get advice from your doctor. :rugs causing impotence include anti-depressant chemicals and those used to lower blood pressure - as an erection is due to the amount and pressure of blood diverted into the penis. :iseases affecting impotence include diabetes, high blood pressure, depression and an1iety. ?ecurrent failure brings its own spiral of lac! of confidence and increasing tension, leading to more disastrous conse&uences when ma!ing love. Nervous system diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, affect performance in the male. +hose who have suffered nerve damage in accidents where, for e1ample, the pelvis has been crushed in a road traffic accident are liable to sustain se1ual difficulties. 'ny disturbances of the circulation below the waist can contribute to impotence. Bortunately, these are unusual situations and the ma2ority of blame lies in the psyche fear, an1iety and tension, with a degree of depression thrown in for good measure. >adies can also lose interest in se1. >oss of libido is more common in women than men and the culprit is usually depression, especially the post-natal type after having a baby. +he se1 act can also become painful for the female because of stitches following childbirth or other gynaecological conditions and these are a strong 3turn-off8. Iure the problem and se1 life improves dramatically.

Dr Mutiara Budi Azhar

Page 12

4/9/2014

Faculty of Medicine Sriwijaya University

Block 1 Medical English

;ome men blame impotence on their operation if they have had the large prostate gland, which affects the passage of urine, removed. +his is !nown as trans urethral resection of the prostate or +A?D for short. +he old-fashioned operation carried a ris! but if you have the modern operation today, there is no chance of the nerves involved in the se1 act being damaged. Bortunately, most patients respond to treatment these days. :rugs can be in2ected into the patient or special mechanical aids can bring about and sustain an erection. 9owever, hormones are, useless in the treatment of impotence as they do not attac! the cause of the problem. ;urgery is sometimes successful where there is arterial disease. 9ow you treat your partner is very important. Dhysical humiliation, failure to satisfy a partner in the past or attempted rape can adversely affect se1ual performance and interest in se1. Much patience and understanding must be used to support someone who has had a traumatic se1ual past.

Dr Mutiara Budi Azhar

Page 13

4/9/2014

Faculty of Medicine Sriwijaya University

Block 1 Medical English

Migraines
M#>>#=N; of wor!ing days are lost each year through migraines and it has been estimated that 2ust about all of the population have had attac!s from time to time. Dersistent sufferers are said to have included >ewis Iarroll, Iharles :arwin, ;igmund Breud, Joan of 'rc, ?udyard Kipling and +homas Jefferson. +he symptoms vary a great deal from patient to patient but usually, in addition to a searing headache, many patients vomit. -efore this headache there may also be a warning 3aura3. #t is also common for some sufferers to see flashing lights and visual disturbances. Migraines usually begin in the sufferer3s teens and may persist throughout the unfortunate victim3s life. -ut the precise cause of migraine, is something of a mystery. 'ttac!s are triggered off by many different things. ;ometimes a specific factor can be the cause, such as chocolate, cheese, oranges, lemons, shellfish, alcohol, tobacco, bananas or fried foods. +o find out whether or not any one of these triggers are responsible, a migraine sufferer must !eep a close record of everything that he or she consumes for a month or two. =nly then will a pattern emerge, showing some relationship between migraine attac!s and a particular food. ' more general cause of migraine is stress. 7hen this is the cause, the attac! usually occurs when the individual is rela1ing -- often at the wee!end, for e1ample. 7hen an attac! occurs, the pain and e1treme discomfort can often be relieved to a degree by the use of ordinary pain!illers such as aspirin or paracetamol. #f these don3t wor!, then it3s probably best to get a doctor3s prescription for one of the more powerful products available. #t isn3t always easy to deal with the pain and discomfort efficiently and # strongly recommend that any sufferer try to identify a cause. #f the cause is a particular food, then the obvious answer is to cut it out of the diet -- for a year or two at least. #f stress is the cause, then the answer is either to cut bac! on stress-producing activities, or to learn how to rela1 more efficiently. Dreventing migraines ta!es some effort, but the effort is usually worthwhile.

Dr Mutiara Budi Azhar

Page 14

4/9/2014

Faculty of Medicine Sriwijaya University

Block 1 Medical English

+ ,uestion of Se#N +9E D';+ few years, #3ve seen a number of patients wanting to !now how they can choose the se1 of their baby. ?eports from different e1perts around the world have aroused hopes and e1pectations -and many parents-to-be have come into the surgery convinced that they3ll be able to have a boy or a girl with hardly any chance of an error. +he truth is, of course, it isn3t possible to provide a 1.. per cent sure way of ensuring that a couple get the baby they want. -ut there are lots of people who claim to !now of methods which improve the odds a little from the normal $. per cent chance. 9a(el Dhillips, for e1ample, wor!ed out a formula that. she claimed has a success rate of over *. per cent. ;he described her method in a boo! called Girl or BoyL that she wrote a few years ago with +essa 9ilton. 'ccording to 9a(el, the first thing you have to do is wor! out when ovulation ta!es place. +here are various ways of doing this, but the simplest is probably to remember that ovulation normally ta!es place 1", days before the ne1t period starts. #t is possible to get a more accurate idea of when ovulation ta!es place by plotting daily temperatures -- but that can be rather tedious and time-consuming. #f you want a boy, then you should abstain from intercourse until the day of ovulation. #f you want a girl, then you should have se1 from the beginning of the cycle until three days before ovulation when you should avoid intercourse. Neither 9a(el Dhillips nor # guarantee that this method will wor!. -ut it will at least be fun tryingG 'll this interest in choosing the se1 of a baby has reminded me of a doctor # used to !now years ago. 9e had a foolproof way of predicting the se1 of a baby. 7hen a pregnant woman went to see him and wanted to !now what se1 her baby was going to be, he would tell her that she was going to have a girl4 and he would write a note in the bac! of his diary. Just so that there wouldn3t be any argument about it afterwards. -ut being a crafty old doctor he would write 3boy3 in the bac! of his diary.

Dr Mutiara Budi Azhar

Page 15

4/9/2014

Faculty of Medicine Sriwijaya University

Block 1 Medical English

7hen the patient came to see him after the birth, he would be able to claim a 1.. per cent success rate. #f she had a girl, then she3d probably remember what he3d told her. 'nd he wouldn3t need the diary. #f she had a boy, then he3d ta!e out his diary, show her the entry, and e1plain that she must have misheard himG

Dr Mutiara Budi Azhar

Page 16

4/9/2014

Faculty of Medicine Sriwijaya University

Block 1 Medical English

*nfertility . a Common /ro%lem

#NBE?+#>#+C is a problem that affects something li!e one couple in every ten. +hin! about that. #t is a remar!able figure. =ne out of every ten couples can3t have a baby which they desperately want. +here are said to be appro1imately ". possible physical causes of infertility, although you could probably find more if you loo!ed hard enough. 'mong women, the common problems are a failure of ovulation and a bloc!age of the fallopian tubes 5often caused by some previous infection6. 'mong men 5who are 2ust li!ely to be the cause of infertility as their partners6, the problems commonly include failure to produce spermato(oa in sufficient numbers, and a failure to produce spermato(oa of good enough &uality. +hose disorders can themselves be traced bac! to other problems in many causes. 7hen a woman fails to ovulate, for e1ample, the cause may be a specific disorder such as endometriosis or a general complaint such as a sudden weight loss. 7hen a man doesn3t produce enough sperm, or produces sperm of an inferior &uality, the basic cause may be an old infection, such as mumps, or an accident. =f course, there can be mechanical causes for infertility. ' man who is impotent, or who e2aculates prematurely, is unli!ely to impregnate his partner. ' couple who ma!e love only once a year are unli!ely to have a baby. Eenerally spea!ing, unless a woman is over the age of . it isn3t usually necessary to investigate a case of alleged infertility until a couple have been having intercourse without any form of contraception for two years. 7ell before that time limit is reached, there are a number of things that a couple can do to enhance their chances of having a child. 9aving se1 as close as possible to the moment of ovulation is a good starting point as any.

Dr Mutiara Budi Azhar

Page 17

4/9/2014

Faculty of Medicine Sriwijaya University

Block 1 Medical English

Most women ovulate 1" days before the end of their menstrual cycle, so se1 at that time is far more li!ely to result in a pregnancy than se1 2ust before or after a period.

+o ensure that this sperm is !ept in the best possible condition, a man should avoid tight 2eans, !eep out of hot baths and saunas, and sit with his legs apart as often as possible. ;perm are very susceptible to unwanted heat. 'fter intercourse, a woman who wants to get pregnant should stay in bed half an hour, draw up her !nees and put a pillow under her bottom. +hese actions are designed to improve the chances of a sperm getting into and through the cervi1 and meeting an egg.

Dr Mutiara Budi Azhar

Page 18

4/9/2014

Faculty of Medicine Sriwijaya University

Block 1 Medical English

0aricose 0eins
M'?#I=;E ME#N; affect millions of people, mostly women. 'lthough, to nonsufferers, they may seem a trivial problem, they can cause a tremendous amount of pain and embarrassment. Ionsisting simply of swollen veins in the legs, it is commonly thought that the only answer for varicose veins is an operation. +hat3s not true. +here are many things that a varicose vein sufferer can do to ease the problem. 'nyone who has varicose veins and wants to !now how to deal with the discomfort should read through this chec! list - and follow the instructions #3ve provided. 'nyone who wants to avoid developing varicose veins would be well advised to read this advice, too. 1. 'void getting constipated. Eat plenty of fiber-rich foods such as fresh vegetables and whole-meal bread. 2. #f you3re overweight, then go on a slimming diet straight away. Iarrying around e1tra weight ma!es it more li!ely that you3ll develop varicose veins - or that if you have varicose veins they3ll become a problem. . :on3t wear tight garters, belts, corsets or girdles. 'ny of these items may constrict your circulation and contribute to the development of varicose, veins. ". +ry to ensure that you always wear comfortable shoes. 9igh-heeled shoes put an e1tra strain on your leg muscles. $. 7hen you sit down, try to get into a position where you can !eep your feet flat on the floor. :on3t cross your legs 5because that constricts the veins and ma!es it difficult for blood to get bac! through the constricted vessels6, and avoid sitting with your legs hanging freely over the edge of a chair. 5:on3t sit on the edge of the table, for e1ample. #t compresses the underside of your thighs and stops the circulation6. %. :o regular but gentle e1ercises. +he best types of e1ercise are wal!ing, swimming and cycling. :on3t e1ercise until you are e1hausted or in pain. -ut do try to ma!e sure that you ta!e some e1ercise every day.

Dr Mutiara Budi Azhar

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4/9/2014

Faculty of Medicine Sriwijaya University

Block 1 Medical English

"rowing /ain
':=>E;IENIE is a difficult period for teenagers, as they have to cope with three different !inds of change. +hese changes are both physical and physiological. Bor e1ample, a girl develops &uite mar!ed changes in her form and figure while boys have to start borrowing :ad3s ra(or. 9e, too, becomes aware of other &uite remar!able physical se1 developments, besides growing a beard. ;econdly, adolescents have to learn to fit in with the family on a rather new footing and the family has to do some fitting in, as wellG +eenagers develop independence and li!e to ta!e decisions on their own. +hirdly, the adolescent nearly always has to ma!e radical changes in his or her relationship with the world outside the front gate. +hese youngsters suffer from changes in schools and teachers and reali(e they have to face competition with their peers. +hese three varieties of change can lead to &uite a lot of an1iety and worry. Medical advice is often as!ed for conditions which do not seem psychological, but merely physical. Darents have to reali(e their child is growing up and needs new freedoms, so long as they are not too 3permissive3. +he physical symptoms that may begin include headaches, dyspepsia, irritability, and insomnia. Darents can help by providing a stable home and ta!ing an interest in the youngster3s hobbies or sports. ;port is a wonderful way of wor!ing off a growing sense of power and muscular ability. -ut while parents should do all they can to encourage teenagers to ta!e part in sports, it is worse for them to push their son or daughter into activities they obviously hate. +hey should also avoid e1pressing disappointment if their young hopeful doesn3t win a swimming or athletic pri(e.

Dr Mutiara Budi Azhar

Page 20

4/9/2014

Faculty of Medicine Sriwijaya University

Block 1 Medical English

's for H!eeping up with the young JonesesH, # believe it is much better to let a youngster follow the fashion trends. #t is far more useful for a parent to intervene if there is a chance a teen could be affected psychologically by their physical appearance, for e1ample, see!ing treatment if their son or daughter develops severe acne or dealing with weight issues.

(hrow old Medicines +way

# 7EN+ #N+= a house recently where the medicine cabinet loo!ed li!e a storage unit for unwanted medical rubbish. +here were at least half a do(en bottles of pills inside, some of them nearly empty. 'll of them were out of date and in two of the bottles the pills had turned brown and were crumbling away. +his may sound slightly familiar to you. #f not, then some of the other contents might/ there was an old tube of pile cream that loo!ed nearly empty and a burst tube of steroid cream which had a funny-loo!ing fungus growing over part of it. +here were also several large bottles of medicine. =ne was nearly full of a red li&uid and had a thic! strea! of dried, sugary fluid obscuring the label. 'nother bottle had settled out into two distinct layers - which stayed as two distinct layers even after a good sha!ing. Binally, there was a pair of rather rusty nail scissors and an old tin half full of slightly grubby stic!ing plasters. +hat sort of medicine cabinet is of no use to anyone. +he whole lot might as well go onto the bonfire. -ut is surprising how many people !eep hold of pills and potions long after they were needed. #f you are one of those people, now is the time to delve into your medical cabinets and give it a good cleaning. +hrow out anything you cannot identify, or which is over si1 months old. 'nything that belongs to an old or irregular visitor has to go and throw out anything that loo!s as if it has changed colour or consistency. 7hen you3re done, wipe out the medicine cabinet with some li&uid antiseptic and restoc! it if needed.

Dr Mutiara Budi Azhar

Page 21

4/9/2014

Faculty of Medicine Sriwijaya University

Block 1 Medical English

'part from whatever prescription medicines your family may need, you should include a simple pain!iller, an indigestion remedy, a la1ative and an anti-diarrhoeal medicine. Cou should also include an inhalant and some calamine lotion, plus whatever stic!ing plasters and bandages you can use without tying yourself up in !notsG

)rug and )riving

D'+#EN+; often want to !now whether their illness or the treatment they are receiving. will affect their ability to drive. ;pecific advice must always be given by a doctor who !nows the patient3s medical history and nature of their illness but there are some general guidelines. Birst, it is always best to assume that anyone ta!ing prescribed drugs should not drive. =ne ma2or problem is that many drugs can cause drowsiness. =bviously tran&uilli(ers and sleeping tablets are li!ely to produce this particular problem. -ut the same effect can be caused by remedies prescribed for colds, coughs and allergies such as hay fever. Bor the first "* hours after starting drug treatment, assume that you3ll be unsafe. +hen 2ust wait and see how you feel after a couple of days. 9owever, if your doctor or pharmacist warns you that sleepiness is a recogni(ed problem with the drug you3re ta!ing, then you must avoid driving altogether. #f you3ve been into hospital for surgery or treatment of any !ind, then it3s wise to allow ten days before you start driving again. +he anaesthetic will usually wear off fairly &uic!ly but there will inevitably be some tiredness after a hospital stay. +o drive in the first place, you need to be fit, healthy, strong and able to cope with une1pected problems and emergencies. 9owever, there are two specific illnesses that # must mention. 'nyone who has had a heart attac! would probably be wise to avoid driving for two months or so. 7hen you do start driving again, do so in &uiet, off-pea! traffic.

Dr Mutiara Budi Azhar

Page 22

4/9/2014

Faculty of Medicine Sriwijaya University

Block 1 Medical English

'nyone who gets heart pain caused by stress or e1citement really would be best advised to avoid driving altogether. :riving can produce tremendous periods of stress and a heart attac! at the wheel can be a lethal e1perience for a lot of people. Epileptics are usually told that they can drive if they have had no attac!s for at least three years. -ut, of course, they should stay off the road if their treatment is being changed. +hose hints will, # hope, prove of some help. -ut the golden rule must always be if you are in doubt, then don3t driveG #t isn3t only your own health that you3re putting at ris!.