It is a common inflammatory skin
disease that mainly affects the face, neck, chest and
upper back. it is caused by an interaction between
hormones, bacteria and sebum produced by the comedones
(pimples), pustiles (lesions filled with pus) and
occasionally CYSTS. This is possibly caused by changing
hormone levels.
Mild cases may be eased by
washing the face with a gentle toilet soap or by drying
agents such as benzoyl peroxide. Severe acne may need
oral treatment with antibiotics such as tetracycline or
hormone therapy such as Dianette, which also acts as a
Contraceptive.
Very severe acne can be treated
using a derivative of Vitamin A, called tretinoin or Retin
A. This cream is applied in each night and takes about 3
weeks to be effective. An oral version called Ro-
accutane is very good against severe acne but carries
serious risks of foetal abnormality during pregnancy.
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Amenorrhoea
(Absence of periods)
It is a failure to have periods, which may be described as
primary or secondary . Primary amenorrhoea is the failure
to menstruate by age 16, and the main cause is
the late onset of puberty. A girl may have the other signs
of puberty but lack of periods. this may be a cause
of a pituitary tumor, which can be found via a skull
X -ray , or because of cryptomenorrohea, where menstrual
bleedings does occur but it is held inside the vagina
by an obstruction such as imperforate
Hymen. The condition may arise because parts of the
female reproductive system are missing. The most common
reason for primary amenorrhoea is disruption of the
relationship between the ovaries and the
pituitary gland.
Secondary amenorrhoea occurs
when a woman stops menstruating for 3 months or more
after normal menstrual periods have been established but
before the onset of the Menopause. It may arise as a
result of stress, chronic diseases. Stopping the
contraceptive pill, which affects hormone production in
the brain , can cause amenorrhoea for up to a year, and it
may arise after child birth and breast feeding. Failure of
ovaries, prompting a premature menopause before the age
of 40, is another cause. Amenorrhoea is permanent after
the menopause or if the uterus is removed in a
Hysterectomy
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Irregular periods
A menstrual cycle that varies in
duration from the usual 28 days and may show no regular
pattern. it may result from hormone imbalance, stress,
dieting, anaemia, thyroid gland disorder, emotional
distress or serious illness including pelvic lesions and
cancer.
Itching
Irritation of the skin that is
relieved by scratching. It can be caused by an allergic
reaction, dry skin and genital problems. Conditions such
as Haemorrhoids, Eczema, public lice, thrush, athlete's
foot, ring worm, jaundice, pruritus vulvae, dandruff and
genital herpes can all cause itching, Treatment of each
condition is required to stop the irritation.
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Leucorrhoea
A discharge of white-yellow
coloured mucus from the vagina. it may be normal
condition, increasing before and after menstruation, but a
copious vaginal discharge, especially if it has a strong
smell, probably indicates an infection in the genital
tract. A common cause is thrush, but it may also be
because of Gonorrhoea or some other sexually transmitted
disease.
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Osteoporosis
A condition in which the amount
of bone mass decreases to the point where the bones are
fragile and easily fractured, affecting twice as many
women as men. Women are particularly risk from the
osteoporosis as they have a lower density of bone, because
of smaller body size than men. The risk increases those
who have a premature menopause, early hysterectomy,
previous anorexia nervosa etc. Also women who smoke or
drink excessively are at the greater risk. Weight-bearing
exercise , a diet rich in calcium, Vitamin D and other
minerals, and not smoking can help to prevent bone loss.
Hormone replacement therapy is the most effective
preventive treatment but is not suitable for all
women. Physiotherapy and acupunture can help to relieve
pain. Osteoporosis can be detected by doing
Bone Density Test
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Pelvic
Inflammatory Disease (PID)
It is an inflammation of the Fallopian Tubes, ovaries and
Uterus. The disease can be acute or chronic. Acute
PID causes severe abdominal pains, high fever , chills,
foul-smelling vaginal discharge and abdominal tenderness.
PID is a result of bacterial infection, but chlamydia and
Gonorrhoea are responsible for mini cases.
Treatment is by means of antibiotics and bed rest. The
condition usually improve within two weeks. But if not,
another antibiotics is given. If 3 courses of antibiotics
do not clear the infection, then the disease is deemed to
have become chronic, Chronic PID results in a low level of
infection that can continue for weeks or months.
Symptoms are persistent
abdominal pain or cramps, fatigue, weakness and very heavy
menstrual periods. Some mild cases have few or no
symptoms but can cause partial or total infertility.
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Gonorrhoea
It is an extremely common venereal or sexually transmitted
disease, that is caused by the bacterium
Neissera-gonorrhoeae. The bacteria are found in the Mucous
Membrances of the Vagina, Urethra, throat and mouth.
If gonorrhoea is not treated it can damage and inflame the
Fallopian Tubes and other pelvic organs, and this can
arise after only 8-10 weeks. Other possible damage
includes eye infection that can cause blindness,
septicaemia (blood poisoning), Gonococcal Arthritis, it
may occur in conjunction with a painful skin rash and
inflammation of heart valves.
Symptoms of gonorrheoa include vaginal discharge
(green or yellow in colour), Dysuria, possible
inflammation of the rectum and a sore throat .
To diagnose the disease, swabs of the discharge are
obtained and organisms grown are identified in the
laboratory. Treatment is by a single , very large
dose of penicillin, or tetracycline if the organisms is
resistant to penicillin.
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Mastitis
inflammation of the breast
It occurs usually because of
bacterial infection during breast feeding. Symptoms
include, pain in the affected breast, tenderness,
swelling, fever and possibly a chill. Treatment with warm
compress and antibiotics normally resolves the condition.
If the inflammation does not subside then a breast abscess
may form.
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Menorrhagia
It is menstruation with
abnormally heavy or prolonged blood flow. This may be
frequent periods, one that continuous for 7 days or more,
or one with exceptionally heavy flow over two to three
days. Menorrhagia can occur because of fibroids,
inflammation in the pelvic cavity, an Intrauterine device
(IUD) or hormonal imbalance.
The bleeding can cause anaemia with pallor fatigue, which
can be treated with iron supplements.
Treatment depends on the cause and may include a D and C,
the combined contraceptive pill, removal of an IUD,
or danazol, a drug that inhibits the hormones produced by
the pituitary gland.
