Author: yaasine

Kissing: its effects and its place in post confinement time.

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We have just celebrated, at the beginning of this month of July, the international kissing day. Taking different forms, and having different meanings, kissing is practiced in several parts of the world, has its share of benefits, but also comes with its health drawbacks. Overview.

 

Philematology is the science of kissing, and explores its biological, anatomical, and physiological foundations, just to name a few. From the friendly kiss, to the maternal kiss, or to the loving kiss, to the greeting kiss, or the ritual kiss, to the butterfly kiss, or Inuit kiss, to the kiss of Judas, to the “French kiss”, each one has a very precise place in different social norms around the world. But where does this practice come from?

Although there are few theories as to its source, some believe that kissing would come from our ancestral practices, precisely through kiss-feeding, when mothers premasticated food for their infant before feeding them through mouth-to-mouth. Others believe that this practice is innate and natural, as it is also observed in some animal species.

A kiss can be a symbol of friendly or parental affection, of love between couples, or a religious ritual, among others. It has been present in sacred books for centuries, Vedic texts dating from the 15th century BC, to the biblical texts of St Peter “Greet one another with a kiss of love”.

What are the effects caused by the act of kissing? This is an interesting question as it reveals that a simple kiss can involve between 23 and 34 facial muscles, 112 postural muscles, and can burn from 5 to 26 calories per minute. In addition, research in neuroscience has shown that kissing causes a whole series of biochemical reactions in our body: secretion of oxytocin, more commonly called the love hormone, which will lower our blood pressure and heart rate. Kissing also helps to reduce stress, with a decrease in cortisol and an increase in dopamine.

Unfortunately, as there are always two sides to every story, kissing can also be a source of infections. According to the American Journal of Medicine, “a number of pathologic organisms can be transmitted by kissing, including upper respiratory infective viruses, herpes simplex, and Epstein-Barr viruses, as well as pathogenic streptococci, syphilitic spirochetes, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria ”.

It is also to be noted that kissing was not recommended, and was even prohibited during pandemics. Thus, in the early 1600’s, Henri IV prohibited the practice of kissing in France because of the plague epidemic. Kissing is also strongly discouraged four centuries later, during a certain COVID-19 epidemic…

Where do Mauritians stand in light of this, as most of us grew up with kissing deeply rooted in our culture of greeting, or our expression of love and affection? In these post-COVID times, we must limit the expression of our feelings with members of our household only and respect the rules of social distancing. Why not an opportunity to strengthen family ties, while waiting for better days…

Be breast aware!

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The breast cancer awareness month, is marked in October each year, so as to create or increase awareness for this disease, encourage early detection and treatment, and improve palliative care for people suffering from breast cancer.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are about 1.38 million new cases and 458 000 deaths from breast cancer each year, and breast cancer is by far the most common cancer in women worldwide. In Mauritius, there are about 600 new cases diagnosed each year, making it the most common type of cancer. And in case you might not know it, breast cancer can also affect men, although this is quite rare (1% of all breast cancers). WHO associates increase in breast cancer incidence worldwide with increase in life expectancy, increase urbanisation and adoption of western lifestyles.

As a means of raising awareness on the subject, Dr Ramawad Soobrah, Breast Surgeon who has a consultation at Clinique Bon Pasteur explains the importance of breast awareness.

 

Breast awareness

To be breast aware is to know how your breasts look and feel, throughout the month, and throughout the years, so that you may notice changes / suspicious signs and therefore seek early medical advice. When self-examining our breasts, it is important to look for specific changes that might be suspicious of cancer. These include:  a lump in the breast or armpit, change in shape/contour of the breast, skin changes (thickening – Peau d’orange, dimpling, redness) and changes in the nipple (retraction, rash/ulceration, bloody discharge).

 

 

 

Risk factors

Our vulnerability to breast cancer depends on a variety of risk factors that vary from person to person. While some of these are non-modifiable (age, family history, late menopause, dense breasts), others are modifiable as they are associated with lifestyles and life choices such as the number of kids that a woman has, if she has breastfed, if she has taken long-term contraceptive pills or hormone replacement therapy. Excess alcohol and red meat consumption, lack of physical exercise and obesity are also considered as risk factors.

 

Breast self-examination

There are several techniques for doing self examination. The first step is to stand in front of a mirror and look for obvious visual changes mentioned above.Breast examination should be done at least once a month by women starting in their early adulthood. For post-menopausal women, any time of the month is convenient. For younger menstruating women, they should ideally wait 5 to 7 days after their cycle has ended.

Afterwards, the woman should lie down and use her right hand to examine the left breast/armpit and vice-versa. The forefinger, middle finger and ring finger pads should be used to make circular movements, beginning with light pressure, and repeating palpation on the same area with medium and deep pressure gradually, before moving to the next area. A complete palpation will start from the clavicle to the lower edge of the breast and from the sternum to the armpit. This should be done either in circular movements, up and down movements, or outwards movements from the nipple as shown in the figure. The armpit should also be checked for enlarged lymph nodes.

 

In case you notice a lump or any abnormality mentioned above, please seek medical advice. A doctor will see you and ask several questions to establish any pre-existing risk factors, perform a clinical breast examination and order appropriate investigations such as ultrasound scan and/or mammography. Depending on the result of these tests, it may be necessary to perform a biopsy to diagnose the cause of the abnormality. On a reassuring note, we would like to mention that the majority of problems in the breast are actually benign in nature. Only 10% of lumps are diagnosed as breast cancers after investigations.

The incidence of breast cancer is on the rise in Mauritius. Early detection of breast cancer improves patient survival and involves less tedious treatment; hence the importance of breast awareness. If you notice something unusual or suspicious in your breasts/armpit area, call on 401-9500 for an appointment with Dr Soobrah at Clinic Bon Pasteur on Thursday afternoons as from 3 pm.

 

Most of the content of this article has been taken from an interview with Dr Soobrah, as well as information on his website, and that of the WHO.

 

ENT: When do we need it?

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Vertigo Management at Clinique Bon Pasteur

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Pads and tampons: What alternatives?

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Cant’ take your eyes off your smartphone? Keep a watchful eye on this habit!

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The World Mobile Phone Free Week is starting today! For some, if not most of us, the mere idea of a smartphone free day is almost unfathomable. However, we will be talking about our eyes’ health this month, so we would like to be all eyes on the impact of excessive smartphone use on our eyes, or more specifically, the impact, and solutions of smartphone use on our sight.
Nomophobia … No, this is not a controversial debate on gender dynamics, but rather the angst of not having our cell phone within reach. Ironically, the phone that was once used for the sole purpose of making phone calls is used today mostly for other reasons : to follow and answer emails, manage our time table, watch videos on Youtube, do an online search, follow our virtual or real friends through Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, Instagram, etc. No wonder why most of us have now become nomophobes.

The results on our eyes include visual disturbances, sleep disturbance, a damaged retina caused by our screen’s blue light, among others. With the 2010s’ being dubbed “the smartphone decade”, it goes without saying that we cannot yet have a bird’s eye view on smartphones’ impacts on our long-term health, especially our eyes’ health. However, quite a few studies have been done on this matter.

Blue light’s impact
According to a recent study, blue light emanating from smartphones, tablets, or laptops is harmful for the retina, causing premature reduced vision. In other words, we may gradually lose our eyesight, because this blue light damages the cells of the retina. These damaged cells do not regenerate, and this would cause aging of the eyesight.

And if you cannot get a wink of sleep at night and have bags under your eyes when you wake up in the morning, look no further! Blue light also has a detrimental impact on our sleep, because it disrupts our sleep cycle if we use our cell phone or tablet excessively in the evening before going to bed.

Other publications report asthenopia, or eyestrain, which is said to be caused by the eyes’ dryness. Smartphone use reduces the frequency with which we blink, a move that usually lubricates our eyes.
With the use of smartphones, tablets, or laptops, our eyes have to accommodate rapidly, adding to the eyestrain. Thus, due to the different character sizes between SMS, emails, online articles, the difference in brightness between these different devices, or the shortening of the distance between our eyes and what we read on our devices, our eyes’ activity increases.

Let’s look for solutions!
But how do we manage this impact on our sight in a digital society where we are increasingly confronted to digital devices? The reality is such that we can hardly do without our smartphone now.
There are thus different ways to deal with it, including:
• -by activating the blue light filter on our smartphone or tablet, or by using specific applications for the same result
• -by making the effort of blinking more often in front of our digital devices. By blinking often (and for more than a second), the eyes stay moist and dryness and irritation are reduced.
• -by applying the 20-20-20 rule, that is to say by having a quick break of 20 seconds every 20 minutes and staring at an object 20 feet (about 6 meters) away
• -by keeping our smartphone at least 40 to 50 cm from our eyes, because we sometimes hold it only 20 cm away.
• -by reducing the amount of time we are exposed to smartphones and avoiding its use at least one hour before sleep
• -by using eyeglass lenses especially designed for blue light protection, (whether we need optical correction or not), and which are available from certain opticians.
So, whether you want to have eagle’s eyes or be as blind as a bat, it’s up to you to choose! In the meantime, if this information has been an eye opener for you and should you require additional information, or advice / exams, feel free to call Clinique Bon Pasteur at 401-9500, and in the blink of an eye, one of the ophthalmologists on duty there will be happy to assist you.

Warning !! Love is blind, but keep an eye out for STIs!

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Anti-Covid Vaccines: Global Trends

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As many countries at global level have started their vaccination campaigns, let’s have a quick overview of the different vaccines available to date. Although the campaign at national level is aimed at caregivers and front-line workers at this stage, it is interesting to know how vaccines work and what are the most used anti-covid vaccines as of now.

Vaccines: How Do They Work?
The principle is simple: Inject a tiny amount of a specific virus into the body so that the immune system learns to recognise and defend itself against this virus: this is the modus operandi of all vaccines. A vaccine is therefore a preventive measure, and not a remedy aimed at curing a disease that has already infected a person. According to the WHO Covid-19 vaccine trials provisional table, there are currently 179 candidate vaccines in development, of which 63 have reached the human clinical trial phase.

What are the most common anti-Covid vaccines?
1. AstraZeneca / Oxford (Covishield)
The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, authorised in Europe, requires 2 injections, with a delay of 9 to 12 weeks in between. This vaccine has satisfactory effectiveness (between 62% and 70% depending on the study), almost no side effects, and can be stored in the refrigerator. The Covishield vaccine manufactured by the Indian laboratory Serum Institute of India and available in Mauritius is in fact the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, made in India through a transfer of technology. Note that the WHO announced this month that this vaccine can be administered to people over 65 as well, its effectiveness having previously been questioned for this age group.

2. Pfizer-BioNTech
Authorised in Europe and the United States, this vaccine has an expected effectiveness of 95%, validated by a New England Journal of Medicine publication. It is also effective for the new variants identified in Great Britain and South Africa. It requires 2 shots, with a 21-28 days delay, and should be stored at -80 ° C.

3. Moderna
Authorised in Europe and in the United States, this vaccine is 94.5% effective according to the preliminary analysis published by the laboratory. It is administered in two doses, 28 days apart and can be stored for up to six months in a freezer, at -20 °C, then up to thirty days in a refrigerator before use.

4. Sputnik V
The Russian vaccine reports an effectiveness of 91.6%, according to results published in the medical journal The Lancet and validated by independent experts. It is given in 2 shots, 21 days apart, and can be stored in dehydrated (freeze-dry) form in the refrigerator, between 2 and 8 °C. This vaccine will soon be available in Mauritius, and is already used in some countries besides Russia, such as Algeria and Argentina, and more and more countries are interested in it. Europe is currently considering its authorisation.

5. Johnson & Johnson
This vaccine, which is administered in a single dose, has an effectiveness of 66%. It should be authorised shortly in the United States, and will also be used in South Africa.

Although massive vaccination campaigns are not yet on the table in Mauritius at this stage, it is still recommended to observe social distancing and wear a mask.

Woman: her active role in the Bon Pasteur Clinic in the era of Covid-19

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On this 8th of March 2021 two events are in the limelight, namely the upsurge in Covid-19 local transmission cases in the country, as well as the International Women’s Day. We would thus like to emphasize the essential role of women in this Covid-19 era, in connection with the UN theme this year on the International Women’s Day: ” Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world” by putting the light on some of the Bon Pasteur Clinic’s staff.

Even if we don’t talk about it often enough, women stand at the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis, as health care workers, caregivers, innovators, community organisers and as some of the most exemplary and effective national leaders in combating the pandemic, according to the United Nations. So let’s give the floor to few women within Bon Pasteur Clinic.

According to Gwenella Murthen, Head of the Human Resources Department, “More women than men are employed in our institution and it’s going well. The women working with us all have important roles at the clinic”. Nikita Elizabeth Mooken, Clinic’s accountant, agrees: “our financial director is a woman and the majority of the employees are women”. In addition, the Clinic is proud to have a board of directors made up of 25% women, with the presence of the financial director, namely Christiane Tadebois, compared to an average of 8.7% of female presence on the boards of directors at the national level.

Interestingly, at Bon Pasteur Clinic, key positions aimed at the well-being of the staff, as well as of the customers, are occupied by women. Victoria Viney, “Experience Officer” is responsible for organising and maintaining an enjoyable and professional overall experience for clients; that is, patients, visitors, doctors, and even the staff; a role that she considers as an amazing experience, with its load of challenges and rewards: “it’s hard to see our patients’ suffering and see families overwhelmed with pain, but also so heart-warming when a patient leaves our clinic with a smile”. As for the head of the human resources department, she lives her role within the Clinic, and as a woman, by trying to listen to employees and their needs, while being comfortable in sharing her ideas and feelings with the Management regarding the smooth running of the Clinic.

Bon Pasteur Clinic’s staff is undoubtedly made up of both male and female professionals. As Victoria Viney puts it so well, “I am grateful to work with the team of nurses, because they are committed and dedicated in ensuring that each of our patients receives the best possible care”. The feminine touch, however, sometimes makes all the difference and demonstrates the importance of a gender-balanced team. Thus, “as a woman, I find myself more patient and accommodating, whether it is towards patients or colleagues,” Nikita Elizabeth Mooken admits.

And as a message to women on this international day, our guests are unanimous: perseverance always, and do not let anyone tread on you!

May this message be an inspiration for women, not only on this International Women’s Day, but may it be an inspiring motto on a daily basis, in order to aim at “Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world”, and well beyond!

Happy celebrations to all women !

International Nurses Day 2021: A vision for future healthcare

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The International Nurses Day was celebrated globally this month. In an era where so much emphasis has been placed on the essential role played by nurses during the Covid-19 pandemic, let’s have a closer look at this celebration and its origins. On Nurses’ Day, which celebrates nurses’ contribution to the health care system, we are also focusing on two nurses from Clinique Bon Pasteur.

May 12: the celebration of the International Nurses Day every year! Bound by tradition, Clinique Bon Pasteur also celebrated this event this year, as a means of paying tribute to our nurses.

Launched in 1965 by the International Council of Nurses (ICN), this date has been chosen to commemorate Florence Nightingale’s birth. The latter, born in 1820, was a British nurse who pioneered the setting-up of the first science-based nursing school in London. She is also known for her contribution in the use of statistics in the field of health.

Like her, many nurses around the world are committed to their profession, and for some, it has passed down from generation to generation, like Michael Jerry Toussaint, nurse at Clinique Bon Pasteur. Having seen several family members in the profession, he has been motivated to carry on the family tradition. “I have that in my soul, in my blood, and I have been in this profession for 15 years now “. As for Sheela Kamayah, Nursing supervisor at Clinique Bon Pasteur, she chose this profession as she has always been prone to helping people: “I like to give a helping hand to people and alleviate their suffering, it is my vocation, and that is why I have chosen this profession which I have been practising for almost 20 years now”. For her, “Clinique Bon Pasteur gave me the opportunity to make my dream come true”.

According to the ICN, “the pandemic has exposed the enormous pressures our nurses are working under, while shining a light on their incredible commitment and courage”, and each nurse can have a different perspective on this pandemic. For Mr. Toussaint, he does not really feel exposed to the virus, and did not experience this lockdown period with a lot of stress, even if he was working at the clinic during this time: “Since we have not had any case of Covid at the clinic so far, I did not feel that I was really exposed”. He felt, however, that some members of the public were afraid of him because of his profession, although this is understandable, he said, given the situation in the country now. For Ms. Kamayah however, she has worked hard during the lockdown, and although she was not afraid for herself, the idea of possibly infecting her loved ones sent shivers down her spine. This second confinement was peculiar, as there were more patients coming to the clinic. According to her, during the first confinement, patients were afraid to come to the clinic, but this year, patients were more numerous, and some chose health centres like Clinique Bon Pasteur, where there were no Covid cases.

The theme for International Nurses Day 2021: The Nursing Profession: A Voice to Lead, the sub-theme being “A Vision for future healthcare”. For the ICN, this theme “reflects on the impact of Covid-19 on the health system and the nursing profession and how these might be affected into the future. Nurses, as the largest healthcare profession, must play an integral part in planning the future of healthcare”. Ms. Kamayah thinks this is an interesting topic, because nurses need to be encouraged to do so. As for Mr. Toussaint, he says he is already living it fully: “during my 15 years of service, this has been the case. As a nurse, we are there 24/7 at the patients’ bedside”

Like our two colleagues, many are in this profession at Clinique Bon Pasteur. Feel free to call Clinique Bon Pasteur for any health related issue on 401-9500, and if you come to our clinic, you will have the opportunity to see our nurses in action. To these men and women devoted night and day, we wish them a happy Nurses Day, a celebration of the noble acts accomplished by nurses for society!