My story

Starting Uni was meant to be the beginning of the rest of my life. I was based in a new area of the country, studying the subject I’d always wanted (Psychology). I looked forward to making the lasting friends I hadn’t up until this point. Life should have been perfect.

Then I was hit by a series of strange, discomfiting symptoms.

Constantly needing the toilet. It was ridiculous- I could have just been, yet a quarter of an hour later I had to go again. A horrible painful stinging, which persisted no matter what I did. I thought perhaps I was allergic to my fabric conditioner, so changed it, but to no avail. I was convinced my new flatmates thought I was weird because I kept having to dash off all the time.

If it’d happened the once, it wouldn’t have been so bad. Yet my unknown bane flared up throughout my undergrad career, causing me to wonder if it was stress related. Perhaps you’re wondering why I never went to a doctor, but it seemed such a trivial problem, even while it was wrecking my life. Far from being a paradise of sexual excess, I can count the number of times I had sex during my Uni years on one hand. Most of the time it was too painful.

My last few months at Uni, I was online, killing time. My mysterious condition was back, complete with itchy soreness and cloudy, discoloured urine. Really fed up by this time, I looked it up- I can’t remember the exact search term. Within seconds I was reading an article that could have been written about me. At last my enemy had a name. Cystitis.

What is cystitis?

As its NHS page explains, cystitis is inflammation of the bladder. It’s normally caused by an infection, yet frequent sources are irritation (using strong washing powders/shower gels) or damage (since it’s regularly caused by sex, some wag once nicknamed it ‘the honeymooner’s disease). Despite the fact there seems to be little to no discussion of it, it’s an extremely common condition- it’s estimated that 1 in 3 women will have had one bout by the time they’re 24 years old.

Although men can and do suffer from cystitis, it’s overwhelmingly a feminine illness. The culprit seems to be the woman’s shorter urethra- that is, the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body. Since the urethra is located extremely close to the anus, bacteria from the anus can easily reach the urethra, leading to an infection.

Certain types of women seem more prone to infections. As mentioned previously, poor personal hygiene is sometimes a factor- make sure you always wipe from front to back when you go to the toilet, using separate tissues! Being sexually active significantly raises your chances of contracting it- not only are bacteria more likely to get into your bladder during sex, sex itself can bruise your urethra and bladder, causing cystitis-like symptoms. Pregnancy comes with attendant difficulties: the extra pressure on your womb may prevent your bladder from emptying fully, making a breeding ground for bacteria.

Lastly, if you have diabetes or you’re postmenopausal, you’re likelier to contract cystitis. While the high sugar content of a diabetic’s urine encourages bacteria to grow, postmenopausal women have smaller amounts of certain hormones, lowering the body’s natural defences to infection.

What should you do?

A mild cystitis attack generally lasts between 4-9 days. It may be treated in a variety of ways: drinking large amounts of water (between 1.2 litres a day) and taking painkillers such as paracetomal. If you’re suffering from a more severe case, your GP will put you on a course of antibiotics.

Many sufferers have their pet remedies- cranberry juice seems to be the one thing that’s universally agreed upon, yet nobody seems to know where this came from! Read this Daily Mail article for further alternative remedies.

At the end of Uni I mustered up the courage to visit my GP. She didn’t seem able to provide a reason for my regular attacks- I wasn’t particularly promiscuous, I had good personal hygiene, I didn’t seem to match their criteria. The antibiotics actually worsened my symptoms. I despaired.

It was then I discovered Angela Kilmartin’s website. The leading expert on cystitis, she offers a range of informative books and DVDs on the topic, explaining how you can not only prevent but permanently banish this painful, debilitating illness from your life. It doesn’t matter what your age is or how often you have suffered from the condition, she will have a programme in place to help you. I admit initial scepticism, but after investigating further, have been won over to her methods. Having suffered herself, she knows how frustrating it can be when doctors misdiagnose or refuse to acknowledge the severity of the issue.

It makes me angry that so many years of my life were wasted, but thanks to Angela, I’ve managed to put those behind me. I’m now studying for a MA, enjoying the Uni experience I should have had the first time around!

The last few years of his life, he started to change. He became quiet, moody, withdrawn. He’d forget himself mid sentence; his wonderfully rich, startling vocabulary deserted him. Now I realise he was suffering from dementia, but the transformation from somebody vibrant, strong and independent into somebody who needed help with the simplest tasks was devastating.

I couldn’t stand it. I stopped seeing him. I’ll never forgive myself for being so cowardly and selfish.

What is dementia?

Despite the lack of information, dementia is actually quite common, and on the increase due to our ageing population. Of the 800,000 sufferers in the UK, the majority are aged over 65. Indeed, there’s a dramatic spike once that milestone is reached; it’s believed 1 in 3 people over 65 will eventually develop the condition.

Since it’s a gradually progressive disease, it can be extremely subtle, with early signs dismissed as ordinary forgetfulness. As well as the memory loss associated with the illness, other effects include decreased mental agility and impaired judgement. Since several symptoms tally with depression (a lack of interest in hobbies, a disinclination to socialise, an inability to control their emotions), patients can sometimes be misdiagnosed. Depression itself can be caused by the disease.

While most forms of dementia can’t be cured, you can contain it if it’s caught early. There is absolutely no reason why- if they receive the right treatment and support- dementia sufferers can’t continue to lead active, fulfilling lives.

For further information, visit the Dementia UK website.

Getting a diagnosis

If you suspect that you or somebody close to you is suffering from dementia, the first step should be to get in touch with a GP. They’ll chat about the symptoms and go through a number of tests (such as the ones covered by the Alzheimer’s Association website). If the GP can’t make a conclusive diagnosis, the patient may be referred to a neurologist (a specialist in conditions affecting the brain and nervous system).

They will undergo further tests- most likely brain scans such as a computerised tomography (CT) scan or a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. By now the neurologist should have a full picture and be able to confirm whether or not the patient has dementia. They’ll discuss the form of dementia, how it’s is likely to develop, and recommend which drugs (if any) should be taken to treat it.

Living with dementia

Understandably, a diagnosis can come as a great shock, both to the sufferer and those around them. Any suggestion that you may lose your independence and not think as clearly as you used to is extremely frightening. As the condition worsens, relatives sometimes feel as though they can’t cope. There are few things as upsetting as a loved one not recognising you or changing personality. This article on Patient.co.uk does a good job of explaining the various dilemmas faced by family members.

The most important thing is to be positive and make sure the sufferer receives all the support they need. Although dementia patients were often placed in care homes in the past, this isn’t always the right solution, and may even prove a setback. Where possible, the patient should be cared for in familiar surroundings; companies such as Managing Care offer special dementia services, with the focus upon making the client’s life as sociable and fun as possible.

There are a great many therapeutic activities open to dementia sufferers: practising the arts, keep fit and music can be a tremendous release, allowing them to let out emotions they can’t otherwise express. They may also benefit from regular sessions with a sympathetic counsellor- this is particularly helpful shortly following diagnosis.  Cognitive training- exercises with the intention of enhancing memory and concentration- is useful during the early stages of the condition.

Incognito is a lingual brace system; lingual braces are attached to the back of the teeth (known as the lingual side), so that they are invisible when you smile.

About Incognito

Incognito is an ideal treatment for people who want a straighter smile without having to wear highly visible braces. Many people are conscious about their image and worry about how they will look if they have visible braces and this treatment provides a really effective alternative.

Incognito braces are fine and light and they are designed and manufactured for the individual; each individual bracket is custom-made to fit the contours of the tooth perfectly and maximise comfort.

How are Incognito braces fitted?

Fitting lingual braces is more complex than traditional braces because the contours of the lingual side of each tooth are different; this means that every bracket needs to be fitted individually. Your dentist will fix the brackets in position and then thread the wire through. Once the brace is firmly in place, treatment can begin and you will be advised to see your dentist on a regular basis so that they can check your progress.

Why should I choose Incognito?

Incognito braces at Harley Street Dental Studio have a number of benefits; firstly, they are made entirely for you so that they fit your perfectly and you experience maximum comfort and optimum results. The most important benefit of lingual braces for most patients is that they are completely invisible when you smile; this means that you can go through the entire treatment process without anyone else even knowing that you are wearing braces and there is no need to feel self-conscious or worry about other people’s opinions.

Incognito braces have been developed with the patient in mind; they are light and small and they use the latest technology to prevent friction and discomfort. The braces also work quickly and they are made from gold to prevent allergies. Incognito braces are suitable for patients of different ages and they can address a wide range of orthodontic issues, including crooked teeth, misalignment and crowding; Incognito braces can be worn on both the top and bottom teeth.

If you are looking for a discreet, effective and painless treatment and a beautiful new smile, look no further than Incognito!

I’ve always wanted laser eye surgery. Ever since I realised I couldn’t wear contacts (they irritated my eyes) I’ve had to wear glasses. No matter what style I go for – smart square ones, Harry Potter-style round ones or vintage ‘50s diamantes complete with little plastic wings (think Grease) – they’ve never suited me. They clash with my face shape, making me look boxy and highlighting my rather large nose. So after years of hating glasses but not being able to afford surgery, my bonus at work meant that I could finally get the treatment I’d so desperately longed for!

After a painless and relatively comfortable treatment in a middling priced surgery (I paid around £1500 for each eye) I was told to spend a night in a hotel wearing a mask. When I did accidentally peek at the light, my eyes stung! But after a night, I found that my eyes were more accustomed to the light, and more importantly, worked perfectly! I ran straight home and spent the whole day reading labels, magazines and TV text from varying distances, getting used to the concept of not having to wear glasses ever again!

However, this happiness didn’t last very long. Pretty soon my eyes began itching, suffering from dryness and sensitivity. A visit to my doctor confirmed that I had corneal ectasia, a building up of fluid behind the front lens in the eye due to the thinning of the cornea. I’m not usually squeamish but this news really did turn my stomach. My eyes risked serious damage, and I had to quickly schedule another surgery in order to undo the terrible work my original clinic had done.

The cost of this surgery didn’t come cheap. I had to fork out for it immediately, meaning my funds took a serious hit and I had to get a loan from my mother. So as soon as I recovered (and I did, thank goodness) I got in touch with a local lawyer and inquired about no win no fee medical negligence claims. Their ‘no win no fee’ policy meant I could afford to at least try and get some compensation for my botched surgery. After a speedy trial, my case won, meaning I could repay my mother and even fund taking some time off work to enjoy my new eyes!

So before you opt for laser eye surgery, make sure you do your research – make sure the person performing your surgery has a specialist qualification, not just a few days training! Get some quotes from people who have already had the surgery. Many may advocate it but there are some that wouldn’t, and it’s worth hearing why. Finally, make sure you know your legal standpoint on the matter. Claiming compensation for clinical negligence saved my eyesight, and my money situation!

The purpose of Orthodontic Consultation

The Orthodontic Consultation aims at assessing an individual’s oral health condition to see if orthodontic treatment is suitable for improving oral and overall health. People with varying degrees of crooked, protruding, overcrowded, misaligned or irregularly spaced teeth may need orthodontic braces to correct their teeth positioning and bite.

Orthodontic conditions such as theses may affect how teeth bite together, the jaw bone, nutritional choices and communication. Being evaluated through an Orthodontic Consultation enables a person to express their own concerns, have questions answered and where appropriate, receive the right type of orthodontic treatment for teeth straightening.

What to expect from Orthodontic Consultation

Orthodontic Consultations may differ and include one or more of the following stages:

• Meeting the Orthodontist and discussing concerns
• Having an oral health assessment
• Evaluating orthodontic conditions
• Taking a dental impression, x-rays, photographs and digital images
• Discussing orthodontic treatments, risks, benefits and costs

See www.braces.org.uk to learn even more about the process. The Orthodontist is there to listen to concerns about oral health, conduct an oral health assessment and answer questions about orthodontic conditions and treatments. The first consultation may involve evaluating orthodontic conditions using diagnostic tools, such as dental or oral impressions, x-rays and photographs to determine the existence and severity of an orthodontic condition.

During the first consultation, the Orthodontist will discuss types of orthodontic treatments, choices in treatments based on orthodontic condition, the risks and benefits of having treatment, and the costs involved.

Should an individual wish to proceed with having an orthodontic condition treated, consent for treatment will be obtained and a care plan established for implementation of treatment. A second appointment may be necessary where the dental impression, x-ray, photographs and digital images are used in custom-making of a suitable braces system that is then adjusted and fitted.

Orthodontic braces systems may be fixed, removable or functional for treating mild to severe orthodontic conditions. Nowadays, invisible braces systems are available to reposition teeth for healthy oral function and a beautiful smile.

Anxiety seemed pretty unlikely; after 45 years being a gas fitter for a large firm, I was now enjoying a comfortable retirement. My most stressful experiences were watching Match of the Day! My reasons for not being able to sleep were purely physical; there was nothing keeping me tossing and turning at night, no niggling worries distracting me from my everyday activities. So eventually I ruled out anxiety.

When I visited the doctor, I was sent for a CT scan which diagnosed me with pleural thickening. I didn’t even know I had a pleura but apparently I do, and my years of decorating different houses and buildings meant that tiny asbestos particles had sneaked past my lungs’ natural defences and had over the years damaged the lining of my lungs, resulting in a swelling and scarring that meant I had difficulty breathing. After a closer consultation, I was relieved to find that my disease was benign. I had to give up the smoking so as not to cause more damage to my lungs, and I regularly go for checkups with my doctor, but for no there’s no further danger. She recommended me this helpful website that explains everything I needed to know about my affliction: http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causdis/pleural/index.htm

Once I knew I was safe, all I felt was anger at my employers. I felt cheated by my irresponsible bosses who let me work in dangerous conditions for years without thinking to ensure the area was safe first, and I wanted some compensation! I managed to make a successful compensation claim that gave me some peace of mind and closure, and I used the money to re-insulate my house and get it checked out for asbestos!

Have you been involved in an accident that wasn’t your fault? Be it a road traffic accident, an accident at your workplace or any other form of accident which was caused by someone else acting irresponsibly or negligently. In such a circumstance, compensation payouts may well be available, depending on the individual specifics regarding the accident, and it’s something well worth pursuing.

You may have had to have time off work following the incident and may have incurred other unexpected expenses along the way. Realistically, you shouldn’t have to bear the cost of this and have to sustain these losses when the accident was the fault of someone else acting negligently. As such, recent years have seen a boom in personal injury lawyers who specialise simply in handling such claims. On these grounds, they know the law surrounding accidents, liability and compensation inside out and are often able to advise you easily on whether you may be eligible to make a claim.

Many people feel that they don’t want to be involved in the hassle of making a claim but the reality is that such solicitors and lawyers will be able to handle it for you. It’s often simply a case of submitting the details surrounding your accident to the solicitor and sitting back and waiting for them to claim for you. More than anything; it’s about obtaining what you deserve. No one should have to suffer financially, physically or mentally because of an accident which someone else caused and, with this in mind, it’s well worth trying to make a claim.

With many solicitors (you can find a full list of those in the UK through the Law Society) working on a no win no fee basis, you really have nothing to loose and a lot to gain, with compensation payouts regularly going well into the thousands of pounds.

Lingual braces are extremely popular with celebrities and people who work in the public eye, as it allows them to continue as normal while their smile is being treated. It is also becoming the most popular way for adults to get braces. Everyone wants a beautiful smile, and now that you can get one without the embarrassing two years; it makes it a lot more appealing.

How They Work

Lingual braces work much the same way that as traditional braces. The main difference is that the advancement in the technology of the metal supports allows them to be placed on the back of the tooth instead of the front. This way most of the metal is not seen from the front. However, if you open your mouth very wide, they are slightly noticeable from some angles on the side. You can also get gold incognito braces for the ultimate in luxury and durability.

Once the metal brackets are placed on your teeth, a wire is put through them with a small band over each bracket, and by applying a continuous pressure, they are pushed and pulled in to place the same way regular braces work. The amount of time they take varies depending on the seriousness of your specific case. It could be several months to a couple of years — just as with traditional braces.

Advantages of Lingual Braces

Lingual braces allow you to continue as normal without having to be self-conscious. This is ideal for business professionals, people who work in the public eye and those who have to face a camera in their work, because they can get the treatment they want without affecting their appearance.

Compared to other invisible orthodontic treatments, which have to be done at a young age, lingual braces can be used at any age — provided your teeth are healthy.

Lingual braces are also a safer way to get orthodontic treatment for those who play contact sports.

Disadvantages of Lingual Braces

With traditional braces, your cheeks experience a lot of roughness, but in this case, the braces are on the inside, so your tongue will feel like it is being scraped up at first. It takes a little while to get used to, and some have a slight lisp initially. This goes away and your tongue will feel normal again once you have adjusted to the intrusion in your mouth.

We all learned about it in school. For those of us growing up in the ‘90s  it was the animated hedgehogs and their memorable ‘STOP LOOK LISTEN’ campaign. In recent years, however, the widely publicised THINK campaign has taken a more sinister approach to things, targeting dangerous drivers by releasing an advert showing a man haunted by the image of a young hit and run victim. Or the grotesque but effective sequence that showed another young hit and run victim propped up against a tree, before slowly coming back to life in the middle of the road. The adverts, although unpleasant to watch, have had an impact on the attitudes of drivers. Their information, available on the DirectGov website, has really helped improve road safety for drivers (http://think.direct.gov.uk/index.html)

However, as a pedestrian living in Braintree, I wanted to think of ways to keep myself and my family safe without having to depend on drivers to be sensible. So I did a bit of research and found some good tips for staying safe:

Fluorescents: Before my daily school run, I put fluorescent jackets on the kids. It may seem a little paranoid, but we live near the centre of town and if they help my kids become even slightly more visible to a driver then it’s worth it. For my elder kids, who refuse to wear ‘uncool’ outfits, I stick fluorescent strips to the bottom of their backpacks or jackets. This is especially helpful for the winter months, when by the end of a school day it is already getting dark and visibility getting worse. And it’s not just me – the Telegraph’s Harry Wallop agrees with me! http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/9581969/Fluorescent-clothing-were-all-starting-to-look-like-lemons.html

Phones and iPods: I know you may be in the middle of an important text, or desperately trying to skip a song on your iPod that irritates you beyond reason, but just wait until you’ve crossed the road! Remember that it’s much easier to see a car coming than it is for a driver to see a pedestrian, so you need to make sure that you’re taking the safety measures you need. Even if you’re hit at 30 mph, you could still sustain fatal injuries, so remember to keep your eyes on the road!

Raise awareness: You need to make sure that if there are dangerous drivers in your neighbourhood, they are reprimanded. Create a neighbourhood watch group if you don’t already have one – remember to take down the license plate numbers of any speeding cars in your area. If you’ve been the victim of a motorist’s unsafe driving, make sure they get prosecuted. Local personal injury lawyers Blackwater Law can help you through this process, and if you end up making money from it, perhaps use it to help the council create more road safety measures, such as traffic islands and speeds bumps.

Hopefully these tips will help you keep you and your family safe from road accidents. Remember, it’s worth taking these small precautions to make sure you don’t become another road accident statistic.

The most famous incidence of dog training is probably ‘classical conditioning’ developed by Ivan Pavlov, where a dog was given food after the ringing of a bell. When presented with food the dog would salivate. After becoming accustomed to this routine, the dog would salivate merely from the sound of the bell, which it had learned indicated the arrival of food. Not only was this an influential experiment concerning associative behaviour, it also showed the pliancy and obedience of a dog if given regular behavioural guidelines.

We’ve come a long way from Pavlov’s dog. There are now thousands of dog training courses available throughout the country, and there is now a lot of theory behind dogs – not just tricks to teach them, but a wide range of psychological theories to help us understand how our dogs develop.

When you get your puppy this Christmas, start by simply playing. There are many options for your dog, including some particularly effective dog training services in Croydon that emphasise the importance of play in order to establish a bond between you and your canine chum. Before you try and teach them anything, make sure they love, respect and most importantly trust you. Trying to force tricks or learning behaviour onto a dog that isn’t comfortable with you can cause a lot of unnecessary anxiety for both of you! By giving a few hours of your day to the puppy, you can ensure that a bond is formed quickly. That’s why the Christmas period and the couple of months after are really important for you and your pup – give them lots of cuddles, lots of playing and most importantly lots of your attention! By making this commitment in the early stages you’ll give your puppy a comfortable, safe home in which to start learning how to become a dog.