OBJECTIVE:
Documentation of self-care actions for vasomotor complaints by some postmenopausal women in Kelantan.
METHODS:
A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to 326 naturally menopausal women to determine the prevalence and types of self-care actions taken for vasomotor complaints.
RESULTS:
Fractionally more women took self-care actions for night sweats than hot flushes. The choice of self-care action depended upon the area of residence and the educational level. The most common action taken for night sweats was to sleep either in an air-conditioned room or under a ceiling fan. About one-quarter of the complainants used hormone replacement therapy, the majority of who were urban-living and with secondary education. Only a small fraction used traditional remedies.
CONCLUSION:
A large proportion of women complaining of vasomotor complaints took self-care actions and the choice of self-care actions depended on the area of residence and educational level. The use of modern remedies and less of the traditional remedies was more common amongst the more affluent and educated women than women in rural areas who either did nothing or resorted to the more simple type of self-care actions. Contrary to our expectations, the use of traditional remedies was low.
The effect of low-intensity exercise in the heat on thermoregulation and certain biochemical changes in temperate and tropical subjects under poorly and well-hydrated states was examined. Two VO2max matched groups of subjects consisting of 8 Japanese (JS) and 8 Malaysians (MS) participated in this study under two conditions: poorly-hydrated (no water was given) and well-hydrated (3 mL x Kg(-1) body weight of water was provided at onset of exercise, and the 15th, 35th and 55th min of exercise). The experimental room in both countries was adjusted to a constant level (Ta: 31.6+/-0.03 degrees C, rh: 72.3+/-0.13%). Subjects spent an initial 10 min rest, 60 min of cycling at 40% VO2max and then 40 min recovery in the experimental room. Rectal temperatures (Tre) skin temperatures (Tsk), heart rate (HR), heat-activated sweat glands density (HASG), local sweat rate (M sw-back) and percent dehydration were recorded during the test. Blood samples were analysed for plasma glucose and lactate levels.The extent of dehydration was significantly higher in the combined groups of JS (1.43+/-0.08%) compared to MS (1.15+/-0.05%). During exercise M sw-back was significantly higher in JS compared to MS in the well-hydrated condition. The HASG was significantly more in JS compared to MS at rest and recovery. Tre was higher in MS during the test. Tsk was significantly higher starting at the 5th min of exercise until the end of the recovery period in MS compared to JS. In conclusion, tropical natives have lower M sw-back associated with higher Tsk and Tre during the rest, exercise and recovery periods. However, temperate natives have higher M sw-back and lower Tsk and Tre during experiments in a hot environment. This phenomenon occurs in both poorly-hydrated and well-hydrated states with low intensity exercise. The differences in M sw-back, Tsk and Tre are probably due to a setting of the core temperature at a higher level and enhancement of dry heat loss, which occurred during passive heat exposure.
Contralateral hyperhidrosis from the cardiovascular accident has been infrequently described in the stroke literature. The clinical significance and pathogenesis are yet well understood. This is a case of a 60-year-old man who developed excessive sweating of the paralyzed side with a pure division along the midline of the body secondary to a subcortical stroke, which region is supplied by branches of middle cerebral artery territory known as deep perforating lenticulostriate. To the best of our knowledge, a precise clinicoanatomic correlation between hyperhidrosis and subcortical stroke has not been widely reported. In this review, we summarize the existing literature of post-stroke hyperhidrosis to evaluate the correlation between clinical manifestation and its neuroanatomical location. According to the location of the infarction and clinical features, it can be concluded that both tracks en route through the ipsilateral internal capsule, after originating in the opercular cortex before crossing the brain stem and terminal connections with the contralateral thoracic spinal cord. Therefore, the phenomenon of hyperhidrosis in anterior circulation stroke might be postulated as due to the disruption of the sympathoinhibitory pathway that controls sweat glands, similarly like posterior circulation stroke.
Parotid swellings are uncommon. Over a twelve-year period, 110 cases of parotid swellings were treated at the Department of Plastic Surgery, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, of which 97 cases were histologically proven to be parotid tumours. 75% of these tumours were benign tumours, and 80% of the benign tumours were pleomorphic adenomas. Among the malignant tumours, 6 cases were adenoid cystic carcinoma and 5 were carcinoma ex-pleomorphic adenoma. There were equal number of male to female patients, with an age range of 14 to 83 years. There is a positive correlation between the final histological diagnosis and FNAC results in 74% of cases. Surgical treatment of choice for benign parotid tumours was near-total parotidectomy whilst for malignant tumours was total radical parotidectomy with sural nerve graft.
This paper presents a case study of a 22-year-old female client who came for counselling sessions for the purpose of overcoming her pedaphobia. Symptoms, such as, dizziness, nausea, arousal, sweating palm and body shaking were noticed to be visible not only by the presence of a real child, but also by pictures, stories and imaginations of infants. Systematic desensitization technique, a form of Exposure Therapy, was applied to treat the client. It involved relaxation and breathing techniques, and supported by the application of live modelling guided participation. Along with the interventions, Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy techniques were also applied, such as, thought recording, irrational thoughts identification and disputation, Rational Emotive Imagery (REI), coping self-statement, and forceful self-statement. By the end of the therapy, the client reported to have experienced a decline in the occurrences of symptoms and demonstrated the ability to overcome her phobia.