Health

An NHS mental health drive backed by the Sussexes and the Cambridges has begun dishing out tailored 'mind plans' based on a five-question quiz. Relaxing your muscles and mind, trying tai chi and keeping a 'mood diary' are among wide-ranging advice offered to most people. But particularly concerning responses will prompt a separate alert urging some to visit a GP or make use of free NHS psychological therapy service. The so-called Fab Four of Harry, Meghan, William and Kate have reunited to front Public Health England's Every Mind Matters campaign, which aims to overhaul how Britons cope with mental health problems. Take the test for yourself below  The Dukes and Duchesses of Cambridge and Sussex (pictured) have thrown their weight behind a new NHS and Public Health England mental health drive Davina McCall, Bradley Wiggins and Gillian Anderson are among the celebrities who will feature alongside the Royals in a television advert of the new resource tonight. But the online … [Read more...] about Take the mental health test promoted by Princes Harry, William, Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton that tells you if you need to seek help from your GP

Does general anaesthetic affect your memory? In the past eight years I have had six general anaesthetics and my memory is not as good as it once was. Or is my memory loss down to old age? I am 72. Stuart Ballard, by email. You and many others will be reassured to hear that general anaesthetics are not a proven cause of long-term memory loss. Although there is much debate on the subject, there is no evidence that the drugs used in anaesthesia cause damage to the tissue of the brain. Your concern is not unusual, however. It is a universal experience that after the age of about 50, people find their memory is not as sharp as it used to be. They tend to have particular trouble remembering names and recent events, such as what they had for lunch yesterday. There is no evidence that drugs used in anaesthesia cause damage to the tissue of the brain It’s a common issue that people see their GP about. Like you, they often voice anxieties about anaesthetic — after all, so many … [Read more...] about Will having an operation wreck my memory? DR MARTIN SCURR answers readers’ health questions

I am 68 years old and diabetic, but I have avoided the flu jab since 2014, when, exactly two weeks after having the vaccination, I developed Bell’s palsy. It was terrifying — could it happen again? J. Fairhead, Tonbridge, Kent. Bell’s palsy is when the nerve that controls facial movement becomes suddenly paralysed. It affects one side of the face, causing the eyebrow to sag and the mouth to droop. Named after Sir Charles Bell, who identified this nerve in the early 1800s, the effect is dramatic and disfiguring and, as you found, it can be a terrifying experience. Much of the anxiety is driven by the fact that not all people recover fully, which can be devastating. While Bell’s palsy is responsible for more than half of all cases of facial paralysis, other causes include shingles, where the same virus that causes chicken pox affects the nerves, and otitis media, a middle-ear infection which can press on the facial nerve as it passes through the middle ear to … [Read more...] about Flu jab froze my face – could it happen again? Family GP Dr MARTIN SCURR answers readers’ health questions

Nearly half of Americans trust strangers on social media to advise them about their health and fitness routines, a new survey reveals.  The average American spends nearly two-and-a half hours a day on social media, and the new poll from the Cleveland Clinic and Parade magazine shows that many of us are making life changes based on what we scroll through.   Respondents were most likely to try a natural remedy, switch up their fitness regimes or adopt a new diet after seeing that online influences had done so.  Social media has given people worldwide unprecedented access to more immediate, cheaper health and wellness information - but experts warn that there's a lot of bad advise out there, and it may be difficult to identify.  Social media gives us immediate, cheap access to health information, empowering many people to make a change - but experts warn that not all trendy information is true (file)  Screens are a near-constant part of our lives - so much … [Read more...] about Shocking survey reveals nearly half of Americans take health, fitness and diet advice from social media influencers despite doctors warning about ‘false health claims’ online

For decades it was an issue shrouded in secrecy and shame, something to be feared, ignored or ridiculed. Today, mental health is rarely out of the headlines. But we have reached a critical point: continuing to ‘raise awareness’ of mental health — the goal of recent public campaigns — has become a double-edged sword. Indeed, so ‘aware’ are people, we risk driving more and more of them to seek help when they don’t actually have a mental illness. Freddie Flintoff and Nadiya Hussain (pictured) are featured in the film to promote the Every Mind Matters campaign. It is being narrated by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex GP surgeries and mental health services — as my colleagues and I know only too well — are being inundated with people struggling to cope with everyday difficulties that can make all of us feel sad, anxious or low. So what we need to do now is concentrate on enabling people to help … [Read more...] about DR MAX THE MIND DOCTOR: Life is tough – but we can ALL learn to help ourselves to better mental health