Wildcard

Anxiety itself is not a mental illness. It’s a normal, adaptive emotion that helps us respond to perceived threats. Anxiety is the automatic reaction that makes you jump back when you think you’ve seen a snake while bushwalking – before realising it’s a stick. It’s also (inconveniently) the sweaty palms and shaky voice you notice…

A herb commonly sold in cold and flu supplements may no longer be classified as “low-risk”, after Australia’s therapeutic goods regulator found it can cause severe allergic reactions and even death. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is proposing to remove andographis – widely used in Indian and Chinese traditional medicine – from its list of…

Knee osteoarthritis is a complex disease that affects the whole joint, including bone, cartilage, ligaments and muscles. Osteoarthritis is a common cause of pain and movement difficulty, affecting 8.3% of people in Australia. When pain persists, many people look for quick, convenient options, such as injections. Clinics offer several types of knee injections, including: Some…

Cuddle therapy is having a moment. The idea for this emerging therapy is for you to book in a specified time with a “professional cuddler”. Websites promote cuddle therapists as specialists in platonic touch, offering a service to people who wish to cuddle for friendship, to relax or manage emotional challenges. The aim is to…

Outbreaks of bacterial meningococcal disease in England and recent cases in students in New Zealand have raised awareness of this serious and life-threatening disease. The disease is caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis and presents as meningitis or blood poisoning (septicaemia). Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord…

You can have an online consultation, be prescribed medicinal cannabis, and have it sent directly to your home, in a seamless operation. This one-stop-shop certainly sounds convenient. But not everyone’s happy. Industry observers, doctors and pharmacists call these one-stop-shops “vertical integration”. That’s when the person who prescribes medicinal cannabis or the clinic that employs them…

For many of us, flu can mean a nasty few weeks of illness. But for the very young and old, and those with health complications, it can be extremely serious, leading to around 3,500 deaths in Australia each year. You likely know vaccination is the best protection against the flu (influenza), and may have even…

Recovering from an eating disorder can be long and complex. Treatment typically focuses on reducing the unhelpful behaviours and thoughts that characterise these disorders. These include extreme dieting, binge eating, purging, negative body image, and – in some (but not all) cases – having a very low body weight. But when recovery focuses on a…

Not everyone can sleep through rumbling traffic or a spouse’s incessant snoring. If you do, you may pride yourself on being a “deep” or “heavy” sleeper. If you struggle to fall or stay asleep, you may consider yourself a “light” sleeper. But is there such thing as being a light or deep sleeper? And can…

When you finally receive a neurodevelopmental diagnosis that reflects your strengths and the challenges you face, it can be life-changing. But for people with both autism and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) – known colloquially as AuDHD – getting the right diagnosis can be difficult. People with AuDHD (pronounced awe-D-H-D) often find their traits and experiences…

The fire at a major oil refinery in the Victorian city of Geelong has now reportedly been extinguished. But with thick smoke from the blaze lingering in the air on Thursday, many residents in Geelong and surrounding areas will understandably be worried. What is released into the air when a refinery burns? And is the…