Author: Huang Huilin

Recap: Seizure vs Epilepsy In our previous article, we talked about the differences between seizures and epilepsy: a seizure being just a single event, while epilepsy involves recurrent unprovoked seizures. We also learnt that a person is diagnosed with epilepsy if they have had two unprovoked seizures (or one unprovoked seizure with the likelihood of more) that were not caused by some known and reversible medical condition e.g. high fever, alcohol withdrawal or extremely low blood sugar. How is epilepsy being treated and managed? Read on to find out more. PSA: Medical Channel Asia (MCA) is now on Telegram! Join us…

Definition: Seizure Vs Epilepsy A seizure is an abnormal surge in electrical activity in the brain which may affect a person’s consciousness, movements, sensations, emotions or behaviour. A seizure is a single event while epilepsy is the disease involving recurrent unprovoked seizures. In another article, we have learnt about the causes, triggers, and types of seizures, that make up epilepsy. PSA: Medical Channel Asia (MCA) is now on Telegram! Join us here https://t.me/MedicalChannelAsia for daily reads and the latest updates at your fingertips! Diagnosis A person is diagnosed with epilepsy if they have had two unprovoked seizures (or one unprovoked…

Myocarditis and pericarditis have been recognised as rare cardiac complications of COVID-19 mRNA vaccinations. Myocarditis is the inflammation of the heart muscle, whereas pericarditis is the inflammation of the outer lining (membrane) of the heart. Globally, this has generally been observed to occur mainly in young adults especially adolescent males <30 years old, within 3 – 5 days of administration of the second dose of the vaccine. Cases have mostly been mild, self-limiting or with good response to treatment; majority of hospitalisations were of short durations in non-ICU settings. Although the exact mechanism for myocarditis post mRNA vaccination is unknown,…

Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is a painful rash caused by varicella zoster virus (VZV), the same virus responsible for Chickenpox. After recovery from Chickenpox, VZV stays dormant in the nerves. The virus can reactivate later in life, multiplying along the nerves to the skin, manifesting as an excruciating band of blisters – a hallmark of Shingles. Causes and Transmission As mentioned above, shingles is caused by the reactivation of the Chickenpox VZV – You cannot get Shingles if you have never had Chickenpox.  In a nutshell, how a person gets Shingles:  What causes the reactivation of VZV? VZV reactivates…

A seizure is an abnormal surge in electrical activity in the brain which may affect a person’s consciousness, movements, sensations, emotions or behaviour. A seizure is a single event while epilepsy is the disease involving recurrent unprovoked seizures. In this article, learn more about the causes, triggers, and types of seizures, that make up epilepsy. A person is diagnosed with epilepsy if they have had two unprovoked seizures (or one unprovoked seizure with the likelihood of more) that were not caused by some known and reversible medical condition e.g. high fever, alcohol withdrawal or extremely low blood sugar. Incidence of…

Living in a global health pandemic, many parents are understandably seeking ways to protect their children from the virus. Even as the world battles COVID-19 by ramping up the roll-out of vaccines, children remain one of the most vulnerable populations. None of the vaccines have been tested in children ≤ 12 years old thus far, which precludes their use in them. Here are 7 suggestions to keep our children as safe as possible in the COVID-19 pandemic. 1. Ensure Proper Personal Hygiene To minimise the spread of germs, consider the following measures:  Wash hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds…