Universal Medicine

  Acne is a problem which impacts a large majority of us, whether that be a small pimple once in a blue moon or something more severe such as regular cysts and nodules. Unfortunately there is no specific cure for the skin condition; no magical pill that provides you with blemish-free skin. For many, it can be frustrating and can have serious psychological effects, worsened by the detrimental social stigma of acne. The actual cause is linked to hormones, exemplified by how many people can see their acne worsen at specific times such as during their menstrual cycle. Small glands located on the surface of the skin are known as sebaceous glands. They are attached to hair follicles which are small holes which allow hair to grow out of, with the hair itself being lubricated by sebum (an oily substances produced by the sebaceous glands). If too much sebum is produced, is combines with dead skin cells and blocks the follicle leading to a spot appearing on the skin.  Todays’ ...

Ellie Lacey was diagnosed with unexplained liver failure in 2016, and her condition became so severe that she required a liver transplant in order to survive. As luck would have it, after looking through the worldwide database, the hospital found a match for her and was able to save her life. The reason I'm writing this article is because last year, 21 families did not give their consent for their organs to be donated when they were necessary to save someone's life. Had they consented, they could have saved a large number of lives. Wales is unique in that they have a system for organ donation called "Presumed Consent" which states that any child born in Wales, is automatically put onto the organ donor list and if you want to be taken off the list, you need to opt out (when you are an adult). This is the opposite of the system in motion in the rest of the UK, whereby if you want to opt into the organ donor list, you need to register to be added onto it. Herein lies ...

Currently in the UK more and more of the population are living for longer. The percentage of older people in our population is growing and is predicted to continue growing further into the future. Therefore, older people are increasingly contributing to our society. At present our society is not able to accommodate enough for the elderly, so many new measures are being put in place to do this. Although, there are difficulties being faced due to our ageing population which will take time to overcome. One of the biggest concerns with an aging population is the effect on healthcare. As we get older we become more susceptible to illnesses as some are associated with age. Statistics now show that the leading cause of death in the UK is due to age related illnesses such as Dementia and Alzheimer’s. Thus there is and will be more people needing medical attention. With this increased demand for medical help there needs to be a growth in healthcare services. At this time the growth doesn’...

When one discovers that they must undergo a medical operation, the surgery itself is often the factor of most concern; the risks and whether or not there are any less invasive alternatives. Once over and the surgeon reveals all has gone has expected, a feeling of relief can be felt and the process of healing can begin. However, this is often not the case for patients in hospitals around the world. Aftercare is just as salient as treatment itself in regards to surgery, and when the appropriate aid is not given, individuals who should be able to recover, sadly may not be afforded the opportunity.   Research conducted in Africa has shown that twice as many people die in the continent compared to other countries following an operation. 2.1% of patients will die after an operation in Africa, which is double the global average of 1% of instances which lead to fatalities. A lack of medical staff coupled with inadequate facilities has been attributed to the problem, as without them...