Doctor's View on eCigs

Electronic cigarettes UK

What Dr Dennis Gage thinks about the health benefits of electronic cigarettes



So perhaps the time has come for you to switch to electronic cigarettes. They are far cheaper and will not cause all the ill health that tobacco does.

So for e cigs, cartomisers and electronic cigarette accessories in the UK visit http://www.morecig.com

Patient Story: Barbara Howard on Shoulder Surgery

Shoulder surgery used to be a real challenge. It is now much better.

What Are Electronic Cigarettes

Although they have been around for 2 or 3 years, it's only in the last few months that electronic cigarettes have become known to many people. On first reading the name does seem a bit illogical. 'Electronic? Really?  Sounds painful to be honest' is a not uncommon reaction.

So what are e-cigs, as they are also known? Well they are a replacement for the traditional tobacco based product. They are electronic because they run off a battery. They provide a dose of nicotine when 'smoked' without all the harmful carconigens in normal tobacco smoke.

Typically your e-cig comes with a mouth piece, battery and cartomiser. A cartomiser is a combination of a cartridge with fluid and a battery powered atomiser which turns the liquid into an inhalable vapour.

This short video explains it further


So it's thought to be far healthier to smoke the electronic version rather than tobacco. Fair enough. But the really good news for smokers is that the electronic version is far, far cheaper. So you can get all the enjoyment you want at a considerable discount. Shopping around it's not hard to find a great electronic cigarette deal.

At the moment the electric version is not covered by the anti-smoking laws. So you can 'light up' inside at work, pubs, cafes etc and avoid illegality. Even better if you are a reasonable person (as most of us are) the exhaled 'smoke' is basically just a harmless vapour with no smell. Ideal!

You can find more about electronic cigarettes at http://www.morecig.com. Visit today.

It's hayfever season

It is that time of year again. Yes hayfever season is here.  Warm weather and sunshine is fantastic but it does have a downside for some people.

Hayfever is am allergic rection to various grass and plant pollens. It typically causes runny noses, watery eyes, sneezing and a general degree of unpleasantness. Listen to this NHS consultant physician explain more.



There are various remedies to treat hayfever with anti-histamines being the stalwarts.

Best idea is to see your GP for advice

Medical Humour From Mock The Week

Laughter is the best medicine as the old saying goes. Here are those wags from mock the week with their suggestions for unlikely health questionnaire questions.



They definitely made me laugh with some of the great one-liners. If you've got any medical jokes you want to share please add them into the comments below.

Placebos Still Used In The UK

It seems the days of placebos being given by doctors are not behind us according to a study just published by the Universities of Oxford and Southampton. They did a survey of 800 doctors picked at random and discovered the vast majority had used placebos at least once.

It seems it is a grey area as the GMC has no position on it. In the survey around two thirds of doctors had no problem with the use of placebos and one third thought it unethical.

One of the commoner placebos used are antibiotics for a viral sore throat. Antibiotics have no effect on viruses but patients think they do and feel better.

The fact that placebos work shows how important the brain is in our health. When we think we are being treated and will improve, we do. Brain chemistry alters and releases various natural chemical including pain killers. 

Will You Be Asleep During Your Op?

Operations are a fact of life for many people and millions are performed each year with great success. The vast majority are done under a general anaesthetic i.e. totally unconscious.

The process should be straightforward. An injection sends you off to sleep, a gas keeps you asleep and you wake up at the end when the gas is turned off. Many operations need full muscle relaxtion so the surgeon can do a proper procedure. To achieve this muscle relaxants are given. They stop all the muscles from working.

Anaesthesia In Action

However if there is a problem with the gas that keeps you asleep there is a risk you may be awake, unable to move and feeling the whole operation.

A recent study found 150 patients in 2011 who reported being aware during their operation. Out of the millions of operations carried out it's a tiny number but should be totally preventable. The trouble is that the true number may be much higher as there have been few studies looking for awareness. Hopefully that will change.