From 1 February 2018,  medicines containing codeine are no longer be available without a prescription. As an alternative to prescribing codeine, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners has encouraged GPs to refer patients to physiotherapists. 

Physiotherapy has been identified as an excellent alternative to long term pain relief. Providing satinets with evidence based care that educed pain and improves their function. Physios are prepared to discuss the changes with patients who may desire, but can no longer access, these medicines.

Why did access to low-dose codeine-containing medicines change?
The Australian Government is committed to delivering the best health outcomes for Australians through the appropriate regulation of medicines that are deemed by medical experts to have particular risks. This includes low dose codeine-containing medicines.
The evidence shows that medicines containing low-dose codeine combined with paracetamol or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen or aspirin, are generally no more effective than other non-codeine medicines. 
The use of low-dose codeine-containing medicines is associated with high health risks. Codeine is an opioid drug closely related to morphine and, like morphine, is also derived from opium poppies. Codeine, like morphine and other opioids, can cause opioid tolerance, dependence, toxicity and in higher doses, death.
Regular use of medicines containing codeine, for example for chronic pain, has led to some consumers becoming addicted to codeine without realising it. The risks associated with codeine use are too high without oversight from a doctor.

 

Translated literally from Greek, Meno means menstruation and Pausis means cessation.

 

Officially, menopause is achieved after 12 months without a period and is the signal from Mother Nature that you can’t have any more babies.

 

A woman’s reproductive life can be divided into three phases:

1)    Pre-menopausal:This is the time when you have regular menstrual cycles

2)    Menopausal transition:(also known as peri menopause): during this time, the ovaries are beginning to produce less oestrogen and your periods start to change in frequency and can become erratic, unpredictable and heavier. As this phase progresses periods will come at longer intervals. Regular checkups with your GP over these later years can be beneficial as they can provide solutions if symptoms become bothersome.

3)    Post menopause:This stage commences 12 months after your last menstrual period 

 

Caring for your grandchildren often requires lifting and bending which can result in low back pain. To protect your back, you should take care with activities such as:

Musculoskeletal changes that occur with age:

 

Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) is a very common condition in women, and can result in leaking from the bladder or bowel, a feeling of heaviness or bulging in the vagina, or even lower back pain. POP can vary significantly in its severity, the organ involved and the cause. Mild POP may be completely symptom free, however to stop the POP progressing and worsening women should be seen by a Women’s Health Physiotherapist for lifestyle advice, strengthening exercises where appropriate and possibly the use of a pessary to support the POP. 

 

Pessaries are a silicone or plastic device that can be inserted into the vagina to support the pelvic organs. If there is a lack of support for your pelvic organs – usually due to muscle weakness, fascial (ligament) damage, or a recent vaginal birth, there is a risk of developing or worsening a Pelvic Organ Prolapse – POP. 

 

In the past, pessaries have almost exclusivly been used in the older female population – mainly post menopausally to manage a current POP if surgery was not wanted or appropriate. However, recently pessaries are being used more and more in the younger female population, and in particular early post natal women. We often use pessaries to support a mild POP while the body heals and recovers post pregnancy and birth, or prophylactically for women who want to return to high impact exercise or running before their pelvic floor and fascia are ready. The positive effects from exercise on your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing are vast and very well known, however many women who have a POP are told that they can’t do a particular exercise anymore. The use of a pessary can give many women the required support to allow a safe return to high impact exercise, or even just symptomatic relief so that they don’t notice the POP.